East Bay Bike Path

We loaded the bikes in the truck and headed to Independence Park in Bristol, where the East Bay Bike Path has its southern terminus. We rode north along the Narragansett Bay.

After a few miles we came to the Rhode Island Audubon Society's Environmental Education Center. We stopped to walk around the small Wildlife Refuge and to visit the exhibits at the Education Center. The exhibits focused on the habitats outside, from the bay, to tidepools, saltgrass marsh, freshwater pool, and meadows. One of the denizens of the tidepool was a blue lobster.

Boardwalk leads to the bay

Meadow

We ate our sandwiches on the wildlife observation deck overlooking the bay. We learned a new word: "wrack zone" from a dedication marker by the water's edge. The wrack zone is the area just above high tide where kelp and other detritus is deposited. We also got to take part in the Audubon Society project to monitor the health and growth of plants in the refuge and the status of invasive species. A "picture post" gave precise directions for taking photos in 8 directions from the top of the post and then sending them in for the study. Ken was happy to do this.

Grasshopper in the meadow

Picture post

As we rode north along the trail, we passed ponds and inlets. On one we watched a great blue heron and some white egrets fishing, along with some cormorants and a pair of mallards. We also saw some majestic white swans.

Lunch at the wildlife lookout over Narragansett Bay

Water birds stalk about mud flats

The path goes north to Providence, 14.3 miles total, but we stopped after 10 miles and returned to the truck, technically in violation of the 5-hour parking limit.

This morning I stubbed my little toe on the 10 lb. weight I keep under the bed--ouch.

I made meatloaf and baked white and sweet potatoes for dinner--hit the spot after a lovely, but somewhat chilly and windy, day. We caught the end of House and were a bit surprised to find "girl on girl action" talked about and depicted in more detail than we would have expected in primetime. Guess times are changing.