Hartford Line – Hartford Cycle

Open skies, puffy white clouds, and not too hot… a truly glorious day for a bike ride.

But the Grand Plan Southern Expedition comes to screeching halt: It seems this tire has been eating itself from the inside.

This led to a bit of excitement, racing to the closest train station, repeatedly stopping to refill the deflating rear tire. With 10+ minutes to spare and the train running a bit late, I finally had time to take in the “scenery” a bit.

Wallingford puts me one stop short of the goal of New Haven (two, if you include both New Haven stations). The plan was to bike down, hang out, and choo choo back up – the reverse of the Springfield trip.

Back in Hartford, a rest at Bushnell Park afforded more leisurely maintenance – a patched tube and granola bar wrapper over the shredded casing was enough for the ride home. All’s well that ends well.

Planes and cars and bikes and boats
These things will all take you to places remote
And if you’ve a minute, I’ll now you regale
A journey once taken, by rails and rail trails…

A chug and a choo, a woot and a clang
All now make way for the oncoming train!
“Step up, this way sir – you’ll notice in back”
“A bay and some bungees, fix your bike to that rack!”

And away now, with speed, we cast off up north
Past locks and canal and that River with girth…

But what is the goal, where does this train go?
Springfield, Massachusetts – we might as well slow!

And onto the platform, then station depart
To search out the scene, some sights and street art…

…To halls that enshrine the famous at hoops
And courtyards remembering that fellow called Seuss

But the journey’s just started, we must up the pace
So refill with treats from a usual place

Past sun beaten roads, provisions run low,
But a welcome relief – the greenway to home!

So if you are tiring of oft-travelled routes
And biking your umpteenth Farmington loop
Just grab your ticket, from your locale bail
To some destination, by rail or rail trail!
(-_-);;