[Jisch]

The wife and kids away for a couple of weeks visiting the in-laws. I took advantage of the one free weekend I get a year and did a road trip with my bud Paul. We headed out Friday afternoon on a trip to ride in three New England favorites, Fort Rock, rides in North Conway and Lynn Woods. Out of the three, I had ridden only Lynn before, Paul had ridden none.

I took the seats out of the van and we loaded up our gear. Dang even three days means a LOT of gear. Apparently I was not the only one with a free weekend. The highways were jammed. That's the last time I head up to NH/MA during a summer weekend. Despite the "rush hour" and unbelievably humid weather, we had a great time.

First up we went to Fort Rock in Exeter, NH

The aptly named Fort Rock is wicked technical but tons of flow. We were lucky enough to meet up with a rider, Richard, who knew the trails, he showed us around for a couple of hours. Mighty nice of him! The trails there are very nicely maintained. We did almost 15 miles at a decent clip, though the heat was starting to get to me at certain points. While we were doing ok finding trails on our own, it certainly is helpful to have someone there who knows the ins and outs.

A couple of shots from Fort Rock:

 

[Jisch]

Day 2 - North Conway area

MTBRs own Radair was nice enough to be our guide for day 2. He brought along his friend Michael and the four us did some fantastic riding with just killer hills (up and down), nice views to boot. Don't ask me where we rode, between the hypoxia and the heat exhaustion, I really couldn't say. All I do know is that the riding was superb. The heat didn't bother me as much, but the climbing, dang!

We took a dip in a nearby lake, hung out a bit then hit the road for Lynn, MA.

Couple of shots from the ride:
1) Paul riding up
2) Jisch riding up
3) Classic Radair shot (haven't I seen this one somewhere before?)
4 and 5) Paul's famous "running shots"

 

[Jisch]

Day 3 - Lynn Woods

I had ridden at Lynn Woods a couple of times three or four years ago. As we didn't have a guide, all I had to go on was those memories and a map (seemed pretty simple). While I think it would be next to impossible to get really lost at Lynn Woods, its not always apparent which one of the three options in front of you is "the" trail. There are a ton of boulders up there, you can huck to your heart's content. I'm no hucker, but Paul's does some amazing stuff on his Maverick.

Overall we did about 15 miles at Lynn. That doesn't sound like much, but at Lynn, that's a lot.

1, 2, 3) Paul and I doing a little roller (Paul somehow convinced me to ride this thing twice)
4) Paul doing a lauch, he made it look so easy

 

[Jisch]

Fini

After riding Lynn for a couple of hours, we got back in the van and fought our way home along with what seemed like half of CT, NY and NJ. Jeez will you people please stay home!

I think we had one mechanical all weekend. I had one minor crash, Paul had none. All told we did almost 50 miles in those three rides. I'm about as sore as I need to be. I think I scratched that itch for a while! I'd do it again next weekend if not for the cars. Next time I think we'll try VT or NY.

1) The van loaded and dirty, if my wife only knew. I'll have to clean it out - tomorrow!
2) It was that hot.

Michael, Radair and Richard - thanks for the help! Its hard to express our thanks for your knowledge. It wouldn't have been the same trip without you guys!

 

[minkhiller]

Glad to see you had a good time in the Granite State. Traffic...now we need the 75 cents at the tolls, I used to tell my cousin it was used to maintain the Old Man of the Mountain guess I can't use that line of crap anymore. Nice pics.

 

[Jisch]

Yeah, what is up with all those cars?

The weird thing is I had no idea traffic was going to be like that. I amost felt ok about it on the way up, it was getting close to "rush hour" as we got to NH, but the way back? Probably 20 miles of 20mph. I guess more people than I realize head up north for vacation. I saw a lot of NY, NJ and CT plates on the highway.

John

 

[minkhiller]

The mountains and the lakes draws them all. It's hard to guess what would be the best time, usually real early or real late is the safest. 93 south of Manchester needs more lanes for sure.

