Years ago I would find something funny or unusual on the web and conclude my weekday blog with Friday Funnies. This YouTube definitely makes the cut as a Friday Funny. These two at the end of this post are a riot.
For now though, from today’s bike ride, are some of the architecture of Old Fairhaven and the Whaling Historic National Park in New Bedford, MA.
As always, click any photo for big. Click again for bigger
Rogers School. Fairhaven, MAFairhaven Town HallMillicent Library, Fairhaven, MAHistoric Homes. New Bedford, MaWhaler Tavern, New Bedford, MaPitchmanSeaman’s Bethel, Whaling National Park in New Bedford, MA
Afternoon DelightTabatha Inn, Fairhaven. Samuel Clemens was a regular visitor to this InnUnitarian Church in Fairhaven, MA. A gift of Henry Huttleston RogersUnitarian Church, Fairhaven, MANew Bedford Whaling Museum
As always, click any photo for big. Click Again for bigger
I drove my car yesterday for the first time in a couple of weeks. I ride my bike pretty much every day with no destination planed. It wasn’t that long ago I would plan a 30 mile loop, kit up and go out and be very conscious of my average speed, trying to keep it at 15 MPH or higher. I’m very happy with 10 MPH now, but because of making so many stops for whatever reason, it’s impossible to measure that.
Today again was a ride into the city, (New Beddford, MA) just because. Time was at a premium because of a late start and an appointment, forcing me to cut the ride short by a couple of hours. I did manage to keep my average speed down using the “taking pictures” method. He are some of the things that got my attention.
Black Dog diverVincent the Black Dog diverHarbor ToursHazardous SUVHarbor ToursHarbor Tours 2Boat in New Bedford HarborMartha’s Vineyard High Speed FerryBaitSeastreakLunch in the park
My daily ride brings me all around the town of Fairhaven, MA as well as other towns. I noticed a lot of players on the courts at the middle school and as I rode up, it was obvious that these were very high class players. Even from a distance the loud thwack of their shots. Funny thing is that as I got closer, the players were shrinking. I had come upon the regional qualifying tennis tournament and these were 13 and 14 year old players shooting off cannons. I hung around for the last few matches on the four courts and have to say that these kids could really play.
Fairhaven’s local player Trevor Schwarzmann had lost only one match all year. Today he was beat 8-1 and had a very quick elimination from the playoffs.
Bike Fall River will be riding the Blackstone River Bike Path
Sunday, August 9, 2015 – Meet-up is at 8:45am the Start Time for the ride is 9:00am
Blackstone River Bike Trail
The Blackstone River Bike is one of the most beautiful bike paths in the area. It follows along a rail line, the Blackstone River and an old canal system. There are several dams along the route. The path is relatively flat and is perfect for the beginner cyclist as well as the experienced cyclist. The total distance is 10 miles one way, 20 mile round trip for those who choose to ride the entire path.
Directions to the meet-up spot: Take 195 West toward Providence, take I 95 North to Route 146. Once on route 146 take the exit for Route 123, bear right onto 123 (Breakneck Hill Rd) continue for 2.8 miles – the road becomes Great Road, Front Street and finally John Street (all on Route 123). Once you see the old sign for the Lonsdale Drive-in Theater take a left into the parking lot. Helmets are highly recommended – bring water and a snack. As with all rides, this is weather permitting.
As always, click any photo for big. Click again for bigger
CLICK HERE for the Flickr photo album
Nine of us gathered at Stop & Shop in Fairhaven, MA for our 30 mile ride to the coastal villages of Mattapoisett and Marion. Both are small towns with populations of under ten thousand. Both are tourist destinations for those who love Cape Cod but find “the Cape” much too hectic. Falmouth is a fifteen minute boat ride from either town across Buzzards Bay. Mattapoinsett is where the well to do might summer and Marion is where the “very well to do” summer. For example, when we pulled in to a Cumberland farms convenience store there was also a group of five teens on bikes. One sported a Portland Timbers shirt and I asked if he was a fan and had ever been to a game. “Actually I live in Portland” was his response. One of his friends lived in Minnesota and another was from the Chicago area. All of them said they spend the summers in Marion sailing and playing soccer and lacrosse every day.
