Historic Middlesex Canal Tour 2016

from email looks like a fun time:

The Middlesex Canal Association Presents:

Spring Bicycle Tour of Historic Middlesex Canal

On Sunday, April 3, 2016, the Middlesex Canal Association will present its spring bicycle tour of the Middlesex Canal.  The Canal was the “big dig” of the end of the 18^thcentury.  Completed in 1803 after 10 years of construction, the Canal connected the Merrimac River in what is now Lowell with the Charles River at Sullivan Square in Charlestown.  In many ways it served as a model for later canals including the Erie Canal. The Canal remained in operation for 50 years, providing both passenger and freight service, but could not compete successfully with the Boston and Lowell Railroad which began operation in the 1830’s.

The ride will depart from the Lowell Train Stationshortly before 11AM. You can take your bicycle on the 10 AM train from North Station which arrives in Lowell at 10:43. (Riders can also board at West Medford at 10:11 or just meet at Lowell Station). This year an early group will take the8:00AM train from North Station to allow more time in Lowell and breakfast at the historic Owl Diner (<http://www.owldiner.com/>, aka the Four Sisters).  Route visits the Pawtucket and otherLowell canals, river walk, Francis Gate, and then Middlesex Canal remnants in Chelmsford. Quick visit to Canal Museum, then on to Boston.

Lunch at Route 3A mini-mall in Billerica.  Long day, but sunset is late. Riders needing to leave early can get the train to Boston at 1:07 at North Billerica or at 3:14 at Wilmington. Participants are responsible for one-way train fare [$9.25 from Boston to Lowell]. Complete Lowell line schedules can be downloaded <http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/lines/?route=LOWELL> if anyone wishes to plan a rail travel itinerary specific to their needs.

The route is pretty flat and level and we will average 5 miles per hour, so the ride will be an easy one for most cyclists.  Along the way we will stop at a number of remnants and restored sections of the Canal, as well as the Mansion of Loammi Baldwin, the chief engineer of the Canal (who discovered the Baldwin apple while building the Canal), the two remaining aqueducts  (which carried the Canal over rivers and brooks), and the northern end of the floating towpath that carried horses over the Millpond.

The ride will be led by Bill Kuttner (617-241-9383, [email protected]) and Dick Bauer(857-540-6293, [email protected]) of  the Middlesex Canal Commission . Helmets required.  Steady rain cancels.
For more information about the Middlesex Canal go to:http://www.middlesexcanal.org

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13th Annual Historic Bicycle Tour Of Middlesex Canal

Got this in the email:

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On Saturday, October 3, 2015, the Middlesex Canal Association, the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission and the Middlesex Canal Commission will sponsor the 13^th annual historic bicycle tour of the Middlesex Canal.  The Canal was the “big dig” of the end of the 18^thcentury.  Completed in 1803 after 10 years of construction, the Canal connected the Merrimac River in what is now Lowell with the Charles River at Sullivan Square in Charlestown.  In many ways it served as a model for later canals including the Erie Canal. The Canal remained in operation for 50 years, providing both passenger and freight service, but could not compete successfully with the Boston and Lowell Railroad which began operation in the 1830’s.

The ride will start at the Canal marker on the front of theSullivan Square MBTA station just to the right of the main entrance at 9:00. From there we will ride about 28 miles to the Historic Mill Village and Canal Museum on the Millpond in North Billerica.  We should get to North Billerica in time for anyone who wants to catch the 3:07train back to Boston.  The ride will then follow the northern section of the Canal another 10 miles from North Billerica to Lowell and catch the 5:00 train back from there.  Halfway to Billerica, we will make a lunch stop in Woburn, so we recommend that you bring a lunch.

The route is pretty flat and level and we will average 5 miles per hour, so the ride will be an easy one for most cyclists.  Along the way we will stop at a number of remnants and restored sections of the Canal, as well as the Mansion of Loammi Baldwin, the chief engineer of the Canal (who discovered the Baldwin apple while building the Canal), the two remaining aqueducts  (which carried the Canal over rivers and brooks), and the northern end of the floating towpath that carried horses over the Millpond.

The ride is listed on the on the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Archaeology Month calendar, and two years ago was named one of the four highlights of Massachusetts Archeology Month.

The ride will be led by Dick Bauer of the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission and the Middlesex Canal Commission, and Bill Kuttner of the the Middlesex Canal Commission. Helmets required.  Steady rain cancels. For more information, contact Dick at [email protected](857-540-6293),  or Bill at [email protected] (617-241-9383)

For more information about the Middlesex Canal go to: http://www.middlesexcanal.org

For more information about the Middlesex Canal  Association and Museum go to:http://www.middlesexcanal.org/museum/index.html

For more information about the Middlesex Canal Commission go to:http://www.middlesexcanal.org/commission/

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MassBike Spins: Historical Middlesex Canal Tour

Got this in the email, looks like fun.

