If you are looking for a safe, easy way to bring your family on an outdoor adventure this winter, Lucie Villeneuve can help. (Tim Jones photo)

The little town of Errol in the Great North Woods Region of New Hampshire, is kinda quiet, out of the way (on the Maine border, 20 miles or so north of Berlin), and surrounded by hills, lakes and rivers. In other words, it’s the perfect town if you are looking to find or hold onto winter, or if you enjoy hiking, mountain biking and, especially, paddlesports in summer.

I was in the Errol neighborhood on a winter camping by dogsled adventure on beautiful Lake Umbagog, and built in an extra day to explore a little more of the area. An extra week would have been better. I still wouldn’t have seen it all.

I’d first gotten the idea from the folks at the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. The NFCT is a magnificent 740-mile water passage from Old Forge, New York to Fort Kent, Maine. It’s a paddler’s dream in the summer, but often forgotten in the winter. The NFCT is building partnerships along the trail to help get more people out and exploring year ’round. Worthy goal, and they are doing a great job.

It's the guide's job to break trail up steep slopes for the clients, and Lucie attacked the steeps with glee. (Tim Jones photo)

In Errol, they have partnered with Lucie Villeneuve of Outdoor ESCAPES New Hampshire,  who will arrange guided paddling or hiking adventures in the warmer months and cross-country skiing or snowshoeing in the winter. There are several lodging options for these packages in Errol. The one I selected was 150 Main Street Lodging On The Androscoggin, where owner/hosts Debbie  and Bill Freedman operate a very cozy, comfortable and welcoming guest house right on the banks of the river on the edge of Errol. The Androscoggin here is, of course, part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, and it’s literally, steps from the backdoor. Bill is an avid fly fisherman, and would be a terrific resource if you want to fish the area in summer. I ate dinner with the Freedmans that night at the Trading Post Restaurant, a few miles north of Errol in Magalloway, Maine. Bill and I talked fishing all night. Debbie looked like she was used to it. My other meals I took at the Northern Exposure Restaurant, practically next door, hearty home-cooked food to fuel an outdoor adventure.

Speaking of outdoor adventures . . .since I’d just come from three days and two nights of dogsledding, skiing, and winter camping on flat, packed trails around Lake Umbagog, and since there was more than a foot of fresh powder on top of a deep base of snow, I asked Lucie if she’d mind searching for some untracked snow on a slope. She was happy to oblige and made it clear that she will customize adventures to her clients’ desires and abilities.

Since it was just the two of us, and since we are both experienced and avid backcountry skiers, we decided to ski up (“up” being the operative word–remember this for later) the summer access road to Munn Pond, just south of Errol. Even with skis on we were sinking knee deep into the soft snow in the woods. At one point, where the snow-covered road was narrow and especially steep, we detoured onto the packed snow of a nearby snowmobile trail to scale the slope more easily. Sometimes, the longer route is the faster (and easier!) one.

Munn Pond was beautiful, nestled among quiet hills. Though we knew from having skied up a bit of it that there was a snowmobile trail not far away, we couldn’t hear it, and we skied across the lake hearing only the soft sigh of the wind and the hiss of our skis on the snow. Just beautiful. We saw tracks of moose, coyote, ruffed grouse and snowshoe hare, but no tracks of other people. Lucie is a born teacher, good at pointing out and explaining the wonders of nature you see on a trek like this. After a couple of hours of pushing our ski tips into lovely, silent places, we reluctantly headed back down the hill toward the car.

Wheeeee!!!! The payoff for climbing up was skiing down through some deep untracked powder. We enjoyed it so much, we went back up and did it again! (Tim Jones photo)

Remember all that “UP” I mentioned before? Well, baby, this was payoff time!!!

The steep slope we had avoided coming up was now a quarter-mile narrow ribbon of pristine, deep, untracked snow winding through the trees. I went first, swooping down through knee-deep snow, whooping all the way for the pure joy of it, breaking tracks for Lucie to follow. My tracks allowed her to gain speed and she flew past me as I stood to the side of the trail. We were both giggling when we stopped.

In fact, we  had so much fun, we decided to follow our original tracks out to the snowmobile trail, back up the hill and do it all over again. This time, the extra speed and momentum carried us back into the tracks of our original climb and we coasted all the way down to the car. What a great finish!

The  Guided Advantage

By choosing a guided trip, I found not only good companionship, but also a place I probably never would have explored on my own. Not all of us are lucky enough to know someone experienced who can inspire us to try something new and get us started safely. Many of us need outside help with getting motivated, planning and safely executing an outdoor adventure.

Joining an outing club or a group like your local chapter of the AMC, Green Mountain Club or Adirondack Mountain Club is always a good way to meet people who can show you how to get started. You can also get help getting started from outdoor equipment companies like L.L. Bean with their “Walk-On Adventures” programs at many of their stores, REI with its Outdoor School, and EMS with its climbing, kayak and ski schools. All are good options.

But hiring a guide like Lucie makes it very personal. You get to dictate the schedule and the activities you desire. The guide provides the expertise to help you enjoy the adventure without worry. A good guide is well worth the price if you are exploring something new or an area that’s new to you.

We had perfect weather and snow conditions for the ski trip we had planned but she made it clear that she was well prepared with other options if Mother Nature didn’t cooperate. That willingness to go with what the client and the weather dictate makes her a great resource for individuals, but especially for families looking for adventure. Lucie, I discovered, is the mother of two beautiful kids, and a former cross-country ski instructor at both The Balsams Wilderness (which will be closed for the winter of 2011/12 and reopening in summer 2012) in nearby Dixville Notch, N.H and at Gunstock Nordic Center in Gilford, N.H. She also has other guides who work with her throughout the year. As a young mother herself, she’s particularly attuned to the needs of families with young kids. She operates trips throughout New Hampshire, almost year ‘round. In the summer, she specializes in canoeing, hiking, and biking.

People tend to underestimate how steep King Pine can be; a quick look at the lift angle will correct that impression! (David Shedd photo)

A little background. We’ve skied the area before; it’s a short hour from our house, and has a great deal that allows you to downhill ski, XC, skate, you name it, all on the same ticket. Fun way to spend a day! Except when Mother Nature hasn’t provided any snow for XC, and it’s been generally too warm to make the ice safe for skating…in other words, today. We were looking at downhill skiing only. But, we decided to head over anyway, for two reasons. First, we knew that they’d done a major snowmaking upgrade over the summer; replacing their diesel system with an electric one for both environmental and operating cost reasons, and in the process increased capacity by 50%. We’d been impressed by the snow quality before, so thought…well, maybe we’d get lucky. Second, we had two reasons to go to a mountain that had more relaxed terrain than we often ski. I’d recently picked up an AT (Alpine Touring) setup. With new skis/boots/bindings, all with VERY different characteristics than my regular skis, I wanted some time to learn without scaring the daylights out of myself. And, Susan, as a relative newbie to downhill, wanted to work on some specific training techniques; that’s hard to do on an icy black diamond. Off we went!

Talk about "boards"...my Karhus utterly dwarf Susan's Blizzards. (David Shedd photo)

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is a busy one for ski areas, and with a small area like King Pine, that can be a concern. We didn’t need to worry, though. As busy as it looked in the parking lot and the lodge, we found that the multiple trails down from the summit allowed skiers to dissipate and keep it from being crowded. Ideal conditions for our goals, in other words.

And speaking of ideal conditions, we were spot-on about their snowmaking improvements.  The majority of their trails were open, including the black diamond Jack Pine, and in over 4+ hours of skiing, we didn’t encounter even one patch of ice. Period. Sure, there was some of that hard, scratchy stuff, but nothing that we couldn’t put an edge into, and in some ways the conditions improved during the day as skiers “groomed” it and created a nice, soft layer on top, particularly near the edges of the trails.  In the afternoon, the left side of Red Pine was simply outstanding, with about 4-6″ of the soft stuff to play in.

One of the most overrated facets of some mountains is “feet of vertical”.  King Pine doesn’t carry any bragging rights in that world; 350 feet of vertical is, um, pretty small. But, they make use of every foot of it; there’s no runout at the bottom, no skating along a flat trail, hoping you don’t have to pole for a  hundred yards to get to the lift.  Skiing is fun right to the bottom.  And when you’re trying to work a technique, you get tired a lot faster than when you’re simply skiing. For us on this day, 350 was perfect; we could focus on our turns, maintain as perfect form as we were capable of, right to the bottom, then relax and keep fresh legs on the way up.  There was no “dude, we got 12 runs in!”…we had more than that before noon!

I learned that the Karhus can carve...but look at the snow under my left foot, and you'll have an idea of the great conditions we had at King Pine! (Susan Marean Shedd photo)

Did we accomplish our goals?  Oh, yes…Susan was looking to move her turns to more “S” than “Z”, and  worked over and over on the “$100 bill” technique (if you want details, email us!). By late in the day, she looked like an entirely different skier than the one I’d started the morning with, both in technique and actual speed on each run. And my skis?  Going from a pair of Blizzard Magnum 7.6 and custom Dalbello Kryptons to a pair of vintage-ish Karhu BC100s (yes, that means 100mm underfoot) with AT bindings and Garmont G-Ride boots definitely meant a steep learning curve. Each run gave me more confidence, and allowed me to test how the tips and tails reacted to balance shifts; to try them in big, swoopy GS turns as well as tight, short radius blasts along the edge of the woods. End result…love the skis, feel confident on them, and now have a built-in muscle memory for the way they react. Now, when I take them into some unexpectedly difficult terrain, I’ll feel confident and prepared!

We’d have had fun at King Pine even if we’d simply gone there to play in our usual way on the slopes; the trails are well laid-out, fun, and have enough difficulty that it’s up to us to ski them in the way that we like best. But on a learning day…it truly was a great time! Now, we just have to wait for some  natural snow so we can go back and play on the few trails we missed. It’s funny how many skiers we know who have never tried King Pine, or some of the other smaller mountains around; we’d say that it’s a shame, but on the other hand, what they don’t know equals better skiing for us…

The cloudline stopped just above where Haulback joins Flume on the gray day. As you can see, the snow was deep on the trail, but not in the woods.(Tim Jones photo)

There’s a very light snow falling outside as I write this and it’s easy to get excited about hitting the slopes. If you are looking out the window at falling snow, I’ll bet you can relate. In fact, as soon as this is done…

It’s harder to get excited about heading for the hills when the ground is bare, the world is gray and, worse yet, there’s rain in the weather forecast. That was exactly the situation on the shortest day of 2011 when I forced myself to throw my skis in the car and drive through mixed ice, sleet and rain to meet EasternSlopes.com Senior Editor David Shedd at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire. As I drove north, the rain and ice  stopped around Plymouth, but the day was still gray and damp and a thick fog hung over the tops of the higher peaks.

