It’s not easy being the Urban AdvenTours BioBus. I mean, sure, I’m colorful, sure I’m a green machine (I run mainly on veggie oil) and yes, I offer a smooth ride. But here’s the thing…I can’t ride a bike. I know what you’re thinking. Why would a truck want to ride a bike? Well, if I could ride a bike, I could participate in some great events going on around town. Here are three things I’d definitely do on my bike…
I’d ride over to the 12th annual Bike Party and Benefit at Redbone’s. If I had two legs and a rear end that fit on a saddle I would pedal over to this outdoor BBQ festival and have my bike parked by one of Redbone’s excellent bike valets. I’d then check out some fellow bicyclists and their rides, get a plate of BBQ and a cold beer and listen to some great music. I’d probably also buy a few raffle tickets, and I know I’d win a sweet prize. But instead I’ll be parked somewhere nearby, envying you humans with your bicycles to ride on, mouths to eat with, ears to hear with. Anyway, I’ll be there, In Davis Sq., on May 19th, (new date due to weather) from 5 to 9, so come on down and show a truck some love, why doncha?
I would also register NOW to ride in the Bikes Not Bombs Bike-a-Thon, Sunday June 8th. You lucky humans will be able to choose between a 15 mile, 25 mile or 62 mile ride. Riders will get sponsors and raise money for BNB, helping them in their amazing bicycle mission. Of course, it will be fun, too. The Green Roots Festival will be going down at the same time, and there’ll be food, music, workshops, fun things for kids. Sheesh…you humans don’t know how good you got it.
And, of course, Monday, the 12th of May, is the start of Bay State Bike Week, and thousands of Bay Staters will take the Commuter Challenge to give their cars a rest and ride their bikes to work. Of course, yours truly, the BioBus, will get no rest. I will be available for events for companies and organizations looking to encourage their employees and members to take the challenge. It’s noble work, I know, so I’ll be driving all over (using no gas, remember, just veggie oil) delivering bikes and helmets and spreading the bicycle love all over…ah, maybe in my next life I’ll be a bike.
Well, I gotta go, I’ve got an appointment with my mechanic (the old transmission’s acting up again), so take care, keep riding, and give me a holler when you see me on the streets.
Look at the big brain on me. It’s not all good genes - every once in a while I look at the Dictionary.com word of the day.I do it for my own personal edification.You know, it’s just a kind of melioration of my mind.Anyway, I checked it out, and today’s word is contrite, as in, feeling or expressing grief and regret for sins or offenses.That little definition got me to thinking.I become meditative, deliberative, pensive and downright ruminative.I quickly realized I was feeling a little contrite myself.Why, you ask?Well, here we go:
I feel contrite that I haven’t told enough people about the 12th annual Redbones Bike Party and Benefit. If you love bikes, BBQ, beer and good music, and you want to support bicyclists in and around New England, then you now have plans for Monday the 19th of May (this is a new date). This bash is an outdoor bicycle fest, replete with great music, great raffle prizes (you could win an amazing ANT cargo bike), great beer and fantastic food.It’s all going down Monday, May 19 from 5 to 9 in Davis Square in Somerville. I suggest you join us down there.
I have to admit folks, I also feel contrite that I have not been reading the news lately.Our favorite Boston bicycle tour company is getting some press.If I’d been paying more attention, I would be cognizant of the fact that the story of the founding of Urban AdvenTours was featured recently in The Day, of New London, CT.Read about founder Andrew Prescott’s vision for a bike friendly Boston here.
You know what else I am contrite about?I have not been contributing my knowledge of local bicycle routes to serve the common good.I have been anything but munificent with my expertise.All that is going to change soon, after I add what I know about great (and not so great) bike routes in and around the city of Boston.Help out all of us bicyclists by adding to the map.
So, there, I no longer feel contrite, penitent, repentant or compunctious. In fact, I feel a sense of alleviation. Maybe, even, assuagement. Writing this entry has been, well…palliative.
