Conference noted::bicycle

    I believe someone entered a note in here this Spring about a rail to
    trail route in the Hadley / S. Hadley / Amherst area (?)  It would
    definately be 'flat.' The only concern would be the 'family' riders.
    I road on the E.Providence - Bristol Bike path on Memorial day with my
    family and enjoyed it.
    
    	- Tim

    My opinion... A 2 hour bike ride is a long ride for a beginner.
    
    Secondly, if you hurt your back by cycling (and it wasn't due to a
    fall) I would suggest having someone look at how you are fit to the
    bike. Something could be very wrong.
    
     Hope this helps...
    
     Chip

    Basically, any town in Vt is a good starting point for a ride, except
    perhaps for some of the larger towns like Rutland.  Since your ride
    will only be a small portion of the day, pick the area you want to
    see and work from there.   However, don't under estimate the hills. Mt.
    Snow area is hilly, a 20 mile ride around there will feel a lot longer
    than in eastern MA.   Anywhere along the Conn. river valley is nice,
    especially from Amherst to Vt.  Another forgotten area is western MA,
    Williamstown is beautiful, if you bypass the gaps, there is some more
    moderate terrain. 
    
    If you lower back is hurting, could be that part of your body is the
    weakest...stomach muscles, or fit isn't right.  Give it some time, 
    ask for some free advise, and go to a shop if you don't know anyone
    that can evaluate your position.  
    
    steve

         I agree with Chip, as a beginner you probaly should not ride more
    than 15 miles on the flats or 8 - 10 if the course is hilly.  A key is
    to take it easy using low gears, you will get stronger in a month or so
    and can increase your distance slowly.  If the stronger rider with you
    want more miles have him or her ride ahead at will then turn around and
    ride back to you.  Soon the person will not have to make the loops, the
    key at first is for you to avoid getting discourged.
         It's hard to find consistently flat terrain is Massachusettes,
    anywhere I have ridden I have come to hills which would have tested me
    when I started cycling.
    

see 2792.2 for South Hadley-North Hampton rail-trail

    	The basenoter did say "mostly flat." That may take some doing
    	here in NE, especially now that she has a sore back.
    
    	Scott

    
    
    There is always the seacoast.  A ride from Hampton to Rye or more might
    be nice and not too much for a beginner.
    Of course the traffic is another thing.
    
    MikeR
    

    Or around the Wachusetts resevoir is fairly flat... and very safe
    with the wide shoulders and light traffic.  It takes about an hour;
    shampoo, repeat for a two hour ride.  Kratz

     With respect to the back pain, I recently had problems with my
     lower back and went to a PT. I was amazed at the things that
     can contribute to lower back pain. There are all the obvious
     ones like Abe mentioned (stomach muscles), but also posture
     after the ride, tight hamstrings, tight/weak gluteals, calves...
    
     There are stretching and strengthening exercises for each of these.
     I was put on a program (I do at home) and noticed a difference
     inside the first week. I was truely amazed!
    
     Chip

    Thanks for all the tips.  I think we will try the Amherst bike ride.  Re:
    back pain - I have Fibromyalgia which is a muscle syndrome and also
    degenerative disc so I have to be really careful not to overdue it. On
    the 4th of the July weekend, I rode up some hills and should have
    walked them - I think that is what threw my back out then.  Also, my
    main problem/pain is in the gluteal muscles.  I think bike riding will
    help to strengthen them.  I just have to find the right balance.
    
    Mary Ellen
    

    
    
    
      I don't know where you're located, but if you're willing to travel,
    along either side of the Cape Cod Canal are service roads that are used 
    by many bicyclists. The roads are paved and level and many times big 
    boats can be seen going thru. Last year while riding along the mainland
    side, we were following a small pilot whale which was swimming thru 
    the canal.
     The trail from end to end is about 7 1/2 miles long.
    
    
    

Could you describe your program (in another note probably)?
My informal survey shows that this is a very common problem
amongst cyclists... especially those of us past our 20's.
I have a weak back as well.  It seems to get stronger with
the season but it's not what it used to be.

(I would like to try Mt. Washington and you need a healthy back 
for that ride.

Thanks,
Larry

                    <<< Note 2817.9 by WMOIS::GIROUARD_C >>>

     With respect to the back pain, I recently had problems with my
     lower back and went to a PT. I was amazed at the things that
     can contribute to lower back pain. There are all the obvious
     ones like Abe mentioned (stomach muscles), but also posture
     after the ride, tight hamstrings, tight/weak gluteals, calves...
    
     There are stretching and strengthening exercises for each of these.
     I was put on a program (I do at home) and noticed a difference
     inside the first week. I was truely amazed!
    
     Chip

    Sure... Lower back pain is the single highest back problem.
    Normally, it has little or nothing to do with a damaged
    spine or nerves or muscles. It almost always is never caused
    by the activity (a common misnomer). It is usually due to
    what you do a-f-t-e-r the exercise. Mainly, you're tired and
    your posture goes to *&%*... Cycling should not (ever) create
    a back problem. If it does there are extraneous factors at work.
    
    There is a book by Robin McKenzie that is excellent. It covers 
    the whole deal - Causes through Exercises. I need to caution
    anyone on taking my advice here. Obviously, you should be 
    diagnosed with this probelm first before getting into any
    program.
    
    Re; Needing a healthy back for Mt. Washington... You need a healthy
        body and a warped mind for that! I guess I fit that bill...

     The Program...
    
     I do the stretches 5 out of 7 days a week and the strength 
     exercises 3 times a week. My PT recommended the stretching
     every day but... Well, you know how it goes.
    
