Routes through Vermont , NH,

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Could anyone offer comments about the following route:
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TROY – CLAREMONT 16th Oct
Option 1 to Hoosick Falls: Rts 40, 67, 22.
Option 2 to Hoosick Falls Rts 7, 22
Rte 67 to NORTH BENNINGTON.
Rte 7A to ARLINGTON SUNDERLAND.
Rte 7 into MANCHESTER CENTRE.
Rte 11 to CLAREMONT.
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CLAREMONT – FRYEBURG, 17th Oct
Rte 11 to LACONIA.
Rte 3, Rte 25 WHITTIER.
Rte 16/113 to FRYEBURG
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I cannot find some earlier comments from Curt? re Vrmont routes.

On the Claremont to Fryeburg trip you will almost go by my house. Route 113 is beautiful in october, with the foliage. Ive never done 11 but have done most of 25. You shouldnt have a problem. If you need to know about stores or whatever let me know, I can find out whatever you need to know.

Yes, looks like you picked some excellent routes: very scenic, and you will find generally courteous drivers on them. Have an excellent time, and I am also happy to find any info you might need.

Thanks Mojorisin and jtfleming. I will folllow-up with you directly.

To Claremont, I have amended my route to depart from Saratoga Springs.

I am an Australian, and I am cycling from Buffalo to Cape Cod via Fryeburg over a period of 7 days. I am hopefully meeting up with one or two other Cape Cod cyclists at Fryburg.

I am departing the Erie canal route at Little Falls to head up to Saratoga Springs.

Any other comments about the rideability and "scenicness" of other parts of the route would be much appreciated. I confess to enjoying paved shoulders on roads and would be plesaed to hear commenst about that. Incidentaly, do US roads have a solid line marking at their edge?

Any signed guarantees about no rain would also be appreciated.

I am drafting your rain-proofing guarantee right now, and it will be in the mail at the exact same time as your premium check I assume!

Yes, generally on the roads you are on, you will find a solid marker on the right for the lane edge, signifying the shoulder. Occasionally they are yellow, but generally they are white, and just one single stripe. Most of the roads you will be on are so marked.

Some of the shoulders will get narrow on the country roads, but the speed limit drops accordingly. Route 7 is a secondary highway. Although that is not my neck of the woods (I am southeast, in Manchester, the largest city), with normal caution you should be fine on those roads. You will find most of the northern NH drivers are outdoorsmen and respect outdoorsmen.

Maybe it sounds a little silly, but be careful with your colors. You will be here during foliage season (which you will enjoy greatly on those roads), but the mix of colors is like a camouflage...greens, reds, browns...I recommend solid bright colors like red or yellow jerseys or jackets. If you wear too much of the busy blues and greens, you will not be as visible.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

Thanks again jtfleming.

V. interesting comment re. colours.

What is the approx. dimensional range of wide vs narrow shoulders? And, are they sealed?

How would you characterise the topography of the part of my route(s) with which you are familiar? If you are kind enough to reply again, and to this question, could you name the route(s) you describe?

My pen is poised over the cheque.

I am going to review your route and put up some scenic vistas for you in a later post. You are really passing right through the heart of NH, the foothills to the White Mountains, by some very beautiful lakes and towns, and I want to make sure you get good info!

As far as topography, foothills...you are running along the base of the mountainous region. You will encounter 2-5% grades (with some peak grades at not likely more than 11% for very short runs) without much average increase in altitude, and at mid-state you will start heading toward sea level. I don't have topographical maps, but my expectation would be an increase of no more than 500 feet or so, since Vermont is also rolling. I will see if I can find anymore than this for you. It will indeed be constantly up or downhill.

The wider shoulders generally run 3-5 meters, and usually you will find those anywhere the speed limit is 50 mph or above. A narrow should will be one meter or less, and in some places...a little white line and then ACK!!! sand.

Thankyou mojorisin amd jtfleming for your continuing advice.

I would also be very grateful for comments about the rideability of the following route:

Fryeburg
SR-113 to Conway
SR-153 to Eaton Cntre, Effingham, Sth Effingham, Woodman, E Wakefield, Sanbornville, Union
SR-125 to Milton, Rodhester, Epping, Brentwood, Kngston, haverhill, Nth Andover
SR-28 to Reading, Stoneham, Medford, Boston

The ride down rte 153 is awesome. The little town of Eaton has a store with a coffee shop breakfast/lunch bar you have to try. Its an old counrty store that still has the post office in it. It takes you by crystal lake and down a real nice scenic ride. The colors should be in by then but Im not a foliage expert. The ride will take you down 153 by province lake to woodman corners, and to wakefield. this road is narrow in spots but I have noticed "share the road with bike's" signs lately. I have never rode my bike past wakefield. Once you hit 125 the shoulder is wide and the cars go alot faster and it flattens out. This is a great ride as jtfleming has said and you are going by some real pretty places, and you will be going up and down alot.I have lived here my whole life and never get sick of it. Make sure you have film!!!!!!!
This sounds like a great adventure Rod, I wish you the best.

Mojo

Yes, timing should be perfect for the foliage! We actually import people from other places for that as we have some of the nicest foliage in the country.

I looked over that route. Route 28 in Massachusetts is going to be rough to some degree. It is very busy, as once you hit the Andover area, you are in the technology corridor, and the Boston metro area. That distance on the highway by car is perhaps 25 miles, or 2.5 hours of riding. Be very careful of the time of day as you depart Andover. I would not attempt it after 3 pm, or before 10 am. Consider taking sidewalks, and I hope to find some time to view alternate routes that might be viable. So many cars parked on that road there is virtually no shoulder, and the drivers are VICIOUS!!! Fast and aggressive. I will look at my maps and see if I can suggest an alternative later on this evening.