Editing Lowell trip 2013-08-03

To celebrate [[Mako]]'s successful completion of his PhD, he's celebrating with a day of feminism, labor, and industrial history and some minor league baseball and beer!

In particular, we'll be visiting the [http://www.nps.gov/lowe/ Lowell National Historic Park's] Boott Cotton Mill Museum (with a working set of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacquard_loom jacquard looms]), the Mill Girl Museum, and the Lowell Spinners (the Boston Red Sox Short-Season A Affiliate).

Rough plan is (details forthcoming):

* 9:00: Breakfast at Johnny D's
* 9:45: Bike trip to Lowell leaves
* 12:00: Train to Lowell from North Station
* 12:45: Train/Bike folks meet at the Lowell commuter rail station
* DAY: Visit the National Historic Park and Mill Girls museum
* 17:05: Lowell Spinners Baseball Game
* 21:00: Train Leaves for Boston
* 22:00: Afterparty at [[Acetarium]]

== Getting To Lowell ==
=== By Train ===

MBTA commuter rail leaves Boston North Station at 12:00 for Lowell. Arrives at 12:43.

=== By Bike ===

The planned route Lowell is 28 miles.

We'll leave at 9:45 from Davis Square. We'll take two major bike trails. We'll take the Minuteman Bikeway from Davis Square to Bedford. From there, we will take a small road to the base of the [http://brucefreemanrailtrail.org/ Bruce Freeman Bike Trail] which goes all the way Lowell. The trip will be long but there should only be about 5 miles or so that are on roads with cars.

The bike ride should be about 2.5 hours moving and we'll take a "no drop" pace -- so as fast as the slowest person is comfortable with. We'll plan to take half an hour of breaks along the way.

I will bring a giant bike lock so folks ''do not'' need to bring a lock.

Folks ''do'' need to bring plenty of water and sunscreen.

== Getting Back From Lowell ==

Most people will take the commuter rail back. The commuter rail takes bikes. Trains leave at 5pm, 7pm, and 9pm and take about 45 minutes into North Station. If you are returning to Somerville, it will be ''much'' faster to get off at West Medford and then bike to Somerville from there. West Medford is quite close to Davis.

[[Mako]] is interested in riding back. Be warned though: Although it will be mostly bike trails going back but it will be ''dark'' so bring very good lights and bright reflective clothing if plan to bike home.

== People Coming ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Person !! Transport !! Spinners Game !! Claimed Mako's Tickets
|-
| mako || BIKE || YES || YES
|-
| paultag || TRAIN || YES || YES
|-
| taren || ? || ? || 
|-
| paul (taren's friend) || TRAIN || ? || 
|-
| bernie || BIKE || YES || YES
|-
| avital || BIKE || YES || YES
|-
|}

== Baseball Game ==

The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowell_Spinners Lowell Spinners] will be playing the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batavia_Muckdogs Batavia Muckdogs]. They play in a short-season A league (i.e., a rookie league). The game is at:

:Edward A. LeLacheur Park
:450 Aiken Street
:Lowell, MA 01854 [https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Lowell+Spinners,+Aiken+Street,+Lowell,+MA&hl=en&sll=42.652873,-71.317671&sspn=0.038823,0.063772&oq=lowell+sp&hq=Lowell+Spinners,&hnear=Aiken+St,+Lowell,+Massachusetts&t=m&z=16 (map)]

Mako bought '''6 tickets'''. The price is $6.50 each but they are all in the same general area. We are in section 105. The game is nearly sold out but other tickets are probably available.

== Useful Links ==

* [http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/lines/?route=LOWELL&direction=I&timing=S&RedisplayTime=Redisplay+Time MBTA Commuter Rail Schedule]
* [http://www.nps.gov/lowe/index.htm National Historic Park in Lowell]