Tall Ship Eagle

The Coast Guard Tall Ship Eagle docked in New Bedford on Friday.  Our rowing club will be hosting much of the crew at a cookout tomorrow. We figure around 75 of them will show.

I was surprised at how young the crew was.  I thought that it was academy grads or seniors who manned the ship but after seeing them today I'm now thinking sophomores.

The bridge spanning the Acushnet River is under repair for a few weeks.  Those of us on bikes have two full lanes to ourselves.  During heavy traffic when the cars are all backed up a few of us have been meandering across the bridge weaving around our two full lanes. 

 Everything to the right of the yellow cones is traffic free.

 

Tall Ship Eagle

 

Fast Ferry to Martha's Vineyard. 

Anthony's Beach

 Biking to the beach.  The red back has towels, books, sun lotion the green bag is a beach chair.

Boston Magazine recently ran a special on the SouthCoast of Massachusetts.  Buzzards Bay was often mentioned for sailing, fishing, swimming among other things.  It mentions that the Bay is fed by the Gulf Stream which keeps us from the freezing cold and snows common to areas away from the Bay.  The beaches are numerous and have been a destination for decades. This time of year, the Gulf Stream warms Buzzard Bay to a comfortable 75F.  Very nice for a dip or a swim, which is what we have been doing daily for the past couple of weeks.

Fort Phoenix was our destination for the past few summers, but budget cuts have forced area town to now charge for beach access at a cost of $15/car.  Naturally, walk on(s) and bikes are free. However, the towns have also banned parking on the streets near the beach with a fine of $35 if ticketed.  Fort Phoenix is the only free beach that has ample free parking and access which is good for most but it now attracts the shit bums too.  Those are the ones who rifle through bike bags,  break into cars and steal anything that is left unattended, including blankets, chairs, coolers or whatever.       

Because of biking, wifey and I rediscovered this little secluded beach in town that I had know about forever but because the others were so popular and nice, we never thought to swim there.   That's all changed, it's a mile from our home and still a hidden gem. 

 Secluded and empty Anthony Beach in Fairhaven, MA on Buzzards Bay

         

Onset Beach and the Cape Cod Canal

 Fast moving change of tide through the canal

Distance     49.3

max speed 31.7 mph

ave speed  12.4 mph

time             3:36

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


I was talked into participating in a tennis tournament today and grudgingly accepted without knowing the competition.  Two things came together to get me to take a bike ride.  The competition was way over my level and there was an odd man out situation.  I jumped at withdrawing, called Dave and we did a 50 mile bike to the Cape Cod Canal.

 

Since this has been a regular route of mine for three years, I got a chance to show Dave, a first year roadie some of the out of the way places that one doesn't see from the expressway. 

Onset Beach in MA.

Salt Water Taffee

Riding along beach road

Main St.

From Onset we had to ride on busy US Rt. 6 for about a quarter mile to get to the entrance of the canal bike path. The path was busy but we only road a half mile before exiting back on the main road.  Once there I showed Dave the hidden access road that led to the bike, pedestrian walkway over the Bourne Bride..  The traffic was backed up on RT25 as far as the eye could see with vacationers making their way to "The Cape". 

Traffic backed up getting onto the Bourne Bridge crossing the Cape Cod Canal

Pleasure boats riding with the current in the Canal

The ride to Wareham and the Canal never gets dull.  Every time I ride it I see something different, explore side roads and paths and strike up conversations searching for out of the way nuggets that the locals sometimes share.

Car Wash

 Last time here boyfriend threw the bucket of soapy water on her.  He wasn't around today. Dam.



 All the riding has been short trips around town.  The coffee shop, the market and daily rides to the beach.  Ah the life of a retiree.  One of the stops is to get fresh eggs.  There is a house behind a large property filled with abandoned greenhouses.   The place suffered it's demise by KMart, Sears and supermarkets selling gardening supplies.  The house has a small pen with goats, and chickens.   Emily's eggs are a self service place and they sell for $2 a dozen.  A really good deal for fresh eggs daily.

M.S. and Tractors

 Click any photo once for big.  Click again for bigger.

