Presidential Views via Mt Clinton Road and Base Road

Presidential Views via Mt Clinton Road and Base Road 10:00 am

Thursday, October 12, 2023

Looks like the weather will be clear and sunny for Thursday!  Good for a ride with a view.

This ride is relatively short in mileage but big on scenery and attractions, and is a good work out, too. It includes panoramic Presidential views, the Cog Railroad (if you decide to climb up to the station), Upper and Lower Ammonoosuc Falls. We can eat lunch/snacks on the rocks next to the Lower Ammonoosuc Falls 

 
Start at the Eisenhower Wayside Park which is on the right side of Route 302 a couple of miles after passing through Crawford Notch. It has a tall flagpole and it is a sledding hill in the winter. We ride back up the notch to the train station for a view of Elephant Rock, and then back to Mt Clinton Road. We could climb up to the Cog Railroad or just enjoy the downhill cruise, stopping to look at Upper Ammonoosuc Falls. After that we will head west on 302 and Lower falls Road past Lower Ammonoosuc Falls to Zealand Road.  Ride out the Zealand Road  to the gate, turn back and follow 302 back to the cars

Start:  10:00 am at the Eisenhower Wayside Park

Total distance: approximately 27 miles; 20 if you skip Zealand Road.  It can be done with a road bike but I would suggest the gravel bike for this one

Snowville Loop

 

Thursday August 24th

Meet at the Pine Tree School on Mill St,   Ready to Ride at 930 am.

The ride goes down Mill Street to ride by the beach on Conway Lake, up Brownfield Road to Hampshire St, and up the famous Asparagus Hill. This hill is the yearly test of how far you can ride up before having to jump off the bike before tipping over...

Return by Route 153 to Stark Road (right turn at the four corners). This is a nice riding road that cuts out half of Route 153 and avoids Conway Village lights and traffic. At the end of Stark Road, where it meets Route 113, you can take a right onto Odell Hill Road, which runs parallel to route 113 for a short distance. Then you pop out back on 113 and come to the lights at Route 302 where we head back in Center Conway back to the school

Distance  < 25 miles 
Ready to Ride at 9:30 am! 

Here is a map of the ride:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/21252684

 

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

Thursday 8/10/23

The ride is a 36 mile, anticlockwise 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.

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, or you have had enough, 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.

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.

Here is a map:

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

Variation of Believe in Books 7/27/23

Variation of Believe in Books

Since Vince is out of commission for a while, I will be leading a gravel ride closer to home this week.  This is an adaptation of a ride did years ago for believe in books fundraiser incorporating the new rec path.  As the ride goes on the group may want to change some of the trails

BELIEVE IN BOOKS INTERMEDIATE LOOP

Start at the scenic outlook
Ride down Intervale Cross/Old Bartlett Road to Cranmore

New rec path to Walmart, cross 302 to Kennett

The rec path along the Saco
Past Davis Park
Up Passaconaway Road
High Street to the forest Road to Hales
Roads back to the beginning

If everybody is well behaved maybe a cone at Trail’s End

Total about 20 miles,  with a hill or 2

Meet at the Scenic Outlook at 930

Brownfield Tour: Haleytown Road, Lords Hill and Sam Brown's Hill. 9:30 am B/2.5/30

Brownfield Tour: Haleytown Road, Lords Hill and Sam Brown's Hill. 9:30 am B/2.5/30

Thursday, July 13, 2023

  The ride covers almost all of the pleasant biking roads in Brownfield, Maine. Starting out of the Maine Visitor's Center, the ride goes south into the sun on Haleytown Road, then turns left on Hampshire and goes into the village of Brownfield, bearing left onto Main Street, Route 160. Head out to do the climb of Lord's Hill. Heading back on 160 and then Hampshire, bear left on good pavement towards Sam Brown's Hill for more good views. Back Haleytown

Start at the Maine Visitor's Center on Route 302, just over the border in Fryeburg, Maine.

Ready to ride at 9:30 am

Distance is about 30 miles. Make it 22 by skipping Lord's Hill loop.

Map for the 30 mile option including Lord's Hill loop: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30577803

 

Lovely Lovell Loops

Lovely Lovell Loops

Thursday, June 8th, 2023



Lovely Lovell Loops

I will be gone this week, but Dave Kinsman agreed to host this weeks ride.  It is a great ride, hilly but not too hilly, quiet roads  It is not a long ride so we should be able to get it done before any afternoon showers.  Short in mileage, but long on workout and scenery.

