Tag: Narragansett Bay Wheelmen

Sunday Club Ride in Southeastern Massachusetts

Three of us drove to Swansea, MA to join the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen’s Swansea Bikeworks Ride.  The choices were 13-25 and 50 mile options on this very hilly course. Nicholas, our 16 year old new rider is getting very fast and strong.  I sent him to ride 50 mile with the Cat 1 and 2 riders to test his speed and endurance. Just join the paceline I instructed.  He was worried about getting dropped and lost.  “There will be another slower group of Cat 3 and 4 riders you can hook up with not far behind.  If all else fails, pay attention to the orange arrows on the road. They will guide you”.

Jason and I chose the 25 mile option.  I slowed a couple of times to shoot video footage and Jason stayed with the pack. When I got to the hospitality area at the end of the ride, Jay was no where to be found.  Jay is also new to club riding and didn’t realize he was in a mixed pack.  When the 25 mile riders turned away from the pack, Jay stayed with the 50 mile group.  He reasoning was that the 25 mile group seemed to have better kits and he thought those were the better riders. I had to backtrack on the route to find him and SAG him.  Nic finished the 50 miles in a little over three hours.  His dad met him at the finish and we all drove to the Bikeworks shop to get some upgraded equipment for Nic.  He got some clip-less racing pedals and shoes that will improve his riding considerably.  He was riding on flat pedals with sneakers until now.  No more of that.

Untitled from John Sullivan on Vimeo.

Sunday Ride

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

The weather has been hokey lately.  Lots of windy days and lots of cool days.  Two months ago if the temperature hit 55, we would all run out of the house in our underwear celebrating and dancing praise to the fire gods.   Now when it’s only 55, we run into the house and turn on the heat.  Today was in the 60’s so I went for a bike ride.

I chose a local bike club’s route that is pretty close to my house. A thirty mile loop that was arrowed by the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen titled, the Mattapoisett Ride. One of the highlights was when I came across the small town of Rochester MA, memorial day parade.  It felt like I was in one of those movies that use small town extras.  Cannonball Run with Burt Reynolds came to mind.  It was really fun to be there and see how proud everyone was of their small town.

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Memorial Day parade in Rochester, MA
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Blackmore Pond in Wareham, MA
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Horses on the bike path.
Canoeist on Blackmore Pond.
Canoeist on Blackmore Pond.

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.

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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

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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

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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.

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

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