Just Completed The Last Segment Of My CT Coast Conquest!
09-21-14, 12:24 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Just Completed The Last Segment Of My CT Coast Conquest!
This little bugger of a ride has been tucked away in my plan book for several years. With a free Saturday this weekend, I made a very last minute decision to get it off my bucket list.
Over the years, I have ridden Bridgeport CT to Milford CT and New London CT to Mystic CT many, many times. A few years back, I put that whole shabang together and did Bridgeport CT to Narragansett, RI over the course of a few days. Then, I rode Bridgeport to to my son's first home in Darien CT, leaving only about 5-6 miles of the Connecticut shoreline that I had never touched rubber to. Needless to say, it's been bugging me ever since that I couldn't yet claim to have ridden all of CT's south shore, so this weekend, I decided to do something about it.
With limited time for the trip, I booked a hotel in Milford and gave an old friend a heads up that I was coming up for a visit. Then I boarded the train with my bike at the Syosset, Long Island station and traveled about an hour into Manhattan. From Penn Station, I took an exhilarating early Saturday morning ride across town to Grand Central, where I boarded another train to Port Chester, the last city before the NY/CT border. An hour later, I arrived at Port Chester, strapped on my helmet, and headed east.
What an amazing ride. The cities and towns out that way have such history and charm. And the cooler autumn weather made this ride so much more enjoyable than the rides I usually take in the summer. When I arrived in Darien, I paused briefly to pat myself on the back and photograph my bike in front of a city sign, then I headed onward to more great little towns, parks, and beaches, all the way to the Bridgeport Metro North Station, which I reached after about 3 1/2 hours.
At this point, I decided I would rather end on a high note, as opposed to trudging my way through the dingy industrial areas of Bridgeport and Stratford, which I had ridden maybe a dozen times in the past. I've gotta tell you that I must have been some sight rolling my bike into the Bridgeport train station in my beige cargo shorts, bright orange t-shirt, and brand new shocking white sneakers and socks. At one point, I caught a view of myself in a shiny window and began to laugh out loud. Fortunately, I had a change of clothes and there was a nice restroom in the station!
Anyway, my trip ended in Milford, but I realized that, had I wanted to make this a day trip, I could have just boarded the ferry and headed back to Port Jefferson, LI to either ride home or catch the LIRR. Instead, I overnighted in Milford and took the ferry home the next day.
Geez, I can only hope to be able to take these trips for many more years to come. As it is, I never thought I'd still be riding in my early fifties. But I was so juiced for this trip, and so in shape from riding all season that I felt like a kid again. Not a single hill defeated me; only red light after red light kept slowing me down.
Oh, and it's really cool to be so experienced with these mini tours that I don't spend weeks worrying about them anymore. I got home two hours ago and I'm STILL not sure I was even carrying a spare tube!
Over the years, I have ridden Bridgeport CT to Milford CT and New London CT to Mystic CT many, many times. A few years back, I put that whole shabang together and did Bridgeport CT to Narragansett, RI over the course of a few days. Then, I rode Bridgeport to to my son's first home in Darien CT, leaving only about 5-6 miles of the Connecticut shoreline that I had never touched rubber to. Needless to say, it's been bugging me ever since that I couldn't yet claim to have ridden all of CT's south shore, so this weekend, I decided to do something about it.
With limited time for the trip, I booked a hotel in Milford and gave an old friend a heads up that I was coming up for a visit. Then I boarded the train with my bike at the Syosset, Long Island station and traveled about an hour into Manhattan. From Penn Station, I took an exhilarating early Saturday morning ride across town to Grand Central, where I boarded another train to Port Chester, the last city before the NY/CT border. An hour later, I arrived at Port Chester, strapped on my helmet, and headed east.
What an amazing ride. The cities and towns out that way have such history and charm. And the cooler autumn weather made this ride so much more enjoyable than the rides I usually take in the summer. When I arrived in Darien, I paused briefly to pat myself on the back and photograph my bike in front of a city sign, then I headed onward to more great little towns, parks, and beaches, all the way to the Bridgeport Metro North Station, which I reached after about 3 1/2 hours.
At this point, I decided I would rather end on a high note, as opposed to trudging my way through the dingy industrial areas of Bridgeport and Stratford, which I had ridden maybe a dozen times in the past. I've gotta tell you that I must have been some sight rolling my bike into the Bridgeport train station in my beige cargo shorts, bright orange t-shirt, and brand new shocking white sneakers and socks. At one point, I caught a view of myself in a shiny window and began to laugh out loud. Fortunately, I had a change of clothes and there was a nice restroom in the station!
Anyway, my trip ended in Milford, but I realized that, had I wanted to make this a day trip, I could have just boarded the ferry and headed back to Port Jefferson, LI to either ride home or catch the LIRR. Instead, I overnighted in Milford and took the ferry home the next day.
Geez, I can only hope to be able to take these trips for many more years to come. As it is, I never thought I'd still be riding in my early fifties. But I was so juiced for this trip, and so in shape from riding all season that I felt like a kid again. Not a single hill defeated me; only red light after red light kept slowing me down.
Oh, and it's really cool to be so experienced with these mini tours that I don't spend weeks worrying about them anymore. I got home two hours ago and I'm STILL not sure I was even carrying a spare tube!
Last edited by Papa Tom; 09-21-14 at 01:52 PM.
09-25-14, 06:35 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I realize that starting this thread was a little self-indulgent, but I just had to share the excitement so that others might consider such a ride. Long Island is awesome, but sometimes you just need to travel a short distance out of here to feel like you're really "away."
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07-23-12 12:15 PM
