[manhattanprjkt83]

I know many of you folks live in the Boston/NE area so I wanted to pick everyone's brains about living in there. I may have an opportunity to be relocated for a limited time (1-2 years) to Gloucester MA for work. The salary perks are incredible along with my cost of living fully covered (apt, bills, move, etc...) for the duration of my stay.

So as an avid Trail/DH rider how do you folks like the area? I know highland is close so I would be spending quite a bit of time there when possible. What does the riding look like close to Gloucester, I know Lynn is good. I guess my primary worry is the ability to sneak out after the work day and get rides in, I know there are fantastic weekend trips within driving distance.

I dig the town, been there many times in the past, the fishing vibe just kinda suites me, so that doesnt bother me at all...

Feedback would be great. So would riding buddies should i do the move...

 

[jonKranked]

how do you feel about traffic?

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

The north shore area of greater Boston has a bunch of options for riding after work. I can think of 5-6 places off the top of my head I frequent(ed) that are within 20min of Glostah.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

how do you feel about traffic?

Up there? On 128? Keep in mind i would not being going into downtown Boston much...

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

The north shore area of greater Boston has a bunch of options for riding after work. I can think of 5-6 places off the top of my head I frequent(ed) that are within 20min of Glostah.

Cool that is what i figured, what type of riding? Tech?

Do you folks ride in the winter much?

Will i be sick of lobster when i leave?

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Anything from super rocky/tight/tech to fast and flowy undulating hardpack and everything in between. Good mix for sure, albeit relatively small trails/loops. But there's plenty of stuff packed in to keep it a good mix.

If there's minimal or no snow, we'll ride year round. This past winter was horrible and meant no riding, but that's not always the case. It's NE so it's unpredictable.

I personally hate all seafood, which is ironic because I come from a fishing family from Gloucester.

 

[jonKranked]

Up there? On 128? Keep in mind i would not being going into downtown Boston much...

trying to get anywhere in the central part of the state or farther west will involve the mass pike.

i'd take a root canal over the mass pike.

 

[StiHacka]

Do it. Cape Ann is one of the best places to live in Mass IMO, as long as you can get a decent local job there. If you like crazy tough chunk, Dogtown is your place. For the inland parks and trails, you'll be mostly going against traffic until you hit 95 or 93 that are always busy. From the closest places apart from Lynn, Harold Parker is pretty good.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

Ok cool, yeah the job is not a problem at all. The mass Pike is really that bad? Our PA pike is bad but nothing to totally lose sleep over.

I agree the area just seems awesome, I would probably live in downtown Gloucester so i could just pedal around to places and be close to the water...Seems like one of my biggest issues at the moment will be finding suitable living, need a small yard for the pup.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

Anything from super rocky/tight/tech to fast and flowy undulating hardpack and everything in between. Good mix for sure, albeit relatively small trails/loops. But there's plenty of stuff packed in to keep it a good mix.

ok exactly what I expected, sounds like some good stuff the gf can ride as well which is important.

 

[jonKranked]

Ok cool, yeah the job is not a problem at all. The mass Pike is really that bad? Our PA pike is bad but nothing to totally lose sleep over.

pa turnpike is nothing compared to the mass pike. whenever i go to Maine, i dread the 11 miles i have to spend on the mass pike.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

wow had no idea...

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

pa turnpike is nothing compared to the mass pike. whenever i go to Maine, i dread the 11 miles i have to spend on the mass pike.

My GF always gets pissed that I live an hour outside Boston and asks if I'll ever move back to right outside the city. No fvcking way. I will never live inside of 495. She'll sit on 128 for 45 minutes to go 6 miles, while I take 40 minutes to go 4x the distance. The 128/93 area makes the Pike look like the Autobahn.

The closest thing I've come to a traffic jam since starting my new job was a deer that took a few seconds to get out of the street.

 

[jonKranked]

whenever i'm on the mass pike i get flashbacks of when i lived in LA and had to drive there.

there have been times that 11 miles on the mass pike took an hour.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

whenever i'm on the mass pike i get flashbacks of when i lived in LA and had to drive there.

there have been times that 11 miles on the mass pike took an hour.

11 miles in an hour? That's doing good.

Record for me was 1hr 15min to go 7.6 miles on 128. No accidents, clear sunny weather in the middle of the summer.

 

[Sandwich]

I come from a fishing family from Gloucester.

so that explains the smell

don't listen to jonkranked, he's from New Jersey.

