July 14, 2018 - Martha’s Vineyard Ride! 1st Annual?

[Danimal]

Edit: looks like the date will be July 14th! Mark your calendar people. This one should be epic!

Ok peeps. As we started discussing the other day, let’s try and work on some summer rides for the New Englanders. I propose a day trip to The Vineyard. It’s a beautiful place that lends itself well to tourists and bikers.

Basic plan? Show up to Woods Hole early Saturday morning and take an early ferry over the island. Places to possibly see? The awesome little towns of Vineyard Haven and Edgertown, The Flying Horses, South Beach (get your big boy pants on for the waves there), The Bend (also a beach) where on one end is the site where the classic bridge scene of Jaws was filmed. As a kid I jumped off that bridge into the channel below. Not sure if that’s still allowed but I doubt it. Let’s not forget the famous Black Dog,and whatever else I can remember from my childhood trips down there.

By evening, we can head back over to the mainland. We can work on finding a hotel in the area for overnighters.

Discuss...


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[Jane says]

Sure. I'm in. Always wanted to take a trip out there.

 

[ZygoteLittle]

This is an outstanding idea - I'm in because I've never been to the outer islands!

Where is the ferry that'll take us to M V located - specifically?

 

[Danimal]

This is an outstanding idea - I'm in because I've never been to the outer islands!

Where is the ferry that'll take us to M V located - specifically?

Jose,

The ferry is out of Woods Hole, Mass. The ferries are operated by The Steamship Authority. I’ll grab some links for everybody.




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[ZygoteLittle]

Jose,

The ferry is out of Woods Hole, Mass. The ferries are operated by The Steamship Authority. I’ll grab some links for everybody.

Cool - thanks, Dan.

Looking forward to this ride!

 

[Stevil]

Busy summer,camping,wedding receptions, first week of July vacation.
But I’d be interested the right weekend.
...Stevil

 

[Duchess]

It's great being able to ride on and off the ferry with a bike and not having to deal with the car traffic. One of my favorite days at work was going to the MV site and, having too much stuff to build to carry it all, I strapped it all to the racks on my USAAF bike. Even made the earlier ferry back because I rode (taxi would've been stuck in traffic).

If you park at the SSA lot, you can skip the shuttle bus and ride directly from the lot on a bike path to the ferry. It's a nice ride, goes by a beach.

 

[ZygoteLittle]

Duchess, please post specific details about this route, it'll prove helpful to those of us not familiar with the area.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Duchess]

The lot for Woods Hole is on Rte 28, which takes you across the Bourne Bridge and there will be a lot of signs along the way telling you where the lot is, but just stay on 28 and it'll show up on the right not long after it goes down to single lane (if you're coming from 495, you'll end up here, but I recommend this bridge over the Sagamore even if you're coming from north—barring the traffic report reporting crashes changing up the situation, avoid Rte 3 and go Rte 24 S to 495 S instead! A GPS will likely suggest this route, but maybe not, so I want to make sure I mention it. And, as always with touristy places, the earlier the better—I try to get to my office to pick up the taxi for 7 AM and don't have traffic problems, but much later than that, you're rolling the dice.). The Shining Sea Bikeway is connected to the lot itself along its longest side. When you get on the bike path (park first and get your bike—they frown upon driving on the bike path), take it to the left and follow it for probably less than 3 miles to the ferry terminal. You'll ride along a beach and past a cove and then get to another parking lot that I believe is the SSA employee parking, which leads right to the terminal. It's possibly quicker than waiting for the shuttle bus to load up and queasily roll its way through town and you also don't have to sit next to strange humans. Seriously, though, it's a nice ride—look for osprey nests on poles and you might even hear some chicks if it's the right time of year. Be careful if they're feeding though, as they could drop fish guts on you (we've had work vehicles peppered with aquatic animal remains and I had a bloody spine splat down about three inches from me out of the nest on our radio tower). Nature.

I have no recommendation as to Oak Bluffs or Edgartown for arrival on the island (I use Oak Bluffs for work), I would just take the ferry according to whichever suits you time-wise, though Edgartown is a nicer arrival point. There's a freight ferry and a regular. Both are perfectly fine, but the regular one is definitely nicer. I can't remember which one is named what, so I'm no help there. If you take the early boats, you probably won't have to wait long in line for tickets, but I'd order them online ahead of time. You don't have to be really early, but they won't let you jump off the dock and onto the boat like One Crazy Summer, either.

Prices may change, but I believe it's $15 extra round trip to bring bikes.

 

[ZygoteLittle]

Thank you, this was very helpful. We're going as a group w/Dan spearheading; I feel we'll be in good hands.

 

[Jane says]

Do we have a date in mind for this particular ride? Curious as I would like to know as to schedule time off from work.

 

[ZygoteLittle]

Do we have a date in mind for this particular ride? Curious as I would like to know as to schedule time off from work.

Hi Jane, while at bowling, Dan stated that it's really busy during the summer, so an early to late spring or early fall weekend would be preferred.

Cost for getting on the ferry is $17 per adult plus $8 per bike for a total of $25 round-trip.

 

[Danimal]

I’m open to dates on this. I mean the dead of summer has its merits too. A total mob scene can be fun. Like I said, throw out some dates and see what the crowd thinks.


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[ZygoteLittle]

I’m open to dates on this. I mean the dead of summer has its merits too. A total mob scene can be fun. Like I said, throw out some dates and see what the crowd thinks.

How about the second weekend in May or the second weekend of July as tentative dates; one option in spring and one at mid-summer.

 

[Stevil]

Yeah, July 14 is good for me. I’ll be done
with camping and vacation by then.
Or is that considered the third weekend
of July ,ZL ?...Stevil

 

[Danimal]

I’ll check my work schedule for July on Monday.


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[ZygoteLittle]

Yeah, July 14 is good for me. I’ll be done
with camping and vacation by then.
Or is that considered the third weekend
of July ,ZL ?...Stevil

Second weekend transitioning into the third, we'll call it the second weekend in July.

 

[1oldbikelover]

Sounds like a fun ride... Unfortunately I will be in VT on mtn bike event on July 13-15.

 

[Danimal]

As of right now, the 14th of July looks good for me too. I’ll mark that as a tentative date and we can start planning this one!


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[chopper49ers]

That weekend works for me

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