Slightly off-trail

It's been a tough winter for street furniture.

Along Mass. Ave., Arlington Heights

Far from clear

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.

Trail Clearing in Lexington: A Day Later

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

Trail Clearing in Lexington

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

Clear from Lexington Center to Bedford Depot Park

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.

1/1/11: All wet

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

Training Run / Looking Like Fall / Touring 6211

A Boston Fit training run brought unusual crowds to the trail this morning. The trainees had the good sense to run singly or in small groups, limiting congestion. I saw refreshment stations at Hurd Field (Arlington Heights) and near Fletcher Avenue (Lexington Center). Basement cat presided at the latter.

Near Fletcher Avenue, Lexington

Last week's rain after the dry summer covered the trail in dead leaves, creating an autumnal appearance in August.

Near Valley Road, Lexington

I'm always at Bedford Depot Park early in the morning, so I've never seen Budd car 6211 open for inspection.  My wife and I walked part of the Bedford Narrow Gauge Rail Trail today, then toured 6211 and the Freight House at the park.

At Bedford Depot Park

Today: 10.5 miles. This year: 740.4 miles.