Salem to Boston South Station

bktourer1 said:

Anyone know of a good route from Salem MA to Boston's South Station?
Got the Reubel map but not familiar with the area

Are you looking for a short & fast route or something longer but more
scenic and bike friendly? What time & day of the week? Also, do you
want to pedal all of it, almost all of it, or just a little of it?

Quoted post said:

bktourer1 said:

Anyone know of a good route from Salem MA to Boston's South Station?
Got the Reubel map but not familiar with the area

Are you looking for a short & fast route or something longer but more
scenic and bike friendly? What time & day of the week? Also, do you
want to pedal all of it, almost all of it, or just a little of it?

Looking for bike friendly ride in one day not sure ( longer & scenic
OK) if it will be during the week of weekend. Planning on riding the
commuter train to Rockport and camping in the
Gloucester area for a couple of days, then camping in Salem for a
couple, then heading to South Station to get train back o Worcester.

Ed

Quoted message said:

Looking for bike friendly ride in one day not sure ( longer & scenic
OK) if it will be during the week of weekend. Planning on riding the
commuter train to Rockport and camping in the
Gloucester area for a couple of days, then camping in Salem for a
couple, then heading to South Station to get train back o Worcester.

Ed

Can I include flat well-packed dirt bike/hike trails in your route?
FWIW, I rode the trail in question on my ss road bike with 1.125"
tires on a regular basis and had no issues unless it was a somewhat
muddy day, in which case I'd take the MTB w/ ~2" slicks. You'd be on
it for about 2 miles, starting in Salem. I can take you around via
roads if you'd prefer, but I'd suggest the path unless you're on a
road bike and it's been raining.

This is going to be long.

I'm going to keep any personally emailed info separate, but still post
the route here as well for anyone who may come across it searching in
the future, and so I can reference back to it easily.

We'll start at Winter Island, as it's a nice place to camp in Salem.

So, from Salem to South Station for a loaded touring bike using almost
all pavement looking for a meandering scenic and enjoyable ride over
the shortest possible time, I'd do the following:

- Take Fort Ave .7 miles.
- Turn Left onto Essex Street and go .4 mi
- Turn Left onto 1A, follow .3 mi to 1A/114 *
*(when viewing the map, you may be tempted to stay straight onto
congress instead of turning right with 1A and catch back up with 114.
Don't, especially if it's decent weather and you have a back,
panniers, a pretty bike or anything else valuable looking. OTOH,
there is a great rellano de papa to be had on congress st for $1 if
you're feeling lucky/gutsy/armed)

- Turn Left onto 114, and follow 3 miles to 129/Ocean Ave**
The route from winter island to 114/129 can be seen here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=winter+island+01970&daddr=pleasant+st+%26+ocean+ave&layer=&sll=42.490644,-70.867138&sspn=0.023449,0.036006&ie=UTF8&z=14&ll=42.513867,-70.872889&spn=0.046881,0.072012&om=1
**(At the 114/129 junction, you can add a 5 mile scenic loop with some
nice ocean & real estate views by looping Marblehead. See:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=pleasant+st+%26+ocean+ave&daddr=1+gregory+st+to:front+st+%26+fort+beach+ln+01945+to:beacon+st+to:west+shore+drive+to:atlantic+ave+%26+ocean+ave&layer=&mrcr=4&sll=42.495343,-70.859907&sspn=0.011724,0.018003&ie=UTF8&z=14&ll=42.502794,-70.853233&spn=0.046889,0.072012&om=1
)

