Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Crank Some Crawford: Attitash to the Willey House 10:00 am

Thursday, Sept 29th, 2016


Pardon the late posting!  I returned home from the C&O-GAP yesterday and still in unpacking mode.

A  nice day is forecasted for Thursday...Hopefully is it less damp and dreary than today!

Destination: Lunch at the pond across from the Willey House. Pack your own lunch or snacks. Meet at the Attitash parking lot, ready to ride at 10:00 am.

The ride to the Willey House from Attitash up Route 302 is about 29 miles round trip. It is NOT HARD -- it is easier than Bear Notch Road, a gradual climb with flatter sections of relief. The ride back is marvelous.Those that want to burn some extra calories can continue 2.5 miles up the notch to the Crawford RR station, then return to meet everyone else for lunch at the Willey House.

For a shorter option, start in Bartlett Village (24 miles total). Join the crowd as they ride by at ~ 10:15 at Bartlett Village.

I have house guests arriving on Sunday -- avid cyclists from Colorado who want to enjoy NH's fall foliage. Tom and I know them well from riding cross country with them in 2002 and the Lewis and Clarke ride in 2004. They rode cross country again, on their tandem, this summer. I will be biking with them on Monday and Tuesday, weather permitting. I will post the rides on this site, likely on Sunday, hopefully Thursday Bikers will join in on these rides!  On Monday I might do the Pittsburg ride again, or the Lost Nation Loop or the Grand Hotels Loop. Perhaps the Basin or North Road on Tuesday. Weather will dictate the schedule. Please join in to enjoy the ride and meet Allen and Margaret!








Tuesday, September 20, 2016

The Basin 9:30 am



Thursday, September 22nd, 2016

How about Fryeburg Farm Fields and the Basin? Hopefully the weather will be good for you!! Ride as far as you like, many options to choose from.  Check out the former location of the Red Iron Bridge. Check out the new pavement on Union Hill Road (only about a mile, but we'll take it!!) Stop at the Stow Store for lunch or snacks. The spring fields will be green and beautiful!

Meet at the corner of South Chatham Road and Route 113 in North Fryeburg, alongside the park next to the Saco Valley Fire Station. As you already know, please do not block the fire station parking area.

The last quarter mile up to The Basin is a dirt road, and I am not sure of its condition at this point of the season. If it is a wash out, you may want to just use the campground at the entrance as the lunch and/or turnaround spot.

The starting time, ready-to-ride will be 9:30 am.

Doing the ride starting south on 113 with a left on Fish St and left on MacNeil, it will be a 28 mile ride.  Add another 5 miles if you add the Cornshop-Rt 5-Fish Street loop.    


 

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

West Side Road to Rocky Gorge, 9:00 am

Thursday, September 15, 2016

The weather forecast suggests a good ride tomorrow morning!  There are 7 bikers who are headed south to bike the C&O Canal-GAP route, DC to Pittsburgh, so I am setting up a local ride for those who are remaining here to hold the fort and continue the ThursdayBike riding!!

How about an old favorite local ride, this time to check out if there is any water in the Swift River going through Lower Falls and Rocky Gorge. Bring a snack or lunch to enjoy gorge-side.

Head down West Side Road all the way to Conway Village, then go up the Kanc along the Swift River. Return via Passaconaway, perhaps go into Grandview to explore the new roads and do the loop.

Park in the public parking lot behind the Eastern Slope Inn in North Conway, ready to ride at 9:00 am.

Distance is 32 miles. 

Enjoy!!

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Vermont Side of the Connecticut River to Pittsburg

News Note: On Tuesday, September 13th, I will be presenting a talk and slide show on the Erie Canal, a combination of history and the bike tour that I did with other ThursdayBikers last summer.  July 4th, 2017 will be the 200th anniversary of the start of the Erie Canal construction! The presentation will be at the Bartlett Public Library at 7:00 pm.


Vermont Side of the Connecticut River to Pittsburg


Thursday, September 8th, 2016 
Carpools Depart from Attitash at 7:45 am
Ready to Ride in Bloomfield at 9:30 am

The weather forecast looks great for Thursday, let's do an absolutely fantastic ride and get some miles in! This ride is my favorite ride in NH!  Ride alongside the Connecticut River, farm fields, cows, horses, 2 waterfalls, 2 covered bridges, panoramic views, cross the 45th parallel! History too: "The Republic of Indian Stream" which declared itself an independent nation in 1832. We will ride over the 3 rivers involved in this border dispute between the US and Canada. (see links for history, below).

The ride starts on Route 102 in Bloomfield, VT at a parking area just south of DeBanville's General Store (which was closed and for sale last time we were there). The ride is lollipop shaped, gently going up the CT River to lunch in Pittsburg, NH. It then turns south climbing an interesting hill followed by a 20 mile mostly downhill reward back to the car. It has been labeled by a friend from the midwest as a "Disneyland E-Ticket". See the photo on the right?? Ride through Colebrook on the way back, stop at the French Bakery Cafe, and cross the CT river back into VT for a nice downstream cruise back to DeBanville's Store. Of course there will be a tailwind on the way back.

Distance: 58 miles, mostly flat, one climb. This is an easy 58, easier than many 40 milers we have done!! This is the ride to log your longest mileage of the season, perhaps?

Shorter version? OK. Many options because you can do out and back on the VT side of the CT River on Route 102. To the shady town green in Canaan, VT and back is 43 gentle, scenic miles. To Colebrook and back is 27 miles. 

My suggestion for a shorter ride that has the E-Ticket return from Pittsburg: Start from Colebrook and do the loop along the CT River to Pittsburg, returning by the fun downhill.  This is a 40 miler that has all the major highlights, just cuts the miles down by avoiding the the flat cruising along the CT River to DeBanville's. There is a large public parking lot in Colebrook across form Howard's Diner (sadly, Diner closed last time I was there).

Ready to ride in Bloomfield at 9:30 am.

Carpool from the far end of the Attitash parking lot at 7:45 am. According to the map app, it should be a 1.5 hour drive.

Directions to the start: Route 302 to Twin Mountain four corners, turn right at the light onto Route 3. Drive up Route 3 through Whitefield, Lancaster and Groveton. Turn left in North Stratford, NH to cross the CT river into Bloomfield, VT on Route 105. Take a left onto Route 102 immediately after you cross the river, DeBanville's store is (was) on the corner. Drive under the railroad bridge and you will see the dirt parking area on the right with a kiosk describing the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.   There is an attractive outhouse in the woods near the parking lot. 

The map: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/114661305

For info on The Republic of Indian Stream check these:

www.bigthink.com/strange-maps/27-the-republic-of-indian-stream-1832-1835
www.cowhampshireblog.com/2006/05/21/new-hampshire-missing-places-indian-stream-republic-1829-1836/
www.afkabob.com/nhhistmk/nhhistmk6.htm