WAKEFIELD DAILY ITEM
PAGE 4
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2006
Comments
Sunday, members of the Wakefield Rail-to-Trail Committee and their counterparts, the Lynnfield Recreation Path Committee, will embark on a fall ride of the Minuteman Bike Path leaving from Bedford Depot Park at 10 a.m.
The groups are the prime movers behind the effort to build a bicycling and recreational trail along the old spur railroad line through the Reedy Meadow.
If you enjoy cycling and want to see what a well-maintained and well-thought out trail is like, then you should join them Sunday on the Minuteman.
The Minuteman Bike Path is a gem It's a perfect example of what a bike trail should be. It's wide enough for bicyclists, in-line skaters, walkers and joggers.
At the Bedford starting point, there's even an old Budd car that a rail group is restoring. Those are the silver self-contained units that made their way through eastern Massachusetts as late as the `60s. They were quiet and seemingly efficient. They didn't need any locomotive to push or pull. Each car had its own power.
Heading out of Bedford the Minuteman soon crosses busy Hartwell Avenue in Lexington. As with other crossings at busy points along the Minuteman, bike/pedestrian traffic signals, enable users to push a button to cross safely.
The path makes its way through picturesque meadows before crossing over Rte. 128 - always a joy when making the trip during rush hour and looking down at the bumper to bumper traffic jamming the roadway below. You'd have to think, if only bicycling to work was more convenient, there would be fewer of these jams on the roadway.
The trail, which actually rises ever so slightly heading east, eventually tops out in historic Lexington center - a nice stop in itself especially if there's a celebration or festival going on.
Once you pass trough Lexington, there's a similar slight decline heading to Arlington where you can stop for a second and catch a bit of the footba11/soccer/fie1d hockey/lacrosse on the relatively new turf field behind Arlington High School.
While the trip through the path in Arlington is a bit more urban than the Bedford/Lexington section, it's still a wooded venue that is also well kept up.
The path travels approximately 11 miles before terminating at the Alewife MBTA station, although for purely a pleasure ride many people stop in Arlington rather than facing the hassle of crossing Mass. Avenue for the mile or so that you have left on the journey to Cambridge.
The group will have water available and you'll have to use a helmet and sign a standard waiver before riding with them. Walkers and in-line skaters are also welcome. To reach the starting point. Take 128S exit 31B to Bedford. At the fourth traffic light (CVS store on left) take left onto Loomis Street. Approximately a half mile down the street is a municipal parking lot and the bike path's Bedford terminus which is called Bedford Depot Park. (The parking lot is shared with a VFW club, so please be careful not to park in any of the spaces marked as theirs.)
Hopefully the Reedy Meadow plan will be as successful as the Minuteman has become. Take a ride Sunday and see what we mean.