August

AUG. 7-11, WAQUOIT BAY: The Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is located in the towns of Falmouth and Mashpee, Mass., on the south shore of Cape Cod. The main island, Washburn Island, is 330 acres of barrier beach, oak and pine forests and salt ponds, and is one of the last undeveloped coastal properties on the Cape.  The bay is shallow, with an average depth of three feet; it's ideal for kayaking, canoeing, fishing, swimming and snorkeling.  Fast and Fab has reserved one of only two large group campsites on Washburn Island for the dates listed above.  The sites are accessible by water only – canoes, kayaks, rowboats and power boats are all allowed.  There is no electricity or running water on the island, so we have to provide any water we need, either by bringing it from shore or by desalinizing salt water with a distiller.  There is a composting toilet, and we can hang a gravity-fed tank to provide a shower.  Up to 25 people may camp on the site; as on previous camping trips, campers must scrounge up tent and sleeping bag.  Bob Nelson has access to a large canoe and Tom Wilhelm can borrow two small kayaks, but we'll definitely need more watercraft than that; local rentals are an option.  For those who like the idea of a shore vacation but detest camping, consider joining Neil Rosenberg and Niraj Kumar at a bed and breakfast, the Chapoquoit Inn (http://chapoquoit.com/) in West Falmouth, which has seven rooms, then join us for whatever daytime adventures we embark upon.  Those might include a 25-mi. bike ride down the Shining Sea Bike Path to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a marine research facility that welcomes the public.  From Woods Hole, we can take the ferry to Martha's Vineyard, which has  large network of bike paths.  We might also bike up the Cape, though Provincetown is still a long hike from Waquoit Bay.  Bikes stay on shore, probably locked inside the van we will need to rent to bring them up to the Cape. Anyone who's interested should reserve a spot with Bob at fastnfab@yahoo.com or 917-658-9531.

AUG 22-24, DIRT CAMP: Shawn Hill hosts his semi-annual dirt camp for mountain bikers at his home in Middletown, Conn. All levels of riders are welcome, from beginning to advanced. Attractions include well-worn singletrack at Wadsworth Falls State Park and technical Miller's Pond State Park. You may need to bring a sleeping bag for the weekend depending on how many of us there are. NYC bikers normally take Metro North to New Haven and Shawn picks us up there, but the train won't take bikes during rush hour, so the earliest departure would be about 8:30 p.m. on Friday the 22nd. RSVP please to Shawn at shill@wesleyan.edu or (860) 398-0938.

AUG. 24, NORTH FORK CENTURY: Long Island's North Fork is the less developed stepsister to the Hamptons, with plenty of quiet marshes, farms and wineries instead of mega-mansions. Riders can go 50 mi., 66 mi. or 100 mi., but all the routes are flat with rest stops, bike repair and sag support.  This Glen Goldstein-organized ride starts at Greenport High School in Greenport, N.Y. at 6 a.m., which means you'll have to get up mighty early to catch the bus in Manhattan, or find some other way to get out there.  Terry Farrow is taking the train out the day before and will lead a group in the full century, so e-mail him at gartfarrow@yahoo.com for details of his plans.  Go to http://www.northforkcentury.com/ to register for the ride.  If you're taking the same-day bus, register well in advance since the buses fill up early.

AUG. 30, RIVERSIDE RIDE: Richard Brause leads this monthly ride. Meet at 10 p.m. at the Columbus Circle park entrance; return to Columbus Circle around 12:30 a.m. Distance? About 12 miles. Weather? We only cancel when no one in their right mind would have fun. Dress for the weather. You won't need sunblock. Free for cyclists and skaters. Appropriate for cyclists of just about any skill level and experienced skaters. We hope these rides encourage folks to enjoy our parks at night, without motor vehicles: quiet, safe, and relaxed. No RSVP required, but Richard can answer questions: redbike9@yahoo.com.

September