Water, fire, music, and a lot of missed hills - by Robin

A gondola at Waterfire

We're a long way from Providence.  A long way from Friday night's free concert at Waterplace Park, from the crowded shore of Easton's Beach in Newport, from the winding East Bay Bike Path, and from the simple, but lovely art project, Waterfire along the river walk in Providence.  We're a little over half way home as I write this post, sitting in a hotel room somewhere in Pennsylvania.  So I'll have to back up a bit in my own mind to recap the last couple of days.  I promise to keep it short and sweet because I know this blog is suppposed to be about a bike ride, and there was only one easy 29 mile ride on Friday.

View from a bench at the end of the
East Bay Bike Path

Friday morning was perfect riding weather, and we hopped on a 14.5 mile trail at India Point Park in Providence. Winding through marshes, across wooden bridges, past ice cream and fruit stands, and along sailboat speckled bays, I was not surprised to see bikers, runners, walkers, and skaters of all ages all along the path in both directions. At the end of the trail, we stopped for lunch on the patio of a water side restaurant, where I watched, but was unable to photograph, a seagull fish a live crab out of the water for its lunch. Patios are best when you've been cycling.  We knew we'd be less likely to offend other restaurant patrons. 


Young the Giant rocks out at a free concert



Waterplace Park in Providence has a stage set up along the a river walk with tiered concrete seating in the hillside just opposite.  Perfect for the concert we attended Friday night and the Waterfire art performance we came back to see on Saturday night.  Young the Giant is an up and coming alternative band from California. We only knew one song, but the entire concert was fantastic.  You can't beat live music anyway. 

Waterfire occurs on Saturday nights throughout the summer, and we were fortunate enough to be here for it this weekend.  Over 80 bonfires are set up on the river downtown, and after dark, they light them.  Prerecorded music from around the world plays through the night as the fires burn.  A variety of boats pass through the central section of the river walk and around the fires, including a gondola and a boat carrying a bare-chested man twirling fire. 

Not a lot to do but watch and take pictures, but the simplicity of the artistic event seemed a fitting way to end the trip we've been on.  I know it's been anything but simple putting up and tearing down camp each day at 10 different campgrounds.  Packing and unpacking; keeping up with laundry; shopping and cooking; cleaning up dishes in plastic buckets filled with cold water; these were all tedious tasks.  But living without the distractions of television and having limited access to technology allowed our family to be fully present with one another in a way that we seem to slip away from when we are at home and have all of these weapons at our disposal.  I hope when we get back we continue to turn off the televisions and cell phones and computers from time to time and interface with each other in ways as meaningful as they have been on this trip.  Simplicity.  Fire.  Water.  Wind.  Human-powered forward motion.  Mindfulness and focused attention. 

Now we're in post-vacation driving-induced stupor.  The motion of riding in a vehicle always puts me to sleep, but occasionally today I woke up long enough to admire the view.  If you've been following, you may recall that a stomach virus caused us to cancel part of our riding on the way out here, so we skipped the Pennsylvania portion of our trip.  Driving through today, I took a look at the terrain and then at the map and realized what we missed was a whole lotta mountains.  "David?  It's a good thing we ended up skipping this.  We might have quit on you much earlier than we did."  Yeah, next time we'll take more time to plan the trip ahead of time.  I guess the lack of a clear plan all the time and the spontaneous day to day decisions we've made (totally not in my disposition to live like this ordinarily - I'm a planner) just made this whole trip more of an adventure.  I hate to see it all end, but I do look forward to sleeping in my own bed again. 

We told the kids that we might just camp on the way back.  West Branch State Park in Ohio sure was a great place to stay.  They looked sour about the whole thing.  Couldn't believe we would want to unpack everything we'd worked so carefully to pack last time we camped.  Any of you familiar with the band The Thumbnuts will find it amusing that the kids were singing at breakfast, "I got sent to camp.  I didn't like that.  I got sent to camp... I didn't like that..."  As I've said before, they have bad attitudes.  I hope that one day they'll look back on this adventure and realize its worth.  It may well be our last family ride.

A great tip from our friend Jed led us to
the Newport Creamery - Awful good shakes!

Alex enjoys the waves at Easton's Beach, Newport

Giant hedges and "bad dog" signs: lifestyles of the rich and anonymous - by Robin

"The Breakers" - a Vanderbilt summer home built in 1893 (I think)

That's all it takes to live like the wealthy along the coast of Newport, apparently, so Alex has proposed we put in giant hedges in our front yard and hang signs about threatening dogs.  That way the commoners would know we were financially superior.  Rather than riding bikes, we hoofed it today along the Cliff Walk in Newport and checked out both the private residences and museum mansions along the way.  Actually, we were too cheap to buy tickets to tour the mansions, even if one of them had 500, 000 cubic feet of marble in it, so we walked around and snapped some photos, some of which I'll share. 

