Through the Woods and Over the River - Blue Hills and Neponset - November 17, 2021

 RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 17 November 2021, Through the Woods and Over the River - Blue Hills and Neponset
Ride Leaders: David Wean and Ron Beland
25 or 27 miles, 10:00 am start from Canton, MA

First, a public (dis)service announcement: For no-drop rides such as Wednesday Wheelers, we often try to accommodate folks who may find themselves a couple minutes late. This morning we waited in 30-ish degree weather for four people who had registered but did not show, at least by 10:15.When registering, the confirmation email says "If you need to cancel, contact the ride leader..." One rider canceled the night before, but none of the other four made any contact, though they had the ride leaders' phone numbers and emails from the announcement. 'Nuff said.

Riders - (9 minus 2 plus 1): David, Ron, Everett Briggs, Frank Aronson, Gerry Sheetoo, Greg Tobin, Julia Zhogina, Stuart Kaufman, Tom Allen, and Wing Chow.

Beginning with a rocky start (one rider showing up at last week's ride start, one with a non-fixable mechanical issue just as we began, and a third who decided after the wait and a half mile that they were just too cold to continue), we had a lovely romp through Canton, Quincy, Dorchester, Mattapan and Milton.

We warmed up with a climb to the overlook on Chickatawbut Road, speeding down the back side into Quincy. We cruised along Wollaston Beach, followed by a brief detour around Moswetuset Hummock (which detour exemplified the dictum that "if you get ahead of the ride leader, you're on your own"). On to Marina Bay for a water view and restroom stop, where we were joined by the rider who'd driven to the wrong ride start. Before riding along runway 14/32 of the former airfield at Squantum Point Park we caught a great view of the remaining gas tank, UMass, and the JFK Library, as well as (again) the Boston skyline. We crossed back on the Neponset Bridge, and viewed the estuary from the paths around Pope John Paul II Park. The Neponset Trail took us back along the "high speed trolley" line (the operators of the '40s era cars still ring the bell when you gesture up and down as they pass!) to Mattapan Square, from which we found our way back to the Blue Hills Reservation. Four of the eight remaining riders chose to climb the recently repaved access road to the top of Great Blue Hill, and lunch at Hillside Pub was enjoyed by the ride leaders and two riders.

 

Report by David Wean.