Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
Hey sbp, thanks for your gracious comments, but
you are the OP of this thread, IMO, the de facto Boston Bike Forum, but see also this
one.
Is your Rice Road the one that goes south from Old Connecticut Path to Comm Ave, where it becomes Oak St? There are certain roads I have discovered, unfortunately usually short, that I describe as “intimate,” or “enchanted”; so serene and peaceful, shady, lightly traveled, and without shoulders. Some others that come to mind are Lowder in Dedham, Moose Hill Parkway in Sharon. Elm St. in Medfield, and many others I never find because I’m so goal-directed to get there, or do my training miles quota with no time to get lost. Today on a 14 mile training ride from Norwood, I discovered Mill St in Westwood, between Rte 109 and Hartford St, but only about one-half mile long.
Then there was last year’s Mass Bike Ride:
Now this is what I'm talking about, "
Most of my usual cycling is solo on well-traveled routes with definite destinations and schedules, so I always enjoy these rides where I am lost to time and place..."
Simpatico mon ami.
Yep, Rice Rd of Wayland is the 4th quarter of a favorite solo century for me where the brain and body are tired when once in a while the body tosses some fuel up to the brain and the brain puts it to the most important use; estimate fuel and remaining miles and then allow that "lost in time and place" feeling flowing along the roads, feeling bicycle wind. Swooping along River Road aka Sudbury River floodplain, , shoulder over to Glezen, Claypit and Plain and the swoop along the dappled Rice. Just enough twists and turns to keep you alert and just little enough traffic to feel the swoop and flow.
I'm not there yet this year but i plan to be.
Jim, heading south, I cross the Pike on Rice/Oak then first left (east) on Everett to get off Oak and Bogle to go south on Weston Rd traffic in Wellesley, Rt 16 back to Sherborn. I cross under Rt9 on Weston Rd rather than battle the noise and construction of Oak/Rt9. BTW, if one were to stay on Oak to Natick, the bridge into Natick after Bacon St Market is closed so one must climb over Walnut Hill. I go through Wellesley.
