Providence to Sandwich (Memorial Day 2/4)
The ride
Saturday morning, my sister and I headed out of Providence. We rode on small New England roads. Lush, green trees canopied the roads, and small stone walls stood on each side.
We took our time, riding slowly. Our conversation focused on our surroundings as we pointed out fields and houses that we found beautiful.
As we worked our way West across Massachusetts, bodies of water began to complement the greenery by the roads. After we passed through Wareham, water and sand replaced forests and we rode along the coast.
We rode alongside the canal that separates the cape from the rest of the state. I’ll happily buy a bottle of wine for whoever decided that there should be a bike trail by the canal. The visibility was wonderful; we could see for miles ahead. The air had taken a salty turn. It felt like the ocean. We passed an R.V. campsite, and the trail was lined with campers who had walked down to fish in the canal.
The route ended shortly after traumatic crossing of the Sagamore Bridge1. The Sagamore Bridge towers above the canal. It’s buffeted by winds. There are no barriers between the elevated bike/pedestrian crossing and oncoming traffic. Broken glass covers the crossing.
It also consists of an uphill then a downhill which, when you throw a trailer and balance issues into the mix, make for a truly terrifying crossing. Halfway through, spurred by the wind, my bike started to wobble. I looked at the cars rushing towards me. I looked at the drop on the side of the bridge. I regained my balance, cleared my head, and kept pedaling.
We made it the rest of the way to our campsite without further incident.
The route
