Category: Bicycle
Full Moon Ride in Newport, R.I.
Join us on our bike rides through Newport, guided by the full moon!
The event is free and open to everyone !
*Helmets and bike lights are required to ride*
Meet us at Bike Newport on 62 Broadway
7:00 pm on Sunday March 12th
7:30 pm on Tuesday April 11th
8:15 pm on Wednesday May 10th
*The rides will be a no-drop, group ride for people comfortable riding on the road – up to 12 miles depending on weather.
30 Days of Biking. Day 1
It almost didn’t happen. Last year on this date we got a snow storm. This year, a wicked pissah Nor’easter with heavy rain and snow mix throughout the day put the ride in jeopardy. Around 8 PM the storm had abated but the night was sultry. I got the Scott SUB 40, (speedy urban bike, 40) lit up for a night ride and headed to the town center.
The bike path was dark and deserted. A rabbit scooted across defying the odds of the two of us, the only two souls out, crossing paths. A mile out, and a mile back was the extent of the ride. Being out alone at night. witnessing the tail end of a storm heading out to sea, was priceless. I will tell people how nice, in spite of the stormy weather, the ride felt. Most, even many who ride bikes, will not understand. But there are those who will know this feeling.
It’s Biking Season
Two bicycle events are upon us. 30 Days of Biking, begins tomorrow April, 1. No fooling.
Find their spoke card, handouts and flyers at their Goodies page. Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to join the community. And make the pledge to yourself and the world right here.
The second is Rails to Trails Opening Day on April 8th. Pledge to hit the trails at one of over 100 events across the country for a chance to win a Fuji bike!
Take the Pledge and Enter our Sweepstakes
Last year, Opening Day grew to include more than 20,000 trail lovers of every variety—but we believe this year’s celebration can be even bigger! Help us make 2017’s Opening Day the largest and most fun ever by taking the pledge to get out on the trail! You’ll have an amazing time—and you’ll be entered to win a special giveaway! Terms and conditions apply.
Also, if you ever thought about a multi day bike tour, Rails to trails offers the ideal opportunity with the easy 6 day Sojourn. I have done three with them and can vouch that they are spectacular and very easy, moderate daily mileage rides.
Pennsylvania Sojourn
—The Rail-trail Adventure of a Lifetime—
Spend six unforgettable days exploring two awesome trails—the legendary Great Allegheny Passage and beautiful Montour Trail—on RTC’s 2017 Pennsylvania Sojourn. Ride with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy on this six-day summer bike excursion to experience Pennsylvania’s famous scenic wilderness, charming towns, beautiful tunnels, iconic sites and can’t-miss destinations. This fully supported rail-trail adventure vacation has great food, hot showers, flexible scheduling, fun evening activities, awesome optional trips—and the added benefit of supporting America’s trails!
Dates: June 18–23, 2017
Duration: Six days, five nights
Cost: Adult – $720; Child – $620
Tour Operator and Outfitter: Wilderness Voyageurs
Your RV Is Ready.
I took my RV to the Ford shop because of a recall notice. My camper sits on a Ford Transit chassis. I also asked for a price for an oil change and installing a trailer hitch on the front end so I could transport my bikes. My rack is the same that public buses use. It was such a nice day so I decided to ride around town while waiting for the call that the camper was ready.
When I retrieved the Transit, the dealer gave me a good price for the oil change, but his answer for the front hitch gave me pause. He said, “Ford does not make the hitch I wanted but he could get one from Camping World and install it for 3-4 hundred dollars. My pause was the he was going to get it from the place I bought the RV and my power of deduction says that I could save a bit of money by going to the source of the hitch. However…………. Camping world prices are premium. I’m going to get a quote from them but I’m not sure they will be less expensive. It sounds crazy, but in the world of RV’s, things are different. (not to mention, expensive). We’ll see. As for the recall. All the parts passed the tests and no defect was found. Naturally, the dealer replaced them.
