Shining Lights

I hardly ever see bicycle lights along the trail on account of only being out on fair days. By chance I saw both a headlight and a taillight this morning, both as I neared Mill Street. Even in full daylight, the new LED lamps are a great aid to being seen. I had no trouble picking out the dwindling red taillight when the rider was 200 yards ahead of me. The best bicycle lamp of my childhood -- powered by Raleigh's front-hub generator -- was dim and fragile by comparison.

Today: 4.5 miles. This year: 166.9 miles.

A Snake on the Trail

Near Arlington's Great Meadows

Today: 13 miles. This year: 97.2 miles.

Brush Fire in Arlington's Great Meadows

There was a widespread brush fire in Arlington's Great Meadows on Friday, burning a large portion of the open area and threatening nearby houses. The Friends of Arlington's Great Meadows have a map of the burn (pdf). The taste of soot was still in the air today as my wife and I walked along the Minuteman Trail west of Fottler Avenue and then onto a short loop of the Great Meadows Trail (pdf).

View from Glacier Knoll

Brush and leaves burned to the edge of the trail

Optical confusion

I thought for a second that someone had blacked out the centerline on the bridge over 128, but it's only the shadow of the fence rail.

At MA 128 / I-95.

Yesterday: 8 miles. This year: 33.7 miles.

Almost Clear

I skated west from Lexington Center to Bedford Depot Park today, relying on Yury's report that the trail was clear enough for all activities. That's nearly so, undercut only by some sand and gravel at Bedford Street, followed by rotting ice across the path just west of there.

Falling whistle post at the Lexington DPW

Today: 8 miles. This year: 15.7 miles.

The First Few Miles of 2009

I skated west from Hurd Field into Lexington yesterday and found the trail much clearer than I expected. There's some gravel at Fottler Avenue and some ice in the shadow of Maple Street. I turned back at the private driveway between Seasons Four and Woburn Street, where there was only a narrow strip of wet pavement surrounded by melting ice.

Arlington's all clear.

West across the private driveway crossing, Lexington

Yesterday: 5 miles.

Lexington: Still a Mess

East from Seasons Four

 

At the Seasons Four crossing