Bikeway plowing: Arlington yes, Lexington no

Driving around this morning I crossed the bikeway at Bow Street, Maple Street, and Bedford Street in Lexington. There's been no plowing at all near those crossings. Clear the Trail reports that Arlington has plowed and Lexington is "off to a slow start." There's no update on the Friends of Lexington Bikeways blog.

FOLB update; Following Blogspot blogs

There's a rare new posting at the Friends of Lexington Bikeways blog. On my way to mentioning that I noticed the Blogspot settings for following blogs and the layout gadget for displaying followers. Now you can follow this blog and I can see how microscopic my readership really is.

Minuteman plowing in the Globe

Today's Boston Globe declares "Bikeway to be plowed". The article explains that plowing in Lexington will be more expensive than in Arlington because of the bollards. Fund-raising isn't complete yet, so trail users should consider chipping in. There's more info in the Lexington section of Clear the Trail.

Tomorrow's forecast has the temperature rising to 50°F before the rain comes in -- it might be a skating day.

Woburn Street crossing: It's all different now

After not skating for several weeks, I was surprised to find the trail crossing of Woburn Street and Hayes Lane in Lexington remodeled. Instead of the long diagonal two-part crossing, the trail jogs left at Woburn Street along some newly widened sidewalk (lower left in photo), then turns right for a short, perpendicular crossing that avoids Hayes Lane (far right) completely.

Looking west across Woburn Street, Lexington

Yesterday: 10 miles. This year: 1556.7 miles.

Privately-funded Plowing in Lexington

A Lexington Minuteman article announces that Lexington will join Arlington in plowing the bike path this winter, but using private donations. Amusingly the article was originally headlined "Lexington to pave bikepath this winter", but it's been corrected.

Coban™ Self-Adherent Wrap

This is only off-topic if you never get a road rash. I donated my 82nd pint of blood last week, not that much of a feat spread over 26 years, and asked for a Coban™ bandage to avoid the itchy rash that I used to get on my arm from the adhesive tape. The lingering rash with intense itching was by far the worst part of donating, edging out the inconvenience of skipping skating the day after. I've used Coban and store-brand imitations mostly after blood donations, but it's also good for large abrasions such as you get from falls.

Lexington Construction Notes

Already repaved, Woburn Street had its curbs reset on Tuesday and Wednesday. The bike path still detours around the construction to Fletcher Avenue.

The pedestrian crossing of the trail just short of the Lexington Depot, previously just a painted path often covered with an illegally parked car, is being rebuilt. The new approach has granite curbs and brick surfaces, much like the steps to the trail a hundred feet east.

Near Lexington Depot

Yesterday: 14 miles. This year: 1546.7 miles. To Stillwater: 89.8 miles.