- From 114 & 129, take 129/Atlantic Ave southwest 2.6 mi to Puritan
Rd.
- Turn Left onto Puritan Rd, skipping the park & preschool traffic in
favor of a longer stretch of beach. If it's hot and you want to hang,
there's a white hen where Puritan Rd & 129 meet again, across from the
beach. This is a nice spot for something cold on a hot day. This can
be seen here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=humphrey+%26+atlantic&daddr=Puritan+Rd,+Swampscott,+Essex,+Massachusetts+01907,+United+States+to:humphrey+%26+puritan&layer=&mrcr=1&sll=42.467206,-70.904109&sspn=0.011729,0.018003&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=42.470546,-70.901899&spn=0.023457,0.036006&om=1
- Follow 129/ Humphrey St west another .7 mi, and bear left onto Lynn
Shore Drive.
- Follow Lynn Shore Drive 1 mi, and you'll come to a rotary.***
***(If you're feeling it, the ride up Nahant Rd to loop Little Nahant
& Nahant is another nice scenic ride, but it's a 100% detour from
getting to Boston. Your call if you want the detour, but it's too
nice not to mention. See
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=nahant&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=51.576045,67.060547&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=14&ll=42.437964,-70.921125&spn=0.049978,0.107975&t=k&om=1
& click over to map to put it in perspective from the rotary, which
will be at the top of the picture.)

Anyway, leave the rotary headed Northeast on the Lynnway, which will
promptly turn left and become 1A. This stretch of road is terrible,
but it can't practically be avoided completely. You can, however,
bail on it just a few hundred yards down on the left. I stay on the
wrong side, off the street in parking lots and such for this small
stretch - it's not worth crossing twice.

Take a left onto Marine Blvd, which will take a right before becoming
Riley Way. Directions from where you first turn off 129 onto Puritan
to Riley Way can be seen here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=atlantic+%26+humphrey&daddr=puritan+rd+to:435+Humphrey+St+to:1+lynnway+lynn+ma+to:riley+way&layer=&mrcr=3&sll=42.455365,-70.948591&sspn=0.011731,0.018003&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=14&ll=42.454811,-70.923958&spn=0.046925,0.072012

Now, contrary to what the map views tell you, Riley Way & Riley Way
Ext. do connect, as can be seen here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=marine+blvd,+Lynn,+Essex,+Massachusetts,+United+States&sll=42.451756,-70.954127&sspn=0.011732,0.025041&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=16&ll=42.450616,-70.956316&spn=0.011732,0.025041&t=h&om=1

The Riley Way Ext will take a sharp right and become Hanson st. You
can either take Hanson back to 1A & go left, or continue on straight
on the path along the shore, which will hug the water, curve right and
meet 1A at the General Edwards Bridge. I suggest the path, even it
you walk the bike. 1A is nasty.
Once over the bridge, take an immediate left onto Rice Ave, which will
hug the beach and keep you off 1A. The Riley Way / path / bridge /
Rice Ave move can be seen here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=marine+blvd,+Lynn,+Essex,+Massachusetts,+United+States&sll=42.451756,-70.954127&sspn=0.011732,0.025041&layer=&ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&z=16&ll=42.445074,-70.961337&spn=0.011733,0.025041

At the end of Rice Ave you can either take a right onto Harrington ave
and an immedieate left to get back to Revere Beach Blvd, or you can
take the beach itself. Again a preference/weather/bike/gear thing,
but with a loaded tourer you should probably take Harrington ave as
opposed to pushing a loaded bike through the sand. This can all be
seen here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=lynnway+%26+revere+beach+blvd&daddr=350+rice+ave&layer=&sll=42.437115,-70.96825&sspn=0.002934,0.004501&ie=UTF8&z=17&ll=42.437045,-70.967721&spn=0.005867,0.009001&t=h&om=1

- Follow Revere Beach Blvd South 2.7 mi along the beach to the end, at
Eliot Circle
- Stay Straight/Left onto RT-145 / Winthrop Pkwy for .2 mi
- Turn Right onto Jones Rd for .2
- Stay Straight onto Atlantic for 300'
- Stay Straight onto Atlantic for 300'
- Take 140 degree left onto Unity Ave, follow 300'
Directions from Eliot Circle to Unity Ave/Beachmont Station can be
seen at
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=eliot+cir&daddr=bradstreet+%26+unity+to:state+rd+%26+bennington+rd&layer=&mrcr=1&sll=42.396238,-70.990498&sspn=0.005871,0.009001&ie=UTF8&z=17&ll=42.400049,-70.988964&spn=0.005871,0.009001&om=1

