rholland1951

Thanks! Now I need to re-learn how to change a tire...

rod

rumrunn6

congrats! wow that's some tall head tube!

rholland1951

Thanks! I'm still grinning.

The head tube accommodates my predeliction for having the saddle level with the handlebars, which in turn accomodates my 72-year-old corpus.

rod

bike_tom

Wow - you've really jumped the shark!

Is that a GRX drivetrain?

In any case, it looks like that will be great for mixed surface rides like MM + Reformatory Branch/Battle Road.
Or just cratered urban roads.

Enjoy.

Tom

rholland1951

I admit, it's a little out of character. If bicycles are Time Machines, all my previous ones went to the Past. The Seven goes, if not to the Future, at least to the Present.

GRX, yes. I tried to avoid electrification. ;-)

rod

bike_tom

Speaking of mixed surface rides, I rode out to Concord today via the Minuteman and Reformatory Branch this afternoon. Great weather.

I always enjoy seeing RDC 6211 come into view:





The Reformatory Branch was in decent condition, but there were several sections of sticky mud. This is westbound approaching Great Meadows NWR:




End of the RBT at Lowell Road:




A view of Great Meadows from partway up the observation tower:




Coming back on the MM many modes of transport were in use. Here we see pedestrians, an inline skater, a powered unicycle, and a biker (tucked in behind the unicycle), all in the same frame:




The domes in Lexington are proving to be popular. Two out of three were occupied:




It was another great ride.
Back home, the bike showed the results of riding through that sticky mud on the RBT:




Oh well - it will give me some quality time cleaning it this weekend.

Tom

rholland1951

Friday, my grown son John and I took a ride out the Minuteman by way of a shakedown cruise, he on a newly-built Soma Pescadero, I on my 1982 Specialized Sequoia that had been partially rebuilt around a new stem that I thought would fit me better. We paused with the new or renewed bikes at the Samuel Wilson statue, and goofed around a bit. The low, bright sun produced sharply delineated shadows that seemed to devour the black-painted frame of John's Pescadero. Hard to tell frame tube from frame tube shadow.


Immediately after, John went rocketing off, to be met again at a series of rendezvous points. I cranked along making good time on the old-new bike, and was very pleased with the changed geometry. Just a centimeter of stem reach, but it was enough. This was the first and, until recently, the only bike in my stable with brifters, and I was having fun with the shifts, at least until I noticed that the front derailleur appeared not to shift.
Our last rendezvous point was Battle Road Bikes, and I made a mental note to ask them to have a look at the front derailleur.
In the meantime, I enjoyed the mild weather and light traffic as people turned out to make the most of the day.


I thought about the old steel Sequoia, and it seemed to me to have a lot in common with the Seven that had just come into my hands. Both have light, well-wrought frames able to accept somewhat wider tires than the prior norm, both with brifters, both able to accommodate speedy riders within the broadly-defined sport-touring envelope. I was enjoying the ride, indeed.


John and I met up again at Battle Road Bikes, his Soma inspected and adjusted, my Sequoia's limit screws tweaked. I was able to shift the front derailleur again, and headed home. Immediately after I cleared Arlington Center, the chain froze. I dismounted and walked the bike home, where I loaded it on the bike rack and drove back out to Battle Road Bikes with the story. Jim didn't like the shape the chain was in, removed the old chain and installed a new chain. I took a brief diagnostic ride around the parking lot, where all seemed to be well, but more shake-down rides were indicated, And plans gelled to bring in the Seven with a box of parts (fenders, lights, bell, etc.), have the BRB mechanics install them, and then declare that bike road worthy

rod

bharrisonb

At the Harbor Loop, next to USCG Station, Gloucester

rholland1951

Saturday afternoon, I took the Sam Hilborne and rode East.


The traffic was well beyond anything I'd ever experienced on this route. Nothing much to say about that, Santa's stimulating the economy the way he does. No pictures of the congestion. For all that I made reasonable time.

There was some activity in the Malden Bike Kitchen. Wonder how (or if) they heat that?


Night fell early, the way it does at this end of the calendar and this spot on the map. I had plenty of opportunities to think about Winter Lights. Their season of practice is getting longer, extending beyond Christmastide. They can be seen from space. They can stop traffic. They're better than the dark, except when the dark is wanted by animals, astronomers, or folks in need of a good night's sleep. Over-indulgence in them can make work for attorneys and electricians. They can raise the spirits of travelers on a Winter's night. They inspire comment.


Also unphotographed, water was flowing freely on the crest of High Street between the Medford Public Library and Winthrop Square. Everything was wet, but nothing was icy. Just as well. Ice in the dark doesn't appeal to me.

Cold ride, mostly due to wardrobe errors on my part, but still a lot of fun.

rod

rholland1951

After a day with a good walk in it, I realized I could probably get a short ride in before the rains came. So I took the 1982 Specialized Sequoia up the Mystic Valley Parkway along the Mystic Lakes for another shakedown cruise, this one focused on getting the hang of the brifters and the derailleurs they mesh with. In particular, I was interested in the front derailleur and the left brifter. I chased the next highest gear ratio all up and down the lakeshore. By the end of the ride, I felt a lot more confident in this hardware, and in my ability to use it without abusing it. But one day does not a season make.


As I usually do on this little route, I turned around at the mouth of the Aberjona River. I paused to take its photo at night.


Looking across the Upper Mystic Lake, I photographed a big Christmas tree whose lights glittered on the lake's surface.


I went cranking off towards home. A short ride, but a merry one.


rod

rholland1951

Wednesday, I took the custom Seven Evergreen SL out for a quick spin up the Mystic Valley Parkway before lunch, cutting capers around deserted Shannon Beach, even though this is still a bare bike, devoid of racks, fenders, lights, bags, spare tubes, tire tools, pump, lock, etc.