But, it’s always been my contention that, when the weather doesn’t cooperate, New England skiing is going to consistently be better than you expect it to be. David agrees, as you can see in his essay on Eastern vs Western Snow (The West, too, has been struggling this season). We wanted to see if Loon would prove the theory correct.

The answer, in a word: YES!!! Considering what Mother Nature had been throwing at us, conditions were excellent. Loon had more trails open than we expected, the snow was surprisingly deep, surprisingly soft and (not so surprisingly,) well groomed. Loon takes good care of its snow.

Now, if it’s been rainy and warm, anyone who goes to a New England ski resort expecting mid-winter snow conditions is probably deluding themselves. You have to adjust your expectations to reality. I admit, I was expecting something a lot less than perfect. In fact, I brought my Volkl AC30 skis—which I refer to fondly as my “ice skates” — thinking that high-traffic areas would be boilerplate, at best.

Wrong! Honestly, there were some infrequent patches of hard snow, and a VERY few spots which deserved the term “ice,” but most of the time we were skiing on well-groomed corduroy that lasted at least as long as our legs did—actually longer, since the snow was still good when we weren’t.

Surprisingly, snow conditions on the lower mountain were, if anything, even better than higher up. (Tim Jones photo)

We spent most of our time riding up on the North Peak Express Quad, then coming down on Walking Boss or looping around Sunset to Haulback to Lower Flume (which was in superb condition). Upper Flume opened while we were there, but we decided that slopes, ungroomed steep, and with snowmaking “whales” scattered about the landscape, was not in our best interests this early in the season. The best snow of the day was probably on Loon Peak on Upper Flying Fox and Seven Brothers, accessed from the Gondola. Everywhere we looked, more deep piles of snow were waiting to be groomed out into smooth corduroy for the larger crowds expected during Christmas-New Year’s vacation. With a real cold snap since, you just know the conditions got better after Christmas.

It turned out to be a great day on the slopes—despite the dreary weather and having to drive in rain and ice. Remember, always check conditions before you head for the slopes if Mother Nature’s been cranky. But, no matter how badly she’s behaving, you’re likely to find that the snow is better than you thought it would be.

Cold Country Cadillac. A dog team travels quickly, quietly and comfortably on snowy trails and lets you carry more gear than you ever could on your back. (Tim Jones photo)

When the Inuit (which is what “Eskimos” call themselves) people crossed the frozen Bering Sea from Siberia to Alaska they brought with them an utterly amazing technology which allowed them to successfully colonize the northern coastal fringes of North America and western Greenland. Where other people had barely clung to life, the Inuits thrived. The technology that gave them the edge they needed to survive and thrive was the dog sled and the dogs that pulled them. Using dogs, Inuit hunters and their families could travel many miles over ice and snow with all that they needed to live well in a harsh environment, find food, and even protect themselves from marauding polar bears.

If you are looking for an easy, safe, fun, winter Active Outdoors adventure, and a way to escape from all the pressures created by today’s technology, dogsledding may be just the way to go. Traveling by dogsled, I’ve found, is like taking a trip back in time.

One cold nose! Kjeran in the dog box for transport but eager to be out running. (Tim Jones photo)

In late January 2011, my sweetheart Marilyn and I were cross-country skiing from Little Lyford Pond Camps to Gorman Chairback Camp in the AMC’s Maine Lodge program. A visit to these Maine wilderness lodges is pretty much an annual event for us, something we look forward to every winter.

Sharing the camps with us on this trek were three guides, four clients and six dog teams from Mahoosuc Guide Service. Master Guides Polly Mahoney and Kevin Slater were leading four clients who each got to drive their own teams. They were visiting all four of the lodges in the AMC winter program: Medawisla, West Branch Pond Camps, Little Lyford Lodge and Cabins and Gorman Chairback Lodge and Cabins in five days and four nights. They also had an assistant guide, Joey Shaw, following on a snowmobile towing all their gear and supplies.

Don’t confuse a Mahoosuc adventure with a typical tourist “dogsled ride” where a musher will bundle you into a sled and haul you around like human cargo for an hour or less. Mahoosuc does offer some tourist rides from their base in Newry, Maine, but their real niche is an authentic, active, hands-on experience with the clients learning how to care for the dogs, hitch up the sleds and drive them for many miles each day. Driving a dogsled is actually a pretty darned good workout; the dogs are a handful to hitch up, the sleds require both muscle and finesse to steer and you don’t get to just ride up the hills (though the dogs will help pull you along . . .).

Dogsledding with Mahoosuc is a hands-on adventure . . . (Tim Jones photo_

For anyone who loves dogs, and who wants to get actively involved with them, this would be a wonderful way to visit the remote AMC Maine Lodges. The dog teams move a lot faster than most folks on cross-country skis, which meant the guests traveling by dogsled had time to explore around the camp each day on snowshoes.

While I was talking with Polly and Kevin one evening at the dinner table (good conversation with interesting people is one of the highlights of any AMC stay), they mentioned that they did ski/dogsled trips to traditional tent camps they maintain on Umbagog Lake (pronounced umBAYgog) near Errol, New Hampshire. I immediately signed up for a long weekend adventure in late February when Marilyn was stuck in a work seminar.

The trip begins at Polly and Kevin’s Mahoosuc Lodge in Newry, Maine (near Sunday River), where 9 of us (3 guides, 6 client/adventurers) gathered to meet each other, hear Kevin’s stories of the history of dog teams in North America and Mahoosuc’s line of dogs in particular. We spent the night in a comfortable bunkhouse, ate a hearty breakfast, then went out to meet all the dogs (wonderfully eager, enthusiastic, friendly beasts!) and get them loaded into the truck.

Guide Joey Shaw loading Aiofe into the dog box. (Tim Jones photo)

We had 3 dog teams and sleds. Kevin always drove the lead team. The clients took turns mushing and skiing. Several had never been on cross-country skis before–this really is an ideal entry-level adventure. Mahoosuc provides excellent ski equipment with wide waxless wooden touring skis mounted with Berwin backcountry ski bindings (which can be used with super-warm Pac or “Mouse” boots). No cold feet on these trips! The trek to the camp was between 4 and 5 miles, flat, packed by snowmobiles and dog teams, and perfect for learning the basics of kick-and-glide skiing.

The 4 skiers left immediately while the others hitched up dog teams and packed sleds with food and supplies. We skiers carried light packs (one pulled a small sled) and skied through a heavy snowstorm. Still, the trip took under three hours with a stop for lunch on the trail. Even though the dog teams started much later than we did (it takes time to hook up a dog team), they beat us to camp. Dogs move fast once they are moving.

We skied to camp through a heavy snowstorm, no views but still lovely. (Tim Jones photo)

With the snowstorm, we didn’t really get to see any views until the next morning. Then, the sun came out in skies as blue as only winter skies can be and the view over the empty lake was breathtaking.

Even with no sun and no view, the ski into camp was fun and a snug camp and good food were most welcome.

We got to see more of the view on our “off” day when we skied or mushed out to a predetermined meeting point and ate lunch together before swapping conveyanaces for the trip back to camp.

Cozy Canvas Camp

The camp on Umbagog was very comfortable for 9 humans and 18 dogs. There’s a big “kitchen tent” where Brian (ski guide and camp cook) prepared tasty, filling meals on a two-burner propane stove and a big wood stove. This was where we all gathered in the warmth of the wood stove around a low table for meals. There was always hot water available for tea or coffee and snacks handy if you were hungry. It was a perfect place to talk and tell stories.

The human accommodations included this big canvas kitchen tent with plenty of space for everyone to gather. Each of the tents had a woodstove for warmth. (Tim Jones photo)

The 3 canvas sleeping tents could each hold 3 sleepers in comfort. These roomy tents had a woodstove near the door, a drying pole along the peak, and a thick floor of springy, soft, fragrant balsam fir boughs. It all made a very, very cozy refuge in the winter cold.

Mahoosuc provided double sleeping bags that would have kept us toasty warm to way below zero (had that been necessary it never got colder than the low 20s), and several layers of foam pads on top of the bough floors. I slept warm and very comfortably–not hard to do after an active day. We had extra space in camp because our youngest guide, Joey, and his “client” father slept out in a “Quinzee,” a snow-mound shelter someone had built on the lake.

Snow is a marvelous insulator and their body heat actually kept their shelter  warmer overnight than the canvas tents after the stove had gone out. Of course, we had a woodstove, they didn’t, which gave us an advantage in the morning once the fire warmed the tents up.

Two of our campers chose to sleep in this traditional Quinzee snow shelter (Tim Jones photo)

The necessary “facilities” was an outhouse (minus the house), set away from camp behind a privacy screen of small balsams. It had a comfortable, padded toilet seat and a tarp overhead to keep off the snow. Entirely adequate if not exactly cozy enough to make you want to linger and read the newspaper.

Hands-On Adventure

Mahoosuc encourages its clients to become part of the hands-on adventure in its winter camps. Though the guides will do the bulk of the work, everyone willingly helped keep the tents supplied with firewood and fresh boughs for the floor. And everyone pitched in make sure the dogs were comfortably bedded in mounds of hay with food at water available. These dogs are clearly cherished and clearly love what they do. They were a pleasure to share a camp with.

Part of the fun is actually learning to drive a dog sled. (Tim Jones photo)

If you aren’t an experienced winter traveler, this is an ideal introduction to winter camping. Mahoosuc provides all the outer clothing and gear you need, including super-warm footgear and multi-layer sleeping bags. The guides will start the stove for you (if you don’t want to do it yourself) so you go to bed and get up warm and dry. They provide hearty food, and do the cooking. You get a chance to enjoy good company (human and canine), enough exercise to let you really enjoy your food and a good night’s sleep, and the profound quiet and spectacular scenery of a winter wilderness without having to provide your own gear or plan your own itinerary. Great experience!

