The anemic remains of this winter's epic snowbanks still dribble their waning moisture onto the trail. Small sticks are the most common litter on the trail today. I kicked up a few as I skated and heard them bounce behind me, sounding like pencils on the pavement.
East Lexington
Near Hartwell Avenue
Today: 12 miles. This year: 20 miles.
It's been a tough winter for street furniture.
Along Mass. Ave., Arlington Heights
I crossed the trail behind Trader Joe's in Arlington Heights a couple of days ago. The stairs from Trader Joe's are meticulously clean from edge to edge, unlike the landing below with its narrow lane between ice banks. The trail itself is fully covered in hard-packed snow and ice. This might be the worst location in Arlington not to plow because the shade of the high wall preserves ice on the trail there after everything else has melted. Continuing across the trail, the Hurd Field parking lot is a wilderness of snow, ice, water, and seemingly random obstacles. My guess is that parked cars hindered plowing and led to the lot's sorry state.
Thursday's work to clear the trail brought it down almost to the pavement. You can cycle in these conditions, with snow tires, if you really want to. And it seems a few people do.
West from Bow Street, Lexington
Bicycle track near Bow Street
They're working on it. Where they haven't arrived yet, there's plenty of snow.
Behind Mal's, east of Bow Street
Looking east from Fottler Avenue
The trail was very nice today, just a little nippy around the fingers and ears. Fingers were warm after two miles, ears took longer. Conditions were generally clear from Lexington Center (milepost VI) out to Bedford Depot Park (milepost X), where the plowing ends with a frozen snowbank at the parking lot ramp.
Between Westview Street and Wiggins Avenue
At Bedford Depot Park
Tophet Swamp
Today: 8 miles. This year: 8 miles.
Happy new year, everybody! I'm recycling last year's resolutions, hoping against medical interruption this time.
While the trail is plowed all through Lexington, the snowbanks on each side keep in the meltwater. The trail is all wet this weekend and sure to be icy after the temperature falls again on Monday.
Lexington Center approaching Meriam Street
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