The pause that refreshes.

We are taking a (long-planned) 2 week break from our journey west.
I have business commitments to take care of and a little vacationing as well!
I dropped both bicycles off at Bicycle Alley in Worcester this morning for a tuneup and replacement of worn components.
We expect to resume our journey (and blog posts) around July 12 or so.
Happy Independence Day to you all!

Day 6. Ware, MA to Northampton (28 mi.)

("Cliff Notes" Version:  On our final day of cycling before a 2 week hiatus, we achieved our goal for this first week of getting close to the Berkshire Mountains of western Mass. Highlights included: the Norwottuck Rail Trail & the surprise audit at days end).

We wanted to get one more day of cycling in before taking our planned 2 week break. If it wasn't for the hot/humid conditions expected for Friday, we would have paused for today to give our bodies a bit more recuperation from yesterdays' hill climbing. But the lure of cycling today with temps in the low 80's and moderate humidity pushed us forward.


Ava was "chipper" this morning, as her day sounded like a lot of fun. After dropping us off at Ware, she organized to meet up with a few of her favorite people. Leah & Matt live in Northampton, where our day of cycling was planned to finish. And Elizabeth's cousin Lynne lives out in nearby Longmeadow. So an afternoon of lunching & shopping was soon on Ava's "radar screen" (or more literally....her iPhone screen!).

Elizabeth & I set off from Ware just after noontime and in the first 10 miles went up and down a series of about 4 hills, on quiet off-highway side roads dotted with mostly "neat-as-a-pin" country homes and gardens.
We stopped on a bridge to take the photo below, Elizabeth noted how the water was quiet, almost stagnant. Then we turned a corner and noticed the parking lot sign identifying this as the "Swift River"! (maybe in a different season?).

Kayaking on the (so-called) Swift River

 Soon, we turned onto a busier route where the road shoulder narrowed, and began tackling the slow incline up to our lunchtime target....Belchertown. (As I rode, I was mentally focused on recalling all the great "burping" jokes I heard as a kid, so as to regale the locals at lunch. However, I later came to my senses, realizing that the residents are probably sick to death of all jokes associated with the embarrassing name of their pretty little town). We arrived at the wrong time....just before the 2 pm start of their Thursday "Farmers Market" on the town common, and also just before the best breakfast/lunch bakery in town closed their doors for the day at 2 pm. So we adjourned to the Irish Pub at the far end of the common and (for once) relished the slow table service, as it gave us a chance to soak up the air-conditioning.

Farmers Market, Belchertown, Mass.

 Belchertown shares that great New England tradition of having a Town Green or Town Common bang smack in the middle of town. Theirs is particularly grand...wide and long, and bordered on all four sides by roadway and lines of shops and homes. In the center of the common were several smart, well-kept monuments to various wars.

Civil War Memorial, Belchertown

Memorial to more recent conflicts

Our mission after lunch was to locate the beginning of the Norwottuck Rail Trail at the northwestern tip of Burpville (see, I just can't help myself....). We were eagerly looking forward to it, since Rail Trails are free from road traffic and always have moderate grades (to accommodate the limited climbing capabilities of trains). We were amazed that there were (literally) no road signs to steer us to this very popular spot. After bragging earlier in the day that we had not gotten lost, and had not needed to re-trace our path at any time this week, I overshot the turnoff. Fortunately, I realized my mistake quickly when the "Town Line - Amherst" sign came into view. So, after consulting the GPS and map, we retraced about 1/2 mile of road and wound our way down to the well-hidden trailhead.

Norwottuck Trail marker

Wetlands area adjacent to trail

This trail traces a 10 mile arc from Belchertown up to Amherst and then back down to the western bank of the Connecticut River in Northampton....ideal for our constant trek west. The trail has much to offer....frequent side trails so walkers can access swampy nature havens, a variety of natural scenery, heavy shade for cool summer cycling and ready access to civilization if needed (we stopped for a drink and an ice cream at one point). However the trail needs better sign-posting at both ends and sorely needs repaving in some spots where the asphalt has become corrugated.

