Thursday, September 1, 2011
Wednesday, 4:00 pm update:
I rode River Road, Passaconaway Road and the Kanc to Lower Falls this afternoon. All are open and clear - a few sandy spots and a few small sticks here and there. A Forest Service Ranger at Lower Falls told me that Bear Notch Road is now open, and the Kanc is open from Conway Village up to Bear Notch Road.
The plan as described below is still on, as the roads are eerily quiet since most folks haven't found out about the openings as of yet. So although the roads are open, the traffic will be very light.
Here is one more alternative to add to the list of ride alternatives below: The Bear Notch Loop.
Hurricane Irene has changed the course of rivers, washed away houses and camps, eroded roadsides and pavement and collapsed bridges. I hope all of you, ThursdayBikers and your friends, are dry and OK. Because of the road damage and closures, I am keeping the ride local on roads that I have heard are clear.
Due to the closure of the Kanc and Route 302 west of Bartlett, there are no cars on Bear Notch Road. Riders who did it on Tuesday said it was excellent without any cars and it is free of debris. Let's go enjoy this too! This is one of the easiest "Notches" and it has 3 scenic viewpoints (rest stops) conveniently located on the way up.
Ready to Ride at the Attitash parking lot at 9:00 am. Park at the west side of the lot in the shade of the trees.
Various distances are possible. Groups can choose their course:
From Attitash to the top of Bear Notch and back: about 15 miles
From Attitash, over Bear Notch to the Kanc and back about 23 miles
From the Bear Notch/Kanc intersection it may be possible to ride the Kanc (I am not sure whether it is closed from this point). If open we could go to the Sugar Hill scenic vista (34 miles round trip) or Lily Pond (37 miles round trip)
For the shortest, flattest ride, go from Attitash up to the road closure on Route 302 at Hart's Location (~10 miles).
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
West Side Road - Passaconaway Road 9:00 am
Thursday, August 25th, 2011
The weather looks a bit iffy for this week's ride. I don't think is is worth putting together an away adventure ride with the predictions of thunderstorms coming in as early as 1:00.
So, these are the times I pull out the old standby, the West Side Road - Passaconaway Road ride. It is local, out and back, it can be cut short if the weather threatens, and it is a really nice ride, too.
Let's meet at the public parking lot behind the Eastern Slope Inn at 9:00, ready to ride. The route out to the Albany Covered Bridge and back is about 25 miles. If the weather holds, we can go up to the Lower Falls on the Kanc.
All the weather-people are energized with the upcoming Hurricane Irene. It is very exciting to watch the development. Hold onto your hats this weekend. My Mom's name is Irene, and she is getting lots of attention this week....
The weather looks a bit iffy for this week's ride. I don't think is is worth putting together an away adventure ride with the predictions of thunderstorms coming in as early as 1:00.
So, these are the times I pull out the old standby, the West Side Road - Passaconaway Road ride. It is local, out and back, it can be cut short if the weather threatens, and it is a really nice ride, too.
Let's meet at the public parking lot behind the Eastern Slope Inn at 9:00, ready to ride. The route out to the Albany Covered Bridge and back is about 25 miles. If the weather holds, we can go up to the Lower Falls on the Kanc.
All the weather-people are energized with the upcoming Hurricane Irene. It is very exciting to watch the development. Hold onto your hats this weekend. My Mom's name is Irene, and she is getting lots of attention this week....
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The Basin 9:00 am start
Thursday, August 18th, 2010
Looks like all the rain is going to end and provide a beautiful day for ThursdayBike! To get away from the amazing amount of traffic in the valley, let's do the Basin ride, on the quiet roads of North Fryeburg and Chatham. I will not be able to join in this Thursday - I am hiking with my 1st cousins, once removed.
Meet at the corner of South Chatham Road and Route 113 in North Fryeburg, alongside the park next to the Saco Valley Fire Station. As you already know, please do not block the fire station parking area. Park head-in alongside the park to allow for many cars to fit in, or park parallel, off the road, along South Chatham Road or Rt 113.
