BostonRoadee

OK, folks, let's prove the "grouchy big city" reputation wrong, and circle up for a howdy.

Riding out of Watertown, MA, here, right by the Charles and not far from Watertown square.

Favorite weekday rides are out Concord Ave. into Lexington; and out Route 16 into the hills around the Weston country club. I also have a little 3 mi. interval loop right outside my house with only two stoplights, riding up and down the Charles. Nice, huh?

Favorite weekend ride so far has been the Arlington-Lexington-Bedford-Carlyle-Concord ride that the Quad Cycles ride introduced me to. But I'll be looking for more weekend areas this season.

Wheah ya from? Wheah d'ya ride?

yak

wassup

riding out of Marsh Vegas, the Irish Riviera.

Favorite rides are up and down the coast, out to P-town and boating it back to Plymouth, East Longmeadow into CT and back with my buddy Al, and Mass Bay Road Club's Thursday Hill Repeats here in Marshfield

spokenword

I'm from Canada, but I currently live in Belmont, right near that large park by Grove St. and Huron. Prior to that, I lived a few blocks away, near Coolidge Square in Watertown (near the Town Diner and the Tufts Health Plan Building)

My weekday ride is my 14 mile commute to work in Bedford. My favorite weekends are centuries

BikEthan

I'm in JP. Heh my only ride these days is my commute. Gotta work on that...

Bishbike

I live in Medford. I ride around Spot Pond, then onto South Border Road into Winchester to the Mystic Valley Parkway, and onto 2A into Lexington. Another favorite is Rt. 127 from Beverly to Gloucester, then 127 around Cape Ann. Very scenic!

BostonRoadee

Bishbike, I used to live not far from you til a couple years ago -- Medford Hillside, surrounded by all the Tufts brats. Nice neighborhood, really.

Spokenword, you've lived near two of Boston's most fun establishments -- the Town Diner is our favorite Friday night dinner place, and Belmont Wheelworks is lots of fun for rainy day browsing (shopping, if you feel like spending a bit extra...). Really nice peeps there.

Keep it up guys -- I know there's more of you lurking.

Baftap

+1 for the South Shore. Mostly riding Duxbury/Marshfield south to the bridges, out on the cape, etc. (Yeah, yeah, I know its flat).

GuitarWizard

Holy Christ...where the hell do you ride? The company I work for has a location on Cabot Road, and after driving around there (yeah, I get lost sometimes), I was like where the **** do you ride a bike without getting killed???

Road_Rider_07

Heart Of.

Yellow Specialized Allez Triple

slugman

Another Watertownie here, right by the Victory Field and track. I've switched away from a lot of biking since my last hit by car incident in August but feel free to wave if you see a tall skinny guy run-commuting to and from Brighton with a backpack. The wife has been looking at houses up in Billerica (for cost reasons, gotta convince her it's not worth it in aggravation alone) which will really bump up my built in marathon training from ~6 running to 50+ biking miles per day. Gotta find something closer than that or I might be tempted to drive...

spokenword

off the Fellsway is Riverside Ave. you can take this through Medford Center and then stay on 60 to get to the sane part of the Mystic Valley Parkway, near the Medford / Arlington border. From there, you enter Winchester and then you've got options open to head further north towards Wilmington then Andover, or head east towards Cape Ann.

As always, the Rubel maps are one's friend.

spokenword

The Town Diner has always been a favorite Saturday/Sunday breakfast spot. It used to be awesome to live two blocks away and to almost be able to literally roll out of bed and shuffle over in pajamas. Our current place is just a little outside of shuffling distance however

If you live near Watertown Square, then you're close to New Ginza, which is my girlfriends' and my favorite neighborhood sushi spot.

I like Wheelworks for some stuff, and I agree that they're nice guys and their selection can't be beat (though Landry's gives 'em a pretty good run for their money in selection and service) but Harris is still my main go-to shop. I usually only go to Wheelworks because their hours are easier. I only drop by Harris on weekends, because I never can get there before they close on weekdays.

That should probably be another question in these roll-call threads. Not just where are you from? but what's your LBS?

Bishbike

When I ride up to Gloucester, I usually park at a friends house in Danvers, then ride Rt. 62 into Beverly and get on 127 over by the Monserrat College of Art. 127 can get narrow, but I have never had a problem with cars (knock on wood). I am still looking forward to riding up to Gloucester this summer from Medford. Probably cut through Malden, Saugus, Lynn, Salem into Beverly.

