Tour de Gorham

Cancelled due to Rain Out

This Tuesday Bob has graciously agreed to lead the ride.  So I'm posting this ride early with the hope that the weather will cooperate.  Bob will email the group if the weather isn't conducive to a ride.

Tour de Gorham

This perennial favorite is about a 14 mile circumnavigation of Gorham on mostly dirt roads and trails with a bit of paved road thrown in too. Starting by the common in downtown Gorham. We'll cross route 16 and take a residential road to a foot bridge across the Peabody River and get on the pipeline trail. Here there will be a short but very steep hill to walk up with the bikes. And then it's pretty much of a straight shot on the pipeline trail back to Route 2 and North Road.

Next we’ll follow Hogan Road west for about 5 miles on the virtually untraveled north side of the Androscoggin River where there will be awesome views of the river and several power dams. Then we’ll take a left onto the Presidential Rail Trail which will take us to Route 2. Across route 2 is the gravel Gorham Emergency Road which is closed to motorized vehicles except in (you guessed it) emergencies when Route 2 through the center of town is impassable. At the airport we’ll have a choice to continue onto route 16 through the center of Gorham or to get onto the pipeline trail which will take us by the south side of the airport. This portion of the pipeline trail is a bit rough but doable with some bike walking.

Most of this ride will be on pretty flat and smooth trails and roads. The exception is the pipeline trail which has rolling hills and several excellent opportunities to walk the bikes.

Directions: Drive north on route 16 to Gorham. Just before the T intersection with route 2 there will be railroad tracks. Immediately after crossing the tracks turn left onto Railroad Street. Hook a U turn and park on the other side of the road across from the Common.

For those of you who want to carpool meet at The Old Town Hall in Jackson, across the road from the post office at 8:50.

Let's start the ride at 9:30am.

Cancelled

Cancelled.  No one from the group was able to organize this ride.

Fowlers Mill/Chocoura, July 9, 2013

Greetings

Joan left me in charge again, so I have the opportunity for one of my
favorite rides the Fowler's Mill/Chocoura Lake Loop.  It's described
in the blog from May 24, 2009 and also In Marty Basch's White Mountain
Ride Guide.  It's a relatively easy 12 mile ride on dirt roads so it
is suitable for trail bike as well as a mountain bike.  I will try to
add some more distance by including some short out and backs along the
way and to the end by riding along the old sections of route 16 along
the shore if the lake if anybody is interested.

Ride stats at 10 from the the lot on the south end of Chocoura Lake at
the intersection of Fowler's Mill Road (also known as Chocoura Lake
Road and route 16.  Carpool from the back of Grant's in Glen a little
after 9 if anybody is interested

Bob

Precipitation Prognostication

 Ride cancelled.  See you next week

Dam, Dam, Dam, Dam and Hot Dam !

Note: A few weeks ago this ride was scheduled.  But those few brave riders who showed up decided to do a valley ride instead due to iffy weather.  So let's try this one on Tuesday.  I won't be riding this week.  See you in a next time.
 
This favorite route, runs from the Gorham train depot to the Berlin eastern depot. It has a lot of variety, not to mention about five dams. We'll start off in downtown Gorham by the old train station and ride past the airport and then ride a mile through the back woods on the emergency access road which is closed to motorized traffic. After this we will be riding on the eastern end of the presidential rail trail to Berlin on the quiet and beautiful eastern bank of the Androscoggin River.

Along with getting great views of the Androscoggin we'll skirt a gravel pit, go over the very high trestle bridge across route 16 (this is always a thrill), bike by the hydroelectric powerhouse and dam on the canal adjacent to the Androscoggin, view the Cascade Flats complex and dam from the seldom seen east side and visit a waterfall, possibly for a lunch stop. This is probably the most beautiful fat tire cruiser lunch spot.

The changing surface of this pretty flat ride consists of dirt, ballast, gravel and the occasional mud puddle. Depending upon the winter's effect on this trail, there can be a section where the surface gravel can be bumpy. This 17 mile out and back route is appropriate for all abilities. The ride will start at 10:00 on Railroad Street across from the Gorham Town Common.

Carpooling: Meet at the Jackson Historical Society aka the Old Jackson Town Hall, parking lot (across from the post office) at 9:20. 

Directions: Drive north on route 16 to Gorham. Just before the T intersection with route 2 there will be railroad tracks. Immediately after crossing the tracks turn left onto Railroad Street. Hook a U turn and park on the other side of the road across from the Common.

To view a map of this ride click below.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/20611220

Pondicherry - The Lupine Tour

The weather tomorrow looks good and the lupines and other wild flowers are in full bloom.  So let's do one of the very best routes that we have.

We’ll start at the western terminus of The Presidential Range Rail Trail and pedal through almost four miles of The Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge where the views are absolutely magnificent. Then we’ll head for more open vistas on three miles of paved country road and another three plus miles on the dirt Valley Road. When we reach Jefferson Notch Road we will return to Pondicherry on The Rail Trail. In all we’ll cover about 18 miles with breath taking  mountain views and the panoply of wild flower filled fields.

The rail trail has a pretty firm surface and is a combination of dirt, gravel, stone, cinder and ballast. This is a relatively flat route with no major hills. It’s just a wonderful cruise through a beautiful area.

Directions: Take route 302 through Bretton Woods and at the traffic light go right on route 3 for 1.9 miles. Then take another right on route 115. In 4.4 miles Hazen Road will be on your left, take it. In another 1.4 miles you will see a sign on the right saying Presidential Recreation Trail Pondicherry. Go right into the small parking lot. We may have to do some creative parking to fit us all in here.

Carpooling is a must due to the small parking lot at Pondicherry. Meet at 9:00am at the far west end of the Attitash parking lot. Please be ready to ride at 10:00am.

Click here for a map of this ride.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/11313897

Rain Out

Tomorrow's ride is cancelled.