The winter solstice arrives tonight marking the beginning darkness and harsh weather. So what is the Winter Solstice exactly? It’s the day when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn (which means less light for us in the Northern Hemisphere).

Christian mythology is interwoven with contemporary observances of this holiday time. Parents can help their children develop an understanding of the multicultural and interfaith aspects of this holiday time and view “Christmas” as just another form of Solstice. Have gift exchanges and feasts over the course of several days and nights as was done of old. Party hearty on New Year’s Eve not just to welcome in the new calendar year, but also to welcome the new solar year.

As an added bonus, tomorrow is the full moon and we can also expect meteor showers the next few night. In short, everything is in line for a night bike ride. CLICK HERE for all the details. It’s tomorrow (Saturday ) night BTW.

Hi Folks, 

I know we haven’t had a full moon ride in December yet.  I’ve been watching the weather predictions, and it looks like this year is going to be the one…  So with that in mind let’s celebrate the Winter Solstice (a day late) and the Full Cold Moon for our first “annual” December Moonlight Ride. 

There will be a Moonlight ride on the East Bay Bike Path on Saturday 12/22/18, with two start locations.

The early start will meet at the Fort Hill Parking Lot in East Providence for a 3 PM wheels up. We will ride to Warren to meet the others and ride back to Providence finishing around 5:30 PM. The Warren group will then return to their start point and finish about an hour later.

Date: Saturday 12/22/18. 
Location:  EBBP off Rt 103 near Del’s Lemonade. 
Time: 
Arrive: 3:45PM 
Departure: 4:00PM promptly 
Sunset: 4:18PM
Moonrise:  4:29PM
Moon Name:  Full Cold Moon.
Distance is flexible. 

As the moon rise is shortly after sunset  it should be a perfect night for moonlight riding. 

As always rain cancels the ride. 
So does snow, sleet, nor’easters and sub zero temperatures. 
With that said I don’t expect any of that to occur on the 22nd. 

We will ride toward Providence till we decide to turn around. 
Turn around point will probably be India Point Park unless we decide to turn around sooner (or later). 
That’s around 20 or 22 miles round trip.
Other routes are also possible. 

Bikes should have adequate lighting. 
If you have a second headlight as a backup that might come in handy if the first one goes out. 
Bring water, snacks, cameras and anything else you might want or need. 
Helmets are highly recommended. 

Take note that it is cooler after sunset and dress accordingly (it is winter). 
If you have “booties” this might be a good time to take them out. 
If you don’t have “booties” this might be a good time to consider getting some. 

Happy Trails, 

Paul

Foggy mornings on the waterfront remind me of so many old movies. Today was a pretty nice ride with the temp hovering around 45 F. The temperature of the bay waters is still in the mid fifties.  When they clash,  Fog.

I was bragging that six of us from Fairhaven would show for this brisk full moon ride. Two cancelled and one I never heard from.  We set a time to meet to caravan to Providence, R.I.  Only two of us showed up at the designated spot but just as we were about to leave, a couple with a tandem bike showed.  We had to make a stop on the way to pick up our fifth.

Our crew gathered in East Providence and as we were preparing for the nine mile ride to Warren, R.I. at 4:30 PM, Dave asked, “should I put on my booties”. I replied, “fercryinoutloud, it’s almost 50 degrees.”

Some, like me, want to start and finish earlier.  We start in Providence, ride to Warren and return with the group to Providence.  The Warren group then ride the ten miles or so back to Warren. Usually when it’s quite a bit colder.

We had one incident.  I was riding with the tandem couple and as we crossed a wooden bridge into Barrington, R.I. an older rider coming at us, moved into our lane. We all stopped, but when the tandem couple moved to the left, he blocked their way again.  He did this to complain that their headlamp was too bright and blinded him.   I saw through his rouse and laid into him. 
“You went through all that just to berate them for their light”?

“The light is too bright” he responded.

From me he got, “your and asshole” And we rode off.

Every once in a while we run into the self imposed bike police who feel compelled to make a fuss.  I kind of enjoy giving them something to fuss about.

As we were making our return ride to Providence, the temperature began to drop.  We were riding along the East Bay with a slight breeze in our face coming off the bay.  Everyone began to complain of having Popsicle toes. We had planned to ride into the city crossing the Washington Bridge, which was about a mile past the parking lot where we began.  Everyone decided to cut the ride short because of the toes.  Even Dave who had booties but did not have the sense to wear them fercryinoutloud.

