Word that the Saugus River bridge, a.k.a., Bridge 1, on the Northern Strand Community Trail, a.k.a., Bike To The Sea, was open at last reached me in time to send me haring off East again on Labor Day, with an agenda other than hills, though hills occasionally got in the way on the ride that ensued. So, rode East, because that's where they keep the Sea in these parts.
Shortly thereafter, I left Medford, crossed into Malden, and picked up the Northern Strand. The Malden segment of the Northern Strand has been well paved for quite a few years, but it seems that most of the road crossings there have been dug up preparatory to installing ADA-compliant curb cuts. In their current form, they're somewhat hazardous, as I discovered when WHOOPS! I found myself getting about six inches of air vertically from my saddle. No harm done, and I was more vigilant with the remaining construction.
The Revere segment of the Northern Strand has been transformed from rough gravel to smooth pavement, friendly to road bikes and strollers. Its views of the Rumney Marsh continue to be beautiful, and change with the tides and the weather.
The pillars of the Route 1 overpass are still decorated with handsome graffiti, but a small homeless encampment seems to have established itself there. A very neat arrangements of chairs, with music supplied by a boombox, reminded me of the Mad Tea Party. No photos of that, it was their tea party, after all.
The Saugus segment of the Northern Strand, formerly stone dust, is now well paved. After passing through woods, suburban, residential neighborhoods, and a couple of business districts, it runs through the Saugus River estuary. An observation platform has been installed, and I stopped there to take a photo.
The new bridge across the Saugus River is open at last!
With that bridge open, the way to the newly-built Lynn segment of the Northern Strand is clear, as well. I rode on, eager to see what had become of what was single-track by the railroad tracks, running along a berm across the estuary. I wasn't disappointed.
The two old railroad bridges in the Lynn segment of the Northern Strand have been repaired, with a bit of the old remaining to remind us of what was.
My scheme for this ride was to follow the Northern Strand until I reached a trail closure. I found it deep in Lynn, and turned around. The exercise of detouring on the streets to continue to Nahant was left for another time. And the Bike to the Sea people are intent on finishing the trail, so there's more to come.
Throughout the ride, I was struck by the number and variety of people using the trail, and how happy they seemed being out and on it. I've seen what a vibrant civic commons the Minuteman has become, and I think the latest extensions of the Northern Strand, which used to be a relatively quiet path, have opened the door to something similar. For me, this was embodied by a young juggler who parked his bike against a railing on the Lynn segment, and practiced his juggling to the approval of passers-by.
I'll be back, for sure.
rod