Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2021

A big Thank You to all of the Tuesday Dirt and Pavement and ThursdayBike Groups! I am grateful for all the camaraderie, the adventures and explorations we have enjoyed together over so many years!

Hmmm...How many years it been????

Since the summer of 2004, many have kept Thursdays as free as possible so they could join in  ThursdayBike! Then in April of 2009, Joan Kelly added Tuesday Fat Tire Cruisers, leading explorations until the end of 2015. We liked those rides so much, that they were reincarnated as the Tuesday Dirt and Pavement rides in the spring of 2018. Many of our D&P rides are still the same ones that Joan designed, they were fun and we keep them rolling along with adding new routes.

ThursdaySki was added in December of 2015.  It will continue this year, once we get some snow! Until then I might post a hike on the ski trails if there is no snow. I will post on this ThursdayBike blog site.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving with family and friends!

Thank you all for

November in the Fields of North Fryeburg. 10:30. B/2/28

 Thursday, November 18, 2021

Wow, good weather forecast for Thursday! It should be a good day for a scenic, easy ride in the North Fryeburg-Chatham-Stow area. let's take advantage of the warmer-than-usual November temperature for an easy spin around the Fields of North Fryeburg, out to the Stow Store and maybe the Chatham loop, too.

Start 10:30 am, ready to ride, next to the North Fryeburg Fire Station at the corner of Route 113 and South Chatham Road. Add some mileage by starting out of the Maine Visitor Center at about 9:45.

We can adjust the route as desired, but typically we start south on Route 113 to Cornshop, then Route 5, Fish, McNeil, Harbor, Union Hill, Meadow, the Stow Store and, if you like some extra miles, the Chatham Loop. 

Basic ride to Stow Store: 21 miles. Add the Chatham Loop: 28 miles total.

Note that Hurricane Mountain Road is closed. 

Exploratory Ride in Bethel or West Side Road. 10:30am

Thursday November 11th, 2021

I am sorry for the late post. It took some organizing for a plan.

I need to go to Bethel tomorrow to check out a new set of dirt roads that will eventually be a part of the eastward extension of the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail. You are invited to join in. It will be at least 10 miles of dirt road riding, some miles of pavement will be added to this. There likely be some exploring to do! These are new roads and trails that are part of the Maine Inland Woods and Trails system. I want to do this scouting before the snow and ice comes in.

If you want to join in, bring a mountain bike or gravel bike and meet at Davis Park in Bethel (near the river, the end point of our North Road rides) at 10:30 am. Carpool out of the Jackson Parking lot, near the J-Town Deli, at 9:15.

If you prefer a road ride, a local "usual" ride is appropriate for the colder temperatures: meet at the parking lot behind the Eastern Slope Inn, ready to ride at 10:30 am. Head out West Side Road and enjoy Passaconaway Road.

Wear your xc ski clothes and the temperature won't matter!

Presidential Rail Trail 10:30 am B/2/28

Thursday, November 4th, 2021

This week I would like to bike the Presidential Rail Trail westward from Pinkham B road to Pondicherry. Yes, it is not a road ride, but it will be a pleasant ride in the sunshine on a cold day. The tamaracks should be golden, worth seeing these conifers that are the only conifers that have fall color and drop their needles. Snacks on the observation deck overlooking the pond will be pleasant, and likely the last time we can do this before we do it on xc skis.

Ready to Ride at the Pinkham B Road parking lot in Randolph where the rail trail crosses at 10:30 am.

Looks like no chance of hail, like we had last year on this late season ride!

Carpool?  If you like, meet at the Jackson XC -Wentworth Golf Course parking lot, across from the J-Town Deli at 9:40.

A few interesting references about Tamaracks:

https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2019/12/tamarack

https://www.ediblewildfood.com/tamarack.aspx

https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2018/02/american-larch-stick-mud