North Shore Cyclists The Best Cycling North of Boston

Leader: Sarah Weaver 978-664-1370 sarah.weaver@comcast.net 

Start: Ipswich River Park, North Reading map to start

Directions:

From Route 93, take Exit 39/Concord Street toward North Reading (a right off the exit if you're heading north). Bear right at the stop sign (1.3 mi); cross Rt. 28 at the light (1.8); bear right at stop sign onto Park Street/Rt. 62 (2.5 mi); turn right onto Central Street (3 mi); turn left into park. These mileages are cumulative.

From Route 128, take Exit 40 and the Haverhill Street/Camp Curtis Guild spoke off the rotary (you’ll pass the National Guard armory right after turning onto Haverhill Street). Turn left on Chestnut St. (at the blinking yellow light) after 3.2 miles; bear right around the curve and then turn right on Central St. The park is on your right.

Date and time: Sunday August 3, 2008: 9:00 AM for 50, 34 and 26 miles

What to expect: Serene back roads, farmstands, ponds, and potholes of the northern burbs. Have a picnic lunch at Ingaldsby Farm. Terrain is moderately rolling. Short ride tours North Reading, North Andover, Boxford, Middleton. Long ride adds Groveland and West Newbury. Lunch note for long riders: There are not many food options before Ingaldsby Farm at 34 miles (and Ingaldsby does not sell Power Bars; it is a farm stand/bakery), so bring enough snacks to keep you going. Road mark is a "mustachioed chevron". shown here.
Follow this route on Google Maps at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1215136

Cue sheet - long

Cue sheet - short and extra short
Route map

Leader: Gordon Harris (978) 979-6598 gordonharris2@yahoo.com 

Start: Ipswich Hammatt St. parking lot, behind Market Street and Central Street map to start

Directions: From I-95, take Rt. 133 east to the center of Ipswich. Turn right one block before downtown center. Hammatt St. parking lot will be on your left.
From Rt. 1, take Ipswich Rd. from Topsfield. Cross tracks and turn left at the Ipswich Cooperative Bank, and bear right. Parking lot will be on your right.

Time Sunday, August 10, 2008: 9:00 AM for 25. 38, or 63 miles

What to expect: The Stone Walls Ride from Ipswich this year is actually two separate rides due to the closing of the Asbury and Mill Rd. bridges.
Loop 1 is 25 miles, and takes us out Argilla Rd. and crosses the Miles River twice, before turning on beautiful Waldingfield Rd. and on through Bradley Palmer State Park. From there we have the unique opportunity to ride on beautiful, winding and hilly Asbury St., devoid of cars. The route then turns back to Ipswich, taking some of the same roads that we started on.

Loop 2 has options of 28 or 38 miles, and can be started from the Hammat St. parking lot or as a continuation of Loop 1 by continuing on Market St. We start out on Topsfield Rd., turning along the Ipswich River Sanctuary on Perkins Row and on winding River Rd. in Topsfield. We continue on to Boxford, where the extra loop continues to Georgetown with a decent climb on Baldpate Rd. Our return takes us along Hood Pond and then the Ipswich River on Ipswich-Topsfield Rd. The ride is marked with a white circle and line ("Dan Henry") . Do not follow a yellow Dan Henry or a similar white mark with an arrow and circle that cross this route.

Special notes: There is a short section on Topsfield Rd. and Perkins Row where the route goes out and back using the same road. Road marks with an I mean you are heading back toward Ipswich, while a T means you are going towards Topsfield .

Pool party and cookout after the ride at Gordon and Deb's house, 17 Mill Rd. in Ipswich, just off Ipswich-Topsfield Rd. a mile and a half from downtown Ipswich. All are welcome. Any salads or desserts, etc. are appreciated! And bring your bathing suits for our large in-ground pool. Follow the road mark with a G off of Topsfield Rd. to Gordon and Deb's house, or return to the start location for your car. .
map to 17 Mill Rd.

