jimmuller 

Several points here. First, you probably know this but your accident made the news. Its occurrence was noted far outside just BF.

Second, about commuting vs. risk, for the past two years I also commuted when the days are long enough and the weather warm enough. The possibility of an accident is something I, and I assume most of us, prefer to close our eyes to. Every time we take our tandem out I worry. I worry less so on a solo bike because it is more agile, but I still worry about some inattentive or drunk driver hitting me from behind in a most unlikely place. Nevertheless we ride anyway. You can't run from life.

Finally, about that Mass Bike event, please do post another note about it as the day nears!

rholland1951

Just noticed: this thread hit Page 100 on the prevous post. I think that means you win some sort of door prize, Jim!

rod

jimmuller 

Ding! Ding! Ding!

I'll take one of these:
https://www.renovobikes.com/r3-road/

Jim from Boston

My accident happened in Norwood, where I work, and know a lot of people. I got a lot of support from my workplace, various citizens of Norwood, and people from some other social groups. Several people have told me that when they heard about a bicyclist hit in Norwood on New England Cable News, they knew it was me.

Well said and so true. My accident occurred a few blocks north of the town center, on a residential, fairly wide and lightly traveled stretch, for that time of evening. The first responders were people I know well, and I was less than a mile from Norwood Hospital.

I have had two other emergency room visits while cycling. The first was up in the exurban Hamilton-Wareham area of the North Shore in the mid-morning on a weekday. I was able walk to nearby Gordon College, and call my wife for ride to Beverly Hospital, where I got some upper lip stitches. The second was on the Third Annual 50+ Ride in the small town of Chelsea Michigan. That happened on mile 96 of a century, in the center of town on a Saturday afternoon. I was taken by ambulance to the nearby local hospital for some facial stitches. The ER nurse made a pointed comment that it couldn't happen in a better place, though the accident occurred due to some road irregularities in the center of town. When riding solo anywhere though, besides being careful and alert, I guess a cell phone is the best solution; I don't think Lifeline is that mobile (“I’ve fallen and I can't get up.”).

For your consideration, there was a recent thread on the General Cycling Discussion Forum, “So, What Happens When You Start To Worry About Getting Hit?,” started by a Bostonian subscriber, mainly about his concern over drop bars vs an upright position:

I made my initial announcement about two weeks ago on the “Official Thread for the 50+ Fifth Annual Ride" on the Fifty Plus Forum. After that initial flurry of interest, I'll probably post again every month or so for a while to generate further interest, though I’d be glad to post here too.

David325

sherbornpeddler, thank you for the offer, I'll keep that in mind but it is a bit of a ride for me to get out there. Definitely when I get in better shape in the spring!

Jim, Kenmore Square is very close to where I live, and I'd love to join you for a loop sometime.

godshammgod and antimonysarah, I'll have to build up to the Ride Studio ride. Sounds like a fun group. I live in Roxbury Crossing, so pretty close to downtown. Getting out of the city is tricky- taking the T or the commuter line is a good idea!

godshammgod

If you're in Roxbury Crossing I would definitely recommend heading south to Jamaica Plain, which will eventually take you to Brookline and Newton and on your way to more quiet riding roads. I used to live somewhat nearby in South Boston, so I know some of those roads fairly well. Some are a bit busy, but not too bad.

sherbornpeddler

Jim,
Great to hear from you and I look forward to the MassBike Century. I've ridden it before and it is well run.

sherbornpeddler

Improving major spokes from the hub is needed.
On the weekday occasions when I ride in and out of Boston, I prefer Beacon to Rt 16 (or along either side of the Charles through Watertown to the western end of Waltham on Rt 30) then make an uncomfortable dash across Rt 128/95 to quieter back roads. I'm biased as a volunteer at Hub on Wheels but the routes used for this annual ride might be interesting. Except for the Storrow drive section, most Sunday mornings are pretty quiet. Hub on Wheels map. The MAPC map is biased for walking but has up to date trail status with color coding to distinguish walking only from biking.

godshammgod

I agree. I don't ride much around Boston anymore, but I do wish it was easier to get in/out of the city. Last year I did the Outriders ride to Provincetown. It started in the South End, and it was kind of an interesting route to get out of the city. We basically ended up just flying down Morrissey Boulevard. Fine on a quiet Saturday morning, but otherwise it's very hard to get from Boston to Quincy and points beyond during rush hour times. I think there is a bike path running along the water, but I'm not sure if it's currently under repair, or what the deal is. Apologies for my ignorance if that is the case.

mtalinm

rode to work yesterday, 13 miles from Westwood to MIT. the temperature said 5 when I left; I later learned that the wind chill put it at 10 below zero. by far my coldest commute ever.

I was mostly ok thanks to helmet cover / balaclava / skullcap / scarf up top, six layers in the middle, 3 pairs of tights, 2 pairs of wool socks, and boots. didn't use chemical warmers but wish I had...they were a bit cold.

godshammgod

Bravo.

If I had wanted to ride outside this week it would have been in the dark, and below zero temperatures + darkness just didn't seem fun to me. I'll get outside this weekend. Mid 20's will feel downright balmy!

