Northeast - Looking for new daily routes, Watertown, MA

Hey, Folks,

I ride out of Watertown Square, in MA, about six days/week. I have a couple decent daily routes (in particular, you'll find me a lot on Concord Ave. through Belmont and Lexington) but I'm looking for a couple new ideas. I'd prefer:

- to be able to ride from the house instead of drive to the route (I have great weekend routes I can drive to, longer and more scenic)
- decent roads (not pothole-ridden, decent shoulder if possible)
- Few stoplights
- anywhere btw. 10 and 30 mi., round-trip

I know, I know -- "Move to the country!" I'm thinking about it!

Thanks in advance!

I don't know the area, but maybe these could give you ideas:

http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/srchkey/Watertown+Square/country/254/region/143/longer/10/shorter/30

The Walden Pond route looks nice, and the Danvers Sq - Alfalfa Farm one looks good also. Let us know!

Thanks, Neilfein, for doing some research for me -- it was kind of you! However, I forgot to mention that I'd been on the MapMyRide-type sites (like Bikely) and not found
anything new. However, the Walden route you mention is one of the ones I do
-- about 1/2 of it round-trip on weekdays, and the whole thing when I have more time. (Danvers, however, is way the heck north of me.)

Thanks, Neilfein, for doing some research for me -- it was kind of you! However, I forgot to mention that I'd been on the MapMyRide-type sites (like Bikely) and not found
anything new. However, the Walden route you mention is one of the ones I do
-- about 1/2 of it round-trip on weekdays, and the whole thing when I have more time. (Danvers, however, is way the heck north of me.)

BostonRoadee -- it might be helpful to know what some of your standard loops are. I'm assuming that since you mentioned that you're a regular on Concord Ave, I assume that you know the typical approaches to Walden Pond (ie. Concord Ave -> Spring -> Trapelo -> Sandy Pond -> Baker Bridge) and/or the Concord -> Spring -> Shade -> Mill -> 2A, right?

I also assume that you're probably good with getting on the Minuteman? And you have a copy of the Eastern Mass Rubel maps?

Basically, I don't have a lot of set loops, just a lot of pieces cobbled together from Rubel, and then different routes used to get out there from my place (near Mt. Auburn and Arlington in the Little Armenia section of Watertown) So, if I wanted to head west, I'd do Concord to Trapelo or Concord to Shade to 2A depending on preference. If I wanted head west-south-west-ish, I'd do something like Mt Auburn -> 16 -> Elm -> Webster -> 30 -> Norumbega -> River. From there you can make your way over to Meadowbrook to Rt. 20/Boston Post Road, and that's a new way to get out west of 128 but a little more south of the typical Lincoln/Concord/Carlisle territory that Concord leads you to.

Alternatively, if I wanted to head south, I'd take 16 to Walnut and follow that to Dedham St., then west on Nahanton in Newton and follow that out to stuff to ride in Dedham, Needham and Dover.

Finally, you could go north but after Arlington Ctr, and the fun beauty of the Mystic Valley Parkway, you'll have to pick your poison between Woburn, Stoneham and/or Burlington, most of which fail your requirement for decent roads and few stoplights. It gets better once you're into Reading and/or Andover, but that's also beyond your 30 mile max. So basically, stick with heading west, and try 16 if you're getting tired of Concord.

also, if you're eschewing the drive for ethical/environmental reasons, there's also taking your bike on commuter rail. you can jump on either the Worcester or Ayer line pretty quickly from Waverly Square or Newtonville, ride out to one of the western suburbs, then bike home. I've done that a couple of times.

Spokenword,

Thanks for your extensive response!

<<I assume that you know the typical approaches to Walden Pond (ie. Concord Ave -> Spring -> Trapelo -> Sandy Pond -> Baker Bridge) and/or the Concord -> Spring -> Shade -> Mill -> 2A, right?>>

I've certainly done the former, though haven't tried the Mill -> 2A you speak of. I'll look that up.

<<I also assume that you're probably good with getting on the Minuteman? And you have a copy of the Eastern Mass Rubel maps? >>

Yes to both, and though I like the MM well enough on a weekday, it is a bit far for the time I'm allowed on a weekday ride. I don't have the time slot to ride six miles one way through stoplights just to get started on the "real" ride.

<< if I wanted to head west, I'd do Concord to Trapelo or Concord to Shade to 2A depending on preference. >>
That's my main ride -- love it, but a bit tired of it.

<< If I wanted head west-south-west-ish, I'd do something like Mt Auburn -> 16 -> Elm -> Webster -> 30 -> Norumbega -> River. >>

This sounds intriguing, and I'll look those roads up. I hate riding on 16 in the West Newton area especially on a weekday, but for a short bit to get to a sweeter area, it could be worth it. I guess I'm over-picky about traffic, rude drivers, noise, and harsh roads. I do live in the city, after all...