Speaking of repaving...a curious design choice was to mix crushed up bottle-glass INTO the asphalt mix. Visually it is appealing....the surface glistens as if it has a carpet of diamonds spread on it. However, the glass breaks free of the asphalt over time, and lies loosely on the surface. The glass can cut into bicycle tires (flats are apparently quite common!) and I'd hate to come off my bike and land on that carpet of cut glass! (We think they've carried this recycling thing a little too far in this case!).

After phoning Ava to meet us at the end of the trail, we ended up 'overshooting' her due to the poor signposting. There was nothing to indicate that the end of the trail was reached. We kept on following bicycle signs that led us into the hustle, bustle of Northampton streets. Where would we be without cell-phones?

Ava was summoned to the local Taco Bell parking lot and appeared minutes later with (Elizabeth's cousin) Lynne in our van. Lynne lavished praise on our blog posts and told me how funny they were (I'm not sure how to take that....). But then the REAL truth came out....she said that she taggged along with Ava to verify that this trip was "real" and not some online confection I had been cooking up from the cool comfort of my basement office! (That idea had never even crossed my mind....though it suggests an interesting fallback plan if we don't quite make it all the way to Chicago!!).

A few words from the wife...

I won't be "blogging" on a regular basis since David has the gift of remembering details and making them sound interesting. All I have to say so far is that this adventure will be nothing short of exhausting and exciting all at the same time!

Day 5. Shrewsbury, MA to Ware (38 mi.)

("Cliff Notes" Version: The word for today is "uphill". We began with an almost unrelenting upward climb for 12 miles, gaining about 800 ft in elevation. Highlights were: accomplishing our 'stretch goal' of reaching Ware & passing thru numerous small towns & farming communities).

We set off at 11 a.m. from our own house - no "dropoff by Ava" was necessary. Temperatures all day were moderate, in the 70's. Our first couple of miles was an easy downhill cruise to Sewell Pond in town, but that was about our only respite for several hours. For the next 12 miles or so thru northern Worcester, and into the towns of Holden and Rutland it was nothing but upward. Sometimes the angle of incline tapered to near zero, but that was about it!
Determined not to expend all our energy early, we got off our bikes and walked them up many of the steeper inclines.
We enjoyed our lunch break at a Country Store right on the Holden/Rutland line.

Yet another great lunch choice!

At this point in time, we wondered if we could possibly ascend any higher. Then...we turned around a bend in the road to reveal yet another long incline! Finally we crested a long, steep hill in the town center of Rutland. It was an odd feeling, pausing outside the town fire-station and noting that the land fell away in all directions. Even distant hills and mountains appeared lower in height than where we stood.

(interestingly, this evening I looked up Rutland on Wikipedia and learned that it is the geographic center of Massachusetts as well. So I guess being perched on the crest of a tall hill is appropriate!).
Our one regret is that we never got to see Evie at her restaurant. Oh well, maybe it was for the best.....

"Heavy Evie" was nowhere in sight. (Perhaps hovering over the fryolater?)

The Gods were kind on the other side of Rutland as we sped downhill for a quick couple of miles alongside a State Forest, and tranquil Long Pond. Leaving State Route 122A and onto country lanes for a 1/2 hour or so was a bit of a mixed blessing. A wide variety of remote homes and farms lined the roads and there was no traffic. However the road surface was terrible in some spots and after a while you develop a quiet fear of being 'lost in the woods', and wonder if you are not straying way off-course? Fortunately, for those moments of puzzlement, it is an easy task to flip on the GPS unit that we carry, which usually resolves any doubts within a minute or two, as it locks onto satellites far overhead.
I find it interesting to look at abandoned structures (homes, farms, businesses, barns, etc.). Many of course are old, well beyond repair, and await a bulldozer or perhaps an earthquake to bring them down. Others look...valuable, resurrectable, like the previous owner walked away 4 weeks ago. Here's one in the former category:

Fixer-upper? NOT!!

