Bicycle Tour: Massasoit State Park, Day One

On Monday, July 1, 2024, I rode from my home in Somerville, Massachusetts to Massasoit State Park to camp for two nights.

I had originally reserved site D78, a tent-only site, at Massasoit State Park for Sunday and Monday, June 30 and July 1. But on the morning of Sunday, June 30, the weather forecast predicted a high of 87 °F during my ride and strong thunderstorms in the evening. I wanted to change my reservation, but I was required to call the campground, and there was no phone number listed for Massasoit State Park. So I purchased a second reservation, for site D74, for July 1 and July 2, and I postponed my trip for one day.

I left the house on Monday, July 1, at 9:50 a.m. The weather was sunny and about 76 °F for the ride. I took bicycle lanes through Somerville, Cambridge, and Boston, including the Southwest Corridor Trail in Boston, which I have ridden recreationally many times.

Southwest Corridor Bike Trail in Boston

I rode south to Cummins Boulevard, which was torn up for reconstruction and this day was not a good way to go. From a StreetsBlog post, I later learned:

A long-planed Public Works Department project to rebuild Cummins Highway in the Mattapan neighborhood, one of the five Environmental Justice communities spotlighted in the Heat Plan, is finally under construction this summer. When it’s complete, Cummins Highway will be transformed from a four-lane highway to a narrower two-lane street with accessible sidewalks, safer crosswalks, protected bike lanes, and over 100 new trees.

Just south of Mattapan, the intersection of Blue Hill Avenue with Blue Hills Parkway at the boundary between Boston and Milton was extremely difficult to navigate on my bicycle. I ended up dismounting and walking my bike through crosswalks.

Entering Milton on Blue Hill Avenue

Navigating to Blue Hills Parkway in Milton

I rode through Blue Hills Reservation on Unquity Road and Hillside Street to Blue Hill River Road by Houghtons Pond. I followed Ponkapoag Trail over Interstate 93 and continued on unpaved roads and gravel trails around the west end of Ponkapoag Pond. I stopped on Acton Path near Randolph Street at 12:20 p.m. after 18.3 miles to eat lunch and enjoy the shade.

The Ponkapoag Trail

Water lily pads in Ponkapoag Pond

The trail alongside Ponkapoag Pond

I continued riding south on York Street and Page Street. I think it was my original intention to turn right onto Turnpike Street and take that south on the west side of State Route 24, but I continued straight on Page Street, which took me under Route 24 with heavy truck traffic. I ended up on West Main Street and North Main Street in downtown Brockton, riding in heavy stop and go traffic on city streets torn up from sewer work.

At 1:45 p.m. I worked my way west to Warren Avenue and then Copeland Street, which had a wide shoulder and less traffic. I angled right onto North Elm Street, where there was a bike lane. I crossed West Center Street in West Bridgewater with difficulty because of cross traffic and continued on South Elm Street. I made a wrong turn and went under Route 24 and headed north on Pleasant Street for about a mile until I figured things out.

The riding was much more pleasant by now on less busy residential streets. I rode south on Scotland Street and Elm Street just east of Route 24, and I stopped for a cookie and water break at 2:45 p.m. after crossing Pleasant Street onto Old Pleasant Street.

I followed Pine Street and Spruce Street to Vernon Street north of the state park. I rode Vernon Street south over Interstate 495 and crossed Cape Road (U.S. Route 44) with difficulty because of high speed cross traffic. I continued south on Richmond Street, turned right onto Middleboro Avenue, and turned left at the entrance to Massasoit State Park.

I arrived at 3:50 p.m., six hours after I had departed. I had ridden 47.35 miles. I had not paced myself as well as I would have liked, and I was dehydrated when I finished. My effort was 25% Zone 1, 34% Zone 2, 35% Zone 3, and 6% Zone 4.

My campsite, D74, was shaded in the afternoon but close to the road. When people are talking while they walked by on the road, it sounded like they were about to walk through my tent.

My campsite at Massasoit State Park

For the second day of this tour, see Massasoit State Park, Day Two.