Franconia Notch Bike Path and Kinsman's Notch Loop 10:00 am

Thursday, September 27, 2018

After a few days of rain, it is time to bike! This is the season of EPIC bike rides with fall foliage viewing!! 

The weather forecasts for Thursday, as of Tuesday evening, indicate a mix of clouds and sunshine with temps in the low to mid 60's and light wind. Let's get some warmer clothing out of storage and go for this great ride! 

The ride is a 36 mile, counterclockwise loop which goes up the Franconia Notch Bike Path, turns off the path to head downhill via the Mittersill Ski slopes then skirts south of Franconia on Wells Road coming out near the glider airport. It then heads out Route 116 to the Kanc and climbs Kinsman's Notch from the easier, more gradual side. The downhill cruise back to the cars is a real treat!! Beautiful, epic ride, and the foliage is starting to turn!

We start and finish in Woodstock, at the public parking lot behind the storefronts across from the Woodstock Brewery. Great place to enjoy a burger and beer after the ride.

If the weather fails us we can make the call at the top of the bike path and return to the cars downhill by bike path. This is a fabulous 28 mile ride by itself. 

Bring food for lunch at the glider airport and warm clothing for the downhills.

To get to the parking lot in Woodstock:  Bear Notch Road and the Kanc to Lincoln, following the Kanc past the Route 93 interchange into Woodstock. Just as you are slowing down, after crossing the river, BEFORE approaching the traffic light in Woodstock at the Route 3 junction, there is an entrance to the public parking lot on your right. It is a big lot behind the storefronts on Route 3. If you miss this entrance, take a right into Woodstock onto Route 3 and drive about a block, looking for the parking lot entrance driveway on your right. It is BEFORE you reach the Woodstock Brewery.

Let's be ready to ride at 10:00 am.

Carpool from the Attitash parking lot (far end, away from the lifts) at 8:45 am. It is a one hour drive to Woodstock from Glen. If you have a NPR or NHPR discount book, bring it for the 2-fer deal at the Brewery.

Here is a map:

http://www.mapmyride.com/us/deerfield-nh/franconia-notch-bike-path-and-kinsman-no-route


Friday Ride!

If you would like to ride on FRIDAY, Sept 28th: 

Edith and Bob have chosen the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, 11:00 am start at the trailhead in St Johnsbury. There may be some weather issues on Friday, but that is too far away to know for sure at this point. I will update this blog by Thursday.

Round trip we will have a 34 mile car-free adventure!!

Directions:

Take Route 302 over Crawford Notch towards Bethlehem and get onto Route 93 north to Vermont. At the Route 91 interchange, go north on 91 for a very short distance, hardly off the entrance ramp. Take this first exit, Exit 20, Route 5, then take a right at the end of the ramp and go a short distance, noticing the sign for the bike path on the right. It is called Railroad Street or Main Street depending on map. Take the right and then immediate right again down a short steep slope into the trailhead parking lot. It is a very quick succession of right, right, right, right. The map app says it is a 1 hour 15 minutes drive.

Carpool? If you like, meet at Attitash parking lot, far end away from the lifts, at 9:30 am to carpool, otherwise, meet at the trailhead in St Johnsbury.

No porta-potty at the trailhead, so stop at the Welcome to Vermont Visitors Center on the right side of RT 93 soon after you cross the CT River.

Bring snacks and lunch or stop at the General Store in West Danville. We can eat at picnic tables on the beach at Joe's Pond. 

Here is more info on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail:

The eastern end of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail runs about 17 miles from St. Johnsbury to Danville, ending alongside Joe's Pond. It is part of a project that is patching together pieces of the rail line to eventually establish the longest continuous rail trail in New England, stretching about 100 miles across Vermont from St. Johnsbury to St. Albans.

The surface is hard packed smooth stone dust. There are tunnels and bridges, lots of forest, good views of the Vermont hillsides and some lakeside biking. When we have done the trail in the past there were bikers, pedestrians, dog walkers, and horses out enjoying the trail.

