My son John and I took an Independence Day ride, on a day that one would be hard pressed to improve on where weather and traffic conditions were concerned, 30 miles (more or less) that began and ended at Depot Park, Bedford, and made a great counter-clockwise loop up 225 into Carlisle, to Great Brook Farm State Park, past the Cranberry Bog at Curve Street, over to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail at Chelmsford, on down through Westford, and Acton until the posted end of the Bruce Freeman was reached (more to be seen there, I think, but the sense of the afternoon was not to push our luck), then N and E across Acton, Concord, and Carlisle to Carlisle Center (Ferns!), and on back on Route 225 to Depot Park again. John rode his Surly Cross Check, I was on my Ebisu All Purpose Bicycle. The rolling hills on much of the route supplemented the gentle rail trail grades of the Bruce with a healthy dose of climbing and descending.

Maple Street, Carlisle: the Maple Street Beaver Lodge rode on puffy clouds as the pond held the sky.


North Road, Carlisle: c1789, one of the numerous time machines encountered on the ride.


North Road, Carlisle: John encounters a time machine.


Great Brook Farm State Park: John encounters ice cream, the very thing on a warm, sunny day.


Carlisle: Tattooed Poultry, registered with the Mass. State Police. Perhaps they don't make 'em like that any more, but the sign, while fading, persists, another time machine. A tip of the helmet to jimmuller who established this sign's landmark status with this thread.


Acton: one of the many handsome wetland views from the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. If I were a frog, I'd move there.


Acton: a pond with a gazebo. That does it, I'm definitely going to look into turning into a frog.


Acton: the temporary end of the Bruce Freeman. It's not one of those AND WE MEAN IT barriers, and it might have been interesting to explore, but the sense of the day was to leave it for another time. It's enough to know that this trail is continuing to grow.


And that was that for the photos, but a sustained sprint through some lovely bits of Acton, Concord, Carlisle, and Bedford remained before we were back at Depot Park and continuing with the day. Good day for a turn of the crank, and for a smile.

rod