The Berkshires to Boston Bicycle Tour introduced riders to the best of Massachusetts cycling – lots of peaceful roads, good pavement and magnificent scenery and some fun, urban riding on bike paths, bike lanes and community streets.
2014 routes
A pre-tour ascent of Mt. Greylock, Massachusetts’ highest peak. We’ll head out from Hancock Shaker Village in the late morning on Wednesday for the thirteen mile ride to the base of Rockwell Rd, part of the scenic byway that climbs to the summit. The next eight miles climb over 2,200 feet along the parkway through the State Reservation managed by MassParks, the Commonwealth’s state parks agency. We’ll follow Rockwell Road back to the base the mountain and retrace our route back to Hancock Shaker Village for a total ride of about 45 miles.
The first day covers 59 miles between the New York border at Hancock, MA and Sunderland, MA in the Connecticut River Valley. Along the way, riders will pass through Pittsfield, the Berkshire’s largest city, ride the Ashuwilticook Rail Trail and climb 1,000 feet to the top of the Hoosac Range. Overall, the day includes 3,589 feet of climbing; but, riders are rewarded with over 4,600 feet of descent as they drop into the flat Valley farmlands. See this route at Ride with GPS at Berkshires to Boston Day One
Today is the longest day of the tour – 79 miles as we climb out of the Valley and ride through the Central Highlands to Devens, MA. The day begins with flat riding through the fertile farmlands along the Connecticut River before riders begin a gradual 11-mile climb up to the town of Wendell, 1,000 feet higher than our Sunderland starting point. The next 40 miles feature quaint New England towns like Petersham and Princeton and a rolling route through the heart of Massachusetts. The final 20 miles are nearly all downhill or flat as riders drop over 1,000 feet to Devens. See this route at Ride with GPS at Berkshires to Boston Day Two
Today is the shortest and easiest day of the tour – only 50 miles and a net loss of 200 feet in elevation as we travel into Boston. The route passes by the Minuteman National Historical Park and passes through the historic towns of Lexington and Cambridge. The route also takes advantage of the popular Minuteman Bike Path to get into the City. The short day is designed to let riders savor the rich history and scenic landscapes of this beautiful area of the state. See this route at Berkshires to Boston Day Three
Bike New England 