As I get ready to leave town on my bike for the holiday weekend, I thought I’d write a bit about our bike/train infrastructure.

If you’re lucky your trip on the MBTA Commuter Rail will be glorious, thanks to the ample parking offered by the bike car. It is nice to see that they have both the wheel-mounted racks and also a smaller number of frame-mounted racks.

Note, however, that just because you’re riding in the allowable off-peak hours doesn’t mean you’re ensured the bike car. If you don’t get it, be prepared to watch over your bike! These bikes were rolling all over the place.

It was worse than this on my most recent trip, I think we had more than twenty bikes in a car meant to hold zero. Note to MBTA: it’s a good idea to send the bike car on the train that goes closest to sundown. That’s when the cyclists are likely to be ending their adventures and heading home. I hear the 2PM bike car was completely empty, but bikes were spilling into the aisles of my 7:30PM train.

A Boston bike girl in bright blue boat shoes.

A Boston bike girl on a bike in slinky summer sandals.

While the men are on the Esplanade, it seems the women are reading on benches in smaller gardens. I think Mike’s right that they’re less likely to be part of a “scene” while tucked into these smaller places.

Or perhaps this is all a gross over-simplification. Either way, I hope you enjoy these last stunningly beautiful days of summer.

Some Boston/Cambridge singlespeed ladies, each with her own look:

I discovered yet another aspect of our fair city; that after work the Esplanade is filled with men who ride their bikes to go relax and read a book. Nearly every bench was occupied this way. On the other hand I didn’t see a single female cyclist. Anyone care to speculate on the social forces at work?

There’s a chill in the air. We’re not sure whether to wear a sundress like usual or bust out the sweater and scarf. Me, I hold on to summer ’till I’m shivering.

Riding to work, riding to class, isn’t it cute when you bike matches your bag?

Saturday night on the Esplanade. I was napping at our picnic when I hear these two girls styling themselves. I sleepily roll over, then grab my camera. This shot is taken too late, what you can’t quite see is that they were doing an impromptu photo shoot with the bike, “look over your shoulder and smile”. You know, a bike is this season’s it accessory…

SAFE, GUIDED CONVOYS WITH POLICE ESCORT Lead by experienced cyclists and escorted by Boston Police, convoys follow a fixed schedule and route and originate at locations throughout metro-Boston. All convoys finish at City Hall Plaza Boston.

Yesterday was Bike Friday, a chance for cyclists new and old to try commuting by bike with a police escort. It was a lot of fun and I was excited to meet Nicole Freedman, and Mayor Tom Menino himself!

Nicole, my friend Dorothy Fennell of MassBike, and I were all very excited together about the changing nature of the Boston bike culture. Go Boston!

This week’s weather has been better than any weather anywhere. It is for this week that we live all year.

It’s been such fun to see all the happy people on their pretty bicycles…