Meet at Lonsdale Drive-In for a 9 AM start. This flat paved rail to trail bikeway is 10 miles end to end. Cumberland to Woonsocket, RI. We will be doing an easy spin on this very picturesque path. Figure on 2-2 1/2 hrs of riding including the stops for photos and whatevah.
After tossing around all kinds of places and timelines for our annual bike tour, we finally settled on the C&O/GAP. On June 1st we are driving from Providence R.I. to Pittsburgh for an over night stay. From there we are taking a shuttle to Washington, D.C. to begin our 335 mile bike ride back to Pittsburgh.
After many long distance tours over the years, we have learned not to do much advanced planning. Winging it is the best way to go, eliminating the stress that can happen when we make reservations weeks in advance. Planning our mileages in the mornings during breakfasts gives us at least a basic idea of how much riding we will do that day. We may or may not stick to that plan but at least it gives us something to talk about over our tofu and rice cakes.
There will be lots of riding between now and then. Not for training or anything. Just because is nice to ride a bike every day.
***** Here we sit, six hours after I wrote the stuff up above and everything has changed. The shuttle from Pittsburgh to DC was $500. The bike rental was $200. We would have lost two days of our tour if we stuck to that plan. Now we finally have a final plan. For the third time.
We are going to begin in DC, taking a train with our bikes to Pittsburgh and spend the night. Now we can begin the ride back to DC early morning on June 2nd from Pittsburgh. The train is $65 with our bike and that’s a whole lot better than paying $500 for a shuttle. “More beer money” is our new mantra.
A small group rode a historical tour of the area. New Bedford and Fairhaven have a Revolutionary, Civil and WWII history that is unique to coastal areas . Today’s 17 mile ride brought the group to Fort Rodman, East and West Beaches, Palmers Island, the Harbor Walk and Fort Phoenix, that included a historical narrative of each location. Everyone’s favorite was the ride around the southern peninsular of New Bedford. The stories of quahogs, hamburgers, military, amusement parks, houses of ill repute and lighthouses are all part of the history of the point.
Fort To Fort Bike Ride from John Sullivan on Vimeo.
Meet at 99 Restaurant for a 9 AM start.
The city of New Bedford was free city during the time of the slavery. They were welcome and protected from the slave hunters by local residents and it’s mayor Rodney French.
French was a Free-Soiler – a pre-Civil War political party that opposed slavery and the admission of slave states into the Union. His actual political affiliation is dubious. I have come across documents that state he was a Democrat and others that state he was a Republican. We do know that he was a delegate to Republican National
Convention from Massachusetts in 1856 and that he was considered a “Black” Republican because of his anti-slavery or abolitionist platform.
His anti-slavery stance did not make him very popular among his peers and the aristocrats of society. In fact, this put his career and life in harm’s way often. He lost many a business relationship and opportunity, surely including revenue, and especially in pro-slavery North Carolina.
We will be riding around the point of New Bedford on Rodney French Boulevard. Clarks Cove will be on our right at the beginning of the Blvd. At the end of the point we will enter Fort Rodman, whereon September 5th and 6th, 1778, the British
landed 4000 troops marching through and destroying much of New Bedford. The troops marched inland along the west shore of the Acushnet River to Acushnet, then came south through Fairhaven to Sconticut Neck.
At this time the British drove a group of 34 local militiamen under the command of Timothy Ingraham from Fort Phoenix, burned the barracks, broke up the gun platforms and smashed all but one of the cannons.
When the fort was rebuilt following the 1778 attack, it was named Fort Phoenix after the mythical bird which rose from its own ashes.
The original fort was built by Capt. Benjamin Dillingham and Eleazer Hathaway between 1775 and 1777. It was outfitted with eleven cannon, several of which had been captured in the Bahamas by John Paul Jones.
Fort to Fort Ride
Meet at Pub 99 in Fairhaven. Ride begins at 9 AM
CLICK HERE for the route info.
From 195 take exit 18, route 240 to Fairhaven. Continue through two sets of lights and Pub 99 will be on your right, across the road from Stop & Shop. Park away from the pub near the row of white vans and Cardoza liquors.
NBW Cafe Ride (weather permitting)
East Bay Bike Path – from Fort Hill to Bristol Bagel and back (27 miles)
Leaves Fort Hill Parking Lot at 9:00 AM
Contact John Nery for more details.
NBW #019 Tom & Pat’s Half Century
Coventry – Foster – South Killingly – Sterling – Moosup
A very scenic 50 miles straddling the Rhode Island / Connecticut border. The ride was designed by Tom Chabot and Pat Young, who have toured throughout the USAStart:
- 10:00 AM Start
- from empty lot on Route 3 North next to Burger King in Coventry RI
- GPS Address of Burger King is 1145 Tioque Av, Coventry, RI 02816
GPS Files – RideWithGps format (free to use)
Bike Newport
CycloFemme! Global Women’s Cycling Day
There are 2 rides to choose from – a 13 mile ride and a 30 mile ride
The ride will start from Bike Newport’s Headquarters at 437 Broadway, in Newport – Meet up is at 8:30am and the ride starts at 9:00am sharp.