At this point you need to decide how you're going to cross the river
into Boston.
You can catch the subway inbound @ Beachmont (or just farther south on
Bennington @ Suffolk Downs) with free transfers to South Station for
$2.
You can ride to the Airport & Catch a Silver Line bus over to South
Station for $2.
You can ride the ferry from Logan terminal to Long or Rowe's wharf,
which is by far the prettiest, but also the most expensive at $6. If
you've never seen Boston from the harbor it's worth every penny
tenfold. If you choose the ferry, just follow Atlantic Ave south
from .5 mi from Long wharf or .4 miles from Rowe's wharf, take a left
on Summer & you're there.
Another option is the independently owned Water Taxi, which will take
you from the Logan wharf to World Trade Center. From there you go up
World Trade Center Ave, take a Right onto Summer and you're at South
Station. The water taxi guys are pretty nice and work better hours
than the T on your schedule for the same $. Their boats are smaller,
which is more fun to some and more seasick-inducing to others. I
can't say enough about the view from the harbor, no matter what boat
gets you out there.

Let me know if you have any questions, or would like a workaround or
any more details, etc. I hope you enjoy your ride. I know I just
inspired myself to repeat this ride this summer, which will be a nice
trip down memory lane. Thanks for that.

Dan

[email hidden] wrote in news:1174940192.232752.203670
@y66g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

Quoted post said:

bktourer1 said:

Anyone know of a good route from Salem MA to Boston's South Station?
Got the Reubel map but not familiar with the area

Are you looking for a short & fast route or something longer but more
scenic and bike friendly? What time & day of the week? Also, do you
want to pedal all of it, almost all of it, or just a little of it?

Looking for bike friendly ride in one day not sure ( longer & scenic
OK) if it will be during the week of weekend. Planning on riding the
commuter train to Rockport and camping in the
Gloucester area for a couple of days, then camping in Salem for a
couple, then heading to South Station to get train back o Worcester.

I'm not sure if you want to ride into Boston.

It can be very difficult. Everett, Chelsea, and East Boston are not
areas that I would recommend for relaxed riding. I take it that you are
familiar with city riding, but I have seen some accidents in Chelsea,
when I worked there.

I don't think it is a total picnic to get over to the airport for the
ferry or the Silver line bus. However, the SL bus should have a bike
rack, but most of the MBTA buses that serve Haymarket such as the 111
(over Route 1; Tobin Bridge) would not necessarily have bike racks, yet.

Believe it or not but I have seen some people ride their bikes.

Rt. 99 is not a very bike friendly route. Rt 16 is no picnic. Yet,
Route 99 is not actually too bad in certain spots, I would suggest taking
Beacham St through the industrial park area from Chelsea into Everett.
You could
cross the river and get into Charlestown. Route 99 would the thing to
follow into Boston proper(by the north end). You would get a good view
on some historic places such as the Schrafts Complex or the Bunker Hill
Monument. The bridge into Boston is also very historic.

I'm sure that you could map out some something to get you through
Chelsea.

I only mention this as you might be looking for a complete ride to Boston
itineary.

The CRW has a ride around Boston for New year's Day.

You could follow it for a tour around boston.

From the route 99 on north washington street(actually north washington
street as I learnt the hard way). You could turn left onto Commercial
Street. I suppose the best thing would be to turn right onto Hanover
Street. Eventually you would get to Congress street and turn right.
Lots of famous architecture and culture would be there to be seen.

You would take Congress Street right to the Federal Reserve Bank and loop
around the building to get over to Summer Street. Just turn right onto
Dorchester Street and go right towards the Postal Complex.

Turn right just before the Postal Annex and head for to the station and
the bicycle racks.
--
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William O'Hara
www.N1ey.com - Amateur Radio and Railfan Blog
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