Start location: Conway NH
Start time: 4:00 AM
Distance: 600k (with 8000m of climbing)
Accreditation: ACP 8k6
Gravel: 47km
Time limit: 40 hours (8:00pm Sunday evening)
Lights/reflective gear: Required
Route/Cue Sheet: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/52033575 (not final – will be updated after preride the weekend before)
Registration: On BikeReg ($95 with Season Pass and $135 without for Double Occupancy at overnight) and Optional Pre & Post Ride Hostel Bed Registration ($100 for the night before and after the ride at CoHo); If you want to have your own room, the organizer would prefer you book directly with Sunset Motor Inn in Morrisville VT for the overnight and CoHo for the pre and post ride arrangement.
This brand-new route is NERs first 600k that qualifies for the new 8k600k category, with over 8000 meters of climbing over 600km. Registration will include lodging and a simple meal at the overnight control. There will be drop bag service for riders at the overnight. Other control points are self supported.
Route Description
A climber’s circuit through northern Vermont and New Hampshire. Day One features a number of named gaps interspersed with mostly quiet roads well off the normal tourist path. Day Two features the challenging double climb of Jefferson Notch and the Cog RR Base Road but rewards riders with spectacular views of Mt. Washington and the Presidential Range, as well as a long coast to the finish in Conway.
Gravel sections at kilometers:
185.0 – 187.2
380.4 – 393.6
438.4 – 444.5
448.0 – 454.9
523.8 – 542.1
Very rough pavement at kilometers 547.5 – 553.3
Tires 32mm wide are sufficient, but tires around 40mm are ideal.
Resupply points occur at frequent intervals on Day One. On Day Two there are significant food gaps at kilometers 438.3 – 490.5 (West Danville VT – Littleton NH) and 508.0 – 544.8 (Whitefield NH – Mt. Washington Base Station).
Below is Roger’s ride leader’s detailed route description for those who are studious:
// Emmets and Newts
// Day 1
After a brief neutral start parading down Main Street in Conway NH, the climbing begins almost as soon as you turn right onto NH 112, the Kancamagus Highway. The altitude gain is gradual at first, but the grade gets steeper at mile 17, and the climb tops out at 2,850 feet.
The descent to Lincoln is fast but smooth, and you won’t be sharing the road with many cars (or motorcycles) in the early morning. The cue sheet marks two Outdoor Restroom Facilities (ORFs) along the way you can use if you drank too much coffee before the start.
Lincoln is a good place to remove outer layers and top up your water bottles before you start climbing NH 118, Gonzo Pass, towards Warren. The ascent is step by step, steep in places, and tops out around 2,400 feet. If you haven’t done so recently, take the time to stop at the scenic outlook near the top and look back towards the Franconia Range behind you.
The descent to Warren is bumpy at the top and steep much of the way. There are several decreasing radius turn on the way down, so hold back a little for your own safety.
The AppleKnockers store on your left after Warren is well stocked. It’s almost 20 miles to the next resupply point in Orford NH, so don’t pass it if you are running low on food or water.
After some traffic on NH 25 between Warren and Wentworth, you’ll enjoy the trip across NH 25C, the Meldrim Thomson Highway, to Orford. After a bumpy start, the pavement is smooth and the climbs up to the shoulder of Mt. Cube and around Orfordville are brief.
Resupply points in Fairlee VT at mile 71 include Sunnyside Coffee and Chapman’s General Store on the right and Wing’s Supermarket down the road a bit on the left. At mile 71.9 on the left you’ll find a historic marker reognizing Samuel Morey’s development of an early steamboat.
After a few smooth miles cruising down recently repaved US 5, you’ll turn right at mile 80, and the climbing begins again. The brief climb up to Thetford Hill and fast descent back down to Thetford Center are a warmup for the slow drag up through Post Mills, West Fairlee, and Vershire until VT 113 tops out at 1,800 feet in Vershire Heights. The descent to Chelsea and gently rolling ride on VT 110 through Tunbridge to South Royalton will give you a chance to rest your legs and, at the far end, pass a number of resupply options in the Royaltons.
Those of you who rode the recent Six Gaps brevet will know what happens after you turn left onto Camp Brook road at mile 124. 5.6 miles of climbing up Rochester Gap top out at 2,135 feet for an altitude gain of 1,500 feet. A fast descent leads to Rochester and several resupply options.
After a brief respite riding on VT 100, you’ll turn left on VT 125. Hubbard’s General Store on your left has good sandwiches. If you’re clever, call ahead at 802-767-9012 to place your order.
Six miles of climbing and a little over 1,200 of elevation gain will get you to the top of Middlebury Gap at 2,145 feet. The climb starts out gradually but gets steep near the top. Old timers can wax nostalgic about Boston – Montreal or debate which side is the harder climb. I think it’s the side you’ll be climbing. Discuss.
Down the west side through the writers’ conference at Bread Loaf. Take it easy at the top, which is fairly steep, but the lower reaches are relatively mild and well-paved. Control 6 at Mac’s in East Middlebury is open until 21:00. Depending on how fast you’re going, you’ll want to start to pay attention to closing times somewhere about now. There are places in Bristol, Waitsville, Waterbury, Stowe, and Johnsonville that stay open late, but most of the small country stores in between close at 18:00 or 19:00.
The are some rollers on the way up to Bristol at mile 166 and some spectacular views if the sun is still up. Maplefields Convenience Store (at the Irving station) is open until midnight. Other food options close earlier.
