Another Day, Another State

After last night’s very successful minor league baseball outing, it was very tempting to stick around for game 2 of the Governor’s Cup tonight. However, I figured it was time to say goodbye to Pawtucket and move on. My estimated destination for the day was New London, Connecticut – about 100km from Pawtucket. I say “estimated” because I had nothing specific planned that would require me to stop in New London but it meets the 100km guideline that generally guides my way.

Once again, I took full advantage of the continental breakfast before packing up my gear and hitting the road. I was really surprised to find out that Providence was so close to Pawtucket – less than 10km. Had I realized that yesterday I probably could’ve spent the day there instead of Pawtucket – although, I have no complaints as to how yesterday turned out.

I had a few minor navigational issues in Providence but that worked out okay as I ended up passing by the State House. Of course, I didn’t know it was the State House until I asked a police officer standing by. I eventually resolved my navigational issues and found the bike path leading out the city – and what a path it was. The bike route was a beautifully paved road on which I was able to stay for almost 20km before it veered north. With New London to the southwest, I had to return to the main road. I’m not going to lie, I was enjoying riding on the path.

Fortunately, the return to the road wasn’t remotely unpleasant. There were some narrow sections with no shoulder but the traffic was light and the drivers courteous. The rest of the time I was able to stay in the safety of very wide shoulders. Everything continued that way until the 80km mark. My route was supposed to follow highway 184 but that plan hit a hiccup when I was greeted by a “Bridge Out” sign. The bridge in question was only 0.2 miles down the road so I pedalled down to the missing bridge in the hopes that a bike might get through. Sadly, those hopes would be left unfulfilled. On the upside, the detour was only a few kilometres so I was back on the 184 about 20 minutes later.

With the detour and missing bridge behind me, I was starting to get pretty close to New London. That also meant that I was going to have to figure out what I was going to do for accommodation. My travels through the northeastern states haven’t really revealed an abundance of wild camping opportunities – or maybe I’m just looking in the wrong places. Anyway, I stopped at a Dunkin Donuts for a frozen drink and their WiFi.

My search for a somewhat nearby campground didn’t exactly reveal promising results. One campground actually wanted $50/night (USD) for a tent site. Out of curiosity I went to Hotwire.com to see if there were any motel options. It turns out I was able to book a motel room for $50 (Cdn). Of course, with Hotwire you don’t know what you’re booking until you pay for it but I figured it was worth taking the chance. That chance turned out to be a Rodeway Inn just outside of New London – and only 7.5km from the Dunkin Donuts at which I was sitting.

My arrival at the motel didn’t particularly inspire confidence that I had made the right choice. Unlike the other hotels I had passed along the way, there were no cars in the parking lot of the Rodeway Inn. I was getting the feeling I was one of those low-budget horror movies – and those usually don’t end well for those staying in the hotel! Anyway, I checked into the motel without incident and was more than a little relieved to find the room was perfectly clean. It even has a microwave, fridge, and bigger TV than I had last night.

Still needing food, I returned to my bike to seek out something to eat. Upon leaving my room I noticed a police car parked in front of the motel parking lot. This didn’t inspire confidence. His location was too secluded to be scanning for speeders. I was tempted to go over and ask if I should have any concerns about the neighbourhood but opted not to. I figured if it’s a bad area then it’s good that there’s a police car monitoring the motel, and if it’s not a bad area then I have little to be concerned about – other than where to get dinner.

The dinner issue was resolved when I found another Wendy’s – which meant another chocolate Frosty to end my day. I have to say, I really didn’t expect to be staying in a motel tonight but, all things considered, things have worked out really well today. For the same price as a campsite I’ve got a bed, electricity, a bathroom, and as a bonus I’ve spent the last few hours watching The Karate Kid and The Karate Kid Part II. Talk about movies I’ve not seen in a long time. Long time.

Today’s Totals:
Distance travelled: 107.92km
Time on bike: 5:05:56
Maximum speed: 64.62 km/h
Average speed: 21.14 km/h