Great Day For A Bike Ride On Stoneham Greenway

I could almost hear the kids at the Central Middle School as I peddled by Thursday.

"Doesn't that old guy know the pike path isn't finished yet?"

Rest assured I know, but even though most of the Greenway is roots, rocks, dirt, and poison ivy, my trusty Trek and I decided to check it out on could be the nicest day on the remainder of the 2017 calendar.

The challenging part was actually getting to Stoneham. There's no way to get there on two wheels from my home in Reading without risking life and limb. There's navigating Washington Street, getting past the Kohl's area, and then surviving Cummings Park with its numerous Dunkin drive-thru patrons so excited about getting their pumpkin latte that they dart onto Washington regardless of the biker (me) in front of them. And just when you think you've cleared the worst part, a turkey near Salem Street decided it wasn't going to let me get past. I crossed the street. Turkey 1, Journalist 0.

Once safely in Stoneham, I picked up the path at the tunnel under 93 North. Part tunnel, part art exhibit, the walls are dominated from one end to the other by colorful graffiti. Not being an expert on pop culture I have no idea what any of it means. There's water beside it, maybe on offshoot of the Sweetwater Brook but that's just a guess.

Following the rail line, with Montvale Ave to my left, the path crosses Montvale just above Lindenwood. The Trek and its rider are pushed to the max here, with rocks, roots, and rails all making the ride a challenge. But when done the ride between Montvale and Main Street will be one of the nicer parts of the path as you follow the old Stoneham Branch of the Boston & Lowell Railroad. There's a brook and wetland here that organizers hope to make into some sort of nature preserve. If done right, this could be really good.

Crossing Main Street at Elm requites patience but you eventually land on the 100-yard stretch of the path that is finished next to the Central Middle School. As you head past the school and toward Gould Street there's a gravel path, then more rocks and roots.

The end.

Unless of course you've still got some energy in the legs.

Lynnfield and Wakefield are also engaged in a plan to build a bike path but they're in what we call the arguing stage. But when arguing becomes asphalt their "Rail Trail" will begin next to the Galvin Middle School. So instead of turning off Elm, stay on Elm and head toward Wakefield. Elm changes to Albion and when Wakefield is done repaving Albion it will be a quick and easy 10-minute ride from Stoneham's bike path to the start of Wakefield's. If Stoneham wanted to repave Elm to match Albion, I wouldn't complain. And while on the subject, a bucket of paint to add a bike lane wouldn't hurt either.

Wakefield connects with Lynnfield, heads under 128, and then eventually ends at the Peabody line. Bottom line, riders can go from Winchester to Peabody, a distance of roughly 6.5 miles through Winchester/Woburn/Stoneham and another 4.4 through Lynnfield and Wakefield, plus the ride down Elm/Albion.

The kids at the Central Middle School are right. The Greenway isn't finished yet. But it was still worth the ride.