Grateful for Greenways

In my fourth year of cycling in the greater Boston area, I admit that I often get impatient with the greenways that run through the city. Being multi-use paths, they are usually congested with pedestrians. The interruptions are not well thought out. And they don't always take me exactly where I need to go. More often than not, I find myself choosing to cycle on the road instead... which is a shame, because I miss out on the beautiful scenery and the fresh air, all in the name of saving time.





Last weekend the Co-Habitant and I did something we haven't done for almost a year: went on a slow, meandering ride along the Charles River. On a sunny Saturday.Some time ago we'd decided this sort of thing was the stuff of nightmares because of how crowded the trail gets this time of year on weekends. But something in the air made us want to give it a try again.



And yes, it was super-crowded, with everyone photographing cherry blossoms and wandering all over the path without looking where they were going. Dogs on those long, invisible leashes, unattended toddlers making sudden u-turns on trikes, the whole nine yards. We had to ride really, really slowly. We had to be patient. We had to not think of it as cycling, but more like strolling by bike. Every half hour we stopped to sit down on the grass, drink from our flasks, stare at the water, enjoy the sun... It was wonderful!





To think, we were smack in the middle of Boston and not a car in sight. Birds chirping. The smell of grass and flowers. Lovely boats swaying. People sunbathing and having picnics everywhere. Sure we did not do a 50 mile loop through hilly country roads that day. But who cares? It was revitalising. It felt like a mini vacation.



We have several beautiful greenway networks here in Boston, and I truly am grateful for them. Greenways are not merely about getting from point A to point B, but about creating a healthy, flourishing oasis in the middle of a busy city that everyone can enjoy. Yes, they will be crowded on the weekend. And that is a good thing - it means people are using them. Sometimes we all need to take it slow, take it easy, and find a way to share these beautiful resources.