On the last day, we reluctantly packed up camp and skied or mushed out. I think everyone would gladly have stayed an extra day or three if we could have. It’s amazing how comfortable you can be in the winter wilds, how soon a lonely spot beside an empty lake can feel like “home” after a day outdoors.

The Call of The Wild

When the running’s done, these hardy huskies bed down comfortably in a little pile of hay on the snow, (Tim Jones photo)

Though there are a few permanent camps (used mainly in the summer) along Umbagog’s shore, much of the land is a National Wildlife Refuge and a New Hampshire State Park. While there’s a snowmobile trail in the middle of the lake, we hardly saw any machines, even on a holiday weekend. We might as well have been in the wilds of northern Canada. With the only visible electric lights miles away in Upton, Maine, the stars shine incredibly brightly here, and the silence of a windless winter evening is profound.It’s something that absolutely everyone should experience.

One night as we ate dinner, something (moose? coyotes? a restless Native spirit?) set the dogs howling. For a moment, we were living in the world that Jack London wrote about in The Call of the Wild, far from cell phones, computers and TVs and, I believe, much closer to reality.

You don't have to be young—or even an experienced skier—to try snowbiking at Pats Peak! (Tim Jones photo)

Though we occasionally write stories for EasternSlopes.com, we are also loyal readers of this publication. We enjoy looking at the many different ideas for getting outdoors and having fun. Some of the things other people do hold little interest for us. But surprisingly often, we find ourselves inspired to do something we thought we had given up, or even to try something totally new and different.

Now, neither of us are skiers. Warner has done some cross-country skiing in the past, but very little in recent years. Edie has never really skied much. But we still read the stories about ski gear, and downhill ski resorts and, when we read Tim’s story on Snowbiking, we both thought that looked like FUN! Most things that fit in the fun category are illegal, immoral, fattening – or dangerous! However, snowbiking looked like it might be interesting and FUN, without being any of those no-no’s listed above. Well, the jury was still out on “dangerous.” FUN or not, taking into account our advanced ages and with our limited ski experience, we both also questioned whether or not we could try snowbiking safely. But one thing EasternSlopes.com has taught us is to never say “never.” So we contacted Tim, who responded with his usual enthusiasm, saying “Yes! Of course you can! ”  And, suddenly, we were committed to a snowbiking adventure.

Once we had our helmets and ski boots, we were ready to be fitted to our snowbikes. Instructors Ben and David made the process easy and fun. (Tim Jones photo)

On a warm(ish) day in late March we found ourselves at Pats Peak in Henniker, NH. We’ve visited a few downhill ski areas before in winter, but only as spectators. This was our first time as participants, and we both have to admit we were feeling some trepidations. However, we found it hard to hold onto any nervous feelings, given the atmosphere we found on the hill. They were celebrating spring with a Hawaiian-themed weekend, and the place was a madhouse. The staff was running around wearing Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts and leis (and some had on shorts!). A little chilly for us, but whatever floats your boat! Everybody was having such a good time. Everybody means a TON of people. Seemed to us that it was much more fun than actually going to Hawaii!

Our first stop was to get fitted for ski helmets. Neither of us had ever had one on our heads before and to our utter amazement they were truly comfortable. Well, that was a nice surprise! Now we understand why both Tim and David insist that everyone should wear helmets on the slopes. They are so comfortable you quickly forget you are wearing them, and with other people whizzing around you on skis and snowboards, there’s a definite safety benefit.

Then we got fitted for rental ski boots. Different story entirely. Miserable things! We saw people actually walking around in the them, and a couple of kids were running! We, however, could just barely walk, and we mean barely. Warner likened walking in ski boots to being a robot with stiff legs and iron boots. However, once the clunky things got buckled into the little tiny “footskis” you wear when snowbiking, they were fine and we (almost) forgot how clunky and miserable they felt when walking.

Riding up the carpet lift was the hardest part of snowbiking to learn. All you had to do was remember to get your little "foot skis" onto the moving carpet with the rest of you . . . (Tim Jones photo)

Suitably attired, we went outside and met our wonderful instructors, Ben and Dave. They were so nice to us! First, they fitted us to the Snowbikes–which look exactly like kids bikes with skis where the wheels would be. There’s a front ski attached to the handlebars so it pivots like a bike wheel, and another one under the heavily padded seat. As already noted, you wear little “footskis” so you can use your feet to stabilize yourself as you slide. Sitting on the flat snow without moving, the whole incongruous setup felt surprisingly stable and comfortable.

Of course in order to have FUN we had to move, and that meant learning how to steer and stop. The instructions for learning a snowbike are very simple, and the movements natural and comfortable. As a result, we learned the basics very fast. The obvious and instinctive way to steer would seem to be to turn the lead ski with the handlebars, but that’s not how it’s done. Instead, you steer by turning your head to look in the direction you want to go. The body naturally and instinctively leans very slightly in the same direction without you even having to think about it, and the bike goes in that direction, almost like magic. To stop, you simply turn your head farther to look backwards up the hill. It’s that easy! Snowbiking turned out to be safe, comfortable and, yes, FUN! With both feet firmly on the snow on their little footskis, and seated comfortably on the snowbike, there’s little chance of falling. In fact, neither of us took a spill while coming down the hill. Even if you did fall while going down the hill, tipping over onto the soft snow from a low sitting position is hardly something to be concerned about.

It only took a few minutes of instruction before we were ready to try the bunny slopes—our first experience at sliding down a ski hill! (Tim Jones photo)

The hardest part of the whole experience was getting on and off the carpet lift. It’s like a flat escalator, or those moving walkways in an airport and it conveys you slowly and comfortably at ground level up to the top of the gentle beginner slope. The only problem we found is that the “moving carpet” is quite narrow and you absolutely have to remember to get your footskis on the carpet part. If you don’t, you fall over—which can be a little embarrassing with people watching. Edie fell once on the durned lift, but even she admitted it was more funny than scary–more of  a slow-motion tip-over than a real fall.

Like anything else, snowbiking requires a bit of practice in order to get the hang of it. Warner found it difficult to remember to keep both arms extended straight rather than bending his elbows. However, after a few runs he found himself doing better at that, and correcting himself whenever he realized his arms were bent. You also have to remember to keep both knees clamped firmly against the padded seat of the snowbike so your feet and their little skis don’t splay out to the sides. That was far less difficult to remember than keeping the arms straight.

With Ben’s careful instruction and watchful guidance, in a few minutes we were making swooping turns down the bunny slope, getting right back on the carpet lift and riding up to do it all over again. It was both exciting and exhilarating and, yes, just plain FUN.

Once you are on the hill, it's time to refine your technique. Warner had trouble remembering to keep his arms straight! as our instructor is demonstrating (Tim Jones photo)

As we were learning on the bunny slope, we  had little kids whizzing around us having a great time. Watching the kids was part of the fun. One little girl in pink (she looked to be about 5) went flying straight down the hill with her father chasing after her  yelling “Wait! Wait!”. She arrived at the bottom, stopped neatly, and turned around to look back as he was racing after her as if to say, “What is your problem?”

By the time our hour lesson was over we had both made a goodly number of runs. We could have stayed longer, but we were both tired by then, and felt we’d made a good start on learning to snow bike. In fact, we even got a license that says we can do the bunny slope without supervision! Aren’t you impressed?

It’s almost December now, there’s snow on some of the ski hills and we’re looking forward to getting down to Pats Peak again, refreshing our snowbiking skills and wooshing down the slopes again. Maybe this time we’ll even take another lesson  and go up on the chair lift! Since neither of us has ever ridden a chairlift, we definitely want an instructor along for that. By the way, if you think you are too old to try something new like snowbiking, keep this in mind… Warner is 77, Edie is 76, and if we can do it so can you. Really, you will have a wonderful time, even if it isn’t Hawaiian weekend!

It was Hawaiian Weekend at Pats Peak and even this tiki statue seems to approve as we proudly display our new "Snowbike Licenses." (Tim Jones photo)

This guide is a sampler of what some would consider the best hikes in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire for viewing fall foliage at its peak, or later; many people miss out on wonderful browns and yellows by thinking “oh, it’s too late, the foliage is past peak”, not to mention the better views created by fewer leaves on the trees. The list of hikes and walks is divided into two groups. The first are the hikes that require a certain level of fitness and agility to accomplish. The second is a grouping of easy rambles that just about anyone can enjoy.

If you are concerned that fall is hunting season, don’t be. Read our story on Hiking Safely In Hunting Season, then get out and enjoy!

Six Wonderful Foliage Hikes

1) Cliff Trail on North Pack, Greenfield

The Cliff Trail from the summit of North Pack Monadnock offers a bird’s-eye view from a cliff on a saddle between Pack and North Pack. In the words of one area hiking diehard, “When the foliage is at its height, the colors are brilliant…. The combination of close-up and distance [views] makes for the best fall foliage viewing.” In the distance, of course, is Mount Monadnock to the west. When it’s clear, you can look south along the undulating topography of the Wapack Ridge all the way to Mount Watatic where it straddles the borders of New Ipswich and Ashburnham and Ashby, Mass. To get there, either start at Miller State Park off Route 101 or find the Wapack Trail trailhead on the south side of Mountain Road.

2) Thumbs Up on Skatutakee, Hancock

Maple is just one of the deciduous varieties ablaze in October in the Monadnock Region. (Jonathan Gourlay photo)

The Thumbs Up Trail connects the tops of Skatutakee and Thumb mountains in Hancock. To get there, you must take the Harriskat Trail across the street from the Harris Center for Conservation Education and head up Skatutakee or take a right turn at Thumbs Down Trail and eventually take a fairly steep climb up Thumb. The hike is about a mile and a half to Thumbs Up, which is about a 1.25- mile-long trail offering different views of the surrounding foliage as well as Hancock itself. You can also connect with Jack’s Pond and Old Dublin Road trails from the top of Skatutakee.

3) White Dot Trail on Mt. Monadnock, Jaffrey
The White Dot Trail climbs 1.9 miles from Monadnock State Park headquarters off Route 124 to the summit of what is reportedly the second-most climbed mountain in the world next to Japan’s Mount Fuji. The White Dot Trail is the shortest and most direct route to the summit and takes hikers over rock slabs much of the time after starting on a dirt road. After the junction with the Cascade Link Trail, the trail ascends a stone staircase. At about the halfway point, you break out of the trees and the surrounding lowlands become visible. After diving back into woods for a bit, you emerge once again and are greeted with magnificent views to the south. There are many ledges from which to view the foliage, and of course the summit provides a full 360- degree aspect. To the northwest is Killington in Vermont; to the north is Mount Sunapee(the other terminus of the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway) with Moosilauke, Lafayette and Mount Washington (which is easily visible when it’s covered with snow while others are bare) in the distance; to the east are the Pack Monadnocks; and to the southeast is Boston and Hancock Tower visible on crystal-clear autumn days.

