Meet Me In Montauk

It would be a gross understatement to say that today didn’t go the way I had anticipated. I’ve noted repeatedly how plans continually change on trips like these but today wasn’t so much a case of plans changing but rather unexpected things happening. Be warned, this is going to be a long update.

My morning didn’t get off to a great start when I found out that there wasn’t going to be a continental breakfast on which to feast. In all honesty, I didn’t really expect it even though it was a listed amenity on Hotwire. After I had booked the motel, I checked some reviews and there were a couple of recent reviews that noted the lack of breakfast. Fortunately, I still had some bagels and trail mix to tide me over.

Despite being almost ready to load up and move on, I still didn’t really have a target destination picked for the day. I wasn’t even sure in which state I would be travelling. I could either stay in Connecticut and cycle the north coast or I could take a ferry over to Long Island and cycle along that coast. Either way leads me through New York City. Side note, the thought of cycling through New York does not particularly excite me.

Anyway, before loading up I did my standard pre-ride check of my bike. Late in the day yesterday, I started to feel a slight wobble in the rear wheel so I had a suspicion that one (or more) of my spokes needed adjusting. Upon closer inspection the spokes were fine, but there was definitely a problem. A potentially big problem. There was a small crack on either side of one of the nipples that holds the spokes in place. The cracks were small but it would account for the wobble, and I figured it would also mean it was the end of the line for the wheel.

A quick search online revealed a bike shop about 7km away. I have to admit I was a little concerned that they wouldn’t have a suitable replacement wheel – I had considered getting the wheel replaced when I was in St. John’s but they didn’t have anything that would fit. I crossed my fingers and headed over to Wayfarer Bicycle. It turns out crossing one’s fingers isn’t particularly helpful plus it makes braking harder.

As suspected, a suitable replacement wheel was not available at Wayfarer. However, the guy that worked there was very helpful and was able to track down a new wheel at a bike shop in Niantic – about 12km away. I wasn’t too concerned that my wheel was about to explode in the near future so I hopped back on my bike and headed for Niantic Bay Bicycles.

The ride took about 30 minutes and, with the exception of one really big hill, was pretty nice and the cycle shop was very easy to find. And this is where I start to gush about Niantic Bay Bicycles. The owners, Steve and Kim were fantastic – as were all the staff. Super friendly and very knowledgeable. They said it would take about 30 minutes (maximum) to replace the wheel which would give me time to grab some breakfast. Kim recommended “Café Sol” – a local shop that uses local foods. I’m not going to say it was the best egg sandwich I’ve ever had but it was certainly the best one I’ve had in a long time.

I returned to Niantic Bay Bicycles to find my bike ready and waiting for me. The wheel they were originally going to use didn’t fit but they had another wheel that worked which Steve gave me for a great price. I don’t know how long I ended up talking with Steve but it was a while. He had some great stories of tours gone by – including cycling across the US to San Diego and up to San Francisco. It sounded great. We talked about trips, adventures, and wild camping. Kim also mentioned the website www.warmshowers.org which is a site to connect cyclists with a place to stay while touring. I’d heard of it before but had since forgotten about it. I’ll check it out in more detail when I have WiFi again.

Steve and Kim were also very helpful in recommending routes to take and places to go. After looking at the map with them I finally had an idea of where I would be going today – more on that later. With the time approaching 1:00 it was time to move on – it turns out, I had a ferry to catch. I said my goodbyes (and thank yous) to Steve and Kim and the rest of the guys at the shop and hit the road. I was off to Long Island.

There were two routes to the ferry from Niantic. I could go back the way I came – which would include that big hill again – or, Steve recommended taking a scenic route along the shore. The scenic route would add about four miles to my ride but I wasn’t in a rush, I like scenic routes, and I don’t like backtracking. The scenic route was a good decision. The timing actually worked out remarkably well. I was enjoying the scenic route and kind of forgot about the ferry schedule – the boat leaves at the top of every hour. Well, as luck would have it I arrived at the ferry terminal at 1:57 – just enough time to buy my ticket and get onboard. Ninety minutes later I was on Long Island and cycling towards my next target – Montauk.

