I am a Boston Mamma!

Check out The Boston Mamma Interview with yours truly

"Welcome to Boston Mamas Rock! – where we’re giving a voice to fabulous local mamas from all walks of life. Read on for today’s interview with Lauren Hefferon, mother of three, avid cyclist, and director of the bicycle tour group Ciclismo Classico. Then go ahead and nominate yourself or a friend!

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Lauren Hefferon, Director and CEB (Chief Executive Biker), Ciclismo Classico

Christine: Welcome, Lauren! I was so fascinated to read about your international company based right out of Arlington. Tell us a little bit about your background. You studied anthropology at Cornell; what path led you to starting your bicycle vacation business Ciclismo Classico?

Lauren: I started cycling longer distances and really began to embrace cycling passionately when I was a freshman in high school. I was very active and played many sports but once I tore cartilage and had knee surgery I realized that I had to find a sport that was low impact yet fueled my desire to be very active. During my tumultuous teenage years, cycling was both a safe and positive escape. I remember packing my lunch and taking off for the entire day to ride to my heart’s content around Southern NH (and worry my parents to death!). I would stop at general stores, churches, graveyards, whatever tickled my fancy; every summer following was mine to ride and explore where I lived and beyond. My high school graduation adventure was a two-week bike camping trip up the Maine coast to Nova Scotia with five guys and myself; only three of us made the whole trip. When it came time to choose a college, I chose Cornell not only for its education but also for the incredibly beautiful Finger Lakes as a cycling destination. My father at first was concerned about getting my priorities straight but he knew that if I was cycling daily in a place that I loved that I would be happy and would thrive.

At Cornell I immediately signed on to lead bicycle-touring classes for their Wilderness Reflections program that orientates new students via experiential outdoor programs. In terms of academics, my major was anthropology, which perfectly fit my adventurous and culturally curious spirit. I started to see myself as a cycling anthropologist - wherever I rode, I would observe and appreciate the subtle variations and unique qualities of the people, traditions, and places I experienced. Envisioning guiding in my future, I did a six-week National Outdoor Leadership backpacking training course (NOLS) in the Wind Rivers of Wyoming. I absolutely fell in love with the leadership learning experience and began to pursue other leadership opportunities, including working as bicycle tour guide for Interlocken International Kids Camp (now know as Windsor Mountain).

Upon graduating from Cornell, I received a Rotary scholarship to study art in Italy, the native country of my grandparents. Before beginning my studies in the fall of ‘83, I embarked on my first solo bicycle-touring trip through Europe. The multicountry camping bike tour, starting in Italy, was three months and 3,000 miles long. During the tour (that wound its way through my grandmother’s home town) I took notes, recorded my route, and presented my Rome to London itinerary to Camp Interlocken’s Research and Development director. With his blessing I launched my career in itinerary development and the following summer led my first six-week Rome to London camping tour with 14 teenagers. It was the hardest job of my life but I loved it. I was hooked and it was one of their best selling itineraries.

During my three-year stay in Italy, I rode, raced, and explored every road in Tuscany and envisioned leading tours through this gorgeous countryside. I returned to Boston in 1986 and after dabbling with an art degree, and some waitress and temp gigs, I knew that the only person I could work for was myself. I jumped off the diving board, developed a couple of itineraries in Tuscany, designed a simple brochure, and hit the road smiling and selling what I loved.

Christine: Your tours are now international, but when you started the business, did you have to start smaller while you developed a client base? What was your first expedition and how did you find clients for that first journey?

Lauren: I launched my first two tours in June of 1989 for a grand total of 18 guests (we now have over 1000 per year on 85 tours). Both these tours were in Tuscany, a region I know like the back of my hand. My approach to getting clients was pure gorilla marketing: cheap ads, handmade posters, letters to friends, and hundreds of phone calls. The following year my then future husband Mauro got involved and we had five tours and 60 guests and continued to double and triple our business every year until 2001 when the world as we know it changed and all travel companies had to evolve and adapt to a new world of travel.

