Hampster Ride - Dirt route the length of New Hampshire

There's the Big Dog Ride in Colorado. Vermont has its Puppy Dog Ride. There's also the Trans-Mass Trail. In a similar fashion, I decided to create a route the length of New Hampshire using predominantly dirt roads. It has been planned and reconnoitered. The dirt roads are all big bike friendly. There are no significant hero sections. Most of the roads are public. One or two sections are not maintained for Winter travel, but should not be much of a problem to pass. Some sections are more like two-track forest roads, especially up north. There is typically very little car traffic on these roads, but there is always the risk of oncoming vehicles and horses. There are blind corners in more remote sections. Always be careful out there.

I already knew most of the roads already in the southern portion, but hadn't ridden this route as a continuous ride. The route is now complete to the Canadian border. The very last section on East Inlet Road to Rhubarb Pond is sometimes gated. There are many dirt roads on various maps, depending on what is open and accessible for public traffic, so making your own detours may be necessary.

I want to keep the route on as much dirt biased as possible. It is intended for big bikes with camping gear that can navigate the entire state of New Hampshire on these rural roads. The scenery is fantastic. The car traffic is minimal and considerate to motorcycles. Some of the two-track roads were super fun with bumps and drop-offs that encourage a little twist of the throttle to go for a short flight. Please try to be considerate of the residents that live along these roads, but there are many sections without homes where a little more fun can be had.

The route through the entire state is complete, although always room for improvement. Over time, more waypoints for gas stations and other services will be added. For example, lunch at Foothills Cafe in Warner is excellent. Suggestions are welcomed on good roads to incorporate into the route or use as an option to the route (hero sections?). The whole route is approximately 338 miles. A good plan seems to be to ride north on Day 1 to the Littleton area, which takes about 8 hours. Day 2 ride the remaining 150 miles to Rhubarb Pond if the gate is open. Then backtrack the route or finding alternatives to head back home or beyond. Perhaps use this route for through-riders going on to Maine, Vermont, or Canada.

I started the route in Hollis for a south-central location. In addition to the Hollis Kitchen for breakfast, there is a gas station and doughnut/coffee shop at the traffic lights. All the amenities for filling up all the empty tanks.
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Here is the latest version of the GPX file:

Version 08 - 4 August 2020
Folder: Dropbox Hampster Ride folder

GPX file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fc2iclo0qx0kfgq/Hampster_Ride_v08.GPX?dl=0

Caution: If Dropbox saves the file to your computer with .TXT file extension, rename the file - remove .TXT. The file should have the extension .GPX only. Then it should open with your mapping application.

New Hampshire State Parks Road Status info:
See the PDF file for Updated Gate Status and Road Closures -
http://www.nhstateparks.org//visit/state-parks/connecticut-lakes-headwaters-working-forest.aspx

Known current road closures (as of 4 August, 2020):

None.

Facebook group page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nh.hampster.ride

Map on Google:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1CTRWNl8r3fVd1aE6mmUw4xfu_hVzbH_F&usp=sharing



Connector from Trans-Mass Trail and Puppy Dog to Hampster:
TMAToH Trail - Trans-MA To Hampster

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Here are some images from that initial scouting ride of the southern half of the Hampster Ride…




















Rhubarb Pond at the northernmost point of the ride -

I can't wait for you to finish!

Bravo, mon ami! Bravo. I will follow your progress with keen interest.

The Hampster Ride. I can't wait. I've just put new tires on the V-Strom, too.

Now I just need a day off!

I've been waiting for this! I've done the TMT and the PDR a few times and have been wanting to do more in NH! Can't wait to ride it!

Nice! A while back another inmate did a similar route that started in Mason. Have you seen that route? I may have the file if you want it.

I have been looking for something like this. I live one town over from Hollis. Please keep the thread informed.

care to share the route you have thus far? I would love to check it out and contribute if I can!

thanks!

Very Cool Andrew...looking forward to riding it sometime. Thank you

Great Idea!!

I'll definitely share my tracks and maps with everyone. I just upgraded to Google Maps Pro so that it can handle more points and layers. Otherwise, Google Maps generally sucks. I can send my tracks for what I have so far, but it is not yet final.

Kamala - yes, please! If you've got that route, I'd like to see it. Thanks.

Here's a screen shot of the route. The yellow line is my latest route. Blue flags obscure much of the yellow line near the bottom of the state.




Here's what I've got planned for the top section. Yet to be ridden and vetted. Yellow is what I've got in mind. The red line was my original plan. Not sure which one will work out best. The end points are (obviously) different. I don't know if the roads up there are gated/restricted.

Awesome

nice

A most excellent endeavor!





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Excellent. Can't wait to check it out. I have sent you a pm with a link to a previous route.

I'm subscribed. Please share when you can. I've just started putting something together for Rhode Island dirt roads, but it I'm on the steep part of the learning curve with GPS and mapping routes, so I've been reduced to tracing roads in google maps (there must be a better way...).

Not on a bike but still related...http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=738971

May run into gates in Groveton/Nash Stream area though...

Drop me a PM with your email, and I'll send some tracks I have.

Andrew

The "Red" route goes through terrific scenic areas. Also a bit more remote.
Would be well worth it if that could work out. Great job!!


Dan