 

[a nice cake]

The wife and kids away for a couple of weeks visiting the in-laws. I took advantage of the one free weekend I get a year and did a road trip with my bud Paul. We headed out Friday afternoon on a trip to ride in three New England favorites, Fort Rock, rides in North Conway and Lynn Woods. Out of the three, I had ridden only Lynn before, Paul had ridden none.

I took the seats out of the van and we loaded up our gear. Dang even three days means a LOT of gear. Apparently I was not the only one with a free weekend. The highways were jammed. That's the last time I head up to NH/MA during a summer weekend. Despite the "rush hour" and unbelievably humid weather, we had a great time.

First up we went to Fort Rock in Exeter, NH

The aptly named Fort Rock is wicked technical but tons of flow. We were lucky enough to meet up with a rider, Richard, who knew the trails, he showed us around for a couple of hours. Mighty nice of him! The trails there are very nicely maintained. We did almost 15 miles at a decent clip, though the heat was starting to get to me at certain points. While we were doing ok finding trails on our own, it certainly is helpful to have someone there who knows the ins and outs.

A couple of shots from Fort Rock:

mmm fort rock! the place of my MTB birth. How I miss it....hear it's changed a lot since I last rode it 5 years ago though.

 

[Jisch]

First time I've ridden there.

Its a very well maintained trail system (thanks NEMBA), I'm certain its changed in five years. There's some really great trails in a very compact area. Rocks all over the place, but it still maintains a flow.

John

 

[a nice cake]

Its a very well maintained trail system (thanks NEMBA), I'm certain its changed in five years. There's some really great trails in a very compact area. Rocks all over the place, but it still maintains a flow.

John

I was spoiled rotten in high school, my dorm was only a couple hundred yards from two of the trailheads (the spring and the railroad tracks). I can still see many of the loops turn for turn when I close my eyes. I definitely need to bring my bike when I come up this fall.

 

[radair]

That would have been a great ride, if there were half as much oxygen as there was water vapor in the air. I knew we were in for trouble when the rocks were sweating!

Great to finally meet you and ride together John. I'm sure we'll do this again.

A few blurry shots:
1) Jisch on the local's favorite A-frame.
2) Paul the poser - watch where you're going!
3) Some skidiot pausing to take in the view. ;^)
4) Jisch playing on a tricky boulder problem.

 

[jh_on_the_cape]

we got back in the van and fought our way home along with what seemed like half of CT, NY and NJ. Jeez will you people please stay home!

! [/B] [/I]

Aren't you from CT? I live in MA, and think the same thought every weekend. In fact, all summer.
I just think, "Man, CT, NY and NJ must really suck for everyone to want to leave every weekend."

 

[Jisch]

Aren't you from CT? I live in MA, and think the same thought every weekend. In fact, all summer.
I just think, "Man, CT, NY and NJ must really suck for everyone to want to leave every weekend."

I am from CT. It doesn't suck (Jisch getting defensive), but its not the Cape or the White Mountains. I know so many people who go to the Cape/NH/Maine on the weekend or vacation, must be a zoo up there. That's why I never do it, I got a good reminder of exactly why this weekend. I routinely drive to MA for my job, I understand traffic during the week, I just was mentally unprepared for weekend traffic like that.

I'll bet with proper timing it wouldn't be that bad, it just so happened that we hit it at the wrong times. Incidentally, on the three rides we did, we came across perhaps ten riders and 8 of them were at Lynn Woods.

John

 

[VT Mike]

After riding Lynn for a couple of hours, we got back in the van and fought our way home along with what seemed like half of CT, NY and NJ. Jeez will you people please stay home!

I think we had one mechanical all weekend. I had one minor crash, Paul had none. All told we did almost 50 miles in those three rides. I'm about as sore as I need to be. I think I scratched that itch for a while! I'd do it again next weekend if not for the cars. Next time I think we'll try VT or NY.