Distance       33 miles
time               2:16
Max speed   32   MPH
Ave speed   13.2 MPH


The weather was just beginning to clear after a few days of off and on rain when the call came to go for a bike. Dave and I decided to do the Wareham loop. We pretty much had the roads to ourselves for the first few miles when we suddenly ran into a tractor parade.  I asked the cop directing traffic if it was the marijuana growers protesting the laws but was told it was the first annual parade for a man who was the tractor fixing guru in town that had recently died.   Everyone agreed that the parade would be shorted if there was a next time because about half of the tractors broke down during the parade.

While waiting for the tractors to cross a small group of bikers passed us by.  We all agreed that today was perfect for riding.  Soon another couple passed, then a few more.  We finally realized that they were all wearing numbers and eventually  found out that we had run into the MS150 annual ride.  That also explained why in a couple of out of the way stops, there were cops stopping traffic to let Dave and I through cross roads and intersections.

At one stop light the cop on the corner held up his hand for a car to stop.  He then pointed at me as I was approaching the intersection behind the car to go on through. The car began to move forward, the cop held up his hand for it to stop, pointed at me still behind the car and gave the "come on" sign.  The car began to move forward again and the cop repeated the whole routine yet again.   It was not unlike an Abbot and Costello skit.   

 I tried to get this shot looking back over my shoulder on a downhill, through a tunnel, on a curve.  I got most of it.

Only a few more miles for these MS150 riders to reach their overnight stop at MA. Maritime Academy. 

Crossing paths with more MS150 riders

Fairhaven's Annual Fathers Day Road Race

 First and second place runners

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

The first two runners were a good five minutes in front of the rest of the field.  These guys were impressive and when a friend ran by me I mentioned that he still had a chance.  "The leaders are no more than thirty minutes ahead", I said.

 Last year my neighbor Taylor had a miserable race, finishing back in the top third of the field.  This time he was ready and took 4th place.   The remarkable thing is that he just completed his junior year of high school.

The field was represented, as in all events like this, by runners of all ages, sizes and shapes.

 

Ages

The Sole Sister were well represented by my neighbor Alexa and her friend Haley both of whom are my car washing neighbors.  Two bucks for a pretty darn good car wash. Not a bad summer job for a couple of young entrepreneurs.

Shapes were well represented.  Be sure to click this photo for big.  

What is any event without the cool kids on bikes. 

Here ya go.  Click this one.

On the way back from the race I was riding the MUP and heard a bike approaching fast.  Howyadoin? was muttered as he passed.  He was really pushing, then I could see him start to fade.  My guess is that his chase urged kicked in when he saw me ahead of him and apparently he used everything up to pass.  He seemed to be the typical older "new" rider. Mid 50's, a nice hybrid bike, yet wearing a racing kit and a helmet.

If you think over 40 and spandex is unappealing, try pot bellied and over 50 wearing said spandex, racing along a bike path at 12 MPH.  As the kids say, ewwww!   Anyhow, without changing my speed, I began to gain on him and as we approached an incline on the path he glanced back and saw me only a few dozen yards behind.   I think it may have demoralized him and he did pull up to tighten the strap on his clipless shoe.   "How YOU doin' " I said as I rode past.

A Day With The Lovely One

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

Distance      33.2 Miles
Saddle time  3:00 hrs
Max speed  23.7 mph
Ave speed  11.0 mph

The Lovely One, AKA wifey, offered to go on a ride with me today. She is not set up for long distance biking and her offer was a pleasant surprise. Our average speed was down a bit, but considering her being on  a hybrid and out of riding fitness, it wasn't that bad.

We chose a relatively flat 32 mile loop to the center of Wareham, MA which is considered by the locals as the gateway to Cape Cod. It's rural riding at it's best offering wide lightly traveled roads through cranberry bogs, small farms and ponds. The turn around spot is Wareham Harbor on Buzzards Bay.

We chose a bike ride over sitting at home watching the Boston Bruins victory parade on TV and I am happy we made the right choice. I also got to buy a favorite lunch, egg salad on white at Cumberland Farms convenience story. yum.

Mary's Pond, Rochester MA.

The Lovely One taking a Luna Bar break.

Esterbrook  Farms.  Rochester MA.

 

Buzzard's Bay in the background.

 

Someone ignored the stop sign suggestion

Birthday Party in progress

 There was a left over photo from last weeks trip to Boulder and #1 sons place.   

Good book, nice view, cheap bourbon.  Perfect.