Tuesday, April 22nd is Earth Day. I don’t know about you, but the Earth has always been my favorite planet. It’s got oxygen and water, two things I really like, and my grandmother lives here. So, yeah, I’m down to celebrate Earth Day. And I am thinking that you cyclists must be into Mother Earth, too. I mean, she’s giving you the hills to climb, the food to fuel you up those hills, and the wind to whistle past your ears on the way down. So in honor of this special day, I offer up to you, my bike loving, Earth valuing friends, three ways to celebrate your favorite planet:
1. Cheer on the first annual Earth Day Bike Ride! Two businesses at the forefront of the Green Movement in Boston are teaming up for the day. The fine folks at Urban AdvenTours and the Kimpton Hotel Group - with the Nine Zero, the Onyx and Marlowe, they operate three of the classiest and greenest hotels in Boston - are putting on a special Earth Day Ride for their guests. The ride will run through the city and along the Esplanade. Hopefully, it will be another beautiful day and no one will get a flat. Pray to Gaia.
2. Write a Biku…it’s just like a Haiku, but it’s about bikes. You remember how it goes, 5 syllables in the first line, 7 the next, and then 5 syllables again for the last line. Yup, it’s a Biku. Here’s a beauty:
Riding down Storrow/not a car in sight tonight/wild dreams of freedom.
Or maybe you like this one:
Full body spandex/panting at every stop light/you’re not Lance Armstrong
Ok, ok, so I’m no Masoaka Shiki. Can you do better? Write one or two of your own and send it in. I’ll post the best and maybe you’ll win a prize. Who knows?
3. Get ready for Bay State Bike Week, coming May 12-18. I’ve talked about it before, but it bears repeating. Bike Week is a national event, challenging every citizen to ride his or her bike to work for a week. Here in Boston, that would mean no more stifling traffic or stinky bus rides, and with all the incentives and activities all over Massachusetts, you might even have some fun.
It’s time to start thinking about what you will do for Bay State Bike Week. Is your bike still in the basement? Get it out and grease it up. Don’t have a bicycle? Rent one! Get your mind, bike and body ready for Bike Week. It might just change the way you commute. More to come…
A: Bikes are whizzing by on every sunny city street, pedals flashing and rims gleaming, riders grinning in the breeze.
I never trusted a groundhog to tell me what season it is. Those furry rodents always get my hopes up and steer me wrong with their shadowy predictions. This year I am relying on some solid proof. So, without further ado, here it is, proof that Spring has truly sprung:
Proof 1: Everything’s budding and coming back to life. Urban AdvenTours, Boston’s own, all-bicycle, totally green tour, is back in the saddle with brand new tours and an all new website. Looks like those bicycle lovers won the City of Boston’s Bike Friendly Business Award for 2008 and, of course, they’re celebrating on two wheels, by kicking off a brand new Spring special Tour - The Funway to Fenway. Every Friday and Saturday at 6 they’ll be riding lovers of baseball and bikes (they go together like springtime and sunshine) down to Fenway to watch the game and root along at the very center of Red Sox Nation.
Proof 2: There’s a wonderful smell in the air. Could it be…BBQ? Redbones, the world’s greatest BBQ restaurant, is hosting their annual bike party May 12 to benefit the New England Mountain Biking Association and MassBike, two great bicycle advocates in the area. All the bikes and riders in Boston, Cambridge and Somerville will be there, getting their hands all messy with BBQ sauce and bike grease, listening to some great music and generally having a good time.
Proof 3: Swarms of life everywhere…especially at bicycle shops. Visit any bike shop (we recommend Landry’s) and you’ll find yourself in a hive of activity. Everyone’s getting a nice new ride or getting the old one out of the basement, tuned up, greased and ready to roll. Hopefully, they’ll be all set in time for Bay State Bike Week, May 12-19. The City and the Mayor are sponsoring a ton of events to get people out and riding, off to work or just for fun. In Boston alone there’ll be bike rentals, bike buddys and bike convoys for riders, pit stops and goodie zones for fun and food, and the 50,000 mile Commuter Challenge. Check it out and see what’s going on in your town.
So there you have it readers, official proof that Springtime (also known as Biketime) is here. If you don’t believe me, look outside…see the bikers? Go ahead, don’t resist the urge. Get out and enjoy it on two wheels.
