Riding in Amherst/UMass

[Hilltopperny]

Headed to Amherst later today for my Sister in laws wedding. Looks like I’ll have time tomorrow to sneak out for a ride. My Stigmata is still in the garage at my SILs and I’m thinking of taking a nice easy ride in the area mid morning.

Any of you locals have any easier routes that are in the 20 mile range that you could share? I’m not looking to do any extensive climbing and honestly won’t mind just using the bike on regular paved roads.

I may just get up early and go do a section of green river towards Deerfield, but not really sure yet.


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[cderalow]

you can take 116 towards sunderland and climb mt sugarloaf, from there you can ride along river road towards North Hampton and use the Norwottuck Rail Trail to get back into Amherst.

That should give you 30ish with the only major climb being up Sugarloaf (650' I think?)

I used to live near there, but haven't ridden in that area since the advent of having a bike GPS/Strava etc.

I recall riding the Norwottuck when it first opened back in the 90's even on an old Huffy BMX.

[tele]

I would say to make it easy just head out and find rt47 and ride either direction. Nice pavement and pretty flat cuz it follows the river. On your way to 47 you can hit every side road along the farms and explore some of the best flat tobacco growing land anywhere.

I’m probably riding mtb tomorrow mid day if that floats your boat. Pm me if you need more details on anything.

[Hilltopperny]

Thank you both for the suggestions. Mountain biking sound fun, but all I have is the Stigmata.


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[tele]

No worries. If you wanted to ride the Stig on some mtb trails, not far from you is Earls trails that I know guys that ride their cx bikes.

[Hilltopperny]

No worries. If you wanted to ride the Stig on some mtb trails, not far from you is Earls trails that I know guys that ride their cx bikes.



Great, thanks. I’ll have to figure it out tonight.


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[tele]

Thinking about it, you could ride from wherever you are staying, head toward Atkins Farm store in Amherst and ride some of Earls and then dump out onto Chmura Rd in Hadley and ride the road back from there.

[polyhistoric]

Do you have a car - maybe go scope out some of the sections of Jeremy Powers' GrandFundo.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28051515
https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1088052222

[Hilltopperny]

Yes, I have my truck. I’m staying right at the umass hotel in Amherst.


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[Pinned]

If you're staying at UMass I would ride up towards the Leverett Pond - it's pretty, easy, and very few cars. It's only 12 miles or so, leaving you ample opportunity to turn off anywhere you like and add more.

East Pleasant St - Right onto Pine St, stay on it till it turns to East Leverett Road. Ride it through till it becomes Shutesbury road (but don't turn right up the hill), a little up and down then you stay left onto Depot Road past the pond (or stop for a break). Depot Road, left onto Amherst Road, and then a nice long downhill most of the way back to Pine Street/East Pleasant back to campus.

[MisterMurray]

My in-laws live just north of Amherst in Leverett. I ride around there a bunch. A nice 20 mile ride out of Amherst would be to go up around Lake Wyola. Here's a loop I do if time is limited. Start and stop are in Leverett but I'm sure you can figure it out

https://www.strava.com/routes/8280692

If you do the loop counter clockwise the climb up to Shutesbury is long but never steep. If you go clockwise the climb up Cavehill Rd is steep but short. As it's written, it has you decending down Wendell RD and then splitting onto Locks Pond Rd. IF you stay on Wendell Rd, there is a really fun gravel decent spits you out on N Leverett Rd, adds a mile to the loop and is definitely worth it.

[Hilltopperny]

My in-laws live just north of Amherst in Leverett. I ride around there a bunch. A nice 20 mile ride out of Amherst would be to go up around Lake Wyola. Here's a loop I do if time is limited. Start and stop are in Leverett but I'm sure you can figure it out



https://www.strava.com/routes/8280692



If you do the loop counter clockwise the climb up to Shutesbury is long but never steep. If you go clockwise the climb up Cavehill Rd is steep but short. As it's written, it has you decending down Wendell RD and then splitting onto Locks Pond Rd. IF you stay on Wendell Rd, there is a really fun gravel decent spits you out on N Leverett Rd, adds a mile to the loop and is definitely worth it.




Thanks for the loop. My Sister in law lives on lake Wyola so I’ll have to save this route for the next time I ride out this way.

I just ended up riding around a bit at the campus and the general area. Not a cloud in the sky today!


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[cderalow]

It's a nice area. If the weather was nice, and since ZooMass is starting classes soon, I imagine there were some nice additional views as well.

:cool: