Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Thursday, October 1st

Pumpkin Fest Ride

Thursday Oct 1st Ride to Pumpkin Fest!

Celebrate with Steve and Sally Swenson as they send off their Giant Pumpkin to the Fryeburg Fair! Again, Steve and Sally send an invitation to the ThursdayBike Group:

The 5th Annual PUMPKIN FEST, where? our yard, when? THURSDAY, Oct. 1st 10:00 -11:00 am.
"We want to extend an invitation to all Velo Club members and friends to attend THE 5th Annual Pumpkin Fest. Some of you will have received personal invitations, but it is open to all - rain or shine. We will have a band, a men's and women's chorus this year, Lilly, the singing dog and lots more. Feel free to arrange the Thursday ride on the 1st to stop by the house between 10 and 11: am. There will be coffee, tea, pumpkin munchies and VALET parking for bikes on the front lawn."
Steve and Sally Swenson 356-9021 388 Kearsarge Rd., North Conway

The Bike Ride will include a stop at the Swenson's for the event at 10:00. Here is the plan:

For the best downhill-all-the-way-to-the-car at the end of the ride: Start out of the Grant's parking lot at 8:45 am.

If it is too cold for such an early start, begin at the Eastern Slope Inn Public Parking area 9:50 am. Or just meet everyone at Steve and Sally's house at ~10:00.

After the festivities, the ride continues!! We will explore local roads in North Conway, Intervale and Jackson for a nice loop. We will ride toward Cranmore and take Old Bartlett Road to the North end of Kearsage Road, the Hurricane Mt Road down to Route 16. There, we turn onto Route 16A, riding up and down Town Hall Road and/or to Dundee Rd. We will ride Dundee to Jackson, coming down near Black Mt Ski area, then down to Carter Notch Rd, then stop to picnic at Jackson Falls. The downhill ride continues down route 16 back to the Grant's parking lot in beautiful downtown Glen.

So you wonder about Dundee Rd??? Yes, it has a stiff climb -- not long - but it is walkable and well worth the effort. This is a fabulous ride, and some walking on some dirt is part of the deal. Enjoy the start of foliage season in the woods up there. The ride down from the top of Dundee all the way back to the car is really scenic and you will smile all the way. It is a local classic!!!!

The total distance is 28 miles. If you want to shorten it, just avoid Dundee and do Town Hall Road up and back, then ride to the end of 16A back to route 16 and back over Stanley's Hill to the Dunkin Donuts.
I think we can get this in before the weather closes in on us!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Thursday September 24th

Presidentials Panorama and Ammonoosuc River Ride

Crawford Notch to Wing Road (near Bethlehem)

The trees are beginning to turn colors up in the notches, so lets do a ride to get some of the best views New Hampshire has to offer. Looks like Thursday should be good for some panoramas! Also, we need to ride that fresh smooth black velvet pavement in the Fabyans-Twin Mountain area (they even paved the entire shoulder for us).

This ride has some familiar roads and some new ones to add to the ThursdayBike collection. The ride is similar to the ride that we have done west from Crawford Notch-Trudeau Road, but includes some pleasant riverside riding along the Ammonoosuc River as it winds from Twin Mountain to Littleton, circling the Bethlehem hill. For those of you who have cycled to Littleton from either Whitefield or from Twin Mountain, that climb into Bethlehem is always a chore. This route on River Road and Wing Road is an easy passageway around that hill.

The ride starts at Crawford Notch, at the Forest Service parking area on the left side of Mt. Clinton Road, 0.1 mile from its intersection with Route 302. Ride down Crawford Notch on 302 west through Twin Mountain. About 1/3 mile before the bridge over the Ammonoosuc and the "Crossroads of America" building at Trudeau Road, take a right onto Beech Hill Road and then an immediate left onto River Road. The ride crosses Route 142 onto Wing Road and continues along the river until Route 116 (Littleton is only about 4 miles from this intersection). There are a few possible picnic spots either along the river or at the pond near the end of the road (or Littleton?). To return, retrace the route back to 302, then ride Trudeau Road and back for the Presidential Panoramas on Routes 3 and 302.


Meet: Forest Service parking area on Mt Clinton Road, top of Crawford Notch. If you do not have a forest service pass on your car, park at the Crawford Depot RR station and ride up to meet everyone at the parking lot.

Time: Ready to ride at 10:00 (starting times will now be 10:00 am! Fall schedule!)

