learning the map
Trying to get to peacockduchess's house last night was kind of a nightmare. It's a long ride anyway, and I left WAY too late to miss the traffic. Plus I forgot to eat, so I was getting a little shaky before I even got to Rte 3, so I pulled off at exit 39 in Andover and went to McDonald's.
I ate something there, and as I ate, I went over the map in my head. Trying to find surface roads to get where I want to go has taught me a lot about how to get around this area, and before I go anywhere, I pore over the map, so I can fix it if I go off-piste.
Exit 39 off 495 is Rte 133. Go east, and you go into Andover, and I know how to get home from there. Go west, and you go into Lowell, and it intersects with 110. I am *intimately* familiar with 110 from Lowell to Littleton, so I knew if I headed west, I'd be in familiar territory in no time.
Tell you what, next time I want to take 110 home, I'm not taking that left turn at the top of the hill where 110 intersects with 133. It's a pain the ass, and the fun of the road along the river from Lowell through Dracut into Methuen is not worth it. I'm going to go straight and go through Andover.
Anyway, I only stayed on 110 till Chelmsford. After that it was pretty smooth sailing... right over the grooved pavement that extended from Exit 32 in Westford to Rte 2. It's only about 6 miles, but that's plenty, believe me.
Traffic and blood sugar issues notwithstanding, it was a good ride, and knowing the map really helped. In fact, looking at the map just now to review the route showed me a new way to go that will let me bypass that troublesome part of 495. Maybe I'll play with that tomorrow...
I ate something there, and as I ate, I went over the map in my head. Trying to find surface roads to get where I want to go has taught me a lot about how to get around this area, and before I go anywhere, I pore over the map, so I can fix it if I go off-piste.
Exit 39 off 495 is Rte 133. Go east, and you go into Andover, and I know how to get home from there. Go west, and you go into Lowell, and it intersects with 110. I am *intimately* familiar with 110 from Lowell to Littleton, so I knew if I headed west, I'd be in familiar territory in no time.
Tell you what, next time I want to take 110 home, I'm not taking that left turn at the top of the hill where 110 intersects with 133. It's a pain the ass, and the fun of the road along the river from Lowell through Dracut into Methuen is not worth it. I'm going to go straight and go through Andover.
Anyway, I only stayed on 110 till Chelmsford. After that it was pretty smooth sailing... right over the grooved pavement that extended from Exit 32 in Westford to Rte 2. It's only about 6 miles, but that's plenty, believe me.
Traffic and blood sugar issues notwithstanding, it was a good ride, and knowing the map really helped. In fact, looking at the map just now to review the route showed me a new way to go that will let me bypass that troublesome part of 495. Maybe I'll play with that tomorrow...