Bike the entire lake!

[CrownRay]

Hi,

Has anyone ever rode their bike around the entire lake? Thats, pedal bike, not motorcycle. What is the approx. distance? How are the climbs? I do a 50 mile charity ride in the Berkshires every fall, so I figured it might be a good route to train on. I would start on Rt 25 in Multonboro (near "Fullers").

If you have done it, I would appreciate any insight...thanks!

[SIKSUKR]

It's about 72 miles.

[DPatnaude]

I ride quite a bit from the Moultonborough area and have ridden around the lake just to say that I did it.

I am sure that with 50 mile rides in the Berkshires that you can handle the ride around the lake, but there are probably other rides that would be more enjoyable in the area.

Meredith to Center Harbor is one of the less enjoyable sections on 25 with heavy traffic, narrow shoulders, and poor pavement condition.

Dave

[CrownRay]

I ride quite a bit from the Moultonborough area and have ridden around the lake just to say that I did it.

I am sure that with 50 mile rides in the Berkshires that you can handle the ride around the lake, but there are probably other rides that would be more enjoyable in the area.

Meredith to Center Harbor is one of the less enjoyable sections on 25 with heavy traffic, narrow shoulders, and poor pavement condition.

Dave

Yeah, I do recall that RT 25 can be tricky.. I remember last year I rode to Mt. Whittier...it was nice around 6AM but comming back, between the airport (Multonboro) and Fullers, YIKES!

[ITD]

I mapped a ride around the Lake with detours around most of 25 in Meredith, but I haven't done it yet. The traffic is a real concern for me, most of the roads are main drags. The Moultonboro cycle club rides just about every week during the summer and are a great bunch of people. They have a facebook page http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=67170109800

I like to ride around Squam and the smaller lakes, about a 40 mile loop starting from the supermarket in CH. The roads are pretty quiet except for a few stints on 3 and 25B. Grandma's hill in Sandwich used to kick my butt, but not any more, it just hurts some now.....;)

[fatlazyless]

I bicycle pedalled all around the lake once on a ten speed bike, starting in Wolfeboro, and recall the hill going up to the high school in Meredith was a very tough pedal.

New Hampshire passed a bicycle safety law about two years ago that requires cars to stay three, four or five feet away from a bicyclist, depending on the car speed: Up to 30mph - three feet; up to 40mph - four feet; up to 50mph - five feet.

[LakesRegionSpirit]

WOW Fest, this year taking place on Saturday, Sept. 17, has a 67-mile Bike Challenge. The start/end is the Lac. Ath and Swim Club, but you can start/end anywhere..

here is the map of the route.

http://www.wowtrail.com/images/stories/WOWFest2010/take%20the%20lake%20map.pdf

[lawn psycho]

I've done it many times during my Ironman training days. The hills are one after the other so pace accordingly. I prefer short steep hills rather than long never-ending ones.

Traffic can be an issue on the western side of the lake as there are long stretches with no shoulder so be prepared for the inpatient drivers and I recommend wearing a bright jersey to keep you visible in the curvy and shady areas. Best bet is to get an early start.

Makes for some great training going around the lake and if you do it once a week you are ready for any century in New England without a doubt.

Oh yeah, I prefer to go counter clockwise.

[Gearhead]

The eastern side of the lake is the best to ride, but there are some pretty scary places there too. 28A (Alton) is really nice until you got to the tip of the bay. There's no shoulder and on the northbound side it's all rock so there's no place to ditch your bike if someone decides they can pass you without moving over. Route 11 heading into Gilford is pretty narrow at times and there are lots of corners, but if you're wearing a bright jersey you can make it through alive. I prefer my rides in the early morning when it's just me and the bass fishermen towing their boats.

I also prefer CCW. Must be 'cause I too went to UNH and also am from coastal ME.

[PapaDon]

Since my knees will no longer allow me to use a bicycle on this trip, I'd like to try it on my moped. Some former biking buddies may go again this year, and I asked if I could accompany them if they go. I've done it by car occasionally, usually to take my elderly mother-in-law for her annual trip around the lake, but I'd like to try the open-air trip. Since the moped basically moves at bicycle speed and won't go over 33 downhill, I figure that's as close as I'll get to bicycling it with the now-bad knees.

[SIKSUKR]

You'll still probably have to use those knees on some of the hills though with that moped.:laugh:

[PapaDon]

You'll still probably have to use those knees on some of the hills though with that moped.:laugh:

Yes, but at least they'll have help from the 50cc engine!