Metro Boston: Good ride today?
02-22-17, 07:28 PM
#5926
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wonder wut the Reformatory Branch is like. probably slippery snow/slush/mud
02-22-17, 07:29 PM
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02-24-17, 12:12 PM
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Being slow this week at work I have been able to get in a 30 mile lunch break ride every day this week. The roads have been (as expected) atrociously sandy, salty, wet and gross. Still not enough to keep me off the new Roubaix. yesterday I was reminded by local law enforcement that slowing and rolling past a stop sign is not the same as actually stopping and I need to stop.....lesson learned.
02-24-17, 02:38 PM
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Opted to walk on the Minuteman instead as I had my toddler daughter with me.Being slow this week at work I have been able to get in a 30 mile lunch break ride every day this week. The roads have been (as expected) atrociously sandy, salty, wet and gross. Still not enough to keep me off the new Roubaix. yesterday I was reminded by local law enforcement that slowing and rolling past a stop sign is not the same as actually stopping and I need to stop.....lesson learned.
02-24-17, 08:41 PM
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02-24-17, 11:21 PM
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On a cold, dark ride not too long ago I found myself wishing for a ride in July. This evening I got a working approximation of my wish, temperatures in the balmy 60s and a sufficiently persistent twilight to give the impression of, if not July, at least April. It was lovely. Rolled up the Minuteman to Lexington Center and back with a big smile on my face.
Now, if we get another cold snap, I'll be able to try the new mittens that just arrived. But as Red Sox fans used to say, "wait till next year!" I'd be happy to let Winter go now...
rod
Now, if we get another cold snap, I'll be able to try the new mittens that just arrived. But as Red Sox fans used to say, "wait till next year!" I'd be happy to let Winter go now...
rod
Last edited by rholland1951; 02-24-17 at 11:38 PM.
02-25-17, 06:38 AM
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I'm itching to take the Winter Marathons off the Montare again.
02-25-17, 06:43 AM
#5933
What??? Only 2 wheels?
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I managed to sneak in one bike commute this week, first time in a while. The roads are in decent shape but there is a lot of debris scattered about.
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02-25-17, 03:31 PM
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Got in my first 50+ mile ride since mid November which come to think of it is my first 50+ mile ride in a February ever. 55 to be exact on the new Roubaix. I feel like I have the fit dialed after a few tweaks. I'll have the steerer cut when I bring it in for its first service. Full summer attire with the addition of rain shoe covers to aid in the post ride grunge management.
Last edited by Ghazmh; 02-25-17 at 03:36 PM.
02-25-17, 03:33 PM
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02-25-17, 04:27 PM
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Everyone and their grandmother was out on the Charles river trails today, joggers, dog walkers, casual bikers and canoers.
I'm loving this early spring weather as are most of Boston it seems.
I'm loving this early spring weather as are most of Boston it seems.
02-26-17, 04:12 PM
#5937
What??? Only 2 wheels?
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We took the tandem out for 30.75 miles today, home to Bedford and back. Cold temperatures, strong headwinds and cross winds, then tailwinds. The MM was mostly empty after yesterday's warm weather. Heading downhill into Arlington with a tailwind, with no one in sight, in the second highest gear ratio, I checked our computer and saw we were doing 20.1mph. Tailwinds are awesome.
Bedford has be rebuilding the old terminal at the western end of the MM. Today's welcome stop in the sun was at new picnic tables.
Someone decided the bike rack at the Lexington Visitors Center need a bit of decoration.
Bedford has be rebuilding the old terminal at the western end of the MM. Today's welcome stop in the sun was at new picnic tables.
Someone decided the bike rack at the Lexington Visitors Center need a bit of decoration.
__________________
Real cyclists use toe clips.
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jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
02-27-17, 12:09 PM
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I just noticed this for the first time... did they recently put it up or have I been completely oblivious to it? (I guess not surprising, considering it's very high up there and usually my head is down when on a bike)
Saw the one-armed guy jogging on.. Thursday, I think? He's very active! 
02-27-17, 09:02 PM
#5939
What??? Only 2 wheels?
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I managed to get my commute in again. It's fun riding the MM at night. I believe I'm always going the wrong way though. There must have been several dozen cyclists going the other way, all of which required I dim or turn off my headlights. The pedestrians wearing all dark clothing make for a bit of a challenge when the lights go out.
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Real cyclists use toe clips.
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jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
02-28-17, 07:56 AM
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-mr. bill
02-28-17, 04:06 PM
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It's original equipment on the old depot. When they renovated that, a couple of years ago, it came down for awhile. About a year ago they restored it. The mast used to be white, I think. It stands out better in red...
02-28-17, 06:32 PM
#5942
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02-28-17, 07:31 PM
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Last call for a February ride, out to Lexington this evening to see if the big Taylor Lane tree was lit up. It wasn't, at least at 6:35, when I reached it, but the Mock Spring weather, temperatures falling from the low 50s to the mid-40s, was a pleasure to ride in, even though I knew it was perfidiously tricking the buds, bugs, shoots, frogs, and whatnot into premature emergence, just in time for the peril of Saturday's predicted hard freeze. The Night Chorus was holding forth bravely, oblivious and raucous.
Thought about swapping the studded Schwalbe Marathon Winters off the LHT; the Compass Snoqs are definitely fleeter of foot. Soon...
rod
Thought about swapping the studded Schwalbe Marathon Winters off the LHT; the Compass Snoqs are definitely fleeter of foot. Soon...
rod
Last edited by rholland1951; 02-28-17 at 08:21 PM.
