Past Massachusetts Bicycle Events

Earth Day Ride

April 20, 1996 9:30 a.m. (Rain date: Sunday, April 21)

The Ecology of Roads by Hein Van Bohemen, ecologist

Friday, April 26 at 12:30 PM in Harvard's Gund Hall, Room 109

The Big Event

April 27 in Concord, MA

Cosponsored by several eastern Massachusetts bicycle organizations, there will be rides and a flea market featuring used bikes and bike parts.

Bike the Emerald Necklace

Saturday, May 11 10:00 am at the Park Ranger Station on Boston Common

A slow, but educational, 9-mile ride to Franklin Park.

Regional Trails Gathering on the Minuteman Bikeway

Saturday, May 11 9:00 am to 11:00 am from the Bedford trailhead of the Minuteman Bikeway.

Explore the Minuteman Bikeway with Bob Sawyer and Jerry Van Hook of Lexington. For further information, call Rita Cunningham at the Merrimack River Watershed Council in Lawrence, MA at (508)681-5777.

Bike to the Sea Ride

Saturday, May 18 at noon at the North Shore Community College, the Lynnway, Lynn.

Following a morning seminar on organizing bike groups, Bike to the Sea and the East Coast Greenway will sponsor a tour of the proposed "Bike to the Sea" path from Lynn to Everett.

If you are interested in the seminar or the ride contact Stephen Winslow at Stevenine@aol.com or call 617-397-6893.

Beverly to Boston and Back

May 19, a 55-mile ride sponsored by the North Shore Bikeways Coalition, a chapter of the Bicycle Coalition of Massachusetts, and Essex County Velo.

For information, contact Alison Brotherton (NSBC Events Coord.) at (508) 777-2915 or Conrad Willeman (NSBC/NSC) conradlw@aol.com or Dan Tieger (NSBC/NSC) tieger@bates.mit.edu

Bike Week 1996 (May 18-25)

Boston Bike Festival May 21, 1996

Earthworks Bike Week Calendar

Neponset Valley at Twilight

Wednesday, May 22, 6-8 PM, a 10-15 mile ride, to look at a developing bike path, meeting at the corner of River St. and Fairmount Ave. in Hyde Park. This is one of Boston's Bike Week activities.

For information, contact the leader, Doug Mink dmink@cfa.havard.edu.

Beacon Hill Bicyclists Brown Bag Lunch

Representative Anne Paulsen has invited everyone who bikes to work to gather together for a brown bag lunch on Thursday, May 23rd at noon in Ashburton Park. Drinks and dessert will be provided.

For those that do not know, Ashburton Park is the park on the right hand side of the captiol (facing the from from the park) with a column-monument in the middle.

Please R.S.V.P. Michael Hering MGHering@world.std.com if you know you are coming. (Representative Paulsen would like to know how many drinks, etc. to get).

Fifth Annual Tour de Somerville

Saturday, June 1, 10:00 am, Seven Hills Park, Davis Square, Somerville

For more information, contact Greg Palmer, (617)623-0750.

Boston Sculpture Bike Tour

Saturday, June 1, 10:00 am, from Magazine Beach, Cambridge, off Memorial Drive (river side) just west of the B.U. Bridge at the soccer field.

More of an urban exploration than an aerobic ride, as we visit a wide range of outdoor sculpture - from classical statues of the (once) famous to the whimsical Arthur Fiedler bust on the esplanade. Discover places you never knew about. Bring lunch or purchase at P.O. Square Park. AYH, CRW, and SubSig trip.

Slow pace and frequent stops for viewing/interpretation.

For further information, contact Charles Hansen, (617)734-0720h (617)572-0277w, or Bonnie Friedman, (617)783-0358 ('til mid) bonnie@math.mit.edu.

Bike Festival for Kids

Saturday, June 8, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, Danehy Park, Cambridge

Goodies, tours, fun, games, etc. Rain date is June 9.

Mother Brook Exploratory Bike Ride

Wednesday, June 12, 6:00 pm, Kelly Field in Hyde Park (Boston)

Cosponsored by the Bike Boston committee of the Bicycle Coalition of Massachusetts and the Neponset River Greenway Council, this 10-15-mile ride will follow the Bother Brook, the oldest canal in the United States, from the Neponset River to the Charles River, using some of the little-known, little-maintained bikepaths of the Stony Brook Reservation as well as a variety of streets.

For further information, contact Doug Mink, dmink@cfa.harvard.edu or (617)327-4489,

BCOM Effective Cycling Classes

Saturdays, June 8, 15, and 22, from 9 am to 12 pm, in Cambridge

Other classes will be scheduled for later in the summer and fall, and possibly in the evening if there is demand.

