New Pavement Means New Ride

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Looks like we will win on the weather tomorrow -- the rain should be gone by morning and a clearing, drying northwest wind will feel great!

I have a new ride that I want to try --- this is a new route due to the paving of the formerly gravel Airport Road in the Whitefield-Jefferson area!!!

Airport Road is off of Route 115 on the way to Jefferson, just after the scenic vista that looks out over Jefferson and the Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge. With this road paved, a nice loop can be done from the Bretton Woods area.

We start at the Bretton Woods Ski Area, parking in the lot near the entrance across from the fitness center. Then head west on 302 straight through the lights at Twin Mountain to River Road and Wing Road (along the Ammonoosuc River) to Route 116 to Whitefield. We can eat lunch and/or ice cream at the gazebo on the town green in Whitefield, then head out a mile on route 116 to Hazen Road. Hazen Road takes us to the small airport and wood chip power plant on new pavement that goes past the entrance to the Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge. There is a climb here up to Route 115 and the scenic vista, then downhill back to route 3 and route 302. The northwest wind will power us back to our cars.

Total Loop from Bretton Woods parking lot: 37 miles.

Shorter, easier route -- out and back via River Road and Wing Road for 28 miles.

Shorter, but still a loop - start at Zealand parking lot on the north side of route 302 for 29 miles. Look for riders passing by at about 9:45.

Longer option: 44 miles if you start from the Mt Clinton Road forest service parking lot (need a parking pass) or park at Crawford Notch near the railroad station. This way you get the climb the notch back to your car at the end of the ride.

Let's meet at 9:30 am, ready to ride at the big parking lot across from the Bretton Woods Fitness center building. The weather should be clear and bright by then.....The fitness center is on your right just after you enter into the Bretton Woods Ski Area road.

Here is a map of the ride:

Crank Some Crawford - or all of it

Thursday July 22nd

Since I will be away cycling the Adirondacks this week I am writing this post early without knowing the weather for the 22nd of July.  As of Sunday, 7/18, the forecast for Thursday is mid-80's with chance of a thunderstorm.  If rain is imminent, ride will be cancelled. I am setting up a local ride that is out-and-back for a quick return to the car if the weather turns sour. It is a shady ride with a cooling breeze on the way back downhill.


Start out of the Attitash parking lot at 8:30 am.

Total distance to the Willey House and back is about 30 miles

Make it 34 miles if you go up to the railroad station at the top of The Notch.

For a longer ride, 40 miles, start out of the Grants parking lot (8:15 am), meet the folks at Attitash and Crank Crawford.

Do you need a map?? see below. Even if you don't need one, take a look at the elevation profile after you finish the ride.

Stow Store and Kezar Lake Narrows

Thursday July 15th

Looks like we will finally have perfect weather on a Thursday for a bike ride. We deserve it after all the rain, the cold+wet and the hot+humid days we have endured!!!!

As you may know, The Stow Store is now open, serving ice cream, pastries, pizza, and sandwiches. I am setting up a ride that will take you by the store to check it out and congratulate the owners! So, this ride is a modification of the classic Kezar Lake Narrows Ride to include a short spur onto Meadow Road to the Stow Store. And... for even more fun and excitement -- Meadow Road is newly paved!! So enjoy the black velvet ride where we used to bounce over all the cracks, potholes and sand!!

As always, this ride includes the Red Iron Bridge (spanning the Old Saco River at the McNeil Road-Harbor Road intersection) which will be taken down later this fall or early next spring. So be sure to give it a salute and a kiss as you ride over it for its 53 years of service.

Start the ride at the park next to the North Fryeburg Fire Station (as you know, park away from the fire station where the firefighters may need to park). The ride goes through the turf, potato and corn fields via Cornshop, Fish and McNeil, cross the Red Iron Bridge, up Union Hill Road. Check out the progress of the potatoes, corn, soybeans and grass. Look for llamas and horses and goats. Turn left at Meadow Road (also known as New Road) and enjoy the new pavement to the Stow Store. Load up on goodies there and take them with you back over Meadow Road, back to Union Hill where you hang a left and head out (and gradually up) and over (bearing right at forks in the road) to the Kezar Lake Narrows.

Just before the steel lattice bridge at the Narrows and before the snack shop at the Narrows is a narrow road leading to a shady narrow picnic area on the narrow part of the lake. Porta potties are there, too (narrow ones, likely..).