The surface is fine for most bikes. Teeny tiny skinny tires have been used on this trail, but will slip in the rougher spots, not as much fun  as compared to wider tires. The occasional surface issues are at some of the road crossings, the interface between the trail and the road is sometimes soft and sandy with a bump. The trail climbs gradually all the way to Danville, a hardly noticeable climb. The downhill trip back, however, is a hoot! It is certainly the easiest, flattest way to travel east-west across any part of Vermont!! A Thank You to the railroad designers, and surveyors.

Check out the website:  www.lvrt.org

NEW RIDE: Effingham and Province Lake Loop 9:30 am

Thursday, September 20, 2018

We have a new ride for this week's ThursdayBike! Dave Sias will share one of his favorite rides with us this Thursday.

Be Ready to Ride at the parking lot at the boat launch just south of the junction of Routes 153 and 25 in Freedom. This is about a 50 minute drive from Beautiful Downtown Glen, 25 minutes form Conway Village.

Here is the description from Dave:

Effingham/Province Lake/Ossipee Loop

This ride goes south on Rte 153, from Rte 25,  through Effingham, Center Effingham, South Effingham and around Province Lake with a short stretch in Maine.  The quaint historic area in Effingham is a treat and home to the location of the first Normal School in New Hampshire.  A little over a mile past Province Lake the route turns Northwest on Pickpocket Road with some nice views and travels on Granite Road and Rte 171 over to Ossippee, after crossing Rte 16.  Heading back on Rte 28 we cross Rte 16 again and turn right onto Elm St. after a very short stretch on Rte 16. Then a left turn onto Green Mtn Road at Pine River takes us back to Rte 25 and a one mile stretch on Rt 25 back to the start, 29 miles total.  While mostly relatively flat, there is a 1/2 mile climb at 2 miles and a 3/4 mile climb at 10 miles just past Province Lake.  On Pickpocket there are three very short but steep "rollers" on the first part of that road.

Start point is the boat launching ramp parking area on Rte 153 just 100 yards south of Rte 25.  Park on the left on pavement or on the right on the grass.

Here is the map:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/new

If you want to Carpool: 

From Glen: Meet at 8:20 at the back end of the Grant's supermarket parking lot

From Conway: Meet at the State Liquor Store Plaza, southern end parking area near the closed IGA and bank, 8:50.

VT Side of the CT River to Pittsburg and Colebrook 9:30 am

Thursday, September 13th, 2018 

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 a 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 re-opened last year). 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 coffee and pastry shop, 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. 

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. For those of you living north of the notch, contact me and I can put you in touch for carpooling, if you like.

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 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:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Indian_Stream
https://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/

North Fryeburg, maybe The Basin 9:00

Thursday, September 6, 2018 

Morning weather update:  Still widely conflicting forecasts (?)  Let's ride. North Fryeburg is an easy place to shorten a ride if the weather moves in!  See you there!

I am keeping the ride local and early today due to conflicting weather reports. Looks like there could be rain and storms in the afternoon, 3:00, which would be just fine, but one forecast, by NOAA, shows the chances occurring earlier. So here is my best guess as of Wednesday morning!

Let's meet in North Fryeburg at the corner of South Chatham Road and Route 113, alongside the park next to the Saco Valley Fire Station. As you already know, please do not block the fire station parking area. No bathroom facilities here, use the porta-potty at the little white church at the corner of Fish Street.

Start, Ready to Ride, 9:00 am

We can head to Cornshop to view sunflowers and horses, then take Fish downhill - because it was paved!!! We head to the Stow store and either do the Chatham loop or continue to the Basin. We can make this decision by the forecast and best estimate of the rain/storm arrival. Ride as far as you like, many options to choose from if you need to shorten your mileage. 

IF the forecast looks like a early arrival of bad weather check this blog in the morning for an update. No riding in the rain or storms!

The starting time, ready-to-ride will be 9:00 am. 

Doing the ride starting south on 113 all the way to Cornshop for Mares-and-Foals viewing will give you about 34 miles. Taking a left onto Fish Street at the church (and port potty) and left on MacNeil, it will be about a 29 mile ride.  Or, just go to the Stow Store. It' all good.

Map for the grand tour:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13138318