Boston, Mass – Today’s bike ride along the Charles River 
was gorgeous–perfect weather, sparkling water, brilliant foliage.
My only complaint was that there were other people enjoying the Paul Dudley White bike path. And many of them were tourists or other clueless people who did not know how to stay to the right side of the path.
I passed no fewer than three big groups of cyclists with matching white helmets, apparently on some sort of guided bicycle tour. One group blocked the curb ramp when I was crossing the street, so I had to wait for the whole group to cross before I could continue on my ride. I was really starting to get annoyed.
As I pedaled off, I was thinking about the tour group. These people probably traveled from another state–if not another country–so they could ride a bike along the Charles River. Not only that, they paid somebody good money to show them how to do it. These folks are exerting some serious effort to have this experience–one that I can have anytime I want.
I am so lucky.
For the rest of my ride, I was not bothered by the slow walkers and phone talkers getting in my way. And I certainly did not begrudge those people on the bike tour (some of whom probably read my recommendation for Urban Adventours in Lonely Planet).
I just soaked up the scenery and breathed the fall air and listened to the leaves crackling underneath my wheels. What was my hurry, anyway?
I also remembered that a few years back, I wrote an article about Leaf Peeping by Bike for BBC Travel, complete with route recommendations. Enjoy!
(Thanks to BBC Travel for the lovely photo.)