Properly Christened.

Dave giving the surface a thorough inspection.

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

Dave wanted to take a ride and check out the new ramp and the progress of the redesign of the downtown roadway.   He suggested that the walk/bike way was not brick but actually pressed concrete.  A close look confirmed his observation. 

The new single speed

Scofflaw riding on the closed ramp.  

We took a ride around downtown New Bedford before returning to the on ramp and the bridge crossing. I suggested that we ride up not on the bike section but the road.  Since it was not yet open to traffic that would not be a problem.   At the top I also suggested that the new ramp needed to be  christened.   Dave said "we don't have champagne to do that".     I mentioned I drank a couple of gin martinis last night and that would suffice.

The ramp has been properly christened and is now ready for the public.


Meanwhile back at the house Brandon was being the good son helping Ma.   Putting up fish and washing her car.

What a good son helping ma with the fish and all. 

Then he washed her car saying "really, you two are going riding without me?"

Oh how the roles have reversed. 

The Engineering Marvel

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

The new on ramp to the New Bedford/Fairhaven bridge is complete but not yet open to traffic.  This merges nicely with the sidewalk crossing the bridge and eliminates the need to portage bike up the steep flight of stairs.

I spoke with an engineer at the top of the ramp before riding down and he assured me that I was the first bike to use the new bridge.

 A picture for posterity. 

The bottom is not quite finished.  Also the RR tracks are being replaced in anticipation of the new commuter rail to Boston.

  

Not quite done at the bottom of the MUP

New RR tracks being installed

Lying stone on the new tracks. 

Leaving For Work A Bit Early Tomorrow Dec. 7.

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

The new ramp from the reconstructed highway that once cut off the city from the waterfront will open to traffic in the morning.  I want to be one of the first, if not the first bike to use this newly designed roadway.  It's no longer a highway but now a traffic calming boulevard.  In the past, some cars would hit speeds in excess of 70 MPH on the two mile drive from downtown to the south end of the city.  Now there is single lane traffic with eight signal lights to keep things running smooth and slow. 

The entrance to the bridge crossing the harbor now has a bike/walkway. In the past we had to portage a stairway to gain access to the bridge.  Carrying the bike is not bad especially the new single speed.  Speaking of which, the high school soccer team gave me a gift certificate to a local bike shop. I used that to get two new tires for the bike.  The reviews from the local riders is positive so far. 

Bike Chase Circa 1971 in San Francisco, McMillan and Wife

Sultry Commute

Boat docks empty for the winter. 

Click any photo for big.  Click again for bigger. 


There is something about a cool foggy morning on the coast.  I left a little early for for my daily commute into the city.  No reason, I was just up before usual.  The construction workers were just setting up the barriers. The traffic was light, and I had plenty of time to lollygag before the next schedule opening of the bridge crossing the harbor.

Cabin Cruise moored in the fog. 

The extra time allowed for a side trip up Johnny Cake Hill in the National Historic Whaling Park in New Bedford, MA.

Arthur Moniz gallery.

Whalemen's Shipping List

Seamen's Bethel

Behind the Scenes at the Salvation Army

It's a 5 mile bike commute to the Salvation Army headquarters in New Bedford, Ma where my job has me driving the bell ringers to their assigned stores.  This on the new Single Speed I bought last weekend in Maine.

A look behind the scenes could be of interest to some.

We all meet up in the basement of the building.  Outside there is always a line of people waiting to apply for assistance.  They have to go through quite a bit to prove they are poor with documents, IDs and for some, recommendations form other aid organizations.    The bell ringers are the ones who go out and raise most of the money so the Salvation Army can provide those families standing in line a chance to have a better Christmas for them and their kids.

Showing the love

A candid shot

Waiting for their assignment.

Bell Ringer gathering.

The Major prepping the kettles.

On the ride home I took a detour that brought me to the shipyard district for a look a shipyards in the winter.

Block Island, R.I. ferry

In dry dock for the winter

Provincetown, MA  Whale Watching Fleet

Cold Toes

It began to drizzle as the ride began.  It continued off an on for most of the ride.  The temperature hovered around the 43F mark.  The wind added it's two cents and don't forget to add the rolling hills.  If it were'nt for those things, the ride would have been perfect.

Climbing the hills dressed for the cold was a sweaty ride. Add a little light rain to the mix made for a wet body.  Now it was time to descend and a choice had to be made.  On the downhill the wind made it very cold once the speed hit 24 MPH or so.  Breaking could eliminate the cold but that would make more work climbing the next roller.  Accepting the cold and letting loose on the downhill got me up to around 35-38 MPH and it was really cold, but I could coast part way up the next roller.  I opted for the cold and more coasting uphill. That went on for 8 mile then things settled down as the road leveled. The last 17 miles had a couple of easy climbs but all in all it was relatively flat.  Maine flat, not Cape Cod flat.

Actually today was one of those rides that was difficult but the type your glad you did once it's complete.   It began with eight miles of rolling hills traversing Pleasant Hill Rd from Freeport to Brunswick.   Yesterday at the end of Pleasant hill the ride continued through Bowdoin College into downtown Brunswick.  Today the ride turned away from downtown and looped back along Casco Bay.