Thursday, August 29, 2013
I am not inspired by all the weather forecasts for Thursday, so, unfortunately, I will cancel this week's ride.
However, there is some good news!! A good source has told me that Route 113 in the Evans Notch area was paved earlier this week. How far the new pavement goes is not known at this time, but inspires a ride soon on smooth black velvet!! Also, 4 new benches have been installed on the Mountain Division Bike Path in Fryeburg. The benches are a gift of the MVW Bicycling Club. I am going to try to set up a Thursday Ride to coordinate with the official dedication of these benches! Test them out next time you are on the trail!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Steve Swensen's Ride to Hiram 9:30 am
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Steve Swensen will host this special event!! After the ride, he has invited everyone over to his lake house for a swim!
The ride will start out of the parking lot behind the convenience store/gas station at the Brownfield 5 corners where route 160 crosses route 113/5, near Pig Street. The ride will start at 9:30 am. Park in the back of the convenience store.
The ride goes up Route 160 to the Denmark monument, then has a rewarding cruise down to the Hiram Store, which is a great lunch/snack stop. At this point choose between the shortter ride, 26 miles total, that returns via Notch Road and Route 160. Or, if you want to ride further (34 miles total) ride to Cornish via scenic River Road and then Route 160 back to the parking area.
After the ride, it is a short drive to Steve and Sally's lake house. The house is on Lovewell Pond, just north of the 5-corners, on the right side of Route 113/5 going north, turn onto Fire Lane 15, Cranberry Lane.
If you want to carpool from the Glen/Jackson area, meet at the parking lot behind Grant's at 8:30 am.
Here is a map for the short ride:
Map for the longer ride, which includes Cornish:
Steve Swensen will host this special event!! After the ride, he has invited everyone over to his lake house for a swim!
The ride will start out of the parking lot behind the convenience store/gas station at the Brownfield 5 corners where route 160 crosses route 113/5, near Pig Street. The ride will start at 9:30 am. Park in the back of the convenience store.
The ride goes up Route 160 to the Denmark monument, then has a rewarding cruise down to the Hiram Store, which is a great lunch/snack stop. At this point choose between the shortter ride, 26 miles total, that returns via Notch Road and Route 160. Or, if you want to ride further (34 miles total) ride to Cornish via scenic River Road and then Route 160 back to the parking area.
After the ride, it is a short drive to Steve and Sally's lake house. The house is on Lovewell Pond, just north of the 5-corners, on the right side of Route 113/5 going north, turn onto Fire Lane 15, Cranberry Lane.
If you want to carpool from the Glen/Jackson area, meet at the parking lot behind Grant's at 8:30 am.
Here is a map for the short ride:
Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRide
Map for the longer ride, which includes Cornish:
Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRide
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Don't Yank the Crank! 9:30 am start in Bethel
Thursday, August 15th, 2013
"Don't Yank the Crank"
Bethel to Bryant Pond, Maine.
Looks like the weather will be great for a ride by the beautiful woods, farms and lakes of Maine!
This ride will take us from Bethel to Bryant Pond, the site of last hand-cranked telephone exchange in the USA. This little town is also famous for a 3-story outhouse. It also has a convenience store, a larger-than-life telephone monument and great lakeside dining.
But Wait... there's more!!!
The ride is nice and quiet, along the Androscoggin River (essentially a continuation of the North Road experience), fields, farms and forest plus shore side riding on North Lake in Locke Mills. No Notches! This will be a welcome relief from the traffic and noise around the Mt. Washington Valley in tourist season.
This ride starts out of the riverside park in Bethel -- the picnic destination on the North Road ride. The first 12 miles follows Intervale Road which parallels the Androscoggin River as it flows north towards Rumford. We turn east towards Bryant Pond, go through the village, try to find that famous outhouse, pay our respects at the Hand Crank Telephone Monument, then go to the lake for our picnic lunch. The return is by North Pond in Locke Mills, then by East Bethel Road (look for some interesting sculptures on the left), then back to the cars via Intervale Road.
