Rescheduled! Emeralds & Elephants! Charles River/Emerald Necklace/Back Bay Loop

The Elephants are migrating thru the Back Bay in Boston! Here's a chance to see the temporary art installation of a herd of 100 life-sized pachyderms, after cruising the Charles River and Emerald Necklace.

Guest option is ON for this ride.

If you are comfortable biking in the city in single file, including some busy city streets, and looking for a new adventure, join us for a 10-12 mph paced loop ride that connects the Charles River bike paths with Boston's Emerald Necklace parks, the Southwest Corridor, hidden South End passageways, and the heart of Back Bay.

Please read this description in its entirety.

The ride is 22.5 miles in an urban environment, 15% on city streets (some quite busy) and 85% parkland/greenways/waterfront. The route is 100% paved (except for two very short packed dirt trails), so any type of bicycle will do. Starting at the Soldiers Field Parking Lot along the Charles River, we will ride the loop counter-clockwise (see map in photos): along the Charles toward Kenmore Square, through the Fenway to Jamaica Pond, then on to Arnold Arboretum. After a lunch break, we return to downtown Boston via the Southwest Corridor through Roxbury, the South End and Back Bay. We'll loop through Back Bay to see the Elephants (we'll dismount and walk our bikes thru the Comm Ave. Mall), before returning to Soldiers Field along the Charles River.

A good portion of the route is on dedicated bike/pedestrian paths, fully separated from traffic (in some areas with fairly frequent street crossings that will require waiting on the group before proceeding). However, there are a considerable number of on-street marked bike paths, and in some cases on bicycle right-of-ways directly in the flow of heavy city street traffic for several blocks (e.g., near BU and Fenway Park, and in Back Bay). We will approach all significant street crossings safely and cross together and navigate city streets with great care. If at any point any member of the group feels unsafe, we will all stop and walk our bicycles until reaching a comfortable location.

We'll take our 30 minute lunch/snack break in the Arnold Arboretum, where there are several good spots with nice views of the Boston skyline, your reward for a challenging climb. Pack a lunch!

As always, safety of the group is important. This weekday ride avoids the usual weekend crowds, especially along the Charles River and the Jamaicaway parks, but you should expect to bike around people and obstacles on the paved trails, bike lanes and walkways. All event attendees must be willing to start on time, follow leader instructions, stay with the group, come prepared and be flexible.

IMPORTANT

• Meet at the Parking Lot next to Artesani Playground, 1175A Soldiers Field Rd, Boston, MA 02135, in the corner closest to the playground and port-a-potties. Parking is free and there is plenty of room for many cars.
• Arrive 30 minutes early and be ready to ride at the designated start time.
• Bring sufficient hydration and food; we will take a break for lunch.
• Be prepared to bike single file, follow traffic signals, stay with the group and stop at leader-designated points. There are many street crossings, and several segments of riding on city streets, some quite busy. For this reason, the group will be limited to a relatively small and manageable size.
• Do not attend this event if: you are sick in any way or have been exposed to COVID; you are uncomfortable biking in a city atmosphere with potential areas of crowds and obstacles.
• As our first group ride on this route, the duration of this ride may vary as we continue to fine tune the timings, but we will do our best to return to the starting point by the designated time. However, if you are strictly time constrained, please skip this ride.
• Organizers may reschedule/cancel this event due to inclement weather.

Safety Note: Bike helmets are mandatory on our rides.

IMPORTANT: Be sure your bike is in good working order! Tires should be in good shape and pumped up, gears should shift smoothly, and your brakes should be properly adjusted. If possible, pack a spare tube in case of a flat. A hand pump or CO2 inflator is also desirable, though not absolutely necessary, as many riders will already have these items.

AS A CONDITION OF ATTENDING THIS MEETUP, YOU AGREE TO: Hold harmless, and indemnify the organizers and their relations and heirs, and all members and participants of the Meetup group from any and all claims for injury, illness, death, and/or property damage including those caused by negligence, ignorance, inexperience and other reasons. You also agree to assume all mental, physical, financial, and/or other risk associated with this meetup. Kayaking, camping, hiking, bicycling, and such other activities pose inherent risks and dangers. Participation in these activities is voluntary and dependent upon your own personal judgment. As organizers, we make no claims regarding any expertise for this outing. This is not a guided tour.

Consuming alcohol before or during any of our rides is prohibited.