Lovely fall weekend

This was one of those weekends that makes New England simply great!

Saturday BB and I went for a long bike ride on the Nashua River Rail Trail. This was a wonderful paved trail following a RR right of way that parallels the Nashua river between Ayer, Ma and Nashua, NH. The trail runs through woodland, farm fields, ponds, wetlands, and, of course, the Nashua river. We rode about 16 miles. With a paved surface and little climbing it was an easy ride. Here are the photos and videos.

Sunday was another lovely day and we went for a short ride through some of the Sudbury Valley conservation land and then over to the Assabet Wildlife Refuge.

The visitor center was open so I took the opportunity to stop in and ask that the trails that connect to the Sudbury Valley conservation land be opened to bicycling. It was a mostly wasted effort but I did get a card for someone to call about the matter. I don't have much hope but I'll give a call and we'll see what happens.

Here are the photos, etc.

Quiet rainy day

After a lovely bright warm fall day yesterday, today is cooler with just enough rain to make being outside inconvenient. Good news though, I don't have to deal with leaves since they are wet and I can finish my book. Bad news, I'll have to pay bills.

75 degree fall day! Off bike riding.

We had rather unseasonably 75 degree and sunny weather today. It was magnificent. BB wanted to go for a longish bike ride and decided to do the Reformatory Branch Trail from Concord to Bedford. When we got to Bedford she wanted to keep going so we rode most of the Narrow Gage Trail. The ride out and back was a bit more than 15 miles and we were both tired by the time we got home. Still it was good to get out on such a wonderful day. Here are the photos. Click through to see videos.

Now I'm going to go take a much needed nap.

Bike ride in Assabet

I found a couple of biking/hiking websites that are interesting - www.railstotrails.org and www.traillink.com. They have an association with Google to provide GIS data for biking trails. Since the Assabet has some fair bike trails I submitted a new trail to them. I got a nice note back so it should eventually find its way into Google maps. Before it does I'll need a GPS track for the trail. So today I decided to ride the outer loop and record a GPS track.

It was a good day to be out. I drove over to the refuge. The new bike rack works great. The ride went well. Surprisingly along the way on a work day I met several other riders. Some were very fit and passed me as though I was walking.

When I got to the NW corner of the refuge I took a short detour on White Pond Rd down to the Assebet River. It was really lovely. While there I met a chap coming out of the woods road that runs S along the river. We chatted for a bit. It turned out that we shared a number of interest and he invited me down to the air strip along the Assabet.

I continued the ride and recorded the entire track which I can helpfully use with TrailLink.

As usual here are the photos. No videos in this batch.

BB and I try her new mountain bike out

BB and I went for a bike ride to test out her Specialized mountain bike. It took a bit of seat adjustment but it seems to work well for her. At $45 ($25 for bike and $20 for pedals) it's a great deal. We rode on the trails in the Sudbury Vally trustee land. Some of them were very good. Others not so much. Riding on dirt is a bit of a chore so we only did about 5 miles.

The path in from on Old Pine Trail and the parking area on Dutton road is nice and an easy ride generally. We cut S to go past the pond (Hopbrook pond?). It was especially lovely with some ducks feeding. From there we followed the RR track W. The track bridge is fine for bikes but we did have to carry. Riding along the RR track is generally good. When we got over by the sand pits we turned back S on Sudbury Valley Trustee land and the Desert Loop trail. These trails were only just rideable for us. In just a bit we got to Plympton trail and followed it E to the Woman's club and Dutton Rd S parking. From there it was a quick trip N on Dutton and cut over to Amanda then home. All in all a pleasant ride with very little busy road.

As usual here are the photos. Click through to see the videos.

Took my new bike out for a test ride

I guess I'm now the kid with the new toy so I took a ride on my new bike. I'd wanted to try riding the abandoned RR path over to the Assebet so since BB was working today it seemed like a good way to test out the bike.

I'd found that you can get to the abandoned RR tracks from the end of our street so I rode down, cut through a neighbor's yard and walked over to the tracks. Riding on the path besides the RR tracks was generally fairly good though there were places where walking was required. I was able to get over the the Sudbury Valley trustee land without going on streets and then over to the Assebet reservation via various woods roads and trails. It wasn't fast but riding in the woods in the fall was certainly lovely.

The bike worked well and I'm very happy with it. I'll probably add a suspension seatpost and perhaps change the saddle but overall I couldn't be more satisfied. The suspension worked well and generally made the ride easier particularly over roots in the trail. That said, I can now understand the appeal of full suspension since some of the roots were a bit rough on my bum.

Here are the photos from today. As usual click through if you want to see the videos.

