More Exploration of MV by Bike

The forecast calling for scattered rain showers, we decided to stay off the water but still be adventurous and travel by bike to explore more of the Island.  As luck would have it, the rain held off for the entire day and we were able to enjoy our 30 mile bike ride into many of the nook and cranny's of the Island.

Leaving from Vineyard Haven we traveled to Edgartown and took a tour of the Vincent House.  This is the only original home standing on the Island dating back to the early 1600's.  We took a trip back in time seeing what it was like to live in the era and all the hardship they had to endure.

  Next door and part of the tour was the Dr. Fisher house built in the early 1800's and exemplified wealth during that time. We strolled the beautiful gardens with all the flowers in full bloom.

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   Next door was one of the original Methodist churches which is still in operation today.

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Guy and I are pictured above in front of the newly restored mural that replicated the original of the early 1800's.  It had been painted with milk and whale oil and had deteriorated.  A picture of the mural was found in some archives and a local artist restored the mural and it was completed just last month.  We felt fortunate to be a part of the "opening viewing".  After our tour, we strolled along the shops of Edgartown and had lunch at Humphries and split their Gobbler Sandwich which consisted of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce on a home made roll.  It was like having a condensed Thanksgiving dinner.

Just down the street from the sandwich shop is a small church which houses several original Tiffany stained glass windows.  We reflected for a bit as we rested for awhile before heading back on our bikes to Oaks Bluff for some more exploration. 

Entering Oaks Bluff where the ferries arrive we noticed the increase in traffic.  This sleepy town of 18,000 residents increases to over 100,000 visitors during the summer months.  With a holiday weekend around the corner, the ferries are full with tourists arriving.  We have felt very fortunate to have been here during a slow week, however the weekend will be insane.  We have spent our last few days in the busy/touristy part of the island and as the crowds come in, we will spend the remainder of our time Up Island where the pace will remain much slower (hopefully).

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Pictured above is another scene from the movie "Jaws"  The bridge scene is now a place where kids jump from the bridge into the great white infested waters despite the sign forbidding it!!

Our wonderful bike ride came to an end just in time for us to shower and have our romantic dinner at Lamberts Cove Inn and Restaurant.  A restored old farmhouse away from the bustle of the crowds would prove to be a perfect spot for us.

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We had an amazing dinner and strolled the grounds afterwards.  The rebel in me took over and we sneaked into an empty room............the perfect ending to a perfect day!

Nantucket or Bust?

Plans to take the high speed ferry to Nantucket today did not come to fruition.  Tickets in hand, reservations at a cozy Inn on the Island, romantic dinner reservations and bike rental in place was all a great idea.  Apparently getting into a fender bender on the way to the terminal resulting in us missing the ferry was not on the agenda.  Luckily, our ferry passes are good for a year, and we did get a bit of a credit for a future stay at the Inn. We will make another attempt in September to visit the Island after the crowds subside.  It's all good though....it will make our honeymoon last all that much longer!! So, we made the best of the day by finding other activities that otherwise were not planned.

To add insult to injury, while parking at the ferry parking lot, we had fender bender number 2 on the front bumper!  Good thing Guy is in the insurance business!

Looking for activities to fill our day, we headed to the West Tisbury Farmer's Market that is open on Wednesday and Saturday only.  We strolled and tasted and bought some local organic salsa, suave, spices and more.  It was an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

Across the street was an Art Gallery with all sorts of interesting "Yard Art" appropriately named Maidens of the Meadow" strewn across the lawn.  Inside were beautiful pieces of work from local artists.  Of course, way out of my price range...but lovely to view none the less.

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A beautiful day at hand and wanting to get on the water, we decided to go Kayaking on the bay.  We rented a tandem and paddled for a couple of hours taking in the sights along the water's edge.

Working up an appetite we headed in for a late lunch.  A rather intoxicated woman approached us wanting to take our picture because she thought we were such a cute couple and looked "so in love".  I joined her in the intoxication part....as these island bloody mary's are delicious!

Striking up conversation with our waitress, we were given directions to a local hide away beach called Great Rock Bright that took us to an undisclosed part of town.  Driving down a dirt road and then walking a path through the wilderness where we saw deer and other wildlife, opened up to a very secluded rocky beach.  We had the place to our own!  We walked the shoreline and past the public beach line to view some incredible homes on the ocean.

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The path back to the car we stumbled upon this gate which reminded me of an entrance to "The Secret Garden"  There were many paths in which to choose from in this sanctuary and I suppose one could lose their way quite easily.  We also discovered the grave of a former slave from the early 1800's

As evening approached we headed to Meneshma Beach to watch the fishing boats bring in their catch of the day.  We dined on fresh seafood and lost ourselves to a beautiful sunset while listening to the clank of the bell out at sea which marks the way for the boats.

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Exploring Martha's Vineyard by Bike

With another beautiful day in store for us it was the perfect opportunity to hop on our bikes and view this 100 mile square island from a different perspective.  After a hearty breakfast of steel cut oats, we were on our way to explore.

We started out in Vineyard Haven where our campsite is located and headed out with no real itinerary at hand.  We let the road lead our path and discovered so much natural beauty that often we stopped to take it all in. The island is bicycle friendly with miles of bike paths meandering throughout.  This being our first time on the Island, we were both surprised to see how little is actually developed.  In fact, only 20% of the Martha's Vineyard is populated leaving 80% of wilderness and secluded beaches.  With little elevation gain, our 30 mile bike ride took little effort.  We headed through the outskirts of Edgartown, stopped at the fire station museum and viewed some firetrucks from the early 1900's.  It was nice to cool down in the A/C as the sun was relentless.  However, with the constant cool ocean breezes, we didn't realize how warm it really was until we stopped.  Back on our bikes we saw a sign for Katama Beach, and decided to explore that area. We passed some beautiful mansions along the water's edge including David Lettermen's house and a home that housed Lamas as pets.

