Providence, RI

We wanted to spend a couple of nights in Rhode Island so we camped at Happy Acres in North Scituate, RI about 30 miles northwest of Providence.  The next day we rode the Blackstone River Greenway into Providence and discovered that it is part of the East Coast Greenway. In downtown Providence, we joined with the East Bay Bike Path in the Riverside suburb of Providence and rode toward Bristol.


The bike paths crossed the Blackstone River and paralleled it at times for a scenic ride.  The settlers built a canal in the early 1800s and that provided water power for the making of cotton thread and later cloth.





In Providence, we were guided through the streets of the city with trail signs along with google maps.  



The homes and art gathered our attention.



The rails along the gorgeous rail trail were being slowly reclaimed by nature.  Being on the trail allowed us to take in views of downtown and the waterfront.




The Pomham Rocks Lighthouse was built in 1871 and has been restored.


In the suburb of Riverside, we stopped at the Borealis Coffee company for lunch, coffee and restored our larder with a new bag of freshly ground breakfast blend.


Later, the Three Sisters anticipated our Homemade Ice Cream demands and we responded to the opportunity.


The old textile mill area in downtown Providence is being restored and a new National Historical Park was just declared just 2 months ago.


The ranger Andrew was constructing a model of the innards of a thread mill using a working water wheel.  These Ken'x plastic pieces assemble like the old tinker toy systems I grew up with.  At the point of our arrival, he had just finished part of his model that changed the circular motion of the water wheel to a horizontal back and forth motion.


Andrew also gave us a most interesting talk about the history of this area relating to the wealth, slavery, and the climate of the area that made the making of thread and textiles a year-round activity.  Overall, a great ride of over 30 miles enhanced with coffee, ice cream, and a history lesson.

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