Hungry For Miles

I have written before about some longer bike rides I have taken, and with the weather getting better that hunger for getting on my bike and heading off into the distance has been returning. Lately I have been feeding my desire for more and more miles by going out after work and doing 20 and 30 mile loops, buts its not working.

The feeling lately has been more than just a normal “hey lets go for a ride feeling” but a physical desire for going on long fast rides. I was in Harvard Sq. sitting in the sun, thinking about cycling, and without realizing it my feet were doing little pedal motions, like a dog dreaming about running through a field. I have never wanted to ride my bike this much before in my life…

There is just something so magical about loosing yourself in a long bike ride, something pure about the physical and mental experience of self propulsion. The magic for me only happens at about mile 50 or 60, that’s when my brain sorta flips over, my legs sort of go away, and I can really enjoy the feeling of flying.

The problem is I am running our of good routes from Boston to someplace and back. Does anyone have any good routes that start in Boston, go out 20-30 miles and come back? I have done the minute man loop, the neponset river greenway loop, the minuteman-concord-walden pond and back loop, any other suggestions? Links to maps would also be awesome.

Do you like long rides? How do you feel on them? What makes them magical for you? Are you interested in starting some longer rides? So many questions!

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