mr_bill

"Serious" cyclists are already all up in arms over kick e-scooters. Plus it is a huge inconvenience to become an "expert" on something that you've never stepped a foot upon.

-mr. bill

rumrunn6

area ERs are gonna be busy w new patients

ZIPP2001

56 degrees in Leominster and Fitchburg today, WooHoo ! Been having rear brake issues since the road bike came out of hibernation, so decided to visit the boys at Tomten Biketown. Can't say enough about the service I've received whenever I've dropped in. Now the bike is back to normal and hoping the temps keep going up.

jimmuller 

Well, I rode my commute today, first time since the snow started falling some time back. Life, weather, and other things kept getting in the way until today. Except for the wind on the return it was a nice day to be out!

rholland1951

Took the LHT up to Depot Park, Bedford, thus ending a hiatus that started with that unseasonable cold snap in late November. That was the first time in 7 years I hadn't simply bundled up, put the studded tires on, and ridden through the Winter. Seems like an error in judgement now, but I partially made up for it with hiking and travel (Florence, Bhutan, Nepal). After ~4 months, the very familiar touring bike felt a little strange, and I found I had lost several gear ratios against the very familiar and gentle grades of the Minuteman.








The wind turned when I did, and the headwind outbound became the headwind inbound, only colder. But the red wing blackbirds in Tophet Swamp were singing, and I glimpsed a beaver swimming near its lodge, so I agreed it was Spring, and pedaled home with a big smile.


rod

E53 

Despite the threat of rain, I thought it would be a good idea to try to squeeze in 25 miles. The "threat" turned into a promise fulfilled, but it was great none the less! I rode into Concord and set up at the Dunkin' for a nice hot coffee. Then it was back home with a few added miles for good measure. Stopped at Ferns also for more coffee and a nice cup of soup.

Ghazmh

jimmuller 

Hi Mike! Great seeing you this afternoon, even if only for 1.3sec.

mr_bill

Ghazmh

Ghazmh

mr_bill

In New York City last week and found a collapsible helmet at the Cooper Hewitt Museum gift shop.


Wore it for the first time this weekend. Works great, it's trivial to collapse and open. It's a proper CSPC certified bicycle helmet (I would compare it to sub $50 "normal" bike helmet), good ventilation and comfortable.

It is "small enough" (volume is less than 1/2 when collapsed) to fit in my bag.

One note is that the temple strap adjusters do not lock, so every time I open it and put it on I have to slide the temple strap adjusters. However, it does have a dial adjuster for the back of skull fit.


So, compare this $99 helmet to a modern sub $50 helmet, the collapsible feature about doubles the price.


So, the inevitable questions.

• Why would anyone want to put a sweaty collapsible helmet inside a bag?
  
  I don't. I put an unsweaty collapsible helmet inside a bag. There it stays until I decide to pick up a Lime. I unlock the Lime, put on my headsweats, open the helmet and put that on, then ride away. For short rides (common on the Lime) literally no sweat. For longer rides on hotter days, my sweaty helmet hangs on the outside of my bag al fresco.
• So now I carry around a bag?
  
  I always carry a messenger bag biking, and now carry a messenger bag walking. When I was "walking" I got in the habit. And now that I'm walking with trekking poles, I still carry the bag. I think it's a habit that I won't be able to break now.
  
  So I walk, stop, shop, put stuff in my bag. I also ride, stop, shop, put stuff in my bag.
• But how can you fit your stuff AND your helmet inside your bag?
  
  I take my helmet out my bag, put stuff in my bag, hang my helmet outside of the bag al fresco.

NOTA BENE: There are several counterfeits of this helmet (actually, counterfeits of the earliest prototype helmets shown on the Kickstarter video). Most are selling for $36 and change and don't carry the Fend name. But one counterfeit calls itself FEND and goes for over $200.

WRONG - DO NOT BUY HELMETS THAT LOOK LIKE THIS:


-mr. bill

NomarsGirl

Nice riding weather today, and I'm stuck in the house waiting for a plumber. Yes, I do want my toilet fixed, but I wish he would at least give me an estimated arrival time. He's a neighbor and doing this as a side job, but just "sometime in the afternoon" is really not that specific. I could have gone for a ride and been back by now.

mr_bill

First joy ride since Labor Day. No PT, no errands, just got on my bike, rode east, rode south, rode west, rode north.

50k to nowhere and back.

So good. So damn good.