The last quarter mile up to The Basin is a dirt road, and I am not sure of its condition at this point of the season. If it is a wash out, you may want to just use the campground at the entrance as your lunch spot. There are picnic tables, porta-potty and water pump in the campground. There is another campground with water and porta potties up at The Basin.
The starting time, ready-to-ride will be 9:00 am.
If you do the ride starting south on 113 and take a left on Fish St and left on MacNeil, it will be a 28 mile ride.
Want more miles?? If you continue past Fish down to Cornshop and hang a left there and ride out to Rt 5 and take a left on Fish St, your total will be 33 miles. If you start earlier at Weston's Beach you get 44 miles.
Carpoolers from the Bartlett/Jackson area -- meet at Grants parking lot at 8:15.
Looks like all the rain is going to end and provide a beautiful day for ThursdayBike! To get away from the amazing amount of traffic in the valley, let's do the Basin ride, on the quiet roads of North Fryeburg and Chatham. I will not be able to join in this Thursday - I am hiking with my 1st cousins, once removed.
Meet at the corner of South Chatham Road and Route 113 in North Fryeburg, alongside the park next to the Saco Valley Fire Station. As you already know, please do not block the fire station parking area. Park head-in alongside the park to allow for many cars to fit in, or park parallel, off the road, along South Chatham Road or Rt 113.
The last quarter mile up to The Basin is a dirt road, and I am not sure of its condition at this point of the season. If it is a wash out, you may want to just use the campground at the entrance as your lunch spot. There are picnic tables, porta-potty and water pump in the campground. There is another campground with water and porta potties up at The Basin.
The starting time, ready-to-ride will be 9:00 am.
If you do the ride starting south on 113 and take a left on Fish St and left on MacNeil, it will be a 28 mile ride.
Want more miles?? If you continue past Fish down to Cornshop and hang a left there and ride out to Rt 5 and take a left on Fish St, your total will be 33 miles. If you start earlier at Weston's Beach you get 44 miles.
Carpoolers from the Bartlett/Jackson area -- meet at Grants parking lot at 8:15.
Also - in case you enjoy the downhill better than the uphill -- Joan Kelly is aranging a deal at Bretton Woods for their lift assisted mountain bike riding. She will get a discount for the Tuesday Fattire Crusiers gorup, next Tuesday, Aug 23rd, if she gets 12 people or more. She almost has enough...
Bring your own mountain bike or rent one there.
Contact her at chumley@earthlink.net for more info
See you there!!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
The Snowville Loop 9:00 am
There is only a slight chance of a shower early on Thursday morning, but I think it should be OK for a ride -- look out your window before heading out. I will not be able to ride with the group this Thursday as I am away, but this is such a familiar ride to most of you that I am sure there will be plenty of leaders to help any newbies along!!
To avoid the traffic in Conway Village and some road work on the northern end of Route 153, meet at the riverside park, on the right, just past the police station on East Conway Road. Drive down the entrance road to the parking and picnic area on the Saco River.
The ride goes back out to East Conway Road, then go left to the stop sign, take a left onto Route 302, cross the Saco River, take a left at the lights to head towards Center Conway, then take a right onto 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...
The reward is then a great ride to Crystal Lake. You may be able to picnic there, but since most of us are not Eaton residents they may not let us hoodlums enter. Try the picnic tables located in the pines on the lake a short distance down 153 on the left, before the Eaton Store.
Return by Route 153 to Stark Road (right turn at a four corners. This is a nice riding road that cuts out half of route 153 and avoids Conway Village lights and traffic). When you come to 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 you go left. Take the right back onto East Conway Road and right again after the police station into the park. Take a dip in the river if you like!
Distance = 25 miles
Ready to Ride at 9:00 am!
Here is a map of the ride!
