BIG NEWS (kidding): I took another bike ride. A long one. I even discovered a place — another one of those Shoreline Public Access points — I'd never visited. It was way out on Indian Avenue, perhaps in Middletown, perhaps Portsmouth; I'm not sure if or where I crossed the line. But there was a sign, one of those familiar blue ones, at the top of a dirt lane sloping down toward the Sakonnet. So down I went. And the scene was lovely. I just stood there for a few minutes looking down (back??), transfixed. By beach roses blooming. Young girls bathing. Young men (and puppies) lounging. Smooth, gray rocks looking so soft, warm and inviting. Such a great sound: waves on rocks. It could have been anywhere, any coast, any rocky shoreline where long green lawns and stairways lead down to the sea. Or the river, in this case, as this was the Sakonnet. It wasn't a clear day — in fact, there was thunder rumbling in the distance despite quasi-blue skies overhead. And, if you want to go, I can't tell you where to park (never a problem when I'm riding my bicycle). Or where to dump (oh, that sounds awful). I suppose those can be issues at these public access points ...