-mr. bill

E53 

After a quick stop at Fern's in Carlisle, I hit the hills on 225 toward Westford. I love the cool weather for doing hills. Listening to the voices in my head, I went to Maynard and hung out with the "Babe" for a little bit.Good day, good ride.

bike_tom

Hi all. Been following this thread for awhile, thought I should make a contribution.
Got out for my 4th ride of the season today after coming out of winter cycling hibernation just a few weeks ago.
Made it to the end of the Reformatory Trail at Lowell Rd (started in East Arlington). Was a great ride, about 28 miles.
The Minuteman was not too busy when I started out about 9:45am. The Reformatory was mostly dry, though some sections were quite rutted with hardened tracks from others riding when it was muddy.
I was surprised to see there was still ice on one of the ponds near Great Meadows Rd in Concord:



Need to enjoy the Reformatory Trail while it is still dirt, as it appears Bedford still plans to pave their section in the next year or so.
Maybe I will see some of you out there.

rumrunn6

jimmuller 

We might have crossed paths with some of you yesterday (Sunday). Sharon and I spent about 3 hrs walking Great Meadows and the ORRT. The frog chorus was in full voice!

rumrunn6

oh yeah that was crazy loud. did you happen to see the mating carp? never before do I remember seeing them "breach" straight up, vertically, out of the water, except for their tail!

mr_bill

• Sunday
  • 25 k, another ride to nowhere, but shorter.
  • Also went out on 5k my new ride, another two wheels in the stable. Riding goofy (right foot forward, left foot kick) so absolutely nowhere to hide my weakness. The Minuteman is WAY steeper than I remember.
• Monday
  • Ortho - great progress, they are happy, I am thrilled, but I still have a long long way to go. Next appointment in August.
  • 12 k, ride to Cary Coovert's ghost bike dedication. Beauty, sorrow, anger, joy, laughter, hope, and cries.
• Tuesday
  • 25 k, to PT and back. Ankle inversion/eversion 5/5, flexion 3/5. No longer need to work out with resistance bands, and no longer need trekking poles. (But I still want my trekking poles.)

-mr. bill

mr_bill

Wonderful gift we have around here. Getting to share the Minuteman with world class athletes.


-mr. bill

bike_tom

I took a ride this afternoon out to Bedford on the Minuteman. Saw the ghost bike memorial at Seasons Four. Very sad. Also noticed a fresh asphalt patch at the driveway crossing there, where the pavement has been crumbling and there is often a big puddle. I don't think it's a coincidence that finally got addressed. Related to that, I've noticed that Arlington has been marking and repairing bad pavement near Thorndike field this week.

I went out today to avoid the crowds that tomorrow's warm weather will bring. I was rewarded by having Depot Park all to myself:

rumrunn6

gave the mtb a break & rode the road bike. 1st time since last summer, I think. a good 20 miles round trip Bedford to Alewife in Cambridge. Lexington & Arlington were pretty busy. the Lexington Visitors Ctr had a gathering inside but the doors were locked so could only use the restroom in Bedford. nice that those are open again. can hardly believe it's spring again





not particularly scenic but I think these are dogwood blossoms?


solemn reminder

Archwhorides 

E53 

One ride I love to do is the ride from Auburn back home to Billerica. It's 55 miles of varied terrain. My route starts off near the Auburn Mall on Pakachoag Road where the town has installed this anti-bicycle road grate.
Going South, I head up onto Central Street toward Town Hall. There is a little climb there, and on Strava it is called "Stairway to Heaven". This climb isn't such a much, but there's a cool old piece of equipment that's pretty cool.
From Central to South Street, then across Rt 20 to Stone Rd then Auburn Sportsman's club is on the right. Next comes the biggest hill on the ride. Looking at it on Strava, the hill is about a half mile long, and starts off at around 19 degrees. I gradually slopes to 10ish, but it gives this old guy a pretty good workout.
Once on the top of this road, the fun begins. Here is a repurposed bike made into a funky planter.
Now I start heading north toward Millbury. There is a field where there are a few cows which I usually stop to shoot the breeze with.
Through Millbury and onto Riverlin Road, and then I pick up 122A for a few miles. I pass by Noel Motors where I bought my gently used Pickup truck a few years ago. A zig and a zag, then I'm at the start of route 30 in Grafton. I think this is my favorite part of the ride. I goes through the campus of Cummins Veterinary School, and Tufts is on the right.
A gentle climb brings me to a hilltop pasture.

First cool mailbox is this eagle. If you look close you'll see that he's clutching a fish.


Second cool mailbox is this moose. They need to paint the mailbox brown though. Come on people!


This was my final pic from this ride. The Mass Fire academy in Stow.