Start at the park next to the North Fryeburg Saco Valley Fire Station (corner or Route 113 and South Chatham Road). Park away from the fire station, leave that area open for the firefighters.

We head out on Harbor Road all the way to Lovell, then go up Christian Hill Road, head out by Ebenezer's Restaurant and then cross Route 5. We go up Old Waterford Road and do a scenic quiet but thrilling loop on Eastman Hill and Old Stage Road. Return is back by Ebenezer's, but then we head out to the Kezar Lake Narrows for a lakeside lunch and/or ice cream break and maybe a swim. Head back via Shave Hill (sometimes called Swamp Road) and Harbor Road.

This is a 24 mile ride. It can be lengthened if desired adding in Fish Street/MacNeil or MacNeil, up Fish, down Cornshop.

Here is the map:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28020504

 

Four Lighthouse Tour (Ride codes A/2/22) Meet at Marina Parking next to Bistro
North 43 in South Portland at 10:00 AM!

 Thursday May 25, 2023

For this Thursday... We will ride in the Casco Bay area, starting near Bug Light Park in South
Portland.
We will be traveling through South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough, Maine. The ride
will travel by 4 lighthouses and will include a return trip that skirts the Rachael Carson Preserve.
Lots of wildlife opportunities. There will be plenty of time to stop for photos. NOTE: The ride is
mostly on pavement, there is a short section on Cape Elizabeth that is hardpacked dirt, and
some soft sand that should be OK for a road bike.
After the ride, we will have lunch at Bistro North 43, which is in Spring Point Marina. Because
parking spaces are limited, and we need a count for lunch, can you please RSVP to Vince as
soon as possible if you want to ride and to get a lunch seat?  First come first served.
Info on the ride:
The ride is 22 miles, 95% pavement, with some rolling hills.
Bring snacks, sunscreen, and an appetite for lunch.
Meet at the Bistro North 43 parking lot at 10:00 am, Ready to Ride. There is a changing room
with showers that we have access to. When you RSVP, Vince will send the code for the
changing rooms. Bistro North is located at Spring Point Marina near Bug Light in South
Portland, the address is:  
1 Spring Point Drive, South Portland, ME
The website is:  https://north43bistro.com
RSVP to Vince:  vpelote@davinci-consulting.com

Bear Notch Loop 9:00 am B/3.5/38

Bear Notch Loop 9:00 am B/3.5/38

Thursday, May 11, 2023

This week Bob will host ThursdayBike!  The ride will the Bear Notch Loop, anticlockwise, starting at 9:30 am Attitash parking lot in Bartlett.  We will go west on 302, then up and over Bear Notch, down the Kanc and Passaconway Road. Then back up West Side Road and Route 302 to the start.  Hopefully we will get lucky and both Bear Notch and Passaconway Road will still be closed

Ready to Ride at 9:30 am!!  Bring food and water.

The loop is about 37 miles, and is rated a B/3.5/38.

Here is the map:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/1307

 

Thursday Dirt and Pavement Ride in Conway and Albany

Thursday, September 15th, 2022

This ThursdayBike Ride will be a Dirt and Pavement Adventure hosted by Helle. No Road Bikes, bring a Gravel or Mountain Bike to enjoy this ride.

Ready to Ride at 9:00 am at the Marshall Property Parking area off of West Side Road.

Mileage? 18 miles, some walking will be included.

The ride will take us to the Albany Covered Bridge, logging road "connector" to High Street (USFR380). From High Street we will ride on USFR379 all the way our to West Side Road and back to the Marshall Property Parking lot.

See you out there!

Ride Host needed for Thursday

Thursday, September 8, 2022 

I need a ride host for this Thursday, Anyone interested? I actually need ride hosts for all of the Tuesday and Thursday rides for the fall season.

I will be busy with meetings over the next few weeks, LOTs of really good progress on the xNHAT and associated rails-to-trails projects is happening. I want this momentum to keep going strongly.  One of the projects: a NH connection to the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail via Whitefield and Dalton to St Johnsbury! This is a collaboration with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, we are now a part of their New England Rail Trail Network, 1100 miles of interconnected rail trail in our 6 states. 

I will take a break from the Tuesday and Thursday bike ride planning and weather worrying for the rest of this season, but will resume ThursdaySki when the snow falls and the Tuesday and Thursday bike rides in the spring.  

I request some help in order to try to keep the rides going into the fall. If you can lead a ride, let me know. The rides will be posted on the MVW Bike Club calendar on the website. So, instead of looking for the ride info on this blog, go to:  https://ridewithgps.com/organizations/549-mount-washington-valley-bicycling-club/events.

