Headed for Bar Harbor

[widgeon13]

.......on the bike. Leaving at 8 AM to ride to Long Lake and then Ticonderoga on Monday and points East after that. Should be back home in the Adirondacks by next Sunday evening. Riding w/ my BIL who crossed the country from LA (solo) last summer. Pics to follow. Of course if we could get cell coverage up here I'd give route updates but since the APA won't let the cell companies put up decent towers, coverage is spotty at best. Weather is looking good although a bit nippy this morning at 37 degrees but supposed to get to lower 70's later today. Should be fun. I may have to retrace my route in the pcar come Spring.

[williecoyote]

Ride safe, and post lots of pictures!

[JeffO]

In New Hampshire I highly recommend th Kancamagus why rt112 to the town of Conway and up thru Crawford Notch rt302. Have lunch at the George Washington hotel. From there pickup rt2 for the cross state to Bar harbor. A great ride that you will enjoy very much. The kana and crwford notch are some of the best roads for mountain scenery in the northeast. Have fun

[widgeon13]

Jeffo, thanks for the recommendation. I'm pretty sure that is the route we are taking but I gave the map back to my BIL. I'll have to check.

We are finished for the day, fifty seven miles, east to Speculator, north on Rt 30 to Indian Lake, Blue Mountain Lake and finished at Long Lake. Nice day to ride, with the exception of two flats within the first sixteen miles, everything went smoothly after that. Have to download the pics so will get a few posted later.

[widgeon13]

I'm convinced there is no way to look cool in cycling gear, at least for me.

Heading out at 8:15 and 37 degrees

Dealing w/ the second flat in the first 16 miles, no problems after this.

On the road again

South of Indian Lake

Making up some time

Snowy Mtn, south of Indian Lake

My BIL, somewhere south of Blue Mtn Lake

[deanp]

Have fun and be safe. If going Rt 112 Lincoln, NH to Conway be aware that it is 32 miles with a few campgrounds - no other support. You're cutting it close with forecasted peak foliage so be extra vigilant with regards to traffic.

[widgeon13]

deanp, thanks for the advice. I checked and we are going Kancamagus Highway. Looks like a beautiful ride.

[sammyg2]

Gots no idea where that is but it sounds cool.
You must have a very good seat or a very hard rump.

[deanp]

That section of NH is fantastic. My wife and I actually got married along side the Kanc at Lower Falls in December just about 14 years ago. We've seen moose on the Kanc and in the spring spotted a black bear on 16 heading up to Mt Washington.

I'm 3 1/2 hours south of Lincoln, but if you run into major problems give a shout and I'll see what I can do.

We've always seen lots of cyclists up there, so you won't be alone.

[widgeon13]

We're looking forward to the ride. We should be in good shape on support, our wives are the support team and will be challenged to find the best lodging and meals for all of us along the way. That's what we hope for, me and the BIL just pay the credit card charges.

Thanks for the offer and hope we don't have to get in contact but perhaps our paths will cross on some other occasion.

Sammy, the butt gets a little sore when you first start riding but after quite a few miles, it just gets numb, it also helps when you have a good seat and properly fitted bike. Beautiful country and we just hope the leafpeepers are paying attention to the road and not texting.

[widgeon13]

Yesterday, traveled from Long Lake to Ticonderoga where we will take the ferry across on Wednesday and continue the trip. It was a beautiful day crossing the High Peaks Wilderness. Fortunately, no flats, nice roads and good shoulders. We left LL at 8:30 and were in Ti at 3PM. Quite a few logging trucks and one wide load which got our attention but it turned out to be a very long, large diameter pipe. Crossed the Hudson, much cleaner than in Manhattan.


Buffalo farm in the middle of nowhere.







Paradox Lake

[Jim Richards]

That's incredibly beautiful country. Great thread, widgeon.

[widgeon13]

Keeping our fingers crossed for the good weather to continue. The area is quite depressed from an economic perspective. It's expensive to live in the Adirondack Park due to the lack of services and difficulty in starting a business and keeping it viable for 12 months of the year. APA likes it that way, it's driven by the greenies. Everything is very seasonal, summer is good, hunting season fills the bars, late fall is just short of suicide time, winter is for skiers and snowmobilers and fills the bars again, mud season is time to go south and then come the black flys, by late June you are close to summer again.

I like it but you have to enjoy the solitude that comes w/ certain times of year. I do all the things the locals do just not a fanatic about it.

[widgeon13]

Yesterday's map and elevation profile.


Tomorrow looks a little more challenging.

[JeffO]

You guys are going to like rt 125 a lot. Great scenary, high elevation though for biking. It will get you ready for the kanc. It does not look like the leaves are changing yet. Do you think the fall colors are muted this year.

[widgeon13]

Colors look late this year, still very green at this time.

[pete3799]

Your going to get a work out on RT 125. Hope you've got new brake pads for the other side
of Breadloaf.
Wife and I went over earlier this summer (in P-car), they had a long stretch of it torn up.
Hopefuly it will be all done now.
Happy cycling.
Which way are you going from Bethel?

[widgeon13]

Trip going well, Ticonderoga to Sharon VT over RT 125 Middlebury Gap. Tough climb fast descent. Had to get a new tire in Middlebury cause the back one was shot, didn't want to go screaming down the other side and have a blowout.

More pics to follow!

[Tishabet]

If you're going to be on the Kanc (aka rte 112) you're in for some serious climbing, do yourself a favor and hit "Almost There" for a killer burger, a beer and some onion rings. Located around 200 yards to your right where the Kanc ends at its intersection with Rte. 16 in Conway, NH.

[widgeon13]

On the way, passing Beaver Pond on RT 112.