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Metro Boston: Good ride today?

Old 11-07-16, 08:33 AM
  #5676  
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It's good to see you folks getting out. We've gotten a bit of riding in. Took the tandem out for 39.7 miles on Saturday (which isn't today despite the title of this thread. ). Haven't had much time to process and post pics but here is one.



I managed to ride to work once last week. Stuff gets in the way. On the return as I was passing by a school yard only about 1/4 mile from home I saw a guy perhaps 12 or 13 y.o. cross the road carrying a lacrosse stick. He called back to some friends "Javier, I lost the ball." It must have bounced across the road into the accumulated leaves. Dusk had fallen and he was never going to find it in the rapidly diminishing light. So I turned around and asked him "Did you lose a lacrosse ball?" (Obvious question, I know, but it was an introduction of sorts.) He said "Yeah", so I asked "Would some light help?" Well, my bike has a 650 lumens headlight, after all. Of course he said "Yeah, thanks", so I pointed the light at the far side of the road. About 2 seconds later he exclaimed "Ah! There it is!" "I said "Grreat", he said "Thanks a lot", and I said "Glad to help." Then I finished the ride home with the smug knowledge that I'd helped out in some small way. It was nice to see him carrying a lacrosse stick instead of something more sinister.
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Old 11-07-16, 11:25 AM
  #5677  
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Originally Posted by anx
It felt like the Fall temperatures were never going to go above 50F this morning, not lot of sun out there early but lots of people and lots of construction!

A few hours later, the sun was out and got above 50F that afternoon. I think you might be the first person on a bicycle I've seen on the jogging path.

From left to right starting at the railing:
  • Original Paul D. White bikepath, now mostly a walking path.
  • Jogging path
  • Bicycle path
  • "Cambridge Parkway" - road surface still holding up wonderfully.



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Old 11-08-16, 07:51 AM
  #5678  
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About that construction all over.

Mass Ave is now parking protected bike lane to Boylston.
(Past Boylston ripped to shreds right now.)


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Old 11-08-16, 11:25 AM
  #5679  
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I rode my Bianchi to the polls this morning, voted as often as they'd let me (which was only once), then rode to work. Long line at the polls even at 7:05AM. Lots of traffic too.
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Old 11-08-16, 10:48 PM
  #5680  
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Rode the Rawland out to Depot Park this evening, ignoring the various pings, plinks, and plonks that the news apps on the Pocket Devil used to try to distract me with election returns. Lovely night, temperatures falling through the 40s and flirting with the 30s in the cold spots, a bright gibbous moon lighting the way.


There's a shadow here; depending on the color gamut of your display, you may or may not be able to see it.


A couple of cars were parked on the Minuteman near the driveway of the Little House In The Woods. I supposed they were there to watch the election on the toob, but they were gone by the time I returned.


Lexington Center isn't the Emerald City, but it'll do for a bright spot on a dark night.


Reached Depot Park, and was delighted to discover that the bog was still open. Refreshed, I paid my respects to the Buddliner.




Rolled back home, admiring the moon over Tophet Swamp. Mars was up there too, sullen red and war-ominous, near zenith.


Arlington's Great Meadow was cold, damp, and foggy. Near Brattle Street, Arlington, I saw a cyclist fall, possibly misjudging the trail's edge. "You ok?" "I'm good." Another cyclist, who seemed to be riding with him, was looking after him, so I continued.

That bit of excitement notwithstanding, the overall tenor of the ride was peaceful, a rolling meditation. Good to have banked a little calm this way on an otherwise bizarre night.


rod

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Old 11-09-16, 09:36 PM
  #5681  
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Took the LHT for a spin up to Lexington Center this evening. After a bit of fiddling with the saddle height (which I had screwed up on a previous ride), all was well and I glided through the darkness and mild air; it's November, and 50s is mild.

The AHS girls soccer team was hosting Carlisle. A boisterous crowd cheered them on.


The Minuteman has lots of little feeder paths; they look different at night.


I marveled at the variety and efficacy of the lights people were showing tonight.


rod

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Old 11-11-16, 08:35 PM
  #5682  
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Took the LHT out in the dark and breezy this evening, temperatures in the low 40s at the start, high 30s in the cold spots, with a toilsome headwind outbound, a helpful tailwind on the return.


