Metro Boston: Good ride today?
#7151
What??? Only 2 wheels?
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Boston-ish, MA
Posts: 13,434
Bikes: 72 Peugeot UO-8, 82 Peugeot TH8, 87 Bianchi Brava, 76? Masi Grand Criterium, 74 Motobecane Champion Team, 86 & 77 Gazelle champion mondial, 81? Grandis, 82? Tommasini, 83 Peugeot PF10
Mentioned: 189 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1223 Post(s)
Liked 645 Times
in
232 Posts
We always paid the fee for the Concord Unit off Monsen Rd, but once when we were going in a park ranger happened to be there for something. I have a Senior Pass for the National Parks so I asked whether it was applicable to there also. He said yes. Not that the fee is a big deal one way or another. I suspect many people, perhaps most, don't bother.
__________________
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
#7152
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Newton Mass
Posts: 41
Bikes: Madrone hybrid
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I drove in that day, one of the rare occasions. This morning - a cold wind from the NW got my finger tips numb. I sure hope we get some warm weather soon.
#7153
Funky Chicken
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 131
Bikes: 2018 Giant Stance 1, 2017 Motobecane Lurch, 2002 Trek Multitrack 7100
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 56 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
Thanks, that's good to know before I went and ventured out that way on my bike.
#7154
What??? Only 2 wheels?
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Boston-ish, MA
Posts: 13,434
Bikes: 72 Peugeot UO-8, 82 Peugeot TH8, 87 Bianchi Brava, 76? Masi Grand Criterium, 74 Motobecane Champion Team, 86 & 77 Gazelle champion mondial, 81? Grandis, 82? Tommasini, 83 Peugeot PF10
Mentioned: 189 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1223 Post(s)
Liked 645 Times
in
232 Posts
For those of you who plan to ride the CCRT on Saturday, be aware that the Sagamore Bridge is undergoing some work involving lane closures. Hence crossing the canal may involve a delay. Give yourself plenty of time to drive down.
If you are so inclined, drop me a PM with some contact info and I'll return the same. If you get held up we can know whether or how much to wait for you.
If you are so inclined, drop me a PM with some contact info and I'll return the same. If you get held up we can know whether or how much to wait for you.
__________________
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
#7155
Funky Chicken
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 131
Bikes: 2018 Giant Stance 1, 2017 Motobecane Lurch, 2002 Trek Multitrack 7100
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 56 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
I tried to go ride the Middlesex Fells but the place is a mess of downed trees, even though it's mostly dry. Ended up sticking to the fire roads, mostly, and carrying the bike through any obstacles or turning around where necessary. May have to stick to road riding for a little while longer on the Trek hybrid.
Still enjoyed the serene beauty of the reservoir free of off leash dogs and other riders for now.
Still enjoyed the serene beauty of the reservoir free of off leash dogs and other riders for now.
#7156
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: The banks of the River Charles
Posts: 2,029
Bikes: 2022 Salsa Beargrease, 2020 Seven Evergreen, 2019 Honey Allroads Ti, 2018 Seven Redsky XX, 2017 Trek Boon 7, 2014 Trek 520
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 696 Post(s)
Liked 910 Times
in
487 Posts
For those of you who plan to ride the CCRT on Saturday, be aware that the Sagamore Bridge is undergoing some work involving lane closures. Hence crossing the canal may involve a delay. Give yourself plenty of time to drive down.
If you are so inclined, drop me a PM with some contact info and I'll return the same. If you get held up we can know whether or how much to wait for you.
If you are so inclined, drop me a PM with some contact info and I'll return the same. If you get held up we can know whether or how much to wait for you.
#7158
Funky Chicken
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 131
Bikes: 2018 Giant Stance 1, 2017 Motobecane Lurch, 2002 Trek Multitrack 7100
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 56 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
Anyone riding Concord to see the reenactments this weekend? Supposed to have been meeting a buddy out there this afternoon but he dropped out. Hope to be able to get close enough on my bike, heading out there now on 2 wheels as to not have to worry about parking.
#7159
Funky Chicken
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 131
Bikes: 2018 Giant Stance 1, 2017 Motobecane Lurch, 2002 Trek Multitrack 7100
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 56 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
Managed to make it to see the the Battle Road reenactment, didn't stay for the full thing, but fun to see the militia practicing and the red coats marching.
The good thing about all the Patriots weekend activities was the Reformatory Branch trail was deserted on my return trip with everyone occupied with the activities elsewhere.
All in all a 30 mile round trip, definitely could feel the day getting cooler as the afternoon went by.
The good thing about all the Patriots weekend activities was the Reformatory Branch trail was deserted on my return trip with everyone occupied with the activities elsewhere.
All in all a 30 mile round trip, definitely could feel the day getting cooler as the afternoon went by.
#7160
What??? Only 2 wheels?
