Saturday, July 29

Went on the Critcal Mass ride last evening. This happens the last Friday of every month. This was the first time I went and it was unbelievable. The ride starts at Copley and last night there were about 200 or so riders at the beginning. The route (which I gather is not pre-determined) took us downtown, then accross the Mass Ave Bridge, up Mass Ave to Harvard Square (right before Harvard Sq there was a downpour that was about as heavy as I have ever seen, with thunder and lightening and gusting winds. At times you could barely see. It was an awsome sight to see 200 riders going through it all and shouting and yelling), around the Square and down to Mem drive via several side streets, then over the BU Bridge, down Comm Ave, outbound on Beacon St, down Park Drive to Huntington, then down to Copley again, up Newbury St, then Mass ave to Boylston to the Lansdowne St area, then up the Riverway to Longwood. There was one point along Putnam Ave in Cambridge where nobody was talking and all you could hear was a light swish of bicycle tires on wet pavement. It was a startling thing to realize that these 200 people were moving along making barely any noise. At other times a roar would erupt from the group after a particulary bright flash of lightning, or as we passed under bridges.

Thursday, July 27

Great hazy, humid Boston summer morning. I took this first picture by accident as I was going down Comm Ave - it really shows the close quarters that cyclists are in sometimes. Also, here are more detailed pictures of Betty and Tony. I guess saying that Tony was "up to his gunwales in water" was an understatement.

Wednesday, July 26

Although Suicide Vespa Ride doesn't have the same ring to it, I had to take this beautiful machine to work since the weather is so nice - plus I just got the new '07 sticker from the RMV. I'll ride my bicycle through a blizzard (and have done that several times), but getting on the Vesap in cold weather is painful. So, I'm going to take advantage of the beautiful weather while I can.

2nd picture is of me on Mem drive - I'm going 50mph (believe it or not these things do 50) - EVERYONE WAS PASSING ME. That goes to show you, I know first-hand that nobody does 35 on Mem Drive.

Tuesday, July 25

Today I had another opportunity to revel in being car-less in Boston. I had to go to to the RMV downtown to get a sticker for the Vespa, and while sitting in that dreaded edifice (see photo) I recalled the precious moments of my life in past years sitting and waiting, sitting and waiting, and sitting and waiting to renew registrations, get new plates, wrangle with release forms, and other tortures. Since the Vespa qualifies as a "moped", being 50cc, the biennial registration took five minutes and no hassels at all.

My journey to the RMV took my to a part of downtown that I don't ride very often and the smaller streets and more frequest stoplights make it a much easier ride despite more traffic. Cars don't have the opportunity to get up to 45mph downtown like they do on Mem Drive and Beacon and Comm.

I've mentioned Betty, the aluminum canoe before. She's stored on a dock right by the Longfellow Bridge and has "BETTY" stencilled in black on her bow. She was joined recently by another forlorn-looking craft - a red and white skiff with the name "TONY" on it's bows. Tony spends most of his days filled almost to the gunwales with water.

Monday, July 24

I have a belief that during every summer there is one day that is the best day. The 'best day' is 78-80 degrees, absolutely clear, no humidity. And I believe there is only one of these days per summer. Today was definitely the best day. While my view for most of this most perfect day was spent corralled by 4 blue/gray cube walls (yes, 4 walls! Most folks are only lucky enough to have 3 - but I have 4) , I still enjoyed the 40 minutes I had on the bike going to and from the Lazy P Blue-Gray Corral.

I am also occasionally reminded of the advantage of commuting by bicycle - see photo of Mass Ave traffic.

Wednesday, July 19

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday evening it was nearly 100 degrees for the ride home. This morning's ride - 74 degrees.

For all of you who have been boasting to me how much money you're going to make on harvesting river herring from the Charles this summer, I have bad news. There is a ban on harvesting river herring. See the photo of the sign. I know this is quite a blow, but... Seriously, though, who would harvest anything from the Charles River?

Thursday, July 13

Downpour for the morning ride. Fahchahnitly, I am in possession of a fresh pair of rain pants (and I don't mean "Fresh" like the Prince of Bel Aire). My last pair were repaired so often with duct tape that I looked like I was wearing dingy silver pants. They finally gave out sometime at the beginning of 2006. But now I have this great pair of $13 rain pants. I made my stunning debut on the streets of Boston this morning, and let me tell you, I think people were impressed. Look at the color combo of my jacket with the pants. Semi-ripe banana?

Wednesday, July 12

I always like a good contest. Once I kept up with a car whose driver yelled at me at the BU Bridge to "get off the road", all the way to St Paul and Beacon in Brookline. She was scared sh**less, I'm sure. I have a very menacing helmet - it's all black, and quite bulbous (as bike helmets tend to be).

Once I followed a guy who had thrown a half-full (see, I'm optimistic) Burger King milk shake cup at me for at least two miles. I don't mean he was throwing them at me for two miles; I mean I kept up with him for two miles after he hurled the shake at me. Again, I think that my formidable demeanor and helmet had him quite sure that the milk shake was not a good idea. His smirk was definitely a poor attempt to mask his terror.

Today I had a real thrill, though. I raced this street sweeper over the Mass Ave bridge and WON! This was better than watching the Cutters beat the college boys in "Breaking Away"!

Tuesday, July 11

One thing I've learned over two years of bike commuting is that you cannot cower by the edge of the road when riding. You have to claim your rightful space on the road, even when cars honk or people yell at you to get off the road.

If you act like you're not supposed to be there, then drivers and pedestrians will also act like you're not supposed to be there.

I like to leave a good amount of space to my right (see photo).


Beautiful morning. Thunderstorms for the ride home.

Friday, July 7

Wednesday, July 5

Posting has been sporadic lately due to holidays and work reaching a mid-season crescendo. Anyway, wanted to supply these two excellent photos of a POP pop (Father POP, if you will) nearly leading his young ones into the the path of an MBTA bus and then crossing against the light.