Instead of going out last night as I fantasized about I chugged out of the garage about 7:00 AM bundled up aboard my Salsa Beargrease rolling on 4.5” 120tpi Dillinger studded tires. Feeling adventurous I hopped aboard the Charles river path on Prospect st in Waltham and rode it East into Watertown before numbing fingers compelled me to turn around. 8 miles in all. It was windy and there was about 4” at most in some spots buoyed by bare windswept pavement in other spots.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...df5660439.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...071dfb728.jpeg
That solitary line was my track.

Friday nite got out on some paved trails, out around South Acton. snow & wind was just starting 11:30pm-1am. plenty of clear trail but also lots of snowy ice to require attention. got back home & in bed before the blizzard started Saturday
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0af38dc3a0.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...050c7dabb2.jpg
the train station was a ghost town
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...afd1b6f5eb.jpg
I stay off sidewalks but sometimes, it's the thing to do
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7f496b91f9.jpg

haha awesome! get barmitts! what sent me home was a bloody nose

Wow!!! 'Nuff said.

rod

Beautiful! And COLD!!! Bravo!

rod

(now off to annoy the accumulated snow)

So, today I did indeed practice my other Winter sport (snow shoveling, augmented by a motor sport, snow blowing). I got this nifty souvenir of the disaster:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...-no?authuser=0

It occurs to me that this serves as a partial answer to the question, "Why do men have beards?"

Stay warm, y'all.

rod

the next night at about 11pm as I was getting into bed I couldn't imagine going out for a bike ride. it's like my sanity takes a break from reality sometimes

since this snow pack is likely to remain a good long while, I'm guessing my remaining winter rides, on my own bike, will be on the paved trails that get plowed. I can only think of one, the Minuteman. last year, I tried to plot a parking lot as far West as would work for that plan (can't find those notes). but I guess I could just park in Lexington, head West, then turn around when the plowed part ends & head back East to my usual destination, Spy Pond. I remember one year, seeing that they plowed 1/2 the trail (not the whole width) starting in Bedford, but we can't count on that

I thought they plowed the Minuteman? Since my fatbike made it about 1.5 feet on the MCRT on Sunday I soon realized that it was too deep for any kind of riding. I’m considering driving to the Minuteman if it’s at least fat bikeable.

oh absolutely but the Bedford section is questionable. meaning sometimes they do, but mostly they don't. & if they do they don't plow the whole width. sorry I can't tell you exactly where the plow/no plow line is or where the best parking is in relation to that exact spot. but yeah they plow! be prepared to yield!

I have not been biking recently, but my wife and I went snowshoeing in Minuteman National Historical Park today. We parked at the lot near the Hartwell Tavern. We made it as far as the Smith House, which was a little over 2 miles round trip. As we were shoeing, I was pondering whether the conditions would be good for fat biking. What do you snow bikers have to say:


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7c04cf7c44.jpg

I've never ridden a fat bike, so I have no idea what it would be like to ride on this. It certainly was great for snow shoeing, One could choose from unbroken snow at the edge of the trail, previous snowshoe tracks, or the packed down region from foot traffic in the middle. As you can see, there were also cross country ski tracks. I tried to stay out of those, but they looked like they would be good for biking.

We only see three other people while we were there, all on skis.

I've got all our bikes tuned up now, sitting in the basement, snugly waiting out the sloppy weather, ready for dry pavement and warmer (mid 30s would be OK) weather.

Grrr, that's good-looking snow over there, I haven't had the time so far to make it out there but usually there's good skiing - unless people walk in the ski tracks, and they do! The lots get plowed out. Last time I was out there, I saw 2 fat bikers and they seemed to be really enjoying themselves.
rumrunn6 is absolutely on-point with his description about how Bedford plows. The unplowed line is somewhere around Hartwell or Wiggins ave. Also note, that the crews clear the bulk of the snow, but there's still enough left in places to get packed down and sometimes turn into ice, so 28mm road tires definitely not recommended :D

Really impressed with you folks riding in these conditions! I opt for skis/microspike hikes.

thank you for this!

not me. I'm out. I need to ride between the snow flakes. meaning cold hard-packed, smooth snow, or similar. deep fresh powder is a tuffy

