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[PHAZE]

My wife and I are considering a ride with another site member and his wife that would put us up in the New England area this year.  We're going to have three or four days up there.  The wives want to see the Newport (RI) mansions, but other than that we don't have anything nailed down.

We're curious about "must sees" or "must rides" in MA, RI, CT, NH, VT, and ME.  I know that there is a lot of history there and there must be some great roads.

We've heard that hotel/motel rates get inflated during the fall foliage viewing season, so we'd like to go early enough to miss these rate hikes (they may not be as colorful, but we have leaves locally).  If anyone can offer advice on when to travel up there, it would be appreciated too.

We've talked about making our way over to Niagara Falls before heading back south.  It looks like there is a highway on the Canadian side that takes you along the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario on the way to Niagara.  What kind of ride would this be?

Members of this site are great about helping out and offering suggetions and opinions.  I'll appreciate input here!  

[WFP]

Well, if you do go to Newport, let me know...I ride Ocean Drive all the time...

there are a bunch of us here that can give you ideas but if you have never been up here, let us know how much "Riding" versus "Sightseeing".  For example, Newport will be crowded depending on the time and I enjoy riding it but it ain't the tail of the dragon.

In NH, you have the Kank and the Mt. Washington Auto Road.  You have scenic Coastal Roads and you can ride to Provinceton on cape Cod.  There are some beautiful roads through rolling hills in sEastern CT by Gillette Castle and Devil's Hopyard State Parks.  Then in Western CT by Cornwall Bridge, Kent Falls and Mohawk Mt.  Again, Rolling Hills twolane roads are there...but you do have to occasionally go through cities.  Coastal Route 1 in Maine and Rt 100 in VT.


Oh, and if you happen to be considering the week after Laborday, we are contemplating an unofficial/small CVO gettogether somewhere in New England, maybe Wed to Sat.

these are some of my quick Suggestions.
/Bill

[WFP]

Also, there are some really nice rides in the Adirondacks of NY that can get you to where you cross the St. lawrence river but I have never been riding on that side through Toronto into NF.

/Bill

[PHAZE]

Thanks for the info.  We want to mix in some of the sights, but do some riding along the way.  The tail of the dragon is one of those things that everybody should do at least once, but when you ride it, it's all about the road and you better keep your eyes on it.  Rolling hills and long sweeping curves make for a lot more enjoyment of the landscape along the way.

Keep the suggestions coming!

[Hoist!]

If you're coming up from the south, you should try to get more time. You can ride up Rte 30 in NYS thru all the Lakes in the Adirondaks, head east thru VT, NH and ME. Wind up in Bar Harbor. Then take the ferry to Nova Scotia. Ride around NS and come down thru Eastport, ME (the best place for lobsters). Then head south thru NH, Mass, RI, and CT. You've just done NE and NS in 9 days! Great trip. Done it a few times. Enjoy! Hoist! 8-)

[TimBone]

That will be a great trip, I grew up in Eastern CT and we traveled lots up north of that, I totally agree with Bill and heading up or down RT 7.  That is such a great ride and the scenery is Fantastic.  You guys will definitely love it!!
Have a great time,
Tim

[PHAZE]

What time of the year do you need to travel up there to avoid all the leaf lookers?  Can you confirm what I've heard about seasonal rate increases on lodging when the foliage is in color?

[SEULTRA]

If you're coming up from the south, you should try to get more time. You can ride up Rte 30 in NYS thru all the Lakes in the Adirondaks, head east thru VT, NH and ME. Wind up in Bar Harbor. Then take the ferry to Nova Scotia. Ride around NS and come down thru Eastport, ME (the best place for lobsters). Then head south thru NH, Mass, RI, and CT. You've just done NE and NS in 9 days! Great trip. Done it a few times. Enjoy! Hoist! 8-)

Hoist! has a good recommendations. No trip would be complete for fall colors without going through the White Mountains of Vermont. Also, try to fit in Saranac Lake and Lake Placid  in NY. It's real New England. I used to live there. A great place to eat is the Merrill McGee house ( a B&B) in Warrensburg, NY right off I-87 (http://www.merrillmageehouse.com/) that has a Beef Wellington that is second to none.

[WFP]

Jay, while they are mostly molehills compared to the Rockies, I do have to correct you...

Green Mts. are in VT
White Mts. are in NH

for fall colors OCT is the rough time.

/Bill

Hoist! has a good recommendations. No trip would be complete for fall colors without going through the White Mountains of Vermont. Also, try to fit in Saranac Lake and Lake Placid  in NY. It's real New England. I used to live there. A great place to eat is the Merrill McGee house ( a B&B) in Warrensburg, NY right off I-87 (http://www.merrillmageehouse.com/) that has a Beef Wellington that is second to none.

[WFP]

Early Sept. would be best IMHO.  Post "Summer", Pre-leaf peepers...

/Bill

What time of the year do you need to travel up there to avoid all the leaf lookers?  Can you confirm what I've heard about seasonal rate increases on lodging when the foliage is in color?

[VaEagle]

Hi Phaze,
I saw where you mentioned going into Canada. As a reminder you must now carry a passport to cross the border. Part of the government's plan to tighten up security for us all.

[PHAZE]

Thanks!  I've been into Canada several times (never on a bike) and crossing the border always seemed pretty casual.  I'm not surprised that things have tightened up, but I didn't know that a passport was required.

[Twolanerider]

Thanks!  I've been into Canada several times (never on a bike) and crossing the border always seemed pretty casual.  I'm not surprised that things have tightened up, but I didn't know that a passport was required.

Well...... it was, then it wasn't, then it was, then it wasn't.  Legislation and admin rules went in to effect last year and the year before that put restrctions in place that would have started passport requirements for nearly all entry and reentry during this calendar year.

Things happened.  Some political, some administrative and some logistical.  The new requirements are still being implemented for nearly all entries and reentries by air and sea.  Even if you can leave the country without your passport you can be required to have it to come back in.  Even from Canada, Mexico or other countries that don't require you to carry your passport to enter their country, American border agents will require you have it to let you back in the US.

The ground reentry provision was off, then on again, then apparently now off again until 2008.  There is even current discussion of some "rolling implementation" of the new rules to help work the bugs out incrementally.

Best advice, take it with you.  You'll never get in a bind for having your passport with you.  The unfortunate fact right now is you just can't know for sure when and where you might get in a bind if you don't have it.

[porthole]

Hey .. Didn't some of you Mass guys do a ride through  the country side last year?

Maybe you can nail down a mini CVO ride.

If you pick a time frame soon enough I can plan my vacation days around it.

[WFP]

I'm suggesting the Wed-Sat after Labor Day...

as for some of the other trip reports:

Adirondacks:
http://flhrsei.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1155475327;start=all

MA/NH/VT:
http://flhrsei.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1155653324;start=all
http://flhrsei.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1155822341;start=all

Mohawk Trail:
http://flhrsei.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1155071904;start=all
http://flhrsei.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1128220246;start=all

Martha's Vineyard:  
http://flhrsei.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1154901151

/Bill

Hey .. Didn't some of you Mass guys do a ride through  the country side last year?

Maybe you can nail down a mini CVO ride.

If you pick a time frame soon enough I can plan my vacation days around it.