Bicycle touring and the unexpected

Bicycle touring is a great way to break out of daily routine, and beyond that, into the unexpected.  That’s one reason I like it.

My son Jacob, age 19, and I took on a little 2-day bicycle tour Thursday and Friday. It was his first bicycle tour ever.

Last Thursday morning, we drove to Falmouth on Cape Cod, parked at a friend’s house and rode the Shining Sea path to the Steamship Authority ferry terminal in Woods Hole — took the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard and stayed overnight at the HI-AYH hostel —  which is really nice these days. They even make pancakes for breakfast, included in the modest price (but do bring earplugs in case someone snores — dorm accommodations).

At the hostel, we encountered Francine, who had been a participant in a bicycle tour to the Cape that I led 25 years ago, and which had stayed at the same hostel. Jacob got to hear Francine’s angle on funny stories from that tour which I had just told him the same day. I spoke with a couple of German university students who confirmed that the German spelling reform has led to confusion, just as my Bicycling Street Smarts translator tells me.

Friday morning, after leaving the hostel, while riding on the path in the state park, we got stopped for two security checks, including baggage inspection. About a mile after the second security check, a group of about 30 cyclists approached. One face was instantly recognizable.

I raised my little digital camera and pressed the button, then lowered it.

“Good morning, Mr. President” I said.

“Good morning, he replied.

After the group had passed, I checked my camera. It had been in “review” mode. No picture.

Given the security issues, I decided it would be very much the best just to keep on riding rather than to turn around and chase after the crowd to get a picture.

Not bad though for Jacob’s first bicycle tour. Jacob wants to go touring again. We were well-matched for speed on this one, but if he rides enough, we’ll have to ride the tandem because I won’t be able to keep up with him otherwise!

About jsallen

John S. Allen is the author or co-author of numerous publications about bicycling including Bicycling Street Smarts, which has been adopted as the bicycle driver's manual in several US states. He has been active with the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition since 1978 and served as a member of the board of Directors of the League of American Bicyclists from 2003 through 2009.
This entry was posted in Bicycling. Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to Bicycle touring and the unexpected

  1. danc says:

    How neat? Maybe someone else nearby got a picture? Check with news pool the follows the President?

    Glad HI-AYH is still in operation!

  2. jsallen says:

    Well, there was a man with a very long lens standing off to the right of the path a bit before we we encountered the President. Occasionally I think “Oh, and I could have shot video too, and it might have gone viral…” But I take this experience as a lesson in “let it pass.”

    As to HI-AYH: The network of rural hostels in this country is largely gone, but they thrive in major cities — and on the Cape and islands, one of the nation’s prime bicycle touring locations. There are a few other hostels similarly located in attractive spots within easy reach of major urban areas — Port Townsend, Washington, Pt. Reyes National Seashore…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.