Good rides?

[aprilb]

Any suggestions for some good rides to take from the Salisbury/Seabrook area? Want to get in something more than just a scenic ride as I'd like to work on my skills for cornering, open road, etc. I'll be in this area until mid-August then headed backs o Ashburnham.

Speaking of Ashburnham, any good rides from that area? I know Clayton will have some thoughts, but would love to hear some other thoughts too!

[SprintPoser]

The best roads in Ashburnham are the ones that lead out of it.

Plenty of great roads around there. In the old days I would just pick up a DeLorme Gazetteer and look though it for the crooked lines. Worked very well. With GPS today it's just not the same.

[No Quarter]

107 out of Seabrook is OK. You can take it all the way to Laconia.

[sveesix]

There are a lot of back roads up along 1A from Salisbury and Hampton.

[jwm2k3]

Just dont head east from Salisbury.

[stoinkythepig]

Have I got a ride for you, lots of heavenly curves and gorgeous views on this route:

From Seabrook head North (really it's west) to 107 to 108 north. Ride to Exeter on 108 and take a left onto Water Street (27/111A west) in downtown Exeter. Stay on 27 West until you cross 101, then take Watson Road on right. Watson becomes Oaklands road. At end of Oaklands Road take a right onto 87 east. At end of 87 east take left onto 85 north. At end of 85 north take left onto 108. Go through downtown Newmarket and take Bay Road on the right just after it the mill buildings on right. Bay Road becomes Durham Point Road and returns to 108 a few miles north. Head south on 108 from Durham Point Road and take Bennett Road on the right. At the end of Bennett Road, take right onto Packers Falls Road. At the end of Packers Falls Road, go left on 155A. Take a right on 155 then an immediate left onto Stepping Stone Road. Cross 125 to stay on Stepping Stone. At stop sign at end of Stepping Stone, take right onto Mitchell Road, then an immediate left onto Case Road (a smooth dirt road that becomes pavement after a mile or two). Take a right at end of Case road onto Mill Pond Road. Go straight at 4 way stop where Mill Pond becomes McCrillis Road. Take right at end of McCrillis Road onto 152. Take left onto 156 south. Go right onto Deerfield Road at 4 way intersection at top of hill (with all the lovely farms). At end of Deerfield Road (which becomes Nottingham Road) go left on 107/43 south. From 107 south, you can find your way to Ashburnham on your own. I know many routes from there, but they are complicated. A right to stay on 43 will bring you out to 101, but 101 is pretty dull.

[stoinkythepig]

To get back to Seabrook from 107/43 in Deerfield:

Take a left on 107/43 south. Take a right on 43 south past Deerfield Fair grounds. Go straight through light in Candia. Go straight at stop sign onto Main street. Take second left onto Chester Road, follow to end at 121 and go left at stop sign onto 121 south. Go straight through stop sign to stay on 121 south. Go straight to enter 121A south. About 7 miles down 121A south, turn left onto Hawkwood, at sign that says "Roger Jett Auto Repair". Go straight on Hawkwood, it becomes Colby Road. At end of Colby Road, go right onto 111A, then immediately left onto Kingston Road. Follow Kingston Road almost all the way to 111 and take a left onto Ball Road (the aptly named Ball Road is the next left after the 4 way intersection with Cheney Road). Ball Road becomes Rockrimmon Road. Go straight across Kingston Commons at end of Rockrimmon Road. Take a right onto Main St, then take second Left onto Bartlett Road. Bartlett Road becomes 107 south when you cross 125. Follow 107 south back to Seabrook.

[breakdirt916]

fyi, stoinky is the man...loaned me a valve spring compressor, and showed me some bitchin roads near his work...which were a blast!

[Falko]

yeah, if you need a repair tool, he probably has it in his arsenal.

123 up north of the Ashburnham area is a good ride, takes you up into some nice roads in NH as well.