Here are some photos

Caravan Leaving Fairhaven

We will form a caravan at the Packie on Rt. 6 in East Fairhaven. It’s on the corner of Gillette Road.

We will leave around 4 PM for the drive to Providence for the early start ride to Warren R.I.   We will meet the others in Warren and ride to Providence.  For the return, we have two miles to the cars while the others will ride the 12 miles back to Warren. Our total will be around 22 miles.

For the rest of the ride story. https://amidnightrider.com/2018/11/23/full-moon-ride/

There will be a Moonlight ride on the East Bay Bike Path on Saturday

Date: Saturday 11/24/18.
Location: EBBP off Rt 103 near Del’s Lemonade.
Time: Arrive: 5:45PM
Departure: 6:00PM promptly

Alternate Location:  Fort Hill Parking Lot in East Providence

Depart; 4:30 PM
We will ride the 10 miles to Del’s and return with the group to Providence.
This eliminates the late night ten mile ride back to Warren when it’s also colder.

Sunset: 4:18PM
Moon rise: 5:49PM
Distance is flexible.
As the moon rise is before our departure time it should be a perfect night for moonlight riding.
Rain cancels the ride.

We will ride toward Providence till we decide to turn around.
Turn around point will probably be India Point Park unless we decide to turn around sooner (or later).
That’s around 20 or 22 miles round trip.
Other routes are also possible.
Bikes should have adequate lighting.
If you have a second headlight as a backup that might come in handy if the first one goes out.
Bring water, snacks, cameras and anything else you might want or need.
Helmets are optional.
Take note that it is cooler after sunset and dress accordingly.

Technically it’s still fall but there are day’s of confusion when the weather gets below freezing.  Nothing a warm hat, face mask and layers can’t solve.  With all that, and the temperature at freezing during the morning commute, it was a comfortable ride. Chilly, but not cold. Again, I was perspiring when I stepped into the Salvation Army office.

The second part of the title, “Pot’, has nothing to do with riding. But is does have to do with marijuana.  Massachusetts voted two years ago to allow recreational pot be sold. The town of Fairhaven also voted to allow recreational dispensaries.  A moratorium has been in effect to allow for studies to be done.  A group in town wanted to extend the moratorium into the fall of 2019.  It went to town meeting this week and was thoroughly defeated.  More studies would not find any new information, which didn’t go over will with the “Refer Madness” crowd.   The first dispensary should open very shortly.   The town bylaw allow the number of dispensaries not to exceed 20% of the number of liquor licenses.  In this case, three.

November Full Beaver Moon

Our monthly full moon bike ride will be on Saturday on the East Bay Bike Path in R.I.  at 6 PM

November’s full Moon was called the Beaver Moon by both the Algonquin tribes and colonial Americans. The Native Americans used the monthly Moons and nature’s signs as a sort of calendar to track the seasons.

Why this name? Back then, this was the month to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs.

The November full Moon was also called the Full Frost Moon by other Native American tribes.

 

Every fall I get to commute by bike for a few weeks, like in the old days.  Back then my commute was ten miles each way.   My office was 40 miles from home and I had a few spots to leave my car that gave me a bike ride ranging from five to fifteen miles  The most used spot was ten miles from the office and that allowed me a great commute through the city of Taunton, MA.  There were also times that I put my bike on the commuter bus.  Here is an old blog post about that.

 

Now however, my commute is a bit over five miles each way to the Salvation Army in New Bedford, MA.  My job is to drive the bell ringers to their designated stores.  As in the past, the bike commute is the best part of the job.

 

Annually this time of year, I volunteer to drive the Salvation Army Bell Ringers to their destinations. I like to ride my bike the six miles to the office. It’s usually my introduction to winter riding.

When I left home at 8 AM this morning, the temperature was around 33F accompanied by a stiff wind making the wind chill a brisk 28F. Buuuuut the sun was shining which made the ride quite comfortable.  I was also dressing in layers, and because of that, I arrived at the office perspiring.  Quite a bit. The ride home at 11AM was much better with that stiff wind at my back. Tomorrow will be a bit cooler but without the wind.

Winter riding.  I do like it a lot.  I’m not a fan of indoor trainers so when the conditions are not conducive to bike riding, I do a lot of walking.