looking for a century route around Boston

[Birch Hill]

My fiance and I are planning on going out long on Saturday and were wondering if any of you Boston/Cambridge Mass types had any favorite 100 milers.

We live one block form Belmont Wheelworks and *always* go west. Any fun rides north or south?

Burch

[davids]

I don't have any specific routes to offer, just my experience.

I live in the city (Dorchester) and usually ride south and west. So when I did a solo 75-miler this summer, I decided to head north and west. I made it as far as Concord center before turning around. My route was a big "L"-shaped loop west, north, and back again. I had a great ride!

So, I'd suggest something similar for you - Head south. The Natick - Dover - Sherborn - Medfield area is beautiful, and filled with good cycling roads. By the time you work your way from Belmont down to to that area, you're well on your way. Just plot a meandering course out there, and you can easily come up with a century.

To plot your route, go over to Wheelworks and buy the cycling map of Eastern Massachusetts (http://www.bikemaps.com/). It's a tremendous resource, about the best $5 I've spent on cycling.

There are a lot of roads in that area marked by the Charles River Wheelmen for their rides. Follow the subtle "T" marks, using the leg as your directional, and you'll cover a lot of lovely roads.

Hope that helps. Have a great ride!

[samcat]

1. Pull down the CRW website. Lots of cue sheets in their database.

Take a look at the longer "Fitness Ride". I think it's about 60 miles +/-, from Nonantam Park on the Newton/Needham line. Add in the 8 miles from W/works up Waverly into Newton and up Walnut to Centre to Winchester St.

If you were to combine a meander on the return trip, starting at the fork at the library in Dover, following Central Ave into/thru Wellesley and then to Lincoln and back to W/W via Trapello Rd. (a chunk of the "Allis Loop"), you'll have a wonderful backroads ride.

2. Stop by W/works, during a slower time, and pick up a Rubels bike map. Ask at the counter for Scott Chamberlain. He's covered every inch of the area. Terrific guy. He'll help you out. If he's not around (Thursday is his usual day off) one of the other "regulars" should be able to give you some advice...

PH

[Bruce K]

Birch;

You just missed 2 beautiful centuries north of Boston.

1. The North Shore Cyclists Blazing Saddles Century starts at Georgetown High School and rides up into southern NH, then back to Newburyport, through Ipswich, over to Manchester and back through Hamilton and Topsfield to Georgetown.

2. The Granite State Wheelmen's Seacoast Century starts at Hampton, NH goes south to Salisbury, MA, back to Hampton and then up along the coast through Portsmouth, NH and York, ME to Nubble Lighthouse and back again.

Both had arrows painted on the road that are probably still there, especially the Seacoast which happened this past weekend.

Either route could be fairly easily reconstructed, especially the Seacoast as many cyclists use most of the roads regularly.

I would be happy to give you some of our regular routes to see if you could build your own century as well.

BK

[Birch Hill]

Bruce -
Thanks for the tips...

I don't see a cue sheet posted but, provided the arrows haven't worn off, we'll probably give this baby a whirl.

This is a beautiful area - I worked in Star Island in the Isles of Shoals summers '79-'81 and we have friends in OGQ who'll feed us lunch.

Birch;
The Granite State Wheelmen's Seacoast Century starts at Hampton, NH goes south to Salisbury, MA, back to Hampton and then up along the coast through Portsmouth, NH and York, ME to Nubble Lighthouse and back again.

Both had arrows painted on the road that are probably still there, especially the Seacoast which happened this past weekend.

Either route could be fairly easily reconstructed, especially the Seacoast as many cyclists use most of the roads regularly.

I would be happy to give you some of our regular routes to see if you could build your own century as well.

BK

[Bruce K]

Birch;

Contact me directly and I'll give you all the info I can.

They park at the state park just south of Hampton Beach and ride south to Salisbury, go a little west and make a loop through a neighborhood, then back to Hampton.

They then follow the coast up 1A, 1B, etc. to York, loop out to the lighthouse and then back down kind of the way they came.

They then make a loop inland to get the mileage.

BK

[gdw]

That's a beautiful ride. I used to do it in the early 90's and it sounds like they have changed the route. You used to start out north and continue past Nubble Light to Cape Ned****(sp) where you turned around and retraced the route. You would ride south past Salsbury to Plum Island and return to the finish. It was a really flat ride but was sometimes windy especially the short section from Newbury to Plum Island.

[jbay]

There are at least a couple of organised centuries being held in Massachusetts this coming weekend. Unfortunately, there is a conflict with both the Major Taylor century:

http://www.majortaylorassociation.org/events.shtml

and, my absolute favourite, The Great River Ride :

http://newhorizonsbikes.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=161

being run on Sunday, October 3rd.

The former starts in Whitinsville (central Mass.) while the latter starts in Westfield, western Mass. I haven't ridden the current version of the Major Taylor, but the route used up until two years ago was delightful. Regarding the Great River Ride, I can't say enough good things about it. The route varies from year to year, but is always stupendous. Just make sure to bring warm clothes to the start!

Also note that New Horizon Sports, the organiser of the GRR are a Serotta dealer, with the always congenial Don Podolski at the helm.

-- John

[chuck]

If you head north and west into say Acton and pick up Rt 111 west into Harvard & Bolton, then 110 into Clinton, and onto Rt 62 west through Sterling, then 140 north(west?) into Wachusett Ski Area (left), climb Mile Hill Rd and turn right into the base ranger station, climb Wachusett and back to base ranger station, right onto Mile Hill Rd into Princeton, left onto 62 East, etc. you should get at least 75 - 85 miles that way. You can stretch that into a century without much trouble and get in some good riding and decent climbing close to Boston. Add'l miles could take you into NH or thru Leominster State Forest, or skirt Wachusett Reservoir on the south side along Rt 70 (from 140 S) after climbing Mt Wachusett, or after climbing Mt. Wachusett continue on 140 thru Shrewsbury into Grafton and take a left onto Rt 30 into Westboro, Southboro, Framingham area on way back to Belmont. That's a sure century or more. Metro maps will help you put several routes together. Boston Brevet Series has a 200k route that heads north into NH which will give you 125 miles - cue sheets available online: http://www.gis.net/~ingle/bbs/cues.html
Chuck

[chuck]

Burch, sorry I mis-read your post. I second the Granite State Wheelmen's "Seacoast Century" recommendation. I think it's probably flatter than "The Flattest Century" out of Tiverton RI - and that one might be a good choice for something south. The link I provided in earlier reply for Boston Brevet Series may have their 2003 200k cue sheet as well as 200k heading north into NH - I think that one headed south into RI/CT as opposed to north because 2003 was a PBP year and the brevets started a month earlier (due to qualifying results deadline in France) and the organizer was hoping to avoid ice - so that may give you a couple of decent 125 mile rides, both north and south, starting and ending at Hanscom Field pretty close to home.
Chuck