It’s September already, which means the leaves are going to be turning all kinds of beautiful colors in Boston soon. But don’t worry yet, there are still plenty of days of great riding weather left. And another great ride is coming up, bringing together cyclists in the city. The Hub on Wheels Citywide Bike Ride & Festival takes places on September 23. Bike riders from Boston and the surrounds come in and choose from either a 25 mile ride or a 45 mile loop. Even cooler, Storrow Drive will be limited only to bikes during the rides for a car-free experience!
Hub on Wheels is a part of the Boston Digital Bridge Foundation, an organization dedicated to bringing technology, like new computers and comprehensive technology training, to Boston Public School students and their families. You can sign up to sponsor the BDBF here.
The festival also includes food and entertainment. Last year I attended with Urban AdvenTours (we had a booth and rented bikes to loads of excited cyclists), and it was a blast. It even began to rain towards the end of the ride, but that didn’t deter all the eager riders from enjoying themselves out there.
Check out the Hub on Wheels site for all the details. The festival takes place at City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA.
By the way, I didn’t make it to the MassBike Festival due to an evil stomach bug. I was so disappointed! If you made it, please share your experiences in the comments section so I, and anyone else who couldn’t make it, can live vicariously through you.
I am so psyched. This weekend is MassBike’s fifth annual bike festival and Pie Race, which means hordes of Massachusetts bike lovers will be heading out to Verrill Farm in Concord for a day of bike rides, food, and fun. MassBike is a cycling advocacy group working to protect Massachusetts residents’ bicycling rights, and they hold a yearly ride to bring cyclists together and have a little fun doing what they love to do: riding bikes! There are a bunch of rides to choose from—the Tour de Lincoln, the Gardens & Rivers Ride, the gastronomically intriguing Ice Cream Headache IV—covering anywhere from six to sixty plus miles. Mmm, plus Redbones lunch is included in registration.
I was at last year’s festival and it was pretty sweet. I did the Canoeing Ride ‘N Splash where I rode a few miles out to the Concord River with a good-sized group of people, meandering through beautiful, green tree-lined streets. At the river, we temporarily abandoned our bikes to hop in canoes for a refreshing paddle. It was a nice mix of scenery, going from pavement below our tires to a cool, revitalizing waterway. Back at the festival grounds, cyclists shared details of their rides over lunch, chomping down on hamburgers (or Portabella burgers for the veggies, like me). There were all kinds of booths to visit while digesting and waiting for the much talked about Pie Race. I was clueless last year (lured away by the temptation of dairy-fresh ice cream) and left before it began, but this year I plan on sticking around for the madness. The Pie Race is this ingenious battle of the bikers and of the bellies. Riders have to cover six miles with three stops where they have to dismount their bikes and eat a slice of pie at each stop. There are two pie stops mid-race and a final slice to be eaten at the finish line. Yummy.
Next week I’ll give you a little update on how the festival goes, Pie Race and all. I still haven’t decided which ride to do. As for more organized rides offered by groups in Boston, the Hub on Wheels Citywide Ride is coming up in a month. Last year I didn’t participate in the ride, but I had fun helping outfit riders with Urban AdvenTours rental bikes. They all had a blast. I’ll be passing on info on the HoW ride too, so keep an eye out.
One other thing to mention: Add Urban AdvenTours as a friend on Myspace. We like keeping in touch with our friends from Boston and all over the world. Stop by, say hello, and reconnect with us.
By the way, here’s the link again for the MassBike Festival—info can be found on the MassBike website.
Hi friends of UA, it’s been a couple of weeks that I’ve been blogging and I can’t believe I haven’t even introduced myself. My name’s Michelle and I’ll be posting blogs once a week about what’s going on in the city of Boston as far as bike rides and Urban AdvenTours info. I love Boston and spreading the word about experiencing it on a bicycle. I live out in Cambridge and enjoy riding my bike around the city. In fact, the other day I was out on the Minuteman Bikeway, totally digging the all the greenery lining the path. There were loads of people out riding bikes, running, and walking—a perfect way to spend a summer’s day. I stopped at Spy Pond (picture above) for a little break, contemplating whether or not to try and make friends with a group barbequing so I could partake in some of the corn-on-the-cob they were grilling. Instead of mooching goodies, I hopped back on my bike and headed out to Lexington. All in all, it was a nice relaxing way to enjoy my day off. Which leads me to how you can enjoy some self-guided bike riding around the city of Boston. Obviously we believe taking a bicycle tour with Urban AdvenTours is an excellent way to explore Boston, but renting a bike and taking yourself around is another great way to do things. You can rent a bike to extend your UA tour or just do the whole Boston exploration on a bike on your own. If you’re extending your ride and you saw all the main attractions of the city with Urban AdvenTours, you can rent a bike and take a leisurely ride along scenic bike paths or ride further outside the city. If you’re going on your own, you can build a personalized route and itinerary. That’s the beauty, it’s up to you.
