States – Page 2 – Biking 100

Northern Rail Trail Franklin, New Hampshire # 41

August 26, 2020

We finished our ride on the Franconia Notch Trail had lunch (PBJ of course) and decided to put in some more miles. We only needed a few more miles to reach our 100 mile goal. Tomorrow, Thursday, there is a chance of rain and Friday we have planned a trip to Mt Washington. Saturday is supposed to be a wash out.

We had hoped to ride Lincoln Woods Trail which is close to our condo. It’s a short trail but right on the Pemigewasset River. We arrived at the trailhead to find it packed. Parking lot was full. The trail must have been really busy.

There are many miles of the Northern Rail Trail yet to ride so we headed for the trailhead at Lake Webster in Franklin.

The wind was really blowing and there were white caps on Webster Lake – named for 19th- century statesman Daniel Webster. We rode in fairly dense forest on a rail bed raised high above the forest floor.

*Remnants of retaining wall along trail.*

We both enjoyed this picturesque trail. Always love the views of forest from raised rail bed.

There was a more noticeable uphill grade in this area then what we rode yesterday. Our return was fun. We both felt like we could ride that all day – slight downhill and wind at our back.

*Another view of rock that was cut away.*

Boscawen – end of trail to Franklin our 1st ride. Franklin to Andover our 2nd ride.

August of 2019 we road 58 miles of trails in New Hampshire. Landen was along for the ride in tow behind Lenny’s bike. Many of the trails transitioned seamlessly into one anotber.

Trails with Landen from August 2019. Derry R/T, Winham R/T, Salem Pathway. Londonderry R/T. WOW Trail, Lake Winnisquam Trail. Franconia Notch Trail

Mural on bathhouse on WOW Trail. August 2019

We’ve ridden 48 miles the past 2 days to complete our New Hampshire 100. Yay! 41 done and now there are 7! We celebrated with carryout from local Thai restaurant.

Franconia Notch Trail – Lincoln, New Hampshire

August 26, 2020

It was a cool morning as we headed to Sport Thoma to catch the shuttle to Canon Moutain for our ride on Franconia Notch Trail. Arriving at Canon Moutain we were met with a cold wind and sunny skies. Our gators (Covid wear) provided much appreciated additional warmth. We rode this trail last August with Landen in tow.

The tramway at Canon Mountain was closed due to pandemic. Sport Thoma would normally have bike rentals available here but now only shuttles from their shop in Lincoln.

*Landen loved his ride up the mountain in Sport Thoma Van. August 2019 – we miss him.*

The notch is a mountain pass between the Kinsman and Franconia Ranges. The trail runs thru the Franconia Notch State Park in the White Mountains.

Before heading south we rode north to above Echo Lake. There is a small RV camping area above the lake. No crowds to contend with around here.

The trail drops 750 feet from foot of Canon Mountain to end of trail at Flume Gorge. Don’t be fooled there are some good climbs along the way. My max heart rate was 162. Gasp!!

We took a ride thru Lafayette Place Campground. We both enjoyed the smell of campfires wafting thru the campground. Much busier in this area as well as further south at a trailhead parking lot. Still no traffic on bike trail.

*What, walk my bike? We actually heeded this sign.*

We stopped at the Basin and took a short hike along the Pemigewasset River to the Basin, a huge granite pothole.

Once again no pictures of The Basin as there were too many people gathered around.

Back on the trail we left the crowds behind and headed for Flume Gorge where the parking lot was filling up. We had a little more than 2 miles to get to our car – on road and down hill. It was a scream. Imagine going 31 mph on a bike. Exciting, exhilarating and a bit scary. When I slowed to 26 mph I started pedaling – outrageous!! 🤪

Northern Rail Trail, Boscawen, New Hampshire

August 25, 2020

We arrived in Lincoln, New Hampshire Sunday evening August 23rd after an 11 hour drive from Ohio. Once again we packed food, water and all supplies needed for the week. It’s our Covid MO. Only made 2 stops for gas and that other necessity.

View from our condo – thunderstorm on the way.

We had a thunderstorm in the evening. We were thankful we had the bikes inside before it arrived. Enjoyed watching storm move in over the mountains and hearing the thunder.

We spent yesterday getting our bearings and setting up a shuttle for Wednesday morning to top of Franconia Notch Trail.

