The kids and I went for a bike ride this afternoon. Instead of our usual ride around the neighborhood, we loaded the bikes in the minivan to head to the Marlborough, MA start of the Assabet River Rail Trail. It was a really nice ride. We did a bit more than a third of the 6 mile length of the trail before turning back for a total of around 4.5 miles, which was the longest ride either of the kids had done at one time. The scenery was nice and the trail was populated with other riders and walkers, but not crowded.

My one complaint was that the trail was mostly downhill in one direction and mostly uphill in the other. A mix of the two would have been nice. This is a fairly minor point, though. As a former railroad track, the grades were fairly gentle and not really difficult to ride. On the plus side, there was ample parking near the trailhead in downtown Marlborough and a nearby Dairy Queen for a post-ride snack.

So, if you are looking for a pleasant and not too strenuous bike ride west of Boston, check out the Assabet River Rail Trail.