Cars and Bicyclists

After reading this article Bicyclist and Cars I was not as surprised as the writer seem to be, by the conflict between motorist and bicyclist. Another article in which an SUV owner harassed a bicyclist was reported in the Seattle PI. The attitude of "I own the road" appears to more prevelent of SUV owners, yet in the same breath they are the first to to whine and cry about the rising price of gasoline. Hopefully gas prices will continue to rise so more drivers will become riders and maybe understand what "share the road means."

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.

All Dressed Up And No Race To Go

All dressed up and no race to go. My bicycle racing days are long over at least in the peloton with the big wheels - the elite Category ones and twos and possibly even the Masters. I've tried getting in touch with my domestique side and realized carrying water was too much work. So, this Friday I decided to attend the evening races at Suffolk Community College in Riverhead - as a spectator of course.

The Peloton.

The Chase Group.

The Breakaway.

Harlem Valley Rails Trail Millerton, New York

Since there are no hills to speak of in Long Island's Suffolk County I decided this weekend to take on the foothills of The Berkshires. You might call it my own private Alpe d'Huez. This ride was a 2 day event organized by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and Bike New York. The first 10 miles are flat as we're on the Harlem Valley Line's Rails Trail. This abandoned rail track is now paved as a muti-use recreational trail. In 1845, the New York State Legislature authorized further rail road extension northward to create a connection with Albany. This inland route later became known as the "Harlem Valley" line. The valley route was easier and less costly to construct than a route following the Hudson River. However, competing business interests in cities along the river simultaneously started construction on The Hudson River Railroad. This competing project was completed at almost the same time and eventually became the primary route. The inland counties of Putnam and Dutchess formerly served by the Harlem Valley Line was known as The Harlem Valley and is still called that today.

The first 10 miles on the Rails to Trails.

The first rest stop at Wassaic. Ten miles south of Millerton.

What hill? Piece of cake.

No need to pedal for this hill!

The Shinnecock Inlet

The hottest day so far this summer. I took a short ride to the Ocean to catch some cool off shore breezes. I got off my bicycle to watch this Catamaran sail into the Shinnecock Inlet. After a few minutes it was getting chilly. The high humidity combined with the ocean breeze was cooling me down too quickly. I decided to start off to my next stop Southampton across the inlet, you can see mobile campers on the beach in the background.

Florence Bicycle Club

Nothing exciting this weekend so I dug this up from my travel archives. We were hiking through Tuscany at the time and it was early Sunday morning in Florence. We stopped for breakfast in the cafe across from this bicycle shop. As we sat down with some espresso and rolls this group of bicyclists came in gulped some espresso smoked 2 cigaretts and left. They appeared ready for their century fueled with cafeine and nicotine. No sissy carb loading for these guys.

Cicada Seeks Love on Route 51

Before starting out this morning I decided to inflate my tires to the recommended 130PSI's. I had been riding them slightly under inflated at 100 PSI's, believing that the increased rolling resistance would result in an increased training effect. I will needed every advantage to keep up with the SBRA 'B Animals' today. Turning onto the hard macadam pavement of Hubbard Road I started to hear the familiar buzz of the tires. In fact the 130 PSI made it louder than than usual, a runner 15 feet ahead turned around and moved to the side. On Route 51 I increased my pace, cresting the hill I started to pedaled harder that's when I heard an unfamiliar whirling sound. I thought my fork was resonating due to the higher tire pressure. Suddenly there was a loud pop from the rear followed by the unmistakeable hissing of air running out of the tire. I muttered a few choice words, stopped the bicycle and got off. Between swating at large bugs trying to land on me and sweat burning my eyes I eventually changed the tube. I inflated the tire and moaned, there was a large gash on the side wall exposing the replaced inner tube. It was too risky to ride further, better to get home safely. At home I did some research on the bugs. According to entomologist Dr. Frank Hale, with the University of Tennessee Extension in Nashville, the bugs were Cicadas. "Cicadas are very social insects", he says. "Every 17 years thousands of male Cicadas aggregate to sing." "The females are attracted by their love calls and because of this aggregation tendency, both sexes are attracted to noisy machines like lawn mowers and farm tractors." I would add also the buzzing of high pressure bicycle tires! "People can be unsettled by the 1 1/2-inch bugs' with red eyes (except for rare white-eyed ones) their clumsy flight and their tendency to assume anything upright is a landing spot for their tryst." I can confirm that! Some thought I was there to answer their 'Female Cicadas seeking bicyclist for mating tryst' personals.

My blown tire

Cicada Love

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.

New Suffolk

My Plan was to get up early, however getting up at 8:30 is not early. Though some of my retired friends would argue that. I just couldn't get out of bed! Still it was early enough to avoid the heat and humidity. Well here I am on Main Street New Suffolk. My bicycle resting on the bench between Summer Girl and Legends. Total of 11.2 Miles.



On the return trip I passed this clammer in Downs Creek walking toward the house with a bucketful of clams. An ice cold beer with clams on the half shell!

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.