A Very Expensive Free Group Ride

From 10 Speed Spoke, Newport, R.I

We parked a few blocks from Ten Speed Spoke bike shop to avoid the crush and crazies around Thames St. in Newport, R.I. Actually it was a couple of blocks from First Beach, Gibbs Ave. is also where #2 son lived when he was working in the area.

The night before I got distracted while loading the car with all the bike stuff and neglected to pack my riding shoes. I was able to buy a new pair at 10 speed for only a hundred bucks. $80 for the shoes, $20 for the clips. I have to say however that these are really, really comfortable shoes. If I had tried them with it being a necessity, I would have purchased them.

By the way, there was one other thing. While we were riding to the shop, I noticed a police motorcycle with the lights and sirene blaring. My first thought was to stop blasting through red lights and stop signs. Then I realized he was leading the paceline. I turned to my riding partner and said, "It's six oclock, we're late". It was after 6:30 by the time I got my new shoes fitted and we rolled out of the lot.

Because of all the rain the last two months, riding has been at a premium. It seems that every time the weather would break, I would get stuck at work. I also began running again and my legs and body are still protesting. That combination made parts of the ride pretty difficult. There was one point when I was huffing and puffing up a good sized hill near St Andrew's School where a woman passed me. As she was doing this I wondered how she was able to stay upright going so slow. She was in a much higher gear than me, and I was lulled into a false sense of speed by my cadence, which was somewhere in the vacinity of 120 RMP as I was screamed up the hill at 6 mph.
This hill was a real struggle.


Along with the struggles, there were also lots of good to talk about,like riding by the mansions, which was pretty neat.

From 10 Speed Spoke, Newport, R.I

From 10 Speed Spoke, Newport, R.I

But the mansions take second fiddle to the beach. The volleyball section.

From 10 Speed Spoke, Newport, R.I

There were decisions to make. And like someone once said. "When you come to a fork in the road, take it".

From 10 Speed Spoke, Newport, R.I

We cut the ride to around 20 miles because
1. It was getting dark
2. There was pizza back at the shop.

Maybe those two should be reversed.


In short:

A no fee bike ride around Newport R.I.

All the pizza you can eat for free.

All for only $100.

Nice.

Newport R.I. Ride

The prediction was for rain all weekend. Friday afternoon a front moved in and accelerated the speed of the storms moving through. By Saturday evening, all the moisture had passed.

Newport was the chosen ride. Downtown and the famous Thames St. where Ted Turner and all the other America's Cup sailors hung out. A turn onto Beach Road and Fort Adams, the site of the Newport Jazz and folk festivals. Ocean Drive, Bellview Avenue, with it's magnificent mansions and the Tennis Hall of Fame.

On to Memorial Drive which takes us past the beaches and Purgatory Chasm. After a few hours and 35 miles we returned to Gibbs Avenue and the home of the Colonel, an 18th century military man who is said to be still walking the halls.
Newport Cemetary, "The most interesting I have ever seen", said one rider.

Church Steeple at the cemetary

Downtown homes, circa 1800

No one wears helmets in R.I.

Carriage and Servant entrance

Regatta in front of Newport Bridge

Ocean Drive


Ocean Drive or Ten Mile Drive is a winding road along the Atlantic Ocean and separates the ocean from the second tier homes. Second that is to the mansions of Bellview Ave. They are on very expensive property and fortunately the city codes set limits. None that any of us would ever worry about. These are millionaire and billionaire limits.



Once on Ocean Drive the wind was really blowing. Perfect for kite flyer's and surf watchers.
Prepping the kite.

Stormy seas on Ocean Drive

Classic VW Bus

The kite flyer

Ocean Drive inlet


The last section was along 2nd and 1st beaches. 2nd beach was loaded with surfers in full dry suits. The water temperature was still in the 40's. First beach was a mess from the winter erosion and impassable in some sections. The ride took us to the old abbey and it's burial grounds which was also the turn around. The eight mile return ride was a head down, high cadence hammer fest that got us back to the colonel's home hungry, tired and sweaty enough to call it a day.

Bellview Ave. summer home.

Purgatory Chasm at 2nd Beach

2nd Beach surfers looking alot like seals.

Graveyard at the Abbey

End of ride at Colonel Gibbs estate.

ARRRRR!

Newport R.I.

Photo Slideshow

Bike Newport

Ten Speed Spoke bike shop in Newport R.I. put on thier annual "longest day of the year" ride. Around 80 bikers showed for the event, most were hammerheads. A police escort was hired for safety, and they provided a motorcycle cop in front, and a patrol car took up the rear.
Photo slideshow here



The starting gun sounded at 6PM and we were off. Little did I realize that we were suppose to keep up with the bullet. When the owner was announcing the rules and he said, "no one should pass the motorcycle", that should have been a clue.

I did manage to hammer my way into a paceline, looked at my computer and was stunned to see we were clipping along at 22mph. I planned to move up, find my buddy Steve and talk him into dropping back and doing a ride more to our liking, 12-15 mph.

I dropped out of the paceline a couple of times on turns, and was amazed how fast the space opens up. The rear police car continually sounded it's sirene and I imagine the lead motorcycle was doing the same. A quick rear glance showed 10 or so riders behind me. I lost the paceline again and this time there was no catching up. I'm thinking Steve was having a grand ole time being pulled along by all the hammerheads, and for the life of me, couldn't figure how he and some of the others were keeping up.


The police car seemed like it was trying to pass me. When I looked back, I was alone, the last rider. All the others had already dropped out. Enough of this I thought, and pulled over. The nice police lady stopped and asked if I was ok. I told her I was fine and she waved and continued on with full wail.

Once I dropped out of the "race" things got much better. I was able to take lots of pictures, stop at some interesting places and talk to some nice people. I spotted quite a few of the riders making thier own routes, as was I. There are some grand homes on Ocean Ave. aka Ten Mile Drive.









Bellveue Ave brought me by the really big mansions like the Breakers. Here is where while taking photos I drifted to the curb, caught my front wheel and over I went. No damage to anything or anyone. And, there was not a person in sight, which also salvaged my esteem.




Memorial Blvd to First Beach was next. Surf, volleyball and a really hotspot nightclub.



2nd Beach was the extent of my geographical knowledge of this section of the island. To contine was on a wing and a chant. Purgatory Chasm, Sachuset Preserve, a Puritan church and cemetary, St. George School and a couple of Navy riders. The extended ride into the unknow was well worth the chance.


Second Beach

Navy gal

Puritan Church

Navy guy



St George School






The sun began to set, there was pizza waiting, so it was time to leave. Throught the city streets back to 10 Speed Spoke bike shop to chow down, meet people and tell war stories. I met Steve and found out that he dropped out of the ride in the first mile. No wonder I couln't catch him. His friend Bill was still not back by 9PM, and I found out that he was on a search for a woman rider, lost with only her cell phone.

One hammerhead crash, resulting in a toasted wheel, a dented SUV and some scrapes. One near miss where a tandem couple who were so close to clamaty when a big tractor trailor rig, was actually touching the flapping shirt sleeve of one of them. Spooky story that was. Everything got worked out nicely though, which made for storytelling with smiles.






Darkness settled and I had a little more than a mile ride back to my car. The night riding on the quiet city street route was very nice ending to the evening.

Longest Day of the Year Photo Slideshow