Yesterday was such a great riding day but I had things to do that prevented me from doing a long ride. There was a gathering at the Buzzards Bay Coalition headquarters for the volunteers beginning a 5 PM. I was not in a rush to get there on time thinking it was one of those casual party type events. Little did I know that it was also a meeting with guest speakers and scientists.
I didn’t get to the function till around 5:30 and lo and behold, there was only a pittance of food left on the buffet table. I had to scrape the tidbits from two salad bowls to have something. There was plenty of cake though, thanks to Marie Antoinette. On the bright side, Sam Adams came through with plenty of larger which allowed me to ride the 6 miles home imitating a pinball machines silver orb. Good thing I didn’t drive to the function.
Today is a 30 mile fitness ride on one of my regular routes. I think I have photos in stock of just about every building, tree, animal and whatever, so I will only have my little point an shoot emergency camera in case something unusual gets my attention. I’m also putting this on Strava so I don’t want to have one of those meager 18 MPH averages speed rides broadcast to the world.
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Black Dog Divers working the night shiftBuzzards Bay Coalition Headquarters in New Bedford, MaPick out the scientists
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Sunny, warm fall days cry out for a bike ride. Us retired bike riders have the time to pick a spot not so close to home to do a long ride. I decided to ride my old commuting route.
Not long after the turn of the century I decided to bike commute to the office. It’s something that never dawned on me till someone on some bike blog mentioned, bi modal commuting. The light bulb shone and I slapped my forehead thinking. “Cripes, I put the bike in the car to travel for Sunday club rides, there is no reason not to do the same for work”.
I did some research, this was before MapQuest and all that. The internet big bang had not yet happened. This was also the days of dial up. You know now how much that sucked. Good thing for me because I was in the business of providing internet and phone service with one of the giants. It still is one of the giants as a matter of fact, and they are doing just fine without me. Just like they did before me. Three spots to leave my car made it nice and east to commute by bike every day. If I was on time, a 10 mile commute. Running a little late. A 7 mile commute. On really cold winter days? Just under 5 miles.
The Office
Over the course of those years of bike commuting, I watched kids waiting for the school bus in front of their homes, mature from, grade to middle to high school and eventually, move on. The City of Tauton Built a new high school and my daily rides turned intimidating hills into meager inclines. I would see the same people walking daily. Over time we went from saying good morning to occasionally me stopping to chat.
Writing notes about today’s ride
Because of my outfit and bike, I was often asked, “you a cop?”
I would answer, “do I look like a cop?”
“Yup”.
I would leave it at that.
My route took me through the Taunton State Hospital. The entrance was at the top of a small hill on a quiet side street. As I approached the gate one day, I spotted a 20 something guy with long shaggy blond hair leaning over his bike’s left side with his chest on the saddle looking at his chain. I approached and said
“You need any help? I have tools”.
He looked at me with wild eyes, jumped to a standing position and ate his cigarette.
“I’m good”, he said and as I rode on said to him, “Just having your morning tea I see. Enjoy”.
Another thing that became clear was that heavy traffic was my friend. It slowed everyone down. A lot. Which brings me to another commuting story. There is a rotary, (roundabout) in the center of town. As I was approaching a left turn to get me heading toward the rotary, a car easily a hundred feet back began laying on the horn. After the turn the car came along side and I asked if he was beeping at me.
“Get out of the fucking way” was the response I got from the young passenger. I looked up at the bottle neck a block away at the rotary and said to him.
“I’m slowing you down? Really? Why don’t you try to keep up”.
I stood on my pedals and cut loose, weaving my way in and out of the traffic merging from three directions. I glanced back and saw the car trying their best to get to me. Once through the rotary it would be easy to catch me on the boulevards. Because I had been commuting this town for years, it was my territory. I turned into a very old narrow alley that is so obvious, that not many drivers ever notice it, to my car which was parked in my winter commute location, at the police station. Never saw them again. There were other adventures during my years of multi modal commuting, but those are for another day.
The back side of the tunnel taken from the police station parking lot.
I still ride almost every day, just like my commuting days. In the past the search for coffee was for a Dunkin Donuts. Thanks to Chasing Mailboxes in DC, Dunkin has been moved from the designated shop to the one I have to sometimes settle. I now look for independent cafes where I can get a good cappuccino built by a Barrista. Those places have much better food to boot.
We expect 200 plus monsters, ghouls, princesses, jedi warriors and hobos to be at our doorstep tonight. Wifey wanted some scary pictures of her acting as a witch but none of those seemed acceptable. I also did some close ups of Sue and the brook at the bottom of the street.
Tomorrow, Sunday I’ll be finishing my coffeeneuring challenge by riding my bike from the head of the East Bay Bike Path in East Providence R.I. to the Head of the Blackstone River Bikeway, in Cumberland, R.I. I have a few coffee shops from which to choose in downtown Providence.
This is a new route of an old favorite, updated by Pete Rice, which is designed to keep us off busy roads and is especially suited to late fall and early spring rides. The short ride travels the famous Ocean Drive with its majestic bay and ocean views, and then continues up Bellevue Avenue past the mansions.
The longer ride heads further up the island past Middletown’s farmlands and beaches.
Larry & Sue Rollins will lead a beginners/new riders group on the 18 mile loop.