Traffic can and will be bad, but just avoid it if you're not a dumbass. The pike sucks at 5-8pm. Know what? So does everything else in every major city. Driving through CT on 84 is so, so much worse. So so so, so so so, so so much worse. That being said, I always hate driving on 95/128, and I suggest you learn to get aggressive and deal with it, and/or avoid high traffic times of the day. You'll learn to deal with it, or you'll move.

The riding out here is very technical, all the time. I've heard it's not dissimilar to Pittsburgh, but I've never been. Have you been to the kingdom trails? Well it's nothing like that. It's very short ups and downs, it's tight and twisty, and it's almost always brutally rocky. Like not even funny rocky. Roots aren't nearly as bad, and if you find a place with more than 5 feet in between unmoveable, wheel stopping rocks, then you've struck gold. Great places to ride aren't too far from gluckster, willowdale is right up there and is one of my favorite spots (it's also relatively smooth). Harold parker is not far as well, but it's pretty brutal. Great fun though. You can also get over to some great places like wompatuck or russel mill, but those are going to be more of a drive. There are some more hidden spots, I've heard of a place called "bruce and toms" and I've definitely ridden one place in beverly that abuts the highway that was fun. Highland is about an hour and a half from boston, jiminy is 2.5, snow is 2.5 or 3, platty or diablo are both about 4-4.5, kindom trails are 2.5. It's really not a bad spot for riding.

Other things- summer traffic at the beaches can be brutal. Avoid living near those if possible. Winter riding is possible if you don't mind cold and cold rocks (rode out near worcester once when it was like 17* out). Lobster is more of maine's thing, but you can get some great stuff near rockport and just north. Personally, I'm a fan of all the fried **** up in essex.

 

[slyfink]

I vacationned in Gloucester a couple of summers ago with my first son, my wife and her brother's family. If I had a chance to make more money in a place people go to on holiday I wouldn't hesitate to jump on that opportunity. I liked Gloucester, it was one of my favourite "family" trip destinations. (of course I've only had a family for three going on four years, but still).

I even brought my bike. I rode a spot very close to Wingaersheek [sp?] beach. It was fantastic. I also rode some trails close to Rockport that were really nice. When I asked if I should bring my bike, I think it was w00dy who in his signature had a link to maps of a lot of really good ride spots... look him up.

I just tried finding my old thread but no luck. I suggest pm's...

 

[jonKranked]

so that explains the smell

don't listen to jonkranked, he's from New Jersey.

Traffic can and will be bad, but just avoid it if you're not a dumbass. The pike sucks at 5-8pm. Know what? So does everything else in every major city. Driving through CT on 84 is so, so much worse. So so so, so so so, so so much worse. That being said, I always hate driving on 95/128, and I suggest you learn to get aggressive and deal with it, and/or avoid high traffic times of the day. You'll learn to deal with it, or you'll move.

A - not from jersey. lived there briefly. hard to take that as an insult coming from a blowhard masshole like you.

B - i've hit gridlocked traffic out past worcester in the middle of the day. on a weekday no less.

C - 84 in CT can be bad, but i've never seen it as bad as i've seen the mass pike.

 

[Sandwich]

A) ahhahahahah

B) there's always traffic around springfield and the 84 junction. because that's where...

C) 84 joins the pike. it's like romper room let out and all the doo-dahs from CT/NYC are coming up to slam on their brakes in the left lane. Either that or to try and cut up the "merge ahead" right lane in an effort to get two car lengths ahead.

I swear 84 is like as many people as possible with no idea where they're going in as big a hurry as possible to get there.

 

[StiHacka]

Mass pike is nowhere near as bad as I95/128 near both idiotic junctions with I93 - with the exception of the morning inbound traffic. I used to do 2x17 miles on the pike every day, luckily against the traffic. There is no way around the I95/128 hell, though.

 

[Sandwich]

Mass pike is nowhere near as bad as I95/128 near both idiotic junctions with I93 - with the exception of the morning inbound traffic. I used to do 2x17 miles on the pike every day, luckily against the traffic. There is no way around the I95/128 hell, though.

ay! I'd much rather be on the pike than 95 pretty much anywhere. That road is pretty much mad max.

 

[jdcamb]

You should look for a place in Chelsea. Its pretty nice there....

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

You should look for a place in Chelsea. Its pretty nice there....

 

[dan-o]

PM me with any questions.

