100psi

My morning routine starts with waking up, lying in bed for 15 to 20 minutes, sometimes contemplating life, but most times thinking about what to eat for lunch later that day, then I grab my iphone and check weather.com.

(rt. 4 to rt. 225)

When I read the ten-day forecast called for today to be sunny and warm, and the other nine days to be rainy and cool, I panicked.   I thought that today was certain to be the last nice day for the next nine months.

(unnamed big river in bedford)

So I decided to go on a ride.  Painful knee be damned.  I’m fortunate that my boss is flexible, and lets me take random days off with little notice.   And I take comfort knowing he doesn’t read this blog.

(posted on rt. 225)

Thanks to bostonbiker.org and Maria Varmazis’ blog for hipping me to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.   I planned to ride it via the Minuteman Trail through Carlisle on Sunday, and I hoped to be the first to blog about riding both in succession, but because I decided to sleep that day for 12 hours instead 8,  Right on ride on beat me to it.

(lots of bicycle-type route markings on rt. 225; the “t” is a crw marker, not sure about the golden diving rod)

The Minuteman Trail was its usual self.  It being a late-morning weekday, there were lots of moms and nannies pushing carriages, and a good number of leisurely cyclists.  But upon approaching Bedford, the trail was swarmed with office worker drones taking walks during their lunch break.

(saw this two tone bad boy for sale in carlisle)

(can’t do this on a bicycle)

I was of course annoyed to keep slowing down and having to zig zag through them, but at the same time felt fortunate to be a bicycle commuter.  I imagined most of these folks go from their house to their car, then their car to the office, and this is the only time during the day they get outside.  However, these same people will probably laugh at me riding through a freezing rainstorm in February.  And rightfully so.

Route 225 wasn’t too bad.  Less traffic going out than coming back.  I was happy to see this entering Carlisle.

Although, with cars traveling 40 mph +, I doubt most motorist see this sign.

You can see many pics of the trail here.

(start at rt. 225 and rt. 27)

Overall, I enjoyed riding The Bruce Freeman, it still has that new trail smell.  It’s very flat, like Natalie Portman flat (sorry Star Wars geeks) so I got my speed on, well paved, lined with dense, shady forest, and on this day, not crowed.

(stopped here for a slice.  not the best, not the worst)

(is it strange that i crave soda when i bike, although i rarely drink it otherwise?)

But there are some shortcomings, like…its short.  Six miles or so, with way too many stops and street crossings.  I’ve read there are plans to extend the trail, but when?  And it ends at an enormous parking lot.  Not exactly a bicycle friendly stopping point.

(end of the path at starfleet command)

In combination with the Minuteman Trail and Route 225, its a decent, mostly car-free, 65-ish mile ride from Brookline.   And the best part of the day, no knee pain.  Thanks to readers who suggested stretching and the the hurdlers stretch; I think that helped.

After the ride I needed some food.  Saw this purple lowrider bad boy at Trader Joe’s in Coolidge Corner.

(don’t be distracted by the flashy ride next to it.  that’s someones dope commuter whip)

I wish the owner would polish the rims and de-rustify the chain.  How incredibly cool would it be to pull up at a ride in the El Camino , and take this sweet bike out of the back?  Picture it with the addition of local rapper Ripshop song playing on the car’s (or is it pick up, or both?) sound system.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 at 11:21 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.