Tag: blogging 101

This Weekend’s Rides.

SATURDAY April 25

     Sakonnet Bridge Bike Lane Celebration.

This event is being sponsored by the Tiverton Trailblazers, Bike Newport, Bike Fall River, RI Bicycle Coalition and Supporter, the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen.

The day will start off with a bike ride starting at 11:00am in Portsmouth R.I. at the Park n’ Ride on Boyds Lane in Portsmouth and then it will cross the Sakonnet River Bridge and will continue through Tiverton. It will be a 12 mile ride. At 1:00pm everyone will gather at Evans Avenue in Tiverton near the bike path entrance for the celebration. For those who cannot ride you can still come down to the event and take a leisurely walk across the bridge and enjoy the beautiful scenery and then join us for the 1:00pm celebration.

     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 A
  • Contact John Nery for more details

    CAFE TOUR STARTING FROM FORT HILL SATURDAY 9AM

    For directions to Fort Hill bike path access search for directions to intersection of Mercer Street and Veterans Memorial Parkway in East Providence through Google Maps or GPS. Parking is overlooking the river on the West side of the highway.

    Saturday – Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Northwest wind around 8 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

SUNDAY April 26

NBW #111 Westport Ride

Midnight Marathon Bike Ride

midnight-bike-81

CLICK HERE for TV Coverage video

For the seventh year, Greg Hum and friends organized a bike ride on the Boston Marathon route.  Riders, for a small fee, congregate near South Station in Boston to load their bikes on panel trucks  After loading, the participants walk to South Station to catch the commuter rail to Southboro and unload their bikes from the trucks.  Two routes are offered for the ride back to downtown Boston.

The first, which adds a couple of miles and a challenging hill, takes the riders to the starting line of the marathon in Hopkinton, MA.  For those who don’t want to ride the hill, a shorter, flatter options takes them on a four mile loop around the hilly section where they join the marathon route in the original starting town of Ashland.

A cool, overcast night made for a beautiful night to ride the 2015 marathon bike.  Boston is a very diverse city and the bike ride displayed that diversity in age, nationality, culture, fashion as well as transportation modes.  Along with those on bike, there were skateboards, roller blades and a few runners.

All along the route, there was evidence of the preparations for the main event happening a few hours later, Street sweepers, police, barricades, the press and security were increasingly evident as we approached downtown and the finish line.  Unlike 2014, the bike rider were able to ride across the start and finish lines as tensions begin to ease from the 2013 bombing.

2015 Midnight Marathon Bike from John Sullivan on Vimeo.

Saturday Bike Ride

A fine day for a bike ride in Rhode Island today.  The East Bay Bike Path had lots of users on bikes, running, skating, and walking.  Sunny, 70 degrees and no wind made this a great opening day of the bike season for many.  The Fall River Bike Committee was out riding along with the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen doing their weekly Saturday morning Cafe ride.

Freighters were unloading in Providence and the glistenting waters of Barrington were flat and calm.

As always, click any photo for big. Click again for bigger.

The Fall River Bike Committee
The Fall River Bike Committee
Freighter unloading in Providence, R.I.
Freighter unloading in Providence, R.I.
Barrington, R.I.
Barrington, R.I.
Checking out the rocks in the bay.
Checking out the rocks in the bay.

This Weekend’s Rides

SATURDAY: 18April

  • The East Bay Bike Path Cafe RideIMG_1566

East Bay Bike Path – from Fort Hill to Bristol Bagel and back (27 miles)

Leaves Fort Hill Parking Lot at 10:00 AM

Contact John Nery for more details

  • Fall River Bike Group
    “It was a long and grueling winter but the good weather is here finally. That means it is time to get out and enjoy the weather on our bikes. For the first ride we will go on the East Bay Bike Path for a nice, slow, leisurely ride to get our legs back to normal. Here are the details:
    Bike Fall River 1st Ride
    When:        Saturday, April 18, 2015 – at 9:00am
    Where:       East Bay Bike Path
    Directions: Take Route 103 through Somerset, Swansea and Warren.  Once in Warren look for the Dels Lemonade on the left and take the immediate left, Railroad Avenue, after Dels.  Park along the left”

Join us this Saturday, April 18th at 1:30 pm to kick off the Bike Newport group riding season with “Tour de Newport Daffodil DaysJonqulles” – part of the Newport Daffodil Days Festival! Get up and close and personal with many of the 385,000 daffodils now planted throughout Newport on this daffy bike ride supporting the Daffodillion project. We’ll take a ~5-mile tour of the plantings, the gardens at the Hillside private estate, and end up at the Ballard Park “Bouquet Bar” and Flower Market where live music and nearly 20,000 daffodils will greet us. Ride rolls out at 1:30 from Touro Park on Bellevue.