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/21252684
There is only a slight chance of a shower early on Thursday morning, but I think it should be OK for a ride -- look out your window before heading out. I will not be able to ride with the group this Thursday as I am away, but this is such a familiar ride to most of you that I am sure there will be plenty of leaders to help any newbies along!!
To avoid the traffic in Conway Village and some road work on the northern end of Route 153, meet at the riverside park, on the right, just past the police station on East Conway Road. Drive down the entrance road to the parking and picnic area on the Saco River.
The ride goes back out to East Conway Road, then go left to the stop sign, take a left onto Route 302, cross the Saco River, take a left at the lights to head towards Center Conway, then take a right onto 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...
The reward is then a great ride to Crystal Lake. You may be able to picnic there, but since most of us are not Eaton residents they may not let us hoodlums enter. Try the picnic tables located in the pines on the lake a short distance down 153 on the left, before the Eaton Store.
Return by Route 153 to Stark Road (right turn at a four corners. This is a nice riding road that cuts out half of route 153 and avoids Conway Village lights and traffic). When you come to 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 you go left. Take the right back onto East Conway Road and right again after the police station into the park. Take a dip in the river if you like!
Distance = 25 miles
Ready to Ride at 9:00 am!
Here is a map of the ride!
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/21252684
Friday, July 29, 2011
Steve Swensen's Ride to Hiram and Cornish
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Steve Swensen will host the ride for this first Thursday of August. 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.
Steve's lake 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.
Here is a map:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/43730404
Steve Swensen will host the ride for this first Thursday of August. 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.
Steve's lake 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.
Here is a map:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/43730404
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Don't Yank the Crank
Thursday, July 28th, 2011
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!
See map link at the bottom of this post...
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."
Here is a map of the ride: (I will bring maps for everyone)
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/22002290
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!
See map link at the bottom of this post...
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."
Here is a map of the ride: (I will bring maps for everyone)
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/22002290
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Brownfield-Hiram Loop
Thursday July 21, 2011
Dave and Connie Kinsman have offered to host a ride. This will be new ride for ThursdayBike, and I think it will be new favorite!
Here is the ride description from Dave and Connie:
"Here is the ride we planned for Thursday. It's not too long because it sounds like the day will turn hot.
We will meet at the Community Center, formerly Brownfield School on Main Street in Brownfield (we always ride past it on our extended Brownfield ride) at 9:00am.
Turn right from the school and ride up Main Street to Route 113. Cross 113 onto Route 160 north. Follow 160 to the monument in Denmark. Turn right onto Route 117 south. Stop at the Hiram Store in Hiram village.
Continue to Route 113. Turn right and ride about 2 1/2 miles up 113 to Notch Road. There is a small shoulder along this stretch. Turn left on Notch Road and follow it about 6 1/2 miles to the end. Turn right on 160 north back into Brownfield. Turn right at the park to return to the school. This ride should be about about 34 miles."
David and Connie will try to be there early to direct parking. David will lead the ride and Connie will sweep.
Here is a link to a map :
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/42272870
Dave and Connie Kinsman have offered to host a ride. This will be new ride for ThursdayBike, and I think it will be new favorite!
Here is the ride description from Dave and Connie:
"Here is the ride we planned for Thursday. It's not too long because it sounds like the day will turn hot.
We will meet at the Community Center, formerly Brownfield School on Main Street in Brownfield (we always ride past it on our extended Brownfield ride) at 9:00am.
Turn right from the school and ride up Main Street to Route 113. Cross 113 onto Route 160 north. Follow 160 to the monument in Denmark. Turn right onto Route 117 south. Stop at the Hiram Store in Hiram village.
Continue to Route 113. Turn right and ride about 2 1/2 miles up 113 to Notch Road. There is a small shoulder along this stretch. Turn left on Notch Road and follow it about 6 1/2 miles to the end. Turn right on 160 north back into Brownfield. Turn right at the park to return to the school. This ride should be about about 34 miles."
David and Connie will try to be there early to direct parking. David will lead the ride and Connie will sweep.
Here is a link to a map :
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/42272870
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
