Fall River Bike Gang Rides Westport, MA.

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The Garmin stats are HERE 

All the photos of the ride are HERE

Distance:

28.38 mi

Time:	2:27:48
Moving Time:	2:07:00
Elapsed Time:	2:27:48

Avg Speed:	11.5 mph
Avg Moving Speed:	13.4 mph
Max Speed:	25.7 mph

Eight people rode on this overcast and muggy  Fall River Bike Committee sponsored ride through the south coastal Massachusetts town of Westport.  Much of the ride is on relatively busy rural roads where most drivers have no problem sharing the road.  I say most because Wesport is also the most likely town to have a confrontation with cagers.   I had two today where I got work on my swearing and throwing the middle finger skills.  There was also a farmer in his black pickup truck who passed our group three different times just so he could harass them.  He finally gave up when no one responded to him.  Obviously, I was not in that group because he would have gotten a response.  Brian, who also didn't experience the redneck driver would have cut loose on him  no doubt. 

Four of us cut loose on the return leg of the ride and hammered back to the starting lot.  It felt pretty good to ride with some oomph for a change.  

 

   

350 Massachusetts

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350 Massachusetts

A large contingent of this group came through town today and stopped for lunch at the Fairhaven Activity Center.  They were greeted by Friends of Fairhaven Wind and everyone was invited to have lunch with them.  The discussion soon enough turned to the turbines and all of them were miffed that there was opposition to the turbines.  

There were originally scheduled to walk the rest of the day on busy US Rt 6 to Marion.  I offered to guide them to the end of the bike path at Reservation Golf Course to give them a reprise from the heavy traffic and show them some of my secret places.  It was a take on how local riders had done that for me and other when we came to their area. 

We walked on the Phoenix Path in Fairhaven, crossed into Mattapoisett and continued to Camp Massasoit.  From there they had to walk Reservation Road which is a road that splits the golf course.  There is one tee that requires the golfer to hit his drive over the road to the fairway on the other side. The road cuts the fairway on an angle so it's not a cut and dry "hit it over the road" kind of shot.  Many a drive has landed on the uneven pavement and where the ball bounces is anyone's guess.   Cars, buses, bikers and walkers often have to traverse the gauntlet of errant golf shots to get through this route.

This was a great group of environmental people who are doing their share to help save our planet.  Good on them. 

Friends of Fairhaven wind talking in support of 350

Lunch at the Fairhaven Activity Center

Medical care was provided for the walkers.

Bocci to help pass the time

Fairhaven-ites joined the group for a bit. 

The guide for the day

Island Park

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View the route HERE
See all the photos of the two days HERE

25 miles today.

It was day 2 riding with the Newport group.  Seven of us gathered at Island Park in Portsmouth, R.I. so we could begin and end the ride by traversing the new Sakonett River Bridge.  The one with the ten cent toll.

Again I forgot to turn off my bike GPS before driving home, so the recording on that device is useless.  I did track the route on Map My Ride that doesn't give any stats beyond the mileage.  There are a couple of short hills that get a little steep, but actually they are really nothing more than "false flats" as some of the hammerheads like to say.

Those who had never ridden this route or area before were oohing and ahhing a lot.  It's one of my favorite routes and maybe the photos will do it justice.

What better way to start a day riding. 

Paddle boarding on the Sakonett River

Lucy dipper her feet

The old bridge.

Crossing the Sakonnet bride on the new bikeway

More Secret Places

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24 miles around Newport and Middletown, R.I.

Time:	3:03:33
Moving Time:	2:02:39
Elapsed Time:	3:03:33

Avg Speed:	7.9 mph
Avg Moving Speed:	11.8 mph
Max Speed:	25.9 mph

The Route is HERE

As I have written before here.  When you for a ride with someone local to the area, they usually show you their secret places.  Today was Newport R.I.   Two locals and myself were the only riders to show for the 9 AM start.

I have biked in Newport a few times but right from the get go this one was different.  We didn't ride on busy Thames St. but began our ride on Bellevue Ave, where the Tennis Hall of Fame and some of the famous mansions sit. In the reverse direction no less.   The ride took us to some places that were familiar and pretty, but we routed around the roads that I found not so nice to ride in the past.

Fort Adams.  Home of the Newport Folk and Jazz festivals

Small mansion on Ocean Drive

One the secret places part of the ride the locals took me to see a windmill, a one room school house built in 1875 and a bunch of other nook and cranny shortcuts that avoid the high traffic areas.   We ended the ride at a nice little coffee shop that is hidden right out in the open.  I have gone by this place dozens of times and never knew it was there.  I even got myself a Portuguese sweet bread muffin, toasted with buttah.