Off Season – safer riding for cyclists
Towns & Villages we travel through
Newport – Middletown
Some of the landmarks we pass by
Fort Adams
Castle Hill
Ocean Drive
Bellevue Avenue
St Georges
Start:
10:00 AM Start
Fort Adams
The GPS address is 84 Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI
I don’t really care about my average speed, but it is a good indication of improving fitness. Today was the last warm day for a while and I decided to get one more comfortable long ride under my belt. Tomorrow is movie day, so I doubt if I will get much of a ride in. Could happen, but probably not. I didn’t stop much on this 27 mile ride. I lost two miles on my Garmin trying to figure out again how this Touring one works.
I lost my Edge 200 which is nothing more than an expensive speed o meter. I do like it for long rides though. The Touring Garmin I own was used when I downloaded a gps route with turn by turn directions. The Edge will show up. I’m guessing when I clean the work bench in my bike shop which was nothing more than a junk draw all summer.
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Abandoned Hiking TrailClydesdalesOld House Foundation in the middle of the woods.The Bogs Hiking Trail in Matapoisett, Ma
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It’s my second time on the road bike since May and it feels good. I’m glad I didn’t sell old Gertrude. A friend asked if I was going to blog today’s ride. I said no, I was going to ride hard and make it a fitness ride. A point and shoot camera was next to the Garmin and as I was leaving, I grabbed both. Today was the first day that the fall colors were noticeable. Funny how one day everything is green and two days later the colors have burst like a Hindi Festival of Color.
Today’s ride was 27 miles at a moderate speed with a couple of photo stops. I couldn’t help myself. Not much to say about the ride except the sights were pretty groovy.
I called for an 8:30 meeting for anyone who wanted to ride the Shining Sea Bike Trail a 10.5 mile rail to trail conversion from Falmouth to Wood’s Hole on Cape Cod, MA. When any of us in our group put the word out for a ride we have no idea how many would show. It could be a solo ride or a critical mass. Today was closer to the latter.
Steve had never done this ride, which as most rail to trail MUPs, are pretty secluded. I took him off the path a couple of times to ride along the waterfront. The scenery is so much better, to say the least.
When we arrived at Wood’s Hole, I explained to many in the group about the coffeeneuring challenge. We’ll see how many new faces show from Quincy and other Massachusetts bike clubs. Many or should I say all but two riders, piled into the Pie In The Sky cafe. Steve and I went to Coffee Obsession on Water St. Both have very good coffee with good Baristas.
For the return ride to Falmouth, many of us left the MUP to ride along the ocean and visit the Nobska Point Lighthouse.
Very crowded Pie in the Sky Cafe in Wood’s Hole, MAOverflow bike parking at Pie in the Sky Cafe. Wood’s Hole, MaRiding our bikes along Buzzard’s Bay at Wood’s Hole, MANice downhill leaving the light station at Wood’s Holeamidnightrider and the Nobska Point light stationFerry and Steve PrinceNobska Point light stationFerry bound for Martha’s Vineyard on Buzzards Bay at Wood’s hole.Approaching Nobska Point in Wood’s Hole, Ma
The intent was to ride a few miles to a local animal shelter and do come comp work on the phone system. The ride began with the sun shining, only a wisp of wind and warm temperatures. It wouldn’t take long to install the phones so breakfast was postponed till after the job was done. A quick stop into a local super market for an apple to tide me over would be perfect. Things changed very quickly and exiting the market I saw this. As always, click any photo for big. Click again for bigger. Hit the back button to return to the story
Storm Brewing
I needed 10 minutes to get into the city and that seemed like it would be cutting it close. I stopped at the local McDonald’s to use their internet to check the weather. It was going to be close but I decided to go for it. Like the game show where you have money in your hand or you can risk it all for a grand prize. The money in my hand was coffee at McDonalds or take a chance on crossing the river to Green Bean Cafe for a wonderful cappuccino and a blueberry scone.
The choice was easy.Waiting out the storm
While having coffee, I got a call that the phone system was up and working at the animal shelter and I had the day to myself.
I hadn’t been on the road bike since May. There is a story to that but it’s not interesting. I got old Gurtrude aka Yellow Bike ready for her first road ride since then. We will tack on an additional 30 miles this afternoon just to kick start the mojo for some serious road riding over the next few weeks beginning tomorrow.
SATURDAY
Falmouth to Wood’s Hole on the Shining Sea bike trail. Met at the parking lot on RT 151 #16 on this map. Be there for an 8:30 AM start.
A slow fall ride for coffee today. I had planned to ride more but things didn’t work out. I did get in around 10 miles with a stop at Green Bean, in the city of New Bedford, also called the Whaling City, on Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts. The Green Bean is likely to be one of my coffeeneuring challenge stops in the future, but not today.
The Phoenix Bike Path takes me along a spot that is, “my favorite place”. It’s a great place to stop, relax and watch the wildlife, which I often do. Today I was in a bit of a rush to meet people for coffee and had no plan on stopping. Nature flashed me such a spectacular sight I had no choice but to turn back take out my camera and share the following. Things worked out because I missed having coffee at McPtomain’s and ended up at a great hipster joint in the city.
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North Carolina couple visiting Cape Cod riding the Shining Sea Bikeway
Shining Sea Bikeway. Saturday morning. Meet at 8:30 at the head of the trail off rt 151. #16 on THIS MAP. 10.5 miles each way with a short tour of Wood’s Hole and a coffee stop.
A Midnight Rider 