Return is is by Christian Hill Road to Lovell and then a short ride on Route 5 to Shave Hill Road and back onto Harbor Road to the parking area.Be sure to stop and enjoy the views before dropping down into Lovell.

Total ride is 30 miles including the spur to The Stow Store.

Shorter option? Just do the route as mapped to the Stow Store and return by heading south on Rt 113 for about a 16 mile ride that is very flat for around here.


Be ready to ride at the parking area at 9:00 am (may be some fog early in the morning, but otherwise a perfect day is predicted!!!!

Map:

Shady Ride for a Hot Day

Thursday, July 8th

Last week we had blue sky, black sky, sun, rain ,drizzle, cold and damp, pleasant and sunny. We did not have snow, nor did we have sweltering heat. So this week, looks like we get the heat.

So, I am thinking about a ride that starts early in the morning, has a lot of shade and has opportunities for a dip in the water to cool off.

The old favorite standby ride should work -- West Side Road to Passaconaway to the Kanc. It is 25 miles round trip to the Albany Covered Bridge and 31 miles round trip to Rocky Gorge. There are lots of opportunities to cool off in the river!

Meet in the public parking lot behind the Eastern Slope Inn in North Conway off River Road.

Ready to ride at 8:00 am

Hopefully we will be done with the ride before it gets too hot!!!!

Franconia Notch Bike Path

Thursday, July 1


The weather forecast for Thursday looks good (for a change...), so lets do an "away" ride over the hill to Lincoln and Franconia Notch. There have been requests for this ride over the past year or so and Thursday looks like a great day for it.

The bike path is wonderful - a paved path though the woods, great views, interesting stops along the way (view of where the Old Man used-to-be, The Basin, The New England Ski Museum, climbers on the sheer cliffs, the lakes, Cannon Mt.).

For the longer ride (approximately 32 miles), start out of the Loon Ski Area parking lot, ride on a quiet back road in residential Lincoln avoiding the busy Main Street (Pollard Rd; turn right of the Kanc by The Common Man Restaurant), then out onto Route 3 by Clark's Trading Post. Ride up Route 3 by the 1950's style motels and cabins and Indian Head to The Flume parking area where the bike path begins. It is about 6 miles to this point. The bike path starts at the upper, northern end of the parking lot; turn left as you enter the lot and ride up to the entrance way.

The bike path IS NOT a rail trail - it IS NOT flat - it will be a great use of all of the gears that you have on your bike. There are some short sharp ups, and short sharp downs, some sweeping turns, bridges and tunnels - all lending itself to a wonderful Disney World attraction for us. The way back is a smiling mostly downhill cruise. This is a great time of the year to ride this, as there are not many tourists, walkers, baby carriages, etc. on the path to get in our way!

For the shorter ride, just do the bike path. It is about 19 miles round trip from the Flume parking lot. Turn around earlier if you like.

For the Longer Ride: Ready-to-ride at the Loon Ski Area parking lot at 10:00 am

Enter the Loon parking lot at the Main entrance (by the train engine), cross the bridge then bear left up towards the main lodge. There is lots of parking available on the right side of the lot.

For the shorter ride: Meet the longer riders at The Flume Parking Lot near the bike path entrance between 10:45 and 11:00 am.

Carpooling: Meet at the Attitash Parking lot at 8:45 am to load up. Pull out of the lot NO LATER than 8:50 am. Drive to Loon via Bear Notch Road and the Kanc.

There are bathroom facilities at The Flume and at various parking lots along the Bike Path. There is a snack bar/ice cream near the Ski Museum at Cannon Mt. but I am not sure if it is open yet. Bring water, food and snacks for a picnic either at the Ski Museum or by the lake.

This should be a great day!

Here is a map:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/nh/-lincoln/125124277838389505

Weather Issues, Again. Ride Cancelled

Thursday, June 24th

Sorry I am taking so long to decide what to do about tomorrow's ride. I just refuse to believe that there can be bad weather on a Thursday for 4 weeks in a row. I have been checking for a good forecast, but I am afraid that no matter what I plan, we will get hit with showers and thunderstorms. So, I give up, and I am cancelling the ride for this week.

Stay tuned for next week!!! We have to have good weather!!!

What will the weather be?

Thursday, June 24th

Tune in tomorrow evening for the info on the Thursday Ride. The weather forecast is not cooperating -- again!! Can it be 4 weeks in a row??? I hope not!! Hopefully tomorrow's forecast will make it easier to put together a ride plan....