The North Fork Eastern Long Island

The Levis' denim jean line from early miner's model to the current 501, Long Island

The Long Island Sound from Iron Pier Beach, Aquebogue, Long Island

East End Arts Council Barn, Riverhead, Long Island 

The Big Duck Flanders, Long Island

Spring 2015 finally here.

Second Day of Spring 2015. The Peconic Bay finally defrosted 

Reeves Inlet from The Peconic Bay. The Osprey should be returning soon.

Two Week prior the Bay was frozen from the North Fork to the Hamptons.

You could skate or walk across the bay.

The last snow of winter 2014

 In anticipation of the snow storm of 2015

Sunday Club Rides

Yea, brothers and sisters, welcome to the flock of  SBRA open now your books to Revolutions, gear ratio 53:12. When Sunday morning rolls around you know it's time to pray to lord bicycle, and this is no false idol. Lord bicycle will get you 100 km down the road aided only by a breakfast burrito. Today's ride is rated a C, meek riders shall not grovel before the wheels of the strong, for they shall not be dropped.  Halleluiah! Amen!

No Magnolia Muffins Ride

Wow, it's been a while since my last entry. I've been riding, but inexcusably not writing. So, I finally finished a Jeff ride and decided to write about it. I've caught several of his SBRA B-, and B rides before, though all while midway into, or just finishing my own ride. As I said, I finally finished this one. However I actually didn't start with the group. I met them midway, as I was late in getting to the meeting spot. Anyway, arguably the best part of any ride are the food stops. Though on a previous ride I threw my back out bending over to pick up one of those blueberry filled muffins. No, these muffins are not from the over rated Magnolia Bakery but from the local L.I. Briermere Farm .

Riverhead to New Suffolk Again

It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down
I had the radio on, I was riding
The trees went by, me and del were singin
Little runaway, I was flyin
Yeah runnin down a dream
That never would come to me... Tom Petty

I used my MTB for this ride so I wasn't exactly flying. The round trip from the Riverhead Waterfront to New Suffolk 34 miles round trip, I averaged 15.1 MPH, max speed 24.2 MPH going down hill with a good tail wind. Two spots along New Suffolk Avenue have spectacular views of the Peconic Bay and the Salt Marshes.




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Country Roads

What a beautiful Saturday. Rode 4 miles to meet the SBRA group at the Riverhead Water Front. The good weather certainly accounted for the large group. Interestingly though can it also be the reason for so many polite drivers stopping at intersections to allow us to pass, and pleasent wait staff at the deli stop. Some SBRA ride leader named their ride a de-stress ride. After a week of rain and work stress this ride certainly qualifies. With a leisurely C pace, a timely stop for lunch and the company of SBRA members it was icing on the cake. However it was not 100% stress free, at least for one person. Halfway into the ride that member experienced a 'Wardrobe Malfunction', as their bicycling shorts decided to split apart exposing a full moon before lunch. I'm no bike snob but I'm one who believes in security and a new pair of shorts every season.

Tour de Jamesport

What a weekend of bicycling. Denis Mechov won The Giro d'Italia by a close margin. Lance Armstrong finished despite a broken collar bone. Inspired by their accomplishments I rode my version of the Giro, despite my flating at the beach fans waited patiencely to cheer me on.

First Ride of 2009

Finally a dry Saturday. My first ride of 2009... correction my first ride out in the East End for 2009. I've been taking mostly short flat rides in the city. I chose to take a short loop of the 'Tank Hill' on Sound Shore Road. As I crested the hill a group of riders were comimg down in the opposite direction. The ride was pleasant with a short brake at the Beach for a view of the Long Island Sound. The ride back West was another story. The head wind was stronger than when I started out. Right now my legs are paying the price for cranking it up into the headwind.

My ride stats: average speed was 14.5 MPH, Distance was 20.1 Miles, Max Speed was 27.7 MPH, must have been on a downhill stretch.


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Aquebogue and Jamesport

Out in the east end of Long Island the summer rental crowds are gone and everything seems to return to its bucolic state. The trees, compared to the Catskill Mountains are not as showy with their colors, the sandy beaches and the gold brown seagrass of the salt marshes all add to the tranquility. These photos were taken along my bicycle route from Aquebogue to Jamesport and Mattituck.