I am excited to become a bike commuter soon though (admittedly a "fair weather" one). Needham to Milton (the site of my new job) is 9 miles, so it's a perfect commute length. Plus, I can just put my bike in my office. Extra win.

mtalinm

thanks. and I agree, bike in office FTW. we have a locked bike cage and showers, and I use neither

Jim from Boston

+1. mtalinm and I do a similar commute, though in different directions. I travel outbound from Kenmore Square for 14 miles, and I have the advantage of taking my bike home on the nearby Franklin Line Commuter Rail to the Back Bay Station. In previous years, I had winnowed my lower temperature limit eventually down to none at all, the lowest temperature encountered being 0° F. But then my commute was about 1 hour 10 minutes, and that was just about pushing the limit at single digits.

Since my injury, the commute takes longer, and I have been reluctant to further push the limit with the longer time it takes. My coldest ride so far is 18°. I decided to set my lower limit at 15°, so this past week I have hibernated. However, I have had to ruefully answer “No,” to that perennial question, “You didn't ride your bike today, did you?”.

So this morning, I decided that if the temperature is less than 15°, I’ll take the Providence-Stoughton line to the Route 128 station, and then it's a 4 mile ride to Norwood, and I can maintain my tough-guy road warrior image without mentioning the short cut. To the naysayers who give me a hard time about riding in those conditions, I refer to an excellent post to this thread on the Road Cycling Forum, “When does Hardcore become Stupid?”:

Tomorrow’s predicted temperature for my commute is 14°.

rholland1951

Sunset ride to Lexington Center on the Minuteman, 10 miles, temps in the high 20s, quiet. On the segment I rode, the trail surface was bare pavement, with one or two patches of black ice. Early on, I was overflown by the largest formation of geese I've seen in years, headed NNE. On the return, a bunny came tearing out of the darkness and passed within inches of my front wheel; if something was chasing it, it didn't declare itself. Passed through Arlington Center as the Unitarians' bell tolled six o'clock, and was treated to a brief but elegant musical passage from St. Agnes's carillon.

rod

mtalinm

way to go Jim from Boston!

Jim from Boston

High five, mtalinm

godshammgod

Just posting to give a shout out to the guys at Landry's in Natick-- specifically Andy, the lead-fitter.

I went in there last night for a second fitting-- more or less a follow-up after a major re-fit I had back in September. Andy was great, noticed some really detailed things that were playing a part in some recent pain I had been experiencing. Ended up with a new stem, plus some new supports for my shoes.

rholland1951

Sunset ride on the Minuteman to Depot Park, Bedford, 20 miles, cold, breezy, and gray, temperatures in the mid-20s. Enjoyed a pretty little peaches-and-plums sunset seen over the Battle Green, Lexington. While passing through the woods between Westview St. and Wiggins Ave., Bedford, I heard a turkey calling in some agitation in the deepening gloom. This reminded me of another flock of benighted turkeys in Arlington, agitated at the prospect of bike lanes on Mass. Ave.; they've put a question on the April 6th ballot that those of us who vote there will want to turn out to defeat. Rode back from Depot Park in the dark, cold, and quiet.

rod

rholland1951

Went dashing (slowly) through the (lightly-falling) snow to Lexington Center on the Minuteman in the early afternoon, temperatures in the mid-20s. Lots of folks out on their bikes on the Minuteman today, outnumbering walkers and runners; everybody was doing it.

Odd conditions: there was so much diffused sunlight that wherever pavement was exposed to the sky, it was bare and wet...

... while pavement in the shade was starting to accumulate snow...

This will make for a couple of flavors of ice for tomorrow morning's commute.

Near Peepers Pond, noticed a stand of phragmites wearing caps of snow.


A dumpster at Seasons Four was filled with unsold trees, ghosts of Christmas Past.


rod

rholland1951

Yo-yo'ed up to Lexington Center and back on the Minuteman this evening, 10 miles. I took the LHT, rather than the Winter bike, making a bet with myself that ice wasn't going to be an issue. It wasn't, but snow began to fall within milliseconds after I got started. Had another lovely ride in new snow, leaving the first tracks on the Minuteman in East Lexington.

rod

David325

Did anyone go out an play in the snow today? I did a big loop around downtown on my beater MTB. Had the tires at about 30psi. It was pretty sketchy no doubt, but almost no cars. It was really crazy with just people walking/skiing through the streets! Wish I could have grabbed photos but I neglected to bring a camera. A lot of fun!

jimmuller 

Noop, not me. Spent much of the day digging out from this (looking out my front door):

rholland1951

Me neither; maybe tomorrow. Today I indulged in my other winter sport: snow shoveling.



rod

UMassAm

i've never had a problem riding on Mass Ave without bike lanes- not sure why they need to spend 5.8 million to restructure it.

i have a tank of a steel bmx bike that was perfect for bombing around one of the bigger hills in boston. could power through some piles, skidded out in others- had to be mindful of the people skiing and snowboarding down multiple lanes all across the hill, was pretty wild. got a decent cross-esque workout. next year ill try to find studded tires or at least knobbies for the bmx.

rholland1951

Sounds like a memorable ride!

Much of the impetus for the change is to make it safer for pedestrians, who are routinely hit crossing the road in the broad sections of Mass. Ave. in Arlington that elicit the 4-lane speedway reflex in too many drivers, a source of accidents of all sorts. The bike lanes--a nod towards encouraging multi-modal use by less-seasoned riders--have become a lightning rod for an us-versus-them political divide in the town that has mostly to do with changing demographics; there's a similar stink about a leaf-blower ban. Gasoline Alley's last stand...

rod