     Stretches:
    
     1) On your back bring both knees to your chest and hold for
        1 minute - lower back
    
     2) On your back with one leg down - raise your leg as far as you
        can keeping it straight - and tip your toes toward you as much
        as possible. Count to 5 and relax for 5 secs. Do this 5 times
        each leg - hamstrings
    
     3) On your back cross your legs - grab one knee and pull it to your 
        chest. Hold for 5 and relax for 5 secs. Do each leg - upper glutes
    
     4) Standing grab your left leg with your right hand and pull it up.
        Again 5 & 5 for each leg - Quads
    
     5) Standing lean against a wall with your foot back/leg straight
        and stretch 5 & 5. -  Calves
    
     6) Same as above but with a bent leg - Achilles tendon
    
     Gotta run, but I'll include the strength ones in a subsequent note...
    
     Chip

In addition to the Cape Cod Canal trail mentioned a few replies back, there
is the Cape Cod Rail Trail...

Starts in Dennis (I believe at Rt134)... It's flat and except for the crowds
on weekends and the occasional street crossings is a very nice ride.

I think that the original section is 19miles end to end with about 15 of that
protected (i.e. separate from cars).

I was down there a few weeks ago, and the extension from Coast Guard Beach
to Marconi Station was being fairly heavily traveled (even though there
were "closed" signs at every road crossing.   

End to end (including the new extension) would get you 40->50 miles with only
one or two hills (and even those are really significant compared to anything
in Central Mass).

/R

We did the Cape Cod Rail Trail this weekend, at least 
part of it. Camped in Brewster (we were wait listed 
behind 118 others in Nickerson State Forest) and went 
to Nickerson and then to some beach in the bay
(the name esCAPEs me). wild guess, the distance we covered
one way was maybe 8 miles.

Very nice. virtualy flat. a few minor road crossing. 
the only major one (6A) had a bike underpass.

Parking was easy at Nickerson. They have a CC trail lot, and
after noon'ish the sign-in lot at Nickerson park is virtually empty
and they welcome biker parking there. Swimming in the lake after
a bike ride is great!

I found the auto traffic to be extremely well mannered and 
assistive in allowing for bikers.

Dan

    Hi,
    
    Well, we didn't make it to Amherst, but wanted to stay closer to home
    (Leominster).  So we drove to Rt. 2 and 70, found a place to leave the
    car, and rode Rt. 70 to Lancaster, almost to the center.  It was mostly
    flat, just a few grades.  It took about an hour to make the round trip
    as we didn't hurry and took it easy.  It was an enjoyable ride for me. 
    Not sure how many miles...  Next time, we may take 70 to Shirley.
    
    Mary Ellen

    I know the basenoter mentioned uncrowded, but I'd ditto the plug for the
    Cape Cod Rail Trail. We were also down there this past weekend, staying
    at Atlantic Oaks Campground in Eastham, which has direct access to the
    trail. And, as another noter stated, despite the closed signs, the trail
    gets a lot of use. We were using it back on Memorial Day when the
    trail only had the binder coat of asphalt. The final topcoat is now down
    and they've added areas along the new extension where you can sit and take 
    a breather. 

    Heading east for a few miles on relatively flat terrain takes you to 
    Marconi Beach; the trail ends a little ways beyond Marconi. Heading west 
    back towards the Cape Cod Visitor Center (the new underpass under Rte 6 
    is now complete) the ride is a bit more scenic.

    There's a nice trail at the Visitor Center down to Coast Guard Beach.
    Across Rte 6, the trail continues back towards Rock Harbor, then from
    there back into Orleans (mostly highway) and then back into Brewster
    and Nickerson State Park (where there are some very hilly trails) and 
    into Dennis.

    There are also some nice trails up at the Visitor Center in Provincetown, 
    though they're a bit more hilly.

    -Dom

    
>    Well, we didn't make it to Amherst, but wanted to stay closer to home
>   (Leominster).  So we drove to Rt. 2 and 70, found a place to leave the
>   car, and rode Rt. 70 to Lancaster, almost to the center.  It was mostly
>   flat, just a few grades.  It took about an hour to make the round trip
>   as we didn't hurry and took it easy.  It was an enjoyable ride for me. 
>   Not sure how many miles...  Next time, we may take 70 to Shirley.
    
    Rt 70 to Lancaster center 4 miles. The Ride to Shirley Village
    is 6 miles. 

 Bernie

    
    Another nice ride for some one that is looking for a few miles flat run
    on paved road or would like a combination of road and trails or just
    trails (up to you depending on where you park you car) is Plum Island
    by Newbury port MA. You can park your car at the entrance, then there
    is a nice long flat ride. You can drive your car all the way to the end
    and do mountain biking. There is chance of watching some good wildlife 
    as you ride too. 
    
    Shaw

    You might not want to take long breaks there in August, green fly
    season ya know.
    
    ed
    (Those are the beggars that bite like the dickens.)

    Today's Boston Globe asserts that the green flies have left Crane's
    Beach. So, maybe Plum Island has also been liberated.
    

    re .21
    
         Guess the summer bookends are mayflies in May and green flies in
    August.  I met the mayflies in May, if the greenflies are worse then
    I feel sorry for anyone who gets nailed by them.
    
       Abe;
     

Once I was at Plum Island at the height of their season, perhaps the second
week in July - on a beastly hot day - with what little breeze there was 
coming off the marshes.  The monsters followed us right into the water, which
was freezing.  Once clamped on they cannot be dislodged even by total 
submersion.  The only good thing about them is that they are so obstinate
about eating you that you can beat them to death at your leisure, but it
takes a hefty whack to dispatch them.  Truly a peek into Hell.