The Pedantic Pedaler

This year, I decided to skip the D2R2 in favor of Rhode Island's homegrown fifth annual Tour de Rhody . While I probably could've done both, since D2R2 is in August and the Tour de Rhody is in September, the D2R2 has gotten quite expensive, especially for riders who sign up late like me. I was also interested in supporting the cause behind the Tour de Rhody, clinical cancer research . I signed up to ride the 100k gravel route, however, there are several different distances and terrains to choose from. Some people had warned me ahead of time that the route was rather technical compared to other gravel rides in the area. For the most part, I would say that this held true, especially in the areas around the Scituate Reservoir where recent rains had really washed out a number of trails, especially on the hills. However, I also found this to be the most enjoyable part of the ride. The extra miles out in Western Rhode Island were what most people envision when they think of a gravel...

Sometimes, a ride that seems likes it should be a breeze ends up kicking your butt. Such is the case with the Washington Secondary Path in Rhode Island. As you may recall from my earlier post, I've been interested in riding paved bike paths lately and I realized that I'd never ridden the Washington Secondary Bike Path in Rhode Island . It's paved. It's car free. What could go wrong?  For starters, it begins in Cranston which can be an experience in and of itself. I'm sure there are many fine people in Cranston, but the path starts in a Home Depot parking lot under a police surveillance camera. Then, it goes through a few "colorful" areas of Cranston that overwhelmingly reek of marijuana. The further away from Cranston it gets, however, the better the trail becomes. Eventually, it goes by a cool old soap factory, which you can smell, and ultimately terminates near some beautiful country out in Western Rhode Island.  For an adventurous soul like myself, the ...

Maybe I'm getting old, but sometimes I just really enjoy riding bike paths. Sometimes, they can be just as fun as gravel or trail riding. A couple of months ago, I ventured into Myles Standish State Forest on my un-trusty stead (Montague) in search of some good single track. Instead, I found overgrown dirt bike trails and lots and lots of sand. Myles Standish is often referred to as "miles-of-sandish" and boy did it live up to its name. Mountain biking in Myles Standish is very spotty, unless the sand is somewhat frozen in the fall or winter. Otherwise, it's real easy to get stuck between two large hills in an unrideable sandpit. So after a half hour of aggravated bush whacking, I decided to head back to the car. Rather than waste the day though, I decided to just ride the paved bike paths in the forest. I was actually impressed, because unlike other paved bike paths, Myles Standish contains a lot of short punchy climbs. They're also very cracked and broken in pl...

Over the 4th of July break, I was lucky to have the opportunity to bring my Montague folding bike up to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. This was really only my second time riding the bike, so I wasn't sure what to expect, especially with the recent upgrades. Starting out along West Side Road, I took a left at the big farm on Passaconway Road. I then headed towards High Street and pedaled up the hill towards the back of the Marshall Conservation Area. High Street starts out as a dirt road and then switches back to pavement before turning to dirt again. This area is commonly refered to as the "Mineral Site" because it cuts through a popular mining site for geology enthusiasts. I usually start my mountain or gravel rides from here, since there's a variety of fire roads and trail riding. High Street is marked by a sign for the mineral site with a pick axe icon. Beautiful Farm on the corner of West Side Road and Passaconway Road High Street after the 1st dirt sectio...

I've finally achieved my lifelong dream of owning a folding bike, thanks to the generosity of a pile of trash on the side of the road. I'm not sure if this is an improvement over buying used bikes on Craigslist.      Before...      After... After some impulsive Amazon purchases, I upgraded the fork to a Rock Shox TK SoloAir (100 mm) which unfortunately threw off the trail, so I flipped the stem. I didn't have a lot of alternatives because no one else seems to make a suspension fork with V-Brake mounts. Flipping the stem upside down wasn't enough, however, so I ended buying a shorter stem and wider bars. This seems to have helped a little bit with the wheel flop and trail due to the taller fork. I increased the fork height by only 25 mm but it really altered the whole feel of the bike. In the future, I'm hoping to buy an angled headset which will hopefully bring the geometry back to where it needs to be. I also purchased a set of Mavic Crossride UB wheels b...

Without a doubt, The Mix Tape , presented by Rock Hard Racing , has become a mecca for gravel, cyclocross, and mountain bikers alike in the greater South Coast area. For me, it's really just a fun ride that's truly a first for Southeastern Massachusetts. Most gravel rides take place in Western Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine for obvious reasons (they refuse to pave their roads). Although I love D2R2 , I don't love driving two hours there and two hours back. Enter The Mix Tape. It showcases, in equal parts, challenging and enjoyable country roads, trails, and singletrack.  Departing from Loon Pond Lodge in Lakeville, Massachusetts, The Mix Tape also presents a unique competition by incorporating Strava segments throughout the course. While I'm not really a racer myself, as evidenced by my Strava rankings, I appreciate having a competitive element incorporated into an event that also puts a focus on fun and fitness. Honestly, if you can ride this course i...