CAFE TOUR STARTING FROM FORT HILL SATURDAY 9AM

For directions to Fort Hill bike path access search for directions to intersection of Mercer Street and Veterans Memorial Parkway in East Providence through Google Maps or GPS. Parking is overlooking the river on the West side of the highway.

Saturday:  Sunny, with a high near 47. Southwest wind around 9 mph.

This Sunday’s Ride – 2014/11/09 – NBW #168 Don & Raul’s Fall River Ride

This Sunday’s Ride

NBW #168 Don & Raul’s Fall River Ride

Seekonk – Rehobeth – Dighton – Berkley – Assonet – Freetown

Fall River – Somerset – Swansea

21, 33 & 52 mile routes

This mostly flat ride meanders through Seekonk, Rehobeth,& Dighton before crossing the Taunton River at the perpetually, decrepit Berkley Bridge (please use the sidewalk) over the Taunton River. It then heads South to the Fall River Industrial Park (new site of Amazon’s Massachusetts’s Distribution Center), where it then plummets down Wilson Rd to North Main St (caution on this descent is needed). A dedicated bike path (see the inset on the map) takes us back across the Taunton River into Somerset on the new Veteran’s Memorial Bridge, and then we meander back to the start.

Congratulations to Don Chiavaroli & Raul Silva (both of the touring board) for their new ride

A new starting place for the NBW – The George Martin Elementary School in Seekonkberkley bridge

Our first bridge crossing – used on many NBW rides

Our second bridge crossing – this is our first NBW ride using the bridge

The Rise Cafe (one of Don & Raul’s favorites)

one block off route on the long ride

on County between Read & Buffington

look for coffee cup on map, at about 33 miles

Sunday’s Map

click to print

Arrower Don Chiavaroli (AKA Fossil) Our arrower reports that arrows are white. The first turn is a right out of the parking lot onto Cole Street. The GPS address of the start is the George Martin Elementary School, 445 Cole St, Seekonk, RI Notes from arrower: Use caution and the sidewalk when crossing the Berkley Bridge over the Taunton River at about mile 15.  There are two bad railroad track crossings. The first is about mile 21 on High Street (long route) and the second at about mile 23 on Copicut Rd (long route). Lastly there is a plummeting downhill on Wilson St at mile 29, exercise caution with the Left Hand turn there. FYI – the Bike Path approach to the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge is not obvious the first time. Just follow the arrows and relax. GPS Files: 21 mile ride with 600 feet of climbing 33 mile ride with 1000 feet of climbing 52 mile ride with 1900 feet of climbing Next Sunday’s Ride NBW #64 – Newport Tour 10:00 AM Start (the map is being worked on)

Weekly rides of note: Weekday Blinky Ride – leaves 5:30 pm Alternates between East Bay and Blackstone Bikepath’s A proud NBW winter tradition, going back many, many years contact Rod Breault for more details Saturday’s – Saturday Cafe Ride East Bay Bike Path – 9:00 AM starter – Contact John Nery for details Varies – Casually Employed Mid Week Series Varies – Contact Jan Harbutiak for details

The Washington Secondary Bikeway is four connecting rail to trail conversions in Rhode Island. The Cranston Bike Path, The Warwick Bike Path, the Coventry Greenway and the Trestle Greenway

The Garmin Route

The Flicker photos

Riding a rail to trail converted bike way is a great way to meet people and strike up conversations.  Today was no different on this ride of just under 40 miles. A conversation with a man riding his electric assist bike was cut short when I happened upon a man walking his very shy Airedale, Max.  I told the owner that I had a miniature version, a Welsh Terrier.  As he looked over my bike he mentioned that he rides a motorcycle with a sidecar for Max.  The sidecar is equipped with a safety belt and Max rides proudly wearing his leather helmet and goggles.  When Max is riding in his sidecar you can envision him, when he sees another dog saying,  “look at me.  I’m the prince of the dog kingdom”.

On the return leg, I stopped at The Hot Dog Cafe in Coventry, R.I.  This was a place that welcomed best friends to stop in. The front was a people place offering hot dogs and other light foods.  The coffee was good and today, because it was election day, the coffee was on the house.  The side entrance was a bakery specializing in dog treats.  Peanut butter and oatmeal treats made it impossible not to bring some home for my two best friends. Since the bike trail was extended to pass within a few feet of the Dog House Cafe, their business has improved considerably.  They will be closing for the winter soon, but if find yourself riding the Coventry greenway make it a point to stop in for a treat for yourself and while there, get something for rover. You will both be glad that you did.
As always, click any photo for big. Click again for bigger.

New England was know for it’s textile mills for many years.  The owners moved the operations south to take advantage of cheap labor and in time the vacant buildings began to deteriorate.  Many were saved by investors who converted them into outlet malls. When those failed the same building were converted into housing, mostly for the elderly.  There were many buildings that remained vacant for decades that lately began being converted to high end condos and apartments.  The Royal Mills in Warwick R.I. is one of those turn of the century brick monoliths. The complex has gone

Here is the video of todays ride.

Where.  East Bay Bike Path  Start at Fort Hill parking lot. 500 Veterans Memorial Parkway, in East Providence

When:  5:30 PM

Do as much or as little of the ride that your comfortable doing.  Ride at your own pace.

It’s going to be a beautiful night to ride. Overcast and 60 degrees at the start of the ride.

I recently took a really decrepit looking bike from my neighbors curbside garbage pile.  It’s a decent Gary Fisher bike that I want to convert into a second touring and running errands around town bike.  I don’t do major work on any of my bikes but there are some things that those of us who like to tour should be able to fix or replace. We can’t carry tools and all the parts for our bikes but there are a couple of things every biker should be able to accomplish.  Fixing flats is a no brainer, but one of the easier tasks that many won’t even attempt is breaking the chain to replace, clean or repair.  A broken chain on a long  ride can be a catastrophic failure for some, and that should not be the case.

With winter coming, now could be the ideal time to do some practice and learn some basic bike maintenance skills. Toward the end of the last century I purchased a bike maintenance book that is still considered the go to place to fix our machines. Youtube has made things so much clearer and there are some really good authors that really simplify these tasks. Below is a good chain video. Take a look and try replacing a chain yourself. It’s easy.