Things You Learn On Your Bike

Distance    33 miles
max speed 22.5
Ave speed 12.2
Riding time 2:41

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

The ride began on one of the usual routes. A country ride with a medium difficult spot called Lance's Hill.  The reason being it looks like one of his photos where he is riding a deserted road in a place looking a lot like and Iowa corn field. On this day however I took a left at the fork bringing me deeper into the country side.

Years ago, work had me driving around this area of Rochester Ma. in my NYNEX telephone truck doing house phone and line repairs. Back then the area was on the lower edged of my comfort zone knowing where I was and how to get where I want to go.   Maps got dog eared in some parts of this area because as shown above, there is not a whole lot of people around.

The wind was at my back, I felt good and was feeling a confident sense of direction.  Until I came to Hill and Walnut Plain.  The names are meaningless for the story, but fit in well with the plot.  The intersection was kind of a T in the road, but not really.  Here I was on Walnut Plain, the road sign said left or right was High St. I wanted to get to where Walnut Plain crossed Mary's Pond Rd.  Obviously I'm at the wrong end and take a moment to stop for a drink and a bit of a protein bar.  A rider passed by on High, and offered.  "Everything OK".   "I'm fine".  Naturally I turn around but something is not right.  When in doubt, follow the telephone lines.  If they are getting smaller, your heading away from the center of somewhere.  If the lines are getting thicker, you are getting closer to the telephone office, most likely in the center of town.

As I'm riding I notice the lines getting smaller and the mailbox numbers getting larger.  Now I'm thinking back to my telephone repair days.  "Didn't Walnut Plain have that funny little turn where you think it's a different road but actually if you go straight it's a different road.  High Street right?"  I decided to keep going and as long as I don't end up in Middleboro, MA.  I'll be fine.

It's also predictable what the return ride offered. Yup, stiff winds in my face.


Something I learned today on my bike.  On a sunny Sunday afternoon, who cares if you have to do a little extra pedaling.  There are lots of things to see along the way.

Abandoned cranberry bog

The Mattapoisett River

Shortcut to the Atlantic.