Interactive Google map of this ride before the Asbury St. closing : http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1057328

Map

 

Bridge on Perkins Row near the Ipswich River Sanctuary,
part of the Olde Stone Walls Ride for North Shore Cyclists.

Leader: Howard and Ellen Wack. Email: h.w@verizon.net cell phone: 978-273-1971

Start:Topsfield Plaza, Topsfield, MA map to start

Directions: From Route 95, take Exit 50 to Route 1 North. In Topsfield, turn left onto Route 97 North. At Topsfield Center, go left (Route 97 continues right). Topsfield Plaza lot is a block ahead on the right. Park at the far end of the lot..

Time: Sunday, August 17, 2008: 67 miles at 8:00, 46 miles at 9:00, 26 miles at 10:00

What to expect: Some familiar roads through familiar towns with the long ride going to Newton & Plaistow, New Hampshire. Cookout and swimming at Howard & Ellen’s house after the ride. Bring side dishes/salads or a $5 donation.
 26 mile cue sheet 
46 mile cue sheet 
67 mile cue sheet

route overview map 

View long route at http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ma/topsfield/541452532916 .

Blazing Saddles is one of the earliest rides of the Fall century season. Travel through the rural towns of Boston's North Shore and southern New Hampshire; ride along beautiful rivers, lakes, and bridges; see New England churches, town halls, and farms. The terrain includes rolling hills, long flats, and rural roads. The nearby ocean furnishes cool breezes. Trees provide plenty of shade, and the sun lends warmth on those open flats.

Complete information at http://www.nscyc.org/BlazingSaddles2008

Start
Triton Regional High School
112 Elm Street, Byfield, MA.

Directions
From Rt. 95: Take the CENTRAL ST exit- EXIT 55- toward S. BYFIELD / NEWBURY. Turn slight right onto Central St. Stay right as it continues onto School St. Turn left onto Elm St - keep right at the fork. Triton will be on the left. From Rt. 1 - turn left onto Elm St, school will be on your right.

Time
7am -Registration opens
8am -100 and 62 mile rides start
9am -50 and 35 mile rides start

Please visit the Blazing Saddles Century page for complete information and registration

Leader: none

Start: Triton School, Byfield, MA map to start

Directions: From Rt. 95: Take the CENTRAL ST exit- EXIT 55- toward S. BYFIELD / NEWBURY. Turn slight right onto Central St. Stay right as it continues onto School St. Turn left onto Elm St - keep right at the fork. Triton will be on the left. From Rt. 1 - turn left onto Elm St, school will be on your right

Date and Time: Sunday, August 24, 2008 : 9:00 AM for 35, 50, 62 or 100 miles

What to Expect: This is the annual Sunday re-ride of the Blazing Saddles Century for the volunteers. There is no designated leader, but cue sheets will be provided at the ride.

Leader: Marty Silvia marsilvia@comcast.net;

Start: Cushing Park, Newburyport map to start   

Directions: From Route 95, take Exit 57 for Route 113 East. Go for 2 miles and take a left onto Kent Street. Parking lot is 2 blocks on right. From Route 1 go onto Merrimac Street (at the Newburyport end of the bridge over the Merrimack). Go 1/4 mile west towards Amesbury. Take a left at the gas station lot 1 block on left.
 

Date and Time: Sunday, August 31, 2008: 9:00 AM for 62, 54, or 36 miles, with extra 8 mile unmarked loop to Fort McClary, Maine and back. The arrow for Let's Go Coastal is a white chevron. Mileages may vary slightly from cue sheets. 

What to expect: Beautiful ocean views and Portsmouth NH. Mostly flat with a few small hills. All rides feature NH coastline and rural inland.

Cue sheets, long medium and short 

Full Route overview map 

Map My Ride route description and map

Combined cue sheet (including Maine), from Cue sheet Inventory

46 mile cue sheet with 7 unmarked miles

Map My Ride of 46 mile route