Lebanon to Hanover and Back

This morning it was forecast to be cloudy and warmish with the clouds eventually breaking and a high of 74 F. So I felt it would be a good day to get a ride in. Guess what? The weathermen got it way wrong. Not only was it a bit chilly, the clouds never really broke and the wind was howling at around 40 miles per hour if I had to guess.

Lucky for me it was all downhill and that ferocious wind was at my back for the ride into Hanover. I had planned to try getting some cool shots of some older buildings in town or on campus and grab some shots of a couple sculptures.

Statue at #dartmouth

A photo posted by dudeonabike (@datdudeonabike) on Oct 18, 2016 at 9:27am PDT

I got one ho hum shot of an older library and a couple sculptures, but, not nearly as many as I had hoped. One of the pieces I had planned on shooting is in the middle of what is now a major construction project. But as we often have to, I adapted and overcame. In the end I got a few miles in and a couple of decent shots, still not getting as good of results as i would like, but I guess it will come with more practice.

On the way home I was treated to going uphill from Hanover to Lebanon on 120 back into that same brutal wind. But I made it, and it wasn't all that bad.

Tomorrow I plan on getting out again, riding more miles, and taking more photos of even better quality. Hopefully the weather guys get it right, because its supposed to be a great day as far as the weather is concerned. Will try and report back tomorrow with a ride report and some fresh photos.

Sculpture in Hanover, NH

Mount Cardigan State Park

Well today was another beautiful New Hampshire day filled with fun and adventure. I rose out of bed this morning to the now familiar sight of fog blanketing the upper valley. Therefore I was in no particular rush while getting a brew started in the french press, as I do pretty much every morning. Once coffee is ready then comes my daily check of the morning news, which is usually depressing. Then I check the weather. Today was forecast to be seventy-four and sunny! My mom had asked me to try and get her some good shots of the fall foliage. So as I started planning my day I wanted to obviously incorporate a bike ride somewhere scenic and with a view of fall foliage.

A few days ago I had googled the best hikes with a view in New Hampshire. Turns out one of the top-rated hikes is right down the road from us. Initially the thought was possibly drive up to the Mount Cardigan State Forest and hike to the top to take some photos, then come home and go for a bike ride. But while googling directions to the trailhead it showed up as being in Canaan. "Well hell, Cannan is on the Northern Rail Trail and the state forest is not far from where the rail trail passes through Canaan." I thought to myself.

And with this "plan" my body was put into perpetual motion for the entirety of the day. First comes the clothes, then the water bottles, camera, and then a packed lunch. Once all the boxes are checked we're ready for takeoff. The Trek 520 (Tank) and I were off under clearing skies and bombing the rail trail in no time flat. As the skies cleared the temperature started to warm up nicely, but not really too warm. Sure I was sweating at times, but when I got rolling down a hill in the shade it was definitely cool. Perfect cycling weather, really. As Tank and I glided down the trail I would stop periodically to take some photos trying to get the hang of my camera. Most of the shots were kind of ho-hum, or just plain terrible. But some were kind of cool, and I think I will eventually get much better.

The fall foliage is in full effect all around here too. So much so that I found myself occasionally getting a little closer to the edge of the trail than I usually prefer. The last couple of days have been kind of grey and cooler. Today was probably the last little taste of summer we are going to have around these parts. I'm told the Mascoma River is really low this year, but it still is pretty, I can't wait to see how pretty it is when its full.

Once again the trail was mostly quiet. There was the occasional fellow cyclist or dog walkers, but sometimes there would be no one for a few miles straight. Honestly, I prefer it that way as opposed to weekends and holidays. I do, however, wish my girlfriend would have been with me today. Unfortunately she has a real, grown-up kind of job. So today it was just trusty Tank and the bright foliage to keep me company.

Eventually I rolled through Canaan and hopped off the trail and onto the roads toward Mount Cardigan (it was easy, just followed the signs) I knew it would be a brutal climb to reach the summit, but challenges are good so the pedals kept turning. And then, there it was, it was off in the distance, but it stood there dominating the skyline  and daring me to take it on.

But take it on I did. I rode twenty miles to the state park. Well actually there was some pushing of the bike at the very end. But after riding a bicycle there, I then proceeded to show this bald mountain who was boss and hiked to the summit. The hike was no less challenging than the bike ride to the parking lot. It was a real smoker, but making it to the top was very rewarding. My photos do it absolutely no justice at all. Believe me when I say it, it was beautiful up there on the peak of Mount Cardigan soaking up all the fall colors.

