A
June 2006
When we began p
Joyce &
Shipping the Bike
We borrowed a tandem case from GABA, our local bicycle club, and, after checking out all of our options, found that shipping it via ground with DHL would be the least expensive and most hassle-free choice. We were a little nervous and so we purchased extra insurance in the hopes that they would take extra care... an option no airline will give you.
DHL estimated 7 days to ship via ground from Tucson, AZ to South Hadley, MA
– it took 2. When we opened up the case, we were relieved to find the only thing
wrong with the bike was a slightly bent small chain ring We could have clobbered
it ourselves while packing packing... the bike case was unscathed. We could
ride it, but p
We arranged a pick-up with DHL and shipped the empty case and tools to Joyce’s
parents’ house, where we p
We were quite happy with DHL and enjoyed not having to lug the huge case around
an airport. We p
Biking Around New England
For the most part our route was beautiful, historic, and motorists were fantastic. But VT was by far the most welcoming to cyclists. NH was pretty, but shoulders were narrower and roads rougher. The ME roads (with the exception of the coastal road) were treacherous for bikes - winter frost heaves destroy the shoulders leaving behind big potholes and deep crevaces. Fortunately, ME drivers seem aware of this and give cyclists a WIDE berth. We only rode ~50 miles in MA so can't comment much on it.
Day 1 –
Mileage: 53
Terrain: The shoulder was not great, but traffic was light and motorists very friendly. Rolling hills.
Weather: Clear, low wind and about 80 degrees.
Click here for map and directions.
The Views
The Ride
Around
We were happy with this decision as the traffic was fairly light and the scenery nice. There were many historic homes from the 1700 and 1800’s. The drivers were courteous and locals waved from their yards.
We crossed into
The
Our first stop was the Wheel Good Bike Shop to see about fixing our small chain ring. Being a Sunday, the mechanic was not working, but we were invited to use their shop and tools to try to fix it ourselves. We appreciated the generous offer and Paul had it fixed in no time.
As the next day was Memorial Day, we hoped for come celebratory activities,
but nothing was going on and many stores and businesses were closed. We took
the ‘history walk’ suggested by the local tourist office to explore the town.
Lodging & Food
We spent 2 nights in
The next day, we ate at
While we did not have any memorable meals downtown, we did enjoy Mocha Joe’s Coffee Shop (http://www.mochajoes.com/cafe.html). Good beans, fresh roast, nice atmosphere, and lots of hippies.
In Hindsight…
---we would have stopped more often to take photos and enjoy the scenery.
…we would not have spent 2 nights in
Day 2 –
Mileage: 46
Terrain: Lots of steep, rolling hills. On the busier roads, the shoulder was wide and clean. On the quieter roads, the shoulder was much smaller and the road often crumbled at the edges. Once again, the drivers were extremely courteous.
Weather: In the 80’s. Lots of sun with rain in the evening.
Click here for map and directions.
The Views
The Ride
This was one of our favorite days of the trip. We took our time and stopped often to enjoy the moment and take photos. Early in the day, we realized MapQuest had given us wrong directions. We went over a few, ultra hilly, extra miles to get back on track, but it could have been worse.
When we got to the
Our second stop was at a roadside market to browse their cheese and fresh produce,
and buy a few apples to munch on. Later we visited the Grafton Cheese Factory.
They didn’t serve meals, and so we purchased apple chutney and 4-year aged cheddar
at the factory and made our own. We also
tried maple-f
Shortly afterward, we hit the town of
Today, we saw our first wildlife of the trip – a moose galloping through a field and turtles in a pond on the side of the road. Very cool!
The
With all of our stops, we had taken a good portion of the day to get to
Lodging & Food
We stayed the night at the Hartness House (www.hartnesshouse.com/). It’s a nice inn, although the rooms are not all that special. What made it a great stay was the inn’s history (see website). Before we left in the morning, we were given a tour of the underground passageways and the telescope, which was a treat.
The staff seemed a bit leery of us in our grungy bike clothes, but they were nice enough and showed us a few covered spots where we could lock our bike.
We decided to leave the inn and walk to dinner to stretch our legs. Bad move. The only open restaurant we found within walking distance was an awful Chinese restaurant. Joyce was starving and the meal was very unsatisfying.
We walked back to the Hartness House in the rain and headed into the dining room for drinks and dessert, both of which were excellent. The atmosphere was nice and the service was friendly. The full breakfast included in our stay was also fabulous.
In Hindsight…
---we would have stayed at The Hartness House for dinner.
Day 3 –
Mileage: 65 miles
Terrain:
Weather: Cool and overcast in the morning, with a sunny afternoon.
Click here for map and directions.