I did have a decent ride in the city, with the sun shining, and the temps hovering around 50ish.
RV Recall Ride
My new RV doesn’t have a name yet. Wifey wants to call it the Tiny House. I have started calling it Tranny. (The RV sits on a Ford Transit chassis). We shall see which name sticks.
The Ford dealership in the city is around 8 miles from my home. That short distance made it an easy choice to bring a bike along and ride home. The recall specs to the dealer say it’s a seven hour minimum job payment and the service guys said, with a wink, wink, to count on a couple more hours tacked on to the minimum. “I’ll call you tomorrow” he said. So “Tranny” was admitted and will stay overnight for tests.
Sunday Yoga
The day began just a little bit cool. I decided to ride the 7 miles to yoga at the local Boys/Girls club. I just happened to look up and saw the wall above my bike stating that this was the third oldest club in the country. I have been going here for two years for yoga, putting my bike in the same spot and it took this long to look up.
Another long unnoticed item on a regular route is this closed gas station. So many have tried to make a go of this but the location is crap. It’s on the edge of a bridge spanning the river that opens every hour. People have always hesitated to stop here for gas out of fear of getting stuck when the bridge opens. The prices say clearly how long this place has been closed.
The ride was intended to be longer, but the weather turned sour with dropping temperatures, wind and drizzle limited me to 16 miles. I did make one more stop at a recently closed motel that was a haven for transients, pimps and people with drug problems.
South Coast Bikeway Summit
Last night was the annual South Coast Bikeway Summit in New Bedford, MA. I was asked to lead a ride for those who wanted to bike to the “bike summit”. This is my third year volunteering to do this ride. No one has ever shown up to ride with me. I got a few e-mails asking about the route and times. It was a beautiful late afternoon to ride. 38F, no wind and sunny at the 4:30 PM start. The temperature promised to hold and the wind had no intent on picking up before the 7:30 PM return ride. With all that, I wondered, “will anyone show besides Geoff?” No one did. Geoff was there, but we did not see each other before I rode off. He did call me and we were able to hook up about a mile down the road.
It was a really nice ride that took us over the new elevated walk/bike way built on top of the hurricane barrier at West Beach. The return night ride took us over the walk/bike way on East Beach. (Fort Rodman is at the point of the New Bedford peninsula that in my soccer pre season training days was a very pretty four mile loop along Buzzard’s Bay and Clark’s Cove).
CLICK HERE for the Summit meeting video.
2017 SouthCoast Bikeway Summit Bike Ride from John Sullivan on Vimeo.
30 Days of Biking
I enjoy the occasional bike challenge. I came across 30 Days of Biking last year and after a rough start really enjoyed being part of that community. Basically, we agree to ride our bike every day during the month of April. There is no minimum mileage, so on that rainy (or snowy) day, a ride around the block counts. If you remember, last April we had snow the first week.
Two weeks later after riding the Boston Midnight Marathon bike event, I was riding in 85 degree sunshine in Austin, TX.
I plan on doing the 30 day challenge and the Boston Midnight Marathon ride again this year. Both events are approaching quickly. The temps are in the 20’s around here now but I’m counting on spring weather arriving within a few days. No matter what, I’ll be on my bike on April 1st, and that’s no joke.
Let It Snow
There was never any doubt that I would ride to the fitness center today. As soon as I left my driveway, my professor friend from Mass Maritime detoured off the bike path where he was walking his dog, to berate me for riding my bike in the snow. He was aghast that not only was I riding in the snow but also that my tires were not knobby. I reminded him that he does not ride bikes so his opinion about riding in the snow had no merit.
There is a prediction of a foot of snow tomorrow so I’m predicting that riding my bike will again go on hold. However……… I just might install my studded tired tonight. It won’t do me any good on the unplowed MUP, buticy route 6 will be fine with the studs.
2017 January 6th Snow Ride from John Sullivan on Vimeo.
A Midnight Rider 