There are some really beautiful paths to ride in Boston that take you off city streets. As I mentioned earlier, there’s the Minuteman Bikeway, a path running 11 plus miles from Davis Square in Somerville through Arlington and Lexington all the way out to Bedford. It’s a paved pathway running behind residences and businesses, with plenty of cool places to stop and hang out like Spy Pond, Arlington Center, and the Lexington Green.
For scenic city riding, check out the Paul Dudley White Charles River Bike Path along the Charles River. It extends 14 miles through Boston, Cambridge, Newton, and Watertown. There are also the Stony Brook Reservation paths, snaking through the Turtle Pond Parkway, West Roxbury, and Hyde Park, and the Mystic River paths, covering Somerville, Medford, and Everett. Check out MassBike and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation for more paths to ride.
Also, if you are interested in getting even further outside of the city, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority allows for bikes on the subway, buses, and commuter rail trains. Recently, tons of buses have been outfitted with bike racks, which is great way for getting your bike out to the paths. There are some restrictions for subway riding so check out the MBTA bike page for rules. Also, the MBTA has a special program to get you and your bike out to the North Shore this summer for beach riding.
So how will you get ahold of a bike to rent? First, we can deliver rentals to your hotel or to any location with the Urban Mobile, our biodiesal (that’s right, vegetable oil–powered!) bike delivery truck or you can pick up rentals at Landry’s Bicycles. You can also book rentals online.
Contact us with any questions at info@urbanadventours.com. Now get off your computer, get outside, and on a bicycle!
Everyone at Urban AdvenTours is enjoying summer: blue skies, warm air, and exciting bike rides with new friends from all over the U.S. and the world. We can’t complain. But did you know we also run group tours? Besides the daily rides that Urban AdvenTours runs we offer a super way for groups to band together and become their own little cycling mob for a few hours.
Our group tours are an excellent way for your company, organization, or group to explore Boston in a fun, healthy, and environmentally friendly way. You might be in town for a convention and want to do a team-building event (biking is the new golf!), you might have a school group that would like to an engaging activity, or maybe you want get your friends together for a fun day out (maybe it’s your birthday). Whatever the occasion, doing a group ride is the perfect activity.
So what kinds of rides do we offer for groups? Well, besides our city tours we have some really cool rides crafted specifically for groups. Our most popular group tour is our own Paul Revere Ride to Freedom. We follow the route Paul Revere rode midnight April 18, 1775 from Boston to Concord to spread news that the British were coming. You’ll learn all about the events of the start of the American Revolution in the locations where they happened (UA guide Ed–in the photo above–has amazing encyclopedic knowledge on the subject).
We start at Landry’s Bicycles then head to the North End and see the Paul Revere statue, visit the Old North Church (where they hung those informative lanterns back in the day—you know, “one if by land, two if by sea”), then we cut through to Charlestown for a stop at the U.S.S. Constitution. At each location you’ll get some history and a little rest stop. Then we head north through Somerville and Medford to the Minuteman Bikeway all the way up to the Lexington Green (site of the “shot heard round the world”) for a catered lunch and a nice break. We finish our ride by heading to Concord and the Old North Bridge. It’s all very informative, but more importantly, it’s very fun.
We are also more than happy to put together a ride that is fitting for your group, like a Restaurant Ride or a Green Buildings of Boston Ride (both of which we’ve done in the past). There are endless permutations of what we can do, just contact us and we’ll be happy to work with you.