Let me know if you can hit a ride!  This Thursday needs a host! 

Lancaster to DeBanvilles General Store 9:30 am in Lancaster B/3/49

Thursday September 1, 2022

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 and very green!

This ride follows the southern section of VT102, starting from Lancaster and ending at DeBanville's General Store in Bloomfield, VT. Get food and ice cream at the lunch stop, but bring some food to have on the bike to fuel you along the way. The store opens at 11:00 am.

Weather: Looks great! 

Ride Starts: 9:30, 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. The drive takes about an hour to Lancaster from the traffic light in Glen. Dave Sias will be your host for the ride.

Carpool if you like: Meet in the Attitash parking lot, far end away from the lifts, 8:15 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. MWV Bike Club Ride Code: B/3/49

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 great 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:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13189233

Ride to The Basin 9:30 am B/2/29

Thursday, August 25th, 2022

How about a ride to The Basin?  It is always a beautiful, fun ride, roads are quiet and the weather looks good! 

Meet in North Fryeburg at the corner of South Chatham Road and Route 113, in the park next to the Saco Valley Fire Station. As you already know, please do not block the fire station parking area. There is no porta potty there, but there is one at the Little White Church, so stop there on the way, or, we will bike by it on our way out for another opportunity. 

Start, Ready to Ride, at 9:30 am

We will head to Fish Street first and MacNeil, then out on Union Hill and Meadow to the Stow Store and do the loop section the counterclockwise way then up 113 to The Basin.

Heading back will be a good ride, a few uphills, but mostly downhill, hope for a tailwind!

Total mileage: 29.   This ride allows for many options to shorten or lengthen the ride and choice of route to get from place to place. 

If you want a longer ride, start at the Maine Visitor's Center to add a total of 18 more miles (9 miles each way), for a total of 47 relatively easy miles. If you start riding from the Visitor's Center by 8:40 you should easily meet the group at the Fire Station or at the little white church as they turn onto Fish Street to head to MacNeil. 

Here is a map:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30519118

RIde Cancelled due to Rainy Weather

Thursday August 18th, 2022

Thursday's forecast looks rainy and gloomy, so let's just cancel the ride and wait until better weather next week!

We need this rain, it is nice to have it.

Fryeburg and Monotomy Road plus Froagies Ice Cream 9:30 am B/2/22

Thursday August 11, 2022

Let's try a ride out of the Fryeburg Visitor's Center for this Thursday. I have been frustrated with all the varieties of weather forecasts over the past few days, and no matter how hard I have tried to outsmart the showers, we have been rained upon or totally soaked... but then the sun came out!

According to the current forecasts, it should be OK to ride starting at 9:30 tomorrow and do a relatively short and easy out/back spin on the bike path, cruise the backstreets of Fryeburg Village then head out Ice House Road to Menotomy Road. We can add Froagie's Ice Cream Shop (Laurel's favorite) to the ride.

We will have a few guests joining us for ride! Both Barbara and I have visitors who like to bike! Yay!

Meet at the Maine Visitor's Center in Fryeburg, just over the state line on Route 302.

Be ready to ride at 9:30 am. 

Here is a map of the ride: 

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13100838

Wonalancet Loop. 9:00 am B/3/23

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Rachel and Deborah will host The Wonalancet Loop!  This is a really scenic ride in Tamworth and Wonalancet. Rachel has shown us the dirt roads of Tamworth, but this time, she and Deb will show you the scenic paved roads! 

Meet in Tamworth Village, in the public parking lot just after the Distillery, There is a porta potty there.

Be ready to ride at 9:00....beat the heat!

The ride is about 23 miles with about 1200 feet of elevation gain.

The club rating for this ride is B/3/23

Here is a map:  Note that this map starts the route at the school, but Rachel and Deborah's ride will start at the public parking lot in Tamworth Village, next to the distillery:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27349245

Six Lighthouses Ride in South Portland 10:00am B/2/38

Thursday, July 28th, 2022

For this Thursday... Field Trip to Portland! 

(As of Wednesday at 2:00:  There is still room to sign up!)

Club Member Vince Pelote has organized a ride for us in his home town area of South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough, Maine. The ride will travel by 6 lighthouses and will include a section of the Eastern Trail in Scarborough. The ride is mostly on pavement, the section in Scarborough Marsh is hard packed dirt, relatively short and OK for a road bike.