4) The Shannon Trail on Crotched Mountain, Greenfield
Though the summit of Crotched Mountain has limited views, ledges along the way make the hike well worth it. Views to the south, southwest and west of Mount Monadnock as well as North and Pack Monadnock make this hike interesting any time of year, yet especially so during peak foliage season. The hike to the summit is a classic with families because it is among the easiest to hike, but the Shannon Trail toward the top adds some challenge. The trail is combined with the Summit Trail for much of the hike and becomes more of a test near the ledges, which provide the best views. Access can be gained from Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center off Route 31. Follow signs from Greenfield. At about a mile and a half from Route 31, a gated gravel road on the left marks the trailhead to both Shannon Trail and Summit Trail..

5) Wapack Trail, Temple
The Wapack is a 21-mile trail that stretches from Mount Watatic in Ashburnham, Mass. to North Pack in Greenfield, passing through sections of seven towns. The Wapack is one of the oldest interstate footpaths in the Northeast and essentially follows a ridgeline route along the summits of Watatic, Pratt, New Ipswich, Barrett and Temple mountains before dropping onto a shoulder and crossing Route 101 then ascending the Pack Monadnocks. The section of trail from Temple to Sharon affords open ledges and rocky peaks with impressive ridge views toward Mount Monadnock, the Berkshires and the Green Mountains to the west, Boston to the southeast, and the White Mountains to the north.

6) Bald Mountain and Willard Pond, Antrim
The hike up 2030-foot Bald Mountain is accessed from Willard Pond (a great place for a fall paddle, too), part of the dePierrefeu- Willard Pond Wildlife Sanctuary off of Route 123 in Hancock. The hike encircles Hatch Mill Pond before continuing along the shore of the 96-acre Willard Pond then ascending Bald Mountain, which provides scenic views from rocky ledges over the pond and to points south. From Hancock, take Route 123 north about three miles to Willard Pond Road. After about a mile and half, a parking area marks the trailhead.

One good wind, and the colors blow away. (Jonathan Gourlay photo)

Seven Easy Foliage Strolls

1) Pack Monadnock, Temple
Miller State Park wraps around the shoulders of Pack Monadnock and an automobile road to the summit affords views of Temple Mountain to the south and Mount Monadnock to the west for a day-use fee of $4 for adults ($2 for children 6 to 11; 5 and under and state residents age 65 and over are admitted free). If you are up for the climb, a fire tower, no longer used for detecting fires, affords a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside when the ranger is in. The park is located just off Route 101 near the top of the hill heading east out of Peterborough and is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

2) Cathedral of the Pines, Rindge
Panoramic views of Mount Monadnock and its wide variety of deciduous and coniferous trees are just one of the features of this outdoor memorial to those who have given their lives in service to their country. There is a museum, gift shop and gardens. Located on Hale Hill Road just one mile from Route 119. Open through October 31.

3) Harris Center for Conservation Education, Hancock

You don’t have to climb any mountains to enjoy the foliage at this conservation center. In addition to the hiking trails and free weekend programs at the center, its naturalists often arrange guided walks and “ambles” of interesting public lands around the region. Find a calendar of events at the center’s Programs & Outings page at www.harriscenter.org. Located at 83 King’s Highway.

Views of multiple colors abound from many of the easier hiking trails in southern New Hampshire. (Jonathan Gourlay photo)

4) The Gregg Trail and Dutton Brook Trail at Crotched Mountain, Greenfield
These two recently opened trails are wheelchair accessible and begin just opposite the main entrance to Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center on Crotched Mountain Road. A switch-backing Gregg Trail takes you up to a platform with astounding views to the west, including Mount Monadnock, on a bluff where blueberries grow in late spring. The switchbacks offer great views to the east. At the end of the accessible section, the trail meets the more demanding Shannon Trail that continues across a blueberry reclamation project before diving into the woods for the push up Crotched Mountain. The Dutton Brook Trail is also accessible to wheelchairs and circles a pond just north of the rehabilitation campus. As you approach the rehabilitation center from Route 31, drive up Crotched Mountain Road. Immediately after passing Verney Road and the main entrance, look for access to parking on the left. The beginning of the accessible trails is immediately to the right as you turn in.

5) Wilton Center
The varied colors of beech, birch, oak and maple as well as a variety of ferns of gold and bronze hues line the fields and streets of Wilton Center, a quaint village with large houses, old barns, stone walls, and open views of the Monadnock region. It’s absent of commerce, so the relatively quiet roads are a pleasure to walk when the air turns crisp. You’ll find the center by following the signs for Andy’s Summer Playhouse when approaching on Route 101 from the west or the sign for the First Unitarian Church at a steep uphill right turn across from the Mobil station from the east. Andy’s is a children’s theater housed in a former Grange Hall with a parking lot.

6) Nussdorfer Nature Area, New Ipswich

Red and white oak, beech, poplar and hemlock trees provide the contrasting colors at Nussdorfer Nature Area. The area around Hoar Pond is also populated with a stand of tamarack, a deciduous coniferous species of larch that turns gold in autumn. The Hoar Pond Nature Trail starts with a short, steep climb before easing up and turning into an easier walk with some views to the north and east. The trail eventually winds around to nice views of a bog and pond. There is parking off Old Country Road, which is found from River Road off Route 124. Look for brown and white signs.

7) Edward MacDowell Lake, West Peterborough

Easy walk-to views of birch, poplar, maple, oak, beech, hemlock and alder can be found here. The varieties circle a large flood-control lake and a dirt trail ambles along its eastern shore. The Edward MacDowell Dam was built as a result of the Flood Control Act of 1936 and created a lake that has become a popular local spot for walking the family dog, fishing, and canoeing and kayaking. It affords a variety of scenic vistas as does a walk on top of the dam itself. Find the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers station at the end of Wilder Street off Union Street just west of Nature’s Green Grocer.

This is far from an exhaustive list; there are many more hikes possible in the region.  If you have a favorite you’d like to share, add it to the comments list!

A beautiful blue sky over the Swift River and Kancamagus Highway. (Ron Shpindler photo)

It turns out Kancamagus (correctly pronounced “Kank-ah-MAW-gus”; and frequently mispronounced “Kank-ah Mang-gus”), is more than a word. It’s the name of a Native American warrior chief and, by the way, 26.5 miles of outdoor playground. This is a perfect spot for a cheap, quick, fun weekend outdoor getaway, if you are adventurous enough to get out of your car and go exploring.

The Kancamagus Highway, commonly called “The Kanc,” runs alongside the Swift and Ammonoosuc rivers, through the White Mountain National Forest in north-central New Hampshire. Around this time of year, the highway is set ablaze when beech trees with silvery bark turn to gold, birch trees turn yellow, and maples flame brilliant reds and oranges.

Not only is the highway beautiful, it’s also your gateway to lots of active fun. It’s a favorite of bikers–and when we say “bikers” we mean either sleek, spandex-wearing athletes on roadbikes or the mud-and-blood spattered mountain bike types, NOT the leather clad motorcycle types (though The Kanc is popular with them, too). We even saw a of couple runners braving the hilly route.

The Kanc is  ornamented with spectacular scenic views, places to camp, and trailheads that lead you away from the road into the wilds of the high White Mountains.

Unable to resist fall’s first crisp weekend, my friends Mike and Ron and I set off from Boston to get to know this area. Among its other attributes, the Kancamagus lends itself to last-minute camping trips, perfect for last-minute college kids. None of the Forest Service campgrounds along the Kanc require reservations, though you can make reservations at some. We were bound for a spot Ron had visited once as a kid and remembered fondly. The Covered Bridge Campsite is in Albany, towards the Conway end of the Kancamagus as you come from Lincoln. We could also have camped at Big Rock, Blackberry Crossing, Hancock, Jigger Johnson  or Passaconaway campgrounds along the way (Blackberry and Hancock are plowed and open all winter!). Backpacking off the highway was also an option. Be sure to read these regulations if you want to backcountry camp off the Kancamagus.

Over six miles of hiking on the Rocky Gorge Trail. And that's just one of the thirty-something trails in the area. (Ron Shpindler photo)

None of three of us actually owns a car (we’re poor college kids living in Boston, after all), so we got there “creatively,” something I’ve been learning to do whenever I want to escape the city. This time, we caught an early bus, the Boston Express, up to Ron’s hometown of Nashua, New Hampshire where his parents were going to let us borrow a car for the weekend. Public transportation in the northeast is pretty good, so we could have gotten there carless by taking the bus from Boston to Conway, then hiking along the Kanc. After we got off the bus and before we drove north, Ron’s parents fussed over us a little (they wanted phone numbers and detailed plans!), and helped us out a lot with necessary gear and plenty of his dad’s famous pickled cabbage. Parents are good things to have!

When we finally arrived at the campground, we were greeted by a host who collected $20 for a site and sold us firewood. Thanks to the Asian Longhorned Beetle, a nasty-looking little bug that infests and destroys forests, anyone camping along the Kancamagus has to purchase local wood if they want to build a fire. Since building a campfire is a staple of every camping experience (and, I’ve discovered, a serious preoccupation for the male camping population), we didn’t hesitate to pay the extra $7 for firewood.

But before any campfires could happen, we had to choose a site, set up our tent and check out the area. The Covered Bridge campground is great for a low-key campout. The living was easy with a level tent area, a picnic table, and a fire grate. Clean bathrooms and a dumpster were nearby, and a well-pump for water was a short walk away. Oriented and settled in, we decided on a hiking route.

We stopped to wonder at this beautiful golden mushroom (maybe Amanita pantherina?) growing in the middle of the trail. (Ron Shpindler photo)

Like I said before, hiking trails are abundant in the area. We had three hiking trails to choose from within easy walking distance from our site and countless more by car. The Rocky Gorge trail started close to our tent area, so that’s what we chose. This begins as the Nanamocomuck Ski Trail. Despite our not knowing how to say the name, we thought the trail itself looked promising. In fact, it looks like it will make a wonderful cross-country skiing route in a few months. (Note to self: add this to the a list of adventures for this winter . . .) It runs along the Swift River and eventually turns into a path through pristine woods.