Gah, you're welcome, but I should clarify my poorly-worded claim. The unplowed line has been around those streets in the past. I haven't actually gone out there after this storm!

maybe one can secretly park at the National Heritage Museum parking lot just over the Bedford line? Wiggins sounds really familiar

http://www.minutemanbikeway.org/Medi...yMapFront2.pdf

or someplace close to that Hartwell Ave. (not Hartwell Rd.) I see a cpl businesses right near the MM & Hartwell Ave
Lurie Center for Autism
Alloy Therapeutics (this is super close & a short ride on Hartwell to get to the MM) probably closed on the weekends too
maybe their lots are plowed & wouldn't mind us parking there for a cpl hrs?
https://goo.gl/maps/C1SXA4dvAZMTh6Jm9

Wednesday, I got enough chores and errands cleared away that I was able to talk myself out of talking myself out of a bike ride for a third day running, and rolled out in the late afternoon on the GT and its studded Nokians to see how the Minuteman was faring.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...-no?authuser=0

The Minuteman between Arlington Center and Lexington Center was in pretty good shape, with the pavement largely clean and dry. In a few spots, plowing errors created unnecessary problems. This photo shows the segment that runs alongside Russell Terrace, in Arlington. This particular snafu happens every year, and there's probably a story about how it came to be that way, but since I don't know what it is, I won't speculate. In any event, in this and a few other spots, the available pavement necks down, and trail users have the choice of riding/walking/running in the mud, or contending for narrower than usual strips of pavement.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...-no?authuser=0

Farther along, and especially in Lexington, there were some areas (e.g., near the Maple Street underpass) that had slush fields of various consistencies. The studs and aggressive tread of the Nokians helped with some of that, and the fenders helped with the rest.

The sun set at 5 o'clock, which was cause for at least quiet celebration in itself. I thought that perhaps there would be no sunset colors, but the day pleasantly surprised me with a subtle display. Depending on the color gamut of your screen, you may be able to see it here.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...-no?authuser=0

rod

looks like it's next to a parking lot. so those 2 plows, trail & parking lot would need to coordinate to get the snow moved to the other side of the trail maybe? great report. you are doing great for winter if I recall, you usually hang up your roller blades for the winter. but yeah sometimes it takes talking ourselves out of talking our selves out of riding. looks like you made a good call

Historically, I've been all over the map with winter riding, ranging from near-total avoidance to adventures in blizzards. This year, I'm logging about half the weekly miles in winter that I did in the previous summer, which I'll settle for. Generally, I find that the world, as seen from a bicycle saddle, shrinks a bit in the cold weather. But the combination of the Nokian W240s and the 1987 GT Karakoram rigid mtb get me through more situations than I have the nerve to attempt at first when Winter returns each year; by the time I remind my body of how much actually works, Spring is back and I can take off the Nokians for another year.

rod

:thumb: counting the days!

Not sure what your goal is, free parking near the Minuteman in Lexington? If so
- don't think you can park at the Scottish center, they have signs there saying it's for patrons only
- Clarke St. near the Cary library has meters which are draped over with "free parking" bags (2 hours)
- just a little bit further out, you can park in this cul-de-sac near the Center Playground
- ton of parking on Worthen Rd. but I think if you get close to the high school there are some 2hr signs; could also likely stay in the Town Pool lot
- Craft Food Hall has a huge lot, but it's a private facility, so I would err on the side of asking someone - don't think they'd care, especially if you got lunch from them

wow thank you I'll look at all that. I was trying to figure out the closest parking to where they stop plowing the MM. I'm presuming the Lexington / Bedford borderline

Bedford plowing has been really variable over the years. Some years they plow all the way to the Depot Park parking lot. And plowing can change from storm to storm. I haven't ridden out there since the snow came to visit this year, though. I will admit to being curious.

rod

Stopped in to talk to the folks at Battle Road Bikes, and was delighted to see they had finished the build on the Ocean Air Cycles Rambler. I admired it, but didn't take it home: too much slop was splashing around on the roads, and carrying it home on the bike rack would get it filthy by the end of the short trip. I'll pick it up Tuesday.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...-no?authuser=0

The bike tinkering backlog is melting away.

rod

got rain gear & studs? yikes! flash-freeze coming in 3 hours!

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...44c20ec329.png