Jim from Boston

Hi Guys,

Thanks jimmuller for that referral. I've been contributing routes to this thread on the Northeast Regional Discussion Forum, ”Cambridge to Quincy Commute: Doable?” since it started to in 2010, and QtoC picked up on it in January of this year.

During the nice weather, when I expand my commuting route to Norwood from Kenmore, I often go by way of Quincy through Canton, and sometimes even further via Randolph and Stoughton. On weekends, Quincy is the gateway to the South Shore. I'm always glad to discuss cycle-commuting, but recently I’ve been become introspective:

So as an early morning reverse commuter, all the routes I take are wonderful rides, and I salute the inbound commuters like QtoC and mtalinm.

QtoC

As Jim from Boston mentioned above, I've been contributing to a thread that was started in 2010 about a Quincy to Cambridge commute. It's gotten a lot easier since then, with the Neponset River Bridge with bikeable sidewalks and Dot Ave and Mass Ave having bike lanes.

I live in W. Quincy so my preference is to enter Boston via Milton. To that end I have two options: Adams St or Granite Ave. On weekends I've been using Granite Ave and it's great. However, when I tried it on Tuesday I was getting buzzed like a chainsaw in a beehive. Its a 40 mph (to Mass drivers that means 55-60 mph) speed limit road with an on ramp to 93. Its not busy enough for gridlock but is busy enough for a constant high speed flow.

I didn't do it today because it was too cold for me. But I will try next week and for my own safety will avoid Granite Ave. On my way home, I can take Dot Ave straight to Adams St in Milton and its brilliant. Problem is, doing that inbound would be a whole different story as Adams St is just one mile long hill. Haven't tried yet, but I figure it would be tough- good for endurance training but prob not for commuting. But, after spending sometime looking at elevations on Map My Ride (which I've found to be incredibly useful), I figured I can sort of go around the hill using side streets in Milton. It will only add about 0.5 miles to the overall commute, probably worth it for the safety and scenery (Milton's nice).

If that doesn't work out I can use the Neponset River Bridge. But I prefer to avoid it because its a bit of a pace killer, having to use the sidewalk.

rholland1951

With family visiting, there really wasn't time for a ride, but with today's beautiful weather, I couldn't not ride. The compromise was a quick six miles up the Mystic Valley Parkway on the LHT, along the eastern banks of the Mystic Lakes, sunny, breezy, cool rather than cold, and wet from the thaw in places, a good day to be running fenders. The LHT is still wearing the super-grippy Conti Winter II tires, on a day that was too warm for them, and I had the uncanny feeling of running on rails: the grip was so extreme it noticeably resisted turning the front wheel. I could have swapped them out, but we're in for a bit more Winter yet.


rod

QtoC

Neponset river at sunrise:


This train was crawling and probably packed... So glad I wasn't on it.


I think I'm addicted now.

Jim from Boston

Glad to hear that. I'm starting to look forward to extending my commute from Kenmore to Norwood, occasionally via Quincy, when I start my 10 week Century Training Schedule sometime in April.

Nice pictures. At first glance I didn't note where rholland1951’s pictures ended and yours began, until I noticed the Red Line trains.

jimmuller 

Greetings from sunny (okay, really partly cloudY0 East Sussex, U.K.

QtoC, your pics do look nice!

I'm hoping to start commuting Waltham to Woburn shortly after I return to the US. First I must get some sleee-zzzz zz zz z

rholland1951

Those are beautiful pictures (although Sunrise photos always make me crave coffee)! More from the GoPro stream?

rod

QtoC

No, I just took them with my iPhone.

rholland1951

Ah, that makes sense. Explains the elegant framing...

rod

Nickel

Is it okay to de-stud? I feel like I'm welcoming a late storm by doing it too soon.

hubcyclist

Yeah, keep them on, Wednesday might have some snow, maybe if you keep them on we'll be spared

rholland1951

Ten miles on the Minuteman tonight on the LHT to Lexington Center. The thaw has done its work, the ice is gone. Temperatures in the mid 30's, almost no one out tonight. Perhaps I heard a little frogsong, perhaps it was wishful thinking in the bare beginings of Spring.


rod

Bishbike

Chilly 57 mile ride today. Lots of wind. Felt great to be out!