Back to the ride. It was a short ride to the center of Mattapoisett and one section had us portaging our bikes of some nasty rocky sections of the soon to be bike path extension. The extra work was well worth it when we came to the Mattapoisett River Bridge that was recently installed as part of the extension. The view was spectacular.
It was around 10 miles on the back roads to get to Marion Center. The traffic was very light and those who were sharing the roads gave us plenty of clearance.
The wharf in Marion was abuzz with Portland and Midwesterners preparing for their three hour cruises on Buzzards Bay.
After visiting the Marion Art Center we set off on our 15 mile ride back to Fairhaven. We threw in a quick lunch stop in Rochester, Ma to top off this near perfect day of bike riding.
8:15 AM gathering for an 8:30 start. I’ll be in McDonalds a block away at 7:30 for coffee if you want to join me.
This is a flat intermediate paced ride visiting the coastal towns of Mattapoisett and Marion MA. There are some spectacular sights on this ride. Bring your camera. Bring along a lunch if you wish but there are plenty of places to grab a quick bite along the route. We will be stopping at Plumb Corner for a break and regrouping at the 23 mile mark
Bike Fall River holding a bike to a Yoga class Saturday – August 1, 2015
Meetup is at 7:15am at the parking lot across from Meditech on Martine Street (Route 6) Fall River
Ride starts at 7:30am sharp!
The Yoga class begins at 8:30am at Partners Village in Westport and the class is given by Jeff Costa – Jeff is one of the top Yoga instructors in the area. Make sure to bring your yoga mat. Cost of the instruction is by donation.
The ride is approximately 10 miles from Fall River to Partners Village. (For those who want to continue to ride there will be a ride to Westport Point and back)
As always helmets highly recommended – make sure to bring water and a snack.
After the instruction riders can take a break at the bakery shop for some coffee and delicious treats.
As with all rides, this is weather permitting.
Sunday – August 2, 2015 – John Sullivan’s Mattapoisett / Marion 30 mile loop
Meetup is at 8:15am at the Stop & Shop parking lot on Route 6 in Fairhaven. Take 195 East – Take Exit 18 in Fairhaven to Route 240.
Follow Route 240 and cross Route 6. Stop and Shop driveway is on the left. Make sure to park away from the store toward Route 6.
The ride starts at 8:30am – This ride is for the experienced road cyclist since most of the ride will be on the road. We will utilize the Fairhaven Bike Path just a bit.
Here is a link to the route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/9572164 For the most part the route is relatively flat. The mileage is like riding the East Bay Bike Path with a side trip into Colt State Park. Our average speed will be 10-14 MPH. We will set catch up stops for the slower riders. No one will be dropped.
This ride will take us to the Camp Massasoit grounds where we will dodge golf drives as we make our way to rt 6. A couple of hundred yards on rt 6 will bring us to Mattapoisett center and a short ride to Ned’s Point light house. Our next stop after a few miles will be Tabor Academy and a short ride around the center of Marion. We will return on the back roads of Rochester and stop at Plumb Corner for snacks before the final push back to Fairhaven.
As always helmets are highly recommended – Make sure to bring water and a snack.
Rode to the Friday night concert on Pier 3 in New Bedford, Ma. The funk band was killing it and ended their first set with a great rendition of Bruno Mars Uptown Funk. After the mayor introduced New Bedford’s own Samantha Johnson who had the crowd and judges standing and screaming at her audition. She took the stage and thanked the city for all the support, reminded us to vote and let loose with a great Stevie Wonder song.