Enfield Ramble...Almost

The Enfield Ramble is a short and scenic ride from the Road Biking Northern New England book. It's only about 10 miles long following the book's route. We live pretty close to Enfield so we can ride to the start and increase it to 25 miles. My better half completed it last week on her own. I've been meaning to get out and complete the same ride for a couple weeks. Yesterday was to be the day that I checked it off my list of rides to do. I almost got it done too. But there was some road construction going on along Shaker Hill Road which caused me to miss a turn. No worries though, I found the ride a long the length of Shaker Hill Road to be quite enjoyable.

I managed to find some time to mess around with my camera a bit more too. When I stopped for a snack at the bench on the banks of Mascoma Lake along the rail trail I was treated to a group of ducks feeding along with a heron. The ducks were making a lot of noise which made them impossible to miss.

I finally got around to having the trusty Trek 520 tuned up this week. I have to say I'm very glad I did. The bike is performing even better than when new. It's good to have a decent local bike shop around. My 520 was bought back in May and has well over one thousand miles on it. The headset was loose, spokes were loose, and shifting became a bit sloppy. Check Omer and Bob's in Lebanon if you're in need of anything bike related, they should be able to sort you out.

Even though I did not get the Enfield Ramble checked off my list yesterday, I still greatly enjoyed the day cruising through scenic Enfield and Shaker Village. The foliage is really starting to turn colors now which makes for another excuse to get your ass out and go for a ride.

The mornings can be quite cool and foggy. I usually wait for it to warm it a little and the fog to clear. The downside of this though, is that by the time I get going its almost lunch, then after a decent ride, it doesn't leave much time to prep and cook dinner for my lovely lady before she gets home. But so far I've been managing.

Franconia Notch State Park Bike Path

My lovely girlfriend found this absolutely amazing section of bike path while perusing the Road Biking Northern New England book she got me for my birthday. It was a little over an hour drive from where we live, but it was a gorgeous day for a drive through the mountains. The fall foliage is just starting to show up which made the views during the drive that much more spectacular. Neither of us had been to Franconia Notch yet, so this was a new adventure for the two of us to enjoy for the first time.

The bike path is 8.8 miles long and is paved doubletrack. We went on a Friday, and with it being after Labor Day, there weren't too many other walkers, joggers, or cyclists on the path. Indeed, at times it felt like we had the trail to ourselves. The trail has some moderately sttep climbs and descents which make it a heck of a fun ride. I really enjoyed some of the descents where I may or mayI think I read somewhere the trail was built because cyclists are not allowed on I-93 and there are no other secondary roads to take in order to get through the notch. It's so narrow that Highway 3 and I-93 actually merge and become one through the notch.

Starting at the Flume Gorge Visitor Center Parking Lot and heading North, the path is generally taking you uphill. We couldn't have planned this any better in my book. I prefer to do the climbing (or wind fighting) ont he way out in an out-and-back ride. Then you get to relax on the way back. The trail takes you through some very scenic parts of Franconia Notch. One of the highlights for us though was definitely the Governor Gallen Memorial. Here you are treated to some magnificent views of Mount Lafayette on one side and down over I-93 you get a different view of the mountains to the northeast. This was also a great spot to stop and have a snack or two.

The path also takes you right along Echo Lake which is very scenic. We thought about stopping by the Old Man of the Mountain, but since the profile has fallen off, it doesn't seem as cool to me. There are pictures of it before the collapse online as well as at the site. The old man fell down on May 3, 2003. I really wish I could have seen him perched high above Profile Lake, where he sat for millions of years, but such is life. the public did not want anyone to recreate the old man so now its just a cliff, but still quite pretty.

Another point of interest along the bike path is the Basin. We didn't really stop here, but I'm told there is some cool rock formations and cascades around The Basin that are worth the extra walking. The first several miles after leaving the visitor parking lot, the trail stays pretty close to the Pemigewasset River. This provides you with plenty of little spots to stop and view the crystal clear river. Many of them have some cascades as well which are very pretty and make great photo subjects.

We made it back safely to the Flume Gorge Visitor Parking lot after what seemed like an all downhill ride back south. We were tempted to do the two mile hike to check out the gorge. But didn't really feel like paying to do so, and by this time we were both thinking about where we might stop on the way home for food. Usually we try and find some good local spots on Yelp. This time though we ended up stopping at an Applebees. Tell you what though, it was pretty damn good after our almost nineteen mile ride through the mountains.

