[GearHd6]

Hey everyone. I'm trying to plan a 3 day ride with my dad through VT. I'm sure there has got to be some scenic rides to take up the majority of 3 days. Does anyone have some suggestions? I'm only about 1.5 hours from southern VT so it wouldn't take me long to even get semi central.

Thanks for an ideas, you can look at a map all day but its hard to tell whats scenic and whats just plain boring.

[bergs]

Rte 17 (be cautious...road surface is oddly slippery in sections near the lookout)

Smuggler's Notch

Parts of 100 are okay but I find most of the roads west of 100 to be generally more interesting

On the way up through Mass, take Rte 2 heading west and make it out to ride up and over Mt Greylock....it's worth it even though the roads on Greylock are in very tough shape (I heard a rumor last year they were going to be paved...not sure if that's happened)

[GearHd6]

Is 100 mostly country type riding or a little bit of everything? We could venture off 100 toward the west i'm sure, i've got GPS so we could figure out something with that and some maps.

[bergs]

100 ranges from 30 to 50 mph depending where you are...outskirts or in town.

It takes on many different forms from nice twisty sections to boring-assed nothingness to long sweepers. It's considered a scenic route on the maps.

Expect fairly sedate riding for the duration of the road. There is usually a decent amount of traffic as well.

You looking to stay strictly in VT for this ride?

[GearHd6]

Originally Posted by bergs

You looking to stay strictly in VT for this ride?

No, I'm willing to venture into NH as well. I'm fairly open, i'm just at the planning stages now.

[kbroderick]

If you want to make 100 more interesting, you could do a multi-gap ride (start up 100N, cruise across 73 through Brandon Gap to 53N, 125E to 100N, 100N to Lincoln Gap Rd, 116N to 17E back to 100)...that would mean crossing the Green Mountains four times. It would also involve some interesting road surfaces (as noted in another thread, 125 is kinda interesting at the moment, more so eastbound than westbound; Lincoln Gap Rd has a gravel section, I believe) and a lot of twisties. If you really wanted to get your money's worth, continue 100N to 108 through Smuggler's Notch and loop back via 15 to either 12 or 14 south (or continue into NH), depending on where you want to end up.

Basically, if you want to avoid boring, look at where the roads cross over the Green Mountains...very few of those roads are boring, and most are scenic.

[Trouble]

Lincoln Gap has a couple of gravel sections. It's a pretty road but narrow too. Rt17 (Appalacian Gap) is just north of Lincoln Gap and it's all paved, more smooth, and a fun ride.

[GearHd6]

Originally Posted by kbroderick

If you want to make 100 more interesting, you could do a multi-gap ride (start up 100N, cruise across 73 through Brandon Gap to 53N, 125E to 100N, 100N to Lincoln Gap Rd, 116N to 17E back to 100)...that would mean crossing the Green Mountains four times. It would also involve some interesting road surfaces (as noted in another thread, 125 is kinda interesting at the moment, more so eastbound than westbound; Lincoln Gap Rd has a gravel section, I believe) and a lot of twisties. If you really wanted to get your money's worth, continue 100N to 108 through Smuggler's Notch and loop back via 15 to either 12 or 14 south (or continue into NH), depending on where you want to end up.

Basically, if you want to avoid boring, look at where the roads cross over the Green Mountains...very few of those roads are boring, and most are scenic.

That looks like a great route on the map. Does that eat up all of a day or more? Any clue on mileage roughly?

We really don't have any particular place we'd like to end up, well.... other than back home.

[kbroderick]

I played with Google a little; if you want a full-state tour, this is a good start. The southern loop (i.e. the parts south of Killington) is less-thought through than the upper loop, which would provide you with some rather dramatic driving. I threw a couple state parks in for good measure; Allis has a nice fire tower with good views all around, although it does involve a few miles of gravel to get there. Other than that and Lincoln Gap, I think the whole route should be paved, although parts of it may have you wondering.

If you haven't played with Google Map's ability to drag routes around, you should give it a try...it's great when you know one road to be straight and boring (e.g. Rt 7) when a parallel road (e.g. Rt 30) actually has some interesting sections.

[TIMMYDUCK]

Post up what days you are coming and I may be free to show you all the great views with a few twisties mixed in too.

[richw]

North of Montpelier

[GearHd6]

Kbroderick, I like the looks of that route a lot. I know some of RT12 and thats mostly pretty nice by itself. My girlfriends family are from Westminster VT so I know that area some. I do apprecite the effort you put in messing around with Google Maps, Thanks.

TIMMYDUCK, i'll let you know of some rough dates once I even know what they're going to be. Most likely it'll be a leave home saturday morning and get home late monday or even tuesday depending on how well things are going.