As I reached the Mill Street intersection of the Minuteman, what should I see but a car turning into the bikeway and heading up towards the high school... in a minute or so, he realized his error, did a road turn, and returned to Mill Street. Here are his headlights, displayed in his capacity as a trail user:


That taken care of, I made good time up to Lexington Center, and went rolling home by the light of the silvery moon, happy as the day when the sailors get their pay, as the ancient poet sang at ancient poet camp.


rod

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Old 11-13-16, 03:49 PM
  #5683  
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Today I rode 79.9 miles in anticipation of my 68th birthday on Tuesday. Waltham to Stowe by a rather circuitous route. And back, of course, or I'd still be out there with no access to a keyboard except on my smarffone.



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Old 11-13-16, 06:50 PM
  #5684  
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Happy approximate birthday, Jim! Is that the Assabet, or the Nashua?

rod
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Old 11-13-16, 07:06 PM
  #5685  
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Thanks. That pic is the Assabet proper or the race leading to one of the mills. After looking on a map I'm not sure where exactly I took it. It was near the junction of rt62 and rt117, I once counted five river crossing on rt62 between Maynard and West Concord when it seemed like there should have been that many.
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Old 11-13-16, 07:22 PM
  #5686  
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After a couple of nice days spent moving about via other modalities, I couldn't resist the urge to take a moonlit ride this evening, to welcome the much-heralded Supermoon. Here's a picture of it over Arlington's Great Meadow; an outbound cyclist has luminance parity with their headlight.


Here's the same moon minus the cyclist:


At the Woburn Street turn-around point, I rendered assistance by lending a guy on a newish Canondale my retrogrouch Zefal frame pump. He seemed pleased with the results. Hope he got home alright.


After that I rolled home, with Greg Brown's "Rootie Toot Toot for the Moon"* echoing in my head. The moonlight was sublime, beyond my ability to capture in images with the Pocket Devil (or any other camera, perhaps), but I kept trying.


This was one of those elating rides. I took the feeling with me into my kitchen, and made a big pot of beef stew.

rod


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Old 11-14-16, 12:23 AM
  #5687  
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Waltham - Rose Charles River ride

Since it seemed like it could be (one of) the last warm daysuntil the spring, I decided to go on a favorite ride - along the river out toWaltham, and on to the Brandeis campus to visit the Rose Art Museum. The section of the Blue Heron Trail on eitherside of the pedestrian bridge of that name is not paved, so I take my MTB onthis.Much of the ride can be done onopposite sides of the river, while there is only one bike-friendly / scenic optionin some sections.

Map is at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/11905767

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/zrv3eka(Flickr)
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Old 11-14-16, 08:09 AM
  #5688  
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Originally Posted by velotrain
along the river out to Waltham
used to ride part of that during lunch when I worked on Washington St West Newton
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Old 11-14-16, 05:50 PM
  #5689  
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Sunday was a nice day. I rode an organized ride from Concord up through Carlisle, Chelmsford Bedford and back to Concord. I tried using my phone for navigation with poor success because I couldn't hear or adequately see the turns without stopping and wound up riding with a very helpful, gracious experienced rider with good old fashioned cue sheets. A lot of folks were out riding.
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Old 11-15-16, 06:28 PM
  #5690  
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What a sloppy commute home on Tuesday (tonight) - pouring rain, giant puddles. I had to detour around several streets the police had blocked off to clear leaves off storm drains. Crazy!!
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Old 11-16-16, 09:47 PM
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Took the old GT up to Arlington Center this evening for an ABAC meeting (it´s points off to drive to those things).






That little bike is nimble with its Compass 1.75" tires. In another month or so it gets studded Nokians, and goes scampering over the ice.

rod
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Old 11-17-16, 05:23 AM
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Originally Posted by rholland1951
Took the old GT .....
That little bike is nimble with its Compass 1.75" tires. In another month or so it gets studded Nokians, and goes scampering over the ice.

rod
I am niether nimble or scampable but I did get out yesterday afternoon for a 37 mile wet leaf ride on the loop de loop through Dover, Dedham, Westwood, Medfield and back to Sherborn. A silver, two seat Mercedes pulled out right in front of me because the onboard optical sensor interpretation computer was calibrated for cars, not bright yellow-green clothed bicyclist. Going a high enough speed I swerved, passed then gestured at the driver he ought to recalibrate and he stopped. I decided we'd crossed paths enough and waved him on.

Autonomous and human piloted cars take note. I guess even bright helmet, windbreaker and blinkie can blend in with fall colors.