Ride w/ Mary - Belmont, MA

rholland1951

Spent a bit of time today conjuring Spring by taking the Continental Top Contact Winter II tires off the LHT, and replacing them with a pair of Compass Bicycles Barlow Pass 38mm 700c tires, light, supple, and wide. As befitted their role as a token for this hard Winter, the Contis resisted being removed, and for a while the process had all the ease and charm of trying to kill a raccoon with a fork. The Compass tires went on with no difficulty, and seated correctly on the first attempt. After a break in the bicycle action to go for a walk around Fresh Pond with my sweetie, at sunset I rode out on the new tires for 14 miles on the Minuteman, turning around at Bedford Street, Lexington. The famous March Winds were doing their thing, at times with a roar, and this ride fit the headwind-outbound, tailwind-inbound profile, with some time spent down in the drops getting small. The new tires roll well, have plenty of air volume to provide a cushy ride at low pressure (I ran them at 45psi front, 55psi rear as an initial experiment), and invite acceleration, a pleasant change from the tires of the season just ended, which trade roll for grip to a drastic degree. The peepers were peeping at Peepers Pond, first time I've heard them this year, and elsewhere some of the early elements of the Night Chorus were tentatively tuning up (hope they survive the coming week's cold). On the inbound leg, the big illuminated tree on Taylor Lane, near Revere Street, was switched on, an unexpected pleasure. All in all, this invocation of Spring was successful... and I still have the studded Nokians on the GT to deal with whatever Grandfather Frost brings us out of spite in the coming week.












rod

antimonysarah

I'm tempted by the new Compass tires, especially if they really are easier to get on than Contis. (This would be seeing if I can squeak the 26mm ones under my fenders, which fit Conti GP4000s 23mm nicely.) Did you pick them up locally or mail-order? (If somewhere has them in-stock, I might be able to get a better eye than mine to see if they'll fit before laying out the cash.)

rholland1951

Bought them directly from Compass. They're easy to deal with.

rod

mr_bill

(Sadly, this is why the Zakim Bridge can *NOT* be a great bridge. Such a wasted opportunity.)

Back from travel. Not today, a week ago. Rented a great bike from Mission Bicycle. Also picked up some great chocolate from Dandelion Chocolate when I dropped it off.



-mr. bill

Bishbike

Nice 56 mile ride with some friends today.

Friday Group Ride - Belmont, MA

mr_bill

Boston Engine 33


-mr. bill

rholland1951

Got out this morning before the rains came and rode the North Bridge loop, 32 miles, with temperatures just on either side of 50, depending on where and when the thermometer was consulted. Still a bit of snow and ice to be seen, but the roads are clear, the birds are chirping, and the trees have visible buds if you look for them. The Concord and Shawsheen rivers are high, and will only get higher with the weekend's rain. A lobster-back at the North Bridge seems to have effectively pacified the area, no worries from rowdy tourists. The ice is receding on the Cambridge reservoir. Felt good to be out on the road, without having to regard it as a Winter Sport...




















The hard Winter just ended has not been kind to the roads, and broken pavement, potholes, and exposed valves were too common today, especially on Monument Street, Concord, which seems to have sustained exceptional damage; this matters because the rolling hills there can bring you to a pothole at speed. I missed the worst of them, and the new tires on the LHT--Compass Bicycles Barlow Pass Extralight 700C x 38mm--were wide and supple enough to damp out the rough spots I did ride; it was my second ride on them, and they rolled well, climbed well, begged for and rewarded acceleration, and generally made me happy.

rod

jimmuller 

Did 33.6mi on the tandem today. Most of the roads were dry, though they sure aren't now. Lots of bikes out today, riders saying "Nice day!" You know it's been a long winter when they say that and its 51 degrees, cloudy and threatening rain, and the road shoulders still have occasional snow banks.

Almost ice-out on Heart Pond, Chelmsford.

sherbornpeddler

Yesterday was a fine Spring Day for me too. I filled a bag of roadside trash on a portion of a favorite bike route then rode the mountain bike to a trail planning meeting on the Sudbury Aqueduct. The aqueduct has a short way to go to be free of ice and snow and a long way to go to be a completed regional trail. Hope springs eternal.

It is nice to contrast our region with Mr Bill's report from out west, and read about the signs of Spring in Bish's long ride, Rod, Nickel, Hub and Antimony's tires and Jim's "nice days".

Jim from Boston

Hey Metrobostonopolitans,

FYA, see my tout of this thread on a current Northeast Discussion Forum thread, “Where did all the activity on this thread [sic] go?”

BTW, back in October of last year I replied with a with a long post when that same OP requested “Boston Info Needed For Columbus Day Weekend!” (edited due to change of plans):

rholland1951

SBP, the Sudbury Aqueduct sounds wonderful. I remember walking a section of it in Wellesley as an undergraduate, a million years ago. Any suggestions about where and when we can start to ride it will be enthusiastically received.

rod

Bishbike

Glad to here so many got out yesterday.

Had a busy morning, so I headed out in the afternoon hoping to beat the rain. Was supposed to be a recovery ride to Concord, but the legs felt good and made my way to Ferns in Carlisle. Soon after making my way back to Concord, the rain started, making for a soggy 19 mile ride home. Managed to avoid the potholes that Rod had mentioned on Monument Street.

All in all, a great ride!