What better sight while riding a bike. 

One room school house circa 1875

One of the secret places near 3rd Beach in Newport, R.I. 

Mmmmm.  Portuguese sweet bread muffin. 

Friday Afternoon Spin

Garmin Route is HERE

Time:	3:23:31
Moving Time:	1:37:46
Elapsed Time:	3:23:31

Avg Speed:	5.8 mph
Avg Moving Speed:	12.2 mph
Max Speed:	25.6 mph

An easy 20 mile ride on a regular route of the surrounding towns.   We left a bit after 4PM and had a pretty good traffic free ride.

The Narragansett Bay Wheelmen are doing their weekly ride in the surrounding towns on Sunday.  It's a nice marked route that I will take advantage of Saturday.  I may even ride the same day as the wheelmen but leave an hour earlier than their planned time.  I can bike to the start and by going early I won't have to borrow a helmet. (They require helmets)

My other option is to ride with the Newport R.I. gang.  They are planning a 25 miler but it's a 45 minute drive.  Decisions, decisions.

Early Sunday Morning Urban Ride.

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Click here for Garmin route.  

Time:	3:29:15
Moving Time:	2:22:35
Elapsed Time:	3:29:15

Avg Speed:	8.0 mph
Avg Moving Speed:	11.7 mph
Max Speed:	28.2 mph

 I was up early and after taking the dogs for their walk I decided go into the city to do some urban riding knowing that the traffic would be very lite.  I went by Brandon's house for a coffee only to find his truck missing.  He had already left for his pool boy Sunday job in Dartmouth.    What the heck, it was nice, the sun was shining, the traffic was non existent as was the wind. So it was off to Dartmouth but not before a visit to see the elephants.

New Bedford still has a zoo, or as we call it Gitmo New Bedford.  They imprison quite a variety of animals who just kind of lay around and eat all day.  I made short work of riding through the park and made my way out of there lickety split.

On the ride I did notice that the churches have pretty empty lots on Sunday mornings.  The religious people are aging out as witnessed by how many churches are closing around here.  A couple of the smaller ones have been converted into pretty nice homes.

One of the zoo elephants.  This could be Emily

Near empty church parking lot.  Everyone leaving the service was well into their 70's. 

Ice cream at Padanaram Beach

Brandon's Sunday work

Hurricane Barrier protection the closed mill, in the background,from tidal surges. 

East Bay Bike Path in Rhode Island.

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Click Here for the GPS route

Time:	2:01:46
Moving Time:	1:48:11
Elapsed Time:	2:01:46

Avg Speed:	12.2 mph
Avg Moving Speed:	13.7 mph
Max Speed:	19.9 mph

Phonetically it's said like "Row Die' Lin".   I was going to meet with the Fall River group but things got backed up at home forcing me into a late start.   I did see them twice when we passed going opposite directions.   The first time was at a point that is made little sense for me to turn and join them because we were parked at opposite ends of the trail.

I rode most if it by myself with the exception of  three miles or so with a guy on a mountain bike.  We chatted about football, (he was from Portugal), mostly the English and German teams.  We both agreed that we were not big fans of MLS.

This was a 25 miles early morning flat route that allows bikers to maintain a reasonable speed.  I began at 7:40 because a couple of hours later there would be too many people on the path, changing it from bike friendly to pedestrian friendly.

Friday Afternoon Ride

I was determined to get some miles done today with the initial plan of a 34 mile ride to lunch in Wareham, MA.   Lo and behold, I didn't leave the house till 3PM and decided on the ole standby, the 20 mile Rochester MA loop.   This one takes me to the Rochester golf course where I usually ride up to see if I know anyone golfing.   Before I had a chance to look around the window of the office opened and I heard, "" SIR,  YOU NEED TO REMOVE YOUR BIKE FROM THE PATIO".   Sheesh.

I moved the Garmin from the touring bike to the roadie.  Riding around here is really flat. Today's 20 mile ride had 300 ft  of elevation whereas last week on tour the daily gain was around 3000 ft.

Today's ride is HERE

A typical day riding around Lake Champlain is HERE

Tomorrow I may be joining the Fall River Bike gang on their ride on the East Bay Bike Trail in Rhode Island.  If I can get up on time that is.   Well see.