The Views
The Ride
This was the least interesting riding day of the trip and our first experience
riding in a city –
We stopped in
Lodging & Food
We stayed the night at the Silver Maple Lodge (www.silvermaplelodge.com) which has a main house and a collection of little cottages. Scott, the owner, was quite friendly and made us feel welcome. We choose to stay in a cottage, which was quaint and came with a small refrigerator and microwave.
We were disappointed in two aspects of our stay. Firstly, we were located about 50 yards from an interstate highway. As you might imagine, this was not advertised on the website and it definitely took something away from the experience. Secondly, they advertised a continental breakfast with home baked breads or rolls. Well, there were cinnamon rolls, but we had a sneaking suspicion that they had been taken out of their packaging that morning and heated in the oven.
None of the nearby restaurants looked particu
In Hindsight…
---we would have stayed on the
…we would not have stayed at the Silver Maple Lodge.
Day 4 –
Mileage: 45
Terrain:
Weather: A nice overcast day with rain in the evening.
Click here for map and directions.
The Views
The Ride
We crossed back over the river into
They told us about their farm and their rare breed of cows (Milking Devons)
while they picked fresh asparagus for us to take on our ride. Joyce got her
dog fix p
We said our goodbyes and only made it a few miles down the road when we ran into bike trouble. We spent about 30 minutes making repairs…okay, Paul did all the repairs, but Joyce did find the washer that had fallen off of the bike!
We hit the road again and enjoyed some beautiful scenery before stopping in
The
After checking in at our hotel, we headed straight to the Littleton Bike Shop (http://www.littletonbike.com/) to see about having our chain cleaned and tires pumped. They were short-staffed with a full load of work already, and so they did not have time to help us. However, we were invited to use their pump, as well as their hose and brush, to do the work on our own. Everyone was so friendly and really interested in hearing about our ride.
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around this neat little town. They have a working mill and lots of specialty shops, including Chutters, home of the world’s longest candy counter. Yes, they are in the Guinness Book of World Records!
Lodging & Food
We were very happy with our choice of lodging – the historic Thayer’s
We had dinner at Crustaceans, a seafood restaurant on the lower level of Thayer’s and really enjoyed our meal. They had excellent margaritas and chowder, and the waitress was friendly in a casual way –no stuffiness here!
Another great find was The Healthy Rhino, a natural food store that carries
freshly-baked, gluten-free muffins and whoopee pies. We don’t have whoopie pies
in
Thayer’s does not offer breakfast in the off-season and so we just had cereal and milk in our room.
In Hindsight…
---we would have done it all over again. This was a great ride and a great day!
Day 5 –
Mileage: 47
Terrain: Rolling hills with a long downhill past Crawford Notch.
Weather: Overcast and a bit cool.
Click here for map and directions.
The Views
The Ride
The folks at the Littleton Bike Shop had warned us of the 10 miles of uphill
ahead of us before an enjoyable 20 mile descent. We kept waiting for the climb
to begin, but found the terrain simi
It was beautiful riding through the mountains and there were some amazing waterfalls near the Notch. The descent was steep at times and I was thankful it wasn’t raining, which would have made the ride treacherous.
The miles went by quickly and we didn’t stop much as we were meeting family
in
The
We are familiar with
Lodging & Food
Tonight’s lodging was great and the price was right (thanks Dad & Penny!). If you’re looking to rent a condo anytime other than ski season, you can check it out at http://www.selectrealestate.com/ (click on RENT, then select "Stavro" in the pulldown).
We got dinner to go at Chef’s Market which we highly recommend. You can eat
in or take the prepared food home with heating instructions. In addition to
the fabulous food, we loved that the owner’s dog,
In Hindsight…
---once again, nothing to change here. The route was great!
Day 6 –
Mileage: 70
Terrain: More hills! Treacherous potholes.
Weather: In the 50’s, heavy relentless rain and headwinds…absolutely miserable!
Click here for map and directions.
The Views
The Ride
Joyce tried to be upbeat as they waved goodbye to Becky, Jon and Hannah and set out into the cold and rain, but she had a feeling it was going to be a long, unpleasant day. As it turned out, it was so much worse than she ever could have imagined. By the day’s end, even Paul admitted that it was the worst day of riding he had experienced in over 20 years of cycling.
We stopped at The Met in downtown
We have no photos from today’s ride as we just wanted to get to our next B&B.
We did stop at Rick’s Cafe in
With about 10 miles to go, Joyce’s spirits lifted – the end was in sight! Of course, as we entered the Auburn/Lewiston area, the hills got bigger…and then, at the top of a steep hill, Paul realized our brakes had become loose in the rain and were not working. He put his foot down and we slowly skidded to a halt. He was able to adjust them and we eventually made it to our destination.
