Rhode Island
By Gary Gilbert
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
I went for a Saturday morning ride in Rhode Island while visiting my daughter who lives about 40 miles from the Massachusetts - Rhode Island border. I had been advised by a cyclist on the Phreds touring list http://www.phred.org/mailman/listinfo/touring that the Naragansett Bay Wheelmen http://www.nbwclub.org/ keep maps of their routes on their website. He suggested the Cumberland 50 route due to its proximity to Boston. I drove to Cumberland Town and chose to follow their route. The route offers several options -- 12, 18, 34, or 52 miles. I chose the 18 mile route plus I did 2 more for an even 20
Portions of the ride were actually in Massachusetts. The route was near the border of the two states. I did ride for at least an hour in Rhode Island so am able to check it off my list. Only 11 more states to go.
I rode past the Rhode Island Historical Cemetery, Cumberland #19. At the cemetery entrance a granite block with a bronze plaque reads: "Within this New England hillside there rest 45 Patriots of American Revolution and 4 members of the Grand Army of the Republic.
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Local wildflowers
Not only did the Naragansett Bay Wheelmen provide a map on their web site, but the roads are painted with markings for cyclists.
The route took me past Diamond Reservoir and Pawtucket Reservoir.
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