Mapping a Bike Route

I was asked to lead monthly rides for a local organization and gladly accepted. On our last ride, one of the participants suggested a bakery themed ride. After some discussion, the decision was made to add more to the theme.

The city of New Bedford, MA has a superabundance of murals done by local artists. The city is also dotted with some wonderful bakeries and cafes. It was an obvious choice to combine the two as our theme. Visiting our local elephants is just a bonus for the riders.

Bakeries and Murals

Public: Hosted by Buzzards Bay Coalition

Free with registration required.

Date: Saturday, December 5, 2020

Meet at Buzzards Bay Coalition in New Bedford

Time: 9:45 for a 10AM wheels up.

For an additional 8 miles. Meet at Staples in Fairhaven at 9:15, for a 9:30 wheels up.

Leave your spandex home and bring your camera, and a basket or backpack to carry your goodies as we visit two bake shops and a special stop with a treat provided by your bike leader.

A very casual 10 mile ride on the side streets of New Bedford. Average speed will be under 10MPH, with multiple brief stops at some of the creative murals dotting the New Bedford landscape.

After a stop at Dough Company in the south end of the city, we will ascend the elevated Cove Walk. A short ride to the zoo to visit Emily and Ruth, our celebrity elephants.

A downhill ride back to the center of the city brings us to our final stop, “The Baker” for lunch or a snack. (or both).

https://www.doughconb.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheBakerNB

Food Drive on Bikes

Cranksgiving is a food drive on two wheels. Part bike ride, part food drive, and part scavenger hunt. All you need is a bike, a bag, and a lock!

The ride will make stops at selected grocery stores around the South end of New Bedford. Everyone will have a list of non perishable items(the scavenger hunt part), that are best for distribution to the hungry. Go in the store, buy a couple of things, put them in your bag or backpack, and move on to the next store. Buy as much or little as your little heart desires. There may be a turkey on a bike.You will know it when you see it. Feel free to wear you own costume. Or not.

It’s fun.

It’s rewarding

and most of all

It’s a bike ride.

Buzzard’s Bay Coalition Fort to Fort Bike Ride

We were expecting 12-15 riders. Thirty one showed. Because of Covid 19 restrictions, we split the group. The faster riders lead the way followed by those not so fast. Three meet up places on the route were set to take a head count and confirm the directions for the next leg.

Everyone had a great time and are looking forward to next months, Bakery to Bakery ride.

Fort to Fort Bike Ride

The bike ramp exiting the NB/Fairhaven bridge.
Public: Hosted by Buzzards Bay Coalition

Date: Saturday, November 7, 2020

Meet at Staples in Fairhaven 17 Plaza Way. Fairhaven MA

9:45 for a 10AM wheels up.

A casual 16 mile ride mostly on bike paths and lanes. Roughly 10% will be on quiet streets. A brief historical talk will be given at Fort Rodman, Fort Taber and Fort Phoenix. (Two or three minutes at each location).

This is a casual ride along the Phoenix Bike Path and the center of Fairhaven. We will pass some of the historic sites before crossing the NB/Fairhaven bridge via the south sidewalk. The new ramp will take us off the bridge to the bike lane on Memorial Dr. to the south end of New Bedford.

The Joseph Saulnier bike path will take us around the peninsular with brief stops inside the Fort Rodman/Fort Taber complex. The route will continue along East Beach and make the assent to the elevated Harbor walk taking everyone to the gates of the hurricane barrier.

It’s then a short ride over the bridge again into Fairhaven and a visit to Fort Phoenix. A two mile ride on the Phoenix path will take everyone back to Staples, giving a total of 15.7 easy scenic miles.

CLICK HERE for the GPS route.

A Ten Day Recovery

I had a basil cell cancer removed from my shin last week. Shin? Yea shin. The Doctor had to dig deep, twice, to remove all the cancer. The wound ended up so large, he had to cut a piece of skin out of my leg to close the wound. In addition to sutures, staples were needed to secure everything.

I didn’t get a good look at his work till yesterday when I was forced to remove the original bandage. The staples looked like a ladder going up a water tower or something.

I never had so many shots of numbing stuff for the doctor to do his thing. Also, there was never any pain. Some discomfort, but that’s about it. Everything is good and I’m back to normal.

I had to procedure done on the 19th. Weather permitting, tomorrow the 30th, will be my first ride since then. (p.s it rained buckets all day and turned to snow late afternoon).

Recently I was hired to lead monthly rides by a local conservation, research and advocacy group. My first is a ride I have lead a few times. The Fort to Fort ride. On a good day, it draws riders from a few local groups. Biking had exploded around here the past few years. The Pandemic added a lot of new riders, who do not yet feel comfortable riding in casual groups. Over time, some will join us I’m sure.

For now, I will be good to get back in the saddle.

Watershead Ride

Phoenix Bike Path – Fairhaven

Tuesday:  October 20  5 PM:

Phoenix Bike Path:  Fairhaven, MA

Public:  Hosted by Buzzards Bay Coalition

Please join us for a nine-mile round-trip bike ride on the Phoenix Bike Trail through Fairhaven. View the beautiful scenery of salt marshes, forests, and local neighborhoods.
 
The ride will roll from the trail’s start at Main and South streets. Public parking is available on local streets in the area and at Fort Phoenix State Reservation, which is less than a mile away. If you live nearby, you can plan to ride to the start!
 
We will be following the state’s guidelines for social distancing, so please remember to bring a mask as well as your helmet, bike and water bottle. If you have a bike light, you should bring that, too, as the sun will be setting as we return.
 
Attendance is free but space is limited so registration is required. Register at https://forms.gle/4MYa4Ermn3hcx9qMA

The Zoo

Whenever I’m on my bike, I always peruse the landscape for interesting things to video.  Much of my shots are all about nothing really. It’s just 2-4 second snippets that I keep in a folder for those times I need a short transition video, or a jpg shot.

Yesterday, I ended up at the local, (New Bedford, MA), zoo which has won a few awards for it’s humane care taking of the animals. All of which have been abandoned by individuals or have been shipped here out of necessity. None are purchased from poachers or trappers.

Some of the larger animals are quite old. Ruth and Emily, the two elephants especially so. Years ago, the trainers would walk Ruth and Emily a couple of blocks to the local Dunkin Donuts take out window between 11 PM and Midnight. There the staff would greet them with a couple of donuts that had been on the shelf too long and some hot chocolate. It was always a sight to see. When they are gone the zoo will transform the elephant exhibit to rhinoceros.