1) The van loaded and dirty, if my wife only knew. I'll have to clean it out - tomorrow!
2) It was that hot.

Michael, Radair and Richard - thanks for the help! Its hard to express our thanks for your knowledge. It wouldn't have been the same trip without you guys!

Cool, looks like a fun road trip with lots of good riding. If you decide to come to VT next time, and want a tour of the trails in Waterbury, just let me know. I'd be happy to show you around. And after seeing your riding shots, I'm sure you'd really like the terrain here.

Mike

 

[AfricaSucks]

p, explain again why you don't have a girlfriend... are all the women you meet blind???

 

[Jisch]

VT is definitely on the list

We were planning on starting this trip in Putney, VT, but we ended up going for Fort Rock instead. Next time VT will be where we start. I might just take you up on that offer!

John

 

[PutAwayWet]

The weird thing is I had no idea traffic was going to be like that. I amost felt ok about it on the way up, it was getting close to "rush hour" as we got to NH, but the way back? Probably 20 miles of 20mph. I guess more people than I realize head up north for vacation. I saw a lot of NY, NJ and CT plates on the highway.

John

Yep. They've ruined their home states with development and industry, ours is next on the list. While I have special love for mtn bikers, the general tourists will get no favors from me. My motto: Spend your money, and go the @*$% home. Do they really need to drive a Hummer up from NJ to prove they like to waste money????

Sorry for the rant, glad you had fun on the trails!

 

[jh_on_the_cape]

I am from CT. It doesn't suck (Jisch getting defensive), but its not the Cape or the White Mountains. I know so many people who go to the Cape/NH/Maine on the weekend or vacation, must be a zoo up there. That's why I never do it, I got a good reminder of exactly why this weekend. I routinely drive to MA for my job, I understand traffic during the week, I just was mentally unprepared for weekend traffic like that.

I'll bet with proper timing it wouldn't be that bad, it just so happened that we hit it at the wrong times. Incidentally, on the three rides we did, we came across perhaps ten riders and 8 of them were at Lynn Woods.

John

Zoo is correct! Like the other poster wrote, plenty of visitors are reasonable, and come to enjoy what there is to offer: great outdoor recreation like biking and kayaking, etc. But the majority of visitors come and drive around looking at lighthouses from their cars. Hello! Park, get out and enjoy yourselves, please! Or go home. What's funny is that the local chamber of commerce really likes the Hummers with NJ plates parked in front of the $4-6k a week (correct) rental homes because they go out to dinner and shop. The bikers and kayakers stay at campgrounds and dont spend so much money.

Sorry just a rant. I know that all of the states have beautiful parts in them. And when I go to NH or VT with my MA plates, I get the same treatment. It's all relative. Some people just overconsume, both at home and on vacation and make everything a mess for the rest of us. Shoot me a PM if you ever want to ride on Cape Cod.

I am headed to VT for the weekend to escape the zoo and visit my folks!

 

[VT Mike]

We were planning on starting this trip in Putney, VT, but we ended up going for Fort Rock instead. Next time VT will be where we start. I might just take you up on that offer!

John

sounds good, I just posted a bunch of photos of the trails in Waterbury over on the VT/NH/ME board.

 

[Jisch]

Coupla things

"Man, CT, NY and NJ must really suck for everyone to want to leave every weekend."

I was just thinking about this (remember the family is away so I have time to think about stupid stuff). CT is a pretty dang good place to live (at least the part I live in):
1) Safe - no crime
2) 30 minute commute to my job which is 25 miles away
3) My house has increased in value almost 50% in the 8 years I've lived here
4) Year round riding (ok you have to want to ride in the extremes (heat and cold))
5) Good schools
6) 2 hours to Boston, 3 hours to NYC
7) Over 100 miles of technical trails within an hour of my house
8) 1 mile of trails right out my back door
9) .2 miles of stunt riding in my yard
10) Back country skiing (had to stretch for an even ten).

John