Jim from Boston

My Magical (and Musical) Mystery Tour, Saturday, August 23

So this Saturday, I decided to find that road, and even capture the same picture. I left in jmm’s full description because it was an accurate detail of that road, though I rode it in the opposite direction as written. I have recently been thinking about riding the Fellsway; not been on it since July last year. So that would be the route to “Jim's Road.”

The Fellsway segment is little-described on this Metro Boston thread. In my Cyclist's Guide to the Metroverse it's in the northern suburb sector, but not even mentioned. It's actually a distinct subsector, mostly comprised of the towns of Malden, Melrose, and Medford (“Meffed”).

I started out from Kenmore Square at about 6 AM, an hour later than planned, but that allowed for some pictures from the N. Washington St. Bridge. Usually I access Rutherford Ave, my gateway to the North Shore, from the Memorial Drive in Cambridge, and this was my first time in decades of Boston cycling to take the bridge through Charlestown.



I told my 50+ Bike Forum visitor from Ohio this past July, rtool, the story of the naming of the beautiful Zakim Bridge. Leonard Zakim was a director of the Anti-Defamation League, and had died just before the bridge opened. As I understand it, his name was proposed because he "built bridges” between groups. Many opposed this suggestion, particularly the people of Charlestown, because he was a relatively minor figure in Boston history for such a bridge that defined the Boston skyline; they preferred the Bunker Hill Bridge. Cardinal Bernard Law used his then-prestigious influence to sway the Zakim name, just before the clergy sex-abuse scandal hit the fan.

I preceded up Rte 99 to Rte 60 thorough Malden. On the way I stopped off at the dance joint that my wife and I visit every Saturday night. To me it resembles a speakeasy because behind that industrial looking door inside the Jackson Street parking structure is a festive and well-appointed ballroom, with live music, a great dance floor, and cheap but good drinks. Just say, “Jim sent me.”



I then rode further on rte 60 and turned north on Fellsway East (as opposed to Fellsway West). Both Fellsway routes are pleasant slightly uphill northbound roads, both mostly through the wooded Middlesex Fells, and quiet Malden-Melrose neighborhoods.

Near the end of the Fellsway, I got totally, but pleasantly disoriented, even though with a map check I convinced myself I was on the right track (but in the wrong direction). I did about a 5 mile loop through pleasant Melrose including Main Street. Even though I had ridden Main St northbound a few times, it was a total jamais vu as I rode south. On this ride I didn’t see many fully-kitted cyclists until Lexington, though I did get passed by this well-organized paceline, but I couldn’t get all five riders in one shot.



I also passed a nice-looking Restaurant on Main St called Bobby C’s. After the ride I googled it and to my delight they offered an acapella show with the well-known North Shore Acapella. If I ever get a Wednesday off, that will be a destination, though Wednesdays are also big ballroom dance nights too.

When I arrived back in Malden, my sense of direction became clear, so I re-traced my route through Melrose, on to Stoneham to take Montvale Ave to Woburn. I know of Montave Ave mostly as a Rte 128 exchange often mentioned in traffic reports. Other than about a half mile on either side of Rte 128, it was a nice residential street but with a steep, long downhill run to wetward to 128, and a steep uphill payback towards Woburn.

Woburn Center is basically a rotary. I stopped for a brief rest in the pleasant traffic circle common / war memorial, and with my large scale paper map and dead reckoning reconnoitered which un-signed road to take out of the center. I chose wrong and went about a quarter mile down a commercial street (retrospectively I think it was Winn Street). I asked for directions for Lexington St at an auto repair shop. The guy said to go back to the Center, then pass the Courthouse, and take a right at the next light…”You know where the Courthouse is, don’t you?”…”Yes” (figuring it was in the center of town). Well it was just slightly off-center, but I see why the mechanic considered it a notable landmark (photo below).



As I was riding off, I noticed a statue of Benjamin Thompson / Count Rumford, and I wondered why is he so honored in Woburn? I confirmed my recollection of who he was, and learned he was born in Woburn:

That next right turn was onto aptly named Pleasant St where Jim's Road begins (or ends).

END Part 1.