July 21 - Falling in love with Vermont and Having Fun on the way to Rhode Island

What a fantastic day! I fell in love with Vermont. Perhaps it was just that the major storm from the night before cleared the air of some of the thick haze that had been in the air for days. But this morning when I left the small town of Bristol to head south, I was invigorated by the clean crisp air and inspired by the clear views of abundant green landscape everywhere I looked – from farmlands to fields to hillsides. The roads were in reasonably good condition, traffic was light, and I was smiling from ear to ear as I headed to New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Leaving Bristol, I headed south on highway 7 towards Bennington, Vermont. Originally, I was going to go through Connecticut on my way to Rhode Island but decided at the last minute to go through New York and Massachusetts instead. It was absolutely delightful to travel through so many small towns, passing farms, forests, and fields of green as I swooped around corners and up and down hills.

After passing Troy New York, I hopped on the Massachusetts Turnpike to save a little time getting to Rhode Island so I could make it to my host’s home in Mansfield Connecticut for dinner tonight. I was actually quite happy to be on the expressway as I find it fun to travel at high speeds for awhile after being on backroads. It was so much easier today in broad daylight in the sun than when I was on the same stretch of road in the middle of the night in fog during my endurance ride a few days ago.

I normally don’t like paying for tolls. But coming into Newport on highway 138 the toll was more than worth it, allowing me to take the Clairborne Pell Newport suspension bridge across the Narragansett Bay from Jamestown to the Island of Aquidneck. What a view! It reminded me of those times I would ride the ferris wheel at the carnival and then have a view of the lights of the city around me from the top. This time I was treated to views of boats in the bay and the city beyond.

My meal at Bar and Board Bistro in Newport was beyond incredible. I savored every bite of the fresh roasted halibut served over a saffron polenta and eggplant caponata and covered with capers and butter. The fish was moist and flavorful and the balance of flavors in the sauce was exceptional. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

I very much enjoyed my ride from Newport to Connecticut, passing over the Clairborne Pell Bridge again and enjoying backroads on my way to my host’s home. I am so grateful to be on my bike!