Originally Posted by
miss kenton
My long awaited approval for time off from work on Friday the 26th has come through. We are in, arriving either late afternoon Thursday, or Friday mid day. Wicked! [Kentons are leaving early Sunday.]
Originally Posted by
irwin7638
I expect to be there in the early afternoon. I will be recovering from the drive, but might be up to meet for a pizza with whomever is around later on… Whatever anybody is up to on Saturday night works for me. A ride on the Charles on Sunday sounds like a nice recovery day depending on everybody else's schedule. Of course it all depends on the weather. [Marc is leaving Monday morning.]
Originally Posted by
missjean
I'm just over the border in Nashua.
A ride along the Charles would be quite nice on Friday afternoon or Sunday. I also have to work on Friday, but can get out early.
OK, here’s a tentative plan, weather, etc. permitting:
FRIDAY:
Do a
leisurely ride along the Charles River of about 5 to 10 miles, longer or shorter by mutual decision; maybe 2 hours long with stops, especially Harvard. I suggest we start about 3-4 PM, with allowances for Marc and missjean if they would like to join. We would assemble about one-half hour before in Kenmore Square and travel by car caravan-style to a parking lot (any of several along the route that have free parking spots) near Harvard. I could travel to Somerville (Marc) and/or Roxbury Crossing (the Kentons) to show the way to Kenmore.
Afterwards, we can stay together and go back to Kenmore Square, park on the street, stash the bikes, and go for a walk and/or dinner. Or, we can disassemble to our lodgings and reconvene, or just call it a day. We may want to submit our registrations for the Ride before 10 PM via the Internet.
SATURDAY:
The Ride. Again, convene in Kenmore Square and travel to North Acton. The Metric Century starts at 9 AM, and I would estimate about 45-60 minutes to get to the start. Presumably we would all finish in the mid-afternoon, and have lunch at the starting point. Afterwards, we could decide what to do from then on.
FOR THE KENTONS:
Since you’ll be here on Friday morning, you are on your own. Personally, whenever I visit a new city, I pick up a map and walk or ride to explore. Not far from your Hotel, you could pick up a rental cycle from a Hubways bike-share kiosk, to avoid the hassle of taking yours, but I think walking would be the best way to get around.
A strong recommendation though, is to take a bus or trolley tour to scope out the town. In the Back Bay at about one mile from your Hotel, is a cluster of major Hotels where you could pick up such a tour. Probably the most popular vehicles are the Duckboats, which you pick up at the Prudential Center (“The Pru”). They are amphibious landing craft and go into the Charles River as part of the tour. The Duckboats are kind of gimmicky and touristy, but fun, particularly family (read child)-oriented. Get there early to get a ticket. I think the trolley tours cover more ground on land, and most have on- and off-policies
Finally, a good guide to what’s happening in the City both current and long term, e.g. museums etc, is the
Improper Bostonian, a free glossy magazine available at various newboxes throughout town.
PM me for any questions.