Day 1 Mansfield

Day 1: Mansfield, MA

June 13, 2016
Miles: 49
North Kingstown to Mansfield

We began our 2016 bike trip today!  We vowed that this year we would start each day's ride early so we could spend more time enjoying the places we would end up for the night.  We reasoned that if we started our ride by 8am, then we could be at our destination by 4pm and have some time for exploration.  Well, we started our ride this morning at 10am.  So much for good intentions. 

 My packing progress late last night (may explain today's late start)

Di and I got a few new things for this year's trip, but for me, the best things I got were a new jersey and cycling gloves from Andy and Jen.  These were an early Father's Day gift and are greatly appreciated, especially by Di, who won't have to see me in the same yellow jersey day after day.

 Old gloves compared to new (I guess it was time)

We are ready to start

It was extremely windy!  Wind can blow in so many different directions, so why did it choose to blow directly in our faces?  We had decided to ride a slow and steady pace of 10 miles per hour today to make sure our first day was easy.  But the wind made us work hard just to ride at 8 mph.  Stupid wind.  We took our first break at the Dave's in East Greenwich because I had to adjust my chain.  A stiff link kept causing the  chain to hop from one gear to another.

 

Roadside repair in front of Dave's

We took our next break at the 20 mile mark because we were getting tired and hungry from fighting the wind.

Di is eating turkey jerky. Yum!

 By this time we were on the bike path in Cranston.  Andy's workplace is located right next to the bike path, so we texted him to tell him we were rolling by.  It happened that he was enjoying lunch outside with Paige at that very moment, so they walked over to the bike path to intercept us.  It was great to see them!

Andy and Paige find us on the bike path

We stopped for lunch at 2pm at the Garden Grille.  We had ridden 27 miles by this point into a steady wind and were ready for a break.

Leaving the Garden Grille

I apologize for not providing pictures of our breakfast or our lunch.  Breakfast was a toasted gluten-free bagel with almond butter and cream cheese.  It did not make for an appealing picture.  Imagine a very large raisin cut into two halves with almond butter and cream cheese smeared on it.  That is what the gluten-free bagel looked like.  As for lunch pictures, I forgot to take any.


We were on the road again at 3pm and had 20 miles to go.  We rode into Pawtucket, then Attleboro, and maybe some other towns, and finally, arrived in Mansfield around 5pm.

The cemetery has lots of flags

We took a little break in the town park and then it was on to Ed and Marianne's home.  Their house was only 2 miles from the center of town and by 5:40pm we had arrived.  Ed was outside already and soon  Ally came out to greet us also. 

Ally welcomes us to her home

Ed welcomes us to his home

We are happy to be at our friends' home

Mar and Ed prepared an incredible meal for us.  We had salmon, smashed potatoes, grilled veggies and hot spicy sausage.  The food was awesome!

Mar making it look easy

Bon appetit! (At last I have a food picture)

 A pleasant surprise was that Kathy drove up to join us for dinner.  It was great to sit among friends at the dinner table.

We look happy to dive into the great food

As if the great meal wasn't enough, Mar presented Di with a gluten-free birthday cake.  I have to admit the cake was very good, despite its lack of gluten.  Mar had thoughtfully provided gluten-laden cupcakes for those of us who still enjoy some gluten in our dessert. 

Di and her birthday cake

Di and her mysteriously candled cake

After a nice cup of tea it was time for bed.  Thanks Mar, Ed and Ally for being such gracious hosts and opening your home to us.  Thanks for the great food, the interesting conversation, and the warmth of your hospitality.  And Ed, thanks for explaining the four larval stages of the gypsy moth.  We didn't know our bike trip was going to be so educational.