Today I’ll be in the woods of Old Lyme, CT helping out with Ninja Zombies, but before I go I wanted to recap a few more things from Maine, specifically my 4th of July, which of course started out with a patriotic bowl of oats…

Ingredients: locally grown strawberries and blueberries, peanut butter, greek yogurt, and oatmeal.

After I let this digest a bit, Michal and I decided to rent bikes for the remainder of our vacation so we could have the freedom to get around without having to deal with the 4th of July traffic.

First stop with our bikes was Footbridge Beach in Maine which is my favorite beach in the area.

Enjoying fresh cut watermelon on the beach is one of life’s cheap luxuries.

After a few hours of relaxing on the beach, we got back on our bikes and headed down to Perkin’s cove for lunch.

Michal was very excited when while we were on the Perkin’s Cove draw bridge, a sailor shouted up to him to press the button to raise it.

Michal brought his Canon camera on vacation, so while we were in Perkin’s cover he took  some really beautiful photos that I plan on framing.

We also discovered a really amazing cafe I had never been to. They make homemade lemonade from scratch, and they have the most amazing back porch where you can sit.

Around this time we started to burn out, so we got back on our bikes and headed back, and after a nap and an epic outdoor dinner with the neighbors, we got back on our bikes to make one last trip…

It just wouldn’t be the 4th of July without fireworks.

Bike shopping is hard work! Since this will be the first “real” bike I’ve ever purchased, I’m really taking the time to test-ride a wide variety of brands and models. At first I was going to purchase an entry level racing bike, but after this week, I’m now leaning more towards a high performance sports hybrid. I’m just glad my father volunteered to help me with my quest for a bike, because he really made things easier in every possibly way, from bringing me to the best bike shops to doing research for me online. With his help, I pretty much have it narrowed down to the following:

1) Iseo by Bianchi

2) Alyssa by Raleigh

3) Vita by Specialized

4) Camaleonte by Bianchi

5) Tricross by Specialized

I’m pretty sure it’s going to come down to either the Camaleonte or the Tricross (although the Iseo was the first bike I rode, and I sort of have this weird attachment to it now). I haven’t actually ridden the Tricross yet (they’re bringing my size in from the warehouse), but the Tricross is pretty much on a whole different level than all the other bikes. Not only is it double the price, but it’s basically a racing bike designed to go over any terrain (rather than a hybrid designed to sort of be like a racing bike). The practical side to paying more for the Tricross, is that if in a years time I decide I want to start racing competitively, I just have to switch out the tires.

I’ll be test-riding the Tricross and a few others next week, so I’ll keep you posted on what I decide.

Alright, I’m off to go finish packing for BOSTON! I leave directly after work tomorrow, and I’ll be there for the entire weekend, so I am EXTREMELY excited to see some college friends, eat at b.good burger, and try and squeeze in a nice run around the Charles. There may or may not also be a prohibition themed party somewhere in that mix.

Today was just one of those days where a bike ride seemed like the only thing one should do, so after a few phone calls, Michal and I managed to secure some borrowed bikes.

We also swiped the below book from my father, who basically takes my philosophy on adventures to a whole new level (such as yesterday, when he climbed one of the highest peaks in New York through three feet of snow and then trekked back down through a river–all in shorts and a t-shirt).

After reading through some of our options we decided on Old Mine Park in Trumbull, CT which is an old rail road that runs for about 11 miles. I’m happy to report that we made the right choice, because this is probably the most fun I’ve had on a bike since some of the rides I did in North Carolina last August.

The bike trail is stunning, and you cross through so many types of terrain: flat, paved, hills, gravel, bumps, woods, mud, etc…

Since the trail is broken up into sections, it’s also the perfect place to do a short ride or a long ride. Michal and I knew we wanted to make it epic, so we parked at the very start of the trail and did the entire course. The trip took us a little over two hours, but that’s because we stopped along the way to take pictures and explore the area.

I also managed to find the coolest car ever….

That’s right, I’ve finally found a car thats proportional to my height.

On the car ride home, Michal and I reflected a lot on the incredible bike ride we had just experienced, and how if it weren’t for this blog, we wouldn’t have pushed ourselves to experience something completely new.

I had grown up in Fairfield, a mere three exits away from this park, and yet I was just discovering it for the first time today.

There are two things I now know for certain:

1) Pushing yourself to discover local adventures will have a profound impact on your happiness

2) I need to buy a bike