| |  Our best bike rides in Massachusetts
 This fully-supported week-long inn-to-inn
cycling tour offers you the opportunity to enjoy our favorite rides from our Bike New England North Shore and Berkshire trips in one cycling adventure, with 3 days on Cape
Ann, and 4 days in the Berkshires.
For intermediate to advanced
cyclists, this 7-day tour offers rides with 25
- 55 mile options, pleasant inns and great group meals. Originating in Ipswich, Massachusetts, with optional van pickup and return to Logan Airport in Boston..
Price: $1995
Date:
Available by group request for 2008
Day 1: Saturday: The Woods and
the Necks: We'll be staying for the
first three nights in historic Ipswich Massachusetts,
which is home to more "first period" colonial homes than any other location in the country! The winding local roads in the North Shore area are said to have originally followed the cattle paths of our early settlers. They're still just as scenic, quiet and great rides. After morning check-in, we'll ride along Essex County's many protected natural areas, including
Appleton
Farms,
Bradley Palmer State
Forest,
Willowdale State
Forest,
and the Ipswich River Sanctuary. An extra loop takes out to Jeffrey's Neck for a panoramic view of the Atlantic shoreline from Plum Island to Cape Ann.
Mileage options are 25 - 55 miles.
 Day 2, Sunday: Cape Ann We'll take
back roads to Manchester by the Sea and Magnolia, riding along several
beautiful Atlantic Ocean coves. After reaching Gloucester, we
continue along the rocky shoreline on Atlantic Avenue. Our return
brings us to Essex, known for ship-building in the colonial days.
Distance cyclists will also enjoy the long version to Rockport on the tip of Cape
Ann, and a visit to Bearskin Neck.
Dinner tonight is at the 1640 Hart
House, a national historic landmark. We
spend the night again at the Ipswich Bed and Breakfast. Mileage options are 28
- 62 miles.
Day 3,
Monday: Plum Island Our guests have rated this ride to the Parker River National
Wildlife Refuge and Plum Island as their favorite! After riding past the historic salt
marsh hay fields, we do a loop through Plum Island's Wildlife
Sanctuary . We return through Newburyport,
with the option of a ride along the wide Merrimack River on our way
back to Ipswich.
 Day 4, Tuesday: Out to the Berkshires! Today we're on the road, with a 3
hour drive to the Berkshires where we'll stay at the Apple Tree Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts, the
summer home of the Boston Symphony
Orchestra.
There will be plenty of time this afternoon for a 25 mile
ride through rural Tyringham, a return through Lee and back to the
Apple Tree Inn taking beautiful Undermountain Road in Lenox.
Day 5, Wednesday: Vermont and the Green
Mountains.
We'll use the vans to head north today for a ride start in
Williamstown, MA. After crossing the Vermont state line, we cycle along
the Green Mountains on scenic Barber Pond Road to Bennington,
Vermont. Stops include the Bennington Fish Hatchery and the old car museum . Lunch will be at All Days and
Onions . Continuing west toward New York State, we ride
past the Bennington
Monument . Our return takes us through a pass in the Taconic
Mountains, passing through Pownal, Vermont.
 Day 6, Thursday:
Stockbridge and Alford.
Today we start out early from the Apple Tree Inn, riding past historic mansions and
gardens on our way
to popular Stockbridge .
We journey on through the hamlet of Alford
for a scenic ride along
the base of the Taconic Mountains. A wonderful descent brings us to
West Stockbridge, home to numerous artisans, including pottery and glass-blowing
studios, Then we'll ride over the tail of
"Lenox Mountain past Berkshire Botanical Garden. An optional
route through Richmond offers a nice climb over the ridge, stopping for the
scenic overlook of Stockbridge
Bowl. Distance: 35 miles.
Day 7, Friday: The Hancock Shaker Village. We'll start
out our morning ride with a climb over the pass above Stockbridge Bowl on our ride to Hancock Shaker
Village.
On our return we like to stop for hot cider at Bartlett's Orchard.
Showers will be available at the Appletree Inn before we load up the
van for the return to Boston and departures.
 The Package:
Price:
$1895 US dollars, with double occupancy per room. Add $75 /night for single occupancy.
Inns: 3 nights at the Ipswich Bed and Breakfast, and 3 nights at the Apple Tree Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts.
Meals: breakfasts, lunches on the rides, and group dinners each night are all included in this deluxe tour..
Guides:
Gordon Harris, Bike New England owner will be the lead cycling guide, and a second guide provides van support. Participants are given maps and cue sheets., and North Shore routes are arrowed. Transportation to/from Logan Airport is optional.
Bikes:
For an additional $100, you can rent one of our Jamis Coda road bikes with straight (mountain bike type) handlebars for your tour, including water bottles and handlebar bags.
email Bike New England
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