My Pal Jim

Walked to the market last night with my neighbor. I wanted to get some cola to keep in the house. Wifey likes it much more than me and she always likes to have some around. I felt obliged to try this generic cola with my Jim Beam. Works pretty good if I say so my self. It did cause me to sleep in and extra 1/2 hr. Fortunately my bimodal commute gives me lots of flexibility.

With that, I parked at the police station and got a few shots of the sights in downtown Taunton, Ma.

Got the Fever

Up at 4:30 to begin our commute at 5:15.

After a great weekend riding Manhattan and then the Five Boroughs Tour #3 son Brandon got the itch to bike commute. We picked our parking spot, (it's a drive/bike combo commute), at the Dunkin Donuts lot in Freetown Ma. We rode together for three miles and split off to our respective offices. Brandon had a 9 mile commute to Middleboro, and I had an additional 17 to Taunton.


Fortunately I have a shower at work and a tree to hang my freshly washed clothes. I hear grumbling once in a while from the smokers who are offended by wet, clean clothes hanging on a tree.

Tree clothes dryer


Our original plan was for me to ride the seventeen miles back to the car and drive back towards Brandon's building and pick him up on the road. I leave work at 4 he at 6, so I had more than enough time to plan and ride a route to his office and we could ride together to the car.

A new route can only mean photo ops. Here are a couple on the ride to Middleboro Ma.







At 6pm we left Middleboro for the ten mile rolling hills ride to East Freetown.







We got to the car around 7:15 and spotted Nephews Restaurant across the road. After calling our respective spouses we stopped in and split a pizza. The bill came to forty bucks. (including drinks).


Tauton to Middleboro route. Then Middleboro to Lakeville.


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View Larger Map

The Coeds Again.

Things didn't work out with the coeds post last week. The camera settings were wrong, and very few of the photos came out. Consider this the make up.


Noontime rides are becoming common, besides being a lot more cardio, being something different adds a bit of flare to the rides. The destination was Wheaton College specifically to get some replacement photos for those that didn't work out last week, and I wasn't the only one on lunch break.

There are some very interesting features about the campus that makes for a very nice relaxing atmosphere.


The original college building. Circa 1780


Quiet, serene walk to class

The ride to and from the college to the office is around a 10 mile loop. (including the reconnaissance riding with camera). Country roads pretty much only used by runners and bikers while the residents are at work.

Zoom Lens

"Bon dia senior, come esta?

"Sta bon, esta?"

I stopped and chatted with a gentleman last year, originally thinking he may be French. "Portuguese", he said. Now, we great each other many a morn. He out for his constitutional, me on my commute to work. It was too early to see the other regular commuter. The camera is ready when the next opportunity arises.

The halfway point "pit stop" is closed for renovations. It is the winter "warming house" and "summer cooling house". There, I always say hello to Arthur, who said the place will be closed for at least a month.




The renovations was cause enough to try a different route. The city hall in Taunton Ma is a grand building, in disrepair, but grand. The detour allowed a new perspective. The following are the back side and alley way of the city buildings.





The weather is cooperating and providing a great incentive for getting up an hour early to commute.

It's Tempting to Sleep In

When the alarm goes off at 5AM, it's very tempting to roll over and sleep in for an extra hour. All it takes, usually, to overcome that is to sit up. The morning routine can be done by rote.

Rising early enough to lollygag a little really makes the early morning more bearable. One of the highlights is opening the front door to retrieve the newpaper. The serinade of the birds and critters is astounding, not so much that they are there, but by how loud and frenzied they are.

In Taunton, Ma the early morning commuters on bikes is can be counted on three fingers. Trying to catch a photo (candid) can be daunting. One rider never looks or acknowledges anyone. This mornings attempt at a photo just missed.

A second commuter was spotted at the half way point.



Others have been seen, but they get on the road later in the morning. The vocational school and middle school have a few, and there are a couple of retired gents on bikes.

Happy bike to work month to all. Charging $3.09 for unleaded regular today.

Todays video entry.