The Road 1 class is aimed at people who are "basic bicyclists" -- you know how to ride a bike, but you are not completely confident riding in traffic or fixing a flat. The course covers traffic principles, basic maintenance, bicycle and helmet fit, emergency maneuvers, and your rights and responsibilities under the law. Even cyclists who are somewhat more experienced will greatly benefit from this class.

The class will consist of 3 three-hour sessions (consecutive weeks), and includes classroom time, video, parking lot practice, and on-road riding. The cost is $60. A $10 discount is offered for members of the Bicycle Coalition (you can join when signing up for the class). If you might be interested, or know someone who might be, please contact Paul Schimek schimek@volpe2.dot.gov), or by telephone, 494-3601.

Neponset River Festival Bike Rides

Saturday, June 15, 9:30 am - noon and 2:00 - 4:30 pm, Ventura Playground, Dorchester.

We will follow the Neponset River from its estuary upstream to Paul's Bridge at the Boston/Canton border in Readville, using a variety of streets and the MDC's almost-bike-lanes on the Truman Highway/Parkway.

For further information, contact Doug Mink, dmink@cfa.harvard.edu or (617)327-4489,

Narragansett Bay Wheelmen Mattapoisett Ride

June 16, 9:00 AM from I-195 Exit 19 commuter parking lot

Rides of 15, 30 and 50 miles. You can also call the NBW hotline, (401)246-2753, to find out how to join, ride updates, etc.

Bike to the Sea June 23

Sunday, June 23, 8:30 am registration, 9:30 am ride at the Square One Mall in Saugus. (US 1 Essex St. exit)

By MBTA, take the Orange Line to Oak Grove and head up Main St. in Melrose to Upham St. (A right after Pro Cycle) Upham turns into Essex. The only drawback is the steep hill coming out of Melrose.

Come enjoy a 16-mile (round trip) bike ride to Revere Beach. At the beach, participants can play games, swim or just hang-out. All participants receive lunch at the beach.

The first 100 registrants receive a free T-shirt courtesy of Malden Chiropractic, Central Cycle, Square One Mall and Winslow's Coffee.

Cost is $10 per person, $25 for a family of four (two t-shirts if among the 1st 100). Proceeds go to "Bike to the Sea" a charitable organization that promotes bike safety and safer places to ride.

To register please e-mail your address to stevenine@aol.com or call 397-6893.

Critical Mass Rides

Last Friday of every month, 5:30 pm, Boston City Hall Plaza

Explore Peabody/Salem proposed Rail-Trails

Saturday June 29, North Shore Bikeways Coalition (NSBC)

For further information, contact Dan Tieger tieger@aesir.mit.edu

25th Anniversary Tour of Scenic Rural Vermont (TOSRV-East) &

6th Annual Mini TOSRV-East

Friday through Sunday, June 28th - 30th (Sponsored by CRW and HI-AYH)

Bike north from East Jamaica, VT to Rochester, VT (67 or 71 miles) or Waitsfield, VT (~100 miles) mostly on Route 100 on Sat. and back again (south) on Sun. over 2 or 3 mountain passes. New route this year might have 2 options on Saturday. Note: Lodging Friday night at HI Vagabond Hostel in East Jamaica. Cost $70 for 2 nights, Sat. dinner, Sun. breakfast, sag wagon for luggage, maps, patch & a NICE T-shirt this year. Send full payment along with address, phone #, shirt size, and route choice (Rochester or Waitsfield) to Jacek Rudowski, 1 Belnap Road, Hyde Park 02136-1104 for Mini-TOSRV or Robin Schulman, 36 Glendale St., Maynard, MA 01754 for full TOSRV. For more information, call Jacek (617) 361-5273 eves. or Robin (508) 897-5906 ('til 9pm) or send SASE to Jacek or Robin.

Byfield to Border (NH) and Back, Rail-Trail Exploration

Saturday, July 27

This ride will focus on the northern section of the proposed Border to Boston bikeway. That Saturday is also part of Yankee Homecoming in Newburyport. For many of us, this will be the first look at the section in Salisbury.

Plans are just underway, this will be a public, unsupported ride with a no-host lunch, probably in Nbypt on return. Volunteers are solicited to help with planning and logistics.

