Road Scholar cycling tour

of the historic Massachusetts North Shore

Bike New England and Olde Ipswich Tours host the Road Scholar bicycle tour of the Massachusetts North Shore based in historic Ipswich. Our 30-45 mile scenic rides visit some of the most beautiful and historic areas in New England. This "level 5" tour is designed for active cyclists who can average 12 mph for the day's ride, although we will stop frequently to explore local attractions. In addition to receiving route maps and cue sheets, you will be led by one or two guides offering options for distance and speed. During our rides we will offer suggestions to help participants "become one with the bike", including seat positioning, shifting, adjustments, climbing technique, etc. Lodging and meals are included. We also offer tours to commuting participants (no inn provided).

Dates: Jun 17 — Jun 22, 2012 ; Sep 23 — Sep 28, 2012

For ride information , email tour leader Gordon Harris at bikenewengland@yahoo.com or call (978) 979-6598.

Sign up at the Road Scholar site for this tour

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1, Sunday: Jeffrey's Neck. You can check in at the Ipswich Bed and Breakfast and Kaede Bed and Breakfast after 1 pm. At 4:00 we'll take a short ride to Jeffrey's Neck, crossing the Great Salt Marsh and enjoying a modest climb with a spectacular view of Plum Island, Cape Ann, and the Atlantic. Dinner tonight is downtown, followed by a brief "Get Acquainted" session at the inn. View ride

Day 2, Monday: Historic Salem After breakfast at the inn, we head out past scenic meadows on an easy ride through neighboring Hamilton. Crossing the harbor to historic Salem, we ride through the historic Chestnut St. neighborhood and stop for lunch near the Old Town Hall. We'll spend a couple of hours in town so that you have the chance to visit the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and the Friendship, a reconstruction of a 171-foot three-masted Salem East Indiaman built in 1797, the Salem Witch Museum, or the House of Seven Gables. Our return takes us through historic downtown Beverly and Hamilton. for a 32 mile total for the day. This evening we'll view the Ipswich Riverwalk Mural by artist Alan Pearsall before taking in the local fare at the Choate Bridge Pub. View ride

Day 3, Tuesday: Cape Ann: Today's ride takes us along wooded back roads until we reach Manchester by the Sea on Cape Ann. After a short break, we'll continue along the rocky Atlantic shoreline through tiny Magnolia on our way to Gloucester, a classic New England seaport town. We'll have lunch at Stage Fort Park before continuing to the Fisherman's memorial statue and the town's charming Main St. Long distance cyclists may wish to continue out to the lighthouse at Eastern Point, and cycle for a few miles right along the rocky shores of Atlantic Road. Our route continues past glacial erratics and through the salt marsh to historic Essex, one of colonial America's first ship-building towns. Today's ride is 32 miles with a 45 mile option.
View ride

Day 4, Wednesday: The Old Stone Walls Ride (half day) For those of us who live here, these are our favorite cycling roads, winding through the area's many state forests. We start out cycling past the Trustees of Reservations property Appleton Farms and a couple of miles on the paved bike path at Bradley Palmer State Park. After riding along the Ipswich River Sanctuary on beautiful Perkins Row, we continue on to tiny Topsfield, a classic New England village. Our return takes us on quiet paved roads that wind through Willowdale State Forest. Today is a "half day", offering the opportunity to take the commuter rail into Boston or spend some time hiking in our wonderful nature preserves. Our ride is 20-30 miles. View ride


Day 5, Thursday: The Merrimack River, Newburyport and Plum Island. This full day ride takes us through the Great Salt Marsh on our way to Newburyport. Reaching the Merrimack River, we stop for a break at Audubon's Joppa Flats. The longer distance ride continues to Plum Island for a loop through the Parker River Wildlife Sanctuary. After lunch in Newburyport, we begin our return cycling past historic colonial homes and salt hay fields in Newbury. In Rowley you'll want to stop at White Farms for some of the best ice cream in New England. Today's ride is a relatively flat 32-42 miles. Tonight we enjoy a slide show and presentation by Bill Sargent, NOVA consultant and author of 5 books on science and the environment. View ride

Day 6, Friday: Crane Beach: For our last morning together, we ride out Argilla Rd. to Crane Beach, a Trustees of Reservations property for a walk along the shore. On our we return, we like to stop at Russell Orchards to sample their home-made munchies and cider. We return by 10 a.m. for room checkout and our farewells. View ride

Reviews from previous Road Scholar tours:
"This was an outstanding trip. Thank you Gordon for the wonderful rides."
"Wonderful biking area and knowledgeable guide made this program outstanding"
"Gordon was helpful and patient while explaining the mechanics of shifting to me."
"Gordon did the best trip we have been on. He had everything covered." "Gordon is so well prepared not only for the biking but on the history, geography etc of the area."
"Gordon was always helpful to everyone, flexible well informed, good natured and sensitive to everyone's needs."
"Very enjoyable experience: Gordon was an excellent guide and teacher. He planned the daily rides very well. Alternate routes and plans were thorough throughout. We appreciated the effort he put forth. Nothing was left to chance.

Bike Rentals: You may use your own road or hybrid-road bicycle. Mountain bikes are not appropriate for this tour. A few Jamis Coda road bikes with straight handlebars are available for rent with our tours, $100 for the week. Helmets are available, although it is recommended to bring your own. Please email tour leader Gordon Harris to reserve a bike.