21 July Sunday cycling

It's still hot so what do the mad Englishmen do?  More cycling.  This time we're aiming for a cycle track through a wooded area surrounding the airfield.  Martha's Vineyard is criss crossed with cycle paths; alongside main roads there are separate tarmacked cycle and walking lanes, often shaded by overhanging trees.  There are more inclines than I expected on a 'hill-less' island which where made it a harder workout in the temperature.

The path through the wood is lovely; it's shaded and there are fir trees which exude their lovely lung cleansing fir tree smelling oils.
Having done so much good exercise we had to stop at a farm shop on the way back for coffee and cake.  David is testing blueberry muffins through America and I sampled a chocolate brownie which was so generous in proportions half was saved for later.
I have to give a shout out to fellow cyclists and brothers from Boston, Chuck and Troy, who we met there. Great to talk to you guys.
With our energy tanks refilled we pedaled back to town where I stopped to look at the big Methodist church.  For once the doors were open so I thought I'd ask if I could look inside.  A resounding 'No, we're setting up for a concert' was the answer from the lady at the door.  But chance intervened in the form of local lady Jane and her dog Gracie who were out for a walk.  David got chatting to her, first about Gracie, and she told us she was on the Historical Preservation Society board.  I mentioned I would have liked to see inside the church and she kindly gave me a short tour.  Short because the concert organisers ordered us out of their rehearsal.

I like to look inside churches.  I think they are an istorical and societal statement of the community.  Yet it in my experience of this corner of America it has been rare to find them open to the public.  The doors are kept locked.  For example in Newport we walked past the Catholic church which had an information board outside proudly proclaiming that the marriage of John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier took place there. I thought that would be worth a two minute peek, but no.  All the doors were locked. Or, I just wasn't looking in the right place.