Wednesday, October 29, 2008

No Ride for Thursday Nov 6th

The weather forecasts are tending to agree on spotty showers on Thursday. It probably is not worth going on a ride just to have it rain on us. So, I will not set up a ride for tomorrow.

But!!! -- Keep checking this site if you are still thinking about another bike ride before ski season -- I may set up a ride if the forecast for Sunday and Monday holds -- it could be sunny and in the 50's -- perfect for a November ride!!

Remember the party ---

The Annual Bike Cleaning Party is now the Plate Cleaning Party! No need to bring your bike -- (but try to clean your bike before you come to the party so that it will be happy over the winter!!).
Just bring a dish for this Pot Luck party.

Date: Saturday, November 15th

Time: 6:00 pm

Hosts: Pat and John Higgins

Bring: Your favorite pot luck item to share

Please call or email Pat Higgins with your choice of food/drink item, or ask her what she needs to round out the offerings:

603-383-4581 pat@jrhiggins.com

75 Birch Ledge Rd

Glen, NH

From the Glen Ledge Store in Glen on the corner of Route16 and Glen Ledge Road, drive up Glen Ledge Road for 1 mile, take a left onto South Ledge Road, bear left onto Birch ledge Rd and go a half mile to #75, which is on the left. There is a sign at the end of the driveway: "Higgins Location".

See you there!!!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Thursday, October 23

Looks like a clear, sunny, crisp day on Thursday. Good for a ride in the sunshine!
Dig out your cross country ski wear, and you will be comfortable on the bike!!
Not too many bike days left....


How about a ride in North Fryeburg, to see the final harvests in the potato, corn and turf fields? There is not supposed to be any wind, so it should be a good fall ride in the cool air and warm sunshine.

I mapped out a route that goes south to Cornshop Rd, then back north via Fish St and MacNeil, to Union Hill, to the campground at the Basin - we could snack there rather than up at the lake if it seems too cold up there. We can check on the progress of The Stow Store renovations!! This is one of the flattest rides we have in the valley!!

Total Miles: 33

Bring snacks and/or lunch.

Meet at the North Fryeburg fire station station, ready to ride at 10:00 am.
Park alongside the park next to the fire station at the junction of route 113 and South Chatham Road.

For those from the Bartlett/Jackson end of town, carpool out of the Grants/Dunkin Donuts Parking lot - meet at 8:50; leave the lot at 9:00 am.

Here is a map:


View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Thursday Rained Out

Unfortunately, every forecast that I read or see on TV indicates that tomorrow will be a rainy, cloudy, cool day. The predection is that it will be rainy from mid morning to mid afternoon, so that kind of ruins our bike ride. So I am going to cancel our ride for this week.

I will continue to post rides for Thursdays until it is just too cold -- likely at the beginning of November -- 2 or 3 more chances!!

Please note on your calendars that the End-of-Season "Clean Your Plate" Pot Luck Party (no "Clean Your Bike" required this year!!) will be on Saturday, November 15th, hosted by Pat and John Higgins. More info to follow....

I am going to set up a ride for this Saturday - the Velo Club Ride - Everyone please join in!! It will be another good foliage ride!!! It looks like the weather should be cool but sunny! If you can ride on Saturday - check the blogsite tomorow for the details: www.velorides.blogspot.com

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Anyone for a Tuesday Ride?

Anyone want to do a nice long ride in the sunshine and warm weather this TUESDAY (the 14th)?

I have a new ride to test out: The Roxbury Notch Ride, starting in Bethel at the riverside park by the Androscoggin River (along route 26).
This is a 66 mile ride that travels north out of the picnic area (where we typically end our North Road ride) alongside the Androscoggin, then crosses route 2 and continues north almost to Andover. It turns east on route 120 over Roxbury Notch, then travels south into Rumford. It crosses the Androscoggin to avoid route 2 and then returns via the south and east side of the River back to Bethel.
If you like the North Road Ride, you will like this one. The new part to explore is the Roxbury Notch-Rumford section.

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

Carpools leave out of the Grant's (old Dunkin Donuts') parking lot at 8:00 am. We will drive to the parking-picnic area in Bethel and probably be starting the ride at 9:15 am.

Weather permitting, there will be, as usual, a Thursday Ride this week, too!!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Thursday Oct 9th - Wonalancet Loop 11:00 am

Hi Everyone,

The weather forecasts are just not looking good for an early morning ride....
BUT -- Showers are supposed to end and the sun should come out and the temperature should be 70. The weather looks to be better in this area and south of here, as opposed to up north. I think it is not worth a drive up over the notches, as I have had a few rides lately be much wetter up there than here.

So, what to do for tomorrow??

I think that a later morning start would be good to dry out the roads, and that a Tamworth ride -- The Wonalancet Loop - would be a good idea. The foliage is better down there and it will be a nice ride in the sunshine. This is a great fall ride!!! Ready to ride at 11:00.

