Nashua River Rail Trail
09-08-07, 08:01 PM
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Nashua River Rail Trail
I tried this Rail Trail for the first time this week. Here are my toughts: Their web site lists the end in Ayer, MA as having 50 paved parking spaces. I went on Thursday (big mistake), It actually has 6 handicapped, 6 designated for rail trail and 38 general public spaces. What I found on Thursday was 5 empty handicapped spaces and 44 spaces occupied by train commuters. and 1 space occupied by a rail trail user. The rail trail spaces says 4 hour parking (I hope they start enforcing this because 2 rail trail spaces were occupied by 1 large utility truck). Next time I'll bring a map of the other parking areas along the trail that don't have a train station nearby. I never got to ride that day, I drove 45 minutes each way for nothing.
I went again on Saturday. The same parking lot was about half full on this day. The paved trail is about 12.5 miles end to end and is relatively flat with quite a bit of scenery. It has well marked road crossings and is about 3 yards wide. Activity was heavy on the south end due to some walk-a-thon that was taking place, But after the first 3-4 miles it lightened up. And the "walk" was about done by the time I was back on the return trip. When I got back I switched to my other water bottle and went for another lap (2 lap total of 50 miles).
During my 50 mile ride I saw quite a few sights. A lot of geese in a pond just taking it easy. A few squirrels (which apparently are used to riders and don't dart around). I saw a number of families with their kids (keep both hands on brakes, the squirrels don't dart around, but the kids do). Saw one rider pulling a small trailer. I got a surprise when I found it was not a child in the back, but a small white pug nosed dog! Also four instances of crap left by horses in the middle of the trail (horses have an unpaved section beside the paved area) apparently they need to get these riders to carry an industrial sized pooper-scooper. And when I thought I saw just about everything, I passed a guy smoking weed (while he was pedaling his bike). When I passed I commented "Isn't that a contradiction in terms!" His reply was "Yes, it is."
Overall it was a nice ride with the exception that by the time I was done the temperture was in the low 90's and I was running out of liquids. I had a total of 32oz. I do plan to go again, it was nice to ride without the cars all over the place (I just wish it was closer).
I went again on Saturday. The same parking lot was about half full on this day. The paved trail is about 12.5 miles end to end and is relatively flat with quite a bit of scenery. It has well marked road crossings and is about 3 yards wide. Activity was heavy on the south end due to some walk-a-thon that was taking place, But after the first 3-4 miles it lightened up. And the "walk" was about done by the time I was back on the return trip. When I got back I switched to my other water bottle and went for another lap (2 lap total of 50 miles).
During my 50 mile ride I saw quite a few sights. A lot of geese in a pond just taking it easy. A few squirrels (which apparently are used to riders and don't dart around). I saw a number of families with their kids (keep both hands on brakes, the squirrels don't dart around, but the kids do). Saw one rider pulling a small trailer. I got a surprise when I found it was not a child in the back, but a small white pug nosed dog! Also four instances of crap left by horses in the middle of the trail (horses have an unpaved section beside the paved area) apparently they need to get these riders to carry an industrial sized pooper-scooper. And when I thought I saw just about everything, I passed a guy smoking weed (while he was pedaling his bike). When I passed I commented "Isn't that a contradiction in terms!" His reply was "Yes, it is."
Overall it was a nice ride with the exception that by the time I was done the temperture was in the low 90's and I was running out of liquids. I had a total of 32oz. I do plan to go again, it was nice to ride without the cars all over the place (I just wish it was closer).
