Night Ride

It was planned to be a night ride on our single speeds, but ended up being a pub crawl.  We met down town New Bedford and decided to ride to the south end of the city.  Our first stop was Davy's Locker Tiki Hut.

We were only a short bike ride from a place that had just been televised on the show Bar Rescue. Lebads Seaside Tavern, which many years ago under a different owner and name was a regular stop for me.  Actually I tended bar and was a bouncer there.  It didn't bring back any memories at all because it had changes so much, but it was still a good stop on our bar crawl.

The Tiki Hut at Davy's Locker in New Bedford Ma.

 Trying to unlock the bikes after a couple too many.

We made it home fine but late (around 11PM), and it was such a good time I really think we may do this more often.  Kind of like this bike club in St. Louis.

Portsmouth/Tiverton R.I.

Waterfront property in Portsmouth R.I.

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

Distance:                        23.40 mi

Time:	2:19:11
Moving Time:	1:59:53
Elapsed Time:	2:19:11

Avg Speed:	10.1 mph
Avg Moving Speed:	11.7 mph
Max Speed:	26.6 mph

We had planned to begin our ride at around 9AM this Labor Day but at 8 is was raining pretty hard.  A check of the weather said the rain would cease till around three in the afternoon.  We decided to go against the norm and trust the weatherman's prediction.   A quick look at the radar online kind of makes that easy.

We drove to Island Park in Portsmouth R.I. to begin this ride on a very muggy overcast day.  The ride would take us over the newly completed bike lane crossing the Sakonnett River Bridge into Tiverton, R.I.  We had to ride a bit on Main Road which surprisingly had little traffic.  And after a short spin we were able to turn toward the Nannaquaket Pond area and ride the local back roads to Seapowet Creek, Nonquet Pond and Fogland.   Lots of old Indian names for sure and it the area of the

King Philip's War, sometimes called the First Indian War,  Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion,^[1] was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–78. 

If your one who likes history, this is a great if not disturbing read.

 Island Park start point

 A short 1/2 mile spin from the start to the bridge crossing entrance

 Riding across the new Sakonnett River bridge.  The old is just off to the left.

My newly installed brake pads weren't quite right.  My wrench got that straightened out.

That's a big flag!

 Causeway crossing into the Seapowet Creek area.

Our ride leader with the Newport Bike group pointed out this Trebuchet during our ride last week. It is rumored that the owner used this as a shortcut to get his 6 and 9 year old children to the river which is around 200 yards across the road over some trees.  Not only can you send your children to the beach but they have been used to launch pumpkins or a fiery piano.

Trebuchet at Nannaquaket Pond

We ended our ride around 2ish, packed up the bikes and decided to stick around for lunch at Grazziano's.  We first noticed this place last week on the ride with the Newport Bike group.  The Cafe sits right on the waterfront and offers both indoor and patio dining. We chose an outdoor table and just as we sat down the claps of thunder began accompanied by a light rain.  We moved inside and within a few short minutes downpour began and we noticed that the weather channel was off by a mere 20 minutes when they called this.   We had been told that the food was good here but didn't realize how good.   My Italian sausage with onion and pepper was the best I had tasted.  During our lunch the owner sat down to talk with us and told how they were originally from Providence and always wanted to own a restaurant.  When this neat little waterfront spot came available they jumped at it.  They get most of their Italian meats and produce from the Federal Hill section of Providence which many swear is better than the North End of Boston for Italian cuisine.

Fall River Bike Gang Rides Westport, MA.

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

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

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

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

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