A six day tour of the beautiful Berkshires
for intermediate to advanced cyclists

The mix of beautiful valleys, mountains and farmlands in the Berkshires makes it one of the most popular cycling destinations in the American Northeast.   Our six day tour take us to the Berkshires' most popular attractions , with 5 nights, 6 days based in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Daily Ride options are 35-50 miles, with rolling hills and a few good climbs, designed for upper intermediate to advanced cyclists. Road or light hybrid bikes are required, and all roads are paved.  Our rides are on safe quiet country roads with very little traffic.  There will be two guides on bicycles; van support will be provided only when needed. To fully enjoy this tour, participants should be capable of riding the short or long loop each day

Sunday June 5 - Friday June 11, 2010

Sunday Sept.  5 - Friday Sept. 10, 2010

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Sunday Day 1: Great Barrington.   We'll be staying at the Days Inn in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. After checking in at 1:00 on Sunday afternoon, we'll set out on a gentle 15 mile "Get Acquainted" ride through Great Barrington and on to nearby North Egremont. Dinner each night is at one of Great Barrington's many restaurants.  During your free time this week, you'll enjoy walking along this charming town's tree-lined streets. Make sure to spend one evening at the Mahaiwe Theater Performing Arts Center

 

Monday, Day 2  Umpachenee Falls : Today's ride takes us along the flat flood plain of the Housatonic River through Sheffield farmland to Umpachenee Falls. We'll stop for sandwiches at the Mill River General Store.  On our return, we enjoy an exhilarating downhill ride back to the Housatonic River before returning to Sheffield , where we'll stop by the oldest covered bridge in Massachusetts .  We return by bike to Great Barrington.    
       

Tuesday, Day 3 : West Stockbridge and Hancock Shaker Village: Today's ride takes us along the edge of the Taconic Mountains and through tiny Alford to West Stockbridge  where we'll have time to visit Baldwin's General Store and Hoffman Pottery. You may wish to continue farther for a visit to fascinating Hancock Shaker Village our Richmond, with a stop at Bartlett's Apple Orchard.  35- 50 miles with rolling hills.

Wednesday, Day 4: Barthomews Cobble and Twin Lakes  This easy ride take us along back roads to Sheffield and Ashley Falls , where we'll visit Bartholomew's Cobble , an unusual limestone formation with plants and ferns that are generally found several hundred miles north of this area . We'll ride past the Colonel John Ashley House built in 1735 and said to be the oldest complete house in the Berkshires.  We return to the inn for a free afternoon.  Relatively flat 30 miles with extra mileage options.

Advanced cyclists version: Mount Everett , New York State, Connecticut. For the "climbers", we have a 5 mile ascent toward the second highest mountain in Massachusetts, Mount Everett. After reaching rural Mount Washington, you'll have a great descent to Copake in New York State, riding near Bash Bish Falls. We continue a few miles on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail and cross into Connecticut, then join the above tour at Twin Lakes. This full day 55 mile ride is for advanced cyclists.

 

 Thursday, Day 5: Stockbridge and the Norman Rockwell Museum Today's ride takes us past Butternut Ski Basin before we turn on Monument Valley Road to popular Stockbridge, MA where you may wish to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum. and Chesterwood, the studio of Lincoln Monument sculptor Daniel Chester French.  Our return is along the rapids of the Housatonic River to Great Barrington.  30 miles with extra loop options.

Friday, Day 6: Beartown State Forest We'll set off a bit early for this 18 mile ride so that we arrive back to the inn in time for checkout.  Along the way, we'll make a brief stop at the Berkshire Fish Hatchery in Hartsville. We head back through Beartown State Forest with a challenging quarter mile climb and easy descent-- what better way to finish a tour of the Berkshires?  We return to Great Barrington for our farewells.

 

What's Included?
Price $995 / person. Add$350 for single occupancy.(Please request quote from Bike New England for groups.  A $100 deposit is required to hold your reservation. Full payment is due two months before start date.  You may cancel up to 2 weeks before the start date with full refund minus deposit. Partial refunds afterwards minus our obligations to inns.

Lodging: 5 nights at the Days Inn in Great Barrington, MA

Meals: Continental breakfasts .We pay for our own lunches and dinners.

Rides: Rides generally start about 9 am. You will be led by Bike New England owner Gordon Harris and Berkshire guide Barbara Lampron. Maps and cue sheets are provided for each ride. Van support is provided only when necessary. Both guides generally ride out from the inn with participants, offering a short and long version each day.

Bike Rentals: Bike Rentals: Jamis Coda hybrid roadbikes with straight handlebars are available for $100 /week.

Other Activities:  You may wish to take time to visit other Berkshire cultural highlights: The Mount in Lenox, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, (MassMOCA) in North Adams, and Kripalu yoga center next in Lenox

Bicycle Shipping and rental: Assembly, transportation of your bikes is available for an additional charge.

Getting There: Great Barrington is at the intersection of Rts. 7 and 23 in the southwest corner of Massachusetts, approximately 150 miles from New York City and Boston.

Pickup and return to Logan Airport in Boston is available for a $100 extra charge.

Register for  this tour with no payment until your registration is confirmed

Download pdf tour signup form

   

 

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