The day dawned hot and sultry. I knew it would call for an early start if I were to get in a bike ride before the heat became stifling. I suited up and filled two bottles with cold Cytomax, stuffing them into the bottle cages on the Trek. I spun my way down Church Avenue until it teed into West Shore Road where I took the side streets down to Conimicut Point. Fishermen were working the sandy area north of the sand bar casting their rigs into the calm salt water. I turned around and rode back up Shawomet to the main drag then followed the bay until I reached Warwick Ave.

I ducked back into the Francis Farms neighborhood at Squantum Ave. following in onto Namquid until I emerged on the red, white and blue striped pavement of Narragansett Parkway heading into Pawtuxet Village. The village was quiet with very few signs of life in the charming little historic center.

I took the right at Ocean Ave. rolling around the roundabout onto the riverfront avenue starting in at Stillhouse Cove. Herons, both gray and white, were searching the shallows for their breakfast. On the glassy water near the marina, a lone paddleboarder dipped her blade into the smooth surface of the bay, gracefully gliding past the fleet moored along the docks.

I went as far as the Edgewood Beach area of Cranston where things began to get a little more urban featuring scrawling graffiti and boarded up businesses. I turned around and retraced my route pumping as hard as I could for home. A few more weekenders were walking the quiet lanes of Pawtuxet but traffic was still light and the morning was calm.

The rest of the afternoon was restful with swimming in the backyard above ground pool. I made a quick run down to Dockside Market for som fresh halibut that we barbecued up on the backyard grill.

Our little family has grown up and flown the nest. It was fun watching them develop