Before the trip to Newport, we took a campus tour of Brown University.  Although the visit was for Emily, David, Alex, and I have all decided we would also like to attend Brown.  Maybe we could just purchase one of those Newport mansions and all move out here to go back to school.  They did say they preferred a diverse student body.  They didn't say the diverse student body couldn't be related.

We ended the day with one of the most amazing Italian dinners I've ever had in the Little Italy section of Providence (good thing we saved money on those tour tickets so we could enjoy an incredible meal).  It seemed wrong that we didn't first earn the calories we consumed with a nice, long bike ride.  But I've decided not to dwell on that fact.

Tomorrow morning we have 29 miles of biking along the East Bay Trail planned. I wish it were a longer ride, but so far David and I have not been able to convince the kids that it would be a great idea to ride this trail twice and put in 58 miles.  They have bad attitudes. 

Alex on the rocks along the Cliff Walk



It's just a cottage, obviously



They don't even care about the mansions on the cliffs above them.  It's what separates humans from animals.

Shouldn't we be on bicycles? - by Robin

In the rain and thunder on day one

After I dunno how many nights in tents, we've given up camping and settled into a hotel just outside Providence.  I thought this would come as a relief, but as it turns out, it feels a bit congested and confining.  I won't miss being kept awake by heavy rain drops pattering on canvas and the constant worry that pools of water might be gathering beneath our air mattresses (yes, we camp as spoiled as people in a tent can do) or suitcases or whatever else the kids may have scattered around the tent floor. 

We chose to use this day to regroup: get all the camping gear packed up as tightly and neatly as possible, settle into a room, finish up washing the lingering laundry piles, and make a game plan for the rest of the trip. The original plan was to ride into Providence today on bicycles, but with the heat and hills David and the kids faced yesterday and the meticulous packing job we had to do, it was best we pack well and drive it.  And so we did, but it doesn't feel right not to be cycling again.

Somewhere back in Massachusetts when David and I rode together the other day (days and towns are all a blur), we happened upon a bike shop and had some work done on David's rear derailer (he's ready to buy a new bike after this trip), and the owner mentioned the East Bay Bike Trail out here in Providence.  We looked it up today. It's all paved and 14.5 miles long.  Awesome.  We don't have to stop riding just because we've arrived here. 





That's my sweetheart, leading the way

Tomorrow we'll visit Brown University so that Emily can take a tour and get some information.  Then maybe we'll head out to Newport to check out the mansions.  But Friday we're back on the bikes.  We've already located parking so we can start at one end of the trail, ride to the opposite end, have lunch, and ride back.  29 miles on a trail is cake. We'll still have time for sightseeing after we come back to the room to clean ourselves up and become presentable to the public again.  I can't believe I'm saying it, but even after those hellacious hills, I'd rather be riding than sitting in a hotel room, watching television, surfing the internet... any of those mundane activities that get in the way of the simplicity of fresh air, focus on a clear, physical goal, and problem solving with the closest people I'll ever have in my life.

Speaking of those people, I've often thought about it, but I haven't expressed yet in writing how much I truly appreciate the patient, easy-going man I married 20 years ago.  Walking through a typical grocery store, it's pretty easy to see that there are families who couldn't tackle the sort of challenges this bike trip has sprung upon us without a lot of conflict and bad feelings.  Mine can do it, and I have to give a lot of credit to David.  I don't care how many times his tire could go flat in a day; this man doesn't lose his temper, but works through problems in a way that makes me proud that my children have such a great role model.  He's the best! To celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary (which I mentioned several blog posts back was June 22) we're kicking around several ideas. One of those is to take another bike trip together this summer.  We'll see if it works out, but I can tell you, there's no one I'd rather travel with.

It's hard for siblings to fight on bikes

So, although it's been hard to put on the brakes this afternoon, I wandered out to the pool to read a book (just started The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society) and forced myself to slow it all down. There will be several days of  great family time ahead, and happily more miles to cycle.  Maybe there'll be some good chocolate milk as well. 

Equally Meaningful - by David

Alex gets the fire pit ready on the last evening of camping

So I haven't updated on the blog since the initial post to start it. I've had some ideas along the way, but literally have not had time to put them down. Something I did not anticipate was the amount of time it would take to unpack and repack all of the items needed for camping. Because we have been on the move, this happened daily. Then there was the running to the store, making fire, cooking, cleaning, and I should mention the riding.