Perhaps due to recent heavy rainfall, mushrooms were everywhere along the trail. None of us are mushroom experts, but we were able to identify what we think were bowl-shaped chanterelles as well as golden and red (and probably poisonous!) Amanitas. The clumps that looked like black-and-white leopard skins and white ones covered in shaggy manes are still mysteries.

Now THAT'S a root system! (Ron Shpindler photo)

While Hurricane Irene’s damage was evident, it didn’t impede our hike at all. Flattened trees high up on the riverbank showed us where Hurricane Irene’s torrential rain and winds had caused the river to rise to destructive levels. We even saw an enormous, old tree that had been ripped out of the ground. The root system was much MUCH taller than me (which, I suppose, isn’t that difficult . . .)! When we reached the Rocky Gorge, which was supposed to be this hike’s big “ta-da” moment, pieces of the sidewalk beside it were missing. The area is still safe to visit, so don’t hesitate to go! However the damage was a reminder of how impressive and scary unleashed natural forces can be.

Speaking of impressive, natural forces, glaciers formed the Rocky Gorge’s cascading falls millions of years ago.The pools upstream and downstream from it make good swimming spots in the summer; but swimmers have to be careful not to get too close to the falls or risk getting sucked into a dangerous eddy where, in 1942, Dorothy Sparks miraculously lived after being lost under the falls for three hours.

The 6.8 mile round-trip hike, which I would rate “fairly easy,” also has a stop at Falls Pond. As inviting as the pond area was for a picnic, Autumn’s ever-earlier sunsets dictated that we head back to camp.

The Albany Covered Bridge under cloudy night skies. (Ron Shpindler photo)

After a lot of male fussing starting the campfire that night and roasting delicious veggie hotdogs over it, we visited the park’s namesake, the Albany Covered Bridge. The bridge was originally built in 1858 and much of the original time-worn timber still remains. For all of us not wanting to risk our lives crossing a 150-year-old wooden bridge, steel and other supports were added in the early 1980s. Kudos to whoever did the renovation because this New England treasure survived Irene without any visible damage. It is as impressive as it must have been back in 1858. Under the cloudy night skies, the old bridge looked purplish and eerie. Ron, an avid amateur photographer, got some great shots.

After the long day of hiking and  aerobic fire-starting, we all slept like logs. Some of our friends in Boston had stayed behind, worried about being too cold at night. Stinks for them, because fall is the perfect time to be sleeping outside if you know how to stay warm. Nestling up in a warm sleeping bag is undeniably cozy.

Before heading back to Boston on Sunday morning, we couldn’t resist one last stop at The Lower Falls on the Swift River, one of the many scenic stops along the highway. Like every area on the Kancamagus, the rocks and water were gorgeous. But it was pretty packed with people. Hiking to a less accessible area the day before had rewarded us with serenity and solitude–well worth the extra effort. I’ve heard that The Kanc can get even busier in the height of foliage season, so arrive early in the day if you want to get a campsite on weekends.

What an attractive bunch! Ron, me, and Mike at the Rocky Gorge.

I wish we could have hiked and camped for another day or two. On this third weekend of September, fall’s colors were just beginning to creep into the leaves. From what we saw, it seemed the sort of vibrant autumn show New England is known for was only a few cold nights away. The Kancamagus Highway will be prime for bare-ground hiking through the first or second week of November. After that, you’d better be prepared for snow.

Alas, homework and work obligations beckoned us back to “the real world.” Since traveling to the Kancamagus and back was easier than starting a fire, more camping and hiking may be in store. That is, unless some other mountain adventure doesn’t get me first.

The National Refuce Center on the Magalloway River. Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo

Although the town of Errol, New Hampshire has little in the way of restaurants or indoor activities, it is an outdoor enthusiast’s delight, a great entry way for a visit to Lake Umbagog (pronounced “um BAY gog”), the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge and the rivers of northern New Hampshire and Maine. Paddlers can enjoy both flat and whitewater experiences here. In fact, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, a 740-mile water route that links the waterways of New York, Vermont, Québec, New Hampshire and Maine passes right though town on the Androscoggin River.

Roger and I arrived in Errol with our boats atop our car,  looking forward to some flatwater kayaking on our own. But we had also scheduled a guided pontoon boat ride to look for bald eagles on the lake. All this was part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s Eagles on Umbagog Vacation Package. Birders have been coming to this area for years for the abundance of eagles, ospreys and various water birds, but the pristine woods and waters and the sense of being miles from anywhere make this a perfect place for all outdoor enthusiasts seeking a quiet escape.

Crossing by culvert under the road on our way to Sturtevant Pond. Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo

The NFCT website also incorporates a paddler’s blog, maps and trip planning for self-guided tours, and offers “package vacations” like ours for your pleasure. Our “Eagles on Umbagog” package included 2 nights lodging and the guided pontoon boat tour with Bob Dupuis of TNT Guide Services. I had kayaked a small part of the Refuge with a friend about 5 years ago and knew then that I wanted to return. Lake Umbagog is more than 7 miles long and covers 7,000 acres along the New Hampshire/Maine border. I hoped that being on the lake with a local guide would really give me a feel for both the history and the present day in the area.

We were able to check into the Errol Motel early, thanks to the easy-going attitude of the new owner, Ricky Blais. No one was in the motel office when we arrived, so we followed the instructions on the door and called from a phone just outside the office. Ricky gave us our room number, told us to let ourselves in, and to call if we had any questions or problems. That’s the way things are done in Errol.

This classic, newly-renovated motel is right in the heart of downtown (don’t blink, you’ll miss it) Errol. Our well-kept room had the feel of a cabin with pine board walls and patchwork quilts. The day was hot and sunny so we were happy to see a small refrigerator where we could store lunch makings and drinks. Since our guided trip wasn’t scheduled until the following morning, we headed to the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, about 4 miles from town on Route 16 (also known as Dam Road) for an afternoon kayak paddle. The refuge office was well stocked with information on the flora and fauna of the area, including in-depth information about the bald eagles, loons, and moose so common here. A large map of the lake and a handout suggested trips for exploring by kayak or canoe. We chose a route that would take us out on the lake, then down the Magalloway River to Sturtevant Pond.  By road, the two points are about  3 miles apart; it’s longer on the meandering river. On the way we would cross into Maine.

Leased land along the Magalloway River. Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo

On the Magalloway, we were surprised to see camps along the river within the refuge boundary. We later learned that these are on leased land and will soon revert to the refuge. Later, when, the clouds came up, we could hear thunder in the distance, we were glad for an easy place to take out when we needed to get off the water in a hurry!

The miles added up as we explored the  inlets and coves of the meandering Magalloway. Near Sturtevant Pond, large boulders started appearing both in the river and along its banks, a complete change from the marshy areas we had been paddling. The first “ducks” Roger spotted on the river turned out to be decoys. But on Sturtevant Lake, we saw a real adult loon with a fuzzy chick riding safely on his or her back. Sadly, this had not been a good year for loons nesting in the area. High waters in spring had flooded many nests. While paddling, we discovered a man-made floating loon nest that was built to alleviate this exact problem, but everyone we talked with said young loons were scarce  this year. With threatening afternoon clouds built overhead, we knew we couldn’t linger and paddled quickly back toward our car. When the thunder seemed to be getting too close for comfort, we pulled into shore for a moment, but then decided to paddle on. Luckily, the  storm didn’t arrive in full force until we were safely back in our motel room.

The next morning at 7:45 we met our guide Bob Dupis gassing up his truck and pontoon boat at L.L. Cote Store, which is an Errol landmark. Luc and Louise’s store must be the largest building and business in Errol! Here you can find just about anything you need including fuel, clothing,  hardware, maps, canoes, kayaks, snowmobiles , ATVs, firearms, fishing equipment, toys, rugs and an in-store Subway sandwich shop!

Bob Dupois at the helm of his very comfortable pontoon boat. Roger Lyon-Surrey photo

Bob’s TNT Guide service specializes in hunting, fishing, canoeing and wildlife viewing. Having grown up here and played on these waters all his life, Bob provided a wealth of knowledge about the Umbagog area. He knew the lake and river before they became a National Wildlife Refuge! Hearing him talk about his childhood adventures on the lake, and share his knowledge of the history of logging days in the area, added to the day.

As we rode along the Androscoggin to Lake Umbagog and the Magalloway River, Bob would point out places he and his grandfather had fished in Leonard Marsh or Indian Cove or Sweat Meadows, and described the time he called moose to his boat. He explained that the waters were full of logs that had sunk during the log drives of old and  showed us the “deadheads”— logs that still frequently float to the surface to make boating hazardous. A deadhead could easily take out your prop if you were motoring too fast in these waters! Bob knows where the moose, otter, muskrat, herons, and ducks hide and, although we didn’t see any moose, the highlights of the trip for me were the singular beauty of the marshes and the majestic nests of the bald eagles. Our boat ride lasted about three hours and Bob had snacks available. He can grill hotdogs or have sandwiches and salads for you if you prefer to have lunch along the way. The tours are offered well into fall, so it is not too late to schedule your trip for this year. Whether you go in the fall or wait for next season, it is a tour well worth taking!

A juvenile bald eagle standing next to its nest. Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo

Bald eagles mate for life and build massive stick nests lined with grasses. The first New Hampshire nest was discovered on Leonard Pond in Lake Umbagog in 1989. Between 1989 and 2001 that nest produced 16 fledglings. Since that first nest appeared, two others have been established. Eagles are massive birds: adults measure 29-35 inches long and have a wing span of 7 feet! On our voyage with Bob, we were lucky enough to spot a nest with a juvenile eagle still unable to fly. Nearby, on the bare branches of a dead tree, an adult eagle with its very distinct white head kept a close eye on the youngster.

After our adventure with Bob we decided to scout out the next day’s kayak trip. We bought lunch (hand-made sandwiches) at the Errol General store and headed out of town to the Kennebago River in Maine, about 20 miles from Errol. Bob recommended this  flat water kayak trip. We wouldn’t be kayaking until the next morning, but sitting by the river with the water gently flowing by and listening to birds singing was just what we needed to relax even more.