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Boston-ish, MA
Posts: 13,434
Bikes: 72 Peugeot UO-8, 82 Peugeot TH8, 87 Bianchi Brava, 76? Masi Grand Criterium, 74 Motobecane Champion Team, 86 & 77 Gazelle champion mondial, 81? Grandis, 82? Tommasini, 83 Peugeot PF10
Mentioned: 189 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1223 Post(s)
Liked 645 Times
in
232 Posts
__________________
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
#7161
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,589
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5234 Post(s)
Liked 3,602 Times
in
2,356 Posts
#7162
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,589
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5234 Post(s)
Liked 3,602 Times
in
2,356 Posts
slept late but got out anyway, later, approx 1pm. didn't have a chance in heck to get to the cape. weird weather day, sunny & warm but turned cold & breezy. wound up in shorts sandals & a heavy fleece. was good to finally try the Zoic unlined MTB shorts I bought in February. busy day on the MM
Last edited by rumrunn6; 04-16-18 at 06:30 AM.
#7163
Funky Chicken
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 131
Bikes: 2018 Giant Stance 1, 2017 Motobecane Lurch, 2002 Trek Multitrack 7100
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 56 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
Sorry i couldnt make it, hope it was warmer down there than in Arl/Lex/Con!
Once you got past Lexington center, a little further on from your photo for those who don't know, it wasn't bad at all, and once on the reformatory branch it was next to deserted.
Not looking forward to the next 2 days of bad weather, I was really getting in to a roll of getting out on the bike if not every day, every other.
Once you got past Lexington center, a little further on from your photo for those who don't know, it wasn't bad at all, and once on the reformatory branch it was next to deserted.
Not looking forward to the next 2 days of bad weather, I was really getting in to a roll of getting out on the bike if not every day, every other.
#7164
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: The banks of the River Charles
Posts: 2,029
Bikes: 2022 Salsa Beargrease, 2020 Seven Evergreen, 2019 Honey Allroads Ti, 2018 Seven Redsky XX, 2017 Trek Boon 7, 2014 Trek 520
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 696 Post(s)
Liked 910 Times
in
487 Posts
I took my R3 out yesterday morning for 55 miles. Started out sunny and promising and ended cool cloudy and windy. There was something going on at the North Bridge, lots of folks and what looked like the local National Guard.
#7166
Funky Chicken
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 131
Bikes: 2018 Giant Stance 1, 2017 Motobecane Lurch, 2002 Trek Multitrack 7100
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 56 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
Got out this morning when it was dry because the weather forecast said the bad weather was going to miss the metro Boston area. I should have known better than to trust the local weather guys, ha, got caught in several hail storms while out on the local trails. Luckily, I had several layers on so didn't get too soaked or cold, but still managed to have some fun in the forest for ~90 minutes.
#7167
Newbie
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 4
Bikes: Bianchi Volpe Disc
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Had by far my longest day in the saddle yesterday. Rode from Cambridge down to Charlestown, RI. Took a lovely route through Dover, Franklin, and Woonsocket. Got lucky with the weather— managed to stay in the sun for most of the day. Eyeing another long ride once the weather gets a bit nicer... maybe Portland down to Boston if they allow bikes on the Amtrak up there.
#7168
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,589
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5234 Post(s)
Liked 3,602 Times
in
2,356 Posts
#7169
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,530
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2112 Post(s)
Liked 663 Times
in
443 Posts
Had by far my longest day in the saddle yesterday. Rode from Cambridge down to Charlestown, RI. Took a lovely route through Dover, Franklin, and Woonsocket. Got lucky with the weather— managed to stay in the sun for most of the day. Eyeing another long ride once the weather gets a bit nicer... maybe Portland down to Boston if they allow bikes on the Amtrak up there.
The bigger problem is the timing of the trains Boston->Portland. You get up there after noon, so it's tough to see how you'd make the 125ish mile ride back during daylight. The alternatives are a night train with an overnight stay in Portland leaving the next dawn, *OR* splitting the trek into a two day with Portsmouth NH a nice place to spend the night.
Happened to pass on the bicycle on Saturday instead spent part of the day in Portland at the Portland Public Library.
-mr. bill
#7170
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,530
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2112 Post(s)
Liked 663 Times
in
443 Posts
Since so many of us ride the Minuteman so often, sometimes it's easy to miss some big deal changes.
So, get out your Party Horns, the great yielding has taken place!
At Season's Four, the stop signs are gone but the stop line is not (traffic to and from Season's Four now have STOP signs):
At Woburn St, the awkward STOP signs remain:
But we YIELD at Fletcher Ave:
Give way at Edison Way (stop line still needs to be shark toothed) (but Edison Way has STOP signs):
Continue to STOP at Meriam St:
And Hancock St:
The bicycles are out, the bicycles are out at Revere St (YIELD sign, but SHARK teeth missing):
The STOP lines are still in the wrong places at Bedford St, unless you have REALLY REALLY LONG arms.
And finally the STOP lines are in the right place but the STOP signs are not at Hartwell Ave:
-mr. bill
So, get out your Party Horns, the great yielding has taken place!
