New England Acadia Run
August 20-27, 2006
August 20
243 miles
When the escorted ride took us to NYC and just "left us there," we had to figure out how to negotiate our way out of the Big Apple. I really can't complain too much since I had Jill on board Fleeter to navigate us any where we wanted to go. (The voice behind the GPS.) But still, now we had to deal with traffic, traffic lights, taxi cabs, pedestrians, tourists ... oh the bother of it all!
We didn't take any time to sight see while in NYC, but we did drive by David's hangout on our way out of town.
So we are left in NYC and looking for a way out...we decided to go further north. Why not? I'd always heard of a faraway place they refer to as New England. Thought it was time to check on it. You know what they say about listening to the proverbial "they" for your information! So Sunday morning about 9am (75˚) we leave Manhattan looking for the Merritt Parkway.
On our way out of New York, we stopped in Purchase to fill out and mail postcards we had been collecting the last few days. So anyone that got one might check the postmark. This was where it left my hands.
There's our sign! Jill led us right to it!
On our way out of New York, we stopped in Purchase to fill out and mail postcards we had been collecting the last few days. So anyone that got one might check the postmark. This was where it left my hands.
There's our sign! Jill led us right to it!Such cute, efficient little "on/off" service areas along the Parkway.
We've now left the parkway... time for fuel, a coke and to check in with Jill. The coke tastes good...Dang heat! Must be about 80 degrees by now! 80 degrees in August! How do they survive the heat up here?!
I would call this a "clue" ... Little Rhody should be around here somewhere. Darn little states...sometimes they can be hard to find.
I would call this a "clue" ... Little Rhody should be around here somewhere. Darn little states...sometimes they can be hard to find.
There it is! Claims to be the Ocean State, eh? Well guess we'll just have to go check on their claim to the ocean...all 400 coastline miles of it. That includes the shores of Narragansett Bay that extends into the middle of the state with a few islands to add to the total. Still seems like a lot, compared to Texas' claim of over 600 miles of coastline. (Have you compared the two on the US map recently?) But I guess we would have more if Copano Bay extended up to Mills County!
Here's another clue...if you're familiar with the location of Providence.
Looks like some weather ahead...
Looks like some weather ahead...
Don't have time to tell you about "tar snakes" right now. Trying to get the Fleeter Log to press! But motorcyclists know that you need to watch out for them just as much as the ones that rattle!
KD, when was the last time you saw one of these? There's a few of them around up in these parts.
Okay, there's a story behind the bullet casing looking tokens ... really.
It starts with, "Hey where you riding from ... Virginia? Really? Where you going?"
This is a common exchange anytime someone notices motorcycle LP tags from a few states away. I've kinda gotten used to it. We stopped for fuel and to check with Jill, when this fellow comes walking over to chat.
His name is Richard and he's a local. He says, "I love living in Rhode Island...everything is close by." No doubt!
So this really nice guy comes up with all the information we might need on where we are and where we might go next. (We hadn't decided for sure where to go from Providence. His timing was perfect since that was exactly what we were doing...looking at the clouds, the map, the clock...in that order. This is how you decide what direction Fleeter will go next.)
He strongly suggested we check out Newport and the new bridge over......what bay?
Come on ... here's the quiz... What's the big bay that goes right up the middle of Little Rhody?
Right, Narragansett Bay! The "big bridge" is The Claiborne Pell Bridge (but most people just call it the Newport Bridge) and it leads from Jamestown into Newport.
But first we take another bridge to Conanicut Island, home of Jamestown. Look again...you saw right...1678. The villages up here have been around for awhile.
In case you don't want to bother with the big bridge...there's always the ferry.
But we decide to take the Bridge.
It starts with, "Hey where you riding from ... Virginia? Really? Where you going?"This is a common exchange anytime someone notices motorcycle LP tags from a few states away. I've kinda gotten used to it. We stopped for fuel and to check with Jill, when this fellow comes walking over to chat.
His name is Richard and he's a local. He says, "I love living in Rhode Island...everything is close by." No doubt!So this really nice guy comes up with all the information we might need on where we are and where we might go next. (We hadn't decided for sure where to go from Providence. His timing was perfect since that was exactly what we were doing...looking at the clouds, the map, the clock...in that order. This is how you decide what direction Fleeter will go next.)
He strongly suggested we check out Newport and the new bridge over......what bay?
Come on ... here's the quiz... What's the big bay that goes right up the middle of Little Rhody?
Right, Narragansett Bay! The "big bridge" is The Claiborne Pell Bridge (but most people just call it the Newport Bridge) and it leads from Jamestown into Newport.
But first we take another bridge to Conanicut Island, home of Jamestown. Look again...you saw right...1678. The villages up here have been around for awhile.
In case you don't want to bother with the big bridge...there's always the ferry.
But we decide to take the Bridge.
You're probably wondering about the rest of that story, right? Well, Richard (the nice guy at the fuel stop in Providence), was so considerate, he gave us those tokens to get across the Newport Bridge. Yep, just pulled them out of his car and said, "Here you go. Now go use them and visit Newport."
So when we pulled up to these toll booths. we were prepared. That's why we took the pictures back in Providence ... we knew we couldn't use them and bring them home as souvenirs too.
Very impressive bridge. We like your bridge ... what do you call people from Rhode Island? Rhodies? Probably not, but it works for the moment. Oh and, we like your bridge, Rhodies.
The sun is getting low as we ride into Newport. Time to find that hotel we read about...
So when we pulled up to these toll booths. we were prepared. That's why we took the pictures back in Providence ... we knew we couldn't use them and bring them home as souvenirs too.
Very impressive bridge. We like your bridge ... what do you call people from Rhode Island? Rhodies? Probably not, but it works for the moment. Oh and, we like your bridge, Rhodies.
The sun is getting low as we ride into Newport. Time to find that hotel we read about...
After finding the historic hotel on the coast line of Aquidneck Island, we check in and head back to the "charming" touristy area Newport is known for.
We were thinking about something to eat, but even though the Cheeky Monkey sounded intriguing we just weren't up to it.
So we kept looking...
We decided that this pizza by the slice was more the ticket.
So back to the bikes and a few more turns through town before heading back to the hotel for the night.
We decided that this pizza by the slice was more the ticket.
So back to the bikes and a few more turns through town before heading back to the hotel for the night.
Copyright 2006 Fleeter Logs
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