I realized recently that I haven’t shown you too much bike touring on this blog.

It’s one of the big three right on the front page!

For you newbies, should I expect you to think bike touring is the best thing ever just from the few pictures sparsely displayed around this stupid site?

For you touring veterans, I know you are thinking –

 

Where’s the bike stuff man!

 

It’s been trail running focus for a couple years now.

Time to change that.

Time for you to go on a little bike tour with me to the magical vacation island of Martha’s Vineyard (MV).

 

 

 

Of all my local tours, this is the one I do the most.

MV is one of my favorite places to chill – especially when I’m on my bike and camping.

The ride down is simply glorious.

I know this route well and soak up the little details that make living in New England special.

 

 

This Placid and relatively easy pedal is full of novelties.

I want to share them and show you how traveling at 12 miles per hour is the right way to go.

 

 

The route is flat, convoluted, and serene.

AND – most of all – it’s very quiet.

All my touring routes are indirect like this on purpose – to course correct away from annoyance and noise.

You always want to be where the cars are not.

MV is the endpoint, but there’s plenty of magic on the ride to and from.

Once you swing your leg over the bike and start riding, I am going to show you why you’ve already arrived.

Know what I mean?

 

 

I’m always present and in the moment when I tour like this.

Never looking back on mistakes or stressing about stuff that needs to get done.

I just downshift into this hushed and contented state of mind and really enjoy just observing life…

Rolling through neighborhoods and town centers.

Sneaking peeks into yards and garages.

Sizing up the houses, and saying to myself – what if I lived here – multiple times.

 

Sounds like biking voyeurism from the road you weirdo!

 

Naaah… It’s really just a fun game of taking in and the details of places I rarely see – places I’d never drive by – and breaking down the nuances mentally.

Even more…This is moving meditation…a mental reset…An elevated pulse rate lights up my stagnated brain as I pedal ….Glory!

 

Alright, enough Preamble.

Let’s load up and ride.

 

 

Getting out of Boston proper can be a taxing.  Start early to catch a silent sunrise over the water

 

 

 

Immediate win!

In one of the most densely populated areas of the country, you have this beach all to yourself.

The initial miles take you on some main roads through the next city of Quincy.  But, the early weekend start assures minimal traffic because most of the lazy car people are rugged up in bed.

As the miles add up, the urbaness recedes and suburbaness surfaces

The route winds away from the busy roads.

Your pedal cadence slows and biking defenses soften.

You start to soak up the scenery.

You are present.

 

 

Now in cranberry farmland, one or two cars pass over the next hour.

 

 

You own the roads.

 

 

There’s no hurry to be anywhere.

Just wander and wonder.

 

 

Well, maybe lunch would be good right about now 🙂

 

Of course, food is the reward and the fuel for this kind of trip.

Gotcha covered my little tourers.

 

 

With the furnace stoked, get back on the pedals.

Just a handful miles down the road and you get the full on novelty of riding the Cape Cod Canal then over the Bourne Bridge.

 

 

And, of course the Bridge…

 

 

 

Ahhhhhh, it’s not that bad.

 

 

It’s worth it though.

The last laugh is yours because you can stop and soak up one of the best views on the Cape.

Those auto suckers can’t…

 

 

Even on a rainy day it’s still a biking win to stop here and gander.

 

 

 

Okay, after you soak up all that Cape Magic from the apex of the bridge, it’s time for a little adrenaline rush.

You quad burned the loaded bike up at here at walking pace, now it’s time for 35 mph strafing run down the back side

This is a thriller people!

Check the brakes and make sure the bags are cinched down tight.

Enjoy this gravity fed mile and a half all the way down to Trowbridge Road past the State police station on the other side.

 

Whewwww!  What a day!

Bang a left on County Road and purge the next 1/2 dozen miles checkin’ out all the Cape Cod-y residences in North Falmouth.

Then…

 

 

The Shining Sea Bikeway runs you the last 11 miles.  All the way to the Ferry Dock in Woods Hole.

This is handy and heavenly after a long day in the saddle.

 

 

And just like at the bridge, don’t fret if it’s a wet ride.

Throw on the rain shell and enjoy even more solitude.

 

 

Then….Finally….you depot right in Woods Hole and the ferry dock.

Rolling your bike onto the boat is a well earned victory lap.

 

 

Good bye mainland.

 

 

To Be Continued…