Adult bald eagle not far from the nest. Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo

There are three lodging options available on the Northern Forest Canoe Eagle Package.  Unfortunately, we were not able to stay at 150 Main Street, a lovely guest House in Errol where Executive Editor Tim Jones stayed on a guided ski adventure this past winter. He recommended it highly.If you are looking for a comfortable B&B experience you might want to request this lodging.

We stayed our second night at the Great Northern Moose Lodge at the south end of the 13 Mile Woods Conservation area on Route 16. Richard Tessier, the owner, has plans to add an extensive camping area in the future. Richard is  a history buff and regaled us with stories of the local people and places which made the experience even more fun.

Marshes of the Umbagog. Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo

The rustic Great Northern Moose Lodge was built in the 1950’s as a hunting and fishing lodge. In the spring, summer and fall, Richard can readily direct you to guided or on-your-own hiking, rafting and kayaking adventures, and, of course, hunting and fishing opportunities. In the winter, the lodge has a resident musher with sled dogs for excursions and for learning the sport. The lodge’s two resident English Setters have been part of a dog team and have actually learned to sing like sled dogs!

I found the common living room a bit dark for my tastes, but our room was bright and clean. A continental breakfast is included, and if you want to use the kitchen at the lodge, that can be arranged. This made the whole experience seem more like the hostels I had stayed in while traveling in New Zealand (where I first met Roger!).

Geese in one of the marshes along the Kennebago River. Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo

After an early breakfast of homemade banana bread, bagels, fruit and cereal, we headed out to kayak on the Kennebago River. At the launch site, a large group of teen-age campers was reluctantly unloading canoes for a trip on the river. Afraid that our serene kayak paddling would be disrupted by this noisy group, we scrambled to be the first in the water. Luckily we never saw them again and enjoyed the river in peace. Our route ran downstream, and for two hours we hardly needed to paddle. Floating along with the current and leisurely exploring, we saw ducks, geese, and water lilies in abundance. A turtle basking in the sun on a log, looked exactly as lazy and completely relaxed as we felt. Eventually, we took out at a bridge, left our kayaks and walked the 2-plus miles back to our car. Bob had assured us that our equipment would be safe, and, sure enough, our kayaks and paddles were there when we got back.

What a great last day! On this “soft adventure” trip to the great north woods of New Hampshire, we enjoyed a little exercise in the outdoors, met some wonderful people, learned the history of new place, and  viewed abundant wildlife in a beautiful natural setting. If you are looking for a place to really “get away from it all” and relax, you can’t ask for any better than Errol, New Hampshire and Umbagog Lake, whatever the season!

Lunch break for the entire crew of family and friends at Hugh Gallen Memorial. (Doug Goodin photo)

For the last several years my husband Doug and I have hosted what we call the “Family and Friends Flotilla.” It started as a way to get the entire family together and have some fun and for us to share the kind of activities we enjoy. (You can read about our Flotilla on the Baker River in 2009, and on the Bearcamp River in 2010 here.)

This kind of active family gathering is actually fairly easy to plan. It’s been a great experience for our family, and I highly recommend it for your family, too.

2011 was the fourth annual, Flotilla and this year we added a Friday bike ride to our list of fun things to do during what’s evolved into a full week’s camping trip. Since we were camping near New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch, we thought we would give the Franconia Notch “bike trail” a try. We had heard good things about it from friends and, since it is mostly downhill, it sounded appropriate for our gang of cyclists that ranged in age from 10 to 66 with varied abilities and interests. Doug’s family is from Connecticut and hasn’t seen the wonders of Franconia Notch a bazillion times. Exploring by bike would entice the rest of us to take another, fresh look.

We talked to several people who assured us that the nine-mile ride was easy and mostly downhill, which was good news to our group, most of whom do not spend a lot of time on their bikes. Doug and I ride when we can on the Northern Rail Trail, which runs very near our home, but my bike is a fat-tire single-speed. If I can ride the Franconia Notch trail on a bike with no gears, so can you!

We started at the trailhead for the Skookumchuck Trail, north of the Notch, which led to a few raised eyebrows and (good natured, we hope) comments about false advertising (remember that “mostly” downhill?). From this starting point, the first couple of miles have some uphill pedaling. Still, I didn’t have to walk my single-speed at all (and I don’t get out on my bike all that much). You can avoid the uphills almost entirely by starting at the parking lot at the Lafayette Bridge Overlook, Echo Lake, or at the foot of Cannon, where you can  rent bikes for the trip.

If you do plan to rent, dress appropriately (meaning always wear a helmet and have, at least, sneakers on your feet) and bring water. Other options for renting bikes can be found at Loon Mountain or Rodgers Ski & Sport in Lincoln. Both offer transport to Echo Lake for rentals and personal bikes. Whether you are riding a rental or your own bike, make sure it is in working order and test your brakes, especially if you are going north to south. If you or someone in your group has physical limitations, contact New England Disabled Sports at Loon Mountain: They have hand cycles available and events throughout the summer.

Doug and Max don't have a lot of extra room passing the bollard. This one is south of Profile Lake. (Kate Goodin photo)

Motorized vehicles are kept off the trail at intersections with roadways by bollards. They narrow the space bikes have to pass, so be aware; you are going to see them again and again. They look intimidating at first, but proved wide enough for Doug to get through while towing our son Max in his Schwinn trailer.

Your first real view is of Mt. Lafayette as you cross a bridge that once was part of Rt 3. Ahead is a parking lot with a sculpture of former Governor Hugh Gallen. We had lunch there as some of our crew had apparently not eaten enough for breakfast (nudge, nudge).

Artist's Bluff from the bike path. (Kate Goodin photo)

Use caution when getting back on the bike path. You are about to head downhill, and some of it proved steep, winding, and, for some in our crew, too wild for their blood. They walked their bikes.

Almost immediately the trail starts heading up again and comes out to an unusual (at least for those of us used to the view from the road) look at Artist’s Bluff. A bit more huffing and puffing brings you to Echo Lake and the end of any major uphills. A few of our crew took a quick dip in the lake, despite the wind and whitecaps (Franconia Notch State Park has a nice beach and charges $4 admission for adults; $2 for children ages 6-11; children ages 5 and under and NH residents age 65 and over are admitted free). It was a hot day and the water was reportedly “refreshing.” I think they meant cold.

By this point in the ride, we already had riders running low on water, so it was off to the Cannon Aerial Tramway Base, where we stopped for a long break and lunch for those not hungry earlier, ice cream (for a surprisingly good price!), and a water refill.

It’s a little unclear how to pick up the bike path from the Cannon Tram Base parking lot (the actual path bypasses it), so we sent out a search party to make sure the trail was where we thought it would be, and then a search party to find the search party. Eventually, we regrouped on the trail. The trick is to simply head south out of the parking lot.

The highway isn't far through those trees, but I had this wild looking spot all to myself. (Kate Goodin photo)

Soon you come to beautiful views of the cliffs on Cannon Mountain and Profile Lake. Despite the shouts of my crew to pedal like mad to make it up the hill, I stopped to take pictures. The hill was short but steep and, from a stand-still, I just barely made it on the single-speed without having to walk.

After one sharp left hand turn under the highway, you pedal to the edge of Profile Lake. From here the trail is almost all downhill (no kidding). You go back under the highway, past a great little access point to the tail end of Profile Lake (where we spotted a family of geese), and then come to a blissful respite from pedaling alongside the highway. Enjoy it, because once you get to Lafayette campground, the rest of the path parallels the notch highway for much of the way and traffic is steady on busy weekends.

Some great little pull-out spots along the trail reveal things you would never see otherwise: different views of landmarks you are used to seeing from the road; secret swampy areas where you might see a bear or moose. More than likely, unless you are on the trail when you are not supposed to be, (the trail is open ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset), bears will be in hiding. We did, however, see several telltale, berry-laden bear pies on the path….

This is NOT a bike walk zone! (Kate Goodin photo)

South of Profile Lake, keep your eyes peeled for “bike walk zones.” They aren’t always adequately marked. Keep in mind that this is, technically, a “multi-use” path and the walk zones are necessary for safety reasons. One of them stretches for a while and I can only guess that walking it really does make sense on a busy Saturday or Sunday.

There are several places along the path near The Basin where you can stop and admire, and even take a dip in, the Pemigewasset River. There are enough pools and spots to pull off the trail so that, at times, we had the place to ourselves.

After the Basin parking lot, the bike path passes under I-93 again into a lovely woodsy section along the foot of Mount Liberty, and, beyond that, is the trailhead for Libery Springs Trail. There is a road crossing somewhere in this section that doesn’t appear on my map. It’s by no means a high traffic road, but keep an eye on the kids and the path.

Finally, you’re upon the Flume parking lot before you know it. If you’ve staged a car here, you can drive back to your starting point knowing you’ve experienced Franconia Notch in a new way; you’ve seen the tourist spots and earned your ice cream, too!

We had this beautiful waterfall and the pool below it all to ourselves. (Kate Goodin photo)

If you go:

Franconia Notch State Park Recreation Path distances (Traveling South from Skookumchuck & Rt. US 3)

• Total  mileage: 8.8 miles
• Skookumchuck to Lafayette Brook Bridge scenic vista south end: 1.49 miles (mostly uphill)
• Lafayette Brook Bridge to north end of Echo Lake and junction with Rt.18: 0.68 miles
• North end of Echo Lake to aerial tramway parking lot: 0.59 miles
• Tramway to north end of Profile Lake underpass: 0.54 miles
• North end of Profile Lake Underpass to southern end of Profile Lake hiker parking area: 0.68 miles
• Southern end of Profile Lake parking to Lafayette Campground: 1.3 miles
• Lafayette Campground to Basin viewing area: 1.7 miles
• Basin viewing area to Whitehouse Bridge: 0.88 miles
• Whitehouse Bridge to the Flume: 0.95 miles

Be Prepared:

While there are places, most notably at the Cannon tram building, where you can buy water, snacks, and even good ice cream along the trail, it’s always a good idea to carry water, at least, and your own snacks. This is especially important on a hot day, particularly, if you start at the north end.

Editors’ Trail Notes: More experienced cyclists who like to travel fast and far are not likely to enjoy biking the Franconia Recreation Path, especially on summer and fall weekends when it can get congested. But it can be a joy as a family ride if you pay attention to your own behavior and abilities and those of any children in your group.  The more popular parts of the path around The Basin and other hotspots might require some walking of bikes to be safe. Bring a bike lock for side trips by foot to the notch’s attractions off the path.

