LIFE CHOICES! (anyone from CT?)

[JoeyMac]

So today I got a call from some previous employers of mine. A little sports cable network based out of Bristol, CT. I did a paid internship out there a couple years ago and interviewed for a job during the summer, and they just get back to me with a job offer. It would mean twice the salary that I am making in Rochester NY and a much better job to be listed on my resume.

My problem is, I didn't really enjoy living in CT, I didn't know anyone, there wasn't much to do along the lines of my lifestyle. And the worst part, it's not really bicycle friendly, I might even have to get a car! Does anyone here live or work in CT? Does anyone know if there is any kind of bike scene there beyond yuppies on $3000 road bikes? I am still thinking about doing it regardless, but I want to know if I can keep riding my bike every day. I need that to stay happy.

 

[VicXsaN]

Be a rebel! Ride your bikes still!

 

[JoeyMac]

It's hard to imagine that I wouldn't be riding my bikes, I just don't know how feasible it will be for me to not own a car, and just ride my bike everywhere. Right now I live in a city, and I don't have any need for a car. When I move to CT, I will be right in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by highways and strip malls and suburbia, and everything will be far more spread out. Plus I know how people drive around there and it's scarier than the roads in the city here. I am afraid my bike commute will be less fun, plus I won't have the cruising buddies I have here, who am I going to go cruise on my rat rods?

 

[NLCTVWguy]

It ain't all bad, man!

You gotta find a place where you'll be happy, though, that's most important. Find out where you'll be working and find somewhere close to live. Of course there are a lot of these little housing developments with cutesy colonial-ish names, usually out in the middle of nowhere with a twisty road with a thousand cars on it... but there are some really nice places and some cool little cities as well.

I think it's not that much different from upstate NY really... small cities separated by farmland-turning-into suburbia.

I think the cities are in some ways more bike-friendly than the country areas- unless it's truly deserted, the little country roads are dangerous to bike on, there are no shoulders and close guardrails, and cars like you say driving too fast- it's tough on a biker, as it is in many parts of the country but very unfriendly to the casual rider.

Cities with bike paths or parks, or bike routes along some of the major roads, are really the best bet. I don't know exactly what Bristol has to offer but it's probably worth scouting around for the local bike shops, and ask them where THEY ride. Make it part of your house-hunting mission when you visit.

Ourselves, we do rides in the nice weather in New London, just around an hour east of there depending on your preferred route and of course the traffic- in the eastern end of the state we don't put up with traffic jams, so once you're clear of New Haven or Middletown if you go the more northern route, you don't hit any traffic slowdowns on the highways usually.

Stay in touch if you move here, we'll get together some day and we can talk bikes, trade parts, show off projects and go for a ride. We have everything from casual park riding to coffee-shop cruises to mountain bike trails so what are your interests?

http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa12 ... onlcb2.jpg

You can always email me at [email protected].

--Rob

 

[JoeyMac]

Rob, thanks for the reply! That is some good advice, I will definitely do some research and be in touch!

It looks like I am taking the job, by the way.

 

[ej599]

Then there's always the Airline Trail. It was once a railroad line that ran from NY to Boston. Heres a historical link and pics. Thes bridgrs have been filled with sand but the bridges are still there under the sand and have great views of the salmon river valley and surrounding hills.

http://www.geocities.com/bartemb06424/A ... loFill.htm
But its basically an 18 mile (currently) crushed stone trail packed down pretty well in most of the trail. I ride my old schwinns and my higgins on it all the time. some sections you can ride for miles and not see a house. Here's some pics of my '46 higgins on the trail. Sometimes it can get a little soupy but it's dry for the most part. It rained the day before these pics were taken.

I love eastern CT for not only this trail but also its mountain biking, motorcycling, hunting, fishing and hiking.

 

[JoeyMac]

that trail and that bike both look sweet. I will definitely try and check out the trail. looks like it doesn't quite run through the hartford area but I could find my way out there somehow.

 

[bigredddaddy]

Don't worry about towns that arn't "bicycle friendly", this summer when gas hits $5 gl you have plenty of people to ride with! :lol:

 

[JoeyMac]

I feel like I should follow up on this post since I've now been living in Bristol, CT for about 4 months. I found a place to live that is only 2.1 miles from work, along a relatively quiet wide back road, with only a couple of hills. I've been riding every day, rain or shine, and only had to ride in the snow on the hills a couple of times before spring rolled around. There is a great cruising route that I had discovered in my neighborhood the day I moved in, and have been on countless times since, including this afternoon and other times when my girlfriend was in town. After the movers had pulled my bikes off the truck and drove away, I hopped on my spaceliner, and started exploring. Definitely more hills than I am used to and why I have been working to upgrade at least two of my spaceliners to 3 speeds. Anyway, the route goes through a school yard nearby:

I get to cruise across the USA, and then down the path at the back of the schoolyard:

that's my girl riding in front of me; the path comes to a bridge, where I have taken a lot of pictures on different rides:

From there the bridge leads to a quiet residential street, which connects to others in the neighborhood, but unfortunately, they all go up hill from there, so often before I get to a major hill I will end up turning around and going back the way I came. I've been trying to explore new roads every time I go out and have come across some interesting spots.

So, I've been making the most of it here. It's definitely been an adjustment, moving from a city to the middle of suburbia. There is less stuff to do and less places to go. But I still haven't wanted to get a car. I've made a few trips out of town that I was able to rent a car for cheap and go. What I need to do is meet more cruiser folks around here, get some group rides going. I guess it's up to me to start the scene. Anyone nearby who wants to cruise let me know.

 

[aka_locojoe]

Thanks for the update. I enjoyed reading it.