Total Distance: 40 miles

Shorter options: The only significant hill on the route is the last short pull up Crawford Notch to Mt Clinton Road. This ride is really very flat relative to many that we have done!! If you just don't feel like doing that climb, park at the Eisenhower Wayside Park (sledding hill) about 1 mile down from the Notch on the right hand side of the road. Wait for the rest of the riders to ride by and join in!
To start at Fabyans will give you 30 flatter miles round trip. Zealand parking area gives you an even flatter 26.

For a map click either of these links:


View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com


http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/nh/bretton-woods/681125365846685286

Monday, September 14, 2009

Thursday, September 17th

Kranc the Kanc

Everyone is riding strong at this season of the year! Let's "Kranc the Kanc" or "Kranc SOME Kanc". We have a window of opportunity for a quiet, low traffic, perfect temperature ride up the Kanc before the leaf peepers arrive, so let's go do it.

If you have never done it, now is your chance! If you have done part of it, try to go a bit further!
Most ThursdayBikers have ridden to the Sugar Hill Viewpoint at the gazebo - that included the steepest part of the ride. After that it is a steady grade - but very scenic!! After the Rocky Gorge, the road is relatively flat until the short spike up to Sugar Hill viewpoint (but not as bad as Asparagus Hill). I would rate the climb after Sugar Hill as a bit more work than Bear Notch Road. Gear down and stop a few times to rest and look at the view. Try for Lily Pond?? Go for the summit?? It is a local classic ride!!! Go for the bragging rights!!!

For the long route, meet at the public parking lot behind the Eastern Slope Inn, ready to ride at 9:00 am. The mileage to the top of the Kanc from there and back is a total of ~56 miles (...but almost half are downhill!!).

To go from Eastern Slope to the Sugar Hill viewpoint, the mileage will be ~46 roundtrip (again, almost half are downhill!!)

To cut the mileage down to 32 round trip, meet at 9:45 at the Albany covered bridge - the parking lot on Passaconaway Road used for the Boulder Loop trail and campground - located on the left side of the road (north side) BEFORE you cross the bridge (not the one next to the Kanc). Meet the riders coming up Passaconaway there. Or, Or.... how about 9:30 at the Dugway picnic area on Passaconaway Road???? Or make up your own plan!!

Lots of options here!! I'll say that we all meet for lunch and snacks at the Sugar Hill viewpoint. This should work regardless of how far you go, and it is a scenic place to eat and chat.

Since I am posting this on Monday morning, I am assuming that the weather forecast will continue to be good for Thursday... Please check this site for any changes in plans on Wednesday evening if the weather changes on us!

See you there!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Thursday, September 10th

The Green Mountain Loop

Leland Yee will host this very scenic ride through Freedom and Effingham!! He is the expert on the roads south and southwest of the Conway area. Last year he hosted the scenic ride around Squam Lake (this one is easier!!).

Leland describes the ride as follows:


The Green Mountain Loop

Enjoy a ride on the quiet back roads of southern Carroll County.

We'll start at King Pine and ride south on NH-153, turn left at Cushing Corner Road for a somewhat hilly ride into Freedom Village. The road out of Freedom is flat. From Freedom, we'll travel on 153 to Center Effingham, where we will pick up Town House Road. The loop around Green Mountain concludes with Green Mountain Road, which will take us back to 153.

Lunch is at Bobby Sue's Ice Cream (Frappes are complete and well balanced meals, aren't they?). Since Bobby Sue's serves only ice cream, you will need to bring other food if you want something more solid. After lunch we'll ride the 6, or so, miles back to King Pine, for a total ride of 29 miles.

The loop around Green Mountain is largely rolling; the hills are on the small side.

For those who want more miles, you can turn left on Ossipee Lake Road and ride to Tamworth, Chocorua, and Madison, via Depot Road and NH-113. East Madison Road gets you back to King Pine, and your total for the day will be 53 miles. The first half of this segment is flat, and the second half is hilly.

Let's plan to leave King Pine at 9 AM. Park in the lot across from the ski area.
As always, car pooling is good. (Carpoolers from Glen/Jackson area - meet at Grant's parking lot at 8:00).

There is a new coffee shop that recently opened in Freedom Village, operated by volunteers from the area. Hopefully it is still open on the weekdays - if so, we can stop there for a coffee and a snack.


For a map of the ride, try either of these two links:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/nh/-madison-/640124952290956167


View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com