Bike Riding

One of the great things about living here in Bridgewater is the opportunity for road biking . I can ride 5 minutes from my house and find mile after mile of secluded roadways. On any weekday between about 10:00 and 2:00, it's like having one's own private paved bike path. Some days I've ridden 15-20 miles while encountering maybe two or three cars. The topography couldn't be better with generally flat riding and only the occasional small incline or hill. Roads traverse rivers, ponds, woods and farmland with, particularly in Middleboro, wide vistas across vast, for Massachusetts, fields.

Wildlife and domestic animals abound. Every day I see many cows, horses, goats, rabbits and chickens. Often I'll pass deer, wild turkeys and the occasional possum, fox, muskrat or woodchuck. Once a 12 point buck sauntered across Auburn St. in Bridgewater only 15 yards in front of me. Of course roadkill also abounds, with all of the aforementioned wildlife being vulnerable.

The best area is east of Route 18 heading out beyond the Bridgewater State Prison complex into Middleboro and Halifax. At one time this vast stretch of land was considered as a possible site for an international airport. More recently the Wampanoag Indians planned on a huge casino resort between Precinct St. and Route 44 in Middleboro. Thankfully that idea went down the tubes along with the economy. While I have nothing against casinos, I'd hate to lose all my best bike riding terrain.