The Lupine: I drove through there today! Beautiful! We will have peak blooms on Thursday!
The ride includes the entire length of Valley Road, a hidden treasure, running in the valley parallel to Route 2 but without the traffic. Valley Road lacks pavement for about 2 miles. but is typically ridable. Today the grader was working on it, so there may be loose rocks but less washboard - take your time and view the lupine!
Durand Road is a terrific ride, lined with summer houses from the 30's and their nice gardens and lupine along the roadside. The mountain views from the Jefferson Meadows are spectacular.
The ride starts in Randolph on Pinkham B Road at the intersection with the rail trail. We bike out Pinkham B to Route 2, cross Route 2 and enter Durand Road, a scenic quiet road parallel to Route 2. At the end of Durand Road, we ride Route 2 for about 1.5 mile then turn left onto Valley Road. We ride Valley Road to Jefferson Meadows then up to the convenience store in Jefferson for lunch and snacks, then enjoy an amazingly scenic ride, Presidential views, back to our cars.
You can ride a road, hybrid, touring, randonneur or mountain bike on this ride, all welcome, BUT you will likely enjoy the dirt roads better on something other than really skinny tires.
Start time: 10:00 am ready to ride at the parking lot on the west end of Pinkham B Road at the rail trail crossing.
Carpool: if you want to carpool, meet at the Jackson Ski Touring/Wentworth Golf Club parking area, across the street from the J-Town Deli at 9:10 am.
Ride length: To Jefferson store for lunch stop and back, 32 miles
Directions to the start: The start is at the Randolph end of the Pinkham B Road. There is parking right next to where the Presidential Rail Trail crosses Pinkham B.
IF you don't mind driving a narrow dirt road with potholes (but scenic in the trees..), you can drive all of Pinkham B to get to the sparking area. Access Pinkham B Road from the Dolly Copp Campground and Horton Center entrance off of Route 16. As you drive down the hill on Pinkham B and come out of the woods, the rail trail crosses the road at a public works department building. There is parking on the left side near the rail trail.
If you don't want to drive Pinkham B's adventurous dirt and "pavement", drive Route 16 to Gorham, follow it towards Berlin and take a left on Route 2 at the traffic light. Go up the big hill and down the other side. Just after the hill flattens, Pinkham B Road will be on your left. Take the left and drive about 0.5 mile to the parking area near the rail trail on the right.
Map: http://www.mapmyride.com/us/berlin-nh/the-lupine-ride-in-randolph-and-jefferso-route-87558153
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