The flat surface and gentle gradients of old railroad beds make wonderful bike trails when paved or resurfaced with gravel or stone dust. (Tim Jones photo)

At one time, the social and commercial fabric of the Northeast was stitched together by railroads. Today, of course, the stitching is done by highways and phone and internet connections, but in many places, the remnants of that rail system still exist in the form of the thousands of miles of rail beds that were built to last.

Some of these long-abandoned and often-neglected rail beds are finding a new and lofty purpose: recreational resources getting people outdoors and exercising. In the winter, these rail trails, often packed and maintained by snowmobilers, are enjoyed by cross-country skiers and dog sledders. In the spring, summer and fall, walkers, joggers, and bicyclists take over. Paved trails are used by skaters and skateboarders. Everyone has a good time.

Rail beds make perfect recreation trails. They are normally high and dry and well drained so they don’t usually get muddy in the spring or after a prolonged rain. They also tend to climb any hills on the route in long, slow gradients rather than steep pitches, which makes it easier for both walkers and bikers.

There are quite a number of rail trails scattered throughout the Northeast, and even more in the planning stages. On some, all you have is a short section, usually in or near a city, that has been rescued from oblivion. But quite a few trails offer a longer ride.

My sweetheart Marilyn and I are enthusiastic pedalers of rail trails. It’s one of the reasons why we chose a fat-tire tandem bike instead of a sleeker, faster road-bike model. The fatter tires on our Burley “Samba” (alas, no longer made) roll easily over gravel, stone dust and cinder trail surfaces.

We haven’t ridden every rail trail in the  region. Not even close. But we have ridden some of the more famous ones like the 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail,  the granddaddy of all Eastern rail rides, which has been completely refurbished in recent years. This was part of our route as we biked Cape Cod end-to-end in 2010. We’ve also ridden a number of less-well-known trails. Here’s a rail-trail sampler to show you how much fun you can have on these great recreational resources.

Airline Rail Trail 

This exuberant little waterfall along Connecticut’s Air Line Rail Trail sang a soothing melody to anyone who bothered to stop and listen. (Tim Jones photo)

Some time ago, an unavoidable business obligation took Marilyn and me to a crowded, noisy, smokey place that we normally wouldn’t go anywhere near. On the way home, we got in a stress-reducing, sanity-saving hour or two of pedaling on the Air Line Rail Trail in East Hampton, Connecticut, a few minutes southeast of the junction of Interstates 84 and 91 in Hartford. This trail will eventually stretch more than 50 miles to the Massachusetts border where it will join with the Southern New England Trunkline Trail, but, for now, only the southern section, 22.7 miles long, from East Hampton to Windham offers an unbroken ride.

It was a cool and breezy spring afternoon, perfect for leisurely riding. Unfortunately, we’d gotten a much later start than hoped, and we could comfortably explore only the first few miles of the trail. That’s OK; what we saw was beautiful, and left us eager to go back and see more.

Even a crowded state like Connecticut has its quiet, unspoiled corners. This is one of them. The few miles of trail we rode had a whole day’s worth of scenery. In places the trail rose high above the countryside, giving expansive views of woodlands and wetlands. In other places, it cut deep into hillsides where flowing springs tumbled in miniature waterfalls. We rode through quiet woodlands, along streams, and by ponds where people were fishing and photographing the birds.

On our ride, we left behind the stresses of work, had fun, renewed ourselves in a beautiful place. What more could you ask for? All it took was a willingness to get on a bike and pedal.

Aroostook Recreation Trails

The rail trails in Aroostook County are true multi-use recreation paths, used by snowmobilers and cross-country skiers in winter, bikers and ATVs the rest of the year. (Tim Jones photo)

Known sometimes at “The Crown of Maine,” or, more simply as “The County,” Aroostook County, is located in the upper right-hand corner not only of the State of Maine, but also of the entire U. S. of A. Next stop, Canada. It’s the largest county in land area east of the Mississippi, covering 6,829 square miles. Less than 75,000 people live there. That leaves a lot of empty space to play outdoors.

Winter in Aroostook Country is the big tourist season. Snowmobilers come from all over, drawn by deep snow and immaculately groomed trails. But, those trails don’t disappear when the snow melts. About 80 miles of them are the old rail beds of the Bangor and Aroostook and Aroostook Valley Railway lines with easy gradients and hard gravel surfaces, perfect for riding a fat-tire bike.

We based our trip out of Caribou, which has lots of inexpensive motels and a couple of great restaurants (Try the Osso Bucco at Napoli’s which is under new ownership, and the Scallops Frangelico at the Greenhouse in the Caribou Inn).

Our ride started in Caribou, and headed toward Washburn for a few miles before turning sharp right and heading toward New Sweden, which has some of the best biking views ever. These trails apparently get lots of traffic from motorized ATVs on the weekends, but the few four-wheelers we saw were no problem at all. There are no sharp corners so everyone can see what’s coming and everyone shares the trail nicely.

Sections of the trail are re-graded every three or four years, so some are rougher than others. Marilyn and I were riding our fat-tire tandem; on most of the trail we flew along comfortably, but in other places a suspension (or suspension seatpost) to cushion some of the bumps would have made the ride more comfortable. In some places we rode through virtual tunnels of spruce trees, in others we could see for miles across rolling country, and still other places crossed wetlands with active beaver workings on both sides of the trail. All of it was beautiful, especially with the last of Autumn’s colors still flaming.

In the town of New Sweden we stopped to refuel at a great little store a half-mile off the end of the trail, then pedaled a short road section (not a single car passed us!) to pick up another fork of the trail that brought us back toward Caribou to the car. In all we covered about 25 miles—less than a third of what’s available.

If you are ever exploring “The County” when there’s no snow, be sure to bring your mountain bike!

Ashuwillticook Rail Trail 

The Berkshires rise gently over the flat Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. (Tim Jones photo)

While exploring the biking in the beautiful Berkshires, we discovered the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail which runs 11.2 miles from the Lanesborough/Pittsfield town line through Cheshire and into the center of Adams. Though the trail parallels busy Route 8, you see very little of the highway. The views, instead are of Berkshire Pond, Mount Greylock and a dozen other hills, the Cheshire Reservoir and the Hoosic River.

This is one of the nicest bike paths we have ever had the pleasure to ride. The only thing it lacked was other riders. Marilyn and I were staying at nearby Jiminy Peak and got up early two mornings to ride the entire trail as a warm-up for a long day of biking. Flat, fast and scenic (especially early in the morning), and with very few road crossings, this is the perfect before-breakfast bike ride on a summer morning.

While chatting with local bikers, we heard rumors that the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail may eventually be extended from Pittsfield all the way to Williamstown, which would let it rival the Cape Cod Rail Trail as one of the truly great recreation paths in all of New England.

As it is now, it’s still well worth the ride. If you’re ever in the area, be sure to check it out.

Cape Cod Rail Trail

This handsome Eastern Box Turtle (a threatened species) shared the Cape Cod Rail Trail with us on a rainy June morning. (Tim Jones photo)

The first Rail Trail I ever encountered  and the one I’ve ridden most is the fully paved, 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail that stretches from Dennis to Wellfleet, Mass. It got me hooked the first time I rode it and I’ve ridden it dozens of times since. Every chance I get, as a matter of fact. . . .

The western end of the trail is the most enjoyable for a casual, leisurely ride, maybe combined with a swim on a warm day. This section runs from Route 134 in Dennis (there’s a large parking area just south of exit 9 off the Mid-Cape Highway) into Brewster. Here, the trail winds over easy hills, through shaded woodlands, past cranberry bogs, ponds with beaches and to the Pleasant Lake General Store in Harwich.

The central third (from the Pleasant Lake General Store to Salt Pond Road) used to have a fair amount of roadside riding but much of that has vanished with the addition of a new bridge over Route 6 in Orleans (which reduced the trail’s length from 26 to 22 miles, but improved the quality of the experience). Nickerson State Park, the half-way point of the Rail Trail, boasts both beaches and campsites. Orleans is a convenient turn-around point from either end of the trail with shops, galleries, restaurants and harbor view–the perfect place to take a break.  Carry a bike lock and a backpack so you can fully enjoy it!

The eastern third, from Salt Pond Road in Eastham to Le Count Hollow Road in Wellfleet, is straight, flat, and fast, but not particularly scenic. It’s a good place to work up your heart rate. Side trips, to the Visitors Center at the Cape Cod National Seashore and Coast Guard Beach, to Nauset Light or to Marconi Wireless Station, where instantaneous global radio communications began on January 18, 1903, make this section more interesting.

The Cape Cod Rail Trail is free. You can get a trail map or rent a bike from Idle Times Bike Shop , with rental outlets in Eastham, Orleans and Wellfleet.

Island Line Rail Trail

You can ride your bike across Lake Champlain on the Island Line Trail. (Tim Jones photo)

Up in northwestern Vermont, the spectacular 12-mile Island Line Trail actually crosses a portion of Lake Champlain between Burlington and South Hero. You’ve never ridden anything quite like it. We’ve now ridden on this amazing trail three times, once on solo bikes and twice on our tandem. We can’t wait for a fourth time! Sadly, the trail was badly damaged by floods in the spring of 2011, and, as this was written in the summer of 2011, fund raising and volunteer efforts were underway to get the trail repaired. Check with Local Motion for updates on the trail’s recovery

The first time we rode the trail,  Marilyn and I were in Burlington researching a travel story and, as usual, we were looking to take advantage of all the wonderful outdoor opportunities that city has to offer. But, according to the weather prognosticators, we were in for the hottest two days in several years with increasing humidity each day.

Fortunately, we were based at the Burlington Hilton, just a short stroll from Burlington’s busy waterfront. So stroll we did—very slowly—down to Local Motion, a non-profit group which promotes bike trails in the area and rents top-quality hybrid cruiser bikes. We rented our bikes there and then walked them (slowly) back through the blazing inferno to the hotel and put them in storage. (Local Motion doesn’t open until ten o’clock in the morning, so you have to plan ahead for an early morning ride in the summer heat.)