Back To The East End

Back to the East End of Long Island this weekend, back to beaches, farms, vineyards and flat roads. The sun is setting earlier as winter is slowly but surly coming. Retuning later than expected from my ride I couldn't pass up the opportunity to capture the changing colors of the setting sun reflecting off the Peconic Bay. I paid the penality for stopping. My legs stiffened and my fingers numbed from the cold as I struggled to maintain a pace during the last few miles toward home. It's not too soon to plan for an alternative to my bicycling weekends. Door Number One or Door Number Two

Fall Farm Harvest

It's Fall out East, the farms stands are displaying their harvests. It's always a colorful and amazing display of what the land provides. My bicycle ride is always interupted in the morning by the smell of fresh baked doughnuts sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and in the afternoon by pumpkin pies and a glass of fresh squeezed apple cider at Wickham's Farm

Greenport Sunset

Greenport Sunset
Originally uploaded by bicyclistken

After a late ride back from Shelter Island and the sun started to set I decided to have dinner in Greenport and wait for the train back to Riverhead.

Mattituck Strawberry Festival

Bicycling to an event destination has a special appeal to most riders. You can get some excercise, enjoy the scenery enroute, and when you arrive there's food, and often entertainment. At times it feels like the celebration was for your arrival. The Mattituck Strawberry Festival is one ride I have enjoyed for many years in the past, but this weekend's festival was a disappointment. The huge numbers of cars waiting to enter the festival forced all thru traffic into the right lane slowing traffic to a crawl. Impatient drivers illegally passed on the shoulder coming dangerously close to the group of bicyclist. At this point everyone agreed to skip the traffic and the festival. The festival has grown too big. It was no longer a local event. It has become a big commercial production and has lost its charm and fun.

Another Rainy Saturday

This is possibly the 5th or 6th Saturday since April that the weather forecast called for possible thunder showers. Spring in New York is so undependable. Despite the forecast I decided to go out for an early "quickie" before the rain. The rain came down simultaneously with my stepping out the door. I sat on the deck depressed fully outfitted, shod, gloved and helmeted. Thirty minutes later the sun came out and the roads dried. Halfway through my "quickie" thick clouds rolled in. I continued my ride praying that the Bicycling Gods would be kind to me. Come to think of it, whose names would be on that list?.














High tide was above normal. The bridge over Meeting House Creek was about an inch above the water.













The seat with the best view in the house.


















Trek's newest model. The E.T built for the 2008 Tour De France.

Riverhead to Cutchogue #3 and "Sophia's Choice"

Saturday, Memeorial Day weekend an opportunity to ride 3 consequetive days. More importantly our ride leader received an e-mail from Sophia Loren promising to join the ride. At 9:30 AM about 19 Sophia Loren groupies gathered with their bicycles at the Riverhead Town Marina, many whom would remember Sophia Loren. But by 10:00 AM the group was ready to leave "Sophia-less". As we started off everyone quietly acknowledged "Sophia's Choice" was Carlo and not our ride leader.
The complete set of photos are here.

Farm Stand Vegetables

Farm Stand Vegetables
Originally uploaded by bicyclistken

Bayview Farms in Aquebogue. One of the many bountiful Farms along the main Road in the North Fork. A good place for bicyclists to stop for roasted corn, home made pie, apple cider or lemonade.

Reeves Bay Sunrise

I Woke up early to get a short ride in before work. I was doubly rewarded for my efforts.

Shelter Island

Shelter Island is nestled between the North and South Forks of Long Island. The island is around 8,000 acres in size. However, vast tracts are protected wetlands nature preserve marshland. Nearly one-third of the island is owned by The Nature Conservancy and kept in a forever-wild state. The Island can be reached via ferry from Greenport to the north (approximately 15-minute trip) or from North Haven to the south (approximately 5-minute trip).


On the Greenport Ferry








Goose Neck Pond

Silver Beach

Briemere Pie Ride

The Briermere Pie ride lead by Barbara a SBRA and ADK trip leader. The ride name refers to the rest stop for a slice of pie at Briemere Farms.


Peconic Bay





Jamesport Marina

Peach Cherry, Blueberry or Apple Pie?

One of each please.

Anyone want a second piece?

Thanks, one will do for now.
Hmm... on second thought, the additional fuel will come in handy