Some stretches attract better by season. From January through early April dangers from icy or narrow roads exist. But you may still be tempted by midday spins past foggy coves, frozen ponds, or snow covered fields. Winter quiet can be eerie or peaceful depending upon what surrounds. Naked landscapes look completely different than when draped in leaves. Birches akimbo and stark with white bark stand apart from gloomy pines huddled in lines and shamed maples and oaks with tanned cloaks scattered underfoot.
From late April through June, you can reliably plan to be where displays and events occur, such as historic reenactments, orchards in bloom, or renowned parades worth seeing once. Annual highlights include Gaspee Day Parade and the Memorial Day commemoration of armed service at Exeter's Veterans Cemetery festooned with thousands of American flags. Midway through May, URI’s East Farm on North Road has 200 blossoming crabapple trees and hosts visitors at a small merchant fair.
Shade eases your passage on sweltering July and August afternoons, although so do ocean breezes if you can tolerate thick traffic. About the best way to observe nation's oldest 4th of July parade in Bristol is to park in neighboring Warren and take bikeway in. Otherwise, it a long walk unless you know someone or live on parade route. Renown for art and culinary schools, festivals for both appeal. Aquaculture and seafood are saluted annually in South County. Arts and crafts are shown in Scituate, Westerly and Wickford. Pawtucket organizes an open studio crawl in September. Providence has several permanent galleries and tastings events held at convention center.
Colorful foliage attracts in October north and west of capitol. Curious foodies taste clam cakes and johnnycakes at Usquepaug and Richmond fairs. November afternoons with purple skies and yellowed expanses radiate a sense of belonging. December doles out hectic short spins amidst holiday shoppers, but also opportunities to pass fabulous light displays at night if suitably equipped. LaSalette Shrine in neighboring Attleboro and Slater Park in Pawtucket will get you more than half way through your annual search for a million points of light.
Naturally, loops through major parks, such as Colt, Goddard, Lincoln and Roger Williams, are usually pleasant. Comparatively ideal are 80 miles of 7 linear parks in state's bikeway system, since devoid of car fumes and motorist impatience and relatively flat. However, few are lit at night, patrolled, or planted as parks with flower beds, specimen shrubs, or stately trees, but they do cross swirling eddies on old train trestles and pass fascinating architecture built centuries ago from native granite. RIDOT offers a map online with all bikeways in detail and suitable roads indicated in blue.
Wary of drawing an army, excluding worthy, implying safety, or insulting ordinary, reluctantly list 10 appealing, brief circuits that take in some of state's best ambience whether you bike or drive. In either case, proceed carefully and share roads nicely. Since all forms of travel present risks, participants assume all responsibilities.
5. Glocester: Start around intersection of RI-44 and RI-116 in Greenville. Smith Avenue to Snake Hill passes orchards in Spring bloom, Mainly shady in Summer, town is renowned for its good road surfaces and low population density. Turn northwest onto Turtlelotte Hill. Cross and trace Putnam Pike for a mile, stop at Brown & Hopkins General Store (among nation’s oldest, open daily since 1809) in ancient village of Chepachet. Retrace up Turtlelotte Hill to Pound and sharply turn onto Paris Irons. A right on Snake Hill then quick left on Old Cranberry Hill tracks down Sandy Brook onto Rocky Hill Road. Elmdale leads to Polebridge, then a left on RI-116 north to right on Windsor. A left on Greenville ends your 20 mile spin.
6. Smithfield: Same start as 5, this is a hilly, shady Summer route with nice Fall foliage on back roads practically deserted midday. Go north on Austin Avenue to Mapleville Road. Either bear left onto strenuous Evans or right onto easier Tarkiln. Both lead eventually to Colwell. Right on Mattity then Nichols brings you to Log Road, a technical challenge for cyclists with twisty turns and undulating terrain dangerously south down and past Stillwater Reservoir. Pleasant View with its unpleasant traffic can’t be avoided, but a right off RI-116 onto Pleasant View Circle back onto Austin lets you to skip the nasty intersection at RI-44 near end, having covered, in all, about 17 miles.
7. Cumberland: Another reliable Fall foliage circuit starts near end of RI-99 (off RI-146), wherever convenient for you, and takes in varied water views and wide fields of Northeast Corner. Follow Mendon Road east to Cumberland Hill. Turn left on West Wrentham north. Turn east on rolling, twisty, tight Tower Hill, and right on Diamond Hill. Off route south on Diamond Hill Road is Phantom Farm with hot beverage and pastries. Again turn east on Reservoir crossing causeway. Continue north, bearing left on Burnt Swamp. To extend, you can continue straight with lefts on Hancock and West and a right on Arnold, up steep hill to The Big Apple, where fruits and treats are sold in September and October. Or instead take a left on claustrophobic Sumner Brown admiring allée of trees at Mount St. Rita cloister, then, in both cases, south on RI-121. The entrance to Diamond Hill State Park and Ice Cream Factory are to your left just ahead, from which you can backtrack. Or go straight on Pine Swamp then turn southwest on West Wrentham to Elder Ballou Meeting House, where, behind cemetery, cumberlandite, state’s official stone, was once mined for its iron content. Mendon Road to end completes about 15 miles, 18 or 20 with snack detour(s).
8. Scituate: Many bicyclists challenge themselves year round with this 14 mile circuit of lower Scituate Reservoir along State Routes 12, 14 and 116. Beware of fast vehicles, narrow roads, and sweaty climbs. Trees are mostly conifers and oaks, so colorful foliage doesn’t draw, yet does include Ashland Causeway and Gainer Dam, magnificent views across state’s largest manmade lake. Access from wherever you wish. Many choose the commons at North Scituate, about 3.5 miles north of route at the intersection RI-6A and RI-116. Others choose the village of Hope, 2 miles south of route, past the sporadically entertaining water aeration plant with scores of 30’ tall plumes. Where RI-12 intersects with RI-14/102, Ponagansett Road offers a mile detour to an impressive waterfall on the Barden Reservoir. There are no temptations en route, though Sunset Orchards nearby in North Scituate offers baked items and local fruit once harvested. In Spring, just past orchard there’s an impressive display of private rhododendrons you can visit for a small donation.
9. Lincoln. Begin anytime except in Winter at either Flanagan Campus of CCRI or Twin Rivers Casino off RI-146. Head east on Twin River Road, which leads into Lincoln Woods State Park. Bear right and follow park road past Olney Pond. At first real intersection (unmarked) turn right and descend through a rare covered bridge to exit onto RI-123. A right and 3 blocks ahead visit Eleazer Arnold House, a 17th Century stone ender. Further is Front Street with snacks and stores. Retrace RI-123. At Moshassuck River (sources are Olney and several smaller ponds) pass Moffet Mill (1812), one of state’s first machine shops, and Smith’s federal fieldstone Hearthside House (1810). Bear right at waterfall to continue tracing historically significant Great Road through Lime Rock village (1665). Turn west on Wilbur. Pass Conklin quarry, the source of limestone from which RI’s statehouse was built. Cross over RI-146 and turn left on RI-246, which parallels highway. Turn west on Harris to Jenckes Hill, then south on Angell. Turn east on Twin River to complete 12 interesting but strenuous miles.
