To Buzzards Bay MA

May 21, 2024

The day started out cool and is warming up as the fog burns off. It's so nice to ride in the sunshine again. We have 60 miles to cover today, our last long ride. I would have liked a little less but couldn't find a place to stay before Buzzard's Bay.

Most of the hill work is on the first half of the ride. There are lots of turns and narrow shoulders on the roads through the Rhode Island neighborhoods, and a fair amount of car traffic. Drivers keep their distance for the most part.

On the east side of the bridge from Newport and Aquidneck Island, Tiverton was part of the Massachusetts Bay Province before it was annexed to Rhode Island by royal decree in 1747. It's still more of a suburb of Fall River Massachusetts. Fall River was the hometown of my Aunt Anita Paradis. She was a big part of the magic of our visits to Cape Cod.

In Portsmouth, a town settled in 1638 by religious dissenters from Massachusetts Bay Colony

Portsmouth homes by the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay

Tiverton Rhode Island from the bridge over the bay

Massachusetts has these wonderful signs that greet you in each town.

From Fall River we ride through Dartmouth into the old whaling seaport of New Bedford. Last year Massachusetts passed a four foot bicycle passing law. Most drivers are giving us at least that much space. Just a few of them haven't got the message.

I'm on the lookout for a grocery or sandwich shop for lunch. A convenience store sub is the best we can do without adding more miles to the day. Oh well, it'll get the job done.

Bike path along the John F. Kennedy Highway in New Bedford

Score! The drawbridge is just dropping back into place as we pull up to it on the bike path.

Soon after we cross the New Bedford harbor bridge into Fairhaven, Barry has an in-and-out puncture flat on his brand new Vittoria Urbano rear tire. It's been on the bike less than 24 hours. I'm more inclined toward tubeless tires on my next bike, whenever that may be.

We are mostly done with the hills now, riding the Phoenix Rail Trail for a few miles, then turning north to Mattapoisett. As we continue on to Wareham it's starting to feel more like Cape Cod here. Sunlight filters through the pines and the air smells of pine sap and beach roses.

I have motored past Wareham dozens of times on the highway. This is the first time I've actually been through the town.

In Onset a headwind blows up over the bay and pulls the sun visor off my helmet. Time for a break.

Mint chocolate chip, just the thing for attitude adjustment

Our small but comfy room in Buzzard's Bay is less than a mile from the Bourne Bridge. Tomorrow we ride into Cape Cod for the last few days of our tour.

Dinner at Mezza Luna, a great Italian place run by the same family for over 80 years.

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Today's ride: 60 miles (97 km)
Total: 2,424 miles (3,901 km)

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