See the Wheel Boston by Bike -- Urban AdvenTours

Boston has the Duck Tours, Freedom Trail Tours and Trolley Tours. Now it has Urban AdvenTOURS -- a bike touring company.

Thanks to a sister TMA [transportation management association that cares about bike commuting, reducing congestion and improving air quality] the ABC TMA in Boston, I went on an Urban AvenTOUR last week by bike.

We met at the Charles River Plaza -- near Whole Foods on Cambridge Street -- and went through the North End, under the Zakim bridge, and finished at Old Ironsides -- the USS Constitution in Charleston.

As we puddled along and navigated through post-rush hour traffic, I marvelled that I had never had the courage to bike in Boston traffic and enjoyed the view from two wheels. I noticed things I'd never see from a car, such as the architecture of old buildings, pocket parks I'd never noticed, the speed of biking VS. idling in traffic, the number of pedestrians on the street, and the weather.

It was fun touring in a bike caravan, something I'd not done since my four children were young enough not to have been embarrassed to have been seen with me in public, on a bike.

Our affable guide never went too fast. He stopped to provide information and tell stories, including the location of the Great Molasses Catastrophe, a location we all have driven by a hundred times, but not realized it was the scene of a great disaster.

Biking under the Zakim bridge and around the locks for the Charles River showed me an aspect of the city I had never explored. I'm definitely going to recommend AdvenTOURS to other Boston visitors and locals. You can bring your own bike or rent one of theirs.

http://www.urbanadventours.com/