The ride will start at 9:30 am at the Bethel town park on the Androscoggin River at the intersection of the bike path and Route 26 (where we always eat lunch on the North Road Ride).
Drive to Bethel via Route 2 and take a right on Bridge Street, at the flashing light (soon before crossing the bridge over the Androscoggin). Drive about 0.5 mile to the park, on the left at the stop sign.
Ride distance is 40 miles. Ready to ride at 9:30 am!!
If you want carpool, meet at the Jackson Ski Touring/Wentworth Golf Club parking area across the street from the J-Town Deli at 8:15 am. Otherwise, see you in Bethel!
Here is some info on Bryant Pond:
www.roadsideamerica.com/map/631
www.privateline.com/mt_telephonehistory/iv_the_telephone_evolves/07_part_g/
"Bryant Pond achieved some national fame and media attention beginning in the mid-1970s when its family-owned Bryant Pond Telephone Company became the last hand-crank telephone exchange in operation in the United States. When in 1981 the local company, operating from a two-position magneto switchboard in the living room of owners Barbara and Elden Hathaway, was purchased by the Oxford County Telephone & Telegraph Company, a nearby larger independent company. A movement called "Don't Yank The Crank" was organized by David Perham and Brad Hooper in a valiant but futile effort to keep their beloved crank phones. The effort was not ultimately successful, and the last "crank" calls took place on 11 October 1983, when a modern dial exchange was placed in service."
"Don't Yank the Crank"
Bethel to Bryant Pond, Maine.
Looks like the weather will be great for a ride by the beautiful woods, farms and lakes of Maine!
This ride will take us from Bethel to Bryant Pond, the site of last hand-cranked telephone exchange in the USA. This little town is also famous for a 3-story outhouse. It also has a convenience store, a larger-than-life telephone monument and great lakeside dining.
But Wait... there's more!!!
The ride is nice and quiet, along the Androscoggin River (essentially a continuation of the North Road experience), fields, farms and forest plus shore side riding on North Lake in Locke Mills. No Notches! This will be a welcome relief from the traffic and noise around the Mt. Washington Valley in tourist season.
This ride starts out of the riverside park in Bethel -- the picnic destination on the North Road ride. The first 12 miles follows Intervale Road which parallels the Androscoggin River as it flows north towards Rumford. We turn east towards Bryant Pond, go through the village, try to find that famous outhouse, pay our respects at the Hand Crank Telephone Monument, then go to the lake for our picnic lunch. The return is by North Pond in Locke Mills, then by East Bethel Road (look for some interesting sculptures on the left), then back to the cars via Intervale Road.
The ride will start at 9:30 am at the Bethel town park on the Androscoggin River at the intersection of the bike path and Route 26 (where we always eat lunch on the North Road Ride).
Drive to Bethel via Route 2 and take a right on Bridge Street, at the flashing light (soon before crossing the bridge over the Androscoggin). Drive about 0.5 mile to the park, on the left at the stop sign.
Ride distance is 40 miles. Ready to ride at 9:30 am!!
If you want carpool, meet at the Jackson Ski Touring/Wentworth Golf Club parking area across the street from the J-Town Deli at 8:15 am. Otherwise, see you in Bethel!
Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRide
Here is some info on Bryant Pond:
www.roadsideamerica.com/map/631
www.privateline.com/mt_telephonehistory/iv_the_telephone_evolves/07_part_g/
"Bryant Pond achieved some national fame and media attention beginning in the mid-1970s when its family-owned Bryant Pond Telephone Company became the last hand-crank telephone exchange in operation in the United States. When in 1981 the local company, operating from a two-position magneto switchboard in the living room of owners Barbara and Elden Hathaway, was purchased by the Oxford County Telephone & Telegraph Company, a nearby larger independent company. A movement called "Don't Yank The Crank" was organized by David Perham and Brad Hooper in a valiant but futile effort to keep their beloved crank phones. The effort was not ultimately successful, and the last "crank" calls took place on 11 October 1983, when a modern dial exchange was placed in service."