Based on my end goal of Florida, Montauk would definitely fall into the “detour” category. Not as significant as my detour to St. Anthony in Newfoundland, but definitely a detour. And the only reason I wanted to go to Montauk is because of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, one of my favourite movies. Probably top 5, but we can get into that list another day. Anyway, I’m not looking for any specific movie locations but part of the movie takes place in Montauk and since I’m in the area I figured I’d go for a visit. Who knows, maybe I’ll meet Clementine.

Ok, as expected this is turning into a REALLY long update. I can’t help it. A lot happened today.

When I got off the ferry it was about 3:40 and Montauk was about 63km away. Doable, but I also needed to stop for food. My short term plan was to bike to Greenport for some food and reassess how far I could go today. Greenport is a very touristy little town and as such has a lot of local restaurants to pick from. I ended up going to BBQ Bill’s. A very special thanks goes to Tara who donated a dinner and a cold one – that’s exactly what I had. The cold one in question was a Summer Ale from the local brewery. Thanks very much Tara. Greatly appreciated and enjoyed!

With a fresh supply of carbs and fluids in my body I was back on the road. I still wasn’t sure how far I would make it today. Montauk was still about 60km away. It was 5:00. And there were two short ferries I would have to take along the way. Plus, I wasn’t exactly sure what time sunset was but the days are getting noticeably shorter.

The ride across Long Island was incredibly easy. Flat, wide shoulders, good signage. And my timing for both ferries was perfect. By 6:00, I was disembarking the second ferry but Montauk was still about 40km away. On the upside, the rest of the ride across the island and then up the coast on Highway 27 was unbelievably easy. On the downside, the sun was setting faster than I could pedal. For only the second time on this trip, darkness was going to be an issue.

It turns out that sunset was at 7:05. I was still on the road but it was about that time that I saw a sign for Hither Hills State Park Campground. It meant veering off the main highway onto Old Montauk Highway but I figured I had no choice. By the time I reached the campground, darkness had definitely taken over. But my day wasn’t over yet. I don’t care how dark it was, I wasn’t about to pay $58 for a campsite. Apparently the rates are double for out-of-staters. I won’t even begin to get started on that one. When I told the woman that I’d have to move on, she mildly scolded me for not calling ahead. Of course, the scolding came with a New York accent which just seemed to add to the whole experience. In fairness, I think the accent just made it sound like a scolding.

I continued along the now dark highway and, even though the moon offered some light, it was clear that I would not be making it to Montauk today and staying on this dark road for an extended period would likely not end well. Shortly after that realization I found a parking lot for one of the many beaches here. It seemed secluded enough and even if it wasn’t, I was pretty much out of options. I’d set up camp here and hope for the best.

By 8:00 I had my tent set up and all my gear stashed inside. My plan is to be gone very early tomorrow before anyone knows I was ever here. Well, that was a good plan until about 8:45 when a car pulled into the parking lot. Sigh. The vehicle did a u-turn and stopped next to my tent. A flashlight then clearly scanned my tent and the surrounding area. I don’t know for sure but based on the flashlight scanning I suspect it was some sort of authority figure. Whoever it was, the vehicle moved on without any direct encounters from its occupant.

About 30 minutes later, I heard some people walk by – obviously going down to the beach. Apparently I picked the Grand Central Station of secluded beach parking lots. I don’t think they even noticed the tent on the way by but they definitely saw it on the way back as it became a topic of discussion for them. They didn’t sound angry or annoyed or otherwise troubled by my presence so I’m hoping the rest of my evening will be quiet. Either way, I’m still planning on leaving early tomorrow.

And that brings us to the end of this very long update. It’s been a while since I’ve had so much happen in one day. Considering how the day started, I’m a little surprised how far I made it. All things considered, what could’ve been a very bad day turned into a very good day. And tomorrow I’ll find out if anyone will “Meet me in Montauk”.

Today’s totals:
Distance travelled: 95.22km
Time on bike: 4:18:41
Maximum speed: 49.00 km/h
Average speed: 22:07 km/h