When I got home I noticed that the bike has Presta style valve stems so I'll have to buy an adapter so I can put air in. I may look at suspension seat post as well.

Bikes and cameras

BB was off today so we went to look at a mountain bike for me.  It was a bit of a hall and I almost didn't go as the bike had been raced by a pro.  As it turned out I'm very glad I did.  He had an older Cannondale professional bike that originally sold for around $1600 to which the shop upgraded the wheels, shifters, derailleurs, and brakes.  He's now riding a newer bike and sold this one for $150!  The frame fit me, everything worked, and there was no damage.  Deal done.  Don't you just love Craigs list!  Her's what it looks like.

RJB's new Cannondale mountain bike

The old cruddy yellow bag is temporary from my road bike.

As if that wasn't enough excitement, the guy was also about to sell his wife's mountain bike.  It seems four kids and mountain biking don't go together.  It was a Specialized Rockhopper.  I'm not sure what it originally cost but for $25 there was no decision.  So I bought it for BB since it is a much better bike than the one I bought yesterday for $30, it fit her very well, and everything worked perfectly.  The only drawback was the bike had no pedals.  A stop and the bike shop and $20 put pedals on it though I was somewhat put off by spending $20 for pedals for a $25 bike, but what can you do.  The bike has a high pressure road tire on it so it should go down roads and paths well.

BB's new mountain bike.

While I was taking bike photos, I took one of yesterday's $30 Giant.  It's a nice enough bike and has knobbly tires mounted.  I may strip it for parts or sell it on craigs list.

Yesterday's $30 Giant bike

Flush with two bikes we drove home in the rain.  No matter, the bike quest is nearly done.

When I got home there was a package from Amazon.  I'd ordered a funky camera stand.

The stand

The legs bend and allow you to position a camera easily.  They bend so much that they can be used to grip a bicycle handlebar!  So I thought what the heck, lets give it a try and see what happens.  It took a bit of experimentation but it works with somewhat interesting results.  To see the video you'll have to click on it.

From 2010-10-21

The video is a jerky and smears when things happen fast.  Uploading it to the web also adds a bit of degradation.  All that said, not altogether bad for a makeshift stand and an inexpensive digital camera designed to shoot stills.

I've ordered some bits to mount the camera on a helmet to see what that might be like.

All in all a busy and fun day.

Looking for bike

I priced out the parts to upgrade my road Peugeot.  It still rides well but I'm not comfortable with the riding position given my back and neck.  I need a rather more upright riding position.  Suffice to say it's more costly to upgrade than to buy a used bike on Craigs list.  So I've been looking.  This time of year there is a good variety available.  It looks like a 20"+ frame, probably a mountain bike with road tires.  I've seen a couple that were nearly appropriate but none that precisely meets my needs.  Since I've got a bike to ride already I'm inclined to wait for something that does.

While looking at bikes today I found a nice Trek that would be perfect but it was a bit small.  I stopped to look at another that was advertised as large.  It turned out to be a small framed Cannondale for $30.  I bought it for BB even though she already has a bike.  It needs a bit of work so I'll let BB look at it and try it out then decide what to do with it.  If nothing else I'll use it for parts/trade.

Still more biking and a visit to more of the art festival

Nice quiet Sunday.  We went down the street to one of our neighbors who is now a full time artist.  I rather like his work.

Later BB and I road over the the Asabet again.  Here are the photos etc.  As usual click through to see the videos.  This is really a lovely area and worth exploring.  Unfortunately, some of the trails are tough to ride but we managed.

On the way home we stopped by a mill pond that is one of several of the purported sites for Babe Ruth's piano, aka the curse of the Bambino.  There is a bit of the story here and here.  The other sites are in the Asabet area.

Art Festival & Bike - What else?

Sudbury is having it's annual artist open house event today.  BB and I went out to the crafts fair in town center and looked at some of the artist in the old town hall.  It was interesting.  We'll probably visit several in the neighborhood tomorrow.

I picked up a Saris 3 bike rack on Craig's list for $60!  It seems fine on the Mazda though getting things arranged so both our bikes fit properly was a bit of adventure.  Given the difference in sizes and frame styles it was took a bit of repositioning.  I think, though, that I've got it reasonably sorted.
 
Of course we had to go for a bit of a ride.  We did about 5 miles in the neighborhood and found a cut through from Sudbury Swim to Axdell.  This gives us better access to neighborhood streets without dealing with Peakham.  I suspect there is also a cut through to Fox Run.  We'll have to go over and check.

With a bike rack on the car we can now go to some of the bike trails.  I suspect that will be on tomorrow's agenda.

