Deer Island - September 11, 2019

RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 11 September 2019, Deer Island
Ride Leader:  Tom Allen


37 miles, 10:00 am start from Danehy Park, Cambridge, MA

Riders (12): Tom, Frank Aronson, Geoff Allard, James Hsia, John Raftery, Margaret Coughlin, Rich Mandel, Rochelle Holman, Selig Saltzman, Susan Sabin, and first-timers, Adam Walpert and Bernie Mango.  (The majority of the above remoted to the start; prize goes to Rochelle, who rode 20+ miles from Westford.)

It started as a moderate and pleasant day that turned breezy and warm - a pretty close to ideal biking day for this time of year.  We set out through Cambridge and Somerville streets and found the Somerville Community Path, the first of approximately ten off-street paths that stitched our urban ride together.  We then rode on both sides of the Mystic River, on more bike paths, and took a new bike and pedestrian passage under Rte 16 to Everett.  Passing Night Shift brewery, we then found ourselves on the Northern Strand Bikeway which took us to Revere.

The ride through Revere was a bit drab, but traffic was not especially hostile.  We then reached Revere Beach with its ocean vista (see photo).  Proceeding south along the beach and on into Winthrop, we were treated to more water views and a noticeable headwind.  We paused at the Judge David Mazzone Memorial to his rulings that mandated the Boston Harbor clean-up project.

To continue on the multi-use path around Deer Island, we were obliged to take a minor detour, but were quickly back on track.  Heading back through Winthrop we came to East Boston and took the East Boston Greenway and Connector, past Constitution Beach, and took an easy one-way street across East Boston to the bridge to Chelsea.  We took a small detour into a rustic neighborhood (cobblestone street) and then to the Admirals Hill neighborhood and Mary O'Malley State Park, with views of the Boston skyline and a very close-up view of the Tobin Bridge.

We then traversed the produce market area of Chelsea on a newly paved section of Beacham Street (formerly know as craters-of-the-moon) to the new Encore Casino.  That project has included bike lanes on Broadway extending across the Alford Street bridge to (and through) Sullivan Square.  Until that was completed - just this summer - this portion of the ride would not have been feasible.

Five of us had lunch at Mike's in Davis Square.  Margaret volunteered to lead others back to the start at Danehy Park following the GPS route.

Thanks to Rich for sweeping most of the ride, and to Rochelle for filling in after Rich split for home.  We stayed mostly together, minimizing the need for arrows.  Rochelle and a few others were diligent about providing arrows where needed.

Report by Tom Allen.