No other time to ride today except before breakfast. After some fiddling with the new bike, adjusting the friction shifters and remounting the lights, I gave the Minuteman a break and rode out the Mystic Valley Parkway and South Border Road,
12 miles through Arlington, Medford, and Winchester. This route took me alongside the Mystic River, the Mystic Lakes, and the Aberjona River, then up to the Fells with a long, steep (16% max grade) climb, 946' elevation gain; once there, South Border Road rolls and twists through the hills in a manner that is delightful or terrifying, depending on traffic conditions.
When I crossed the Mystic River into West Medford, a great blue heron rose from the River and flew off in the direction I was headed, a good omen for the ride. A little further along, I noticed that one boom was still in place from this year's oil spill.
Rode past the Lower and Upper Mystic Lakes, crossed the Aberjona River, and then rode under the tracks and up the valley towards Winchester Center.
Climbed out of the valley and into the hills, then bobbed and weaved through the Fells until my watch told me to turn around.
Then re-wound the tape: what had been a long, slow climb became a long, fast (25mph) descent, with a couple of inconveniently placed stop-lights. Back down along the lakeside, across the river, and into Arlington.
On some rides, I notice road-kill animals, which give me various messages about what's been happening on the roads I'm travelling. The vulnerability of the bicycle rider's position makes me feel a kinship with them, and occasions some reflection. On this ride, I noticed litter. Empty bottles of Perrier and Smirnoff nips discarded on the Mystic Valley Parkway, along the lakes where it's a popular lover's lane on Saturday nights; a flattened USB-to-micro-USB cable on South Border Road, and this syringe and hypodermic needle, lying in the middle of quiet, leafy Everett Street in Arlington, disturbingly near to my own street, my own house. Gave the cops a call about that, figured they'd want to know.
Sometimes you go out to see the world, sometimes the world comes to see you.
rod