[patricia929]

does anyone know of a nice loop (2 - 4 hours) starting from the worcester area? looking for a nice scenic ride with some good twisties

[trackdog]

ya I do...........north...or west...or south...

[patricia929]

please pm me. we're trying to sort this out for the girls ride we're planning for next weekend. if the route is too complicated we may need a guide

ps good to see you on thursday - thanks for cornerworking

[MissTwisties]

Remember...this is a girls ride. Saying "yes" to one wouldn't be fair for all the other guys.....We can do just fine with a map. I will look at the ones I have, there is indicators showing which are scenic roads. I have to say tho...if the plan change to be in the Worcester area, I'll be disapointed. I was really looking forward to ride the Berkshires..

Originally posted by patricia929
please pm me. we're trying to sort this out for the girls ride we're planning for next weekend. if the route is too complicated we may need a guide

ps good to see you on thursday - thanks for cornerworking

[SprintPoser]

Since I grew up in, and still live in that area, I'd be happy to help with this. I think I can recommend good meeting spots and some roads to get you away from too much traffic, perhaps a few twisty bits.

Do you have a general idea of where (as in, what town) would be best to meet? May I suggest Auburn or Sturbridge (south or west) or in Holden (north). To the east, perhaps Boylston. From any of those places, I can get you out into the country a bit, fairly easily.

Lemme know.

[MissTwisties]

Sturbridge! Court lives very close, and it's right off the mass pike for me and the others.

Ken, if you know "secret" backroads, meaning the ones outside of main roads, you know, those littles hidden country roads with not much homes and a bit twistier....if you can add some brook or little river following the road, or some lakes....that would be awsome. A few good places to eat such as little farm, country store, etc. that would be cool!

[SprintPoser]

I've got just what you girls will enjoy...roads-wise.

I'll put the "suggested route" together in the next few days and PM it to Patricia and ???

For now, I would suggest meeting at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant on Route 20 in Sturbridge. Being right at the junction of Route 20, I84, and the Mass Turnpike will make it easier for all to get to. Plus, you can all have a good breakfast and SHOP at the same time!

From there, I do have a few nice roads for you to try. A loop? not exactly, but if you want to actually put it together, what I'll do is give you route numbers, street names and coordinates from a Delormes Gazzeteer. Howzat sound?

[MissTwisties]

Ken, you can also PM me the suggested route as I'm the one leading the ride (supposibly).

[court1129]

I just saw this thread. Ken, this would be very helpful thank you.

[dhuze]

Originally posted by patricia929
please pm me. we're trying to sort this out for the girls ride we're planning for next weekend. if the route is too complicated we may need a guide

ps good to see you on thursday - thanks for cornerworking

remember patricia's reply to another thread.
Quote:patricia929
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37. Women cannot use a map without turning the map to correspond to the direction that they are heading.
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"you mean there is another way to read a map ??????"




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[patricia929]

oh crap - i knew that would come back to haunt me

[MissTwisties]

Don't you worry Pat, I can read a map without turning it, so we're all set!

[old timer]

Just a suggestion...you might want to look at Rt. 122 N out of Worcester , up to 202 S , that would take you along the Quabin res. to either Rt. 9 or 20 . Nice quite places along the way to stop and take a break . Either way , have a good ride...

[MissTwisties]

Originally posted by old timer
Just a suggestion...you might want to look at Rt. 122 N out of Worcester , up to 202 S , that would take you along the Quabin res. to either Rt. 9 or 20 . Nice quite places along the way to stop and take a break . Either way , have a good ride...

You know what? I was thinking same exact thing this morning. I looked at the map, and Quabbin reservoir is an awsome ride! And the lake is beautiful...