Plymouth Ramble

My birthday was last week, and as much as I hate growing older, I do enjoy getting presents. This year I was given a couple great books highlighting some really cool rides in New England. The other day we decided to check out one of the rides from the book Road Biking Northern New England by Sandy Duling. It is a guide to the greatest bike rides in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. I have to tell you, the rides in Maine look truly exceptional. I'm hoping to get one or two done before the cold weather sets in.

We chose the Plymouth Ramble for our first ride together from the book. My girlfriend did the Enfield Ramble last weekend which is another more local ride from the same book. I still need to go check that one out too. We headed out to Plymouth kind of later in the day than we typically do when taking off on our little adventures. But we had some engagements in the morning and then needed to fuel our bodies for the almost 25 mile bike ride we would be doing. So we arrived at Rhino Bike Works in Plymouth around one-thirty or so.

The book's author describes the ride as having gently rolling terrain. This is mostly true, but there are a couple steep ascents and descents, after all, this is New Hampshire. She also describes the shoulders of the road as ranging from minimal to spacious. This is also mostly true. Luckily the route does take secondary roads and traffic was pretty light. If you are new to road cycling parts of this ride may be a little sketchy, so be careful.

The route is pretty easy to follow. Basically starting at the Rhino Bike Works and heading north on 3 for a little over eleven miles, then making a right over the Pemigewasset River. The river crossing here is really pretty. Make a right onto 175 toward  and through Campton. Remain on 175 southward to Blair Road and make a right. There is a nice little downhill section down Blair Road to what may be the highlight of the ride, the Blair Bridge. This old bridge is the largest covered/wooden bridge I have seen so far. After crossing the river, make a left on 3 and head back to the bike shop to finish the ride. Or keep going its up to you.

Personally, I think I will go knock out the Enfield Ramble. I can't let my girlfriend complete more of these rides than me.

Birthday Bike Ride - Hampton Beach

The day before my birthday we headed out for another gorgeous New Hampshire bike ride. This time we went to the coast and road from Hampton Beach up to Odiorne State Park via the 1A. There and back totals nearly thirty miles making it a good ride for us as we can shoot down to the coast, ride and get back to our part of the state at a reasonable time. The ride along the 1A is pretty amazing as far as the scenery goes. Most of the road offers a pretty good shoulder. There are some spots where it gets a little tight, but the speed limit is usually low and drivers are generally courteous this time of year.

Post-Labor day, and being a weekday I was surprised at the number of people visiting the beach. There was still plenty of parking though, so it was no big deal. The beach here is very wide and the waters are really clear. There was ample room to toss a Frisbee, football, or even fly a drone.

The weather was fabulous, maybe a touch on the warm side, but otherwise great. Most days since I've moved to New Hampshire have been really nice up to this point. I'm sure that will change in the near future, which is why we have been trying to take advantage of what's left of the nice weather. I wonder if my blog will get updated more frequently when old man winter arrives. 

For this ride there is not much climbing, so I broke out the trusty Scrambler fixed gear, which does not see much use where I live in the mountains. It was nice to ride fixed again mostly effortlessly gliding along the scenic coast with my best friend. 

We rode the almost fifteen miles to Odiorne Point State Park. We had a small picnic in this park which has some interesting history. Initially the land was the summer home of native Americans. Later colonists made it their home. Then in 1942 the government bought all the land and used it as a coastal defense in world war two. The evidence of this is all around if you look closely. The park is a great place to stop and refuel and really take in the great views.

We turned around and made our way back along the scenic coast to Hampton Beach. Here we took a nice stroll and looked at all the closed shops and stores. They really close the place down after Labor Day. We did find a restaurant that was open and had a great view of the beach from their rooftop deck seating, the Sea Ketch. Here we enjoyed a well earned and tasty lunch. Of course after our great meals of lobster roll and fried oysters, it was time to head back to the mountains. 

NBD Part Deux - Lebanon to Lyme

Today was another glorious day for cycling through the New Hampshire countryside. So far all the riding I have been able to do has been absolutely amazing. But today was even more amazing as I had the rare treat of the company of an amazing woman. Last night and this morning we were thinking about where to head off for a nice ride today. We considered a couple options, the Northern Rail Trail, the Upper Valley Trails Loop, etc, but then we decided on Lebanon to Lyme. I did most of the same ride a few days ago and was blown away by the fun I had on some of the climbs and descents in between Hanover and Lyme on NH route 10. So we decided on that route with the only real plan being to ride to Lyme. I missed the turn off on E Thetford Rd the last time I came through and was looking forward to at least identifying it for future rides.

