Inmates, I am planning a ride from NH to Vermont in October. I am thinking, north to Lancaster NH, over into guildhall, onto the Ganby road, up the Radar Road to the RADAR site, back down the RADAR Road to Mountain Road, to 114, then on to Burke. My questions are 1. Does this give me some good dirt miles. I prefer light to moderate for this trip 2. How long will that trip take me at average speeds and look around time. 3. Is Burke a decent place to stay overnight for food and beverages (which means beer!) Me and my buddy riding, KTM 990 and a Triumph Tiger, moderate skill but it is late in the season and I am taking daylight and temps into consideration. It will take us 1-2 hour to get to Lancaster, that part is a known. Thanks
Bump, come on guys 120 views and nobody has any idea? Is there a hempfest going on that I dont know about and everyone in Vt. is out of town? Help would be greatly appreciated.
For whatever it's worth I did most of the ride you are describing about 3 months ago. It was very good. One of the best rides I had all year. Heading up to Lancaster from the south? For more excellent gravel riding before even getting to VT, consider taking the Old Cherry Mountain Road (across from Bretton Woods Ski Area) all the way to its northern end. From there go straight across the state highway Rt 115 (onto 115A) until you get to the gravel Whipple Road on your left. Bear left onto the gravel Whipple Road as the paved road curves hard to the right. Continue straight out the end of the Whipple road and you'll be on a short section of paved 116. Stay straight and you'll be right back on the gravel Turnpike Road. Follow this all the way to US Rt 2. You'll be just east of Lancaster on Rt 2. Cross the river into VT on Rt 2 then turn right (north) on VT 102. Short way up the road turn left onto the Fellows Road. This gravel road curves to the right near its end where it joins the Granby Road. Turn left on the Granby and continue to the intersection near the Victory Road (joins on your left) Turn right (north) onto the road with the Victory Town Clerk sign. This is the Radar Road. It follows the Moose River north. There are 3 steel gates between you and the radar site. When I was there, all three were wide open. Several miles in at the confluence of the two branches of the Moose River, bear right onto the old paved Air Force Road. A few short sections are washed out really good but most of it is in amazing shape. Follow to the top of the mountain. The trees are starting to choke out the road high up on the mountain. It's cool, like riding in a narrow green tunnel. For a ride up the Radar Road from the Victory Town Hall to the top of East Mountain, some exploring and photo taking and the ride back down? I would plan on 2 hours. At the fork in the road/confluence of the rivers if you went left, instead of right and up the hill, that should take you over to Burke but I have not done this myself. Burke is a ski town so there should be lodging and food and beer. You'd think so anyhow. Don't know for sure. Coming back down if you wanted to ride some dirt more or less due north to 114 near Norton VT, backtrack east a few miles on the Granby Road to the Paul Stream Road. Go north on easy gravel (it was last time I was there anyhow on a V-Strom and a DR650). You should be able to navigate north on logging roads to Rt 105 (maybe pop over into NH for gas/snacks at that point) and then the East Branch Road (gravel logging road also off of 105) will take you to 114. Other gravel riding opportunities off of Rt 105? Silvio Conte Wildlife Refuge has a network of gravel roads open to highway legal vehicles including your bikes. Some 30 or 40 miles worth of roads if I recall correctly. Does this help?
Paul Stream Road off Granby Rd is gated off just a little ways north of Granby Rd. Dispute between landowner and town of Granby according to sign....go in towards Maidstone Pond and then head north thru woods....