antimonysarah

Man, was it windy today. Was getting blown all around, and it kept hitting from the sides while there was traffic. (And as a headwind when we had nice open road.) I think it's partly the new(ish) bike, which is so much lighter than anything I've had before, and thus feels more flighty in wind. Rode out to Saugus Iron Works, hitting a bunch of nasty Black-Friday-Weekend-Shopper traffic -- still looking for the best ways to back roads north and east of Medford. (Nothing wrong with heading out west, but I'd like some fun rides that don't all start with the same 8 miles of city escaping westbound.)

rholland1951

I've been puzzling over the same problem, starting one town over (Arlington); aside from some short, hilly rides in the Fells area, haven't done anything practical about it. If you come up with routes you like, please share: I suspect several of us are in the same boat. I had the impression that cmolway had solved this problem, and a review of his posts might suggest a few rides. Speaking of whom: has anybody heard from Craig lately?

rod

telkanuru

Rode from school (Harvard Square) to Whiskey Priest and back to Allston this evening, for about 13 miles total on the day. I have to say, I really like riding in the city at night. Something about how the buildings go up, and how the streets make no sense. It's relaxing, even if pedestrians aren't too observant of the mini-sun on my handlebars.

jimmuller 

I've been able to ride indoors only for several weeks, but today we took the tandem out for 36.85 miles. It started out cool and damp but ended up drier and with the sun trying to peek out.

How many different ways can someone ride from Bedford to Chelmsford and back, through Concord and Carlisle of course? The Bruce Freeman was nearly empty, devoid of both riders and leaves. The roads, on the hand, had quite a few riders, and were covered with salt put down by the towns' road crews in response to yesterday's snow. It's going to take me 18 hours to clean all the gunk off the bike!

A stop at Great Brook Farm State Park.


Seasonal decorations at Fern's (where no other bikes stopped, surprisingly):

stedanrac

I got a smile from this post I live across the street from Ferns and when I'm stuck in the house (like today), I spend most of my time looking out the window at the bikes passing by. I had noticed your tandem in their rack

jimmuller 

Next time you see our tandem sitting there, do come over and say hi!

jimmuller 

So yesterday I managed to sneak in an hour or so on the '73 Raleigh Gran Sport, a bike I haven't ridden so much lately. Then today I managed to sneak in an hour and half on the Masi, home in Waltham over to the MM in Lexington, out to Hartwell Ave (Tophet Marsh), and back. Those bikes are both nice, exactly the same but different, very different. Today it rained lightly and the roads were wet. Even so, getting out at all was so lovely.

sherbornpeddler

Today was nice weather and I snuck out in time to get back before sunset. The wintermoths are out.
Today's local loop-de-loop as a bundled up Serotta ride matched the combined miles of several local trips on my new old 3 speed.
I may take the "3" in to Boston tomorrow as I understand winter Hubways are in.

Bishbike

I was on the MM the other day and could have sworn I saw a woman walking a llama. I thought I was hallucinating!

stedanrac

You saw corrrect:

rholland1951

The multiple uses of the Multi-User Path continue to multiply...

rod

sherbornpeddler

How so? They're both walking. If one were riding the other or biking with the other in a side car that would be ....I'll stop. It really is good reporting and a nice touch by adding the photo; another outstanding forum inspiration to get out and see something interesting.

If I can multiply or at least add a little light hearted levity, seeing that nice wool llama outfit inspired pulling out my recumbent's winter outfit. It's not wool and like the llama, not obvious how to attach reflectors and bow and stern lights for dark winter riding.

Speaking of which, anyone going to the MAPC/MassBike/Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness Winter Riding Workshop on 17 Dec?

Bishbike

I was going to draft behind the llama, but after thinking about it, I realized that it might not be such a great idea.

jimmuller 

With apologies to Ogden Nash, I offer the following:

The one-el bean that's a lima
The two-el bean that's a store
And I will be a silk pajama
There isn't any three-el bean

rholland1951

I suppose llama-walking (or goat-walking) could be seen as a generalization of dog-walking, in which case trucking along on an Elliptigo could be seen as a generalization of cycling...

Funny-looking dogs, funny-looking bikes, what's the difference?

rod

jimmuller 

About 35 miles. Don't know how far exactly because the bike is old-school like its rider. No computer, just a plain red Masi Gran, Criterium. Cool weather, slightly damp roads but no rain, a lovely day. Home to Concord, with some peripheral exploring.

Bishbike

Quick in and out from Waverly Square to Concord center. Not a llama to be seen.

telkanuru

They are, until the 28th, I believe.

rholland1951

Stumbled across this route, might be a good one: https://cyclingnewengland.blogspot.co...to-boston.html

rod

antimonysarah

Thanks! Part of my last ride overlapped on some of the Wakefield-Winchester section -- mostly nice roads. If the weather is nice this weekend, I'm going to do some exploring up thataway.

sherbornpeddler

Present and Future trails
I spent a few days learning about rail trail development. Rails to Trails Conservancy and MAPC hosted a series of meetings indoors and outdoors about legislation, funding, home grown trail related issues. Pretty interesting hearing from national and local old pros and local plebes all resolute and inspired. a large group of folks trollied, walked, biked and carpooled to Malden, Everett, Newton, Needham, Dedham and Somerville.
Day 1 we walked from Malden along the new trail to the junction of the Malden and Mystic Rivers.
The Rt 16 bridge between Everett and Medford will add a car lane and a new bike lane.
Day 2 was spent looking at trails in various stages of imagination or development. Needham has a classic old wood bridge and Dedham has a rail trail with a filled in bridge that cuts a greenspace in two.
MAPC compared their mapping of present and planned Metrowest trails and compared it to the well developed Switzerland. Metrowest Boston has a lot of dedicated, non-motorized segments and the beginnings of connection and Switzerland has a completed, connected network .

rholland1951

Chased my headlights up to Lexington Center and back, ten miles. Dark, calm, clear, and cold, 36 in Arlington Center but only 27 at the Great Meadows stretch of the Minuteman. Lots of cycle commuters out tonight, along with one chilly-looking runner in shorts and a loud, quarrelsome couple dressed in black, invisible but not inaudible as they walked and squabbled. Watched a confused driver back out of the Minuteman at Mill Street, apparently having mistaken it for the driveway for the new development on the old Brighams headquarters site. A tenacious cold had kept me off the bike for a couple of weeks, and this ride felt joyful.

rod

JayBlurr

Wind was tough, cold was evident. But we kept going for 25 mi. ride fixed gear fighting through traffic, jogger and pedesterians. The journey began in front of the NE Aquarium down the Storrow Drive bike rt. We made a turn up to Harvard Square continued up Mass Ave. where we turned down Porter Square through Somerville Ave. Found a great bike shop, regret not taking a picture but it has a website www.parksales.com, this shop was the best priced shop I've seen. Prices for a truing were $10 versus $25 that I've been paying and tune-ups forget it, $50 versus $120. We continued our trek to East Boston aka War Zone Mine Field, and ended in Revere Beach then took the Blue Line home. Feels good to be home and take a HOT shower, its freezing out.

p.s.

converted my UO9 to fixed gear, hell of a work out on my legs, its a good learning experience for me right now.

sherbornpeddler

Joyful and funny Rod. A perfect distillation of temperature change, invisibility, audibility and a chase of headlights. I toast your recovery and return.

sherbornpeddler

JB, Brilliant ride and sweet bikes. I specially like the multimode route with your Blue Line return.

Some great posts here with Saugus Iron Works, Masi, Ogden, llama, Medford passage and Revere Beach. And I was worried winter might be numbing.