FYI, the Bourne Bridge, over the canal, is down to 1 lane. not sure how long that will last. I think I remember hearing they were gonna try to finish up before "the summer" traffic hits. on a weekday morning it wasn't a delay at all. might be different on a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning after 10 am

for a few years I was contemplating an over-nite century + ride. meaning, take the last ferry to the island, ride all nite, then crash at a sunny beach to sleep at sunrise. never materialized ...

Dang that sounds like a good idea.

6/21/19
9:45 pm ferry departs Woods Hole
10:30 pm arrives Vineyard Haven
5:09 am Sunrise in Edgartown
ride for 6 hrs between 11pm & 5am?
full moon a few days before on 6/17/19, so if it's clear, it won't be too dark. I don't have a head light that would last 6 hrs but I have more than 1 than could be employed in sequence ...
avrg temperatures in June in Vineyard Haven 60°F ~ 83°F

:D

I bet it’s looking good enough now. I was hoping to get there this weekend but parental commitments kept my riding local,

some things you can't say no to, right? I got out to explore Nickerson State Park again. used the main entrance at 3488 Main St Brewster & parked at the end of Flax Ponf Rd. but for the CCRT, there is a specific parking lot for the CCRT, between Crosby Lane & Cobie’s (a roadside, fried clam joint). looking at Google St View, there is no CCRT parking sign but I saw it Saturday. it's approx. across from the Cape Rep. Theater (3299 Main St, Brewster, MA)

Street view looks like this

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a5c69a432f.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cfa0c5216c.jpg

the advantage of this parking is you would be near state park restrooms, & also across 6A from the bay beach, that you can ride to for some sunning

separate from that, I love a challenge, like when someone states "you can't there from here"

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0daf85c49a.jpg

Good info! I'm planning a full-day bike trip to a beach, likely Cost Guard as the Nauset trail goes there (plus I've done a much shorter version from the Cape Cod National Seashore Visitor Center). I'm planning to leave the car ways out and do as little driving and as much biking as I can. Not sure how reasonable it would be to leave it for the whole day at that dirt lot, so the Old Town House Road Park lot is a good suggestion. Another good lot, not too far from the Old Town Park, seems to be an official CCRT lot at 471-465 Station Ave, South Yarmouth, MA 02664
https://goo.gl/maps/J1omXqA8u5Qsaamy9

sounds perfect

Are you talking about parking at the Shining Sea lot at Depot Road (#7 on this map)? It looks to be about 3 miles away and may be quicker than dealing with the shuttle. But the one time I've come back from MV, it was dark, do you think it'd be OK to leave the car in that lot until dark?

re: taking a bike to the Vineyard. several times I've been allowed to park at the lot at the ferry cuz they saw the bike. maybe not all the shuttles have bike racks? I parked way in the back & rode the bike to the ferry. so you can try that first

If if it’s the parking lot I use I think it’s #6 on the map. I’ve been parking there for a while and had no issues. I’m taking Ghazmh Jr over this Saturday. Hopefully he’s up for riding to Edgartown for lunch. I’ll be heading back again Sunday to circumnavigate the island and hit up a bunch of side roads in between. I did it last month and racked up 73 miles.

I always get to the car in daylight. It's pretty isolated. I don't know if there are any lights. I would recommend the main lot at the boat for better security.
We park in a dirt lot more like 15 on that map. I have lately always been a passenger in the car so I don't remember how to find it. I will email the driver right after I post this. I'll be going too, soon possibly. 10 to 20 riders. We just did Block Island, there were 11 people.
Last summer we found that they installed bike tools and a pump under a little roof in that dirt lot. Tools are attached by a cord. It's longer than 3 miles, but I did use the 3 mile away parking once. It was OK. I'll get back to you.
The shuttle looks lousy to me. Also bring a bike that can get scratched on the ferry. Or rent one on the island. Many, many, rental shops. I always bring a beater bike.

We eat at Edgartown, and sometimes go on the ferry to Chappaquiddick. The roads over there are sandy. No road bikes over there if you want to go very far. There was a dune tour in a 4wd vehicle at the very other end of Chappy. You can ride over the "Kennedy" bridge too.

