Frog Alley and Hemlock Covered Bridge Dirt and Pavement Loop. 9:30 am

Thursday, October 1, 2020

FROG ALLEY AND HEMLOCK COVERED BRIDGE LOOP   9:30 AM

I think the foliage should be peak for this Grand Tour of Fryeburg, Brownfield and Denmark with the Grand Finale of Hemlock Covered Bridge and Frog Alley on the old course of the Saco River.  There might even be some water in the river, after this rain! This is a great ride. The first half of the ride is almost all paved, the second half is almost all dirt roads.

The route will include good pavement, pretty-good pavement, bike path, good dirt roads, farm roads, a covered bridge and great views. We will likely ride in the golden tunnel of the fall foliage. Today's rain will help to keep the dust down. 

This is a really flat ride as compared to our usual adventures: 915 ft elevation gain in 38 miles!

Yes, it has been done using a road bike, BUT you will certainly like the dirt roads more on wider tires. A mountain bike will work but you will enjoy the pavement more on less knobby tires. I suggest a gravel grinder, all-road or hybrid style bike for bliss. 

We start at the Saco Valley Fire Station in North Fryeburg, same as usual, and bike south on 113 to Fryeburg Village. We get on the bike path for a short bit and end up near the airport and follow some nice dirt roads in the tress, then onto Haleytown Road and into Brownfield. After a short easy hill, we end up on dirt roads in Denmark that take us back to North Fryeburg. We will go over the Hemlock Covered Bridge, then Frog Alley along the Old Saco River. Farm roads along the turf fields return us to North Fryeburg. We emerge from the dirt roads onto Old River Road at the junction with McNeil, then about a mile back to the cars via Harbor Road.

Total Distance: 38 miles.

Meet: 9:30 am at the park next to the fire station, ready to ride.

Where: Parking area along the park next to the Saco Valley Fire Station in North Fryeburg, on the corner of Route 113 and South Chatham Road.

Bring water, snacks and/or lunch to eat - a good lunch spot is at the Hemlock Covered Bridge.

Map: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28784962

Vermont Side of the Connecticut River, Lancaster to DeBanville's General Store 9:00 am

Thursday September 24, 2020

One of the ThursdayBike Group's favorite places is the Vermont side of the Connecticut River. Vermont Route 102 is a quiet rural road that is very scenic, plenty of Holstein cows along the way. ...very Vermont. The fall foliage is in process!

This ride follows the southern section of VT102, starting from Lancaster and ending at DeBanville's General Store in Bloomfield, VT. We can get food and ice cream at the lunch stop, but bring some food to have on the bike, just in case.

Weather: Looks good! Warm sunny fall day!

Ride Starts: 9:00, ready to ride, from the parking lot of Shaw's Supermarket in Lancaster, on the right side of Route 3 North, just north of the town center. Drive about an hour to Lancaster from the traffic light in Glen.

Carpool if you like: Meet in the Atttitash parking lot, far end away from the lifts, 7:50 am. Otherwise see you in Lancaster.

Terrain: Lots of flat and some very gradual ups and downs, a couple of rolling hills requiring some work.

How far: 49 miles. See map below. (If you just have to get that 50 mile ride in for your record books - just continue up Route 102 from DeBanville's until your odometer says 25.00 then turn back!!)

Shorter Option?!!! Drive up a bit further up Route 3 north and cross the CT River via the bridge into Guildhall, VT and start from there. Park alongside the Town Green (bear right after you cross the bridge, then make a left alongside the green). This will take 18 miles off and give you a good 31 mile ride. 

Directions: Take Route 302 to the Twin Mountain 4-corners stoplight. Take a right onto Route 3 north. Follow Route 3 though Whitefield, then continue on Route 3 into Lancaster. Shaw's Supermarket is on the right, approximately 0.5 mile north of the center of Lancaster on Route 3. It is across the street from Dunkin Donuts. Park at the part of the lot closest to the road, furthest from the store entrance.

Bring: Snacks and water. 

Map:

http://www.mapmyride.com/us/northumberland-nh/vermont-side-of-the-ct-river-lancaster-t-route-1499744

Apple Acres Ride 9:30 am

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Dave and Connie created the Apples Acres Ride many years ago and everyone loves it!  It is Apple season, so it seems like the place to go!

The store is open and selling apples, organic peaches, cider donuts, coffee, ice cream and plenty of other treats. Plan for your Second Breakfast there.

Start the ride from the Brownfield Community Center, head to Route 160 via Pig Street. At about 10 miles, turn left on Tripptown Road, across from a cemetery, then left on Durgintown Rd. These back roads are shady, scenic, quiet biking gems. Stop at Apple Acres for the view and some snacks, then continue downhill and turn left on  River Road* to Hiram. The 4-Corners Store has reopened so perhaps you may want to take a short side trip there for snacks and chocolate milk. Return by a short sprint on Route 113/5 then left on Notch Road (but, no notch to climb) and then back onto Route 160 back to Brownfield.

