Our last day in Providence begins slowly as we wake up at 8:30 and pack our gear up for traveling. As we cycle in circles around the hotel getting used to our gear. The gear is packed well enough and we head towards College Hill to Rhode Island School of Design Museum. We quickly arrive and look for a nice place to park our bikes. Owen finds a rack in the back of an alley, which is actually the best option around. As we’re locking up a professor peeks his head out the window at us jokingly. Before we leave our bikes for the museum he invites us into the school for a tour.
He’s in charge of the furniture shop and takes us through, giving us an overview of what it’s like to be a student at design school. Upstairs we see CNC machines, a clutter of glass blowing ladles, and bare hardwood tables for sculptors. Then he gives us a few recommendations for Newport and wishes us a good ride.
At the museum we travel to another age. First 1950s America, then 19th century Japan, back to 18th century America, and finally French and Italian Renaissance. After a while we leave to grab lunch and eat by the Waybaussett Neck–Chicken Caesar wraps. It starts to sprinkle and the only dry place to eat is by some swans on the bank.
As we unpackage our lunch the swan broods inching closer to us. It steps in front of its cygnets protectingly and we stare back like deer. The trekkers try to befriend the matriarch, but Zach and Nicholas warn them not to. We manage to escape the encounter with full stomachs and most of our food.
Rain persists for another hour before it ramps ever slightly, then more so til sheets of rain eventually fall. By that time we’ve reached the ferry and are on our way to Newport. Most of the group decides to sit on top of the boat, taking the rain like frogs on lily pads. Before long we ease into the port at our destination and bike off.
It’s raining buckets now. The group flys along cobblestone streets and wet asphalt for a while. The rain thickens and curbs become waterways for a deluge rushing toward the sea. Our clothes are soaked but we head on. Only a few miles til the hotel where warm showers and drinks await us.
We bike through the pelting rain and have to deal with a pannier issue through it too, but are soon under shelter out of the storm. At the hotel trekkers split up to swim, watch a film, and cook our dinner.
The rain never lets up, but neither does our cooking crews spirits–fixing a whole meal in a small shelter outside the hotel. We eat in our hotel rooms and rest easy afterward. Over ice cream we meet in the lobby to plan our first camping day and to go over the ups and downs of the past day. Block Island here we come.