First Ride in Boston

So brought my bike down on the Downeaster from Dover today, yes you can do that with a full bike, but not technically ;) It helps to be a monthly pass holder and know the conductors.

Anyway got off at north station, answered a woman's question about bikes on commuter rail, informed her I used Amtrak but that reverse commutes during rush hour allowed bikes, and it is just a short period in the morning and evening that don't and that weekends are good.

I rode on the sidewalk for the longest distance I can remember since a child. I don't normally use the sidewalk, but when the alternative is to do battle with 5 lanes of traffic on what is effectively a high speed highway with traffic lights that connects North Station over into East Cambridge, I will choose the sidewalk every time even if there are sharrows on the road.

I was not the only one, although there were a number of brave soles on the road itself as well.

Ride to First and down the pre-painted bike lanes to Broadway and into the City Hall Annex of Cambridge (my current work)

Bike is living overnight in the bike room as I start my full move tomorrow.

Cyclists seen today, including the elusive sidewalk salmon!

Thanks to we4farm14 via flickr for these Salmon!

Its exam week, give me a break!

cyclists seen today (not on university property)

All cyclists observed today were in the afternoon while I was on the road from 1:40 to 1:50 pm and from 6:20 to 7:00 pm.

total 16 (not including me)
6 road cyclists (only 2 were practicing vehicular ways when observed)
1 was a salmon cyclist(maybe even a salmon sidewalk cyclist!) shortly before becoming a road cyclist
1 couple on bikes, not being gutter bunnies at point of observation
2 different cyclists who were riding as gutter bunnies when observed
1 cyclist who was a gutter bunny as I talked/passed him, he then became a separated trail cyclist when reaching the city beach area.

5 sidewalk cyclists
4 salmon sidewalk cyclist. they are defined as sidewalk riding on the side of the road where the closest traffic is moving opposite to them.
1 normal sidewalk cyclist

5 bmx bikers
all 5 were at the local bmx/skate board park at one of the elementary schools.

of note only 2 cyclists were female, one in the mentioned couple, and one sidewalk salmon cyclist. There are maybe a handful of female cyclists in the Plattsburgh area, and even fewer that actually ride on the road properly. This of course does not include university or school students.

There was a west wind today, that was a bit southish coming in and then kind of northish going home. still made good time, I was just blown about quite a bit.

I Received one internship so far. I will be working as an unpaid(yeah yeah) intern with the non profit advocacy group, MassBike out of Boston, Massachusetts. There will be a combination of commuting via Amtrak's Downeaster, possibly staying with friends in Somerville (their intern position was full until September, booo) , or staying with my wonderful girlfriend just outside of Worcester.

Somebody was thinking

So the family and I were coming home from a nice little local restaurant over the line in Maine, and we are driving back through Dover, of course have to stop and get a bit of icecream ;) Well it was about time for the Downeaster to be roaring through on its way to Portland, Maine from Boston, and right on time, 6:30 rolls into the station. Now I love catching the train, I remember the inauguration of the rout back in 2001 as the line reopened after 40 years or something, it has also been the fasted growing line in the entire Amtrak network, and I think either breaks even or might make money, either way, its a wonderful train and I am happy to have the options! What I did want to mention was the way it connected to the local bus services. Wildcat transit, which is run by UNH from Durham had arrived at the station about 5 minutes before the train and waited until after it had left the station to leave, and 2 of the Coast buses came, one before and waited and then one after. All of the buses have bicycle access through front racks, to ease in transportation mode changes. The train does not carry bikes from the Dover station, but I am working on a way so they in theory could, anyway. It was nice and refreshing to see, even the little public transport options we have, working together and syncing up. Too often in the US nobody pays attention to these things and you either miss the connection by 5 minutes or you have to wait an hour. So cudos to Amtrak, Coast, and Wildcat transit for working together.

Downeaster
Coast Bus
Wildcat Transit