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MassBike Spins Presents:

Historic Bicycle Tour of Middlesex Canal

On Saturday, October 1, 2011, MassBike, along with the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission, the Middlesex Canal Commission and the Middlesex Canal Association will sponsor the 9th annual historic bicycle tour of the Middlesex Canal. The Canal was the “big dig” of the end of the 18th century. Completed in 1803 after 10 years of construction, the Canal connected the Merrimac River in what is now Lowell with the Charles River at Sullivan Square in Charlestown. In many ways it served as a model for later canals including the Erie Canal. The Canal remained in operation for 50 years, providing both passenger and freight service, but could not compete successfully with the Boston and Lowell Railroad which began operation in the 1830’s.

The ride will meet at the Canal marker on the Sullivan Square MBTA station at 9:00. From there we will ride about 28 miles to the Historic Mill Village and Canal Museum on the Millpond in North Billerica. We will make a lunch stop in Woburn, so we recommend that you bring a lunch. We should get to North Billerica in time for anyone who wants to catch the 3:07 train back to Boston. The ride will then follow the northern section of the Canal another 10 miles from North Billerica to Lowell and catch the 5:00 train back from there.

The route is pretty flat and level and we will average 5 miles per hour, so the ride will be an easy one for most cyclists. Along the way we will stop at a number of remnants and restored sections of the Canal, as well as the Mansion of Loammi Baldwin, the chief engineer of the Canal (who discovered the Baldwin apple while building the Canal), the two remaining aqueducts (which carried the Canal over rivers and brooks), and the northern end of the floating towpath that carried horses over the Millpond.

The ride will be led by MassBike member Dick Bauer of the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission and the Middlesex Canal Commission and Robert Winters of the Middlesex Canal Association. Helmets required. Steady rain cancels. For more information, contact

Dick at [email protected] (857-540-6293) or Robert at [email protected]

http://www.massbike.org/newsevents/ride-listings/
For more information about the Middlesex Canal go to: http://www.middlesexcanal.org

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Middlesex Canal Historic Ride

Another great event sent in by Ron!

Saturday, October 3: 7th Annual Middlesex Canal Historic Ride (2009), co-sponsored by the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission, the Middlesex Canal Commission, and the Middlesex Canal Association.

Meet at Sullivan Square T station (to the right of the main entrance, by the historic canal plaque) at 9:00am.

We will follow the route of the old Middlesex Canal (1793-1853) to Lowell, with lots of stops along the way to see remnants of the canal, including some restored sections and the home of the canal’s designer, Loammi Baldwin).

We will get to Lowell in time to take the train back to Boston. 38 miles (but riders can also catch earlier trains at 20 miles in Wilmington or at 28 miles in North Billerica).

(info from http://middlesexcanal.org )

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Historic Bicycle Tour Of Middlesex Canal

HISTORIC BICYCLE TOUR OF MIDDLESEX CANAL (OCT 4)

On Saturday, October 4, 2008, MassBike, the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission, the Middlesex Canal Commission and the Middlesex Canal Association will sponsor the 6th annual historic bicycle tour of the southern portion of the Middlesex Canal. The Canal was the “big dig” of the end of the 18th century. Completed in 1803 after 10 years of construction, the Canal connected the Merrimac River in what is now Lowell with the Charles River at Sullivan Square in Charlestown. In many ways it served as a model for later canals including the Erie Canal. The Canal remained in operation for 50 years, providing both passenger and freight service, but could not compete successfully with the Boston and Lowell Railroad which began operation in the 1830’s.

The ride will meet at the Canal plaque at the entrance to the Sullivan Square MBTA station at 9:00. The entire ride is 38 miles, getting to Lowell in time to catch the 5:00 train (arriving in Boston 5:43), but people can leave the ride after 20 miles at the Wilmington train station (1:24, arriving in Boston 1:53) or after 28 miles at the North Billerica train station (3:07, arriving in Boston 3:43). We will make a lunch stop in Woburn and we recommend that you bring a lunch, but it will be possible to buy a sandwich there. The route is pretty flat and level, and since the route includes many stops, we will average 5 miles an hour. The ride will be relatively easy for most cyclists.
Along the way we will stop at a number of remnants and restored sections of the Canal, as well as the mansion of Loammi Baldwin, the chief engineer of the Canal, the two remaining aqueducts (which carried the Canal over rivers and brooks), and also the Francis Gate lock on the Pawtucket Canal in Lowell. At the North Billerica millpond, we will see the historic mill village and Canal Museum, and the northern end of the floating towpath that carried horses over the millpond.

The ride will be led by Dick Bauer of the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission and the Middlesex Canal Commission, Robert Winters of the Middlesex Canal Association, and Bill Kuttner of the Shirley- Eustis House. Steady rain cancels. For more information, contact Dick at [email protected] (617-628-6320), Robert at [email protected], or Bill at [email protected].
For more information about the Middlesex Canal go to: http://www.middlesexcanal.org

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