Cliff Notes:
Cape Ann has awesome trail riding and dozens of post-work rides close to gloucester.
6" bike is what I ride and there is a big riding scene here.
Lynn sucks.
local traffic not an issue at all; getting into city can be PITA but commuter rail avoids that and parking.
Highland is sub 2hrs, Sunday River 3, Bromont sub 5.
You can find a place for your pup, i imaging your salary will allow plenty of housing options in gloucester.

If you're heading out let me know.
Happy to show you around some trails/area etc; can ship you bike here in advance if needed.

 

[jdcamb]

Its just like Brooklyn except without all the annoyingly cool things hipsters like.

 

[StiHacka]

Damn I wish I could live on Cape Ann, but a commute to any of the Derp128 office parks would just kill me.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Damn I wish I could live on Cape Ann, but a commute to any of the Derp128 office parks would just kill me.

Solution: Don't work in an office park

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

Sandwich you said basically what I expected for the terrain, most trails within 20min of Pittsburgh are more log/root type stuff not much actual rock to be found. Once you get out of that 20mile radius the rocks pick up exponentially but they are different, they arent the larger smooth stuff you see in Lynn. I like that type of terrain best so riding up in Mass looks good.

For the traffic concerns, I would be both living and working in Gloucester rarely going to the city office. Most of the time I would be riding my bike to work...Salary is not an issue at this point, would basically be looking for a 2 bedroom duplex with a garage and a small yard at this point.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

Dan-o Why does Lynn suck?

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

oh, i'd be riding this...went backwards on the technology fulcrum last year im cool in the rocks with it most of the time.

 

[C.P.]

Well, the riding and the riding community in and around this area is one of the best and most accessible in all of New England IMO. The trails around the area range from flowing dirt ribbons of fun to tons of insanely technical rock gardens that resemble bouldering fields more than mtnbike trails, many, if not all are interconnected with flowing dirt goodness punctuated by steep grunt climbs and full on brake descents with natural rock formations that call you to sweet drops, fun kickers and everything in between. Plenty of options around every corner to scratch your tech riding itch.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

PM me with any questions.
If you're heading out let me know.
Happy to show you around some trails/area etc; can ship you bike here in advance if needed.

Thanks - It's something that will/will not materialize very quickly, if i pull the trigger i'd prob be up there working and looking for places within 3 weeks. Appreciate the offer...

 

[Adventurous]

oh, i'd be riding this...went backwards on the technology fulcrum last year im cool in the rocks with it most of the time.

Yea...I still preferred a dually. It was just much more comfortable and thus, more fun for me. I rode a hardtail a few times in Lynn and B&Ts and it was bearable, but that's it.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

interesting, well if i do end up there maybe i'll grab a 5010 or something and swap the parts over...

 

[dan-o]

Dan-o Why does Lynn suck?

It's just totally blown out, subdivisions cover the old goods and has been overshadowed by trail networks not influenced by NWD1.

I ride it for nostalgia now and again but the thrill is gone.
Rt128 S of gloucester is where it's at, plus a couple places sandwich mentioned.

 

[jdcamb]

I rode at a place called Beverly Farms. It was a Mbta Station off 128 and it was pretty cool. We rode through peoples back yards and stuff. It was pretty cool.

 

[dan-o]

I rode at a place called Beverly Farms. It was a Mbta Station off 128 and it was pretty cool. We rode through peoples back yards and stuff. It was pretty cool.

There's an annual ride from a station south of there to gloucester every fall.
Great trails and a good party.

 

[Sandwich]

I rode at a place called Beverly Farms. It was a Mbta Station off 128 and it was pretty cool. We rode through peoples back yards and stuff. It was pretty cool.

That's the one I was thinking of. Pretty decent trails but we got lost after we got a flat. Some crazy stunts.

 

[jdcamb]

That's the one I was thinking of. Pretty decent trails but we got lost after we got a flat. Some crazy stunts.

I remember it was a huge ride the first year. 150 - 200 people. It ended at chitty bar in Gloucester on the waterfront. I thought for a moment I was in Big Dans. The next year it was lame drunkfest with some fat naked chicks on bikes exposing mommy boobies for beads ala Mt Snow Naked Crit.

 

[maddog17]

PM CaseyRyan. he lives in Glostah. he knows some of the spots up that way. I've heard B&T is a good place and there is DogTown too. I think you need to get permission to get into B&T's tho but i may be wrong on that. check out bustedspoke.com too