While stuck in traffic on my commute to work, I wondered if there was a better mode of transportation than driving. The commute from Winchester to Brighton was only nine miles, but because there were many places where traffic came to a craw (it crossed three rivers, three railroads, Massachusetts Ave, Rout 2, and Soldiers Field Road) the duration of the commute could easily reach up to 45 minutes.
Public transportation was not a good alternative. To get from door to door (or really neighborhood to neighborhood) required two buses and a subway, and in my experience, that could take a good hour and a half.
In my early 20's I was an avid runner and could easily run 9 miles in about 56 minutes. However, now that I'm in my early 40's my body can't handle that kind of milage.
Biking was a very good option. I could easily make the trip in about the same amount of time as driving, without a strenuous effort. The few times I commuted by bike were enjoyable rides that were a relief from the stress of automobile traffic.
Then I mused that I could even kayak to work. My home in Winchester is close to the Aberjona river, which feeds into the Mystic Lakes, which feeds into the Mystic river, which meets the Charles river at the inner Boston Harbor, and from there one could kayak right up the Charles river to Brighton.
What would it really take commute the 17 miles from the Aberajona river in Winchester to the upper Charles river? I decided to find out.
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