Covered Bridges of New Hampshire 2009

[TAZ1300]

I made a lunch run up to fiddlehead cafe ( not a "Zoey" lunch but a good burger), and checked out a few places. We are coming up on 91 so staying in Keene would be easier than Manchester since we are coming friday after work and wont be up until later that night. Most place want $199.99 a night but the Super8 https://www.keenesuper8.com/ is $159.99 a night with AAA and will give a group rate of $119.99 if we book 6 or more rooms. I spoke with the daytime manager "Jim" you can call him at 603-352-9780 .I booked a room for Friday oct 2 and had him put a block on 6 total rooms for that friday, (if you need saturday also you can ask him) which he will hold at the $119.99 rate until September 11. If you want to stay here it is important at the time of reservation to mention you are for the "[SIZE=12pt]COVERED BRIDGE RIDE[/SIZE]" If you do reserve here post up so we can add it up. There is a steakhouse and a few other restaurants within walking distance and it is less than half hour from the start point of fiddleheads cafe. This hold is only for about 2 weeks since the ride is close already and most places already dont have much vacancy left you need to book soon if you are staying!

 

[Fred W]

Updated Post #1 with links to GPS routes and route sheet.

 

[zip]

I just made a hotel reservation (using reward points) at the Hampton Inn in Bow, NH (PDF Fact Sheet). According to Google Maps, it's only about 45 minutes from The Fiddlehead in Hancock. Planning to stay Friday and Saturday nights. Appears that they have rates as cheap as $126/night.

Remember, as always, to cite your AAA membership, right Fred?

Looking forward to the ride, and thanks again for the planning!

 

[dwhartwell]

Hey.. Missed a few Fred

I started to try to replicate your trip on Google maps. Too much work. But I found this.

Covered Bridges

 

[Fred W]

If you can do GPS maps, the two route files that I link to in post #1 also have all of the covered bridges in New Hampshire (53 of them) in the "waypoints" (aka Favorites). We will only be visiting a dozen of the better ones down in the southwest corner of the state. I like the ones that you can still drive / ride through the best.

Some of the bridges are far off the beaten path, and you have to walk through the woods to find them. I've looked for some and just not been able to find it. Some other bridges are all by themselves, which isn't conducive to linking into a tour. Some have been made into ornaments of sorts, like the one in Henniker (the only Henniker on earth, so they claim).

And then there are the covered bridges in VT and ME. If you wanted to photo bag all of the covered bridges in New England you could could busy for quite some time...

 

[Fred W]

Updated the GPS routes linked to in Post #1. Added a Waypoint (Favorite) for the Trebuchet as promised, and made a few minor tweaks to the routes.

 

[zip]

Sooooo, it's startin' to cool down a little! Just about to store the mesh and have pulled back out the solid ballistics gear now. Thinking about that hand guard farkle, amongst other things. Mrs. Zip has vetoed the new AE, so guess I might as well embellish the '05.

Still, though, looking forward to this ride happening soon!

Barry

 

[Geezer]

I missed EOM this year and I need a fix, so I'm putting this on my calendar. :yahoo:

Those of you who are camping, what campground will you be at? I was thinking of making a long day and just ride up Saturday AM, but I like camping.

 

[Fred W]

Cool,

Glad to have you along. And we will finally be able to meet!

See you then.

(PS - I had to miss EOM too :angry: )

 

[FJRed]

OK, just reserved a room for Friday & Saturday nights at the Best Western in Keene, NH so we are definitely in! :yahoo: I was even able to convince my wife Grace to come along on this ride. (Although I had to promise her that the weather would be good).

So, Fred, can you please make sure to arrange for sunny weather for the weekend? My wife says she won't go if it rains...

Ed.

 

[ALDAWG]

I missed EOM this year and I need a fix, so I'm putting this on my calendar. :yahoo:
Those of you who are camping, what campground will you be at? I was thinking of making a long day and just ride up Saturday AM, but I like camping.

Camping

 

[Nice Rumble]

Went for an afternoon pre-foliage dual sport ride to see how the color is coming on. It's looking good. You guys should have peak foliage for the CBR.

This is the old abandoned RT 114 as it comes down past Pat's Peak into Henniker. Still paved.

 

[BkrK12]

How do you get to that road, Skip?

 

[Nice Rumble]

Google map Bennett Rd, Henniker, NH.

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Icon A is where I took the picture. Unfortunately you can't get in there with an FJR as it's gated at both ends. Just park your bike and take a walk down to see it. It's a time capsule from the 40's and 50's. Cracked pavement with grass growing up and water running across in places from nearby beaver dams. I could see the old Chevy's and Fords rumbling down the road. LOL!

 

[Fred W]

Hey Skip. Thanks for sharing the old Rte 114 with us. I bet I could hoss the feejer down there...

Yeah the swamp maples are turning now, so next weekend should be good-er. Maybe still a bit early, but I prefer theearly colors (reds & oranges) to the later colors (yellows and browns). We're gonna take a ride up North of the notches this weekend when my son comes home for the weekend. Should be nice on Saturday. Sunday supposed to get some rain.

But hey!! It looks to me like someone got themselves a brandy new Yamaha Dual Sport ride? Is that to replace the KLR? Congrats.

 

[Nice Rumble]

Hey Skip. Thanks for sharing the old Rte 114 with us. I bet I could hoss the feejer down there...
Yeah the swamp maples are turning now, so next weekend should be good-er. Maybe still a bit early, but I prefer theearly colors (reds & oranges) to the later colors (yellows and browns). We're gonna take a ride up North of the notches this weekend when my son comes home for the weekend. Should be nice on Saturday. Sunday supposed to get some rain.

But hey!! It looks to me like someone got themselves a brandy new Yamaha Dual Sport ride? Is that to replace the KLR? Congrats.

It's actually to augment the KLR as sometimes there are places you want to go where the KLR is just too big, heavy and cumbersome.

Plus, you can never have too many bikes. LOL! :thumbsupsmileyanim:

 

[BkrK12]

Looked on Virtual Earth and thought that was what you were talking about. Looks like it goes from Elm to Colby Crossing. Fred and I both think we can get our FJRs through there. He's going to go first, but he's weasling about taking off the bags to do it.

Nice new bike. It's a good thing you built the giant garage.

 

[Fred W]

Hey, I took my FJR up Sandwich Notch Road* one day, 2-up and all 3 bags on!!

This one looks like a piece of cake in comparison. It's even paved (sort of).

*only made it 1/2 way up. I didn't know what I was getting into!

Edit (to get back on topic): There will be nothing so "challenging" on the Covered Bridges ride. But I have added a section to the route to take us down Roby Rd. (thanks Dan). The maples in some of those low sections should be spectacular.

 

[BkrK12]

Fred, Alan;

Are you going to use radios? What channel/sub are you going to set to? I might put mine back on the bike, for monitoring purposes.

Dan

 

[Fred W]

I will have my FRS/GMRS along with me as I already have it on for this weekend's ride with my son.

Any channel will do. We shouldn't run into a lot of interference along our route.