Hi All, 

Lookabout is taking a break for a few weeks.  I am temporarily trading my cycling ambitions for musical ambitions.  Hope you understand.

We’ll be back soon.  In a big way.  Watch this space.

Love,

Lookabout

Possibly a new recurring feature for the Lookabout blog:  Product reviews written by a Monkey and a Crab.  Today, we introduce the characters.

Lou says:

When it comes to bikes I like new things. Basically for two reasons:

First, I am pretty much just a like a monkey. I like shiny things. There is no denying the fact that on the evolutionary scale of things I have seen little or no advancement when it comes to shiny things. They excite me and if I could swing from a tree when I see them I would.

Second, I suck at a working on bikes. I mean, basic maintenance is not a problem but when it comes to a fixed gear conversion project or rigging up something on the bike to save a little money I can guarantee you that it will take me twice as long, cost me four times as much and expand my profanity vocabulary exponentially – not necessarily a bad thing. And even if I do successfully complete a project I am way too neurotic to not let those clicking-rubbing-jangling noises bug the hell out of me and make me feel like I screwed something up along the way.

The solution: Buy new stuff!

Jamie says:

I’m suspicious of new things.  And the people who sell them.  And the reasons that people want them.

When I buy some new gear, I can expect days of anxiety leading up to the purchase, and then days of remorse afterwards.  “Is this the right part?  Will it fit?  Is it stylish?  Is it too trendy?  Is that a good price?  Should I buy it online?  Should I buy it locally? …  Damn!  I should have bought that other one.”

But that’s my problem.  The problem with the gear itself is that there’s no life in it.  It’s too perfect.  It has no character.  Used gear may be shabby and unreliable, but most of my friends are shabby and unreliable, too.  That’s what I like about them.

So, if I stick with the animal analogies, I suppose that I’m a little like one of those hermit crabs.  Happy as hell to take someones cast-off shell and make it my own.  It might look a bit beat, and may not fit quite right, but it’s mine and I’m proud of it.

To be continued…

I like islands as much as the next guy, but getting to them is another story:

Kid Fink and I took a ride out to Peaks Island a few weeks ago.  We brought our bike out on the Casco Bay Lines ferry.  $7.50 for me.  $6.00 for my bike!

And for that handsome fee, I got to stash my bike under the stairs where it wouldn’t be in the way.  What?!

I’m outraged!  Furious!  I’m more than furious.  I’m infurious!

Forget them.  I’ll ride my bike to the islands…

Cousin’s Island and Littlejohn Island are a couple of small islands off the coast at Yarmouth.  They are connected by bridges, so your bike is the only transport needed.  Only 15 miles from Portland.  How can you go wrong?  The ride features:

• Back Cove – The worlds greatest tidal pool.
• Route 88 - Get your kicks on a classic coastal ride.
• Mackworth Island - Ride out to the harbor on a wooden bridge.
• Ledge Cemetery – Spooky burying grounds!
• City views from a highway overpass - Somehow, always thrilling to me.

Download a printer-friendly PDF of the map here.  More photos, too.

It’s always inspiring to see people re-interpreting their city.  Celebrating all those odd little locations that don’t make the visitor’s guide.  Getting off the tour bus and out of the Duck.  Pointing out details that might otherwise be seen as junk.  Or maybe not seen at all.

• City Running Tours - Jog your way around New York, Chicago, DC…
• Walks of a Lifetime - These audio tours by National Geographic turn walking the city streets into a guided museum tour.
• Urban Hike - Tour Pittsburgh like a native.
• Urban Curators - Reframing Providence in a new way.
• Seventy-Six Cumberland - I kinda know this guy.  Peter rents out a funky little apartment with a sprawling backyard garden.  He thinks that neighborhoods are more interesting than hotels.  He’s right. 

As the Maine weather gets colder, and the natural scenery turns brown and gray, my world gets smaller.  Expect more “Portland-centric” rides featuring the little things: sunsets, murals, hill climbs, vistas, pavé…

A bicycle that runs on Pier Fries?  Impossible!  It can’t be done!

Defying all physical laws, we bring you this loopy ride from Portland to Old Orchard Beach.  And back.

Download a printer-friendly PDF of the map.

It’s the scenic route, featuring:

• Views of the Fore River - Can’t get enough of that bridge.
• A door that goes nowhere – Just for kicks, I suppose.
• Higgins Beach - A surf spot in the classic tradition.
• Scarborough Marsh - The world’s greatest salt marsh.
• Beals Ice Cream – Two words: Almond Buttercrunch.
• Bayley’s Lobsters – If Pier Fries aren’t enough for you.
• Tacky trinkets - Maybe pick up a new handlebar ornament?
• A Ferris Wheel – Just like a bicycle wheel, only bigger.
• 17 miles out.  13 miles back. - Prime numbers.  Whoa.