Distance: 30 miles

Meeting place: West Ossipee - Parking lot at McDonald's and Tram Store (old Mt. Whitter ski tram station) located on the east side of the junction of Route 16 and route 25 in West Ossipee. From Conway, drive south on route 16 to the traffic light at the 16/25 junction. Go straight through the light, then turn left into the parking lot for the McDonald's and Tram Store. Park on the right side of the lot, where we will not interfere with the McDonald's customer parking.

Meeting time: Ready to ride out of the Tram parking lot at 11:00 am. From Glen Duncan Donuts, it is a 27 mile drive, from EMS, a 22 mile drive, from Conway Village it is a 16 mile drive.

Carpool: For the Glen/Jackson folks, carpool out of the Duncan Donuts/Grant's Supermarket parking lot. Be there at 9:45 in order to leave the lot promply at 10:00 am.

Terrain: Farms, fields, forests, mountain views, marshland, horses, churches, stone walls, riverside riding, etc, etc. Part of the ride will be on the road designated as The Chinook Trial (route 113A from Tamworth to Wonalancet). The Chinooks are famous sleddogs:
www.theheartofnewengland.com/LifeInNewEngland-Chinook-Trail.html
Some flat riding at the start, a wonderful downhill at the end, which means, that in the middle there are a few short steep rolling hills (not as steep as Asparagus Hill...) and moderate hills that will burn some calories so that you can enjoy your lunch with ice cream at the...

Food Stop: "The Other Store" in Tamworth Village (at ~mile 24). Bring your own or get a nice lunch and or ice cream here and eat at the picnic tables in the sunshine in the back of the store.

Map:
View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com



Also -- 2 News Items!!

1. A date has been set for the End-of-Bike-Season Annual Bike Cleaning and Pot Luck Dinner!! The only change is that there will be no bike cleaning -- just partying this year!!! You only need to bring something for the potluck - leave the bike home this time. (Your homework will be to clean the bike before you come to the party!!! I will post my Bike Cleaning Document on this site at some point before the party for reference...)

The event will be hosted by Pat and John Higgins on Saturday evening, November 15th.
More details will follow over the next few weeks.


2. Glenn Ashworth sends this invitation to all for the Bike For Books event this Saturday:

"One of the most enjoyable events of the fall season is upon us! The N. Conway "Bike for Books" fall foliage tour. "Bike for Books" is a great enjoyable tour ride for a very good cause. Details are listed below:
Bike for Books - A Fall Foliage Mountain Bike Tour in the Mount Washington Valley
The North Conway Public Library will hold its seventh annual Bike for Books fund raiser on Saturday, October 11th, 2008. This scenic mountain bike tour of the Mount Washington Valley during peak fall foliage season offers different route options to accommodate various ability levels from beginner/novice to expert mountain biker and also children. The tour will begin between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. and is expected to conclude by early afternoon—every participant can choose their own route and own pace since this is a tour and not a race. The mountain bike trails will be well-marked, nobody will get lost. Even if you don't normally mt. bike you will enjoy this tour. Food and drinks along the way will be provided to all participants.

All bikers and volunteers will receive a book, a bike bottle, and are invited to a free big lunch at the finish (Elvio’s pizza, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, coffee from Frontside Grind, and more).
Many local businesses, restaurants, and ski areas have donated numerous free giveaways and gift certificates.

The Registration fee is $20 for individuals, $30 for couples, $35 for families, and $10 for students 17 and under. $5 off for pre-registration by October 4th —
THE MT.WASHINGTON VALLEY VELO BICYCLE CLUB HAS PRE-PURCHASED 10 SPOTS FOR THE FIRST 10 CLUB MEMBERS WHO WANT TO RIDE FREE! JUST LET THE REGISTRATION FOLKS KNOW YOU ARE A 2008 CLUB MEMBER."

Forms may be picked up at the North Conway Public Library or downloaded at http://www.northconwaylibrary.com/ . Registration on the day of the event will be held at the John Fuller School from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
FMI check http://www.northconwaylibrary.com/ or contact the library at (603) 356-2961.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Thursday October 2nd

Attitash to Crawford Notch

Thursday's forecast is not an easy one to plan around!
We could have rain, we could have partly cloudy. Each weather forecast predicts a different timing on the rain.
I really want to ride in this beautiful foliage!!! I want to believe weather.com - it predicted rain until 9:00am and OK to ride after that. Other forecasts were not quite so obliging.....

Here is a plan that MIGHT work --- it's not far from home and we could always turn around for an easy downhill, downwind ride back to the car if the weather changes on us:

10:00 am Ready to ride at the Attitash parking lot (across the street from the lifts).

Ride up to the Willey House (29 miles round trip), and then ride up The Notch as far as you like -- perhaps further than you have ever gone before? That short steep pitch by the waterfalls is walkable, and the reward at the top is the peak foliage colors!!!

When we return, we can have a snack and a beverage at Matty B's.