Adventure Cycling Association: Historical Bike Routes: The Possibilities Are Endless!

Adventure Cycling Association: Historical Bike Routes: The Possibilities Are Endless!

Anniversary-2 years without a car!



Parent shopping with daughter by bike

 Two years living without a car. Living in a car-centric town, this has been no easy feat in the winter in below -0f weather or now in the 100f + heat index days. But it has been very rewarding, as a matter of fact, one can say I have completely incorporated the carfree lifestyle into my existence and guess what, it works!






Everything from the profiles to the Cycling W3R Expedition are a direct result of this lifestyle.


Dogs walking human





I believe with all my being that people should live carlite or carfree whenever they get a chance. The mission holds true:









getting gas for lawn mower

 To promote the carfree/ lite lifestyle and see the health benefits: Personal, Environmental, and Community.






Here are some pictures showing carfree
living..enjoy









Homeless guy in KS



Coyote guarding my bike



Art the committed commuter



truth



art



entrepreneur



there is soooo much freedom in
bicycling for transportation

 Peace, Bill

If you would like to share your Carfree or Carlite life with us...go for it! We would love to hear from you!

Cycling W3R: Newport to Providence-Car-free trip

Rhode Island Part 1: Newport to Providence

Cycling W3R Expedition                                        

Part one the route:  Newport to Providence

Newport

I love everything about Rhode Island.

I arrived by ferry (this a short video of the crossing) to Quonset Point, RI from the Island of Martha's Vineyard. My ocean crossing, although much shorter than the French in 1780, was very choppy, causing me a bout of seasickness (What? I am from Kansas, what did you expect? ;) )

Quonset Point is a big industrial area where ships and planes were made in the past and today. Before we arrived I called Peter Rice who had previously given me advice about cycling the roads in the Newport area and had told me if I needed a ride to Newport to call him as the bridges in did not allow bicycles. Peter answered, and said he would be there shortly. I was impressed by his generosity.

Laura the owner

Once off the ferry, I decided to bike around the area while I waited for Peter.

Out of place of all the industrial building was a lone mobile restaurant called Quonset Hut. It was so out of place I had to stop and take a picture. Laura the owner came out to greet me. She was a tough, weather worn, hard working woman who bought the trailer and set up Quonset Hut in the area where she herself use to work on B-52 Bombers in the early 70s. She had many ideas how to make her business successful and was very kind to me, even giving me a free bottle of water. This was my first experience with the hospitality I would become accustomed to from the people of Rhode Island.

Peter Rice and I at the Rochambeau
Statue.

Peter drove up and we headed toward the bridge on Highway 138 that crossed Narragansett Bay. Once on the bridge I understood why cyclists were not allowed. The lanes are narrow and traffic heavy. There are local buses to get across I will try on my next trip.

Once in Newport Peter took me around the town explaining to me the history of the area and showing me alternative cycling routes out of town. Pete is retired from the Navy and is originally from ND. Pete is also a member the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen. I think in all we spent three hours exploring the area and the routes.

I next headed to my home for the night, a Hostel called the William Gyles Guesthouse. The owner, Merrilee, a cyclist,  was still at her job, so we decided on meeting an hour later, then she could check me in. $35 bucks for the night! I went for a short ride exploring Newport.

I made it back to the Hostel in time for Merrilee to check me in and to meet my roommate, one from California, and another, Andy from Ireland.

Andy has been back packing around the Eastern US for one month and still had a month to go. He was heading to a place in Maine where he was going to work on a sustainable organic farm for two weeks in exchange for room and board. He found it on a site called, WWoof or World Wide opportunities on organic farms. Cool!



Newport at night!



After getting settled in and a shower, rolled into town to find WiFi and get some food. There I met a young woman, Chelsey, soliciting Blood Donations for the Red Cross. Chelsey is one of those people who can look at you in the eye and you know she has a kind soul. I let her know that I was in need of my blood as I was going on a long bike ride. She readily agreed with my choice and loaded me up with some free life savers candy.

I went back to the Hostel for a short time and then went into town with Erica, another guest,  who was a grad student from CA for a glass of wine. Seeing Newport at night is a site. Great restaurants, many people, ships on the water, history oozes from the ground here. The people are friendly.

The next morning I was up early. I think I may have had three hours sleep as the neighbors across the street form the hostel had a party till 2am-ish. I got up at 6am and made a light breakfast, studied some maps Peter left me, and wrote in my journal.

I checked out of the Hostel and rolled into town. I spent some more time exploring the town of Newport on two wheels. Bicycling is one of the best ways to see the town. Although the streets have traffic, and sometimes are narrow in town, the people are use to cyclists. There is a loop, where you ride south on Thames to Wellington, then heading toward Fort Adams, and winding your way on great roads with ocean views and then back into town passing mansions and lots of tourist waiting for their buses. There is a bike map available at all the bike shops and hotels to help guide you.



the start



  Around 9am I made my way to my start point. The Rochambeau statue on Wellington.