[Cheese]

Stoinky's listed a good route but if it's too many turns consider just riding north on Rt. 1A up to York, ME. In York head east to Rt. 1 then pick up Mountain Rd. which will lead you up to the summit of Mt. Agamenticus. It's beach season so don't even attempt this route if it's after 9am. You'll probably want to slab I95 on the way home rather than follow the parade of beach traffic down Rt. 1 or Rt. 1A.

Enjoy!

[aprilb]

Stoinky's listed a good route but if it's too many turns consider just riding north on Rt. 1A up to York, ME. In York head east to Rt. 1 then pick up Mountain Rd. which will lead you up to the summit of Mt. Agamenticus. It's beach season so don't even attempt this route if it's after 9am. You'll probably want to slab I95 on the way home rather than follow the parade of beach traffic down Rt. 1 or Rt. 1A.

Enjoy!

What's the time for the way up? I've done 1A to Portsmouth, but have always turned around once there as I don't have a GPS on bike and nervous to get lost alone

[Jaynnus]

$5 for a paper New England map. Grab one and put it in your bike. You never know when you will need it.

[jasnmar]

I love getting lost.

My biggest problem is when I find good roads I can rarely re-find them.

When wifey and I go for evening rides she always asks where we're going ... I say something clever like East...ish... if I turn, she asks now where... I say uhhh, North...ish, I think. Eventually I'll run across a numbered road. Even numbers "mostly" run east/west. Odd numbers "mostly" run north/south.

If all else fails... use the smartphone.

[sveesix]

What's the time for the way up? I've done 1A to Portsmouth, but have always turned around once there as I don't have a GPS on bike and nervous to get lost alone

You mean to avoid beach traffic?

Anytime between 10 and 5 can get pretty bad, but there are ways around it. Just stopping and turning around in Portsmouth means you are missing out on a lot up there. I like to run a nice loop though Southern Maine, and like Cheese noted, Mt. A can be fun of you've never been.

[Cheese]

I show 1:15 from Salisbury Beach to Mt. Agamenticus following Rt.1A, Rt.103, Rt.1A, Rt.1 and Mountain Rd. Most of it is up the coast so it's I95 to your left and splash to your right so very difficult to get lost. On the way back Mountain Rd. there will be a road on your right called Chases Pond Rd. right before passing under/over I95. Chases Pond Rd. parallels I95 and ends at a ramp onto I95.

If you want turn-by-turn directions send me a PM and I'll forward an Excel spreadsheet to you.

Buying a paper map as recommended isn't a bad idea either.

Hi Jane!

[Sheppo]

what is this map you speak of.... just ride eventually you'll get home

[stoinkythepig]

What's the time for the way up? I've done 1A to Portsmouth, but have always turned around once there as I don't have a GPS on bike and nervous to get lost alone

If you want to try my route during the day this week, you can follow me. I am on vacation this week and always up for a ride.

[aprilb]

what is this map you speak of.... just ride eventually you'll get home

I did it today, just went out and rode and made it back home! No map, but didn't try to make to many turns either. It was good though!

[aprilb]

If you want to try my route during the day this week, you can follow me. I am on vacation this week and always up for a ride.

And I have to work for the rest of the week ! Bummer! Will hopefully try out your route within the coming weeks though!

[nhbubba]

I would invest in a copy of the Delorme Gazetteer for at least NH. Great book.. I usually have a copy in my side case. Possibly better than a GPS.

... At the end of Bennett Road, take right onto Packers Falls Road. At the end of Packers Falls Road, go left on 155A. Take a right on 155 then an immediate left onto Stepping Stone Road. Cross 125 to stay on Stepping Stone. At stop sign at end of Stepping Stone...

I would alter this segment. Shortly after turning onto Packers Falls, go through a 3-way stop (on Packers Falls) then stay straight at the next right sweeper (turning left off of Packers Falls) onto Wednesday Hill Road. This will bring you up to down-town Lee NH (don't blink!). Turn right at the end of Wednesday Hill and you will be on 155 North. At the signs, turn left to stay on 155 (not 155A) and then take an immediate left onto Stepping Stone Road. Continue with Stoinky's instructions from there.