Biking with BB

BB was off today and, of course, wanted to go for a bike ride on her new bike.  I'd expected it and laid out a reasonable ride from the house to the Asabet reserve using mostly residential streets.  So away we went.  We lucked out with the weather with nice sun and cool temperatures ahead of tonight's nor'easter.   I took some photos and video.  Click through to see the video.

The Asabet site is interesting as it was a major material depot during WW2.  If you look at the route you'll see many rail tracks that served warehouses, now gone, and bunkers, still around.  Parts are still an active Air Force site, all very hush hush but clearly a communications facility.  The rest was turned over the wildlife service and combined with several large town properties turned into a wildlife refuge.  It's really lovely with lots of wetland and many ponds.  Good place to hike or bike.

The ride to the Asabet and back was about 12 miles.  I'll have to admit that by the time we got back home we were both a bit tired and very hungry.  

Later the day turned cloudy with the Nor-easter.  We went out looking for bike stuff.  BB is really an excited kid about it.  We picked up a couple of things, including a gel pad for my seat, then came home and ordered the other bits BB wanted.  Hopefully, I'll not see another bike store for a bit.

After the day's activities an early dinner and quiet evening were much appreciated. 

Geocaching - Mt Ward & Pine Cone Palace

Went over to Mt Ward and found Pine Cone Palace.  This is a nice family sort of cache with generally easy walking and good parking.  I'd tried this last winter but DNF.  Seems the cache had been destroyed.  In any event it's been replaced.

It was a bit cool as I started the easy walk in.  Found the cache where I'd looked in the snow last year.  TFTC.  Left a TB to encourage others to visit.

Since the day was so nice (45F) I decided to walk on to the top of Mt Ward to see the tree and photograph it with a TB.  I bushwhacked a bit up hill to connect to the main trail and then followed it up to the top.  Once I started climbing I warmed up plenty and was a bit hot and out of breath by the time I got to the top.  Took some photos and continued on the loop back to the car.

On the way home I passed by Wayside Inn and stopped to admire the foliage and mill.

As usual, here are my photos and some videos. If you want to see the videos you'll need to click through.

Geocaching Master Blog email

Got an interesting email from Jen Hughes

Congratulations! Jen here, and your blog, Richard's Personal Ramblings, is
a Master Blog of Geocaching!

We've scoured the web looking for amazing blogs that not only are great in
content, but informative and helpful when needed.  And we've determined your
blog to be such!  We like to call it a Master of its category!

You can see your blog and others at:
www.mastersdegreeonline.net/top-blogs/top-geocaching/

Not sure what it's all about but there it is.  The site has some interesting links to other blogs that offer some geocaching content.  I'll watch it a bit to see what it's all about.  Here are the "Masters":

So join me in congratulating our Master Geocaching Blogs presented by Masters Degree Online. If you were a winner, you can collect your badge here.

• Blazerfan’s Geocaching Adventures
  http://blazerfan.blogspot.com/
• Mike’s Geocaching Blog
  http://www.mikenpat.com/
• EMC of Northridge CA
  http://emcofnorthridge.wordpress.com/
• Andean Trekker
  http://sumajman.blogspot.com/
• Muggles Don’t Scare Me
  http://mugglesdontscareme.com/
• Adventures in Geocaching
  http://www.teamspongebobgeocaching.com/
• Substitute Geo Ref
  http://uws22.blogspot.com/
• GeoCache
  http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
• HeadHardHat’s Ingenious Cache Inventor
  http://ingenious-cache-inventor.blogspot.com/
• My Geocaching Blog
  http://mygeocachinglog.blogspot.com/
• BadAnimal’s Geocaching Blog
  http://badanimal4.blogspot.com/
• 365 Days of Photos
  http://robbie-england.blogspot.com/
• The Adventures of JJTally
  http://jjtally.blogspot.com/
• One Man and a Laptop
  http://glenngurley.blogspot.com/
• Richard’s Personal Ramblings
  http://r-bell-me.blogspot.com/

• GeoCraig’s Caching Adventures
  http://geocraig.wordpress.com/
• Black Cat
  http://geoblackcat.blogspot.com/
• SudsyMaggie
  http://sudsymaggie.wordpress.com/
• Friends of Carlotta
  http://focfriendsofcarlotta.blogspot.com/
• Geocache Fanatic
  http://geocachefanatic.com/
• Myside’s Spew
  http://myspew.com/
• Desert Geocaching
  http://nevadawolf.blogspot.com/
• Slightly Tall Tales
  http://slightlytallpaul.blogspot.com/
• GPSOkie’s Geocaching Blog
  http://gpsokie.blogspot.com/
• Adventures in Geocaching
  http://adventuresingeocaching.blogspot.com/
• Habitation of Justice
  http://www.habitationofjustice.com/
• Are You Flowin?
  http://are-you-flowin.blogspot.com/
• TX Diva Geocaches
  http://txdivageocaches.blogspot.com/
• The Outdoor Princess
  http://www.theoutdoorprincess.com/

BB and the bike - part two

BB and the bike are becoming priceless in an adult woman acting like a 9 year old kid with a new toy way.  Yesterday on the way home from work she when out of the way to stop by Wallmart to buy some bike accessories!  She's really rather excited about the whole thing and is keen to have a basket, light, etc.  It's good fun though and will give us other things to do.

