sddinnh
New member
We who live in New Hampshire, and Northern New England in general, are blessed with an abundance of great bike roads. I am also blessed because for the past two years, I have been able to take Fridays off from May thru September. That means I can take advantage of those great roads on days when the tourist traffic is at a minimum.
This morning, I headed out and turned left out of the driveway. Tens hours later, after having passed thru three states, 350 miles, and passing thru four mountain notches (gaps to those of you who live farther South), I turned right into my driveway and turned off the engine. Another great day on the R1200RT.
My travels took me across Rte 202 to Rochester and then North, up Rte 16 for a breakfast stop in Ossipee NH. From there, I continued North up Route 16 and passed thru Pinkham Notch (just below Mt. Washington) and down into the town of Gorham NH.
Pinkham Notch & Mount Washington
At Gorham NH, I decided to take a little "jog" and so I left Rte 16 and turned onto Rte 2 East over to Bethel Maine. I was a little chargrined to find that sections of Rte 2 between Gorham and Bethel were under constuction, so there were some short sections of dirt, but I was committed by then.
At Bethel, I picked up Rte 26 North up thru Grafton Notch for a stop at lake Umbagog and then proceeded down into Errol NH.
Grafton Notch
Lake Umbagog
At Errol, I continued on Rte 26 thru Dixville Notch. I couldn't help but stop and take the obligitory photo of the bike in front of the Balsams Hotel which was started in Dixville just after the Civil War as the Dix House. It was added onto and renamed in 1895 to the Balsams. It must have been a heck of a place to get to in the late 1800's by horse and buggy.
The Balsams
From Dixville, I followed Rte 26 down into Colebrook NH and then crossed the Connecticut River into Vermont. I turned South on Rte 102 and followed the river down to where Rte 102 joined Rte 2 and took me back into Lancaster NH. At Lancaster, I turned South onto Rte 3 and proceeded down thru Whitefield NH and then down into Twin Mountains.
The Connecticut River
I made Twin Mountains in time for a stop at Monroe's Diner for one of their great 3 egg omlettes. They're only open until 2:00 PM, but they serve breakfast from the time they open at 6:00 Am until they close. So after a great brunch, I headed on down Rte 3 and proceed South thru Franconia Notch.
Franconia Notch
Just South of Woodstock NH, I turned onto Rte 175 South. This is a gem of a road that parrelles the busier Rte 3 which lies on the opposite side of the river. Rte 175 took me South to intersect Rte 3 again just South of Ashland NH. I followed Rte 3 South again to Rte 25, where I turned West toward Moultonboro. At Moultonboro, I turned South on Rte 109 and went down the backside of Lake Winnipesaukee so I could stop for an ice cream by the lake.
Lake Winnipesaukee
I picked up Rte 28 in Wolfboro and followed it South until I hit Rte 4 and was on the home stretch. A few miles on Rte 4 and I was home. The back roads up here are still showing signs of last winter (frost heaves), but all in all, it was still another great day on the backroads of Northern New England.
This morning, I headed out and turned left out of the driveway. Tens hours later, after having passed thru three states, 350 miles, and passing thru four mountain notches (gaps to those of you who live farther South), I turned right into my driveway and turned off the engine. Another great day on the R1200RT.
My travels took me across Rte 202 to Rochester and then North, up Rte 16 for a breakfast stop in Ossipee NH. From there, I continued North up Route 16 and passed thru Pinkham Notch (just below Mt. Washington) and down into the town of Gorham NH.
Pinkham Notch & Mount Washington
At Gorham NH, I decided to take a little "jog" and so I left Rte 16 and turned onto Rte 2 East over to Bethel Maine. I was a little chargrined to find that sections of Rte 2 between Gorham and Bethel were under constuction, so there were some short sections of dirt, but I was committed by then.
At Bethel, I picked up Rte 26 North up thru Grafton Notch for a stop at lake Umbagog and then proceeded down into Errol NH.
Grafton Notch
Lake Umbagog
At Errol, I continued on Rte 26 thru Dixville Notch. I couldn't help but stop and take the obligitory photo of the bike in front of the Balsams Hotel which was started in Dixville just after the Civil War as the Dix House. It was added onto and renamed in 1895 to the Balsams. It must have been a heck of a place to get to in the late 1800's by horse and buggy.
The Balsams
From Dixville, I followed Rte 26 down into Colebrook NH and then crossed the Connecticut River into Vermont. I turned South on Rte 102 and followed the river down to where Rte 102 joined Rte 2 and took me back into Lancaster NH. At Lancaster, I turned South onto Rte 3 and proceeded down thru Whitefield NH and then down into Twin Mountains.
The Connecticut River
I made Twin Mountains in time for a stop at Monroe's Diner for one of their great 3 egg omlettes. They're only open until 2:00 PM, but they serve breakfast from the time they open at 6:00 Am until they close. So after a great brunch, I headed on down Rte 3 and proceed South thru Franconia Notch.
Franconia Notch
Just South of Woodstock NH, I turned onto Rte 175 South. This is a gem of a road that parrelles the busier Rte 3 which lies on the opposite side of the river. Rte 175 took me South to intersect Rte 3 again just South of Ashland NH. I followed Rte 3 South again to Rte 25, where I turned West toward Moultonboro. At Moultonboro, I turned South on Rte 109 and went down the backside of Lake Winnipesaukee so I could stop for an ice cream by the lake.
Lake Winnipesaukee
I picked up Rte 28 in Wolfboro and followed it South until I hit Rte 4 and was on the home stretch. A few miles on Rte 4 and I was home. The back roads up here are still showing signs of last winter (frost heaves), but all in all, it was still another great day on the backroads of Northern New England.