Another nice segment to pick up in that area is Lee Hook Road. If going north bound from Newmarket to Lee, be careful about 1/4 mile after the right hand sweeper that goes around a large red barn and farm-house. There is a straight before the river where the Lee PD love to setup speed traps.

If you want to try my route during the day this week, you can follow me. I am on vacation this week and always up for a ride.

I can 2nd this... although I work M-F and am saving vacation time for track time.

[stoinkythepig]

I would invest in a copy of the Delorme Gazetteer for at least NH. Great book.. I usually have a copy in my side case. Possibly better than a GPS.



I would alter this segment. Shortly after turning onto Packers Falls, go through a 3-way stop (on Packers Falls) then stay straight at the next right sweeper (turning left off of Packers Falls) onto Wednesday Hill Road. This will bring you up to down-town Lee NH (don't blink!). Turn right at the end of Wednesday Hill and you will be on 155 North. At the signs, turn left to stay on 155 (not 155A) and then take an immediate left onto Stepping Stone Road. Continue with Stoinky's instructions from there.

Another nice segment to pick up in that area is Lee Hook Road. If going north bound from Newmarket to Lee, be careful about 1/4 mile after the right hand sweeper that goes around a large red barn and farm-house. There is a straight before the river where the Lee PD love to setup speed traps.



I can 2nd this... although I work M-F and am saving vacation time for track time.

I dunno, I think Packers Falls Road has more curves than either Wednesday Hill or Lee Hook (at least that end of Lee Hook). Hard to find a bad road in that neck of the woods though.

Stepping Stone and Deerfield Roads both have really nice pavement right now.

[nhbubba]

Meh, I figured since you were giving out all my local favs..

Stepping Stone is in great shape. Lots and lots of kids near that little pond though. I would not encourage anyone to haul ass through there. Poor visibility and kids not expecting traffic.

I love Wednesday Hill.

It is possible that I just know Lee Hook too well. Like an old girlfriend... I know I can have fun on that one sweeper that splits the two white farm houses because you have great sight lines in both directions to look for traffic, LEOs, etc. I'm not alone either. I hear sport bikes out there all the frickin' time.

Oooh.. that S-curve through the swamp on 152 is fun too. And that little bridge near Tuttle Road. (Now part of my AM commute, btw.. )


But really, who needs nice pavement?!? Lately I've been spending a lot of time on the dirt roads across 125 in that area between 152/156, 4, 125, and 27. Mostly breaking my V-Strom.

[obsolete]

111a and 121a are pretty fun. head to newburyport and run the north side of the merrimac to east broadway in haverhill then back over the river and take the river roads on the south side.

[rolker]

Meh, I figured since you were giving out all my local favs..

Stepping Stone is in great shape. Lots and lots of kids near that little pond though. I would not encourage anyone to haul ass through there. Poor visibility and kids not expecting traffic.

I love Wednesday Hill.

It is possible that I just know Lee Hook too well. Like an old girlfriend... I know I can have fun on that one sweeper that splits the two white farm houses because you have great sight lines in both directions to look for traffic, LEOs, etc. I'm not alone either. I hear sport bikes out there all the frickin' time.

Oooh.. that S-curve through the swamp on 152 is fun too. And that little bridge near Tuttle Road. (Now part of my AM commute, btw.. )


But really, who needs nice pavement?!? Lately I've been spending a lot of time on the dirt roads across 125 in that area between 152/156, 4, 125, and 27. Mostly breaking my V-Strom.

Snell road off of 155 in Lee also has a cool section with turns and elevation changes...

[nhbubba]

Snell is the part dirt one () that cuts across 4, right?!

Buy a V-Strom and try to make it from one end of Cherry Lane to the other.. I dare you. I will: