looking for a riding partner

[totient]

Looking for someone or someones to join me on my morning commute to or beyond the end of the bikepath, and perhaps on the return in the afternoon. Happy to meet in Davis or Teele Square or any of the nearby Somerville parks (Lexington, Trum, Powderhouse, Hodgkin). I usually go through Davis around 8:30am but would be OK moving that by up to half an hour in either direction. Time from there to Bedford Depot at the end of the Minuteman (10.5 miles or so) is usually 33-34 minutes depending on traffic; I continue from there up Springs Road towards Billerica. Somewhat flexible as to exact route, especially in the mornings. Coming home I usually pass through Bedford Depot at 6:45 +/- and Davis Square 30-31 minutes later.

Comments

[ron_newman]

I don't generally get up early enough to do this with you, but are you familiar with the Narrow-Gauge Rail Trail that continues north from Bedford Depot, parallel to Springs Road? If you don't mind an unpaved stone-dust surface, it may be more pleasant than the streets. You can actually continue even further north on the dirt trail, and end up in the large office-park parking lot off Concord Road in Billerica.

[totient]

I am -- I ride the southernmost, paved portion of it every day, and the rest of it occasionally. It's fun to see deer and rabbits along the little-used path, but parts of it are pretty overgrown, and it's also a lot slower than a paved street.

[ron_newman]

You're a considerably faster rider than I am, as it usually takes me about 45 minutes to ride from Davis to Bedford Depot (at least if I go by way of Alewife)

[totient]

I'm not sure how much faster I'd be than 45 minutes if I took the bike path the whole way -- there are a lot of grade crossings and local pedestrian traffic. I generally go over Clarendon Hill instead, which makes the ride shorter, and often use city streets rather than the bike path, which cuts down on the number of stop signs.