Shining Sea Bikeway- A Preliminary Report

 Yes, I know.  I have been posting quite a bit about Zwift lately.  In my defense, that is about all I can talk about since that is about all I can do. My wife Michelle has gotten in the habit of taking early morning walks of about three to five miles, about five times a week.  The past few weeks of therapies have improved my back, so Michelle will sometimes ask me to be her walking partner, with mixed results.  On one occasion, I could not go one kilometer with throbbing leg pain.  On others, three miles seemed to be okay, even though it was not at Olympic pace.  On Saturday, Michelle and I decided to take a walking hegira to a rail trail that neither of us had even been to before, The Shining Sea Bikeway in Falmouth, MA.

We made the 35-mile drive in a little over an hour (thank you, Cape traffic) to arrive at the trail's northern trailhead.  There is a parking lot across the street from the trail terminus; it has a street name (Depot Road) which can be used for GPS purposes; however, be warned.  There is also a Depot Avenue in Falmouth that is nowhere near this part of the trail.  

We noticed right away why the name of the includes the term bike path.  Right before you get to the parking area, you will see a bike shop with plenty of activity.  Then, as you pull into the parking lot, you will see all kinds of equipment geared (pardon the pun) to cyclists.  Bike racks, air pumps, and a device with basic tools for bicycles could all be found in a shaded area near the road.  I would say that the parking lot could accommodate about fifty cars, and the two port-a-johns were a most welcome feature.

We start our walk early in the afternoon, with the temperature in the low eighties.  Our initial impression of the walkway being used primarily for cyclists turns out to be spot on. We do not run into another walker or runner for about a half-hour; this trail was used for heavy bicycle traffic, with every type of bike you could imagine.  Road, trail, racing, old school Schwinn, kids, tricycles, you name it, it was rolling.  We also saw many groups of riders with Pan-Mass challenge jerseys, perhaps heading to or from the route in Bourne.

The trail is paved, and the width is average for a trail of this type,  One of the first things I noticed was that the trail had stone markers placed every one-tenth of a mile to mark your progress, a nice and useful touch.  The trail is very shady, providing relief from the heat of this hot summer's day.  The train tracks soon disappear, and the sides of the trail abut the backyards of the residential houses that run parallel to their property.  While some have secure fencing with "Private Property" and "Beware of Dog" signs, some have carved out paths and steps to access the trail.  One homeowner even displays his woodworking abilities and a number to call if you wanted to procure his services.

About a mile in, we cross under an overpass with some artwork on the abutment.  The trail then advances into a more wooded area. A huge cranberry bog on the west side was being smoothed over for the upcoming season.  Just beyond this point, there was a network of nature trails that you could access from the left side of the trail.  I am not sure how far they extended into the woods, but I think the hilly soft surface would make a nice change of pace for a run..  We encountered about four road intersections with no vehicle traffic.

Michelle and I decided to turn around at 2½ miles, covering about one-fifth of the trail's 10.7 miles.  Most of the trip back consisted of the dodging of bike traffic and complaints of perceived approaching gradients, which was obviously due to fatigue since the course was relatively flat.  We also noticed at each mile marker there was an obelisk with the mile point, and about thirty feet away, there was another obelisk, slightly larger with a number that was a mile short of the trail's correct mileage.  The trail does have amenities such as water fountains, signs to side trails and points of interest, benches, and even a few chairs put out by private citizens.

If and when I get the okay to start running, I plan to do a full run on this trail to file a full report.  The various literature seems to agree that the most striking scenery on the trail is located on its southern boundaries, which was the part we did not explore.  I am already trying to figure out how to navigate the entire length of the trail in two or fewer trips; I better start to get in shape.

Of course, for now, that means more Zwift.  Ride on!

I'm Getting AZAR!! Intrigued?

 The beginning of August sees my running career still on hold.  My condition is improving, however not enough to either go on a run or report back to work.  I am on a myriad of pharmaceuticals, and I am going to a chiropractor two times a week.  The later part of the month will see me commence physical therapy as well as receive an epidural steroid shot.  I have put on a few pounds, but nothing alarming.  This is mostly due to my newfound efforts on Zwift.  Has this become an obsession?

Zwift is an interactive game/training program that you use with a bicycle, trainer, and some Bluetooth sensors.  You enter the program by riding your bike, and the avatar moves at the same pace that you pedal your bike.  You can enter races, do interactive workouts, go on group rides with like-minded Zwifters, or just ride around freely at your own pace.  There are various rewards and "bounty" for achieving certain accomplishments.  Think of it as Pelaton, only targeting outdoor cyclists.

I have been "Zwifting" (you know something is getting big when something's name starts to be used as a verb) for 2½ months.  That's about sixty activities.  That's about one thousand miles.  That's about 66,000 virtual feet in elevation.  That's a lot.  Some might even say that I am quickly becoming obsessed.  Enter AZAR.

As you might expect, something used by as many people as Zwift will generate all kinds of websites concerning various aspects of the game.  Zwifthub lets you track your progress upon completing routes and badges.  WhatsonZwift gives detailed information about all of Zwift's routes and workouts.  Zwift Power lets you see extremely detailed analytics about all of the races, as well as a comprehensive list of all Zwift events.  However, for news, tips, hacks, notifications of updates, and reviews, nothing beats Zwift Insider, the most popular Zwift website independent of the program itself.  There is loads of useful information for the novice, the professional doing indoor training, and everyone in between.  I get a popup reminder every morning alerting me to videos and articles on the site.  I found today's notice very interesting.

An article was written by Luciano Pollastri centering on a mock psychological condition called Acute Zwift Addiction Syndrome, or AZAR for short.  In it, Mr. Pollastri lists, in ascending order, some humorous signs that you should be on the lookout for if you think you might be burdened with this malady.  Some of the items were strictly for users who are big into cycling.  Mr. Pollastri notes such things as suddenly feeling that you are in the Tour de France when riding a similar course, analyzing all possible facets of a big race you are entered in (it should be noted that I do this for my running races), talking to and naming your smart trainer (I have a dumb trainer), and canceling social engagements to Zwift.  Being the INFJ that I am, the last item sounds excellent, unless it involves visiting my nephew, who has Zwift.

However, the piece does describe some things I have done in the short 2½ months that I have been Zwifting.  Right off the bat, he lists dreaming of Watopia.  While I can not pinpoint exactly dreaming about the fictitious Zwift world, I have had dreams about my avatar cycling on a free ride.  While I do not read Zwift Insider first thing in the morning every day, I read ZI nearly every day.  While I have not had heated debates over the fairness of Zwift categories and the pros and cons of certain routes, I have read up on these subjects enough to do so.  And finally, I have tried to explain Zwift to many non-Zwifters, with limited success.  Unlike Mr. Pollastri, who says he usually gives up with a "you wouldn't understand," I usually give up with "it's something like Peloton."

Is this enough to be diagnosed with AZAR?  Probably not.  Having said that, I did enjoy my longest Zwift ride to date this rainy morning, a whopping 44.31 miles in just under 140 minutes with 3780 feet of elevation.  And with roughly 3100 more feet of climbing, I will finally have a Zwift Tron Bike with super cool glowing neon tires.

I am going to take my meds now.  Ride on.