Messages

1

Routes / Re: Green Mtns Loop - beginning to plan this and looking for advise

« on: April 23, 2011, 04:33:12 pm »

Gee, too bad you are not camping.  One of our all time favorite campsites is Lake Carmi State Park.  We had a shelter right on the lake with bald eagles nearby. 

Beth of Liberty Hill Farm B&B, just south of Rochester is a terrific hostess.  We have stayed there numerous times on our annual Length of Vermont bike ride. 

Burlington:  numerous great places to eat along Church Street.  And Lyndonville Diner is legendary. 

Enjoy

2

General Discussion / Road ID

« on: April 23, 2011, 04:21:44 pm »

Not to promote a specific product, but you might consider getting Road ID band (www.roadid.com)

3

General Discussion / Re: The Adirondack Park Loop ride

« on: April 23, 2011, 04:11:30 pm »

I haven't done the whole loop, but I have done parts of it.

Granny gears are good!

4

Routes / Re: Great allegheny passage

« on: March 25, 2011, 05:10:44 pm »

Advice given in the GAP tour book is to take a city bus from Pittsburg to McKeesport.  That's what I did last year.  Most buses have bike racks on them. 

5

Routes / Re: Amtrak

« on: September 25, 2010, 06:30:04 pm »

I used Amtrak to go from Boston to DC, and Pittsburgh back to Boston for my C&O/GAP ride in June 2010.  I bought their box in Boston $15 plus $5. handling, and they gave me a previously used box in Pittsburgh.  Boxing the bike was easy.  Just take off the peddles and turn the handlebar.  I would have preferred to board elsewhere down the line, but other stations did not accept baggage. 

If Amtrak goes where I want to start or finish my tours, I'd use it again. 

And, as a bonus, once back in Boston, I unboxed my bike, wheeled it onto an outbound commuter train, and then biked home from a suburban train station. 

6

General Discussion / Re: Amtrack confusion - policy vs reality?

« on: September 25, 2010, 06:19:50 pm »

I'd say reality.  It's my impression that Amtrack accepts bikes only at manned stations that have a baggage counter.  I wish it were otherwise.

7

Routes / Re: New Hampshire

« on: July 10, 2010, 04:51:52 pm »

Route 3 parralles I-93 between Woodstock and Concord, so that's probably the most bike friendly route.  I haven't bike it myself.

Route 16 carries a lot of traffic, so i wouldn't recommend that.

You might consider leaving the Northern Tier in Sharon VT, and continue down the White River Valley to White River Junction, and then parrelling I-89 into Concord.  From Concord, go north on Route 3 to Woodstock, and rejoin the Northern Tier on Route 112 and crank the kanc.

8

General Discussion / Re: Routing suggestions for a month-long tour in New England

« on: July 10, 2010, 04:45:02 pm »

I think Vermont is a great state to bike!

If you haven't already done so, consider doing all or parts of ACA's Green Mountain Loop.  Or check out the Lake Champlain Bikeway around the lake.  The Connecticut River Valley is very bikeable, with most of the trucks and through traffic on I-91.  Or do as much of Vermont as you like on Route 100.  Pick up a road map and go!

9

Routes / Re: Northern Tier Mileage Reduction

« on: June 19, 2010, 05:50:18 pm »

Like any bike route, it all depends in part on what your goals and objectives are. 

Obviously, there are several alternate routes around the great lakes and Lake Erie. 

In the Northeast, if you didn't have your heart set on finishing in Bar Harbor, you might stop when you first hit the coast at Damrascotia.  Or, you could follow Route 113 or 302 in Fyreburg ME and finish in Portland, Or pick up Route 16 in Conway NH and finish in Portsmith.  Or once on the Erie Canal, continue east to Albany, and then on to either Boston or NYC. 

Plenty of pavement out there to explore.  However, as pointed out, ACA maps have it all figured out for you. 

10

Routes / Re: Northern Tier connection from Massachusetts

« on: June 12, 2010, 04:49:20 pm »

heading west from Holden (Central Mass), you need to get over the Berkshire Hills.  Easier said than done.  Route 2 has got some good climb on it, and as I recall, no shoulders in places.  A better route might be to swing through southern Berkshires on Route 9 or 20.  Then, pick up New York State Bike Route #5. 

11

General Discussion / Re: Rest Days vs "half" days

« on: April 30, 2010, 05:11:20 pm »

it depends somewhat on why type of biker you are, and what your goals are.  Frankly, myself, I'd get bored with a whole day off.  I'd much prefer to take a shorter day than a day off. 

12

General Discussion / Re: San Juan Islands biking

« on: March 27, 2010, 04:41:36 pm »

Gee, we found the ferries to be real bike friendly (except for the sign to take off cleats when going up onto the passenger deck).  How's the rest of your luggage getting from inn to inn?  If you are using panniers, then I suggest rent once and be done with it.  If the Skagit Bike Shop in Anacortes rents bikes, then you can take a shuttle bus from SeaTac to within about 2 blocks of the bike shop. 

13

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Green Mountain Loop, map 10 - 2009

« on: February 05, 2010, 04:44:25 pm »

Temporary ferry now running at Crown Point while the replacement bridge is under construction.

14

Routes / Re: Into Boston

« on: January 23, 2010, 03:52:30 pm »

Buy Rubel's map for Eastern Mass, and that will show bike friendly roads/routes.

15

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Green Mountain Loop, map 10 - 2009

« on: January 02, 2010, 03:55:40 pm »

Now it appears that the Ticonderoga ferry is closing also.: http://www.timesargus.com/article/20100102/NEWS02/1020317/1003/NEWS02&template=dialup

 I wonder if it's a permanent closing or seasonal closing.  If it's permanent, then a reroute for both the Green Mountain loop and the Northern Tier