Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
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not uncommon for a cyclist to be legally in the right, but not popular with a local resident. why spoil a fun day w/ rude encounters. at least you tried something new
not far from that spot, I have parked at the Sanborn School aka Concord Middle School & worked my way to the back lot, then across a field, to a little foot trail, to the paved trail. seemed harmless enough, on the weekend that I tried it, one time, a cpl yrs ago
heading out soon w/ Wifey to the RBT from Concord ctr to Bedford. hoping not to get bitten by a dog off leash. Wifey recently heard about another dog bite on next-door.com
Last edited by rumrunn6; 05-29-23 at 05:45 PM.
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And while scrolling Google Maps to find potential parking areas, it shows a Radio Flyers field nearby. I'll have to check that out also.
across the street from where the BFRT ends. this is what the end of the BFRT used to look like
I came out there, crossed 117, then rode into the Davis Farm trails. very pretty. but lost sight of any RR bed in Davis Farm
Last edited by rumrunn6; 06-02-23 at 02:50 AM.
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July 2019
the round trip from Sanborn, to 117, across 117, into Davis Farm, until the trails get small & confusing, then back North across 117 again & into the brush of the BFRT
I reach route 117 at about the 2:40 mark
before I got digital image stabilization & don't know why the audio cuts out. it's a pretty bad video, I'm sorry
just some of the bushwhacking
the round trip from Sanborn, to 117, across 117, into Davis Farm, until the trails get small & confusing, then back North across 117 again & into the brush of the BFRT
I reach route 117 at about the 2:40 mark
before I got digital image stabilization & don't know why the audio cuts out. it's a pretty bad video, I'm sorry
just some of the bushwhacking
Last edited by rumrunn6; 05-29-23 at 04:12 PM.
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A couple of PSAs from the BFRT Facebook page:
Chelmsford DPW will be conducting mowing operations on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail starting Tuesday July 25th and for the remainder of the week until finished. Please use care when you see the machine on the trail and pass only when safe to do so.
Message from Westford Public Works, the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail will be closed on Wednesday, July 26 from 7:30 am to Noon for the removal of a tree. Closure is from Greenwood Road to Griffin Road.
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An otherwise unremarkable ride mostly on the BFRT today. That tree in Westford has indeed been cleared, but mowing in Chelmsford hasn't gotten far, as of the early afternoon. The machine was doing the section north of town center and nothing else had been cut yet.
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Nice colors this week and a good crowd on the path. I began in West Concord, heading north up to Rte 225. That was the southern-most point in 2012 when I rode down from Lowell. Turning around there, I headed south to the end at Powder Mill. This was a fun ride!
More pictures from this ride in the link below
More pictures from this ride in the link below
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fwiw - driving to work this morning, noticed some new signage at one of the Route 27 crossings. the really awkward, off-angle crossing.
or maybe I just never noticed it before???
https://maps.app.goo.gl/chRG5C18N6Fn5W5fA
or maybe I just never noticed it before???
https://maps.app.goo.gl/chRG5C18N6Fn5W5fA
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The signpost was there in Mid-October. A women asked if I were lost while looking it
Hey I meant to post this comparison last month (2012 - 2023)
)
Hey I meant to post this comparison last month (2012 - 2023)
)
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& wow, nice comparison! look at that! trying to think when I first started riding that trail. my kids were small & we used to park in the dirt patch
we drove there to ride to the Brickhouse for lunch. I guess I never really looked South. I'll bet that would have been fun to explore!
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I never noticed that particular one before, either, but as you say that's a bad crossing and I keep my eyes on the road. It's the same design as several others that were installed near NARA Park earlier this summer so it's probably been there for a few months.
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fwiw
- South of the Acton train station there's a packed down foot track that looks terribly bumpy & icy
- further North, I saw no center foot track & lots of trees hanging down over the path
- South of the Acton train station there's a packed down foot track that looks terribly bumpy & icy
- further North, I saw no center foot track & lots of trees hanging down over the path
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There've been a few skiing and snowshoeing pictures from the BFRT on social media. It's their turn now! I did occasionally see people training on roller skis throughout the summer.
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of course today I saw pavement & puddles in Acton & further up, a soggy mess & downed branches. not much good for anyone
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Word on the Friends of the BFRT Facebook group is that either "everything melted" or "there is still slushy snow." I might get a ride in tomorrow.
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I did have time for an extended recon ride today, from Chelmsford center to NARA Park. I parked at the library and made my way past this impressive flow (Beaver Brook, one wonders how many hundreds so named there must be in the country) to the Brickhouse lot to pick up the trail.
I found the trail still pretty dicey until I got to Westford, and unrideable on parts of the first section, between the center and High St in Chelmsford. I was on the Zizzo, which is on nominally 38-406 tires, with a very mild tread pattern. Not optimal but provided for good exercise of the line-picking and reflex-sharpening kind. I saw only one other bike track, and only in one direction.
I followed suit on my return and bypassed that section via Littleton Road/Route 110, which runs parallel and within sight, but is very busy with a 40 mph limit. Not something I like to do.
The rest of the way to NARA was quite alright, although strewn with tree debris. Here and there fresh wood chips told of larger obstacles having been cleared.
ETA: And do mind the snow berms at several of the road crossings.
I found the trail still pretty dicey until I got to Westford, and unrideable on parts of the first section, between the center and High St in Chelmsford. I was on the Zizzo, which is on nominally 38-406 tires, with a very mild tread pattern. Not optimal but provided for good exercise of the line-picking and reflex-sharpening kind. I saw only one other bike track, and only in one direction.
I followed suit on my return and bypassed that section via Littleton Road/Route 110, which runs parallel and within sight, but is very busy with a 40 mph limit. Not something I like to do.
The rest of the way to NARA was quite alright, although strewn with tree debris. Here and there fresh wood chips told of larger obstacles having been cleared.
ETA: And do mind the snow berms at several of the road crossings.
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EVlove wow, that's a workout!
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EVlove wow, that's a workout!
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Anyway, academic now. I managed to get 4.5 miles in today, in between downpours, and now we have proper winter temps in the forecast.
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Wifey & I were super curious so we rode West Concord to Hudson Rd, Sudbury
funny how they tried to close it at the Powder Mill overpass
anyway we battled the unfinished road crossings, wow there are a lot!
soooo interesting how they redid the washout just before Fairview Farm. I wonder if they did anything about the drainage problem that causes the washout
we won't be going back until they finish & it's all safe. really encouraging progress tho!
funny how they tried to close it at the Powder Mill overpass
anyway we battled the unfinished road crossings, wow there are a lot!
soooo interesting how they redid the washout just before Fairview Farm. I wonder if they did anything about the drainage problem that causes the washout
we won't be going back until they finish & it's all safe. really encouraging progress tho!
Last edited by rumrunn6; 08-07-24 at 06:47 PM.
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one of the top days of the year. warm & sunny. great to feel the heat of the sun but with occasional clouds. light aroma of drying pine needles, my favorite
kept an eye on those pesky bollards!
gorgeous day
got bunched up at one of the road crossings. even ran out of time but the driver at the light waved us on
kept an eye on those pesky bollards!
gorgeous day
got bunched up at one of the road crossings. even ran out of time but the driver at the light waved us on