Next time on...

I'm terrible at doing follow ups. School came up from behind and abducted me without my realizing it.

To put a long story short, the trip to NJ was more than successful; "I would do it again in a heartbeat" as my great accomplice, Paul, so said it. Details to follow (someday)

To put a developing story short: Harbor to the Bay- September 12

Same starting line, different endpoint. We're going to Provincetown on an AIDS benefit ride. Do help (if you can) with a small $$ donation. OR in moral support. Either or is fine by me. Hooray, more adventures.

Another happy tidbit: Boston patched up my bone of contention by making new bike lanes on the dam by the Museum of Science. The traffic became dangerous on the bridge and the available sidewalk seemed to be a mere accessory. Its narrow width made it inadequate to accommodate the sweaty joggers, lost museum-goers, dawdling stroller-pushers, and flustered bikers that made those 50 meters  a living hell. Thanks, Boston. This was long overdue.

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The Route

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321

It is hot and humid and I'm leaving in three (count them: THREE) days.

The pre-departure saga hasn't gained much in preparation. Some sunny days, some crummy days, some good rides and some bad, overall having a net zero gain.

I successfully recruited a friend to ride home to NJ. He's coming to Boston on the Eve and we're leaving as early as possible on the Day. I doubt we'll see any setbacks as far as getting to the starting line. So that's a plus.

On the downside, the bike's back tire mysteriously popped last week. I took it to a shop to get it changed and also to get a crash course on changing tires and the like. When I nonchalantly mentioned the trip, Bike Dude stops his work and mumbles something about getting a new bike. I asked him if my bike would make it all the way and he goes, "aueahh...I mean sure, why not? back in the day people did all sorts of trips on worse bikes...with fixed gears and...sure"

"Would you do it on this bike?"

"AhhhhhI'd get a new one."

So I guess that means filling half of my cargo with tubes, tools, and patch kits. I've also been running around trying to find a bike rack. Maybe I should just bring some cash to buy a new bike.....just in case.

I spent the rest of my morning typing up cues from the GoogleMaps and bikely routes. Paul has his GPS, but nothing compares to having directions on paper and tucked away in a sports bra. If all goes well, we'll be moving 80 mi/day and getting home on the third day. There'll be two ferries, one night of stealth camp, and one night at a friend's place in Long Island.

Oh, speaking of which...who knew Long Island was so.......long?

Wikipedia did:

Both the longest and the largest island in the contiguous United States, Long Island extends 118 miles (190 km) from New York Harbor, and has a maximum width of 23 miles (37 km) between the northern (Long Island Sound) coast and the southernAtlantic coast. With an area of 1,401 square miles (3,629 km²), Long Island is the 11th largest in the United States, and the148th largest island in the world. The land area of Long Island is larger than that of the state of Rhode Island and larger than any U.S. territory except Puerto Rico.

That would explain why 2/3 of the entire ride is in Long Island.

Ouch

This post is not a storytale. Just a bunch of disjointed remarks, nothing more nothing less.

After 7 months of cruising on Beacon St, I decided to change the scenery- took the week off to go to North Jersey. Part of the reason why I bussed south was to visit the family and the other part was so I could take advantage of the trails that litter Sussex County. I figured I should comfort my inner woodland creature and bike through dirt and mud- as a way to reassure myself one month before takeoff.

But there's nothing more comforting than wanting to revert to the fetus position at the base of a nearly vertical climb. The flat, paved roads of Boston have spoiled me to the core. My thighs right now stopped responding. I've even renamed them. My left is Misery and my right is Anguish. So yes, "Ouch"...ouch is right.

Besides my new dependency on pain relievers, I had a stupendous ride today. I did an out-and-back of the Sussex Branch Trail- which follows what used to be a railroad path. The route totalled about 40 miles on dirt and mud, but it felt like 400 when including the route to and from the trailhead.

It took me a while before I found a decent route of the Sussex Branch Trail on Google, but I did stumble on some interesting sites:

www.traillink.com

Maps of the SBT and the Paulinskill Trail

Kittatinny Valley State Park (from the NJDEP)

For the record, let it be known that this post is also my response that cute thing people say: "New Jersey? What's in New Jersey?" The state has a HUGE backyard to its notorious turnpike. I'm almost ashamed to say that I forgot how many animals run around on the streets. A black bear greeted me on my first day home. Granted, it was in our neighbour's yard, but the last bear I've seen was stuffed and in a museum. I saw a generous number of deer...enough to make me wonder why we don't see venison on the market, Deer is delicious AND they don't know how to look both ways before crossing. I also saw a fair share of cute furry rodents. one red bird, one blue bird, four bikers and two cats.