The Start

The morning was perfect, sunny, mid 70s, slight breeze, the smell of the ocean, seagulls speaking in turn. I made my way to the start point. I was interviewed by a local Newspaper, and then the start was at 10am. Just me and Rochambeau-the present with the past.



I would take a left here to Memorial.






 I made my way on the Cycling W3R route I had decided on after exploring three options with my local route adviser, Peter Rice. My objective was to make a safe route, staying close to the history, and finding one that would be good for most levels of cyclists. The official W3R route out of town is on Route 114, which is becomes very busy with traffic, no shoulder, not fun. The other route was going through Navy housing, with lots of turns, little views. The third, and the one I chose, went west on Wellington to Thames. Right to Narragansett. A left, rolling past some beautiful homes to Annandale. Left to Memorial Drive.

.

On Memorial drive I passed a gorgeous beach on my right, then veered left to Route 214 North. 214 is simple, a wide shoulder, low traffic.



USS Saratoga

  I took 214 North to 114 North. Took a right there and took my 2nd left to Gate 17 entrance of the Navel Base. Once on the Gate 17 road, I headed west to Burma Road. Coming down to Burma Road is amazing as once you crest the hill and go down the road your view is Narragansett Bay and the decommissioned Aircraft Carrier, the USS Saratoga. The Saratoga is impressive to behold, and seemed to be waiting for me to roll by in celebration of the Cycling W3R, as the theme, the past meeting the present again seemed relevant.  On a side note, according to the Cycling W3R Expedition Historian, Robert Selig, the three most significant battles of the American Revolution were; Bunker Hill, Saratoga, and Yorktown.

My view to my left heading north on Burma Rd.

Once on Burma Road, I quickly realized why so many locals recommended it to me. A well maintained two lane with little traffic and nice shoulders. I headed north and had views the bay on my left and greenery on my right. I took it to Stringham Rd. Not well marked, but a distinctive sharp right turn, I had to pull out the GPS to make sure of my location.

This made me laugh...



I took a right on Stringham, and rolled slowly uphill to 114 North. There was a Dunken Donuts on the other side of 114. Traffic on 114 was heavy. I stopped for some food and drink.

Heading toward the Mt Hope Bridge

Fuel up on a bagel and donut, I next headed North on 114. This section of the route is NOT fun, with no shoulder, high traffic,  and poor road surface. I felt vulnerable here and took my time focused on the bumpy potholed filled maze in front of me while constant prayer were being sent out to the universe for my safety as cars and trucks speeded by with little regard for my existence.

The saving grace on 114 for is the consistency of the W3R signs marking the route. It was a comfort.

Patriot's Park
Patriots Park is a memorial to the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, known as the Black Regiment. The park is located at the junction northbound of Routes 114 and 24. A flagpole commemorates the site where the Black Regiment fought off a Hessian attack, saving the American line, on August 29, 1778, during  the Battle of Rhode Island.

Luckily the poor road only lasted a few miles then I was able to turn left towards Mount Hope Bridge. And then, between Highway 24 and 114, in a very odd place there was located Patriots Park-recognizing the Black Regiment. I stopped for a quick picture, but was eager to roll north, so did not explore.



Stopping at the bottom of the bridge
taking a picture over my left shoulder.

 I got to the Mt Hope Bridge, a narrow two lane, with grates every 50 feet or so, lenght over 6,000 feet! I was glad I had wide tires. Traffic was medium, but the bridge being long, and very high, with obstacles in the way, and traffic at my back I was not able to enjoy the amazing views of the water below. Although the ride over was intense, I never felt in danger, cars were respective, as long as I kept my line, all was well.

A few minutes later, I was off it and stopped and took a picture over my left shoulder to see what I had done. Wow.



This was when I got on
the East Bay Bike Path
from Oliver St in Bristol.

 Next the road greatly improved, I stayed on 114 and rolled into the town of Bristol.  A gorgeous town, the water at my left. I slowly made my way to Oliver St. Then left to the East Bay Bicycle Path.

My choice to go into Providence was 114 or this Bike path.  I chose the bike path, although at some point I would like to explore 114 in this section. The bike path is amazing. 14.5 miles to Providence without having to get on a road. Very well maintained, it looks more like small two lane road than a bicycle path.

I meandered my way on the path, passing a young girl at a Del's lemonade stand! I have never seen this on bike paths, and am impressed!










The Bike path, gave a view of what the land looked
in 1781.

I continued past the towns of Barrington, and then Riverside. I stopped a  grocery store in Barrington which was a few feet off the bike path.


There I met a woman, Jackie, who was getting her groceries on her single speed Schwinn Stingray, and was curious about my loaded bicycle. I told her about the expedition, and we talked about the route for awhile. She gave me some advice about downtown Providence, I would soon( unknowingly) regret not taking.



