We did North Road over the Memorial Day Weekend and it was a quiet respite from the congestion of the Valley. It is also a great ride for all your houseguests to enjoy!!
North Road is a scenic, quiet road which goes from the eastern end of Gorham to Shelburne to Gilead and then to Bethel, ME. The road goes along the north side of the Androscoggin River. Route 2, which has trucks, tourists and traffic, travels along the south ride of the river.
Start at the intersection of North Road and Hogan Road, on the north side of the river, ready to ride at 10:00. To get to this point, drive north over Pinkham Notch on Route 16. Turn right at the intersection with route 2 in Gorham. Drive about 3 miles, and turn left onto North Road, just after a beautiful stone house and barn. Cross the river at the dam, and proceed about 1/4 mile to where North Road bears sharply right. Hogan Road, a dirt road with access to several trailheads, comes in from the left at this point, and there is a dirt parking area there. PLEASE CARPOOL to minimize the number of cars in this lot (see below..)!
The entire ride on North Road to the picnic area alongside the river in Bethel, and back, is 39 miles. The ride is not difficult, no notches! There are flat sections, sections of rolling hills, lots of scenery and occasional views of the river. Near the end, just before reaching Route 2/Route 5 in Bethel, there is a bike path that turns right at a red fire hydrant and goes behind the water slide park. The path goes for 1.1 miles, ending at a nice picnic spot (and porta-potty).
There are many options for food in Bethel, or just bring your own.
Longer Options: After the picnic area, you can continue on Intervale Rd (quiet and scenic like North Road!!!) for another 12 miles to Rumford Corner, and yet another 12 miles to Rumford. Do it all for ~87 miles roundtrip (see maps below).
Shorter Options: Since the ride is out-and-back, you can decide when you've had enough and turn back to the parking lot: To Shelburne and back is 10.2 miles round trip To the Gilead steel trestle bridge is 18.6 miles round trip Or, to have fewer miles, but still join in on the eating and chatting at the picnic area in Bethel, drive to the Gilead bridge (Bridge Street), park there at the canoe parking area on the southwest side of the bridge, and join the riders there as they ride by on North Road at about 10:50-11:00. Starting at the bridge and riding to Bethel will give you a 20 mile round trip.
CARPOOLING! To carpool, meet at the Dunkin Donuts in Glen at 8:45-9:00 if you can either take a bike or two in/on your car, or if you would like to join a carpool. Carpools will leave Dunkin Donuts at 9:10.
For a map you can play with, click on:
For the longer option, riding to Rumford and back, see this map:
