[bike] Follow the leader
Jul. 7th, 2007 08:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dmazeI haven't said much about last week's trip yet, though most everyone else involved has by now. We took the inland route to Beverly, and from there to Rockport, thus avoiding the protracted unpleasantness of Lynn but trading it off for not being hugely scenic either. We did, however, make it to Rockport just in time to catch the early (2:00) train and so didn't actually head out to the dock area. End-to-end distance, including the segment back from North Station, worked out to 47.16 miles on my bike. Route map
Today's trip headed out through Brookline and Stony Brook Reservation, then via Needham Center, the very scenic bit of Needham and Dover, then back through Natick, Wellesley, Weston, and around the back of Cambridge Reservoir. This went largely according to plan; we took an alternate route along the Muddy River and through Arnold Arboretum, which was okay until we had to climb a big hill south of Roslindale Square. (Probably flatter on the whole than my proposed route would have been.) There was a fair bit of up-and-down, and a couple of noticeable climbs. Beyond the halfway point, we started slowly shedding people for either shorter or longer routes home. Outer Waltham saw a restroom stop, followed by an immediate emergency tube replacement. Didn't cook. Did finish getting through the last of my water in near Lexington. Aimed for 50.6 miles with some very careful manipulation of Google Maps, actually got home at 55.20 after 8 hours. Route map
Encounters today also included a deer dashing in and out of the road along South Street in Needham. The CSX Needham-to-Dover line looked pretty unloved. Interestingly, Wellesley Street in Weston has a bridge over the remains of the Central Massachusetts line; Wikipedia thinks it hasn't seen rail service since 1971.
Today's trip headed out through Brookline and Stony Brook Reservation, then via Needham Center, the very scenic bit of Needham and Dover, then back through Natick, Wellesley, Weston, and around the back of Cambridge Reservoir. This went largely according to plan; we took an alternate route along the Muddy River and through Arnold Arboretum, which was okay until we had to climb a big hill south of Roslindale Square. (Probably flatter on the whole than my proposed route would have been.) There was a fair bit of up-and-down, and a couple of noticeable climbs. Beyond the halfway point, we started slowly shedding people for either shorter or longer routes home. Outer Waltham saw a restroom stop, followed by an immediate emergency tube replacement. Didn't cook. Did finish getting through the last of my water in near Lexington. Aimed for 50.6 miles with some very careful manipulation of Google Maps, actually got home at 55.20 after 8 hours. Route map
Encounters today also included a deer dashing in and out of the road along South Street in Needham. The CSX Needham-to-Dover line looked pretty unloved. Interestingly, Wellesley Street in Weston has a bridge over the remains of the Central Massachusetts line; Wikipedia thinks it hasn't seen rail service since 1971.