*If River Road is not in good shape to ride, we can opt to return via Hiram and Route 160.

Distance is about 35 miles. 

Meet at the Brownfield Community Center, ready to ride at 9:30 am. 

To drive there from the Conway area take Route 302 to the Maine border and take a right onto Haleytown Road. Take a left onto Hampshire Road towards Brownfield Center. Bear left at the Y junction with Route 160. The community center will be at about 0.7 mile on your right. It is approximately 30 minutes from North Conway Village, about 45 minutes from Glen.

Here is the map:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13096250

I was going to post the VT Side of the CT River Ride, but held off due to the weather forecast for clouds and a possible rain shower mid day over there. Here, looks good for the weather, so lets do the VT side of the CT NEXT week.

Rob Brook Road Loop 9:00 am

Thursday, September 10, 2020

Frank has offered to host the ride for you today!

Last week Frank and Gail did this ride and enjoyed it... they are willing to share it with you on Thursday!

The ride starts on Bear Notch Road, the Kanc side, at the parking area for Rob Brook Road. As you drive up Bear Notch Road from the Kanc side, it is about 3/4 mile up on the left. 

Here is the info from Frank:

"Meet at the Rob Brook Trailhead at 9 AM. We will be riding the Rob Brook Road from there.  This is a fire road that goes from here thru to the Kanc.  The terrain is up and down and winding much like the UST cross country trail at Jackson ski touring.  Non of the hills are steep, many “Gail” hills; the down hill takes you right up the next hill.  There are some sandy spots on Rob Brook Road.  So gravel or mountain bikes are best."

It is a 12 mile loop. Ready to Ride at 9:00 am.

There is a water crossing over the Swift River. With the drought, it should be low enough for an easy crossing. Wear shoes that are OK to get wet, or carry some water shoes or sandals for the crossing to keep your fine stylish Italian leather bike shoes dry!

For those that want more, meet at the Bartlett side of Bear Notch Road, at the parking lot on the left just before the gate area. Ride up Bear Notch Road, down the other side and meet the group at Rob Brook Road. I would guess that if you left from the Bartlett side at 8:00 you would easily be at Rob Brook Road in time to enjoy some chatting and then depart on the dirt road ride. You will add about 17 miles, round trip, doing Bear Notch Road from Bartlett to get to the start of the Rob Brook dirt road ride.

Jump, Dam, Milan and Dummer 10:00 am

 Thursday, September 3, 2020

Edith and Bob reminded me about this ride. They did it last week and enjoyed it without any traffic! It is a Dirt and Pavement Ride.

The ride is based on a ride that Joan Kelly had set up for the Fat Tire Cruisers Group a bunch of years ago, It is a good one! For this version we will lengthen it a bit to include the Nansen Ski Jump, up close and personal. The ride will head over to the east side of the Androscoggin River through Milan and Dummer. It heads to the Pontook Dam on some dirt roads, along the power canal and past the hydro power station. We then take a loop on a quiet dirt road with nice views, a moderate climb and a nice downhill. Some of these dirt roads might be rough, opt for a mountain bike, gravel bike or hybrid or wider tires; a skinny tire road bike will not like the rough spots.

Meet at the Nansen Wayside Park on Route 16, north of the center of Berlin, ready to ride at 10:00 am. This is a riverside park and boat launch on the right side of Route 16 JUST BEFORE the Nansen Ski Jump. There may not be a sign for the park, it is a dirt road that is a "soft" right turn off of Route 16.

To get there: Take Route 16 north through Berlin, continue through the residential area and past the Northland Dairy Bar. Just as the shoulder of Route 16 widens, and just before the Nansen Ski Jump, the entrance to the Nansen Wayside Park will be on your right.

Set your odometer to zero as you pass the Northland Dairy Bar (ice cream!) which is on the right after leaving the center of Berlin. The entrance to the Nansen Wayside Park is 2.6 miles north of the Northand Dairy.

You drive in on the dirt entrance road to the park, shortly the road bears right into the parking lot at the boat launch. If you pass the entrance to the park, turn back at the Nansen Ski Jump and look for the dirt road on the east side of Route 16. 

It is a 50 minute drive from Glen.

Ready to Ride at 10:00.

If you want to carpool, meet at the JacksonXC-Wentworth Golf Course parking lot across from the J-Town Deli at 9:00 am, otherwise see you at the Nansen Wayside Park.

Total ride distance: about 22 miles

Map:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33986943