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It seemed a bit eccentric to us but I suppose an easy way to keep the lawn manicured!  We continued down the road heading to Katama Beach.  You may recognize this place as it was the opening scene in "JAWS" where the first shark attack occurred when the woman was taking a swim at night.

Despite the history, many beach goers were swimming in the cold ocean waters.  No Way Jose....and we were on our way!  We headed to the beautiful seaside town of Edgartown, another scene from JAWS where the shark swam into the harbour and traumatized Roy Schneider's son on the raft.  We ate lunch at Shanty's Seafood overlooking the bay.  Guy has certainly had his fill of Lobster!

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Bellies full, we meandered through the seaside town amazed at the amount of wealth that is contained on this Island.  The one thing that really stands out is the beautiful manicured lawns and abundance of flowers, especially wild roses, honeysuckle, dogwood trees and hydranga.  We played the tourist role with camera in hand and gawked at beautiful old captains homes.  Pictured below are some scenes of Edgartown.

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We continued cycling the edge of town to the Edgartown Lighthouse which offers views of the harbor and Chappaquiddick Island known as "Chappy" to the locals.

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My New England Clam chowder that I had for lunch was not agreeing with me and I started to struggle with the remainder of our bike ride.  We attempted to board one of the buses that tour the Island and carry bikes on front of the bus, but we missed the bus.  Although they round every 20 minutes, we decided to bike the 7 miles back to base camp.  It was not the most enjoyable 7 miles for me and I was happy and exhausted to be back "home".

After a short rest, bathroom break and re-hydration.....we were on our way by car to Oaksbluff.  The one thing about Guy and I on our trips is we don't slow down.  We take in as much as possible starting our day with sunrise and concluding way beyond sunset.  We wouldn't have it any other way....in fact our motto is "We can sleep when we're dead".  

The Honeymoon Begins

Our original plan for our honeymoon was to hike the Long Trail in Vermont.  Our trip to EMS supplied us with our tent, packs and supplies.  However, after much thought about the timing of our trip, we put it on the back burner for perhaps the fall.  Remembering the black flies and rainy season in Vermont this time of year would not make for such a fun adventure.  Then we planned a cruise to Alaska to view the Inner Passage, but again the timing was off for us. Luckily, we did get a refund of our deposit!  Deciding we needed to stay closer to home (puppies on the way and an upcoming family reunion) Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket seemed to be a romantic getaway in which to spend a honeymoon.  So, two days after the last day of school, we were on a ferry with our RV and car in the belly of the boat as we sailed our way to Oaks Bluff.  The morning was covered in pea soup fog, but quickly burned off as we approached the island.

  We set up camp at Martha's Vineyard Family Campground.  Spacious sites adorned with majestic oaks to keep our sight private and shaded.  Afterall, we are on our honeymoon!

  This beautiful triangular shaped island is bounded on the northeast by Nantucket Sound and the northwest by Vineyard Sound and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.  With a bluebird sky in store for us, we quickly headed in the car back to Oaks Bluff for a waterside lunch.  This seaside town is relatively young by island standards, and since its economy had more to do with recreation than with the time-honored whaling or shipping trades of Edgartown and Vineyard Haven, it evolved with a much more frivolous, lighthearted air.  Instead of serviceable, weather-hardy saltboxes or dignified captains' houses, Oak Bluffs is filled with whimsical, multi-colored gingerbread cottages.  It also leans towards pure entertainment with seaside restaurants and bars.  Perfect place for lunch!

 We dined at "Nancys" where I had the most incredible bloody mary with huge shrimp that adorned the lip of  my glass.  We then took a walking tour of the Methodist revival campground that is surrounded by the gingerbread houses pictured above.

After reflecting and taking in the quaintness of this town, we were ready to head to the beach.  We were told to visit the Gay Head Cliffs in Aquinnah on the west side of the Island.  We toured the lighthouse and took in the amazing scenery as we walked the beach.

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We strolled along the base of the cliffs taking in the salt air and abundance of sunshine.  What lurked around the corner took both of us by surprise.  We had stumbled upon a nude beach where sunbathers were enjoying the warm sun on their bronzed bodies.  Of course, my shirt was off in seconds and Guy quickly following my lead was brave enough to strip down to wearing only his flip flops.  The ocean breeze caressed our bodies as we continued our walk trying not to be embarrassed by our nakedness. It actually turned out to be quite freeing as we immersed ourselves in the moment.

The sun burning our skin "where the sun don't shine" brought our journey to an end as we hopped back in the car letting the road lead us to our next destination.  Luck have it, we stumbled upon the ferry that hops across the water to Chappaquiddick Island.  Of course, we had to visit Dykes Bridge, the site of the Ted Kennedy mishap that took the life of Mary Jo Kopechne on July 18th 1969.

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The island is quite rural with no restaurants or shops and residents have to take the ferry across Norton Point Beach for activities of daily living.

  Many of the roads are dirt with only one paved road throughout the island.  We crossed Dykes bridge and sat at the ocean's edge for a bit before heading back into Edgartown. This quaint seaside town is the location where the movie "Jaws" was filmed.  We had a light dinner and strolled the streets and shops taking in all the sights before heading back to base camp for the night.

It was a strange silence to return to the RV and not have any of our dogs anxiously waiting for our return.  This is the first time we will have traveled without our four legged friends in tow.