After the ride, Vince was able to reserve tables outside on a deck for 20 participants from 3:00 to 5:00 at the restaurant in the marina next to where lives: "Bistro 43".  We will get the Happy Hour specials and lunch menu. Because space is limited, can you RSVP to me as soon as possible if you want to ride and to get a seat?  Can you get back to me by Wednesday early evening if you want to join in so that Vince can finalize the restaurant reservations? 

There are bathrooms, changing rooms and showers at the marina.

Info on the ride:

The ride is 38 miles, club code B/2/38. Not a hilly ride (1200 feet of gain)

Bring snacks and lunch.

Meet a the Bistro 43 parking lot at 10:00 am, Ready to Ride. It is located at Spring Point Marina near Bug Light in South Portland, the address is:  

1 Spring Point Drive, South Portland, ME

The website is:  https://north43bistro.com

RSVP to Marianne:  marianneborowski@yahoo.com

The ride will start from there and follow a loop with out/backs starting along the shore to see all of the lighthouses. 

Here is a map of the ride:

https://strava.app.link/CIaSHpLbtrb

...or try this if the other doesn't work:  https://www.strava.com/activities/7415980307?share_sig=24EA886B1657200583&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ios_share

Weather cancels the Thursday Ride again

 Thursday, July 21, 2022

With thunderstorms predicted after noontime and the hot weather, I think it best to cancel the ThursdayBike ride this week.

 I am looking forward to a better forecast for biking next week! 

RIde Cancelled for July 14th due to the weather forecast

Thursday July 14th, 2022

Because yesterday's Tuesday Dirt and Pavement riders met a soaking 15 minute downpour (but followed by sunshine and blue sky), and then I got wet again later that afternoon as I biked to retrieve my car from the service shop... I think it best to cancel this week's ride due to the chances of rain and thunderstorms over most of the day.

Update on The Bus:  Dan was able to get it all set and registered so it made its debut on Sunday, transporting 16 cyclists and 16 bikes from Bethel to Woodsville. Of the group 15 are from Washington DC and one is from Albany, NH. They did 3 days on the xNHAT,  1 day of hiking. They finished today and received their Celebratory Embroidered End-to-Ender Patches!

Dan will still take us on a bus ride so that we can enjoy a one way trip back. Stay tuned, this may happen next Thursday!

ThursdayBike: A test of a new shuttle bus and one-way ride back from Jefferson to Gorham. 11:00

UPDATE as of Wednesday afternoon:

Unfortunately....Dan cannot bring the bus to do the loading test and the shuttle for us. After preparing the bus for inspection, and painting it, too, he brought it to the DMV today for the inspection. Turns out he needs the DOT to do the inspection, not the DMV, because of the conversion of the school bus to an alternate use. The DOT does inspections once a month, and that will be in 2 weeks.  When the bus is all set and inspected, we will try to set up a shuttle trip again (maybe a VT side of the CT River ride, one way!)

The plan for this Thursday will still be to meet at the rail trail parking lot on Route 2 at 11:00 am for a ride up the Presidential Rail Trail. We can look for the beavers that have been very active in the ponds, and check out Rollo Falls and then have a 10 mile downhill ride back to our cars. 

ThursdayBike Returns:  July 7, 2022!   

I am going to start up the ThursdayBike rides again!

This is a unique Thursday Ride:  Dan the Shuttle Man, who is a shuttle driver for The Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail, has a new shuttle vehicle: a renovated school bus. He wants to test the bus and his inside bike rack system before his first official clients later this month. The bus can take 16 passengers with their bicycles. 

For using us as his test case, he has offered to give us a shuttle, for free, so that he can evaluate the rack system that he built. 

On THURSDAY, July 7th, meet at the Presidential Rail Trail Parking lot on Route 2 in Gorham at 11:00 am. We will load up the bus with the bikes and us, and Dan will transport us to Jefferson up on the hill to the general store/gas station where we have often stopped for a lunch break. He will drop us off there and we will enjoy the excellent, scenic downhill ride back down to Israel River Road, Valley Road, and the take rail trail back downhill to our cars in Gorham.

A stop a the Big Day Brewing Company would be a good apres-bike celebration?

A hybrid or gravel bike is best for this ride, mountain bikes will be OK, too. 

The ride is about 19 miles, here is the map:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40079997

This first Thursday in June might be rainy, check back on Wednesday for a better forecast!

 Thursday June 2, 2022

The long range forecast indicates rain on this coming Thursday. Check back here on Wednesday, the forecast might be trustable by then!