Cloak of invisibility engaged.


It was a joy to ride. More to come.


rod

rholland1951

Took the 1982 Specialized Sequoia up the Minuteman to Lexington Center on a blustery Thursday afternoon, temperatures falling through the 30s with a headwind outbound and a tailwind inbound. Once again, I was principally focused on stress-testing the brifters and the recently replaced chain. And stress-testing the rider, of course, who's still getting the hang of these gadgets.


Everything worked. Except my choice of gloves, which were a bit too thin for 33°F. Pleasant ride in any case.

rod

rholland1951

Friday afternoon I took the Seven out the Minuteman in the 33°F weather, rolling quickly through the cold air. I spent a certain amount of time stopping to adjust saddle height and saddle angle, trying it out, then stopping again, repeat until done. Didn't take so very long, really. I spent time disambiguating the GRX brifters from the older Bitex brifters installed on the Sequoia, with the overlapping and sometimes contradictory protocols associated with each, as well as learning how to manipulate the brifter controls wearing Hestra Heli Army Leather gloves. All that being done, I got the most speed out of the titanium bike that it was willing to give, and that my knees were willing to ask for. Once again, this was the bare bike, the secondary build out is coming, but a few more parts need to arrive.


I'm eagerly awaiting a long ride on a warm day with daylight hours aplently.

rod

bike_tom

This afternoon, on this early winter day, I took a chilly but very pleasant ride out to Bedford Depot Park.
There was very little wind and the sun was bright, despite being very low in the sky, today being only two days after the solstice.

Arlington Great Meadows definitely has a winter vibe, even without snow:




A selfie at Depot Park:



With very little skin exposed, I was quite comfortable with the 40' temperature.

If you are still in the market for a Christmas tree, Season's Four has quite a few left:




I stopped at Peepers Pond: a skin of ice and no waterfowl:




Overall, I saw only a handful of other riders; mostly of the "serious" sort. Lots of dog walkers.

The usual 19 miles, and Strava claims 325 feet of elevation gain.

I plan to keep riding till it gets too cold or too messy. Neither of which is in the two week forecast.

Tom

rholland1951

Saturday afternoon I took the Sam Hilborne and rode East in the cold, bright, and breezy.


This was yet another hills-and-traffic drill through a series of cities and towns immediately to my East. The riding's good if you don't mind dodging the somewhat dodgy traffic. Seems to me I'm a more skillful and stronger rider as a result of having this little cluster of routes in my regular routine. Not a lot of photos this week, sometimes it goes like that, but lots of traffic with Santa-disturbed drivers and brisk hill climbing and descending. A portion of the ride was in darkness. This animation represents that; those with sharp eyes will see a little bright-eyed hoppy creature of whatever species hopping about on the shoulder and giving back my headlights as reflected glory.


rod

rumrunn6

whether you celebrate officially or not, it's a big day, so I'm wishing you cycling buddies a Merry Christmas & safe travels! I got a small taste today & the all-day all-night travel bonanza, begins 6am tomorrow!

rholland1951

Merry Christmas to you!

rod

bike_tom

rholland1951

A pause in the Mid-Winter Visiting activity gave me an opportunity to take the Rivendell Atlantis out for a quick but satisfying Christmas morning ride up the Mystic Valley Parkway along the Mystic Lakes.


It was a peaceful ride, as Christmas rides tend to be. Very little traffic. A few bikes, fewer runners, a few more walkers, mostly couples, often with dogs. No boating that I noticed.


I dressed for the occasion, even if nobody but I knew it.


Ho ho ho!

rod

bike_tom

Today I checked a ride off my punch-list for the year: a loop of Somerville Community Path, Charles River (aka Dudley White) Path on the Boston side, and Watertown Cambridge Greenway.

I've done this ride in the past staying on the Cambridge side of the Charles, but this is the first time I've used the Boston side to get from the Museum of Science to Watertown.

Here's how it looks on Strava:



I realize many commuters use each of these paths daily, but it was interesting to string them together into a recreational loop.
I rode it clockwise.

It turns out to be much more pleasant using the Boston side, as the bike path passes under several bridge overpasses that you have to cross at grade level on the Cambridge side, specifically the Harvard and BU bridges. The Longfellow underpass is also cleaner.

The Green Line viaduct and the Museum of Science as seen from North Point Park:



The Longfellow, as seen from the Esplanade:



Some institution of higher learning...




It's a real treat to pass under both the BU Bridge and the Grand Junction Railroad, as this is rather messy on the Cambridge side:




I passed under the Elliot Bridge, then continued to North Beacon St, where I crossed back over the river. A view now from the Watertown side, looking east toward the Arsenal St bridge:



I picked up the Watertown Cambridge Greenway at the spur that runs behind the Best Buy on Arsenal St. Then on to Fresh Pond, Alewife, and the Minuteman back to Arlington.

This is an interesting urban ride, with almost no road riding (i.e. with cars) involved.

Both my Cateye and Strava pegged the trip at 19 miles, essentially the same for me as round trip to Depot Park Bedford.
An interesting diversion from my more common rides to the west.

Tom

rholland1951

Took the 1982 Specialized Sequoia out on Boxing Day for a sunset ride on the Minuteman. Rode along briskly while the Night Chorus sang, looking for colors.










Found some. Riding this old sport-touring bike (as modified) is definitely making me happy.

rod

rumrunn6

got out late in the day. 51 degrees. where's winter?

bharrisonb

44 deg F in Gloucester today ... let's keep on riding


1971 Raleigh Sports at the State Fish Pier. Looking towards downtown Gloucester. 20231227

rumrunn6

went for a nature hike w Wifey at Great Meadows Concord but we didn’t get far

rholland1951

A good day for ducks.

rod