Autumn in North Fryeburg 10:00 am

Thursday, October 18, 2012

It should be a beautiful day for a quiet, traffic-free ride in the North Fryeburg-Chatham-Stow area!  

I am away again this Thursday, riding in the Boston area. 

Start 10:00 am, ready to ride, next to the North Fryeburg Fire Station at the corner of Route 113 and South Chatham Road.  The ride will check out the status of the corn, potatoes, soybeans and turf fields. The route starts south on Route 113 to Cornshop, then Route 5, Fish, McNeil, Harbor, Union Hill, Meadow, the Stow Store and the Chatham Loop or the Basin. Choose your favorite route!

Basic ride to Stow Store: 23 miles. Add the Chatham Loop: 30 miles total. Add the Basin: 39 miles total. For a longer ride, start at the Maine Visitor's Center on Route 302 just over the NH border at 9:20 am. Ride up Route 113 to meet everyone at the fire station or as they ride towards Cornshop Road. Starting at the Visitors Center will adds about 18 miles round trip. If you want to carpool to North Fryeburg, meet at Grant's parking lot at 9:15.

North Road and Evans Notch 10:00 am

Thursday, October 11th, 2012

Since I am in VT riding a Gap on Thursday, I will share the fun by posting a Notch for ThursdayBike!

How about North Road to Evans Notch? It should be beautiful in the past-peak golds, rusts and copper.  To make it different, start in Shelbourne Village instead of the usual Hogan Road/North Road parking area near the dam. By starting in Shelbourne, you will cut out about 3 miles and 2 tough hills at the end of the ride. You add a mile of flat scenic farmland and river, not a bad exchange. 

Mileage: about 33 if you do the whole ride to the top of Evans Notch, about 30 if you go to the bridge just before the climb goes from gradual to steep. 

Time:  ready to ride at 10:00 am

Start from Shelbourne Village, just off Meadow Road (a left turn off of Route 2 about 5 miles east from the route 16/2 junction in Gorham). Meadow Road joins North Road at the triangle intersection close to the Philbrook Inn. 

After turning left into Meadow from Route 2 take a quick right onto Village Road. Park across from the library or in the ballpark. Bike back out to Meadow Road, take a right, cross the Androscoggin River bridge and take a right onto North Road at the grassy triangle.

FRIDAYBike? Foliage Ride? Lost Nation! 10:00am

The Lost Nation Loop 10:00am start

Thursday looks like a rainy day, but FRIDAY is the best day of the week with sunshine, warm temperatures and peak foliage. So I would love to do one of my favorite rides for spectacular scenery!  This ride dressed up in fall foliage is amazing!!

Farms, fields, horses, cows, mountain views, covered bridges, rivers, streams, villages, little white churches, closed papermills, etc. This ride has everything the region can offer!  Let's see what the tourists from all over the world are up here this week to enjoy!

The full loop is 50 miles, but a really nice 30 mile option is possible out of Lancaster. Email me if you plan to come on the ride and let me know if you prefer the shorter version. At least one person will do the 30 miler, so we can arrange carpooling. marianneborowski@yahoo.com

The Lost Nation Loop starts in Whitefield at the town green with the gazebo in the center. We ride east towards Jefferson on route 116, then North Road through Grange and Lost Nation to Groveton. We then ride about 2.5 miles down Route 3 (wide shoulder) to Northumberland and cross the CT River into Guildhall, VT. We ride the VT side of the CT River on Route 102 then cross the Mt. Orne Covered Bridge just south of Lancaster. We ride almost to Dalton along the NH side of the CT River and then take route 142 back to Whitefield.

For the map:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/nh/lost-nation/300382908

Start time: 10:00 am, ready to ride

Carpooling: If you want to carpool, meet at the Attitash parking lot at 8:50 am

Directions to Whitefield: Route 302 through Crawford Notch to the light at Twin Mountain four corners. Take a right onto Route 3 and follow it to the center of Whitefield, a tiny town green with gazebo.
Parking in Whitefield: There is parking around the town green in the center of Whitefield (intersection of routes 3, 116, 142).

Ride Distance: 50 miles

Shorter Option:  30 miles  This spring, Tom, Denise and Walt did a shorter, easier loop out of Lancaster, parking at the Shaw's Supermarket. If you want to do this version, meet at the Whitefield Gazebo and drive up to Lancaster. You will meet the 50 mile riders at the dairy farm at the corner of Lost Nation Road. You will have cut out the longest and steepest climbs. 

History: Lost Nation seems to always be associated with The Republic of Indian Stream, (perhaps because of the book written about this interesting region of NH?). The place called Lost Nation, where we will ride (don't blink or you may miss it...), is not geographically contained within The Republic of Indian Stream, so I am curious as to how they are historically related. Can anyone help with this history?Information about the Republic of Indian Stream: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Indian_Stream

About the novel, Lost Nation, by Jeffrey Lent: http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Nation-Jeffrey-Lent/dp/0871138433

Fall colors in Jefferson Valley 10:00 am

Thursday, September 27, 2012

The colors are coming out, so now starts the series of bike rides that I think provide the best fall foliage panoramas. This is a fall version of The Lupine Ride, with great views of the Presidentials, Wambek and Cherry Mountain. It is an easier ride than most, lots of flat roads and no big climbing.  I am in CT this week and will not be on this ride, but I did the ride last Friday to check it out, and with the perfect weather forecast for Thursday, this should be a great ride! If you can't make it this Thursday, try to ride it at some point during the foliage season to enjoy the views!