SUNDAY   19 April

  • Narragansett Bay Wheelmen

    Saturday 04/18/15 – 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 10:00 AM
    • Contact John Nery for more details

    Sunday 04/19/15 – NBW #166 Foxboro 55

    • 23, 36 & 55 Mile Rides
    • Leaves from La Salette Shrine, Attlleboro, MA
    • more details HERE

    Wednesday 04/22/15 – Blinky Ride (weather permitting)

    • On a seasonal weather hiatus
    • Alternates with EBBP (East Bay Bike Path) 27 miles
    • Alternates with BBP (Blackstone Bike Path) 20 miles
    • Leaves 5:30 pm
    • Contact Rod Breault for more details

    Casually Employed Series

    • Varies – takes place on Weekday to take advantage of weather
    • Bicycling, Hiking or Skiing
    • Contact Jan Harbutiak for more details

Leaves Soutboro at midnight.  Check out the facebook page for details

Pro Tips For Midnight Marathon Ride

Pro Tips

If you are confused about how this ride works let me try to clarify & offer up some pro-tips:

THE RIDE ITSELF:
– We all meet at Southborough Station at midnight on Sunday night (Monday morning). We roll out as soon as the midnight train arrives & is unloaded. Approx 12:15-ish and ride up to the Marathon starting line and then ride the Marathon Route into Boston. It’s amazing.

GETTING TO SOUTHBOROUGH STATION:
Option 1: Get dropped off by some sucker / friend / taxi / your mom.

Option 2: Drive yourself and get your car the next day. Don’t ask me where to park, you’ll have to figure that out yourself.

Option 3: Ride your bike to Southborough Station. There are several “packs” of riders doing the out & back ride. A big group from Ride Crazy Boston will be doing the out & back. They setup their own event page with detailed information here:https://www.facebook.com/events/721826097940836/

Option 4: Do the “Truck ‘N Train Combo”. We will transport your bike out to Southborough Station via moving truck, and then you take the normally scheduled commuter rail train to Southborough Station. Everything you need to know about the Truck ‘N Train combo can be found here:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/midnight-marathon-truck-n-trai…

TIPS FOR THE RIDE:
– The ride is self supported, meaning: Be sure to bring a spare tube and a basic kit of tools in case you have a bike malfunction. If you don’t have a spare tube that fits your bike, go to your local bike shop and get one before the ride.
-If you haven’t ridden much this year, get your bike shop to give your bike a quick safety check if you. You can also do an ABC Quick Check like in this short video: https://vimeo.com/64578975
– If you don’t know how to fix basic bike problems, then ride with someone who does.
– LIGHTS LIGHTS LIGHTS LIGHTS LIGHTS LIGHTS. The more the merrier, but be sure to at least have a front that is white and a rear that is red.
– Helmet… I’m not gonna get all preachy on this matter. I will be wearing mine because I think its a good idea. Use your own judgement, but consider that it will be dark outside, there will be train tracks to cross… and a bunch of other riders with varying levels of skill.
– Bring gloves, and wear layers so you can adjust your clothing to the desired warmth. You’ll be cold if you end up standing around, and warmer once your legs are pumping.
– Snacks are a good idea. I say bring some snacks. It’s a community event, so bring some extra snacks to share… with me.
– Hydration is a good idea. Bring something to drink. Your body will thank you later.
– It’s not a race, its a ride. I recommend riding at a pace where you can chill with some friends, chat up that good looking cyclist next to you, or get a group sing-a-long going. “Sweet Caroline” as we roll past Kenmore might be a good fit.
– Bring a map of the marathon route in case you get separated. A smart phone with a map app works pretty well too.

AFTER THE RIDE:
– Pancakes, Coffee, Muffins, Bacon etc. Boston Common Coffee Company on Washington Street in Downtown Crossing will be setting up a tent outside their store so you can stuff your face with early morning eats. It’s just under a mile from the finish line (map: https://goo.gl/maps/xp6DQ). We can’t hang out at the finish line for security reasons, so just pedal on a bit more and celebrate your achievement with delicious food. BCCC is donating all the proceeds of the pancake breakfast to The Home Away Fund which helps provide assistance to families dealing with epilepsy.

– BCCC is buying all the food tonight, so please get yourself a ticket NOW to ensure they get enough food:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2015-midnight-marathon-ride-pa…

More From The Midnight Marathon People.


ATTENTION PANCAKE EATERS!!! I will be heading out on Wednesday to purchase batter, syrup and other items for the breakfast. PLEEEEEASE if you are going to join us sign up before then to make your arrival run as smooth as possible. Here is the link to purchase tickets

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2015-midnight-marathon-ride-pa…

Last year we had over 250 riders come in for breakfast and its looking like a great night!