For further information, contact Dan Tieger tieger@aesir.mit.edu

Bike to Singing Beach in Manchester

On Sunday, August 4, Bike to the Sea, BikeBoston, and the Ferris Wheels Bike Shop will ride from Jamaica Plain and Malden to Singing Beach in Manchester. The shorter version of the ride will meet at 9:30am at the Christy's Market at Lynn and Beach Streets in Malden.

For the starting time in Jamaica Plain, contact the Ferris Wheels Bicycle Shop at 522-7082.

For Malden to Manchester info, contact Steve at Stevenine@aol.com or 617-397-6893

BCOM Effective Cycling Road I Classes

Tuesdays (3 sessions, 5 to 8 pm) July 16, 23, and 30

Saturdays (3 sessions, 9 am to 12 noon) July 27, August 3, August 10

Wednesdays (3 sessions, 5 to 8 pm) August 7, 14, and 21

Saturdays (2 sessions, 9 am to 2 pm) August 17 and 24

The classes will be held in Cambridge, MA unless there is a demand for other sites (so far there has been a request for a North Shore site).

Please reply to bcom@massbike.org if interested, or call 491-RIDE.

Boston by Bike ... At Night

Saturday night, August 17, 1996, midnight 'til dawn

Boston's Eighth Annual "Midnight Ride" Bicycle Tour of Architectural and Historic Sites is a relaxed-pace, friendly ride through many neighorhoods of Boston and surrounding towns, covering about 30 miles.

Meet at 11:30 pm in front of Trinity Church in Copley Square, Boston. Bring a bicycle and wear something reflective. A headlight is required by Massachusetts state law. A helmet and a water bottle are highly recommended. Also bring something for breakfast Sunday morning in Waterfront Park.

This ride is sponsored by the Back Bay Midnight Pedalers.

The ride is free. If you want a T-shirt, that'll cost you $10.

For information, call (617) 522-0259.

RERIDE -- Recumbent ride and picnic

August 18, 11:30 am to 4:00 pm, Ride starts and ends at the (unnamed) park on Pleasant St. in South Natick next to the Charles river. 6, 12, and 91 mile rides available. From MA 16 west, turn left on Pleasant at the corner that contains the Elliot church. The park is at the bottom of the short hill, on the right, just past the bridge.

All are welcome (yes, even uprights, if equipped with open minded rider). BBQ (BYO, charcoal and grills provided) to follow ride. Demo rides will be available to the curious.

For more information, call Scott at (508)785-2964 or (617)455-0590.

Bikes Not Bombs Bike Safety Rodeo

Saturday, September 7, volunteers needed to help with this kids event at their Center in Jamaica Plain betwwen 11:00 am and 4:00 pm.

To help, call Corey Tatarczuk at (617)983-1208.

The Yankee Show of Classic American Bicycles and Parts

Sunday September 8 at Sullivan Square Charestown MA 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Free to the public; for dealer info call (617) 242-4988.

Cape-to-Cape II

Sunday, September 15, 7:00 am sharp 150 miles from Rockport to Woods Hole

Shorter rides are available: 25 miles Beverly to Boston (8:30 am), 50 miles Rockport to Boston (7:00 am), and 100 miles Boston to Woods Hole (10:30 am).

There will be rest/water stops every 25 miles and food stops every 50 miles. Return transportation will be provided for bikes and riders.

Fee, which includes a tee shirt:

100/150: $30, $25 for BCOM members;

25/50: $20, $15 for BCOM members

(The member fee also applies to Essex County Velo members)

Space is Limited! Reservation Deadline Sept 5

Get an application form from Dan Tieger (617) 253-9204 tieger@bates.mit.edu

Volunteers needed! If you can help with support, please let Dan know.

Sponsored by the North Shore Bikeways Coalition, a chapter of the Bicycle Coalition of Massachusetts.

Bikes Not Bombs 60-Mile Ride

Sunday, September 15, 11:00 am, meet at the west end of Jamaica Pond.

Contact 442-0004 for further information.

MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE (for those who want to see the view)

Saturday September 21 2:00 PM, Park Headquarters at Bradley Palmer Park (Asbury St)

North Shore Bikeways Coalition is hosting a show and go, unsupported, easy-paced ride which will explore parts of the Bay Circuit Trail in Bradley Palmer and Willowdale.

Call Deb at 508-768-7113 or Joe at 508-887-9572 (eve) for more info.

NSBC is a chapter of the Bicycle Coalition of Massachusetts for more information on NSBC activities or membership e-mail tieger@bates.mit.edu.