Click here for the rest of the story

2008 Jingle Ride Slide Show

12th Annual Jingle Ride Rocks Boston!

On behalf of our entire Ciclismo Classico Team, I wish you all a wonderful and peaceful holiday season and an exciting and adventurous 2009. The Jingle Ride, a Ciclismo Classico tradition, is proof that even in this challenging economic year for all, there is still much to sing and be joyful about.

For the 12th year in a row over 50 spirited and costumed cyclists of all shapes, sizes and ages gathered in Arlington center for The Jingle Ride, a festive 20 mile caroling-costumed bike ride to Boston and back that this year raised $700 for Cycle Kids, a non-profit cycling education program for children. For my team, family and all of the loyal participants, the Jingle Ride is the highlight and festive launch of the holiday season. My 9- year old daughter Valentina (dressed as an angel) and 6 year-old Luca (dressed as a nutcracker) love the event and happily pedaled the whole way on the backs of our tandem. My pre-teen son Lorenzo, now too cool to wear a costume, managed to crack a smile and enjoy a candy cane or two.

The Jingle Ride's success lies in the fact that it is free, fun and celebrates simple holiday traditions: Singing carols and connecting with the community. The temperatures were brisk but the sun was out and the roads were dry. This year we got lots of great press and were featured in The Boston Herald (on Tuesday 12/16), Boston Metro and were joined by a special guest, Chuck Nowlin from WZLX, 15-year veteran who handles one of the most successful afternoon drive shows in Boston featuring the Attitude Adjustment Hour. We even made the FOX ten o'clock news. Our lastest addition to the Ciclismo team, managing director, Andrew Conway (AKA Velo Fellow) captured the essence of the ride on posted this short Jingle Movie on Vimeo.

When I was pregnant with my first son, Lorenzo, I had the crazy idea of a bike ride that would combine my love of a parade with caroling and cycling. We put the word out in November and by the second Sunday in December 1997 the first Jingle Ride was born with 30 riders congregating on our front lawn. The simple joy of singing, biking and making onlookers smile with our costumes, decorated bikes and festive songs always makes the ride a great success. Never canceled by cold, rain or snow, our ride still takes the same wonderful Arlington-Cambridge-Boston route

We started in Arlington Center and rode down the minuteman bikeway, down Mass Ave to Harvard Square where we launched our caroling with Feliz Navidad, Santa Clause is coming to town and others. We then proceeded down the Storrow Drive side of the Charles River bikepath to the Hatchshell where took our traditional group photo.

Crossing Storrow Drive, we sang Santa Claus is Coming to town and Winter Wonderland as we rode down Charles St. The smiles that we brought to weary shoppers faces is always worth the trip. We always stop at the frog pond to serenade the ice skaters. Onto Downtown crossing where we invaded the cobblestone streets with our collective rendition of Sleigh Bells. People take pictures, sing along, point us out to their crying kids. I always work hard to get even the grumpiest shoppers to smile. It doesn't take much when you are dressed in a Rudolf Costume riding a candy cane decorated tandem with a cute angel on the back and pulling a burley with a boom box and an angelically dressed American girl cuddled in a pillow.

Pedaling down Congress St, photographers from The Boston Herald and Boston Metro snapped away! We bid Chuck Norris goodbye in Quincy Market and we dispersed for warm lunch and drinks. From here we headed back through the public gardens and down Newbury St. for our traditional warped singing of the 12 days of Christmas. We usually make it to seven swans a swimming before we all go a bit brain dead but this year we had crib sheets on our handle bars. Even with tired voices and even more tired and cold bodies, the spirit was high!

We ended the ride pedaling back to Arlington via Central Square and Mass Ave and many versions of We are Having A Wonderful Christmas Time. Back to our house for our Post Jingle Party. Nothing like piping Hot Lasagne, some red wine and a warm fire to end this wonderful event.

