March 13, 2022
This 18-mile loop runs on both sides of the Charles River from the Museum of Science in Boston to Galen Street Bridge in Watertown. It’s heavily used by walkers, joggers, and, of course, bicyclists.
I lived in the Cambridge and Somerville area from 2001-2010 and still frequently visit the area for doctor appointments, so I’ve been on parts of this paved path many times over the years. I hadn’t, however, walked all of it at once or visited the westernmost portions. I enjoyed my “hike” (is it really a hike if it’s on a paved city bike path?) and found it a nice way to build up my stamina after a long recovery period from my September hysterectomy. I walked at a comfortable-for-me pace, taking one short break to sip some water, and finished in 5 1/2 hours.
Free parking can be found in a large lot at Christian Herter Park on the Boston side of the river, open from dawn until dusk. I had no trouble finding a spot at 8am on a Sunday, and when I returned around 1:30pm, the lot still had plenty of vacancies. It may be busier during the summer, however. I personally would never walk this whole thing during summer as there is very little shade along the route. Temperatures for my walk were in the 30s, and there was a lovely cold wind much of the time. I never even broke a sweat.
I needed this hike/walk for a few reasons. I am so tired of the long winter up north…I woke to a fresh half foot of snow in the mountains and was so happy when I arrived two hours south in Boston to a mere dusting here and there. Also, I have a thru-hike coming up and needed to put in some serious miles for training purposes. Lastly, I have so many memories of the eastern portions of this route, mainly of my children as they grew, that I wanted to work through feelings of nostalgia. I spent years taking my young children to the Museum of Science and Splash! at MIT, and I went to Harvard, and my kids visited Boston U during their college searches and had extracurriculars in various places in Cambridge, etc. So many fond memories of time with my kids….and I also have traumatic memories of other things I won’t get into here. I therefore thought I’d feel all kinds of emotions walking through the Cambridge area, but as I walked I mainly felt appreciative of all the time I got to spend with my daughters. I also felt grateful that, though this area is lovely, I will be moving on in a couple short years. I wasn’t meant to live in one place for long, and I’ve lived in the Boston-to-White Mountains area for over two decades. There is so much to see in this country. I traveled overseas so much before I married that I never truly explored my own nation. I’ve been to 49 states and seen a lot of places, but I haven’t taken my time to slow down and truly appreciate as much as I can. Which of course is why I created this massive LifeQuest.
