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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

2793.0. "Commuting route" by TUXEDO::MOLSON (Margaret Olson) Thu Jun 16 1994 11:56

Hello all you more serious bicyclists,

I'm going on a bike tour of the Provence in September.  I'm normally
a pretty casual sort of cyclist (this vacation was chosen as a way
to see the countryside and get fresh air and exercise, and have 
someone else do all the planning), so I was thinking of riding to
work (LKG) from home (Brookline, NH).  I run regularly, so this is
more a matter of developing my bike muscles than getting aerobically
in shape.  At least the first few times I do this, I'll arrange for
a ride home. 

Anyway, I know nice back roads to Groton, but I'm not to keen on 
riding on 119 from Groton to Littleton.  Does anyone know a back
way that paralells 119?  I see bikes on Pepperell Rd (Brookline)/
Brookline St (Pepperell), so I know you can get to and from somewhere
that way.

I did a dir/title looking for a "local routes" topic, and didn't
find one.I apologize if such a topic exists, and I failed to find it.

This tour was rated as easy in the brochure, I think we figured out
that you could easily do all the biking in 3 hours a day.

Thanks,
Margaret.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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2793.1119 bypassKELVIN::MCKINLEYThu Jun 16 1994 15:1334
    Margaret,

    Here's one method:

    * Take Rt. 40 out of the center of Groton towards Westford.

    * Take a right on Graniteville Rd. (near MIT/Haystack observatory).  If
      you enter Westford on Rt. 40, you've gone too far (by a hundred yards
      or so).

    * Graniteville Rd. becomes West St. as you enter Westford.

    * Go to the end of West St and take a right onto N. Main (at the stone
      church, currently under construction)

    * Take first left onto Town Farm Rd.

    * Go to the end of Town Farm Rd. and go straight across to Abbot St.

    * Go to the end of Abbot St. and turn left on Rt. 225.  While 225 is a
      numbered road, it has nowhere near the traffic or speeds of 119.

    * Take 225 to Rt. 110, turn right onto 110, stop at Kimball's, then
      continue to LKG.

    * Alternate:  After turning onto 225, take the first right onto Beaver
      Brook Rd.  This comes out just before the farm stands on 119 on the
      other side of 495 from LKG.  But you don't go by Kimball's with this
      route!

    Have fun!

    ---Phil
2793.2assuming you take Groton St. from Pepperell ctr...EDWIN::GULICKThose dirty rings !!Thu Jun 16 1994 15:172
You can cut out going all the way to Groton center by taking Martins Pond
Rd off of Hollis St and then taking Schoolhouse Rd down to Rte 40.
2793.3MSBCS::BROWN_LFri Jun 17 1994 13:327
    The topo maps didn't show much in the way of backroads.  .1 is about the
    best from Groton to the north of 119, but 40 and 110 tend to be pretty
    busy too.  There's nothing to the south without going to Ayer and
    turning left.  There are a string of ponds that present sort of a
    natural barrier between Groton and Littleton, and 119 is the only thing
    that cuts between them.  kb    
    
2793.4RANGER::WASSERJohn A. WasserTue Jun 28 1994 16:5618
> The topo maps didn't show much in the way of backroads.

	but the Massachusetts Bicycle Map does!  This map is GREAT
	for planning routes...  It shows what roads to head for and
	what roads to stay away from.  Data from May, 1991:

Available FREE from the Massachusetts State Transportation Library:

	Massachusetts Bicycle Map
	Massachusetts Transportation Map
	Boston-Cape Cod Bikeway Map

	State Transportation Library
	10 Park Plaza
	Boston, Massachusetts
		02116

	(617) 973-8000
2793.5No luckR2ME2::GREENWOODTim. I do Unicode.Tue Jun 28 1994 17:168
I called the number that John gave in .4

They said that the Massachusetts Bicycle Map had not been printed for 6 years 
and that the Boston-Cape Cod Bikeway Map was printed by the Boston Youth Hostels
and available for $2.50 plus tax. They did not have a number for the latter
organization.

Tim
2793.6STARCH::WHALENRich WhalenTue Jun 28 1994 22:596
    The Cap Ann & North Shore/Cape Cod & the Islands Bicycle Map was
    advertised in a recent issue of Mass Cyclists (Bicycle Coalition of
    Massachusetts newsletter).  It shows and address of:
    	BikeMaps Massachusetts
    	P.O. Box 1035
    	Cambridge, MA 02140
2793.7MSBCS::BROWN_LWed Jun 29 1994 11:132
    I have the Mass Bicycle Map; it's not even in the same league as
    1:25,000 topo maps.  A lot more convenient to carry, however.  kb
2793.8119TUXEDO::MOLSONMargaret OlsonWed Jul 27 1994 09:304
Well, after driving the available alternate routes I decided that the best 
approach is to leave the house at 6:00am and skip the traffic.  This worked
very well, although it does get me here awfully early.
Margaret.