03-01-17, 03:48 PM
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Just something to drool over - what best practices to clear the separated lanes looks like in Montréal (sorry, facebook link https://www.facebook.com/Wintercyclin...0234632796341/ ).
-mr. bill
03-01-17, 05:14 PM
#5945
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Just something to drool over - what best practices to clear the separated lanes looks like in Montréal (sorry, facebook link https://www.facebook.com/Wintercyclin...0234632796341/ ).
Last edited by anx; 03-02-17 at 06:52 PM.
03-02-17, 09:10 AM
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Woke up earlier than usual this morning... and just felt like riding the other way on my commute. At first I was planning on simply doubling my travel distance but it was nice out (despite the wind) that I went all the way to the Depot where I had to put on my hat and windstopper gloves since the wind picked up.
There are actually two of them, one of each side of the building. Lots of things you (read: I) don't notice when going fast/rarely stopping.
And since I was out there, I decided to check out conditions on the Reformatory Branch Trail, since it was completely snowed in just 2 weeks ago. Well, it's not just completely free of snow, there's very little mud present. I wouldn't recommend doing it on 28mm tires, but I don't see a reason why you couldn't (once you get past the parking lot).
And since I was out there, I decided to check out conditions on the Reformatory Branch Trail, since it was completely snowed in just 2 weeks ago. Well, it's not just completely free of snow, there's very little mud present. I wouldn't recommend doing it on 28mm tires, but I don't see a reason why you couldn't (once you get past the parking lot).
03-03-17, 02:30 PM
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03-03-17, 03:40 PM
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Bedford Bike
Feb 28
The Bedford Friends of the MM Bikeway are collecting formal support letters from bike advocacy groups in the area for our project to extend the bike path out to the Concord line. We also are reaching out to individuals to sign our on-line letter to MassDOT. I know from postings here that many of you ride the MM and the Reformatory extension to Concord.
Link to on-line support letter:
https://www.change.org/p/massdot-let...iter=278812331
What is special about this project is:
- it extends the bikeway 2.2 miles out to the Concord Town Line
- eventually it will connect to the Bruce Freeman RT under construction in Concord and Acton
- to avoid an on-road connection segment, we with help from MassDOT changed the design to a sidepath (off-road) for the critical connection between the Bedford Depot and the existing Reformatory trail head that extends to Concord.
- where the trail crosses Concord Rd (Rt 62), a wide 40mph road with an abrupt grade change for trail users, the recommendation to include an underpass (tunnel) under the road has been accepted!
- the project has been in the works for over 10 years
- construction could start as early as 2019
- the 10 ft wide design was changed to 12 ft because of the anticipated use
The town and MassDOT with a lot of advocacy from the Bedford Bike Comm. went the extra mile to make the extension truly a safe off-road experience for users by changing the original design with an on-road segment and awkward, unsafe road crossings, to the new design.
-Terry Gleason (Bedford Bike Comm.)
Feb 28
The Bedford Friends of the MM Bikeway are collecting formal support letters from bike advocacy groups in the area for our project to extend the bike path out to the Concord line. We also are reaching out to individuals to sign our on-line letter to MassDOT. I know from postings here that many of you ride the MM and the Reformatory extension to Concord.
Link to on-line support letter:
https://www.change.org/p/massdot-let...iter=278812331
What is special about this project is:
- it extends the bikeway 2.2 miles out to the Concord Town Line
- eventually it will connect to the Bruce Freeman RT under construction in Concord and Acton
- to avoid an on-road connection segment, we with help from MassDOT changed the design to a sidepath (off-road) for the critical connection between the Bedford Depot and the existing Reformatory trail head that extends to Concord.
- where the trail crosses Concord Rd (Rt 62), a wide 40mph road with an abrupt grade change for trail users, the recommendation to include an underpass (tunnel) under the road has been accepted!
- the project has been in the works for over 10 years
- construction could start as early as 2019
- the 10 ft wide design was changed to 12 ft because of the anticipated use
The town and MassDOT with a lot of advocacy from the Bedford Bike Comm. went the extra mile to make the extension truly a safe off-road experience for users by changing the original design with an on-road segment and awkward, unsafe road crossings, to the new design.
-Terry Gleason (Bedford Bike Comm.)
03-03-17, 03:57 PM
#5950
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Had an ambivalent little ride this afternoon, guess I've lost my taste for riding in the cold for the remainder of the season, or maybe my endothermic metabolism was bollixed, and I was cold. Whatever the story, I didn't make as much of the opportunity to ride as I would have on a fine June afternoon.
Some public-spirited soul has painted Pink Floyd lyrics on the bridge pilings at the Lowell Street and Park Ave. overpasses, bringing a little culture, and a vague sense of dread, to the Minuteman.
On the return, I encountered a jolly troop of middle-schoolers cutting capers, and we regarded each other with mutual amusement. No dread there, or if there was, it wasn't on display. I chose to think of them as harbingers of Spring.
The Ebisu build project is proceeding apace, and now resembles a bicycle somewhat. I'm learning a lot from that.
rod
Some public-spirited soul has painted Pink Floyd lyrics on the bridge pilings at the Lowell Street and Park Ave. overpasses, bringing a little culture, and a vague sense of dread, to the Minuteman.
On the return, I encountered a jolly troop of middle-schoolers cutting capers, and we regarded each other with mutual amusement. No dread there, or if there was, it wasn't on display. I chose to think of them as harbingers of Spring.
The Ebisu build project is proceeding apace, and now resembles a bicycle somewhat. I'm learning a lot from that.
rod
Last edited by rholland1951; 03-03-17 at 04:19 PM.