As far as logistics, we can accommodate 20-60 riders, each outfitted with bikes, helmets, and water. We provide a catered lunch and enough guides to ride with the group and help navigate everyone safely through the city streets and country roads. We also provide a ride back to your hotel or meeting point (or to a pub if you’re so inclined). The whole activity is really easy and it’s really fun.
If you’re interested in booking a group/corporate tour or have any questions about putting together a ride or just any questions at all, get in touch with Andrew, andrew@urbanadventours.com.
Check out this awesome little video we put together to give you a taste of what to expect:
So you’re ready to hop on a bike and see Boston, but you’re thinking: What can I expect on an Urban AdvenTours ride? Will the tour cover all the sights I want to see? Do I look good in this spandex bodysuit?
Well, first and foremost, you should know Urban AdvenTours offers some of the friendliest, most knowledgeable guides Boston has to offer. Their number one priority is to offer you a fun time getting to know the ins and outs of the city. Boston is a pretty accessible place—especially on a bike—so you’ll cover a lot of ground and learn a lot.
Urban AdvenTours offers three basic guided daily bike tours of Boston: the City View Tour, Photography Tour, and Art and Architecture Tour. All three hit the major Boston hot-spots. The places you’ll visit are all really cool in the way that they are all so ridiculously different from each other. You’ve got the always-present buzz of Red Sox devotion surrounding Fenway Park. There’s the dichotomy of old and new at Copley Square—historic churches across from modern skyscrapers (seriously, check out the image of the 130-year-old Trinity Church reflected in the mirrored Hancock Tower—it’s freaking awesome). You’ve also got the charming brownstones of Back Bay and the South End, the bustle of Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Markets, and the European warmth of Boston’s “Little Italy,” the North End. Here’s a hint: once you hit the North End, request a rest stop. You’ll find the cafes have the best espresso drinks and everyone on your tour will love you for providing them with the opportunity to “refuel” with a cappuccino and a cannoli. The rides also cover Beacon Hill, the Esplanade along the Charles River, and more.
You’ll also get your fill of Boston history and fun facts, as well as plenty of time to take photos. UA guides are all well-versed in the city’s background and love pointing out its idiosyncrasies. Plus, they are more than happy to snap some shots of you and your loved ones in front of the Prudential Center or wait for you to capture some photos of yet another Dunkin Donuts.
I guess this highlights another huge factor that sets UA tours apart—they are hands-on. Instead of falling asleep in a bus or a trolley while some driver cracks the same eye-rolling one-liners he’s been spouting for months about Sam Adams, you control the ride. You are a part of the city, not just a spectator. You are experiencing and exploring with your own hands and feet. Groups are usually around five to ten riders per tour (with the exception of special group rides and corporate tours) so it’s a personal, interactive experience.
Here’s a brief run-down on the mechanics of taking a tour: First, book it (duh). Then, on the day of your ride you’ll meet your guide at Landry’s Bicycles and be outfitted with a helmet, a mountain bike, a drink, and a snack. Then be prepared to hit the streets of Boston and enjoy a good ride. All levels of riders are welcome, though you should be (at the least) comfortable on a bike. Oh, and spandex bodysuits are purely optional.
Got any questions? Email us at info@urbanadventours.com. And be sure to keep it wheel.
Redbones has once again proved why we love it so much: it took two of our favorite things –eating and biking– and combined them in one awesome event. It’s holding a Tour de France Bike Breakfast this coming Wednesday, July 25, where people can eat breakfast, hang out with some fellow cycling enthusiasts, and watch a mountain stage of the Tour de France (Orthez - Gourete Col d’Aubisque). Some of the Urban AdvenTours crew made it last week and had a blast. There’s even a photo of some of the UA crowd on Redbone’s events page!
If you don’t know a lot about the race here’s a little run down. The competition is in its 94th year, and 2007’s race began July 7running through July 29. There are 20 stages, which include various terrain, and will cover a total distance of 3,550 kilometers (that’s 2206 miles to some of us shaky with the metric system).
Let me just say that there is nothing like watching a mad rush of cyclists tearing up the mountains of France to get you amped for a ride of your own. The weather has been pretty inviting here in Boston and all I can say is it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to ride on over to Redbones next Wednesday (they’re offering free bike valet), enjoy the food and company, and then hop on a city tour with UA. Well, that’s what we’re planning on doing!