At Season's Four, the stop signs are gone but the stop line is not (traffic to and from Season's Four now have STOP signs):
At Woburn St, the awkward STOP signs remain:
But we YIELD at Fletcher Ave:
Give way at Edison Way (stop line still needs to be shark toothed) (but Edison Way has STOP signs):
Continue to STOP at Meriam St:
And Hancock St:
The bicycles are out, the bicycles are out at Revere St (YIELD sign, but SHARK teeth missing):
The STOP lines are still in the wrong places at Bedford St, unless you have REALLY REALLY LONG arms.
And finally the STOP lines are in the right place but the STOP signs are not at Hartwell Ave:
-mr. bill
#7171
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 66
Bikes: Surly Cross Check 1x9 with Jones H Bar
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I rode most of the marathon route (Brighton to Hopkinton) out and back on Sunday night. I started at 8:30 pm, and had no problems until Framingham, when the rain and wind really picked up. This turned to sleet and ice through Ashland up to the marathon starting line. I had to change my base layer, gloves and socks for the trip home and still had numb toes for most of the return journey. I thought that I had over-prepared by bringing so much extra clothing, but, I would have had to bail otherwise. The headwinds on the way home were absolutely brutal; I'm not sure I've ever been so miserable on a bicycle. Last year at 70 degrees, I got caught in a pack of hundreds of riders on the way out, but, had the road largely to myself this year.
No pictures, as I was mostly concerned with self-preservation. I still look forward to next year.
No pictures, as I was mostly concerned with self-preservation. I still look forward to next year.
#7172
Funky Chicken
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 131
Bikes: 2018 Giant Stance 1, 2017 Motobecane Lurch, 2002 Trek Multitrack 7100
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 56 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
@jordibeard Welcome! And wow, that's quite a route! I've never made it to the state line when setting off from the Boston area yet, closest I made it was going north to Lowell. Is that mostly rt102 you are taking through RI?
@mr_bill You are much more observant than I! I feel the road crossings get worse the further north out of Arlington. I'm surprised I hadn't noticed the change to the 4 seasons one though having passed it several times last week. None of them are as bad as trying to cross rt16 in Medford though even with a traffic light most cars take the red light as a suggestion rather than a rule. I did notice the dirty snow piles though on several places along the minuteman.
@AlexGS1 That's impressive, I had planned to do the route this year but the weather gave me the excuse not too. It sounds brutal indeed, well done on persevering!!
@mr_bill You are much more observant than I! I feel the road crossings get worse the further north out of Arlington. I'm surprised I hadn't noticed the change to the 4 seasons one though having passed it several times last week. None of them are as bad as trying to cross rt16 in Medford though even with a traffic light most cars take the red light as a suggestion rather than a rule. I did notice the dirty snow piles though on several places along the minuteman.
@AlexGS1 That's impressive, I had planned to do the route this year but the weather gave me the excuse not too. It sounds brutal indeed, well done on persevering!!
Last edited by anx; 04-16-18 at 03:01 PM.
#7173
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Boston Roads
Posts: 975
Bikes: 2012 Canondale Synapse 105, 2017 REI Co-Op ADV 3.1
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 507 Post(s)
Liked 237 Times
in
133 Posts
I've been given the green light by my doc to use a stationary bike so I've been riding indoors for flexibility purposes. I have to use the step-through stationary bike at work as I can't get on my actual bike/trainer at home though I might try very soon. The stationary bike is boring and uncomfortable, even though I use it for only 20 mins a day. I miss the feeling of holding the bars in my hands and steering the bike to go... somewhere. Cool to read everyone's reports and see the changes on the Minuteman, hopefully I'll be able to ride in a month or two.
@AlexGS1 My wife was interested in biking the pre-marathon route but I told her that without me (for moral, technical, and safety support) she should not as 1. she hasn't biked at night before 2. she hasn't ridden that far before. The weather would have stopped her anyway but I'm glad to hear some people were still out. Maybe we'll try next year.
@AlexGS1 My wife was interested in biking the pre-marathon route but I told her that without me (for moral, technical, and safety support) she should not as 1. she hasn't biked at night before 2. she hasn't ridden that far before. The weather would have stopped her anyway but I'm glad to hear some people were still out. Maybe we'll try next year.
#7174
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 66
Bikes: Surly Cross Check 1x9 with Jones H Bar
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
@AlexGS1 My wife was interested in biking the pre-marathon route but I told her that without me (for moral, technical, and safety support) she should not as 1. she hasn't biked at night before 2. she hasn't ridden that far before. The weather would have stopped her anyway but I'm glad to hear some people were still out. Maybe we'll try next year.[/QUOTE]
Indeed, completing this ride in a regular year wouldn't be a big feat, but, this year its a profile in bad-assery! I highly recommend it (both ways if you can)if the temperature approaches normal next year. There has been a lot re-paving in Newton and Framingham and the ride quality is forever improving.
Indeed, completing this ride in a regular year wouldn't be a big feat, but, this year its a profile in bad-assery! I highly recommend it (both ways if you can)if the temperature approaches normal next year. There has been a lot re-paving in Newton and Framingham and the ride quality is forever improving.
#7175
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,589
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5234 Post(s)
Liked 3,602 Times
in
2,356 Posts