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Hello Readers!
If you saw someone slowly pedaling a bike through Oak Bluffs and Edgartown on one of the busiest days of summer — the day before the Fourth — no you didn’t. I was sweaty, running late, and definitely not wearing the right shoes.
It was a classic Vineyard summer day: hot, humid, and not a cloud in sight. I came over on the Hy-Line from the Cape (did you know you now have to reserve parking ahead of time? Try the RTA lot next door), and rented a bike at the first shop I spotted off the boat. Thirty bucks for a traditional ride, or fifty for an e-bike. The guy at the shop tried to upsell me; I resisted.
Aren’t regular bikes better for the environment? I found out later that while traditional bikes have a lower manufacturing footprint, e-bikes can actually be more sustainable in the long run, especially if they replace car trips. Their emissions are minimal, especially when charged with renewable energy, and they make longer trips more doable. Good to know for next time.
I stuck with my analog wheels and pedaled down Beach Road, past the new recycled racks along Senge, and into the Triangle, where traffic was at a standstill. Range Rovers, G-Wagons, even the VTA bus that had passed me 10 minutes earlier — all crawling. I cruised right by. And it really is the best way to see the Island. Every salty breeze and glimpse of glimmering water reminded me why it’s so easy to fall in love with this place. It’s almost involuntary — the urge to say something out loud to no one about how stunning it is.
By the time I coasted into town, legs burning, I was ready for something cold, something fresh, and something grown right here. (I went to Rosewater.) And that’s what this issue is all about — what’s grown, caught, cooked, and shared across the Island. Whether it’s a seafood shack in Menemsha or a nonprofit farm giving everything they grow away, food brings us together. And after a long bike ride, it tastes even better.
One of our own, Whitney Multari, who usually works her magic as our designer and production manager, did it all for this issue: she grew tomatoes, made a soup from them, wrote the story, took the photos, and designed the layout. We’re grateful. And hungry.
We hope you enjoy this issue, and as always, thank you for reading.
– Britt Bowker (and Jamie Kageleiry)