The riding...this trip was supposed to be about the ride and the destination. We planned about 750 miles of riding and camping, with one day set aside for travelling exclusively by car. I have to say that Robin and I have both expressed disappointment that we did not get in the miles we thought we would get. I got a stomach bug, too much rain fell, and a day that started out with optimism of a completed ride ended with consecutive flat tires that took us out for the day only 20 miles in. Things could have gone better.

Instead, this trip has become something else, to me, anyway. The family time has been incredible. Most of the little things in life that normally distract us are not here. We start our day together, spend out day together, and end it the same way. We have enjoyed each other's company, worked through some unexpected difficulties, and supported each other. Emily and Alex have experienced a new level of responsibility and independence that they earned and enjoyed. I'm so proud of both of them!

One-eyed Emily cuts fresh green beans for dinner

The destination is still part of the trip, and starts tomorrow when we arrive in Rhode Island. We've talked with several people about the places they like to visit, and we will surely have a great time. One of the first stops is to Emily's dream college, Brown. Thinking about how soon she will be leaving for college has me appreciating this time all the more.

I can't rinse off the beans in the river with everyone watching

Listening to the sound of the water flow down the river next to our camp makes me want to stay for another night, but the destination is calling a little too loudly now.

Cycling through Massachusetts: not for the faint of heart... (gasp, pant) or lung by Robin

Ummm...

David and I rode today and let the kids drive on ahead to set up camp in Southwick, MA, a mere 54 miles away.  Before we even left the campground, David had a flat tire to repair, but we were soon on the road hopeful that this would be the only difficulty of the day.

If you've read Bill Bryson's book A Walk Through the Woods, you'll understand when I say we rode through that book cover today, at least if you read the same version I did with the ferns and trees and a freakish looking bear on it (we didn't see bears, though - just that other stuff).  If you haven't read the book, you really ought to, even if you're not a hiker.  It's about Bryson's hiking trip along the Appalachian Trail.  We rode along part of the AT today, a piece called Jacob's Ladder.  I loved the random pedestrian signs along the roadside throughout this part of the ride, as if at any moment, someone could pop out of the woods and wander into the road.  And maybe stray hikers do this at times.  The forest was dark and mossy with occasional gurgling streams running through it.  It was probably the most beautiful and death-defying ride I've ever been on.

Between the forests and the mountains, we always had gorgeous scenary.  The hills were out to get us, though.  Uphill climbs (taken very slowly in grany gear) could last for a good mile or more.  At times we stopped (me gasping for breath and hoping David didn't attempt to make conversation) and rested before completing the ascent.  Many times I was tempted to get off the bike and walk it, but I just couldn't let myself do it.  Non-athlete that I am, I still figured it was better to go 3-4 mph uphill than give up.  We kicked some serious hill ass today.  The rewards were pretty good, too.  For every mile or more we climbed, there might be a couple miles of curvy downhill thrill-ride.  David reached over 37 mph without pedaling once.  I used the brakes often.  Just a chicken, I guess.

Towns along the way were disappointingly barren.  It took over 40 miles to get to a gas station where I could finally satisfy my chocolate milk craving.  Before that, we had stopped at a small town library to eat our lunch at a picnic table.  For some reason I attracted a swarm of friendly gnats.  Pretty sure I smelled just fine. :) I was like Pig Pen, only worse.  We figured we'd find a gas station to refill water bottles soon after this stop, but as we took off again, there was nothing but an animal hospital.  The one store in town had closed in March, we found out.  A kind lady at the animal hospital filled our water bottles for us, and we continued on our way.

We've had better starts

 I have to say, this was probably the most difficult ride I've been on with the kind of hills we had to climb, but it was also the most beautiful.  We're off to Connecticut tomorrow, and RI the day after. All told, I've personally ridden about 309 miles on this trip now.  It's a bit less than what I should have completed, but I'll take it. 

Not the best picture of those mountains up ahead of David

Hey, we're still in New York!

Bad spelers of the world untie! 

Okay, I was wrong about several things in my last post.  We didn't actually go through the Adirondacks.  We went south of them, but this is still hilly country, and I'd hate going up the hills here even if they are good for my heart and lungs.  We're closer to the Catskills now in Austerlitz, NY.  On the one hand, it's breathtaking to ride through the rolling hills here... in a truck.  On the other hand, it's going to be severely breathtaking riding through those same hills on a bicycle.  But I think we'll have good weather.  I only wish that hills counted at least double for calories burned.  That would be fair. 