I heard much gnashing of teeth behind me as we rode, then walked up a particularly steep rise to the village of Oakham. We took a breather in a park just down from the center of town and, a few minutes later, a town employee took a break from mowing the baseball field and came to chat. He suggested an alternate route which involved an immediate 180 down the hill. Elizabeth was all for that!! We took his advice, but were shortly huffing and puffing uphill again.

Perhaps this explains budget shortfalls at the D.o.T?

We began to see more operating farms and vegetable gardens in New Braintree, and then saw an honest-to-goodness "Munsters" house replica. I would have taken a photo, but was too busy gawking as we rode past.

Vegetables in New Braintree

A particularly "spic 'n span" Barn in New Braintree

Just as it seemed that there was no real escape from uphill climbs in these parts, we began a long (12 mile) gradual descent into the Pioneer Valley, passing thru the hamlet of Gilbertville, on our way into the old, mill-town of Ware.

Day 4. West Medway, MA to Shrewsbury (25 mi.)

("Cliff Notes" Version: Much cooler weather and a day of rest made for a most enjoyable ride today in our own "backyard". Highlights included a very neat (but short) rail trail in Milford and a great lunch spot in Hopkinton).


It was almost too cool this morning! When we set off at 11 a.m. the temp was in the lower 60's and it peaked at about 70 deg. by the time we finished at 3:30 pm. What a difference a few days make.
We quickly made our way to the bicycle shop in Milford to stock up on inner tubes after our recent flats & I also bought an additional rear-mirror because I need better rearward vision (story of my life....).

My second favorite bicycle shop (after Bicycle Alley in Worcester)

While there, we asked for directions to the nearby Milford Rail Trail which winds north to Hopkinton. We had spotted it earlier from the car as Ava was delivering us to the dropoff point. What a 'gem' it turned out to be...smooth asphalt surface, new fencing, well-cleared of any brush or weeds. A good description might be 'manicured'!



Very smooth surface

 

Rail trail in Milford, MA

Day 3. Raynham, MA to West Medway (34 mi.)

("Cliff Notes" Version: Checked out of our campsite.  Bicycled all afternoon in glorious weather. Highlights included a lunch  'invitation' and some tougher hills to contend with. We drive back to Shrewsbury, and pause for a day or so).



All 3 of us had an excellent nights' sleep and awoke to a beautiful Sunday morning...pleasantly cool, sunny and low humidity!
After breakfast and preparing for another day of cycling, we packed up our tent and belongings into the van, as we needed to be off the site by 11 a.m. We all agreed that, except for the cutesy-spelling, the KOA Kampground in Middleboro was top-notch...very well managed and operated.
Ava dropped us off at yesterdays' endpoint, a quiet suburban street in Raynham, just before noon. The weather was perfect and the next couple of hours were fantastic. We cycled thru a quiet industrial estate and onto a wide, relatively flat road which wound its way between the towns of Norton and Attleboro. We were in "the zone", keeping a steady pace without much effort. At about the 10 mile mark, we stopped to buy lunch at an old Country Store and decided to pedal another 5 miles to a lakeside park to enjoy it.
By the time we got there at 2 pm we could glimpse Greenwood Lake thru numerous private properties, but could find no public park. As we paused to ponder the map, a voice across the street yelled "Can I help you at all?". I replied "Yes, as a matter of fact". I crossed the street and found out from this man in his 70's that the only access was from the grounds of a government Fish Hatchery, which was closed on Sundays. But then he pointed to a wooden picnic table on the front lawn of his pristine lot and said we were welcome to use it! We chatted for 5 minutes...he lost his wife last year, but had recently taken a 3500 mile bus trip in the western states & met a number of Australian tourists along the way. (So I think my accent worked in our favor!). He then actually drove away, as he had a function to go to in central Mass., leaving us 2 (total strangers) to enjoy his picnic table and garden! Now that's hospitality!
(I'm kicking myself for not taking a photo of the scene for our blog).