I rode Valley Road and it was is MUCH better condition (as of Friday!!) than when we rode it in June. The loose stones have been ground into the road or tossed aside.  I wish for you the tailwind that that pushed me to 15 mph on the dirt without peddling the entire way, and I wish that the wind direction switches for your return route. Whipple Road (the dirt road leading from the dairy farm to route 116) was NOT in good shape for riding. It was very loose and stoney. 

Start time: 10:00 am ready to ride 

Bring lunch or snacks - no food or water available on this version of the ride. 

Meet at the parking lot on the west (Randolph) end of Pinkham B Road at the rail trail crossing. 

Carpool: Meet at the Jackson Ski Touring/Wentworth Golf Club parking area across the street from the J-Town Deli at 9:15 am.

Ride length: 28 miles, with a 22 mile option if you don't ride the route 115-115A triangle and just go to the campground on Valley Road. 

Route description: Cross Route 2 over to Durand Road. Ride it all the way up to the end of the dead end and walk the path up to Route 2. Ride about 2 miles and take a left onto Valley Road. Ride out Valley to Route 115. Take a left and ride up to the intersection with Cherry Mountain Road (on left) and Route 115A (on right). For something different and more views, take a LEFT onto Cherry Mountain Road. Ride out and back, soak up the views on the flat road, turn back where the road goes uphill. Return to Route 115, cross over it onto Route 115A and ride this out past the raircar home and cemeteries to the dairy farm in the Jefferson Valley. Since Whipple Road was not in good shape, ride to the right here and cross the Israel River, stop and enjoy the view. Reverse and return by Valley Road stopping at the campground for lunch. The store there is closed on Thursday, but you could use the picnic tables there, or eat by the pond next to the campground. Head back by Valley Road then choose either Route 2 or Durand Road for the smiling downhill back to Pinkham B. I wish I were there....

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. Access Pinkham B road from the Dolly Copp Campground entrance off of Route 16. As you drive down the hill on Pinkham B and come out of the woods, where there are 2 houses on the left, 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 dirt and "pavement", drive route 16 to Gorham, follow it left at the intersection towards Berlin and then 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.

For a map:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/18419892

Tour de Mt Washington, 10:00 am

Thursday, September 20th, 2012

I have been a tourist for the last 2 weeks enjoying great rides, interesting places and fun company. In returning home I want to continue the fun!!  So this Thursday's ride is a way to play tourist in our own backyard, enjoying the amazing sites that we have right here at home. Looks like the weather will be good, clear but chilly!

This ride is relatively short in mileage but big on scenery and attractions. It includes panoramic Presidential views, the Cog Railroad (if we decide to climb up to the station), Upper and Lower Ammonusuc Falls, the Mount Washington Hotel (we could go in and look around). We eat lunch or snacks on the rocks next to the Lower Ammonusuc Falls. If needed, food can be obtained at the general store near the Twin Mountain 4 corners.

Start at the Eisenhower Wayside Park which is on the right side of Route 302 a couple of miles after passing through Crawford Notch. We ride back up the notch to Mt Clinton Road. The road is probably not in much better shape than before, but is OK to ride if you take it easy and enjoy the
shady green tunnel. We could climb up to the Cog Railroad or just enjoy the downhill cruise, stopping to look at Upper Ammonusuc Falls. We then ride out to the Twin Mt 4 corners and stop to enjoy the Lower Ammonusuc Falls.

Start:  10:00 am at the Eisenhower Wayside Park

Total distance: 25 miles; with shorter options.

Carpool:  Attitash parking lot, far end, 9:15 am.

Here is a map:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/137821612

ThursdayBike on vacation this week

Thursday, September 13th

There will be a ThursdayBike Ride NEXT week!!

The Wonalancet Loop. 10:00 am

Thursday, September 6th

The weather looks good for The Wonalancet Loop! 
Bob Houlihan will host this ride!

This ride is a ThursdayBike Group favorite! It is very scenic, dripping with New England quaintness.

Distance: 30 miles

Meeting place: Parking lot at McDonald's and Tram Store (old Mt. Whitter ski tram station) located on the east side of the junction of Route 16 and route 25 in West Ossipee.

From Conway, drive south on route 16 to the traffic light at the 16/25 junction. Go straight at the light, then turn left into the parking lot for the McDonald's and Tram Store. Park on the right side of the lot, where we will not interfere with the McDonald's customer parking.

Meeting time: Ready to ride out of the Tram parking lot at 10:00 am. From Glen it is a 27 mile drive, from Conway Village it is a 16 mile drive.

Carpool: For the Glen/Jackson folks, carpool out of the Grants parking lot. Be there at 8:50 in order to leave the lot promply at 9:00 am. 

Terrain: Farms, fields, forests, mountain views, marshland, horses, churches, stone walls, riverside riding, etc, etc. Part of the ride will be on the road designated as The Chinook Trial (route 113A from Tamworth to Wonalancet). Chinook was a famous sled dog: www.theheartofnewengland.com/LifeInNewEngland-Chinook-Trail.html
Some flat riding at the start, a wonderful downhill at the end, which means, that in the middle there are a few short steep rolling hills and moderate hills that will burn some calories so that you can enjoy your lunch with ice cream at the...

Food Stop: The Other Store in Tamworth Village (at ~mile 24). Bring your own or get a nice lunch and/or ice cream here and eat at the picnic tables in the back of the store.

Here is the ride map:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1539603