Bishbike

+1

BostonRoadee

We tried New Ginza, the pad thai was pretty good, though there are much better nearby (ever try Tantawan, a little joint on Arsenal St.?). If there are better (non-red-meat) dishes there, do tell. I like that they're trying to inject some style into the neighborhood, though.

Spoken, Bishbike, Slugman, and anyone else who wants in -- would anyone be interested in a Watertown gathering? I'm not much for drinking (so bars are out), but the Town Diner for brunch one weekend (or weekday when I'm not working) could be fun!

spokenword

This is New England. You're supposed to spend three years getting to know someone and softening up their gruff exterior before thinking that you can hang out with them and get a drink.

Just kidding. I'm down with doing a meetup @ the Town Diner. Won't be able to do it until March, though, as I have to head out of town for work soonish.

Bishbike

I,m in, probably March for me too. Town Diner sounds great. Roadie, haven't had the Pad-Thai at New Ginza, but love there sushi. Great Pad-Thai at Thai Moon in Arlington.

BostonRoadee

Spoken, LOVED the retort about flinty new englanders -- sooo true, and funny. I never was that way, and I puzzle ppl here.

March sounds good -- anyone else like to come along? I'll pm or em everyone once we have a list.

Sorry -- Wife just corrected me: I was thinking of Asiana Fusion (right name?) in Watertown, just down Main Street past the square. New Ginza is Japanese, right? We're going to try it tonight -- just heading out the door!

BostonRoadee

C'mon, guys, I can't believe there are only eight members in the metro Boston area...



Don't be shy!

TheFool

I drive down from time to time to visit friends and family (I live in NH).

buzzman

Just happened to check into this forum. I'm usually in the commuting or road bike forums. Thanks BostonRoadee for raising the flag.

I'm in Newton Corner and cut through Watertown Square pretty much every day on my daily commutes into downtown Boston. I usually take the Boston side of the bike path or cut through Brighton and then down Comm Ave for the quick route in.

My road rides are the classics- The Concord loop, The Jaffrey Turnaround, Quabbin Reservoir/Wachusett, the Harvard Loop, my usual 40 miler is out through Weston to Concord Center. I tend to ride south and west. Lots of rides south to Providence area or the Cape to visit family. Rides west to the Berkshires where I spend much of the summer. Once the season kicks in I do some one day rides across Mass- a route I am constantly trying to improve upon- suggestions always welcome.

My LBS? I worked at Ace Wheelworks many years ago (like 25 years ago) and the Ace/Belmont Wheelworks crew were my roommates and riding buds so I'm pretty loyal to that shop but also use Harris Cyclery- it's closer and I've known them for years, too.

I'm on a big old black Buzz with milk crate on the back rack and studded tires. My road bike is an old custom lugged steel frame with updated Campy. I raced and triathloned for years- now I just ride.

New Ginza rocks. Best Pad Thai is at Amarin just up the road past Bertucci's towards Newton. The Town diner is a great place to meet for a ride. I'm recovering from a torn muscle/tendon in my back but always up for a ride but taking it easy till this muscle stops killing me.

BostonRoadee

Buzzman and Fool, welcome!

I hadn't pictured the brunch gathering as a ride; I'm pretty sure I couldn't go either as fast or hard as some of you guys. (I hope you other guys weren't thinking of it as a ride?) Last season was my first time back on the bike in 26 yrs., and I only got six weeks in before winter hit. I've been working out on the rollers and at the gym, but I think you guys are prob. in better shape right now -- until May. I plan to be at a different level by then!

So, Buzz, and anyone else, you're very welcome to join us for Johnny cakes and a cuppa joe when we do gather.

I had said I would PM ppl, but there are too many to make that practical, so here it is: General ideas for a date in March. Assuming at least some ppl can't meet on a weekday morning because of work, how about a Saturday around 9:30 am? If it's much later, we might wait a long time for a table. Plus, it leaves us time to get home and ride if we want to.

Open Saturdays in Mar. for me: 1st, 22nd, and maybe the 8th.

Now, if anyone has trouble with that timing, just let us know. What say you?

TheFool

I'm a real newbie, just started some light riding around town last year and am completely out of shape in general

cdoolz

I'm from Brighton. I ride at least 14 miles a day during the work week commuting between Brighton and Cambridge. On the weekends, I like riding out to Fort Independence and that general area.

BostonRoadee

Welcome Cdoolz! Brighton -- just down the road from me here in Watertown. After 10 years here, I have to admit my ignorance: Is Fort Independence a good cycling destination? Or just where someone you know lives/hangs out?