The next morning we were up before the sun, snacked lightly, drank lots of water, and headed out. In the gray early light filtered by the rising mists, the temperature was in the 60s, and a breeze was blowing from the cooler waters of the lake. It felt like Heaven compared to the Hell of the previous afternoon.

There are lots of bike paths around Burlington and in the Champlain Valley. But the jewel in the crown is the Island Line Trail, a rails to trails project that spans 12.5 miles of mostly-level riding along the lake. With the rising sun slowly burning off the morning clouds, and the air still cool, the Island Line Trail was just magical. For the first hour, we had the path completely to ourselves as we pedaled north, out of Burlington toward the Champlain Islands, a great place for pedaling and paddling.

At just under the 10-mile marker, (we started at Mile Two), the trail suddenly bursts from the woods and follows the old rail line out on a man-made causeway dividing Malletts Bay from the main body of Lake Champlain. The rail line was built on a bed of huge blocks of marble dumped onto the lake bed and filled in with gravel. Flat and gently curving, it makes a perfect bike trail for a hybrid or mountain bike.

We rode out onto this incredibly beautiful stretch of path just as the sun finally began burning through the last of the morning haze, but the breeze off the water kept things comfortably cool. We rode on to the 12.5-mile mark, where a drawbridge has been removed, preventing you from continuing on to South Hero. In the summer, at least on weekends, there’s  a ferry to take bicycles across this gap, but it doesn’t run at 6:30 in the morning.

As we rode back toward Burlington, the sun began to increase in strength, and the trail became busier with walkers, joggers and other cyclists. By the time we got back to the hotel, it was a hot summer day. We showered, strolled out for breakfast at Penny Cluse Café, and got on with the day’s “work”.

Since then, we’ve been back twice and enjoyed every mile of the trail on our tandem. This is one of the great rail trail experiences.

Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail

Farming is still a part of everyday life along the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail. (Tim Jones photo)

Historic St. Albans, Vermont (believe it or not, the site of a Civil War Confederate raid!) is the start of the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail . From there it winds its way 26.4 miles northeast to the town of Richford, Vermont, right on the Canadian border.

Marilyn’s favorite outdoor pastime spring, summer and fall is riding our fat-tire tandem bike, and there’s no place she’d rather ride than on a rail trail. The Missisquoi Rail Trail is a beauty with a smooth, packed gravel surface and easy grades. It runs mostly through stunningly bucolic Vermont countryside with farm fields and pastures, occasionally small towns. Enosburg Falls at mile 16.5 is a perfect spot to stop for lunch. If your pedaling partner doesn’t happen to be a nutrition counselor who is concerned about your cholesterol numbers, there’s a wonderful spot for soft-serve ice cream cones (they call them “creemies” in Vermont) a few miles beyond Enosburg Falls. Unfortunately we had other stops to make. Sigh.

That last third of the trip has Jay Peak looming in your sights as you pedal beside the Missisquoi River. You can watch it get closer with each turn of the pedals.

Eventually, the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail will be extended to the nearby Canadian Border, where it will connect with Quebec’s Route Verte—an extensive network of bicycle paths and bike lanes that crisscrosses the entire Province. There are also plans in the works to build the connecting Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, which will run 92 miles from Swanton to St. Johnsbury. The Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST), a statewide snowmobile club is spearheading this effort. Hooray for them!

Even without those additional enticements, the Missisquoi Rail Trail is worth visiting. If 53 miles is too much for you to ride in a day, take a couple of days, stay somewhere on Lake Champlain—there are quiet B&B’s, inexpensive motels and campgrounds all around here. Make an active vacation of it!

Northern Rail Trail 

This covered bridge is just a tiny part of the scenery that surprises you at every turn along the Northern Rail Trail. (Marilyn Donnelly photo)

The Northern Rail Trail (NRT) in Grafton and Merrimack Counties of New Hampshire is shaping up to be one of the best rail trail rides in all of New England. The stone-dust or gravel surface is firm, easy to pedal on (especially with a fat tire or cyclocross bike), and the scenery is beautiful. And, maybe someday, the two organizations which created this marvelous trail will be able to cooperate on a single website devoted to it . . .

This trail is particularly convenient to reach. If you are traveling on Interstate 91 in Vermont, or 93 in New Hampshire, you are only 15 minutes from a trail terminus, and access from I-89 is even faster. If your bike is on the car anyway, why not stop and ride for an hour or two?

I should note that Marilyn and I don’t particularly enjoy riding with a lot of road traffic. Though the NRT essentially parallels either Route 4 or Route 11 for its entire length, you don’t often see or even hear motor vehicles. Much of the time you are riding through quiet woods and fields, alongside beautiful flowing streams and placid ponds.

The northern end of the trail in Grafton County, was finished first. It runs 23 miles from downtown Lebanon through Enfield, Canaan, Orange and Grafton. Another 23 miles in Merrimack County have now been completed. This section runs through Danbury, Wilmot, and Andover to end (for the moment at least) in Franklin. Eventually, the trail will grow to 65 miles in length, continuing on to Boscawen and Concord; though in these days of tight money and endless budget fights, who knows when that will happen?

Marilyn and I have been riding short sections of the NRT when we were in the neighborhood on other business. I believe we’ve done most of it . . .

On one recent summer morning, we pulled into the parking area at Potter Place, right off the junction of Routes 4 and 11, and started pedaling east toward Franklin. We only had about an hour to ride and hoped we could get in 10 or 12 miles or so. Not a “big” ride, but fun nonetheless.

This section of trail is almost flat (most rail lines avoided hills as much as possible) and has a nicely packed gravel/stone dust surface. It runs along the Blackwater River, through pine and hardwood forests, skirting the edges of some beautiful wetlands. Gorgeous scenery for a summer morning.

We’d pedaled only about two miles before we came upon a lovely covered bridge we’d never seen before. At about the 6-mile mark we ran out of time and turned around at the Higland Lake Inn in East Andover which looks like it would make a perfect overnight stop for a weekend getaway along the trail.

On another memorable occasion we started on Riverside Drive in Lebanon in the shadow of I-89, pedaled out for an hour or so (12-13 miles at our normal pace) turned around and pedaled back. This section of the trail is flat—no hills at all–and the surface is mostly packed stone dust or gravel. It had been very rainy in the days before, but we only found a couple of wet spots.

Our ride took us past Mascoma Lake (wonderful views), through the tiny village of Enfield (potential lunch spot at the deli/market in the center of town), and out through the wilds of Canaan. The trail crosses lots of streams and rivers on nicely surfaced bridges (many heartfelt thanks to the snowmobile clubs that maintain them!). It’s just a perfect ride.

Someday soon, we’ll take two cars, make a real adventure of it and ride the whole NRT end-to-end in one day. But for now, these section rides out and back are a perfect break on a busy summer morning. For us, 46 miles of pedaling would make a good long day and this is one trail we are looking forward to doing end-to-end-to-end. Maybe we’ll see you there . . .

Finding Other Rail Trails

The Island Line Trail which starts on Burlington's waterfront is easy to find, others require more searching. (Tim Jones photo)

New England and New York are blessed with an abundance of old railroad beds, many of which are rideable on fat-tire bikes. The Rails to Trails Conservancy is the driving force behind much of this trail development, and they maintain the most complete free list I’ve found of Rail Trails in the Northeast and in most states across the country. Just go under “Find A Trail” and click on either a state or a region to find listings. There are 392 open trails in the northeast totaling over 3200 miles.

If you ride in New Hampshire, be sure to get a copy of Charles F. Martin’s book, New Hampshire Rail Trails, which gives the history of the rail lines along with useful info for today’s bikers. The website itself also has some useful links to other trail organizations.

In addition to the two trails profiled above, Massachusetts has  the 11-mile Nashua River Rail Trail, which  is completed and ready to ride. The 11-mile Norwottuck Rail Trail, in Northampton, Hadley, and Amherst is complete and will eventually anchor one end of the 104-mile Mass. Central Rail Trail leading all the way to Boston. There’s also one called the Southern New England Trunkline Trail a 20-mile trail runs between the Franklin and Douglas State Forests along the Rhode Island and Connecticut borders. Apparently, however, this trail can’t be ridden end to end as most bridges along the route are out or unsafe.

Up in Maine, there’s a whole slew of rail trails in the area just north and west of Bangor. The Lagrange to Medford trail is 11 miles long, the Newport to Dover-Foxcroft is 26 miles. This looks perfect for a multi-day getaway.  The Downeast Sunrise Trail runs from Washington Junction in Ellsworth to Ayers Junction just south of Calais.  And, Aroostook County has a number of rail trails.

If you know any good rail trails I’ve missed, email me and I’ll add them. The more people who ride these trails, the more trails we’ll have to enjoy in the future.

Since new trails are always in development, the list is never complete. If you really want to explore, check out these historic topographical maps—which lists then-active railroads. Some of these old roadbeds are just waiting for the crunch of your boot soles or bike treads.

Trail Etiquette

Everyone's welcome on rail trails. Bikers and joggers must safely share the trails which means everyone must be aware of where they are and what's ahead and behind. (Tim Jones photo)

On the more popular rail trails, people are moving at different speeds as they walk, skate or bike, so people are always passing each other. Since there typically isn’t any motorized traffic, you can sometimes be lulled into a false sense of security and get careless. When people get careless, accidents happen.

Here are some thoughts for safety.

1) Be aware of your surroundings and alert for anyone moving faster than you are.

2) Pedestrians and cyclists alike should follow the rules of the road, with cyclists riding on the right and pedestrians walking facing on-coming traffic. The center of the trail should be treated as a “passing lane” not a travel lane.

3) Cyclists passing pedestrians should communicate their intentions well ahead of time (especially if the pedestrians are walking with their backs to you) and slow down until they are sure the walkers know they are there.  Get one of those little handlebar bells; it’s a friendly way to let people know that you’re behind them and about to pass.  Having a mirror on your bike is a good idea, too, so YOU know if someone is about to pass you.

4) Don’t wear headphones, especially when walking or running or cycling. Listening to music, you’re cutting yourself off from voice communication. Not only are you missing bird calls and the natural sounds of wind and water, you are also putting yourself and the people around you at greater risk. Think about it.

Some popular rail trails can get very crowded on weekends in good weather, with everyone from tiny tots in backpacks to active seniors all out enjoying a little fresh air and exercise. If everyone is courteous and aware of others using the path, and keeps to their own side of the trail, the mix of uses works just fine.