Thank you loyal Jingle Riders! Thank you Joe, Andrew, Justin, Mauro (Santa!), Cristiano, Rachel, Natascia, Anna Maria, Janet, Chuck Nowlin and last but not least our crazy but enthusiastic kids and everyone who helped make our 12th Jingle Ride a Huge Success! See you next year! Happy Holidays!

How about starting your own Jingle Ride? It's super easy and we are happy to help you plan and promote the event. You need a nice route, some passionate cyclists and some good cheer. Ciclismo Alumni and fellow cycling advocate Rob Miceli is launching the first Jingle on the Cape Ride. Here are the details:

What: Jingle on the Cape Ride
When: DECEMBER 20, 11AM
Where: Cape Cod and the Islands Chapter Jingle Bells Ride, Woods Hole MA
12 miles, flat terrain. Join vocal local bicyclists for a cold ride-and-sing with a warm finish.

Begin at Pie in the Sky Bakery, Water St. Woods Hole. We will carol for a while, then ride via Shining Sea Bikeway to Falmouth Public Library for more caroling, then on to Falmouth Mall for another round. Return via Bikeway to Pie in the Sky for hot drinks, baked goods, and camaraderie.

Leaders: Rob Miceli: rmiceli22@comcast.net (508-776-9290) and Ed Gross: edwgross@comcast.net (508-423-3858).

NOTE: Weather postponement, if necessary, will be announced on Cape and Islands newsgroup: http://groups.google.com/group/massbike-cape-and-islands

Turn Beantown to Greentown

Greetings...

As I prepare my Reindeer Costume and my band of elves for the Jingle Ride this Sunday at 10:30, I was excited to receive an email about the D2E Festival this April.

Now I like the sound of this! What's your idea?

" Help turn Beantown into Greentown. Submit your ideas!

Boston has been recognized as the 3rd greenest city in the nation. Help us get to number one!

Ever thought of a better way to do things in Boston … to live, work, commute, eat or heat? Under Mayor Menino’s leadership, Boston has implemented numerous sustainability initiatives, and he recognizes the importance of the insights of residents when it comes to innovative ideas. This is where Pitch the City comes in.

What’s your big idea?
Pitch the City is an open contest that seeks creative ideas to help make Boston better for people and the planet. A jury will review all proposals and choose four finalists to pitch their ideas to Mayor Menino at Down:2:Earth, Boston’s sustainable living expo on April 5th at the Hynes Convention Center. "

Bicycle City Website and future City!

I recently learned of a an inspirational web site Bicycle City. In addition to being a great resource to those of us who dream of more bicycle friendly cities, the folks at Bicycle City are actually planning to develop a USA city that is completely bicycle friendly

Bicycle City began as a dream in the early 1990s. Now, Bicycle City has substantial funding and a great team working diligently to build the first community in the United States. With Americans more concerned than ever before about preserving our environment and getting back to clean, healthy, community living, there’s never been a better time to introduce Bicycle City to the world.

READ MORE AND Sign me up!

Lauren

6 year-old Luca makes the cover of the Arlington Advocate!

Enjoy this week's cover story in the Arlington Advocate. Please show your support and come to a one hour school committee meeting on Tuesday 12/16 @ 4:00 in the School Committee room, 6th floor of Arlington High School on Mass Ave.

The wheels on the bike go round and round

By Andy Metzger/Staff Writer

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Arlington, Mass. - Despite resistance from school officials, the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee, ABAC, is pushing ahead with a plan to allow children to bike to elementary school.

On Dec. 16, the ABAC will present a plan for a pilot program to make the area around the schools safer for bicyclists and encourage children to bike, said ABAC member Lauren Hefferon, who bikes with her children to school every day.

While Arlington Public Schools have not banned the practice, bikes are barred from elementary school property and the principals have recommended against it, according to interim Superintendent Kathleen Bodie.