A few miles later, you’ll turn right onto VT 17 and start the climb up Appalachian Gap. It’s a climb of two parts. The first 6.9 miles, up to Gore Road, gain 666 feet in elevation. From there, the last 2.7 switchbacked miles gain 1170 feet and top out at 2,365 feet above sea level.
Take it easy on the descent. It stays steep much of the way down, and a long straight section at the top may lull you into complacency before a hairpin, then two sharp 180 degree turns going past Mad River Glen, and a series of quick lefts and rights require your full attention.
At the bottom, American Flatbread (open until 21:00) is off route to the south on VT 100. The Mobil convenience store in Waitsfield is open until 22:00.
The next 25 miles up to Stowe on VT 100 will have some of the heavier traffic on the ride, but the later you get there, the more it will have fallen off since its late afternoon peak.
If you’re running late, the Reservoir & Big Tree Brewing in Waterbury are open until 23:00. Otherwise, you might want to keep going until Stowe. VT 100 between Waterbury and Stowe is busy and not particularly wide, so keep your wits about you.
There are a number of food options in Stowe itself and from there up to the ski area on the Mountain Road. Late options include American Flatbread (open until 21:00) and Piecasso (open until 22:00).
Smugglers Notch is another climb of two parts and the last major obstacle you’ll have to surmount before the overnight control. The first 7.3 miles from the town up to the lowest entrance to the ski area climb 730 feet. The 2.2 miles from there to the top of the Notch climb 725 feet. Especially if it’s dark, you’ll want to take care on the descent. The road is relatively straight, but animals roam at night and striking one at speed would be catastrophic for all concerned.
Jeffersonville at the bottom of the descent offers one more chance to fuel up before the final push to the overnight control. Early arrivals will have several options. Late arrivers will find the Mobil at 4828 VT 15 open until midnight.
From turning off VT 15 when it leaves Jeffersonville to rejoining it at mile 236.6, the route takes back roads that should be somewhere between quiet and deserted. But for the 0.4 miles from after rejoining VT 15 to turning off onto the Lemoille Valley Rail Trail, riders should keep their eyes open for fast traffic. After 8 miles on the rail trail, riders will rejoin VT 15 and soon turn into the overnight control at the Sunset Inn.
// Day 2
Riders will travel the first 27 miles of Day 2 on VT 15. It can be busy during the day but should be quiet early Sunday morning. After carefully crossing US 2 and turning onto Keiser Pond Road at mile 272.9, rides will enjoy 13 miles of mostly smooth Northeast Kingdom gravel from West Danville to Barnet.
The next 20 miles to Littleton are well paved and scenic but offer nothing in the way of resupply options. Riders should make sure they have what they need in Littleton, as it’s a rolling 12 miles to Whitefield. There are several food options in Whitefield, but they’re all pretty poor except for the Subway and convenience store on your left as you enter town on the Littleton Road.
From Whitefield, you’ll spend 10 miles heading east on mostly flat roads. Your legs may be a little heavy at this point, as you will have been gradually climbing ever since crossing the Connecticut River 40 miles earlier.
When you turn onto the Valley Road at 326.1, the gravel begins. Then, when you turn onto the Jefferson Notch Road at mile 329.0, the adventure begins. In the next 10 miles, you’ll climb and descend Jefferson Notch, then climb the Base Station Road to the base of the Cog Railway.
The Jefferson Notch Road climbs 1,630 feet in 5.3 miles on gravel. But it isn’t quite as bad as that sounds. The climb starts out fairly gradually and doesn’t get seriously steep until right below the top. If you pace yourself, you should have enough left to get over the top without going too seriously into the red.
When I rode it a few weeks ago, the gravel on the ascent was remarkably smooth and firm. This was *not* the case on the descent, which had some washboarding and potholes, plus a lot of loose gravel. Take it slow and be sure not to overcook any corners on the descent. A car coming the other way, and some of them are coming pretty quickly, can force you to change your line at the last minute.
After descending Jefferson Notch, you’ll turn left and climb up to the Cog RR base station. This climb is steep, and you are likely to have the sun on your back as you labor up it. You might even curse the route designer for inflicting so much pain upon you. But your reward at the top with be a stunning view of Bretton Woods and, beyond that, the Franconia Range. On a really clear day, you’ll be able to see Mt. Mansfield, which you climbed over the day before. Unfortunately, Marshfield Station now closes after the last train goes up the mountain at 15:00. If it’s closed when you get there, you’ll still have resupply options as you go through Crawford Notch.
The descent from the Cog is dead straight and well paved, so have some fun. But don’t miss the left turn onto the Mt. Clinton Road at mile 340.8. You’ll be going 40 miles per hour at that point, so backtracking uphill won’t be fun.
The Mt. Clinton Road is brutally bumpy and potholed. Rocks imbedded in the pavement can be as big as a softball, even a basketball. Just go slow. The bigger your tires, the happier you’ll be, but even with the biggest tires you can still damage a wheel or fork, even your frame.
Your reward will be two-fold. First off, you’ll avoid the 300 feet of elevation gain between Bretton Woods and the head of Crawford Notch. More importantly, you’ll be pretty much able to coast to the finish back in Conway. If you need supplies, stop at the AMC Highland Center at the very top of Crawford Notch or the Wiley House after the first, big descent.
And do enjoy that descent and the spectacular scenery that surrounds it. But keep a good eye out for tourists, who tend to wander out into US 302 without first looking to see if you or anyone else is coming. Watch out for the diagonal RR crossings entering Bartlett, just before Attitash, and as you approach Conway.
Congratulations, you’ve achieved a remarkable challenge.