needed a haircut

It was time for my semi-annual haircut but I didn't feel like driving to New Haven. What's the next best thing? Ride my bike there and back.

I left my house just before 7am and took the fixed gear to New Haven by way of as much of the East Coast Greenway as I could. The last time I rode this route was over two years ago. I've been meaning to do it multiple times since then but it never manifested itself.

There still isn't much of the greenway between West Hartford / Farmington and Plainville / Southington. I was worried about not making it to New Haven in time so I took route 10 down into Southington as this is a more direct route. Traffic was almost non-existent as it was so early which made my ride easier.

There's a leg between Southington and Cheshire where you're back on roads. In Cheshire it is now a direct shot down into New Haven. Two years ago there was a section in North Haven that was not completed but it is completed today. That made the ride a lot more enjoyable.

I rode my fixed gear and strapped my bag of clothes and other odds & ends to the rear rack.

My best Grig Martin jersey did me well on this ride.

In North Haven I saw this apartment (or condo) building. Very modern yet very out of place with the neighborhoods.

Upon entering New Haven I was greated by these signs.

Made it with time to kill. Grabbed some coffee and read the paper.

After my haircut I meandered home. This one building in New Haven looked strange to me on the way into town and it was on my mind the entire time I was down there.

Its a relatively new building that was still under construction. It dawned on me while riding home what used to be there... An old factory or warehouse.. A building that had character.

(from my 2008 ride)

Such a shame to see it demolished.

In North Haven I saw these 'Ride Bikes' stencils on the way home. That's cool.

Instead of route 10 I opted to meander through New Britain and Newington to get back to West Hartford. I took a bunch of the roads we took when Tim Johnson came to town back in March.

Back in West Hartford I stopped at REI to pick up a spoke wrench to true Ginger's 29er wheels. I saw this outside the store.

Fifteen minutes later I came out of the store and saw this.

I guess the multiple signage was not enough and a giant sign was required.

A mile or so later I was home. Total ride was around 88 miles. I stopped in Southington on the way home for a roast beef sandwich and a Snapple to hold me over. Otherwise I had two Clif Bars and maybe two bottles of water. The ride down saw a nice tail wind which is why it only took me two hours. That tail wind was a gnarly headwind on the way home which slowed me down a bit.

Once I was home I realized I should clean the house's gutters and cut the lawn. Only problem was the lawnmower was out of gas and so was it's gas can (winterized). The gas station is less than a 1/4 mile from my house so I took my bike.

I didn't think anything of it until I was riding home. It then dawned on me that I am riding a bicycle carrying 1.5 gallons of fuel. Surprised no one complained.