The
We did not leave our B&B, and so have no idea what
Lodging & Food
After the most awful day of the trip, we stayed in the best B&B of the trip - Armand’s Orchard Side Inn (www.armandsorchardsideinn.com). This did brighten our mood. Upon arriving, Tim, the owner, greeted us with towels, allowed us to leave the bike in his garage, and informed us that, as we were his only guests that evening, he had upgraded us to his best room. And what a room it was. With a Jacuzzi tub, walk-in shower, and big bed with a warm comforter, it was absolute heaven.
While we stood in a hot shower trying to warm up, Tim made us hot tea and put
our wet clothes in the dryer. What a guy! Although we were hungry, there was
not a chance in hell that we were going out into the rain again. We ate the
snacks we had with us, and then Tim kindly made a fruit and cheese p
Tim is a chef, and an excellent one at that. For breakfast the next morning, Paul enjoyed a garden omelet, while Joyce had salmon and poached eggs. Both were delicious.
We cannot say enough good things about our stay at Armand’s Orchard Side Inn. Tim was the ultimate host and the inn was beautiful. Our only regrets are that we didn’t have more time to stay and nicer weather to enjoy the area.
In Hindsight…
---we would have brought more rain gear.
Day 7 –
Mileage: 30
Terrain: Will the hills ever end?!?
Weather: A bit more rain and wind, but nothing compared to yesterday.
Click here for map and directions.
The Ride
The rain had stopped by morning…thank goodness. We had p
Originally p
Lodging & Food
We arrived at The Common Table (www.commontable.com/) feeling rather let
down by the views of the trees. Living in the desert, seeing trees would normally
be cause for excitement, but we had just ridden through the White Mountains
of New Hampshire. We were done with trees and ready for the ocean. Over the
phone, the owner of this B&B had assured us, “You’ll be surrounded by water
on three sides – you can’t get much closer to the water!” She turned out to
be an extremely kind woman, but, though I’m sure she didn’t mean to, we felt
she misled us. Had we known about the
The house was cozy and intimate…but a little too much so for our taste. We
had the feeling that we were intruding in someone’s home and sleeping in a little
girl’s room. The host could not have been nicer (she dried our wet clothes and
gave us a ride to dinner), but there was a level of professionalism that was
The host had been nice to put us in touch with a massage therapist who came to the B&B for us. It was magnificent! Joyce went first and then enjoyed tea and home baked oatmeal cookies while Paul enjoyed his massage.
For dinner we visited Este’s Lobster House at the end of the road. This p
In Hindsight…
---we would have skipped Harpswell and stuck with the original p
Day 8 –
Mileage: 55
Terrain: Finally f
Weather: A nice, overcast day with a few brief showers.
Click here for map and directions.
The Views
The Ride
I made the mistake of showing our map to the host in the morning and asking if we were taking the best route. She wrote down a “much better way” for us…which added 6 miles to our route and put us on a busier road. Lesson learned? Don’t ask for cycling directions from people who only ride in cars.
Although we are not shoppers, we were told that we simply had to stop at the
LL Bean Factory Outlet Store. Because so many people insisted, we were quite
excited when we arrived in
The ride was fast and scenic and our legs felt good. We had not p
In
The
We were excited to arrive as family was once again waiting for us. Becky and
Hannah, along with Joyce’s parents, met us in
We were shocked at the number of people actually in the water. Some were in bathing suits, others in jeans and t-shirts. It was probably in the high 50’s and the water must have been freezing!
Lodging & Food
The At
For dinner, we drove to the Cascade Restaurant where we
had lobster (another first for Paul!). Overall, dinner was pretty average.
Later in the evening, we walked down the strip for ge
There was a nice continental breakfast at the inn with fruit sa
In Hindsight…
…we would have p
…we would have skipped LL Bean.
…we would have stayed somep
Day 9 –
Mileage: 80
Terrain: F
Weather: Mostly sunny
Click here for map and directions.
The Views
The Ride
We thought this, our final day, would be 50 miles, but, in our attempts to stay close to the ocean, we added 30 miles to the trip. This was the farthest Joyce had ever biked in one day, but she felt great at the end when we arrived at her parents’ house.
We took some time to walk around
We took a small detour in
It took us a while to get back on track. We were looking for the route 1A bridge to take us into New Hampshire, but we ended up on the route 1 bridge…on which bicycles are not allowed...for good reason. It was a frightening few minutes, but we were able to get off of the freeway fairly quickly and, soon after, found our way back to beautiful 1A.
We followed the ocean all the way down to
In Hindsight…
---we would have taken route 5 from
…we would have had a better route p