New Hampshire’s longest rail trail – 57.6 miles between Lebanon and Boscawen, built in 1847 by the Northern Railroad.

We began our ride in Boscawen about an hour from our condo in Lincoln. The trail is an uphill slope from here to Lebanon. We always attempt to ride uphill going out and downhill on return.

It was a warm, sunny day with widely scattered thunder showers predicted.

Merrimack River – looked refreshing on this hot day.

We followed the Merrimack River north and east from Boscawen. At times we were high above the river, other times almost on the bank and still other times we could not see the river.

The trail surface was crushed stone and very well maintained. Even with storms the evening before we road, the trail was dry.

Railroad ties – remnants of Nothern Railroad.

Turntable once assisted in changing the direction of locomotives.

Because of limited diameter of turntable it could only accommodate the American type. 4-4-0 locomotive pictured.

With the downhill slope, our return was a bit easier. The temperature was about 91 upon our return to the car. We loaded the bikes and were ready to get on the freeway when we noticed some very dark clouds headed our way. We turned around and stopped at a gas station to cover the bikes. Wish we had a video showing our struggles to get the cover on the bikes. We did get them covered and sat out the storm. As we head back to the freeway a tree had fallen over the road. So thankful it missed us.

The trail guide said the trail ended in a corn field. They weren’t kidding!!

We will be up early tomorrow morning to catch the shuttle to Canon Mountain and the start of the Franconia Notch Trail.

Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park – Stockton, NJ (#40)

July, 22, 2020

We were back on the D & R early this morning. Rain was predicted for the afternoon so we were on our bikes by 7:30 AM. There wasn’t as much shade riding south of Stockton and we were really feeling the heat and humidity.

We missed a bridge crossing over the canal and ended up on a single track somewhat muddy trail for a few miles. Once we arrived in Lamberville we were back on the crushed stone well maintained trail.

Most of distance the trail ran between the river and the canal. There was plenty to see near Lambertville – remnants of locks, cobblestone spillway, stone arch culverts.

We had a pleasant morning ride. Enjoyed more sites along the river and the canal. Other trail users were out early as well attempting to beat the HEAT.

Temps were high so the shaded parts of trail provided some coolness.

Lenny crossing narrow wooden bridge over spillway.

Some retired tour boats along D & L trail on Pennsylvania side of Delaware River.

Hooray, we have completed our New Jersey 100! We were able to see some beautiful areas of northern New Jersey. Our plans are constantly changing due to the pandemic. We had hoped to ride the part of this trail traveling north east of Trenton but since Ohioans are not welcome in NJ at this time we stayed close to the Delaware. PA still welcomes Buckeyes!

We crossed bridge at Stockton – traveled north to Frenchtown. Second ride traveled south from Stockton to just north of New Hope.

Columbia Trial – High Bridge, NJ

JULY 21, 2020

This is a revisit for us. We rode this trail in 2012 while spending a week riding mostly in Pennsylvania. That was the trip that inspired us to ride 100 miles in all the lower 48 states. At that time we road from Long Valley to High Bridge which was about 22 miles round trip. Today we road from High Bridge to the end of the trail which is a 30 mile round trip.

The trail is named for a natural gas pipeline that runs beneath the old trailbed of the Central Railroad of New Jersey.

This shade was pretty typical of the entire trail.

Leaving High Bridge we had an uphill grade all the way to Long Valley. That’s about 10 miles and we were determined to make good time! 🤪 The trail ran high above the valley with the south branch of the Raritan River below. We needed to pay close attention as it was a long way down to the river.

Interesting old stone cabin in background along Columbia Trail.

We passed through the historic town of Califon, a Victorian-style town with 240 structures on National Register of Historic Places. Local legend says that the town was originally named California but the sign painter ran out of room and the name became Califon.

Near the end of the trail we saw kids being lead on horseback. They were having such a good time. That’s the kind of summer job I would have enjoyed growing up.

Be careful!! Some people may not have gotten the message. Kinda curious, do they carry extra large pooper scoopers?

We enjoyed an easier pedal on our return. With temps in the 90’s we really appreciated the shade and downhill grade. Just for the record that uphill grade seemedl less severe 8 years ago. 🤔

Bridge north of High Bridge. Site of tragic train wreck in 1885.

Another flag picture to add to my collection. This was near the end of the trail in the middle of nowhere. Hope all enjoy it as much as we did. God bless America!!

Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park – New Jersey

July 20, 2020

We are ready to begin our New Jersey miles by way of Pennsylvania. We are staying at Westwood Villas in the Poconos.

Just like with every other aspect of our lives, timeshares have changed. We have only spoken to one person since we checked in – that’s the person who checked us in. The villas had all linens sealed in plastic, not placed in bathrooms and kitchen. Coasters, placemats, center piece and most pictures on walls are gone. Toaster sealed in plastic, no basket of snacks, no salt and pepper. We came prepared to only bike and brought food we would need for the week. Normally we would shop when we arrive. Occupancy is at about 50%.

Our first adventure is the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park. We parked along the Delaware River on the Pennsylvania side.

It was just a short ride on the D&L Trail to a bridge that crossed the river to Stockton, NJ.

What WALK my bike? Bridge across Delaware River to Stockton, NJ.

We headed north out of Stockton. Our only views of Stockton were from the trail, but there were coffee shops and restaurants right on the river. The homes on the river were beautiful. Looked like a nice peaceful place to visit.

View of canal and river from trail north of Stockton.

Lock along Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail near Stockton.

We traveled to Frenchtown, which is near the beginning of the trail and 14 miles from our car. The trail was very well maintained crushed stone and dirt. The temps were in the 90’s so we were glad to have a light breeze and shade for almost the entire route. We were just above the river at times, but enjoyed parts of trail in dense forest. We experienced more bikers and other trail users as we arrived in Frenchtown, busy little town with cafes and restaurants along the river. The river was busy with people tubing and rafting. Trailhead was busy with buses delivering equipment and passengers.

Frenchtown near beginning of trail – the end for us and 14 miles back to where we began on the other side of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania.

We stopped at about 5 miles from our car to refill water bottles and have a snack. Because of the hot weather we each fill 2 bottles with NUUN – hydrating electrolyte tablets. We had gotten into the habit of only using water, but NUUN was a lifesaver. Even with the 90 degree weather we felt refreshed.

Lenny navigating stairway on our return to Pennsylvania after crossing bridge over Delaware River. Notice tire rail guides on each side of steps to aid climbing steps.

D & L Trail and Canal State Park Trail share trail at times.

TrailLink describes the Delaware and Raritan Trail as the crown jewel of New Jersey trails. We certainly enjoyed the portion of the trail we rode. The canal, river and forest kept things interesting.

Black Diamond Trail – (state #39)

June 18, 2020

This was our final day on our New York adventure and state number 39 on our challenge to ride 100 miles in all lower 48 states. It’s always an exciting day when we finish our 100 mile ride in a state and are able to add another sticker to our map.

Love this banner at Ithaca Children’s Garden. Good parking area for us.

This trail provided an awesome ride – starting at the southern end in Ithaca, it’s a steady grade for 8.5 miles to Taughannock Falls State Park near Trumansburg. It was a hot day but there was plenty of shade provided by the forest. We were high above Cayuga Lake but views were mostly obstructed by the trees.

The trail is named for the Black Diamond Express which ran from Buffalo to New York City not for the difficulty of the trail. The 8.5 mile steady climb was surprisingly easy and the ride down was out of the house fun!!

After finishing Black Diamond we still needed a few miles to finish our 100 so we biked the Ithaca Waterfront Trail. We enjoyed the smooth asphalt surface as well as the views of the city.

We can fit into any parking space as long as we can back up far enough 🙂

We did our “trailhead showers” and were off to spend the night at Buttonwood Grove Winery in Romulus. They were very welcoming and when the winery closed at 5:30 we were the only RV there. Quiet, serene evening and night – only 4 hour drive from home.

We did a wine tasting and enjoyed the awesome view over Cayuga Lake.

Beautiful view of Cayuga Lake. Lots of thunder this evening but no rain.
Beautiful end to our New York 100!!

Erie Canalway Trail – Camillus to Jordan

June 17, 2020

Our third day on the bikes and all I can think is “back in the saddle again”. We are riding on the Canalway Trail, Camillus to Jordan section. This section of the Canalway is so different from what we saw yesterday. No shops or cafes here. What a contrast, so glad we were able to experience such different views of the canal.

Very typical of how the canal looked between Callimus and Jorden.

There was one area with what looked like a tour boat in the water, but not in operation. Also, a tavern which was closed. They were doing some major tree work here and not too pleased that we passed through. We had come too far to be turned away.