Day 2. Wareham, MA to Raynham (30 mi.)

("Cliff Notes" Version:  With slightly lower heat/humidity we were able to cycle 30 miles in ~ 4 3/4 hours. Highlights included excellent pond views and scenery just south of Lakeville. Another early evening thunderstorm at 'Kampsite').

 After an unsettled night, I emerged from our tent at 7 a.m. Saturday to a steady, light rain which continued for a couple of hours. Given the conditions, I let Elizabeth and Ava sleep on, while I did a few chores, including replacing the inner tube on Elizabeths bike which had ended our ride the day before. Fortunately, by the time they awoke, the skies were clearing a bit and we decided to stay at this "Kampground" for a second night.



Ava attaching tent-fly

 This was only possible by relocating all our belongings to an adjacent site by "checkout time" of 11 a.m. As the skies continued to brighten, we had an early lunch at camp before heading back to yesterdays' end-point in Wareham.

Day 1. North Falmouth, MA to Wareham (17 mi.)

("Cliff Notes" Version:  It was a very hot and humid start. We rode 17 miles in 4 hours this afternoon. It was like riding in a broiler much of the day. Highlights included touring my old home in North Falmouth and riding over the Bourne Bridge).


Friday, June 22 turned out to be only a few degrees cooler than the day before, qualifying this as the first bona-fide 'heatwave' of the summer. Nevertheless we set off from home in our minivan at 9:30 a.m. and headed to the Cape. As we crossed the Bourne Bridge, I took note of how we might return a few hours later on 2 wheels instead of our normal 4. As we drove slowly thru the little village of North Falmouth I pointed out to Ava some of the places I remembered from my time there in 1972/73: the corner store where I waited for the school bus, the (long ago closed) Post Office where I collected my mail from home, and what used to be known as the House of Pizza, where they would serve the best roast beef subs I ever tasted!

Day 0. Shrewsbury, MA. Hot enough for you?

We had planned on starting our trip today, but earlier this week the weather forecast looked kind of scary. So we elected to begin tomorrow, Friday, June 22.
A good thing too. As we've been getting ready here in Shrewsbury, the temperature peaked at 98 degF, an all-time record for the day! (Probably not a good idea to start off our ride in that kind of heat). Also, it has given us extra time to get prepared to leave on our first leg.

The plan is to begin our journey late morning tomorrow in North Falmouth, MA and overnight in the Middleboro area. Then continue on to our home in Shrewsbury over the weekend. Use the 3 days as a "shakedown cruise" to test out ourselves, our gear, and fine-tune our plans for how to tackle the days ahead.

Backdrop to this blog

Our goal during this summer of 2012 is to bicycle from Cape Cod in Massachusetts to the Chicago area of Illinois. My wife Elizabeth and I have never attempted anything more than a casual weekend bikeride of 25 miles, so there will be plenty to learn and new experiences are guaranteed along the way.

In recognition of becoming a U.S. citizen earlier this year, I have set a goal of cycling from the home I stayed in as an AFS International high-school exchange student (40 years ago) in North Falmouth, Mass. all the way to the apartment I rented in Barrington, IL when I emigrated to the U.S. (30 years ago). As in most aspects of our married life, Elizabeth leapt at the opportunity to join the adventure. The trip is part-celebration, part-vacation & part-"mid-life crisis"!

Our youngest daughter, Ava, will be providing "Van support". She will be driving ahead of us each day to set up our tent, shop and prepare meals and handle the myriad small tasks that are needed to keep us mobile. (though she is already drawing the line at providing soothing muscle massages at the end of the day!). There will be a 2-week hiatus around early July, but other than that our summer calendar has been cleared for this project

We may not succeed. Our 50+ year-old bodies may fail us. I may find it impossible to manage my business from a laptop and cell-phone. The high-summer heat and humidity may overwhelm us. We may very well run out of time, energy or will.
But we are going to "give it a shot"!