“The principals essentially feel that it’s not safe for students of that age to be biking to school,” said Bodie, who mentioned the traffic supervisors oppose elementary bicyclists as well.

It’s fine for students to bike to Ottoson Middle School and Arlington High School, because they are more comfortable on bikes, Bodie said.

Elementary students are small, and town bylaws prohibit bikes from the sidewalks, meaning the students have to bike in the street, said Bodie.

Hefferon, who lives in East Arlington, said she bikes with her children to Hardy and Thompson elementary schools and Fayerweather Street School in Cambridge.

“I’m very safe with them,” Hefferon said.

Biking with her children reduces car traffic around the schools and teaches her children how to bike safely, Hefferon said.

Bodie said she is open to hearing ideas from the ABAC.

There is no policy about bicycles in the school policy manual, which means the administration can set the policy. However, the School Committee could write a new policy of its own.

Bodie said she expects that the School Committee would meet with the elementary principals and hear their side before making a decision.

The ABAC will present its pilot plan to the School Committee’s Community Relations Subcommittee, which has met before with the ABAC and school officials about the bicycling issue.

Though the plan is not yet complete, it will likely start out with an education program about bike safety, bike racks at the schools, and encouragement from school officials, Hefferon said.

If that is a success, then the town can move ahead toward some of the more complicated parts of the plan, blocking off cars from one of the streets next to an elementary school participating in the program, changing the town bylaws to allow children to bike on the sidewalk, and mapping out the safest routes to school.

The ABAC will need to choose a school for the pilot, and it will likely be either Thompson or Hardy elementary schools, because both have a network of side streets surrounding them. Hardy also has the Minuteman Bikeway nearby, Hefferon said.

At the last Community Relations Subcommittee meeting, critics and supporters spoke about a possible bike program, according to the minutes.

Peirce Elementary School Principal Bob Penta reportedly said that he is in favor of cycling education, but because of the traffic, and the heavy backpacks children take to school, cycling seems too dangerous at Peirce.

Hefferon, who is hoping to receive support from school administrators and traffic supervisors, said if the town encourages cycling it will reduce the motor vehicle traffic around the schools.

“It’s been six years that I’ve been trying to get this thing going,” said Hefferon. “We’re hopefully moving forward.”

Arlington currently has a Safe Routes to School plan for children who walk to school; Hefferon wants to make a Safe Routes plan for children who bike.

Staff Writer Andy Metzger can be reached at ametzger@cnc.com.

Pics of Thorndike and Magnolia Field in disrepair

200K for seasonal Thorndike parking Lot while heavily used recreational area is neglected?

Today I walked around the expansive, loved and used by many but badly neglected Thorndike and Magnolia Field. I had a friend there as well; during this time a hawk kept watch directly over the proposed 200K parking lot site. Certainly he will be gone, if and when construction starts.

I took pictures of the the Magnolia playground, the variety of paths, broken signage, flooded fields and cracked basketball courts that are all in varying stages of disrepair. The photos (and many more) speak for themselves and illustrate areas that are not only very unsafe but unsitely

Without proper traffic and accident counts, parks and recreation claims the current parking lot is unsafe and is proposing building a 170-200K parking lot that will remove precious green space and does not consider additional facilities and enhancements that would enhance the multi-use nature of the area. This area is a very unique urban recreational area in that the thousands of residents in East Arlington can easily access this wonderful green recreational space by foot or bike, yet the area is sorely lacking proper signage, safe paths or up to date playgrounds. With some initial upkeep (stage one) and eventual multi-use renovation (stage two), this area would be a recreational oasis far from the danger of car traffic. See next post ides

