Originally Posted by
rholland1951
…I had a chat with Tyler about how to get to Charlestown from Broadway, via Sullivan Square, and he gave me the kind of directions that are necessary to overcome
Boston street signs, which after all are designed for people who already know where they're going. Off I went down Broadway, which has bike lanes most of the way…
Originally Posted by
rholland1951
One of the things that is new (since 1974, anyhow) is the relatively good cycling and pedestrian connections between Charlestown and Cambridge. I started on the homeward leg, still not sure how I'd go, but figured I'd learn something getting there….
This was a relatively short ride… through Arlington, Somerville, Charlestown, and Cambridge, but was a lesson in the efficacy of diagonal routes through Somerville (something that I really hadn't thought about), and also a gentle reminder that the mental map I formed of Boston 40 years ago, while driving cab as an undergraduate part-time job, needs a bit of revision. Oh yeah, and 1945' of climbing, courtesy of Clarendon Hill, Winter Hill, Bunker Hill, Prospect Hill, and miscellaneous speed bumps and ramps.
Hi rod,
That was a nicely written and photographed cyclelogue of Charlestown and Cambridge. So true about Metro Boston street signs.
I am comfortable with and enjoy urban cycling. I live in Kenmore Square and my commute through Boston is south of the Charles River, and even most of my longer training rides are southbound. When I head north, I
usually only pass through that section of Charlestown on Alford Street over the bridge, with
one trip once to the Naval Yard, with a visitor.
I recently realized what I have been missing after a drive to the new Spaulding Rehab Hospital, and realized there is interesting life on the other side of the Tobin Bridge. Somewhat “unfortunately” though, when I find the time to train, riding south through less-crowded and residential Boston, early in the morning, and even at other times does afford more continuous riding, red lights notwithstanding.
I would probably do more
inner urban riding with visitors, but,
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
…I had promised myself as I did last year, that I would not take the participants out onto the streets of Boston, since I live downtown. A well-used urban bike path with nice city views follows the Charles River and would IMO be a fine, safe, and pleasant introduction to Boston. Recently though,[a separate] post suggested a short, interesting detour from the MUP...
we were facing the busy mean streets of downtown Boston at rush hour. I myself had never ridden most of that on-street route to the Navy Yard, but I knew we could take sidewalks. Dick, as he was during the entire weekend, said “Fine, you lead the way.”
So we made our way, mostly on crowded sidewalks with some hazardous street crossings. Eventually I had to give up and go onto the streets. Dick had no problems with street riding, and actually seemed to prefer it. Later on he said it’s really no problem, and has cycled streets around the world such as Munich and London, so I realized, “What’s Boston?”...