<<From there you can make your way over to Meadowbrook to Rt. 20/Boston Post Road, and that's a new way to get out west of 128 but a little more south of the typical Lincoln/Concord/Carlisle territory that Concord leads you to.>>

Sounds like a good longer ride, I might try that this weekend! I have ridden a couple times off the Rt. 30 area, and it's lovely out there.

<<Alternatively, if I wanted to head south, I'd take 16 to Walnut and follow that to Dedham St., then west on Nahanton in Newton and follow that out to stuff to ride in Dedham, Needham and Dover.>>

I certainly know where Walnut is (used to work there), so I'll go check that out -- could be a good weekday route. Excellent!

Finally, you could go north but after Arlington Ctr, and the fun beauty of the Mystic Valley Parkway, you'll have to pick your poison between Woburn, Stoneham and/or Burlington, most of which fail your requirement for decent roads and few stoplights.>>

Agreed.

<<So basically, stick with heading west, and try 16 if you're getting tired of Concord.>>

Yes, I'll try using 16 as my exit route to a few newer areas, per your suggestions. I already get over toward Centre St/Newton for my hill repeat days, so I know that getting over the pike via 16 can be pretty easy. Perhaps I can cross the pike early from 16, and then use, say, Newtonville Ave. or similar cross-streets to get over to Walnut.

Thanks for all the ideas!

<edit> Strike what I was saying about rude drivers and harsh roads on Rt. 16 -- I was thinking of the Washington St. approach to Walnut and Rt. 30.

If I wanted head west-south-west-ish, I'd do something like Mt Auburn -> 16 -> Elm -> Webster -> 30 -> Norumbega -> River.

Spokenword, truer words were never spoken! I tried this route today -- though I extended it by sticking with Rt. 30 out to Ash St., where I hung a right, then up to the right onto Newton St. (a favorite part of Weston.) Ash and Newton are just beautiful, and there's some light climbing, even more of it if you want to get off of them on to tertiary roads. GREAT route -- thank you for the tip. I'd been avoiding Rt. 16 through Nonantum, had the idea it was too heavily traveled and the road was harsh. I was WRONG, at least based on today. <EDIT: I rode mid-to-late morning; I usu. find that traffic is a little lighter then than afternoon.> The little squiggle of Elm->Webster->Rt. 30 works wonderfully to get on 30 more quickly.

By rolling slowly up to all of the lights, I managed to only take my foot off the pedal maybe four times in a nearly 17-mile ride! Not bad for so close to the city.

Excellent suggestion! Thanks.

Excellent suggestion! Thanks. No problem, BostonRoadee, glad to hear that it worked out for you!

Looking over my old ad hoc cue-sheets, here's another short-ish loop that you might want to try (though it does involve a bit of riding on Comm Ave. and around the Chestnut Hill mall, which may or may not be heavy traffic depending on time of day)

Take 16 out of Watertown Center, then at the big triangle park half way down, bear left onto Lowell Ave. Follow Lowell Ave. south then turn left at Rt.30/Comm Ave., Follow Comm Ave. for a mile and a half then right on Hobart Rd. Follow Hobart to the Hammond Pond Parkway. Take this south to the Horace James Circle Park rotary and then take the first right onto Newton St., which becomes Brookline St. Make a right at the end of Brookline St. onto Dedham St. Make a right on to Parker, then follow Parker back over Rt. 9 and let it flow into Cypress St., then merges with Centre St. as you enter Newton Center.

Follow Centre St., but just before crossing over Rt. 30 / Comm Ave., make a left on Homer St. Homer will intersect with Comm Ave. a little further west, but on the other side is Lowell Ave. and you can retrace this bit back to 16.

No problem, BostonRoadee, glad to hear that it worked out for you!

Looking over my old ad hoc cue-sheets, here's another short-ish loop that you might want to try (though it does involve a bit of riding on Comm Ave. and around the Chestnut Hill mall, which may or may not be heavy traffic depending on time of day)

Take 16 out of Watertown Center, then at the big triangle park half way down, bear left onto Lowell Ave. Follow Lowell Ave. south then turn left at Rt.30/Comm Ave., Follow Comm Ave. for a mile and a half then right on Hobart Rd. Follow Hobart to the Hammond Pond Parkway. Take this south to the Horace James Circle Park rotary and then take the first right onto Newton St., which becomes Brookline St. Make a right at the end of Brookline St. onto Dedham St. Make a right on to Parker, then follow Parker back over Rt. 9 and let it flow into Cypress St., then merges with Centre St. as you enter Newton Center.

Follow Centre St., but just before crossing over Rt. 30 / Comm Ave., make a left on Homer St. Homer will intersect with Comm Ave. a little further west, but on the other side is Lowell Ave. and you can retrace this bit back to 16.

Thanks, SW, once again.

Sounds like a good idea... I'll hold on to that one for a day when I don't mind pulling out the cue sheet every five minutes! I've yet to try some of your original suggestions.