Having gone to a recent Thorndike parking lot meeting and having seen the plans, I was outraged that Arlington Parks and Rec had not even considered adding bike parking to the plan. When asked the planner where the bike rack was in the plan, he was take off guard but randomly suggested what currently exists: a tiny rack in a corner for a few bikes. Hundreds, sometimes thousands of cyclists pedal through this area daily. The area merits a cycling lot for at least 30-50 bikes, which would take up a parking space, which should have been added to the plan

In my walk around the field today I took pictures of all the current “facilities on both Thorndike and Magnolia are in dangerous disrepair:

1. In both parks, there is only park bench to sit on. It is broken, with splinters and exposed nails.
2. The basketball court has cracks, a warped and an uneven surface. What injuries can result here?
3. The level of the sand in the Magnolia playground has eroded and uneven.
4. Playground equipment is rusty and paint is chipping.
5. The only water fountain in the Thorndike/ Magnolia area is a rusty hole in the ground.
6. The narrow “path” that connects both fields and that children bike on is full of bumps. There have been collisions between kids, I have witnessed this.
7. Important signage safely directing the foot and bike traffic is either broken or non-existent; very dangerous.
8. The Varnum St access to the bike path & fields is very, very dangerous. It opens to a blind curve on the bike path. The risk of a multiple collision of cyclist and walkers is an accident waiting to happen.
10. Minuteman intersections with pedestrian paths very dangerous.

I understand that there are politics around the issue, that this $$ is "tagged" for the Thorndike parking lot project money and it might not be able to fix and enhance this entire area. Out of fairness to all users, some of the money must be allocated to major improvements and enhancements to the facilities, paths, signage and fields beyond the scope of the parking lot.

The rationale for spending all of the 200K on this parking lot is that it is an "accident waiting to happen". This may be true but there are so many unsafe traffic areas around Arlington. Before spending 200K, shouldn’t accident reports, traffic and car counts always be used to accurately determine what areas are the "next accident waiting to happen, or fix areas where many accidents are already happening? I live on Marathon, one of the most accident prone cut through and one of the most dangerous crosswalks in town where people have been hit ( including me) and there have been too many near fatal misses that have been documented by Arlington's Transporation Advisory Commitee (TAC).

Many of us in East Arlington and beyond demand that this project should be dramatically modified and that the budget incorporate many other multi use pedestrian and cycling safety adaptations to the plan be made. None of the current plans that are close to being decided on, encompass muti use whatsoever.

Although Parks and Rec claim that they had a thorough process it is still missing many environmental issues (how to get rid of the tar they pull up), not serving multi-usage needs and finally the plan was missing crucial traffic counts. There are many accidents waiting to happen around Arlington: around Spy Pond and the Boys and girls club, at Trader Joes, at the car-congested roads around every single elementary school and everywhere on Mass Ave. How do our hard-earned tax dollars get prioritized? How did this very seasonal "accident waiting to happen" jump to the top of the list, ahead of the accidents that are waiting to happen daily?

Lauren

P.S.

All three of my kids play Arlington soccer in spring and fall and I am a Kindergarten soccer coach

Pave Paradise Put up a 200K Parking Lot? How about a multi-use recreational area instead!

I attended Tuesday night’s 3rd hearing on the Thorndike Field parking lot expansion. While Parks and Rec have followed a thorough and careful process, nothing they said or showed us convinced me this project was a priority over other the many high traffic areas in Arlington that are chronically and daily endangering our lives. They also missed a few steps like complete consideration of other users and alternative transportation options. The parking lot plan to support limited, seasonal soccer usage basically involves a car turnaround and a pretty design; it is hardly worth the proposed $200,000+

I want to thank Charlotte Peirce for her letter to Joe Connolly, director of Parks and Recreation

I and others think the Thorndike parking lot and area could be easily renovated rather than rebuilt. Safety and access for ALL forms of transportation should drive the renovation. Users and residents expressed a need for: additional sidewalks, handicap parking, environmental considerations, signage that directs, redirects and slows traffic, traffic calming for cars that speed towards the parking lot and a bike rack that would be better located and accommodate more bikes so as to invite more cyclists and help decrease car traffic. There were also suggestions on making the area more multi-use. All excellent ideas that actually might get compromised or sacrificed to pay for paving, redesign and hauling away all that tar! How non-green is that?

