Summer's here! Riding on the road, riding in the woods

Today is June 21. Summer  'officially' arrived at 6:51 am (EST).  For me, summer arrived on Thursday at 3:30. I teach at Rockport Middle/High School and we finished our school year on the 19th. I celebrated by riding to and from school on my Bridgestone Single Speed.  I take 127A from Hartz St. in Gloucester past the marsh at Good Harbor Beach, through the South End of Rockport.  The pavement is smooth, and while there isn't a bike lane, there is a sizable shoulder with a fog line to accommodate cyclists. Riding to school is a great way to start the day, and it helps teachers and students focus! We had a successful B2SD in May:

Celebrating Bike to School Day 2014 at RMHS 

Young Mr. Bryan parking his bike at the rack

The Friends of Good Harbor  have worked hard to improve one of our city's most valuable resources.  Look for new signage, bulletin/information boards & stewardship of Good Harbor this summer. And try riding your bike there: you can't carry as much stuff but you can get to and from the beach with less hassle than by car. 

On Sunday, Mr. Bryan took advantage of an organized cross ride with some other dads to celebrate Fathers Day.  I took advantage of the stellar weather & rode in Dogtown with Maru.  We entered at Cherry St., rode to Whale's Jaw, then backtracked to the Boardwalk.  There we spotted pitcher plants and wild iris in bloom. 

 

                

Cherry St. parking area. Complimentary maps.

Dog not included.

                                   

These gorgeous flowers emerge from carnivorous plants!

The Boardwalk with wild iris 

Peter's Pulpit, a glacial erratic in Dogtown

There were very few people for a sunny Sunday morning, but I did say hello to a singleton mountain biker, a dad & two daughters, & two women runners with their dog.  Dogtown is a special place that provides recreation, solace & beauty for people and animals alike.  During the summer months, dogs are not permitted on Gloucester beaches. Consider a walk, run or ride with your hounds in this appropriately named open space.  There are terrific resources here and here.

While some have stoked the fires of hearsay about hauntings (and I will acknowledge that some horrible crimes have occurred within), I prefer to view Dogtown as a safe, clean, botanically rich treasure.  I have come to walk and ride in these woods with no one but my dog, and there have been many days where we see no other humans, nor recent evidence of them!   How blessed we are to have woods and the sea within our island cape!  Where do you like to ride in Dogtown?