I was also wrong about where we were headed next.  One more night in NY state and then off to Massachusetts in the morning by bicycle.  Emily will drive next, and I have a feeling she'll be glad.  She and I were still complaining today about having to WALK up hills.  "Ohhhh... not another hill... gahhhh...."  What a couple babies.  After Mass comes Connecticut, and then Rhode Island. 

Tonight we're at a lovely campground that has a lot of rules.  Alex didn't understand how it was even possible to ride bicycles no faster than 5 mph.  We are getting much more efficient at tearing down and putting up the tent.  I suggested to David that maybe in RI we should continue to look for campgrounds to save $$ on hotel rooms.  The children would just wet themselves for joy, I'm certain. 

David's going over all the Google Bike Map directions to check for problems now to make sure tomorrow is another successful ride.  We've decided that the people who create Google Bike Maps are probably the same as the people who create mini-golf courses.  "Drive through the windmill blade....run into the wall... continue along the bottom of Lake Erie for about 400 feet..."  We actually had directions the other day that told us to turn left after 26 feet on a road.  It took us into a parking lot.  Awesome. 

Alex's favorite job - deflating the air mattresses...

Back in the saddle tomorrow.  Still stiff and sore from yesterday.  It'll be perfect. :)

New campground tonight - Alex explores the pond behind our site.

Incoherent ramblings from somewhere in New York - by Robin

Sodus Point, NY

Like Wile E Coyote, we went back to the drawing board and came up with a new master plan. Since staying at a hotel last night put us another day behind, we couldn't possibly ride the entire 100 + miles today to get to the next campground (at least given our track record so far).  We also couldn't stand the thought of driving it all, so we compromised.  David drove the kids and I up to the Lake Ontario shoreline and dropped us off for a scenic ride along the waterfront while he sought out a bike shop.  By the time he finished having his tire repaired, we had found an amazing place for lunch.  We didn't notice that David had passed us by when we stopped at a Farm Market that included a Garden Cafe for lunch(fresh produce from the farm included in all of their dishes), so when David called to find out where we were, he only had to backtrack 10 minutes to join us for one incredible lunch.  Turkey BLT with cranberry mayo, fresh veggie pizza... toasted oat bread... fresh fruit salad.  Food is very important when you're cycling.  I'll talk about that later. 

Through cool temperatures and a light rain shower here and there and an occasional head wind and WAY more hills than I would have preferred, we finally completed a ride.  51 hilly miles (I kept telling myself between pants that I love hills because they're good for my heart and lungs, but I wasn't very convincing) later, we arrived at the camp site David had all set up (We are at the top of a hill this time instead of down in a swamp.  Shrek would be disappointed in us.) Before leaving the Farm Market, David purchased strawberries and veggies for our dinner and prepared us quite a healthy feast this evening: a fresh assortment of stir-fried vegetables and pork with egg noodles. The strawberries and biscuits he bought at the FM made a tasty strawberry shortcake for dessert.  Even Emily went back for a third serving of the noodles and veggies, and she's a light-weight. 

Speaking of food, I have to mention numbers again.  Among other things, like speed, average speed, trip timer, etc, my bike computer has a calorie calculator.  Whenever we stop the bikes for a break, I like to tell the kids how many calories I've burned so far on the trip.  It's obnoxious, but I find it entertaining to announce every now and then, "Hey, I've burned 1630 calories so far," because no one else has this feature on their computer.  Knowing this number is probably not good for me because I don't feel bad at all at the end of the day when I think I've burned over 1800 calories on the bike and I want some milk and cookies.  After riding over 50 miles, I can wake up in the middle of the night with a growling stomach and wish it was time to eat. 

That's really the unfair part.  You can burn some serious calories doing this exercise, but then your tank demands to be fueled, so you don't really lose weight. Well, I suppose you could if you ate the right things.  This is hard to do while traveling, which is why I appreciated finding the Farm Market today and eating a healthy meal instead of fast food.  Well, they also had ice cream, and who can resist toasted coconut, right?

I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Maybe just to show how much I really appreciated the great dinner that was waiting for us when we were finished with the ride today.  After a cold day on the bike, a hot shower was also a miracle.  It's pretty cool how luxurious simple things seem when you've worked hard before receiving them. I feel rewarded today and satisfied. 

Tomorrow we drive through the Adirondacks and then jump back in the saddle the next day for more biking... in Connecticut this time, I believe.