Ghazmh

This is from my last ride there about 2.5 weeks ago.

rumrunn6

cool, I never took the Menemsha bike ferry

autonomy

Ehh, bikes are meant to be used. Mine are scratched up anyways. Your beater bikes are probably nicer than my 'expensive' bikes.





It's a cool experience! We only did it one way. Having done that makes me want to do the Island Trail in Burlington even more.

rumrunn6

I like that photo. reminds me of one I took a long time ago. wonder where it is. I think it's a slide. it's the hood of an old 4Runner, taken from the driver seat, w/ a cpl bikes strapped to the front brush guard, on the Chappy ferry, & all you can see is hood, bikes & water. we had just come from the mainland & were going out to the beach to get a sticker

just found this one of the Chappy Ferry. taken from roof deck of pavilion right there

2manybikes

I heard back from the driver I usually go with. He says yes, it's on Depot Rd.

autonomy

Thanks. By the way, this blast-from-the-past for @rumrunn6 thread is also a goldmine of info: Martha's Vineyard - doing the whole island in one day

rumrunn6

I should find that CD

rumrunn6

since then, I discovered a little known free public beach. Shhh, don't tell anyone cuz parking is limited: Great Rock Bight Preserve 37 Brickyard Rd, Chilmark, MA 02535

short hike but worth it





& don't miss jumping off the Jaws bridge. it is conveniently along the protected paved bike path, at approx. 267-125 Seaview Ave, Edgartown, MA 02539 (& next to State Beach, good public beach w/ free parking)

autonomy

Great info, thanks! That beach looks super-inviting but doesn't sound like we'll be heading west this time - want to do a coastal route over the ^^ bridge

So first choice likely this, because I want to go through the State Forest:


With a very low chance of this (only 0.5mi shorter)


Hope Katama/South Beach meet our expectations. And good list of places to eat. This should become an official "Cycling on Martha's Vineyard" thread

autonomy

The Bite is permanently closed, according to the Goog. Been to the Net Result, it's good! The rest look good too from a quick GoogleMaps search, thanks!

2manybikes

Going through the forest is very nice.

rumrunn6

Jump in the ocean at south beach best waves on the island. Don’t be discouraged if you have clouds or fog in the morning it burns off especially at south beach something about how the geography interacts w the atmosphere. that stretch from OB to South Beach is a nice straight shot. I've done that on the a.m. before the family woke up when staying at Wifey's cousins' place

rumrunn6

awww that's a shame. it was my in-law's favorite for I don't know how many years, naybe 30-40 yrs?

Ghazmh

I brought Ghazmh junior there today. We caught the ferry to Oak Bluffs and rode East Chop out to Vineyard Haven. From there to West Chop and back to Oak bluff. It was a whirlwind long 20 miles in the sun for him but barely a warm up for Dad (me). We parked at the small free lot 3 miles from Woods Hole. Tomorrow Im heading back solo.

This is the link to my June ride there.

https://strava.app.link/IiezvbsSiY

rumrunn6

excellent on both counts

Ghazmh

As promised I returned for some more today, I caught the 0600 ferry to Vineyard Haven and mixed it up a bit. Instead or going counter clockwise I went clockwise around the island and spent more time on inner roads. 74 miles in all.
Sunny day on the vineyard, life couldn’t get any better. Until the drive home.....

edit: added Strava link

https://strava.app.link/4x3LJ4IslY

NomarsGirl

Planned a CCRT ride today, but we got a late start and did the Shining Sea instead. It's closer.

rumrunn6

hours away from home is an important stat and staying overnite can be a worthwhile splurge even if it’s just this side of the ferry

Ghazmh

Agreed, we used Gandmas house in Mashpee.

Ghazmh

Since this is a CCRT thread I never got around to posting it but last month I rode 84 from home to Sandwich. It was long and obligatory, as mentioned before it’s hard to get excited about riding from Boston down through Brockton. Once in Plymoton the ride scenery starts getting nicer. The following day I rode 83 miles from Sandwich to Provincetown including riding all the paths along the dunes. After the ferry ride I rode 17 more home from Long Wharf.
It was the first ride with a new Mavic A319 rims laced to the original Deore hubs.

autonomy

Nice! Beautiful weather, both days.

Got out there on Saturday with my wife, it was a good practice trip before the next one (CCRT to the beach with kiddo on tandem). A number of points for future reference:
- Parking in one of the Shining Sea lots is a great way to do it in order to avoid the shuttle & crowds. Get off the ferry and just go. Saw probably about 10 other people do the same thing.
- You get a ticket to/from the island - doesn't matter which port (VH or OB), although the former has a prettier marina and the latter is a prettier town)
- The ferry line could be either a complete circus or a well-run operation, depends on the person running the show at the gate. Wish in this day and age with the number of cyclists taking those ferries they would have a better way of storing bikes rather than just leaning them onto one another in a giant pile.
- The east side coastal route (via Beach Rd.) is excellent. The state forest is nice but a bit monotonous. I would argue that the rolling hills and farms you get to experience riding west on North/Middle roads (biking on the roads though) are more interesting.
- Beach Rd. between OB and VH is very scenic too
- DO stop at the Edgartown Harbor Light, it's an awesome area and the beach there is great with very gentle waves. In fact, probably my favorite spot from this trip
- Riding in town is nowhere near as pleasant as on the trails - bad pavement, no shoulder
- Bike racks, which are mostly of the high-school vertical bar type, are plentiful but also full of bikes in various state of decay and can be a challenge, especially if you're attempting to lock two bikes at once with a Ulock that's too short (need to brush up on my locking game)
- Unlike me, don't forget to take a picture of your bike near a beach!

rumrunn6

wonder how the CCRT fared thru the high wind storm yesterday

rumrunn6

was fun this summer to get the family riding some of the trails I explored in the spring. in particular the CCRT to Crosby Landing Beach, Brewster, MA. it turned out to be quite a serviceable beach. meaning accessible by bike, close to flush toilets & sinks w/ running water at Nickerson, portable toilets at the parking lot, bike racks, short walk to beach, plenty of beach area to choose for planting the group, water is deep enough for swimming, very clean, joyful waves & fewer sharks than the ocean side ;-)

rumrunn6

running out to the cape to visit my Sister for her birthday. trying to figure out how I can fit a ride in & not appear rude ...

NomarsGirl

Wouldn't expect it to be ready in February. Much too cold to even think about.