Here are some more photos.  And some further explanation, if you like.

When I casually mention this epic bicycling feat, most people ask, “How did you get out of Boston without getting squashed?”

Like many cities, the major arteries in and out of Boston are not very bicycle friendly.  Luckily, Rubell’s fantastic “Boston Bike Map” has the answer.

On the back of the map, in the bottom corner, surrounded by advertisements and seemingly drawn by hand are the basic directions for how to get out of Boston to the North, South, East and West.  This map was indispensable.  The route was scenic and the traffic was minimal – at least on a Sunday morning.

For the numerically curious, here are some stats about our trip:

• Number of riders:  5
• Average age of rider:  31 years
• Average age of bicycle:  15 years
• Quantity of Sweet and Salty’s consumed:  12
• Average speed:  A mighty 9 mph

The philosophically curious might wonder if this ride allowed me to further understand the interconnectedness of all things.  The short answer is, “No.”

This ride was a stretch for me.  It was my first century.  The farthest I had ever gone on a bike was around 50 miles.  In order to prepare for the distance, I had to mentally break it up into manageable chunks.  That meant no continuity.  And no interconnectedness.  Frankly, a real zen bummer.

Like all Lookabout rides, this one is a bit conceptual.  The idea?  Get from Boston to Portland, Maine in one day.  I had seen a couple of multi-day routes, but none that we could manage in a single day.

Here is a Printer Friendly PDF of the route!   It features:

• Italian Neighborhoods - Everett vs. Malden
• Honky-Tonk Beaches - Hotdogs and Harleys.
• Lenticular Moraines – You know.  Like a Great Boar’s Head?
• Fabulous Mansions – See how the other half lives.
• WWII Base End Stations - Defending our freedom since 1942.
• Endless Antique Shops – Welcome to Maine.  Ugh.
• Old Mill Towns - On the mighty Saco River.  Mother of Waters.
• A Salt Marsh – The Eastern Trail bridge over the Scarborough Marsh.
• A Draw Bridge with a Bike Lane – Finally!  The Casco Bay Bridge.

You can see more photos here and here.  And further description here.

Download a Printer-Friendly PDF of the map HERE!

Hot Damn!  The first complete Lookabout bike ride!  Featuring:

• Portland’s Back Cove: The worlds best tidal pool.
• Baxter Woods: Old Growth!  Both deep and dark.
• Evergreen Cemetery: Spooky graves.
• Nason’s Corner:  Charming bungalows.
• Jewell Falls: Yup.  A waterfall.  For real.
• Capisic Pond: Birds.  Bees.
• Railroad tracks: For that hobo vibe.
• Wooden bridges: To test your riding skills.
• A psychedelic boat: Whoa.
• All on a two-hour ride within the city limits of Portland, Maine!  Hey!

Although there are plenty of “off-road” sections to this ride, you don’t need a mountain bike.  Almost all the chosen trails are friendly for a road bike.  I took my old 10-speed and only needed to walk it in a couple of spots.

Need to see more?  Additional photos here and here.  

This bike route relies heavily on the work of the folks at Portland Trails.  If you ride it, and like it, consider supporting them with a donation or purchase.  They deserve it.

The Wild Portland bike map was originally inspired by another great post in Kent’s bike blog.  In this post, he supposes that a small ride can be made to feel like a larger adventure by allowing for some discovery on route.  A plan is OK, but if you know too much about your destination, there will be no surprises.

So true!  When you know all the information, the entire world feels small and manageable.  Include a little mystery, and even the most familiar setting can feel exotic.  Don’t believe me?  Try eating dinner with the lights off.

To that end, this map is very light on context.  Where is downtown?  Where is the waterfront?  C’mon.  Relax.  Just have fun getting from A to B.

Also inspiring:  This collection of hand-drawn maps.  Found Magazine.  Nick Bantock.

We have been out on the roads exploring our small world and designing new bike routes.  You know?

Ride #1:  Get Circumnavigated

Forget about “bike loops”.  Circumnavigation is it, baby!  How better to explore a place then to see it from 360 degrees?

Portland’s downtown is on a hill.  On a peninsula.  It’s practically surrounded by stunning views.  Not to mention the cool little details and unique architecture you can see streetside.

These guys did a lap around in a canoe.  We do it on bikes.

Ride #2:  The Water Treatment

Featuring a secluded waterfall, a quiet island, a rushing tidal pool, a delicate salt marsh, and inescapable ocean views.

Oh yeah, and a stinky treatment plant, too.

 Ride #3:  The Heart Attack

 A loving survey of the fried foods that keep our pedals turning.  Starting with Tony’s Donuts, pausing for Pier Fries, and culminating with fried clams.  Bon Appétite!