I am still curious about the accident statistics in the parking area, the annual car count to the parking lot as well as car counts during peak “soccer” times. How many bikers, walkers, families use and access the area by foot or bike. Knowing these facts would help come up with appropriate traffic, pedestrian and walking solutions. For those of us who travel through the area daily, we know that most of the time the parking lot is completely empty.

Finally since this is "parks and recreation money", I wonder what other “parks and recreation projects” are being put on the back burner to pay for this hugely expensive parking lot project. As noted, this 200K could be used more wisely to meet the real and broader recreational needs of our community. Certainly there are plenty of green spaces, fields and playgrounds, like nearby Magnolia, that are currently unsafe and desperately need to be repaired, renovated or rebuilt.

A small playground and or fitness stations adjacent to Thorndike would be really nice. Anyone who brings small kids to the game knows how hard it is to keep them occupied, how they like to dart around the fields and across the bike path (talk about a safety issue!). Older kids waiting to play their soccer games, teams warming up or bike path users could stop and use the fitness stations (like the ones on the Charles River on the Boston side) and thus enhance the recreational use and athletic integrity of the area.

Everyone I speak to in East Arlington feels that spending 200K on this project is excessive and irresponsible considering all of the real safety issues out there.

While the recreational department had a process for this parking lot plan, they totally missed the data collection aspect: Car counts, accident reports and car counts during peak times. Basic hearsay stating that the area is “totally unsafe” is not enough to justify 200K. How many parking lots do you know that are "safe". Show us the facts! We all live in trafficked areas where close calls threaten our lives every day. It's a jungle everywhere out there and it is getting worse. I have been hit and had several near misses with my kids in the highly dangerous (proven by TAC stats) crossing in front of Marathon St.

The key to managing traffic safety issues is to prioritize based on actual data and creating alternatives to driving.

The stopping or redirection of this project towards a more multi-use would be a huge win for cyclists, pedestrians, dogwalker, families and East Arlington residents who would appreciate and deserve a more comprehensive nature of a recreational plan

There are still plenty of people in Arlington who have no idea that so much money is planned a parking project intended mostly for people who do not live in the area; once they know all the facts, I am sure the opposition to the project will increase and we will demonstrate that more than just car convenience has to be considered. This area needs more than just a fancy car turn around, it has potential as a multi-use community recreation area for East Arlington residents. In my view, the area should be developed in stages and the 200K should be spent on:

STAGE ONE--> fulfill more recreational needs for all users

renovating the existing parking lot
New playground at Magnolia ( the existing one is a huge safety hazard, go and check it out)
Additional playground adjacent to Thorndike Field ( kids playing in the area is a huge safety hazard)
Bike rack for 30-50 bikes
signage to educate and redirect pedestrians, cars and bike traffic
Bathrooms, drinking fountains
Exercise stations, basket ball courts
Improved Sidewalks and walking paths
traffic calming
busy cycling, walking intersection at the end of Thorndike Street. Blind spot, an “accident waiting to happen”
Community awareness around carpooling, drop off zones and alternative transportation.
Dog walking area
Nature Trails


STAGE TWO---> parking facilities

1. Improve parking

1. Improve parking area

Stage one (multi use) must precede stage two (car centric)!

We need to collectively communicate that car's needs ( in the name of safety) do not always win, that cyclist and walkers represent more than just a quiet minority. We are an educated and mobilized group whose needs must be addressed for any use of such an excess of recreation tax dollars.

Joe Connelly, Director of Recreation is still accepting written comment at:
Arlington Recreation Office
422 Summer St.
Arlington, MA
02474
or

JConnelly@town.arlington.ma.us

Lauren