VT road surface ?

[MrBreese]

ANYone - Bethel Mtn Rd - Camp Brook Rd - runs east west from Rt 12 above Bethel to Rochester - Anyone know the surface conditions. I may have been over it but was certainly not leading.

[richw]

Haven't been for 2 years but was paved fine then

great road love the saddle

[Slyder]

It's definitely gotten worse in the last year, it was pristine for many years in a row.

Anyhow it's not bad at all. There are some bumps / frost heaves. There are some cracks in the pavement, some pretty decent, upwards of 1-2 inches wide. Expect bumps and cracks where you don't want them...in the turns. Not every corner is like that, just giving you a fair warning to not rule it out.

The speed limit is 40 (Barracks in Bethel, so you will see coppers on the road at times) but you can run a decent pace if you dare.

There's not much for long straight sections, for passing. Blind turns, so watch it if you feel the need to go fast.

Lastly, taking the road west, Bethel to Rochester / RT 100 is smoother than running it east.

[richw]

This is funny

I crossed that road in 1969 in a VW bug when it was logging road when I got to Rotchester they didn't believe it because no one had used it in recorded memory. We had our cat with us and it was violent enough to make the cat puke....good times good times

We had a house on the next road Bethel Gilead we also broke two old trails open on that but with dirt bikes. Very spooky back then because there were many abondoned houses and farms, many looking like the people had just moved out and left some stuff.

[SRTie4k]

Like Slyder said, its a little rough in some spots but the majority of it is pretty decent.

You should really be warned though that if you are heading East on it, there is a sweeping curve at the end that has a barn right in the middle of the curve...right on the other side of the barn is a stop sign where it intersects the highway...slow down when you see the barn and the curve!! It comes up FAST.

[MrBreese]

Thxs for the great info guys. I'll be heading west on the out part to Lake Placid in Sept.
I was just hoping it was paved but thxs for the details.

It may be quicker to go down 107 from I89 X3 then up 100 to 125 but always like to keep travel lines straight as possible and wanted to consider this option. At least for one leg.

[richw]

I think that that road is a logical extension of 73 to the tic ferry

or then 100n to 125 crown point bridge

of course you could go a little south and hit the "T" road

[Slyder]

As Rich mentions, 73 to Ticonderoga

$4 per bike to take the ferry...and 73 is WAY nicer than 125. Bethel mtn road will stop at a T intersection on the western side of it, take a left, drop down the hill to RT 100. Take a left at the bottom and .5 miles or so 73 takes off on the right. Take 73 all the way to the Ferry...you can't go wrong with that route. There will also be signs to the NY ferry, etc.

From there head out 74 then make your way to Placid. You'll definitely have a slick ride

[MrBreese]

I have taken 73 to the Ferry a couple x before and agree 73 is much smoother than 125 but seems like a longer route. I'll probably go out one and back the other to mix it up.

"of course you could go a little south and hit the "T" road"

I was def planning on hitting the "T" road on this trip (1st time).
Not looking at the map, is it closer to the Ticon / 73 route?

[Slyder]

No further. It's actually north of the crown point bridge. But if you go out 73 or back 73, it won't make too big a difference. You do what you want and what time allows, either way you'll have a good ride. 125 has some rough spots but it's definitely passable and a quick route from 100 to 116 / 7 area.

Now if you were doing the ferry between Plattsburg and Burlington area, you'd want to go south for T rd.

[butcher bergs]

Just be cautious on Chelsea Mtn Rd. Sure the pavement is nice and smooth but you gotta watch for a gray silt-like dirt which can surprise any rider in any given corner. It's very difficult to detect.

[Slyder]

Thats 17, not Bethel mtn road.

[butcher bergs]

Definitely not talking about 17.

Could be I'm getting my road names confused, lemme double check...

[butcher bergs]

Just remembered, it's Chelsea Mtn Rd.

Post edited.

[Slyder]

I've not been over that since it was really rough. BigBlu mentioned it was pretty nice now, I guess she went over it a few weeks ago. I have yet to check it out again...tho I live 20 mins away

[butcher bergs]

I haven't been up there since last year but it seems every time I'm on that road something goes wrong. Damn near lost my machine on my last visit there.

[RandyO]

I have taken 73 to the Ferry a couple x before and agree 73 is much smoother than 125 but seems like a longer route. I'll probably go out one and back the other to mix it up.

"of course you could go a little south and hit the "T" road"

I was def planning on hitting the "T" road on this trip (1st time).
Not looking at the map, is it closer to the Ticon / 73 route?

a little south to T road ? somebody reads maps upside down

[Slyder]

MrBreese, another good route if you're interested would be crossing into VT somewhere near the Thetford area and heading to RT 132 VIA RT 5 and taking it from there to Sharon VT. From there you can hit RT 14 north, to RT 107 then RT 12 to Bethel mtn road. Definitely check out 132, I think you'll like it as well if you've never been on it.

You're from Northfield NH so it's just about west of you...the direction you're heading anyway

[MrBreese]

MrBreese, another good route if you're interested would be crossing into VT somewhere near the Thetford area and heading to RT 132 VIA RT 5 and taking it from there to Sharon VT. From there you can hit RT 14 north, to RT 107 then RT 12 to Bethel mtn road. Definitely check out 132, I think you'll like it as well if you've never been on it.

You're from Northfield NH so it's just about west of you...the direction you're heading anyway

Sounds worth considering, I'll check er out in dtail on my Vt atlas. I see from the reg road map in work here that it's just north of where I was going to jump off 4A in Lebanon and slab up to Bethel. However taking that 132 sounds better (thought a bit longer).

[SRTie4k]

Sounds worth considering, I'll check er out in dtail on my Vt atlas. I see from the reg road map in work here that it's just north of where I was going to jump off 4A in Lebanon and slab up to Bethel. However taking that 132 sounds better (thought a bit longer).

Believe me, its worth it. I just did 132 a couple of weeks ago and its one of the most fun roads I've ever been on.

[Slyder]

Ahh RT 4a. I'm guessing you'll ride by Mascoma lake into Enfield, then hit RT4 from 4a. Lebanon / Hanover is worth avoiding by taking the slab.

You could hop on 89 in Enfield (at exit 17) and then head up 89 to Bethel as you mentioned, or take the scenic route, 89 to 91 north to exit 13, Norwich, then RT 5 north to 132. Careful in Norwich though, the officers there are well known to everyone in the upper valley.

132 is longer, but it gets you off the slab, onto a road less traveled, and it has some sweet twisties out through the country and small towns. I also believe parts of it were repaved not too long ago. I have to ride it again sometime myself, it's been awhile.

[MrBreese]

Ahh RT 4a. I'm guessing you'll ride by Mascoma lake into Enfield, then hit RT4 from 4a. Lebanon / Hanover is worth avoiding by taking the slab.

You could hop on 89 in Enfield (at exit 17) and then head up 89 to Bethel as you mentioned, or take the scenic route, 89 to 91 north to exit 13, Norwich, then RT 5 north to 132. Careful in Norwich though, the officers there are well known to everyone in the upper valley.

132 is longer, but it gets you off the slab, onto a road less traveled, and it has some sweet twisties out through the country and small towns. I also believe parts of it were repaved not too long ago. I have to ride it again sometime myself, it's been awhile.

You guessed right. I was going to jump on 89 from 4A ASAP and run up to Bethel but I don't even like that relatively short run. So I will take your suggested route unless time is a big issue.