santiago

I tend to wake up early. My wife and daughters like to sleep in so so I recently had a chance to do some exploration while they were sleeping.

I just got back from holiday and the place we were staying at was "right on the bike trail" according to the web site so I packed our bikes. My chosen steed from the stable, my weapon of choice, my arrow from my quiver, my [insert your favourite machismo]... was the Big Dummy.

This is the view leading away from the motel. Unfortunately this was short lived. I don't think this single-track was more than 400m. My daughters did appreciate it, though. "Daddy, are we mountain biking?"


Be vewwy, vewwy quiet.


That little bit of singletrack then turned to this. 25 miles of rails-to-trails. Handy for heading out to the grocery store especially to avoid the crazy traffic on route 6 but not fun at all.


What's this? A turn off? Yes, the rumours and that penciled map thumbtacked to the common room wall appear to be true.


A fire road found under the trees. Let me tell you how much I love to ride under the trees. I love the way the light filters through the leaves. I love the musty smell of all the dead foliage. I love how cool and fresh the air feels and smells. I love riding under the trees. I love riding under the trees. I love riding under the trees.

santiago

Getting promising. Still wide fire-road and not twisty at all, but at least I'm under the trees. The terrain here differs from what I have back home. There are no rocks to speak of whether loose rocks or exposed bedrock. It's all a mix of dirt and wood mulch/dead foliage. There were a few roots here and there but I really had to aim for them.


Ah yes, there was the occasional sand. At times a crazy amount of sand, but that was to be expected. Although I was riding on some pavement tires, they are the big fat Schwalbe Big Apples. They are 2.35" balloon tires and what they lack in knobs, they make up for in width and float. I would just spin and try to float over the sand. It worked most of the time.


At one point the fire road had a turn off, which was sort of like single track. It was a path that ran through the woods on what looked like a mini grass field. This is the view looking back the way I came.


The last bit was really sandy and I had to walk the last 50 m or so.


I made it!


I love the ocean. Let me tell you how much I love the ocean. I love the huge crashing sound the waves make. I love the way you can taste the salt in the air. I love the vastness of the water. I love the way the sunlight shimmers over every ripple and wave. I love the way the sand looks and the way it feels under your toes. I wish I lived closer to the ocean so that I can see it more often.

santiago

Here's 60 seconds of ocean.
Right-Click. Save.

xcracer13

Very nice last picture.

mcoine

I hate you.

santiago

I gather your kids like to wake up early? Today my 5 year old woke up at 8:30 and my 7 year old woke up at 9:00am. "Sleeping in" does become a relative term once kids are involved as I do remember as a teenager waking up at 11am.

ProFail

If I don't have running or any rides planned I wake up at 2.... PM.

xcracer13

Unless I have a legitimate reason to wake up early I sleep till 12ish. Except the sun has been waking me up at 6:30 lately

mcoine

Yes, on the weekends anyway. Weekdays during school is a different story.

I will get my revenge on them once they are teenagers and want to sleep in..

dminor 

It is a good thing that Fire Road was marked so well - - removes any confusion as to whether or not it is a paved thoroughfare.

Thank you for the pics and the narrative, S.

mtnbiker66

Where were tha ocean pics taken?

santiago

Cape Cod, MA. Specifically they were taken at the Cape Cod National Sea Shore just east of North Eastham, MA.

C Law

I love the ocean and the mountains. I always feel a struggle about where to spend most of my time. I will say that living in either is great. But for me, I long for the coast and ocean when I am living in the mountains moreso than the mountains when I am living in the coast.

This time of year is spectacular The water is warm and the ocean breezes are so comfortable.

But winter on the coast for me is special. It is a desolate place with few inhabitants and no tourists. Only the few dedicated surfers. A harsh wind is usually ripping. The surf pounds and the beauty is still there, but it is a savage beauty. It is such a different experience.

junkyard

Ahh, the Cape. So, despite my buying a Volvo, you've one upped me on the yuppie scale.

Nice pics. You know what I love? Scotch. Oh yeah, and cycling.

pinkrobe

Nice pics! Those shots in the forest almost looked local, except for the lack of roots and rocks. I like the ocean, but it's only a nice place to visit - I wouldn't want to live there. Mountains, dark forests, streams - 'tis where my heart resides.

Bnerges

Maybe its because of where I live, but I long to live in the mountains. The coast doesn't do it for me anymore.

dminor 

He can't help it - - it was either that, the Catskills, the Outer Banks or the Poconos.

We love, love, love the mountains (even though I grew up in them) but the Cape and the rest of New England is on our 'must' list for sure.

mcoine

Yeah, its not like it was Martha's Vineyard...

junkyard

True, that or Nantucket could have been worse.

santiago

The New England beaches are relatively close to me. Maine's beaches are about a 5 hour drive. Cape Cod is about 6.5 hours. The Outer Banks are a little further at about 12 hours. If we want to see a beach we don't drive further than the beaches in Maine, Massachusetts or New Hampshire.

We are definitely going back next year as we had a great time. Nantucket? Martha's Vinyard? They were on the agenda as day trips but we were pretty happy where we were and decided to stay put.

What of the Connecticutians, don't they head to the Hamptons?

mtnbiker66

The outer banks are in NC, you could swing down this way see the old mountains,ride,stop in Greensboro see Gastro, stop in Raliegh and see Profail then head on out to do some fishing.

santiago

And where are you in that agenda?

Sorry, Virginia Beach is 12 hours. The Outer Banks are 14 hours from me.

dminor 

Pffft! That's like Park City or Laguna Seca (Sea Otter) for me. That's do-able (well . . . maybe not with a car-full of little ones and rest area stops).

santiago

It is definitely do-able. We drove to PEI one year when my eldest was just 5 months old, but at their age right now it's a bit tougher. I think the 7 hours or so to Cape Cod is the limit.

junkyard

I would say that Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Block Island are most common for those of us from CT. The Hamptons, too, but that seems to be more New Yorkers.

Of course, I've been asked to not return to most of these destinations.