Elephant Beach.

Distance 49.2 Miles

Max speed  32 MPH

Ave speed   12.6 MPH

Total Pedal time   3:53

 View the map HERE

We decided to take Deke on one of our favorite rides.   A place called Elephant Rock on the border of Westport Ma.  and Little Compton R.I.    Yesterday a carcass of a great white shark washed up and that drew quite a crowd from the surrounding area once the word got out.   Those who arrived at the beach today to see the shark were disappointed because it was taken away late yesterday afternoon for study. 

I have been using Map My Ride and always go through two batteries in my smart phone.  Today I learned, (too late naturally) that if I put the phone in the sleep mode the app will use very little battery and still map my ride.   I had to go to the web sight and do it manually and consequently lost all the extra fun data it records.  

There were dozens of riders out on the roads today because of the weather.  Our group all agreed that today was the best of the year.  Not only the weather but the route too.  

The engineering marvel taking shape

Our plan was to ride out to Horseneck Beach.   We decided to take a side trip to Elephant Rock before back tracking to the beach.  It was much further than I remembered and because of the time we used that section as our turn around point.  

We had to do a couple of longish climbs to get there one being Hix Bridge Rd.  Its one of those climbs that when approaching you can see the whole thing and the anticipation is much worse than the actual ride up the thing.   We all got to the top winded but otherwise it was fine.  It was tough but we all had done worse climbs.

Hix Bridge Rd.   Westport Ma. 

After the long climb.  Your number one. 

When we got to the turn off to Acoaxet area we came upon a fork in the road.  I used to work and drive the area and always took the right going to the beach area and came back using the other fork choice.  I had forgotten how much of a climb it was.   This was a route on a recent bike club ride and who ever arrowed the route took the time to paint,  "your almost there" on the road to give the riders a bit of comic relief from this never ending climb.  Again it wasn't that steep but it was long.

When we got to the beach area all we saw were private property and members only signs everywhere.  Both Brandon and Deke got a little antsy when I pulled over and stuck my bike into the bike rack of the very private Elephant Rock Beach Club.   We ate our brown bag sandwiches at the edge of the club entrance standing on the side of the road.    Some guy who was obviously a big shot or manager kept a real close eye on us and we though out loud to each other that he was ready to stop us from using any of the members only facility.   I walked up and asked if I could fill the water bottles and he said my name out loud.  The manager was a high school friend and someone with whom I played semi pro soccer many years ago.  We shook hands he directed me to the bubbler.  Water dispenser for all of you not from this part of the country.  Also the senior lifeguard used to live across the street from me and was a good friend of Brandon.

I walked around like I owned the place, Brandon wouldn't step on the property and Deke asked anyone he saw for permission before he did anything.  " Can I come up and look at the beach?   Can I use the men's room".  Stuff like that.   I gave him the standard tip on stuff like this saying,  "if you ask, they have a chance to say no.  Don't ask, just do it"

The Adams Family look alike home. 

The last set price was 32.9 cents/gallon  I figure around 1973

Hammerheads

This got every one's attention

We were all getting hungry and knew of the oldest general store in the US.  Unfortunately the place closed recently.   Fortunately a coffee shop opened up right next door and we all had a really good cup of joe and a homemade snack.  Our last stop was close to home for some really good home made ice cream.  Well I had home made ice cream.  Brandon and Dave had the soft serve whipped up stuff.  It was good but nothing like a just made come of frozen pudding. (The old persons ice cream flavor). 

The oldest general store in the US.  Sadly it closed two years ago. 

Local Hay is at a premium being sold and shipped out west. 

Buzzards Bay gaggle of geese

Shark Warning

Distance 14.6 miles
Purpose.   To the beach.


Sue and I had just agreed to ride to the beach when the phone rang. It was an automated emergency call from the town.   This was was warning of a shark sighting.  It was and unconfirmed shark sighting which to me translates into no one really saw a shark but they saw something and said it's a shark.    My educated guess is that it was a large clump of seaweed that is predominant when the tide changes.  The seaweed can amass into a very large shark like clump.  It happens all the time.

It's just about 5 miles to the causeway road and another mile and a half to the beach.  When we got there I sat around for a while before deciding it was too nice not to take a dip.  Once I went in and was not eaten by a great white shark other followed.    I felt like the guy who starts a fight in a bar then crawl out and leaves.

View from head of causeway

Boats for sale

Hoppy's Landing  Fairhaven, MA. 