Earthworks Tour of the Orchards

Sunday, September 22 (raindate: Saturday, September 28)

Taste the future possibilities and present realities for urban land! Discover hidden oases in the city by bike or on foot at the 6th annual Tour of the Orchards bike-a-thon sponsored by EarthWorks Projects, with several dozen organizations and local businesses contributing prizes and food for the lunch provided to all participants. The Tour includes a 3-mile walking route for the first time, and starts in Somerville, Cambridge and Jamaica Plain, and visits (with fruit tasting) several of the nearly 60 Urban Orchards sites which EarthWorks has planted with communities since 1990. School yard sites provide a tangible focus for environmental education, and all plantings are a point of friendly community interest and gathering places for fruit horticultural training classes, work sessions, picnics, workshops and other activities.

For further information, contact Earthworks at erthwrks@massbike.org or see Bill Taylor's final announcement.

Bike to the Sea Cleanup and Picnic

Saturday, September 28, cleanup meets at 9:30 am at Camp Nihan off of Walnut Street in Saugus just north of the Breakheart Reservation. The picnic will begin at 1 pm at Camp Nihan. The Bike to the Sea chapter of the Bicycle Coalition of Massachusetts invites its members and the public to attend the cleanup, picnic and slideshow. Space may be limited.

Craig Della Penna author of the book "Great Rail-Trails of the Northeast" will present a slideshow on rail trails at the picnic Mr. Della Penna's slideshow will feature rail-trails that currently exist in Massachusetts and present historic rail photos as well as recent photos of the trails. A display on the proposed Bike to the Sea path will also be available for members of the public to review.

Please call Stephen Winslow at 397-6893 for more information.

East Boston Greenway Exploratory Bike Ride

Sunday, September 29, noon at the Belle Isle Marsh parking lot off Bennington St. Our first destination will be a delightful waterfront path I just discovered at the MDC's Chelsea Naval Hospital Park. Returning to East Boston, we will follow the waterfront to the Massport Piers Park, then head north, more or less along an abandoned railroad right-of-way (but not ON it) to the edge of Logan Airport. Following the shore, we will return to Belle Isle Marsh, where there will be other festivities going on as part of the East Boston Greenway Festival. No preregistration is required, but helmets are, as many of the Boston and Chelsea streets on which we will be riding are pretty rugged. This ride is cosponsored by the Bike Boston Committee of the Bicycle Coalition of Massachusetts.

For information, contact ride leader Doug Mink (dmink@cfa.harvard.edu)

Boston by Bicycle

4th Annual Sightseeing Tour for Urban and Transportation Planners

Saturday, October 5, 9:00 am, near MIT Stratton Student Center (W20) (opposite 77 Mass. Ave, Cambridge).

Depart 9:30 am sharp. Return to MIT early afternoon.

Easy Pedaling: We will be going slowly, stopping often, and the trip is about 25 miles and mostly flat.

Steady rain postpones (Raindate: Sunday October 6, 1995), call if you are unsure. Helmet required: now is your chance to get a helmet if you don't have one; CVS has helmets for $13. If your bike is not in shape, take it to the shop. We will be able to do minor repairs before we leave (inflate tires, adjust brakes, lube chain) if you come early. Wear warm clothes if needed -- we will be stopping often. Disclaimer: This event is not sponsored by MIT. You participate at your own risk.

More information: Paul Schimek, Ph.D. candidate, MIT Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, (schimek@volpe2.dot.gov or (617)524-4335).

Neponset Connections Bike Ride

Saturday, October 19, 2:00 pm at the bridge in Mattapan Square

We will explore the middle section of the Neponset River and one of its major tributaries, Mother Brook, all the way to its source in Dedham. Greenways are being proposed for both of these waterways.

After the ride, there is an optional $10/person barbecue in Milton to which some of us will bike.

For information, contact ride leader Doug Mink (dmink@cfa.harvard.edu)

A Natural Eye: The Photographs of John Wald

October 10 - November 8, Taubman Building Rotunda, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Reception: Thursday, October 10, 1996, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

On March 24, while backcountry skiing on Mt. Washington, John Wald was killed in an avalanche. John was an active BCOM volunteer, a longtime editor of the Mass Cyclist newsletter, and a frequent contributor to the massbike mailing list. He worked as an editor at the Kennedy School of Government. His family is looking forward to meeting people in our cycling community who knew and worked with John.

Merlin/NEMBA Trail Maintenance and Clean Up Day

Saturday, November 16, 8:30 am, Middesex Fells Reservation Sheepsfold parking lot

Bring rakes, shovels and hoes, work gloves, water, and a snack. The rangers have 4 projects meaning a good turnout is needed to get the job done.