Tag: blogging 101

Sisyphus

SisyphusSisyphus was a king of Ephyra (now known as Corinth). He was punished for chronic deceitfulness by being compelled to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, repeating this action forever.

I laid out a lot of gear for our tour next week.  The table was full with camping and cooking gear. While organizing how I’m going to carry this stuff it was only natural to be thinking about tours past.  Two years ago, I cooked oatmeal one morning. After the second day of riding, I sent all that stuff home.  I did cook pasta one night after riding till 10PM trying to find a place to camp on our 2008 tour.   We ended up setting up our tents at the edge of a parking lot along the Erie Canal.  In short, since 2007, I have cooked two breakfasts and a dinner.  I may have made coffee three or four times.  I rode the GAP last year with a large group and know there are plenty of places to stop and eat or purchase good food.  There is really no need to carry any cooking gear.

I am not going to be Sysyphus again this year, carrying all that cooking gear and having is clanging, making me look and prospector and mulesound like a bearded, crazy haired prospector walking a jackass in a 1968 spaghetti western.  Tomorrow morning, I’m putting all that cooking gear back into storage.

Camping is another story.  The gear is a little bulky but it fits on my rear rack nicely. There are campgrounds within walking distance of town centers.  When there are others camping, hanging out and talking to each other over a beer and some snacks is so much better than sitting in a motel room watching some stupid sitcom or nutty political discussion on the boob tube.  A soft bed and hot shower is a major advantage, but it’s not always the best choice.  But there are certainly nights when it is the best choice.   We will be mixing it up on this tour.

Crazy Guy On A Bike

DSC00545

I began following this blog in 2005 when he was keeping a journal of his cross country bike ride on a really good resource for bikers, crazyguyonabike.  People from all over the world write about their bike adventures on the site, and it’s what got me into bike touring. Mike moved his journal to his own blog after having a fallout with the crazy guy host.  Because it’s so easy to update, I continue to use crazyguyonabike for my bike tours.  

In nine days, two of us will ride our bikes from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC.    Accommodations will be a mix of camping, motels and B&B’s for our 8 day vacation on a bike.  It’s all begins HERE

Sunday Bike Ride With No Destination

If you ride a bike a lot, you know that you see so much more going on around you that passes by unnoticed if your in a car. Today was one of those days that a ride was in order, but a club ride, even one of the most popular local rides, just didn’t fit the bill.

There was no plan to go anywhere in particular.  It was simply a beautiful day to ride a bike. The Phoenix Bike Path in Fairhaven, MA, takes us close to the New Bedford bridge that crosses the Acushnet river into the city. When I got to the span, the bridge was opened to boat traffic.  I usually try to photograph the boat going through the opening.  On this day I looked back to see a wonderful perspective of Fairhaven.  Taking multiple shots playing with the zoom, aperture or shutter speed, gives a photographer a much better chance of getting that really good shot.

Fairhaven Center from the New Bedford bridge.
Fairhaven Center from the New Bedford bridge.

As I progressed into the city, I came across a food festival at Pier 3 and a dog festival at Buttonwood Park. From the park my ride took me on an easy spin to the south end where I stopped and chatted with some friends for a few minutes. At the end of the peninsula the long line at  Clark’s Point Creamery was a big help in my resisting stopping for a dairy treat. Fort Rodman, Fort Taber, and East Beach were spectacular this day.

On the return crossing into Fairhaven on the bridge, the crew of Captain Leroy’s deep sea fishing trip, were filleting the days catch for the patrons who were loading up their bus for the long return ride to New Jersey. Once back in Fairhaven at Cushman Park, the local track club was in the middle of the Jr. events.

On the club ride, I may have gotten into a pace line, put my head down, and hammered for a couple of hours.  Today was a mellow, fun ride that really hit the spot. The club rides are OK.  The rides with no destination can be the best ride.  Either way a bike is so much better than climbing into a car, blasting the radio and trying to beat yellow lights, and the other cars to the next light.

The few photos of today’s ride are set to music using Cyberlink Power Director 13.

For better quality, click the Vimeo link at the bottom right of the video

Sunday Ride in Fairhaven and New Bedford, May 2015 from John Sullivan on Vimeo.

Bike Tour

Swains Lock on the C&O canal
Swains Lock on the C&O canal

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.

Ride With History

IMG_2306A 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.

Fort to Fort Ride

The ride will take us around the point of New Bedford into Fort Rodman/Fort Taber.
The ride will take us around the point of New Bedford into Fort Rodman/Fort Taber.

Meet at 99 Restaurant for a 9 AM start.

Directions to ride 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

East Rodney French Blvd. Butler Flats Light house can be seen in the Acushnet River.
East Rodney French Blvd. Butler Flats Light house can be seen in the Acushnet River.

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 PHOENIX

FORT RODMAN/FORT TABER

A Weekend In New York City

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.

Shining Sea Bike Path on Cape Cod

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

Rides This Weekend.

Saturday 05/01/15

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.

IMG_2184
The Fall River Bike Gang.

–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.

Sunday 05/02/15

– 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

Start:

  • 10:00 AM Start
  • From Swansea Mall – by the old Apex Store
  • THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN LAST YEAR)
  • GPS Address: 262 Swansea Mall Drive, Swansea, MA

GPS Files – RideWithGps format (free to use)

New York City Five Boroughs Tour

IMG_0532
Riders approaching the Queensboro Bridge

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.

Narragansett Bay Wheelmen Sunday Ride

IMG_2191

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.