I'll be going soon.

I'll be going soon. If you want to meet the slowest Fred riders on this planet I can let you know when. Maybe 10 or more.

Don't eat any chocolate before bed time.

sounds like my speed. oh, the tourist will love passing that train, huh? sure let me know

love that place. this is me flying a kite on the Cape Poge Elbow

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d785aae373.jpg

I'm not too afraid of the dark, though I would still prefer not to get back that late. I'm also planning on doing at least 25 miles if not the full 37 to Aquinnah with a bike ferry in Menemsha. Definitely not riding a rental or beater bike for that... I guess if you're doing just the bike trails for 6-10 miles, that's OK.




Awesome! Is that your truck or did you :speedy: there? I was investigating potential 'side-trips' just to have them in the back of my mind for next-next-next time. Def not for this time, not with my wife's 23mm tires :D


The first & last time I was there with my wife we took the regular shuttle because we didn't know and the signs said something like "this lot is full, you must park here". The shuttle driver didn't tell us either. On the way back we were told to use the special bike shuttle and they were also surprised that we parked at the shuttle lot. But I can't find any info on the official site about that. All it says is this:

When headed to Martha’s Vineyard, please be advised that parking is not available dockside at our Woods Hole terminal. You will need to park in one of our off-site parking lots located in Falmouth or Cataumet
All shuttle buses have bike racks, capable of accommodating two bikes during daylight hours. A bike shuttle bus is available every day throughout the summer season.

Maybe it warrants a call... also, anyone know if the tickets are tied to a particular location or can I leave from another one, e.g. ferry to Oak Bluffs, return from Vineyard Haven?
So... favorite places to eat? (other than ArtCliff, Net Result, or the 'colored-animal-showing-I've-been-on-the-island' place :) )

(sorry, this is getting derailed into a Visit Martha's Vineyard thread... just like my planned trip is turning into that)

Nice. I don't know anything about that. Looks like a trip destination for me. Is it sandy enough to need 4wd ?

yes, it's a Subaru Forester. barely capable in that kind of sand but they sold me a permit so I gave it a try. my 4Runners over the years were always better
guess it depends on who is in the ticket booth at the ferry
yes you can use your ticket at any terminal if you are a walk-on or with a bike. but for cars you would have to go "standby" because the car has a specific reservation on a specific boat at a specific time
oh man

Why am I not surprised you'd say that? :roflmao2::thumb: I would do the same if I were juuuust a little bit younger, but these days I'd be afraid to make the local news.
And yeah, 4Runners are basically the go-to offroad desert-rat vehicle in California, from what I've seen.

Thanks! Not even thinking of taking a car there.

The past cpl years been spending more time in OB (Oak Bluffs)

Nancy's on the dock, 29 Lake Ave
Then along that dock are a cpl fun places for eating & drinking at night. Cool yachts too!
Linda Jean's for breakfast, 29 Circuit Ave. OMG I once had their fisherman's omelet. So much protein I went into a meat coma & slept for 2 hours. But the food is great.
Martha's Vineyard Chowder Co. expensive & fancy but sometimes that is what's called for. 9 Oak Bluffs Ave
Offshore Ale Company - very casual, think "pub" throw your peanut shells on the floor, 30 Kennebec Ave,
The Black Dog is good for breakfast at a cpl places on the vineyard
- 20 Beach Street Extension, Vineyard Haven
- 509 State Rd, Vineyard Haven
The Net Result Take-out joint w/ picnic tables, 79 Beach Rd, Vineyard Haven, close to a kite shop
In Menemsha there are two fish markets, raw clams outside on dock & I think one of them boils lobsters
Also in Menemsha is a little shack great for clams & fries called "The Bite" (cash only) 29 Basin Rd

you're not gonna ask about secret swimming holes are you? :innocent:

lol that's what me & my buddy would say before we headed our for exploration adventures, "let's not be in the headlines tomorrow"

oh heck yes!

My best Beater bike seems to go 100 miles OK, not the others. But 37 is easy on the funny looking 27" wheel bike.
The worst one may be too much work, never tried.

Your bike WILL get scratched.