Geocaching - Boston Red Sox & Oogity Boogity

Went out geocaching to loosen up my legs after yesterday's bike abuse.  Found

2009 Boston Red Sox Roster Series - Tim Wakefield

Oogity Boogity Buggity Cache

It was a lovely cool fall day for a walk in the woods.  This was my first time in this area.  It's really very lovely. 

It's a short walk from good parking into Red Sox.  The cache is in good order.  I took a Red Sox medallion for my rabid fan neighbor.  Left a couple of rings and the Which Way to Maine TB I recently discovered.  TFTC.

I bushwacked a bit through open woodland to catch a trail to Oogity.  Easy kid friendly walk past some wetlands.  Found the cache without issue.  It's generally in good order but just a bit damp.  Unfortunately I didn't have any new bags to seal up the log.  TFTC.  TNLN.

These two caches would make a great family outing.  Here's my path and profile.

As usual here are the photos I took, my path and profile.

Grown woman with new toy!

BB like a 9 year old kid with a new toy.  We went out for another 4 miles.  I took my road bike and things went much better.  After we got home she decided to go again with Marie across the street.  It will be interesting to see how she feels tomorrow.  Here are the details:

If this keeps up I'm definitely going to need life support.

BB finally bought her bike! Yea!!

Well, BB finally bought a bike.  It had gotten to be something of a never ending quest but Saturday we stopped on the way to Woonsocket (dinner and jazz with MM) and BB found one she liked and bought it - at last.  I picked up a set of raised handle bars for the mountain bike I've been rebuilding.

Dinner with MM was nice and we stopped in at Changs for some jazz.  There was an 18 year old asian girl that had opened at the Newport festival with her band.  It was a good show.

We went riding for a bit Sunday.  I took my rode bike which I've got tuned again.  Later I installed the new handle bars on the mountain bike.  They provide a reasonably good position but the seat is a killer.  I'll look into a new seat and a sprung seat post.  I think I'll take the old straight bar and replace the dropped bars on my Peugeot road bike.

Today we went for a 5.8 mile trip today.  Here's the route and elevation/speed profile:

It is a fair little loop.  I rode the mountain bike I've been rebuilding.  NOT good.  The seat was pure torture. I'll need something better or a different bike.  Given my size it should be reasonably easy to find one on Craigs list.  We tried a bit of off road riding.  BB did not like it at all so it looks like roads and paved trails.

I did discover that I'm really out of shape.  So more biking is in the future.

Still more bike looking

BB and I spent the day looking at bikes again.  She seems to be settling out on a Trek 7.2 WSD.  I'm glad as this business is starting to get a bit tiresome.  At any event we'll see what she decides.

The rest of the week and weekend looks good so I'm looking forward to being able to be out and about.

More rain

The last several days have seen rain and more rain.  I've been anxious to go geocaching but the new cable hasn't arrived.  Called DeLorme again today and they'll send another one.  Hopefully this one will actually get here.  Meanwhile, it's back to reading and looking at a bike for BB.

Quiet weekend

BB and I went out looking at bikes this weekend.  Found one at International that may be good.  There was also one on Craig's list from Saturday.  Unfortunately by the time we noticed it had been sold.

Rain is back for early this week.  Sigh!  Well, more read time.

Wednesday & Thursday & Friday - the beat goes on

Rain seems to be the thing this week.

BB and I looked at some more bikes for her.  She tried a Trek 7.2 that she really liked.  We also looked at a used and overpriced Raleigh that was a bit to large frame for her.

Went to the doctors Thursday only to discover that they had the appointment for Wednesday.  Rescheduled for Friday.  On arrival today, discovered the BCBS decided to do some sort of conversion the net of which was to change my PCP and screw up my prescriptions.  Called BCBS and after 6 minutes of IVR nonsense, 4 levels of menus, and entering 29 digits got through to a human who assured me that she had put things right.  Anyone but me wonder why medical insurance is over expensive?

Since Friday is another rain day I'll read some more.