MAPC 2012 Bike Map

Don’t know why I didn’t see this sooner, but still pretty awesome!

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MAPC is proud to present our walking and cycling map with a nearly complete inventory of the regions bicycling and walking facilities.  This map includes on road cycling facilities including bike lanes and cycle tracks, rail trails and other shared use paths, plus hiking trails.

Access our online map, download a copy of our print map, or pick up a free copy of the print map at the MAPC office in downtown Boston.

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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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Emerald Necklace Bike Path Under Construction

I have gotten reports that the emerald necklace bike path between longwood and park st is under construction (see map here).

Anyone else notice this? Anyone got a good detour route for people?

(thanks Geoff for the heads up)

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Who Says You Can’t Get There From Here?

Apropos of nothing really, just some food for thought next time you get lost on the road…

Some time ago, I was meeting up with a friend who instructed me to take the 57 bus to the stop at the corner of Tremont and Park.  “That’s easy,” I thought to myself.  “Why take the bus at all, when the subway goes straight there?”  Or, I could even bike to the Common up Cambridge Street by MGH, or head up Washington Street through Downtown Crossing from the South.

I never got there.

Yup, turns out there is a Park Street and a Tremont Street — and they intersect — in Newton.  And to get there?  The 57 bus even goes down Cambridge Street.  In Allston.  And Washington Street.  In Brighton.  Eep!

Whether it was a practical joke played by our forebears or just lack of communication across town borders (no…make that even within town borders themselves, sometimes), the same street names seem to pop up willy-nilly all across the region.

Soooo… I thought it might be interesting to see if I could plot a route through greater Boston in which one could bike entirely on a limited “set” of streets, even if those streets were in completely separate areas.  Although I did have to “cheat” a bit here and there, I did amaze myself by coming up with a 31.3-mile route through Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville and Newton… using only streets named Park, Tremont, Washington, Cambridge, Beacon, Harvard, Brookline, and Boylston.

How to ride 31.3 miles on 8 streets... (click for detailed map)

Let’s begin the madness in the bowels of Newton… Read more »

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New Project: Great Rides

I am starting to collect great rides in and around Boston, head on over and check it out… submitting your ride can win you a prize!

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