Took the GT Karakoram on a quirky little ride Tuesday afternoon. I needed to verify that the Alewife Station hadn't completely replaced ordinary bike racks with bike cages, so I hopped on the Minuteman via the gate at Orvis Circle, and waited to cross at the long-awaited Lake Street-Minuteman traffic light.
Got barked at at the Bark Park. Good dog!
The impromptu hobo jungle that used to shelter under the Route 2 bridge is long gone. I wonder where those folks went? The Mugar wetlands, perhaps?
There are indeed bike racks galore at Alewife.
Since I was near the trailhead, I decided to return via the Alewife Brook Greenway, a homely little multi-user path running alongside the unprepossessing waters of Alewife Brook. While I think this MUP is better for pedestrians and runners than for cyclists, it was fascinating to see the level of use it was getting; people are adopting the Greenway in spite of its flaws, the way they sometimes adopt an ugly puppy. This reminds me a bit of my ex-wife's story about going on picnics at Love Canal during her Western New York girlhood. The charms of wounded Nature.
The Greenway delivered me to the Mystic Valley Parkway, in Arlington, and I cruised up to the Mystic Lakes dam to see what was going on in that scene. Turns out, not so much.
Turned around then and had a pleasant ride back to East Arlington and dinner.
rod