The Five Boroughs Bike Tour happens the first Sunday in May annually. This year saw temperatures in the low 70’s, no wind and 32,000 bikers, riding car free streets of Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Click the Vimeo at the bottom right of the video for better quality
A Weekend In NYC from John Sullivan on Vimeo.
Sue and I are on our way to NYC for the Five Boroughs Bike Tour. The ride is Sunday but Saturday is just as big a day. After settling in at our airbnb.com host we will spend the day in Manhattan. Check in for the ride, lunch, beer. Sighsee, dinner, beer. Back to Staten Island, beer. Sleep. Planning a NYC visit is easy.
Big weekend coming up, folks. BIG. We were already champing at the bit for Sunday, when the world’s biggest charitable bike ride rolls through 40 miles of car-free NYC streets, and then we saw the forecast. Needless to say, the weekend can’t come soon enough.
Basically, if you like bikes (and/or beer), this is where you want to be this weekend. Go here to see everything we have planned.
Cover Photo: Pie in the Sky Bakery in Woods Hole, MA.
The Shining Sea Bike Path is a 11 mile Rail to Trail conversion from Falmouth to Woods Hole, MA. This midweek, cool April day began with bright sunshine and very little wind, making it an easy ride from end to end.
The activity at the Steamship Authority is picking up as summer approaches. There was quite a line of cars waiting to board the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard. All the seasonal restaurants are open and the tourists are returning. Only on the weekend for now but by Memorial Day things will change for sure and Woods Hole will be a beehive of activity.
Click the Vimeo link at the bottom right of the video for better quality
As always, click any photo for big. Click again for bigger
– NBW Cafe Ride (weather permitting)
East Bay Bike Path
– from Fort Hill to Bristol Bagel and back (27 miles)
Leaves Fort Hill Parking Lot at 9:00 AM
Contact John Nery for more details.
–Fall River Bike Committee East Bay Bike Path Ride
– at 8:30am – Bike Ride on the East Bay Bike Path
This ride is perfect for beginners and for those who want to stretch those winter legs. This is an off road path.
We will meet in Warren, take Route 103 and turn left right after the Dels Lemonade on 103
Park along the left. Make sure to bring water and a snack. Helmets highly recommended. By the way, the Washington Street Bridge will be open on weekends, which means for those who want to ride a bit farther, you will be able to bike into Providence.
– NBW #160 Bikeworks Ride
16, 25 & 50 Mile Rides
Leaves from Swansea Mall – by the former Apex Store
new start location – different than last year
On the first Sunday in May, 32,000 cyclists of all skill levels come from around the world to roll through every borough of New York City on streets totally free of cars. For one day, the roads are yours, the bridges are yours, the City is yours—there’s no better way to experience the Big Apple. Produced in conjunction with the City of New York, the TD Five Boro Bike Tour is the world’s biggest charitable bike ride, with proceeds funding our free bike education programs. In 2014 alone, we taught bike skills to more than 16,000 kids and adults. When you ride with Bike New York, you’re helping us in our mission to empower more New Yorkers to grab life by the handlebars.
The Narragansett Bay Wheelmen offer group bike rides every Sunday with a variety of mile options. Everyone is welcome, member of the club or not. Members paint arrows on the route to let the riders know that there is a turn approaching. After the turn there are confirmation arrows and also dangerous road conditions like potholes have a bright orange circle painted around them.
Today’s ride had a very large turnout and every level of abilities was well represented from the 20+ MPH, full kit, gnarly hammerheads to the sub 10 MPH, overweight, grey haired, retired, comfort bike riders and all those that fall between these categories.
It was a cool 10 AM start with the temperature of 45 F. It got a bit warmer as the ride progressed, but not a whole lot. As the weeks progress the fitness of the riders is evident. Everyone has just a little more oomph at the beginning of the ride and the lot empties out a little sooner every week.
Click the Vimeo link at the bottom right of the video for better quality
Narragansett Bay Wheelmen Sunday Series Ride in Westport, Massachusetts from John Sullivan on Vimeo.
Riding the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Riding the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
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Riding the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Get out there and ride!
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Riding the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Riding the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Riding the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Coast-to-coast US bike tour
Riding the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Life at 15 miles per hour
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Riding the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
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Cycling to work & back, to the shops....anytime that I can use my bike instead of the car.Sometimes I even get on it just for fun & fresh air!
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