Cyclists Show Support for Buzzards Bay at the Third Annual Watershed Ride
The Coalition for Buzzards Bay hosted the third Annual Watershed Ride on Sunday, October 4th. Pedaling through the bucolic back roads of Westport and Dartmouth, the beaches and working waterfront of New Bedford, the towns of Fairhaven and Mattapoisett, the farmland and bogs of Rochester and Wareham, and the coastal roads of Bourne and Falmouth, 56 cyclists rode over 76 miles to support and celebrate the Buzzards Bay watershed. With early morning fog giving way to blue skies and light winds, the cyclists enjoyed perfect cycling weather.
Coalition member and first-time Watershed Rider Gerry Payette from Fairhaven said, “What an excellent ride! And what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon? The sights are phenomenal. It’s why we work so hard to keep the Bay clean and educate people about what they can do to help it stay that way. Thank God for the Coalition and the work they do – it’s great stuff.”
Cyclists raised over $34,000 this year to support the advocacy, research, education and conservation efforts of the Coalition. This year’s top fundraiser recipient of the famed yellow Watershed Ride jersey was Coalition Board Member and Mattapoisett resident Gary Johnson who raised $1,780. Gary raised the funds by teaming up with a college pal and together they reached out to fraternity brothers throughout the country by e-mail using the Coalition’s online fundraising capability. 
“It’s a nice ride because it’s relatively flat, the roads are in decent shape, and there’s not much traffic on a Sunday in the fall. It’s really enjoyable. And we lucked out with the weather,” he said. It’s also a ride that supports one of his favorite causes – protecting Buzzards Bay.
This year’s route also took full advantage of four bike paths – the Phoenix Bike Path in Fairhaven, the newly opened Rail Trail Bike Path in Mattapoisett, the Cape Cod Canal Bike Trail, and the new extension of the Shining Sea Bike Path in Falmouth.
Cyclists rode past many of the places that have benefitted from the work of the Coalition: such as the western edge of Dike Creek salt marsh in Dartmouth, 78 acres of protected forest and wetlands in Mattapoisett, and dozens of harbors and coves the Coalition monitors for water quality, such as Clark’s Cove, Nasketucket Bay and the Wareham River. This year’s Ride also rode past the Coggeshall Counting House on the New Bedford waterfront which is currently being renovated into the Coalition’s new Buzzards Bay Center.
The 76.2-mile Watershed Ride began at Horseneck Beach in Westport and ended at Quissett Harbor in Woods Hole. Bike mechanics provided on-the road support and 59 volunteers helped ensure the success of the event by safely guiding cyclists in the right direction and providing snacks and refreshments at the water stops, which included New Bedford’s historic Fort Tabor and its stunning view of Buzzards Bay. Cyclists enjoyed lunch at the beautifully maintained Eastover Farm in Rochester and were greeted by cheering fans at the Finish Line Celebration at the Quissett Harbor House overlooking the Bay.