If your bike is stolen and you don’t know the serial number, it could be difficult to claim your bike if found. It’s not uncommon for you to have to bid on it at the police auction if you don’t have proof of ownership. There are two really good resources to help recover a stolen bike. The catch is that we have to get people to join the community because is no one knows there is a stolen bike in town, no one can report it. So pass on the two following resources to your bike community. There is only one feeling worse than having your bike stolen and that is when none of those who can help recover it, know it’s stolen.
Project 529
Website and app that lets you build a (hidden) profile for your bike(s) and record serial numbers, photos and identifying characteristics. If it is ever stolen you can alert other users immediately, and you can browse local stolen bikes in case you hapen to spot one. Project 529.com
Bike Index
A national registry with more than 45.000 serial numbers recorded that helps users, bike shops and law enforcemtne find owners of recovered bikes. It’s open API can be integrated with the inventory software used by ike shops to automatically register bikes as they’re sold. bikeindex.org
Spent mid week in Atlanta with both boys at #2 sons home. We gathered for the Gold Cup semi finals and watched the US get beat by Jamaica in front of 72,000 screaming fans in a sold out Georgia Dome. My first US Men’s National Team game was in some small college field in Indiana back in the mid 80’s with less than a thousand fans packed in sitting on portable stands.
Leaving the house in our US outfits.We changed into our Panama shirts for the second match.
The second game was how I remembered playing football back in the 20th century, with all the controversy, bad fan behavior and the general craziness of the atmosphere. This is how it’s done in the Southern Americas and it’s very entertaining.
On the music side of things.
The Friday night concert series on Pier 3 in New Bedford will feature a send off celebration forSamantha Johnson. She has been performing all over the county and abroad for a long time and she is now being recognized as a trained, well polished, professional vocalist.
The concert proceeds with Brass Force Funk band. I’ll be packing my bike with a couple of cold ones and riding from Fairhaven at around 5:30 ish.
Biking this weekend
Bike Fall River will hold 2 rides this weekend
Saturday – July 25, 2015 – Portsmouth – Tiverton – Little Compton Ride
The riders will meet on Park Avenue in Portsmouth, park on the road near 501 Park Avenue (Grazianos Restaurant)
*** See Attached Map for the Ride***
Ride will start at 8:30am – this ride is for experienced cyclists– all on-road – 27 miles with some hills.
This is a beautiful ride that will go over the new Sakonnet River Bridge bike path into Tiverton along the water front.
Once in Little Compton the group will ride inland toward Route 177 and then back to Park Avenue in Portsmouth.
Helmets highly recommended, make sure to bring along water and a snack.
– 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.
A few short years ago, I bought my first real road bike. 2005 I think. It was a Giant OC3 and I thought it was the neatest thing. Before that I was riding a very much over sized Huffy, and was so proud of riding 15 miles after work every day. Naturally, I got into road riding and bought a helmet, speed-o-meter and spandex. Shorts, shirts, bike sock. I looked the part of the Tour de France contender racing along at 18 MPH on the bike path. I’m embarrassed to no end over that, and really feel for the wives of the men I see doing that now. Back then, it was a goal to ride two thousand miles in a year. I have a couple of certificates from the Appalachian Mountain Club for reaching that goal. 2K in a year was a big deal. I had a good year last years and am having a better one this year.
Today I hit the 2000 mile milestone. It’s the earliest I have accomplished that. Back on 06-07 something like that, I was going for rides in cold, sometimes sub freezing weather in late December, to get to the 2K goal. It’s so easy now because I very seldom drive. I bike everywhere and putting on 25-40 miles a day is the norm. I don’t do the 50 and 60 mile club rides any more and it’s unusual for me to ride more than 25 miles at one time. I may to 15 miles three times a day and my normal weekly miles range in the 180 to 220 miles. The high miles is when I do the weekend rides with the local groups in the area.
A short reprieve from riding to travel to Atlanta for the Gold Cup. US/Jamaica on Wednesday night. It should be a hoot
for Samantha Johnson. She has been performing all over the county and abroad for a long time and she is now being recognized as a trained, well polished, professional vocalist.
A Midnight Rider 