Typical of most of this section of the trail. Some areas wider, some areas single track.

We made our way to Jordan which was about 12 miles from where we began in Camillus. We were in and out of shade and had the trail practically to ourselves. Jordan looked like a quiet little town. We rode about a half mile around the neighborhood and never saw anyone.

The end of the trail for us., about 12 dusty miles from trailhead where we began.

I really enjoyed seeing fish in the canal on our return, the light was perfect for seeing into the water. In some areas there was canal on one side and swamp on the other – no gators like in Florida.

One of the highlights of this section of the trail was Nine-Mile Creek Aqueduct near Camillus, which was the halfway point on the original Erie Canal.

Lenny crossing nine mile creek aqueduct.

We rode 24 miles today and are getting a little saddle sore – 81 miles into our New York 100. Our plan was to take a week to ride in New York but with rain predicted for Friday we are anxious to get our miles in.

Erie Canalway Trail – Pittsford east

June 16, 2020

There was a time when we thought we would complete all our New York 100 on the Erie Canalway Trail. We had campgrounds and routes tentatively planned. Our goal now, due to the pandemic, is avoiding crowds and campgrounds.

Ground broke on the Erie Canal on July 4,1817. And here we are 203 years later riding our bikes along this historic route.

Stone-dust trail, followed right along the canal.

In the 1960s some of the Canal communities that had lost most of their commercial traffic were seeking new ways to benefit from the Canal. They began building trails on remnants of the old towpath. Pittsford’s Schoen Place is an excellent example of the revitalization along this section of the canal. There are shops and cafes right on the canal. You can walk your bikes through this area or detour using the road which is what we did on our return as it was becoming very congested.

Gazebo just east of Pittsford’s Schoen Place.

We parked at Lock 32 Canal State Park. We were able to squeeze our RV into a parking spot. When we returned from our ride the park getting full and parking spots were becoming sparse.

There is an area about 3 miles east of Pittsford called the Great Embankment. A 70 foot high, mile long fill was constructed to carry the Canal above Irondequoit Creek. Here the tops of the trees are practically level with the trail. Interesting, but to be honest we passed by this area without really seeing this. The guide book said we would know when we were traversing this canal skyway. Oh well…

Fairport was a busy little town we passed through. There was ongoing bridge construction which had us detour on the road for a short distance. A very busy area – drivers were very respectful of bikers. Yeah!!

We had views of beautiful homes with pontoon boats, wooden boats or bass boats tied to their docks on the canal. Bike traffic increased on our return, making for more and more dust. We did travel west a few additional miles towards Rochester and Lock 33.

There is a Camping World near our next planned trail. They offer free overnight parking, a dump station and water. Perfect!! We took the opportunity to enjoy extra long showers. Spent less then $25 at Camping World – a record for us.

Lehigh Valley Trail – NY

June 15, 2020

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” John Muir

We had a good nights sleep at Deer Run Winery – peaceful and quiet. We were off to pedal our first New york miles around 10 am. We parked at the Honeoye Falls trailhead. Thank goodness there was adequate parking for our RV.

We traveled on the “stone-dust ” trail east to the town of Victor. We wore our gaiters and covered when passing or approaching other trail users. The majority of which did not use face coverings. The trail was mostly flat with only slight changes in elevation – crushed stone and did I mention “dust”.

In Victor we rode a couple miles of the Auburn Trail. Trail was covered in large gravel and made for a rough ride. We did see a small fawn while on the trail. It was running straight at us and at first we thought it was a dog. So small, it ran into the woods just before it reached us. It was worth the rough ride just to see the fawn.

Stopped after about 20 miles for our gourmet lunch of PB and Js. Pretzels for dessert! Couldn’t believe how dirty our bikes were. Imagine what we looked like. 🙂

We returned to the motorhome and grabbed some more water and headed east. We passed through Rush, with nice views of the creek. Took trail only a short distance past Rush and returned to trailhead.

Bridge just east of Rochester Junction trailhead.

We had a great time and completed 28 miles today. There was plenty of shade, beautiful forests and farm land. A great welcome to New York for us.

Hate to keep mentioning this but there was an abundance of dust. We were so dirty that we took showers right at the trailhead.

Tomorrow we plan to ride some of the Erie Canalway Trail. I think there may be some more dirt. 🙂