Sue riding the causway to West Island

West Island

Entrance to Fairhaven Town Beach

A short distance from the parking lot

Wa La!  Town beach and no shark to be seen for miles. 

Bet you love this one.

Put on your headphones and go full screen.  Turn it up.

The New Guy

Distance 48.8 Miles

Ave Speed 15.5 MPH

Pedal Time  3:09

Max speed 28 MPH

I was about to leave for the Le Tour de New Beige when John called and wanted to join us if we were doing  our usual Sunday ride.   That gave me an out for the tour which was all 20 something year old riders on fixies and single speeds.  I was not an age appropriate rider.    Brandon did place third in the race and won himself a koozie and a bike lock.  Now we need to put some beer in the fridge so he (we) can get good use out of the koozie. 

We chose to ride to the Cape Cod Canal again.  This is one of our preferred rides because of mix of the quiet country roads, coastal streets and there is a bit of commando riding through traffic.  Not much, just enough to get the heart rate up a bit.  

Every now and then someone driving a car refuses to give us the room we need to keep things safe.  The car that will not cross the yellow center line but tried to tap the funny bone of the riders left elbow with their side mirror.  By the way, the reason they call it the funny bone is because when you whack it, all your friends get a real laugh out of it.   Or could it be because it's Latin name is the humorous?    What evahhhh.  Today it was a guy on a motorcycle that tried to force John over.  John held his ground not out of spite but because he didn't see him.  I have to wonder what the biker would have done if someone in a car did it to him. 

Deke was sluggish from not riding much.  I was a little less sluggish from a virus I'm recovering from, and John was feeling good.   Many times John cut loose and pulled away from me, while I  pulled away from Deke.  If John rides with us more and Brandon is along there will be a change in the leader board.  Brandon will still be in front, being a CAT II rider and 25 years younger than John but John will probably ride the #2 slot moving me and Deke to fight for the #3 slot.   I usually have it on road rides, but on tour Deke is #2 by a long shot. I carry five water bottles on tour which slows me down considerably and that's the only reason I'm in last place.  The only reason.    

Deke and John at our lunch stop in Buzzards Bay, MA.

Buttermilk Bay,  Onset MA. 

Deke riding Main St. Onset, MA

Onset, MA. Bay

Sweet Caroline's Pastry Shop in Buzzards Bay, MA. 

Find more Bike Ride in Fairhaven, MA

Tuesday Night Ride

Brandon and I are both recovering from different virus infections.   We set out to do a 25 mile ride but at 9 miles we agreed to cut it short, and did 17 miles.  Personally, I couldn't wait to get off the bike.  That hasn't happened in years.

After the ride we went to a local Bistro for appetizers and a bottle of Pinot Noir.  All the effects of any ilness soon evaporated.

Country road in Mattapoisett MA. 

Lakeville Ma.

Click any photo for big. Click again for bigger

Distance 44 Miles
Max speed 24 MPH
Ave speed  12.7 MPH
Pedal time 3:27

Deke suggested we do something different and ride out to Lakeville and the reservoir area.  The humidity had dropped substantially from the high of 85% during most of the week to a comparatively comfortable 78%.

We made our traditional stop at a Dunkin Donuts for lunch.  Most of the ride was on deserted country roads  but we did hit some fast traffic on a couple of short stretches of rt 18 and rt 105 in Rochester.

Thing get hectic beginning tomorrow.  Our annual week long high school soccer camp runs Monday through Friday evenings. The following week double sessions,  an invitational tournament and a couple of scrimmages then it's full tilt till the middle of November.  It gets crazy and that makes the next three months little more than a blur.  If your a coach or player you know what I mean when I say,  "we love it". 

Lunch at Double D

We were the only traffic for most of the ride. 

Did you hear the one about the llama and the sheep on the farm? 

Rochester Golf Club

Distance 20.6 Miles
max speed 24MPH
ave speed 13.9
climb  400ft.

The humidity broke after a very difficult two weeks which made a very nice Tuesday afternoon ride.  Mid afternoon also saw very few vehicles on the back roads of the South Coast towns of Massachusetts.   I stopped at the golf course where I learned the game so many years ago.  It's also a game I gave up 6 years ago.   The amount of time I spent on the golf course is still one of my life's regrets.  Not the biggest regret though, not by a long shot.

The old state highway rt 105.  All the bike tours and events use this road to Cape Cod.  It's around 15 miles to the Cape Cod Canal from this spot. 

Corn season is winding down.