What a gloriously sunny day! I loved this first part of the East Coast Greenway, with the Long Island Sound never from from view. You don’t want to know how many times we stopped for photos (and food) between New Haven and Milford.
And then there were the elegant mansions in ritzy Fairfield and Westport neighborhoods that put those along the Greenway route in Ponte Vedra Beach to shame.
But the route wasn’t all simple.
Rivers and bays … so much water to cross and only a few bridges. So we zigged and zagged, also back and forth under railroad tracks and I-95. Be warned: unlike much of the rest of the East Coast Greenway in Connecticut, the route east of Milford is not particularly friendly for those who aren’t confident riders.
Fun fact: the showman and politician P.T. Barnum (“there’s a sucker born every minute”) lived in Bridgeport and is buried there.
After dawdling all morning, we needed to pick up the pace. What we didn’t need were the ups and downs in the back half of our 57-mile day. At least it was mild compared to anything further inland, as anyone who has driven the Merritt Parkway can imagine. On the other hand, we passed an ice cream stop for refueling and, while briefly on the Boston Post Road, a bike shop to get a tire back to full pressure after a flat tire several miles back.
A few more photos from the day:
A comment over dinner — and a remark from a hotel employee the next morning — reminded me of one fact many don’t realize about bike rides like this: you don’t need to bike on the roads you drive on. No Route 1 (and certainly not I-95!) — we favor the quieter, safer options, even if they aren’t as direct. Thumbs up to the East Coast Greenway for making its route and customized cue sheets available for free via its website.
Exploring by bicycle 