First views of Providence from the East Bay
Bike Path



I made why way north to the Riverside area, and although I was getting closer to Providence, the bike path was a low stress alternative to bicycling into a big city.

  I made my way to Providence, took a left on a sidewalk (still part of the East Bay Bicycle Path), with the highway on my right, I was about to go urban! Yikes!

Stay tuned for Part two; Providence to Joy Homestead and getting lost!

Side note: On a side note, I am still fund raising. If you like what you are reading and seeing, chip in some bucks and you will get more! ;)
Peace, Bill

Profile of Ana Reinert-Kansas City, Mo

Tell me a little bit about you ?

My name is Ana Reinert and I work as a product designer at Hallmark. In my spare time, I write a blog called The Well-Appointed Desk. I'm married to a lovely, Park Tools-trained bike noodler/letterpress printer. I live in the "dodgy end" of Brookside, a suburban neighborhood in Kansas City and I am doing my best to live a carlite life. I don't have any children but I do cater to four very needy cats.


When did you start using a bicycle for transportation and what other
forms of transportation do you use?

When I was living in Chicago, I rode my trusty bike to and from work everyday unless it was snowing or bitterly cold. It was not a particularly bike-friendly town most of the time I lived there but somehow, since moving to KC, it feels even less bike-friendly. The first few years here in KC we lived downtown and I relied largely on a vintage Vespa as my main mode of transportation. Since relocating to a more suburban area, I spent more and more time driving and less time being carlite but that has been changing. I am trying to increase my radius incrementally.

What is a day in your bicycling life like?

A few years ago, I read about the 2-mile challenge(http://2milechallenge.com/map/) so I sat down and mapped out the 2-miles around my house and realized that a lot of my errands fell within that range so I started riding to the store, library and other short-distance errands. Then I just got to where I enjoyed riding my bike so much I just started riding everyday. In the winter, I even put my bike up on a trainer and ride just to keep pedaling.

Do you recommend cycling to friends/family members/others? Have any
taken you up on it?

I often recommend riding for low-impact fitness and the sheer joy of pedaling with the wind in your face. I joke that riding my bike is my favorite stress-reliever and it "keeps me from killing people" at work.

What kind of bike are you currently riding?

Right now, I'm riding a 2008 Giant Transend which has been nicknamed "The Pigeon". I am in the process of restoring a couple vintage bikes-- an 80s-era Raleigh Mixte and a late 50/early 60s era Fleet Wing which is a fixed-gear cruiser. Oddly, all my bikes are blue.

In your opinion, what's the best part about cycling for transportation?

Getting there is half the fun when cycle for transportation. It also gives me time to think. If I'm in my car or on the bus, I feel like I have to do something else while traveling -- listen to music, the radio, etc -- but on a bike, I only pedal. I think and I look around and really see the neighborhood.

What's the worst?

Cold weather. I have asthma and riding in the cold is absolute misery for me. I am trying to find ways to lessen the risk of an attack while riding in the fall and winter because I so miss riding outside during those cold months.


Do you have a favorite carfree/carlite story?

I love being able to skirt all parking issues when using a bike for transport. I used to park my bike on Michigan Avenue in Chicago in front of whatever shop I needed to visit. Even in Brookside, I don't have to loop the block to get a spot near the Roasterie or the drugstore, I just sidle up to the nearest post, pole or bike rack and I'm done.

What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone starting/
considering commuting by bike?

1) Find a good bike that is comfortable for you. It might not be the fixie, road bike, or beach cruiser you had your heart set on but if its comfortable and you feel like you can control it, you are going to ride it a lot more and enjoy doing it.

2) if you're going to commute, you'll need fenders, handlebar cupholder (so you can stop at the coffee shop on the way) and a messenger bag. Lights come in handy too.



Ana and her husband

 3) Start small. Ride to the post office, drug store or other nearby errand and work up to a full commute.

Anything else you would like to add?

My next plan is to get a folding bike to keep at the office for running lunchtime errands and just to have an excuse to get outside during the day.




Thanks for the interview Ana.  If you too would like to be featured on Carfree American, just reach out to me or, maybe, I will bump into you on the road like I did Ana.

Pedaler's Jamboree carfree weekend!

Last weekend I had a blast at the Pedaler's Jamboree.

This event was a carfree music festival on the Katy Trail from Columbia, Missouri to Boonville, Missouri and back.

There were over 1000 bicyclists who participated in the event. Here are some videos I took and pictures from my good friend David Rainey.

I rolled with Mark Rainey, David Rainey, Nancy MacDonald, and Tim Oberle.

Thanks to Mike Denehy and the staff of the Pedaler's Jamboree for putting on a great event!
Special thanks to Stephanie and Melissa for being so gracious.



