A Classic New Hampshire Ride - 50 Miles

Riding from Ossipee to Dover, NH the other night I got a late start. We were running late coming home from the Montreal Bike Festival and I didn’t get started until 4:30 PM. It is about 50 miles and I knew it would be dark before I got home. But I love this ride and do it every chance I get.

Sanbornville House

It had been a dark day but this is a beautiful ride along historic Rt. 153 that straddles the New Hampshire and Maine border.

Route 16 is the busy road traveling North from the New Hampshire Seacoast to North Conway and the White Mountains. Since Route 16 was widen and improved, Route 153 ihas become a quiet back road with little traffic that travels through the historic New Hampshire towns of Effingham and Wakefield.

First Union Academy, Effingham, NH

In Effiningham (1778) you will find a quaint, historic New England Town and ride by New Hampshire’s First Normal School (1830) located on the second floor of the First Union Academy (1819). These towns are not old by New Hampshire standards but they have been passed by and have the feel of a very different time than the hetic time we live in now.

Wakefield Post Office

Wakefield (1744) is a beautiful town filled with large white homes and a large spired white church.

Wakefield Inn

This ride has has an unusual treat not found in many small New Hampshire Towns, a real Italian Gelato Stand. There aren’t a lot of stops for ice cream on this route it is mosly small towns with Old Book Stores and Antiques and a few convience stores, stop there if you can. Gelato always goes well with bicycling.

Cider Mill

In Union, NH (1775) where Route 153 goes West towards Middleton and New Durham, the route leaves Rt. 153 and follows Rt. 125. Route 125 is also a by passed road with little traffic. This was the Old Route 16 when it wandered thought these little towns on its way to North Conway.

NH Farm Museum, Milton, NH

Route 125 passes the New Hampshire Farm Museum and continues into Rochester. The Route branches onto Salmon Falls road instead of going into Rochester just after The Lone Pine, a locally famous ice cream stop. You will also see a busy, old fashioned Burger stand on the left. But the people are lined up for clams and scallops not burgers.

Salmon Falls Road takes you though farms along the river into Somerswoth, Then you follow the back roads into Dover. Dover has lots of resturants and several motels and B&Bs.

I knew New Hampshire is not flat as you can see the ride profile but I though it was all down hill all the way from Ossipee to Dover. Obviously, I was wrong.

If you are traveling North from the New Hampshire Seacoast to the White Mountains or Western Maine this is a great route, it has the least amount of traffic and is a pretty ride.

Resources: Garmin Mapsource Track

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