trains, lemons, and dirt

by
par
Jesse Boudart
No items found.

Boston

76

mi

km

Distance

distance

75

%

Time Spent Off-Road

temps dépensé sur saleté

10

hrs

Estimated Total Time

estimé temps total

10

Estimated Dismounts

estimé démonter

2.6+

Suggested Tire Size

conseillé pneu de largeur

Novice

Easy

Intermediate

Hard

Extreme

débutant

facile

intermédiaire

dur

extrême

Difficulty

difficulté

trains, lemons, and dirt

by
par
Jesse Boudart
No items found.

Distance

Distance

76

mi

Time Off-Road

temps dépensé sur saleté

75

%

Estimated Time

estimé temps total

10.0

hrs

Estimated Dismounts

estimé démonter

10

Suggested Tire Size

conseillé pneu de largeur

2.6+

Difficulty

difficulté

Extreme

description

la description

Well, well, well.

You want to try something that’ll push your physical and mental limits? trains, lemons, and dirt is a mixture of a romance and comedy - such good terrain that you’ll fall in love. But, there are segments so hard you’ll guffaw at its unbelievable existence. Pack many snacks, your favorite mid-ride vices and ready your mind for a goodie. It’ll take the whole day. 


You’ll take the first train of the day (8am) out of town on the Fitchburg line and will disembark at Fitchburg station about an hour later. Ride north toward Willard Brook and Pearl Hill State Parks. 


When you enter the forest, continue on the super technical terrain meant for full suspension mountain bikes for the first ten miles, if you dare. There are boulders that are sometimes glorious and sometimes un-rideable. Cut this stuff out if you aren’t up for it, because the first 30 miles are the hardest, and you won’t have an easy place to cut it out later.


After the first big forest, you’ll enter a non-descript entrance to the back of a mountain bike spot. You’ll have to hike and bike up the entrance, but once you get to the top the riding is pretty good! 


After some more road riding, you are probably starving, but I suggest doing the bit of riding on dirt, rail trails, and a neat bridge, instead of cutting straight to pizza in Groton. When you get pizza, you might consider taking some or other real-food snacks to go. 


The next singletrack in the Wharton Plantation is great. There is also a hilarious rock wall you’ll send six times in a row. In this forest, you’ll also roll over some really challenging jagged rocks meant for full suspension mountain bikes. So, feel free to cut out the zig zags if your hands hurt from the State Parks earlier. After exiting the gnar, the hard terrain is over. 


Next, you’ll stumble upon MIT’s Haystack! A place where they study the cosmos. I guess those researchers also like to mountain bike, because there are some interesting trails here. 


After a bit, you’ll ride on some interesting bridges and aqueducts, and then meander on some rail trails a little further. 


Right afterwards, you’ll return to additional technical single track, which is on either side of Middlesex school. And you’ll pass through Estabrook Woods to Concord. 


Right when you get to Concord, it’s smooth sailing on the Battle Road and the Western Greenway home! 


published -
9/6/20
  • Seemingly endless dirt trails
  • Using the train to explore the Boston area
  • The terrain is meant for full-suspension mountain bikes. You might be underbiking on whatever bike you use!
  • Look for opportunities to fill up on water whenever they present themselves
  • Plan to get back in the night

Neat bridges and rivers, but you may not have enough time to swim in them

  • You will pass through sparse civilization, so be aware that water could become limited
  • Try to find people in their yard to fill up on water! 
  • Decent pizza joint in Groton, and other food establishments
Who are you kidding? It's rough!
No items found.
highlights-chevron

highlights

  • Seemingly endless dirt trails
  • Using the train to explore the Boston area
highlights-chevron

what to know

  • The terrain is meant for full-suspension mountain bikes. You might be underbiking on whatever bike you use!
  • Look for opportunities to fill up on water whenever they present themselves
  • Plan to get back in the night
highlights-chevron

points of interest

Neat bridges and rivers, but you may not have enough time to swim in them

highlights-chevron

food / hydration

  • You will pass through sparse civilization, so be aware that water could become limited
  • Try to find people in their yard to fill up on water! 
  • Decent pizza joint in Groton, and other food establishments
highlights-chevron

terrain

Who are you kidding? It's rough!

route map

la plan de route

photos

No items found.