Man my girl can really fly on her new bike. I'm so used to being waaaay ahead, it is really great to turn back and see her right on my wheel sometimes even when I've been mashing it pretty good. At one point I saw someone gaining on us just outside of Hanover. I don't think either of us particularly enjoys getting smoked by some senior citizen (and there's plenty of badass ones around these parts) so I hammered down. Just as sure as ice cream melts in the sun, there's my beautiful lady right behind me at the bottom of a pretty fast descent. The pursuing cyclist was not in sight.

After making it to Lyme we stopped at the church/old cemetery for a quick drink of water and then turned back toward E Thetford Rd. I wasn't really planning on exploring it, but while we were stopped we looked at google maps and decided we could take E Thetford Rd to River Rd and then take that back out to route 10 to return to Hanover and finally to Lebanon. So we mounted up and we were off once again with nothing but new roads and new adventures ahead.

Sometimes I like not having a solid plan or at least being flexible with my plans and in doing so, often times the unexpected detours are a real treat. Today was one such unexpected detour that just couldn't have been any better. Route 10 between Hanover and Lyme is not bad riding whatsoever, but there are sometimes a lot of cars moving pretty quick. So when we detoured down E Thetford Rd things started getting quieter real quick. We even saw the cows we had been smelling since we rolled into Lyme. there was some light traffic on E Thetford Road, but we quickly made our way to River Rd and hung the sharp left at the bottom of a hill to access it.

I was a little worried when we did turn left onto River Rd because there was a sign saying "Road Closed .10 mile" I thought to myself though, "Heck, it's only a tenth of a mile and I'm on a bike that has been through closed roads before." Sure enough about a tenth of a mile into the road it is indeed closed to vehicular traffic by some large concrete barricades. I'm not really sure why it is closed, because the road actually seemed fine. There was ample space between the barricades to fit a bike through, so we continued right along. River Rd is almost a cycling utopia due to the very light traffic, the rolling hills, the great scenery, and well, you get the idea.

There were some hills but they seemed much more rolling than the ones we either toiled up or screamed down on route 10 on the way to Lyme. Some of the houses along the river are just amazing. There are some frequent great views of the river and the mountains surrounding it during the ride along River Rd. Some places are very peaceful and quiet. We even stopped for a few minutes right on the side of the road for a quick Rip Van Waffle and photos of the river. A few miles later we even saw a deer. It was as though it wasn't even afraid of us. I stopped and tried to get my camera out, but as soon as I did it fled away into the cover of the woods.

At the end of River Rd there is a pretty good climb back up to route 10. We hooked a right and climbed and cruised our way back to Hanover. Then was the part both of us weren't too keen on...the climb back to Lebanon. It wasn't too bad though and we dispatched the climb without too much difficulty. It was a little warm out, but I'm not complaining because I have an idea we're in for the coldest winter of both of our lives this year. So we better enjoy the warmth while its here. But I have no doubt we're truly going to enjoy and make the most of what New Hampshire has to offer.

New Hampshire - Great Place for Biking

A couple of weeks ago I relocated to the granite state - New Hampshire. While I will certainly miss the great riding I did while living in North Carolina, I'm finding New Hampshire to be very accommodating to the avid cyclist. There are some great country roads out here and even a really long rail trail. So far the weather has been perfect, but I realize that will change. It is much more hilly here in the mountains than where I was in North Carolina.

I have only rode my fixed gear one time since moving here, and that was at the beach. I will miss riding my fixed gear around Raleigh with the great friends I have there. But my trusty Trek 520 is getting the job done without any trouble so far. I've already done a century on the rail trail, a shorter ride on the trail, a beach ride with my lovely gal, and completed the upper valley trails loop.

It's exciting to find yourself in a brand new place with new rides and routes to enjoy. The scenic mountains, rivers, and lakes don't hurt either. I'll try to document the best rides and routes I find here in future posts, so check back soon.

Grafton Rail Trail - Mascoma Lake Fog

Another cool thing about the northeast is that several states can be reached in a relatively short drive. So it will be nice to check a few more states off the list of states I've rode in. I typically work on weekends so I get to go for rides when no one else is out. It is kind of nice because you have less traffic on the roads, less cyclists on trails, and parks tend to be empty.

Kilowatt Park - Hartford, VT

Check back later for more posts detailing some great rides in New Hampshire and other places.