My host treated me to a wonderful breakfast of French toast, scrambled egg, and fruit, and even sent me on my way with food for the road. After he got a picture of me and Bree, we got on the road a little after 9. In Newburyport I hopped on a trail that was nice, but Google was insistent I should be going another way. For better or worse, I listened to it. I biked out of town onto 1A without seeing much of the city, when I had planned on looking around a bit. But at least I saw downtown last night when my host took me for dinner.
1A was not the way the Greenway goes, which in retrospect may not been the best choice on my path. It took me along some marshland but without a whole lot to see, the shoulder wasn't great, and traffic could be a bit unpleasant. But I got to see the little town of Ipswich and appreciate its boardwalk and beautiful river, which I would not have going the Greenway route. After that it was more stressful riding until crossing the Essex Bridge (which had lovely views but no chance to stuff) into Salem. I find it funny how much the town's focus seems focused either around its history with the witch trials or on modern macabre, museum here, Halloween style shop there. My main quest in town though was an increasingly desperate search for a public bathroom. I had thought the commons, with its big open green space and playground, would surely have one, but alas not. But I did find my way to a park with a port-a-potty after some searching. And I took some time to stop there after and eat lunch, while a young boy took great interest in my activities.
From there I thought I'd try the Greenway route awhile. ...It wasn't great. I got on a road that would have been fine, were it not for the construction and the detour taking me off it. Then I got on a trail that went well out of the way, offered relatively little to see, and had rocks and mud puddles to contend with. But after that I got a stretch of lovely beach...with ominous clouds overhead. The rain and howling wind hit suddenly. I laughed happily at it, pumped up by the storm, relieved by the cool rain on a warm day. I passed some people out walking and asked if they were ready to get wet, and when they responded that they were running to their car so they wouldn't, I told them they really ought to have more fun and just get wet. I was almost disappointed how soon the storm passed.
Things got more stressful going further south. My early impressions of the Boston metro, in the town of Lyn, were of bumpy roads, trash and glass everywhere, and a generally run down feel. Google and I think the Greenway too, wanted me to take some community path that looked overgrown and not particularly rideable, and instead I navigated some not fun roads.
While it's true what I heard from many people that there are a lot of very polite drivers, ones who will be considerate and even stop to let you go when on trail or trying to cross a tough intersection, it's also the case that with just so many drivers on the road, you definitely contend with less nice ones. I was greatly relieved when I finally got on a trail and stayed on it awhile. There was more stress after that for awhile, some struggling to navigate, a little more pouring rain. I stopped at a gas station, partly to let the rain blow over. A guy let me know he would watch my bike for me while I ran inside to use the bathroom and buy a candy bar. There do seem to be really good people around here, a good community of cyclists, and some understanding from drivers.
In Cambridge and Boston, there are good bike lanes and life got easier. I crossed the Harvard Bridge (walking the pedestrian path so I could take pictures and enjoy the view), and arrived in Boston itself. Then once off it, I got back on the other side to take a couple pictures of the view there, and then hop onto this really amazing trail on the river. With a little time left to burn before my hosts told me to be in around 6, I biked in the opposite direction of my destination of Brookline, toward downtown instead. I loved the trail so much. There were so many people on it (but bike and pedestrian traffic is so calm and free flowing compared to cars), so much lovely scenery, and the trail was in superb condition. It was the most fun I had all day.
I arrived at my hosts right on time. They made dinner of zucchini quesadillas and we chatted about my tours, her recent visit to Lincoln, and their plan to bike tour around Europe in a few weeks. It was a good evening. And tomorrow, I get to explore a little more of Boston, then stay with some friends from Pittsburgh for the night who are less than 10 miles west of here. It should be a good day, basically as easy and as many miles as I choose.
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