2015 Midnight Marathon Ride Pancake Breakfast
Midnight Marathon Riders, What better way to complete your journey from Hopkington to Boston then a hot Pancake Breakfast!!!! The Home Away Fund will be hosting a post-ride Charity Pancake…
EVENTBRITE.COM

Bike Sights

It sure is a nice feeling to be back riding a bike again. The fog lingered early on giving the salmarshes a unique perspective. These were taken in Fairhaven on the South Coast of Massachusetts.

As always, click any photo for big. Click again for bigger

IMG_2153 IMG_2158 IMG_2167

Midnight Marathon Bike Ride Is Registering Now

full moon bike over boston


If you bike, you gotta do this ride.  It’s so cool and so unique it would be a shame to miss.   It’s at midnight but so what.   There is no traffic and lots of cops and workers on the sidelines prepping the route for the marathon making this a very safe ride.   I’ll be there early after leaving people at Logan.

I’ll be going early making a stop at Logan before hand.  If you want to meet up with me, find me at South Station.  There will be a lot of people but not so many we can’t find each other.

Be sure to register NOW if you want your bike transported to Hopkington.  It’s thirty bucks. There is also a pancake breakfast for $15 and the commuter rail to Southbough to meet your bike is about $6.

The Midnight Marathon Bike Ride is back for 2015!

This year’s Midnight Marathon ride will be just like last year’s, meaning

*It’s going to be awesome, but just like always, this ride is on open public roads and is NOT supported, so you’re responsible for bringing friends, dressing appropriately, your own safety. If you get a flat, you’ll need to be able to fix it on your own.

*We’re organizing a “Truck ‘n Train” option for you, meaning you purchase a ticket from us to transport your bike on a moving truck from South Station to Southborough, and you take the Commuter Rail to Southborough to pick up your bike (which means you also purchase a commuter rail ticket separately) Tickets for “Truck n’ Train” are available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/midnight-marathon-truck-n-train-2015-tickets-16468641149
Not to mention, any leftover proceeds will go to a local bike organization of your choice!

*There will be a PANCAKE BREAKFAST charity fundraiser organized independently of us by our friends at Boston Common Coffee Company. Trust us, you’ll want pancakes after the ride. Tickets are LIMITED, buy tickets for the breakfast here..It helps a great deal to know how many people are coming for this, so we ask you to please buy tickets BEFORE WEDNESDAY, 4/15 if you know you’re in for some sweet, sweet, post-ride pancakes: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2015-midnight-marathon-ride-pancake-breakfast-tickets-16434064730

*VOLUNTEERS: WE NEED VOLUNTEERS to help with various things, including loading bikes in and out of trucks, flagging people down at tricky train track crossing on dark roads, providing unofficial ad-hoc support, AND facilitating a delicious pancake breakfast. Want to help make Midnight Marathon happen? Please sign up on our volunteer form here:http://bit.ly/1EiT9aa

Can’t wait to see you all out there!

Greg Hum, BostonSoS, and friends.

Upcoming Rides

Slim pickings this early in the season.  The Narragansett Bay Wheelmen are the only ones this weekend and both are great rides to begin the season by easing your way into riding.

IMG_2139
Saturday morning Cafe Ride on the East Bay Bike Pat.

Saturday 04/11/15 – 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 10:00 AM
  • Contact John Nery for more details

Sunday 04/12/15 – NBW #049 Great Grandma’s Farm Ride

  • 16, 24 & 51 Mile Rides
  • Leaves from Lincoln Mall, Lincoln RI
  • more details HERE

Team amidnightrider.com got our NYC Five Boroughs start positions

  • Departs: 8:10AM
  • Recommended Arrival Time: 7:10AM-7:55AM
  • Access Start Corridor (in gold in the map above) via Barclay or Vesey.

Saturday Morning Cafe Ride

The rain moved out around 9 AM as predicted and the sky turned partly sunny. It was a nice start to this years Cafe Rides on the East Bay Bike Path.  East Providence to Bristol R.I. this 13.5 mile long paved rail to trail conversion is one of the most popular rail trails in the are.  Unlike most, this rail trail is pretty wide open traveling along the Providence river to Narragansett Bay in Bristol.  Bristol Bagel Works is the turn around spot but not before a light snack and a cup of pretty good joe.

I emphasize a nice start because nature hit us hard with the wind on the return leg.  30-40 MPH sustained winds with gusts somewhat higher conspired to knock us off our rigs.  There were a couple of times when the gust almost pushed me off the path into the gully.  Us hardy bicyclists know however, that the wind is our friend, and it makes us stronger riders. Even if, like today, the wind made the ride seem like we were climbing the Alps.

East Bay Bike Path Cafe Ride from John Sullivan on Vimeo.