Recent posts by some of my favorite posters have told of a wrong way car, new bike lanes, spectacular seasonal scenery and even sweet 650 lumen lacrosse ball kindness and I trust an even brighter birthday. How nice it is to read and share all these observances and ride a bike.
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Old 11-17-16, 08:28 AM
  #5693  
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Originally Posted by sherbornpeddler

Autonomous and human piloted cars take note. I guess even bright helmet, windbreaker and blinkie can blend in with fall colors.
Uh-oh. Artificial Intelligence in the car teamed with Natural Stupidity behind the wheel... what could happen?

Wishing us all luck in the Great Bayesian Bicycle Ride,

rod
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Old 11-18-16, 07:17 PM
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Had a Friday-night mental health ride, after a week that left me tired and somewhat frazzled. The LHT floated through the darkness on its wide, supple, newish-and-still-raising-a-smile tires. I kept a good pace, didn't stop for much. Temperatures dropped through the 40s, no moon to be seen but there were stars where the clouds weren't, and planes into or out of Logan or Hanscom bringing their transient light and sound.


While climbing the long outbound hill, I was slowly overtaken by a slightly faster rider. Her headlight projected my shadow out ahead of me, and for several minutes I chased my shadow while she chased me. Ultimately, she passed me, my shadow receded to my right side and we rode three abreast for a moment, then my shadow was gone, roles were reversed, and we followed her shadow awhile.

rod

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Old 11-19-16, 09:04 PM
  #5695  
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Took the Trucker DeLuxe out on the Minuteman before dinner, the overcast sky making for a dark night with a bruised band of purple light on the horizon at Arlington's Great Meadow. As the ride progressed, I began to see occasional little meteors shoot through my headlights' beams, which I took to be some sort of precipitation. These became more numerous, and resolved themselves into a very fine mist or drizzle, Eastern Massachusetts running its Seattle weather emulator. The little helicopters that the beams sometimes picked out, on the other hand, were members of the vanguard of this year's winter moth invasion; didn't eat any.

There were very few other trail users out tonight, but behind this oncoming headlight stood the driver of an elliptical tricycle, who seemed to be having lots of healthy fun in the dark.


After I locked up the Trucker DeLuxe, I measured the Rat Trap Pass EL tires again to see if they had stretched. At 51.57mm, I think they haven't stretched appreciably since I mounted them, 730 miles back. This was my first time in about 6 weeks on this bike, and the pleasures of tonight's ride made me wonder why that was. It'll sleep through Winter in the basement, road salt and S and S couplers aren't a wise combination. I'll have to look for ways to do it justice between now and the first snow.


rod

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Old 11-21-16, 07:33 AM
  #5696  
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New Sign (or have I been an oblivion?) on the Minuteman just outside of Arlington Center:


Well, that's unexpected. Desperately needed, but unexpected.

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Old 11-21-16, 07:59 AM
  #5697  
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We managed another 40 tandem miles on Saturday, had to get back early though. mr_bill, was that you who said hi as we rolled past? Golly Saturday seems like six months ago.
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Old 11-21-16, 08:45 AM
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Originally Posted by mr_bill
New Sign (or have I been an oblivion?) on the Minuteman just outside of Arlington Center:
Well, that's unexpected. Desperately needed, but unexpected.
saw that a cpl weeks ago. wonder what that cost was & who petitioned for it. it's a good reminder but there's lots of important reminders that are maybe more? important like staying right, slowing down to pass when there are 2 ppl abreast in one direction and 2 pp abreast in the other direction. some ppl do not slow down & just threat the needle. I feel like I'm the only one who slows down for crowded uncoming traffic passes
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Old 11-21-16, 09:00 AM
  #5699  
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I suspect that sign is somebody's bit of participatory democracy. Will inquire further...

rod
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Old 11-22-16, 01:50 PM
  #5700  
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Originally Posted by mr_bill
New Dogleg in Arlington Center.



-mr. bill
I have to admit it's an improvement

Originally Posted by mr_bill
New Sign (or have I been an oblivion?) on the Minuteman just outside of Arlington Center:


Well, that's unexpected. Desperately needed, but unexpected.

-mr. bill
There is another one by Bow st. in Arlington eastbound. Nice try but not sure these will be effective.

Originally Posted by rholland1951
As I reached the Mill Street intersection of the Minuteman, what should I see but a car turning into the bikeway and heading up towards the high school... in a minute or so, he realized his error, did a road turn, and returned to Mill Street. Here are his headlights, displayed in his capacity as a trail user:


rod
From this Saturday:

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