[MissTwisties]

Here's a route: meeting either in Sturbridge or Worcester. Take route 122 up to Quabbin Reservoir. Take Old Petersham Rd which becomes Hager Rd. Go to Regulating Dam Rd. Then we'd take Orange-Millington Rd to go to route 202, then get to route 9, back to Charlton/Sturbridge/Worcester area...By taking these roads, there is plenty of picnic areas, a few places to stop for food and we'd go across some beautiful scenic views, ponds, state forests and very little of areas with homes. It would make the ride not too far for me to come back home, would be right in Court's home area, and wouldn't be too far for Patricia to go back home either.

By the way, does anyone who have been to Quabbin before knows on which street around the lake is that nice place with the old stone building and wall? From the pics I've seen, it's an awsome place to rest stop.

[SprintPoser]

There will be some of those roads on the route I'm working to send you. I know them well. Be aware that there's only a few places along each where you can actually see the Quabbin. You'd have to go INTO the park for the best views, and I don't know if the roads up to the tower or Enfield Lookout are open to vehicles in the post-9/11 era. I haven't been in there for a while.

BTW, do you ladies want a true loop, or can your ride end in a different spot than the start?

P.S. - If you want those roads you named on the route, you better ride them FIRST. I haven't been on them, but up there roads that small can be very rough. The place you describe sounds like Winsor Dam, inside Quabbin Reservoir Park at the southern (Route 9) end of it.

[MissTwisties]

Wait a sec. I just looked more at the map, and no, we cannot take the smaller roads, they are unpaved and gated. I'm looking at it more toughougly now to see teh best ones to go around Quabbin. Bummer. Quabbin is awsome, I have stopped tehre once in Ware. But I'd like to find where is the rest stop where other guys before went to, there is an old stone (or brick) building or something...

[SprintPoser]

I suggest a break on Route 122 at the Ware River intake. There's a nice road to pull in, and the stone building there is where they divert some of the Ware River to the Quabbin. No, that won't work because you need to plan stops at places a girl can find "relief".

[MissTwisties]

route 32A from 122 connecting to route 9 in Ware...I think we can take Ware Enfield Rd where there is a picnic area and make a small loop to Administration Rd. It's at the south end of the lake...?? Or I guess we could just stay on route 122 and go around the lake, take route 202, then route 9 and come back to Worcester area...I'm thinking the girls would probably prefer a loop so they can come back home. Remember Court has to work, Patricia has to go back to Boston....would be nice if they don't have to bail early and ride by themselves alone to go back home...and I don't mind riding alone to come back home as long as it is not further than Charlton/Sturbridge area. Worcester makes me nervous...

[MissTwisties]

Originally posted by SprintPoser
I suggest a break on Route 122 at the Ware River intake. There's a nice road to pull in, and the stone building there is where they divert some of the Ware River to the Quabbin. No, that won't work because you need to plan stops at places a girl can find "relief".

uh hmm!! Yeah, we girls cannot make a knot in it! And we cannot piss on a tree tronc either!!!

I see there is a nice home made ice cream shop (also must sell sandwiches and coffee, etc.) on route 32 on the border of Forest lake!!! Just a few minutes from Quabbin!! What do you think girls! That could be our lunch stop.

[SprintPoser]

DO NOT even THINK about getting on Route 32A! It's all torn up, a veritable minefield of hazards.

Trust me, I know this are very well, and will make you a true loop that includes places to eat, to take photos, to pee, and to RIDE, though there won't be anything terribly techincal, because those places are nowhere near the others you want.

[MissTwisties]

[i]though there won't be anything terribly techincal, because those places are nowhere near the others you want. [/b]

yeah...I guess that's why the ride in the Berkshires would have been so much nicer... if you can make us a nice loop on roads in good condition...I guess it will be ok. Nice little country roads instead of highways would be best...nothing fun about riding 4 lanes roads. I guess we should stick with route 122 and 202 to go around Quabbin, but if you can add some little sides roads (or quiet streets in the woods) that we can criss-cross around on top of this, that would be cool.

[slingblade]

202 down by quabbin is really nice, but your right; you can't get RIGHT to the resivoir because its all gated off. There are a few scenic spots to stop though.