The MKT trail was gorgeous

 I hope to see you all there next year!












Mark Rainey...i am not sure what he is doing





Our tents



lots of bicycles and no cars!

 
<><><><>

<>

<><><><>

great music as we rolled



<><><><>

<>

<><><><>

Christopher and Mandy's honeymoon transportation!


 <><><><>

<>

<><><><>

cliffs and ancient native American writings

 

strongest bicyclist award goes to Mellon Head

Pedaler's Jamboree founder Mike Denehy

Bike Commuter Profile-Mark Fisher

Mark Fisher is a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Kansas Medical Center and a full time bike commuter! I was rolling this morning and bumped into Mark and got a quick video interview, so enjoy! Bill P.

How to bicycle for transportation in the rain.



Mia Birk in her rainy town of Portland

How To Bicycle For Transportation In The Rain
By Bill Poindexter aka Carfree American


This being Bike to Work week many of the new cyclists may consider a rainy day a day to hop back in the car. Don’t fret my bike friendly Americans, a little rain won’t hurt you.

One of the greatest things about biking for transportation or travel is being outside and an active participant with the weather. There are few things in life more rewarding than bicycling in the rain.

Rain riding can be a fun, safe, and rewarding experience. The savvy carfree or carlite American can use the following strategies to insure a successful commute.



Thad Carson is a mail carrier and creater of Taddihogg
cycling hats. He commutes by bike all year long in all
weather. Here he is delivering hats on a rainy day.

 Carrying clothes and gear:
For dry clothes and gear: Stuff your items in a garbage bag and then insert them into your backpack.

Or pick up some quality panniers (saddle bags) that are waterproof and/or have rain covers.

I use Arkel panniers and Arkel rear trunk called the Tail Rider that has a built in rain cover.



Protecting your body:


I love this built in rain cover on the Arkel Tail Rider

 If it is warm wear your wick away bike clothing and get wet. If it is 70f or below you may want to wear a light rain jacket or poncho, but be warned, you will warm up quickly and will most likely sweat thereby getting soaked anyhow, so you will want to regulate your temp by, ideally having a rain jacket with a lot of vents, and if you do not have that, you can regulate temperature by zipping and unzipping and keeping your effort and pace to the point wear you do not sweat much.




My favorite rain jacket from Showers Pass

 What to wear, what to wear…in the rain?
I am a big fan of wearing anything for short nice weather rides, say a couple of hours, or rides where I am doing errands or rolling to my favorite bistro for dinner.

But…here it comes…

When the weather turns amiss I throw on my cycling gear-bike shorts, wicking shirts, and cycling jacket (if needed). Cycling clothes have evolved and serve a purpose-light weight, pull sweat/ moisture away from body, offer low wind resistance, and keep you warm on a cool day and cool on a warm day. With advances in fabrics you can choose wool or synthetics.

Bike shorts also are a must to the regular cyclist. The padding protects the tender underside and helps to insure a more comfortable bike ride. The shorts take a little getting use to, but once you get over the “diaper feel” you will use them on a regular basis for rides over an hour. Cycling clothes come in many styles and sizes so you do not have to have the look of a pro racer. As with all things cycling it comes down to your own individual style and preference.

Arriving wet:
Bring a towel, a change of clothes, find a bathroom and do your thing. I am told by female friends there hair and makeup are issues-well you just have to figure out a way to make it work.

If a wet day, you may also bring an extra set of cycling clothes for the ride home so you do not have to wear the wet ones you might have been unable to dry on your cubicle wall.


Excuse not riding in the rain.
Generally there are ways and routes to safely ride in the rain. Be creative, you can at the very least bike to a bus stop and take mass transit, or even walk, before resorting to using a car.

Some safety guidelines for rainy weather:

a. Use front and rear flashing lights day and night for more visibility.

b. During a thunderstorm find shelter and wait for storm to pass.

c. Down pours can be dangerous and hard to see the road ahead, best to find shelter and wait it out.

d. Rain can cause streets, lane lines, metal, or newly paves roads to be very slick so use caution especially on turns.

e. Be predictable to other cyclists and drivers by keeping a straight line.

f. Look ahead for debris caused by the rain and use caution.


After ten years of riding in all types of rain, I have found riding in the rain can be very rewarding and extremely fun! Anyone can ride on a nice day. The different feel, smells, sounds, sights, and feeling of riding in the rain makes any rainy bike ride more epic and allows for a great story after the ride.






2010 Ride for Silence was cancelled because of rain
but these folks rode anyway to pay there respects to
fallen cyclists.

“You rode your bike to work?” Your coworker will ask. “ Yup”, you say, dripping wet and smiling.
“In the rain?” The person blurts out loudly.
“Yup!” you say smiling even more.
“That is awesome.”…and so it goes.


Live and ride.
Peace, Bill