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Ride cancelled for Thursday August 8th, 2013
I hate to do it, but I am canceling tomorrow 's ride due to a non-cooperative weather forecast. I am away and don't have my usual weather indicators to help me fine tune the timing of rain and/or thunderstorms. Sometimes I try try to get a ride scheduled before or after the rain, but the "karma" is not happening for tomorrow's weather.
Let's hope for a really nice ride next week!! We have certainly had good weather and rides over the last few weeks! See you next week!
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
The Wonalancet Loop, 9:00 am start
Thursday, August 1, 2013
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 9:00 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 at 8:00 am.
Terrain: Farms, fields, forests, mountain views, marshland, horses, goats, 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 by the brook.
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 by the brook.
Here is the ride map:
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Vermont Side of the Connecticut River, Northern Section
Thursday, July 25th, 2013 Attitash at 8:00
The weather forecast looks absolutely fantastic for this Thursday, so we need to do an absolutely fantastic ride to celebrate the return of dryer, bluebird days. I always wait for a perfect day to do this ride, and here it is!!! This ride is my favorite ride. Ride alongside the Connecticut River, farm fields, cows, horses, 2 waterfalls, 2 covered bridges, blueberries, panoramic views, cross the 45th parallel! History - "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. The ride is lollipop shaped, gently going up the CT River to lunch in Pittsburg, NH. It then turns south climbing an interesting hill with a 20 mile mostly downhill reward back to the car. It has been labeled by a friend as a "Disneyland E-ticket". Ride through Colebrook on the way back, 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, or your longest ever! Enjoy the whole day out in the sunshine without humidity, heatstroke, cloudbursts or threats of thunderstorms!!!
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. To Colebrook and back is 27 miles. Ride as far as you like in between these towns, then meet the longer route riders in Colebrook at Howard's Diner for some pie, or at the French bakery cafe for a croissant.
Ready to ride in Bloomfield at 9:45 am.
Carpool from the far end of the Attitash parking lot at 8:00 am. According to the map app, it should be a 1.5 hour drive.
Directions to the start: Route 302 to Twin Mountain, 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 with a kiosk describing the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Park here tightly, as there is not a lot of space. Overflow can be on the NH side of the river in North Stratford. 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:
http://bigthink.com/strange-maps/27-the-republic-of-indian-stream-1832-1835
http://www.cowhampshireblog.com/2006/05/21/new-hampshire-missing-places-indian-stream-republic-1829-1836/
http://afkabob.com/nhhistmk/nhhistmk6.htm
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
North Road and Evans Notch 9:00 am
Thursday, July 18, 2013
What to do in this hot weather?.... A shady, easy ride along a river!!
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). After turning left into Meadow from Route 2 take a quick right onto Village Road. Park across from the library or in the ballpark. Meadow Road joins North Road at that grassy triangle intersection close to the Philbrook Inn.
If you want to carpool, meet in Jackson, in the parking lot across the street from the J-Town Deli at 8:10 am.
What to do in this hot weather?.... A shady, easy ride along a river!!
How about North Road to Evans Notch? It should be cool in the shade. 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.
The ride goes over RR tracks and the Androscoggin River about 1 mile to North Road, then out about 5 miles to the iron bridge, crosses the river and goes to Route 2. Ride a short distance on a wide shoulder on route 2, then take the left onto the road up Evans Notch (Rt 113).
Some of us will ride up to the small bridge for a nice, easy, gradual route upriver. After the bridge, the steeper climb to the top begins. Some will likely climb to the top. Either way is a spectacular ride, and we can regroup down the river for a snack and a splash of water over our heads. Return to our cars by reversing the route.
Mileage: about 30 if you do the whole ride to the top of Evans Notch, about 26 if you go to the bridge just before the climb goes from gradual to steep.
Shorter option? Start at the iron bridge for a really nice 16 mile ride.
Time: Ready to ride at 9:00 am in Shelbourne Village. If you want to start at the iron bridge, look for riders coming across it at about 9:20-9:30.
If you want to carpool, meet in Jackson, in the parking lot across the street from the J-Town Deli at 8:10 am.
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