I commend my dad's bike for its plushie seat, lightweight frame and smooth cruising. Its gears mastered the 90° inclines that seem to dominate the neighborhood. Great bikes like these almost make me think that my decade-old, $10, greasy purple Garage Sale mountain bike is obsolete. But of course, I'm just being seduced by this shiny blue one. I'm totally bringing the plushie seat back to Boston with me.

by the way...Berries are EVERYWHERE. They've saved me before and saved me again when I was becoming delirious. If you're ever spending time in the woods in the NE zone, look out for mulberries (June/July), blueberries (mid-June-August) and blackberries (July/August)

As summarized in these two pics, NJ is a juxtaposition of noxious chemicals and natural beauty.

and terrible suburban graffiti....

The Route

thanks to bikely.com

Boston-New York City 2007.05.09-11

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Bicycle Dreams Trailer

Walden Pond: check

I am long ways away. 50 mi for next Saturday

I think I can.

"I stand in awe of my body"

For having a completely clean medical record after almost 12 years of living in the polluted state of jersey, after rolling with the horses, train beds, and gypsy-punks of the French countryside, after spending a summer under the canopy of mosquito jungles, quite literally eating monkey poo, after living exclusively on the 5-second rule and a "what-won't-kill-you-makes-you-stronger" maxim. All of a sudden my body takes a swerve during my first summer in Boston and succumbs to the New England pollen. I am currently a walking snot machine. I mean, it's either allergies or I contracted the swine flu--which would make me feel like total badass were it not so improbable.

Anyways, today is Week II (or Day 2). I was scheduled for an early morning bike run but it's already 11:00 am, so everything's moved up 4 hours. I've been wanting to go to Walden Pond for a while. So I went online and found a handy 40 mi route that uses the Minuteman Trail on www.bikely.com.

And here are my Walk-thru notes that will guide me through tomorrow's ride. Note the lack of details. I'll be depending on my awesome photographic memory, but mostly my reliable phonebook contacts.

START AT BU BRIDGE (Cambridge-Side)

1. Take Memorial Drive west along the Charles

1.a Continue past JFK Bridge

1.b continue past Arsenal Bridge

2. RIGHT on N Beacon St

2.a [6.6 mi] Mt Auburn/ N Beacon intersection

3. Continue on N Beacon St --> Main St

4. RIGHT on Lyman St [9.4 mi]

5. LEFT on Beaver St (taking the Rotary)

6. RIGHT on Lexington St [10.3 mi]

7. LEFT on Totten Pond Rd

7.a Continue on Totten Pond-- road turns into Winter St at [11.5 mi]

7.b Follow Winter St. through Rt 128

7.c Continue on Winter St around the Cambridge Reservoir

7.d Winter St. bends left at around [13.5 mi], and intersects Old Country Rd.

7.e Winter St. bends right at [14 mi]

8. LEFT on Trapelo Rd.

8.a Intersects Bedford/Lincoln Rd

8.b Trapelo turns to Sandy Pond Rd at [15.8 mi]

9. LEFT at Baker Bridge Rd [16 mi (?)]

10. RIGHT on Concord Rd/Rt 126 [17.5 mi]

11. WALDEN POND at mile 18.

12. Continue north on Rt 126/Concord Rd/ WALDEN ST

12.a Crosses Concord Turnpike/2A

13. LEFT on Thoreau St

14. RIGHT on Sudbury Rd [19.7 mi]

15. Merge (RIGHT) on Main St/ Rt 62

16. Slight LEFT on Lexington Rd

17. RIGHT on Bedford St./ Rt 62

17.a Continue (left/north) onto SOUTH BEDFORD St/ Rt 62

17.b Countinue South Bedford onto CONCORD Rd

18. RIGHT on Hartwell Rd [23.4 mi]

19. LEFT on South Rd [25 mi]

20. RIGHT ON MINUTEMAN BIKEWAY [25.2 mi]

21. END MINUTEMAN BIKEWAY [35.2 mi]

21.a Mere to Cambridgepark Way ( go around parking lot)

22. LEFT on Cambridgepark Dr. (around parking lot)

23. RIGHT on Alewife Brook Pkway/Rt3/Rt16/Rt2 [35.4 mi]

24. LEFT on Concord Ave (taking the Rotary) [36 mi]

25. RIGHT on Garden St [37.3 mi]

26. RIGHT on Mason St

27. LEFT on James St

28. LEFT on Brattle St

ARRIVE TO HARVARD SQ.

............

Wish me luck

And so it begins

I don't regularly blog.

But sometimes an idea needs a ground, albeit a digital one, to take its roots and grow into whatever metaphorical plant it chooses to take.

Anyways, I've set my mind on taking my/(a) bike south to New York City this summer. I'm known (to myself) to start projects and forget about them halfway through. Given that I only have the first week in August to pedal 300-400 miles, and that this is as close to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as my little mind can envision, I figured this is one of the few instances where not only determination but preparation is absolutely necessary.

In other words, I can't half-ass this project. The last thing I want is ending up with a flat tire in Dildo, Newfoundland, though I would be as impressed with myself as I would be fucked.

So, first post.

So far what have I done?

First training ride last saturday:

26 miles loop to Waltham, MA via the Greenway.

...next one to come next saturday.