Berkshire Cycling: Washington - Blandford Loop

35 miles    Paved Roads

Parking: Washington town park    
Towns: Washington, Becket, Otis, Blandford, Chester

For Larry, the blob is a great blue heron

This ride offered just what I was looking for: short, steep hills and long, gradual hills. The hill that I didn't just mention is the one that I am afraid of: long, steep hills, such as you may have seen recently during the Tour de France in the Pyrenees. And in 20 days or so I am headed to the Pyrenees. I will begin in Bayonne on the Atlantic and finish on the Mediterranean in Narbonne, visiting the Pyrenees and some of those gorgeous, high, steep, long, cols along the way.

For Abby: Nature reclaims culture

The ride up Bonnie Rigg Hill is short. And steep. After that the riding generally rolls downhill on rural roads with very few cars. It's a nice, long downhill to Blandford and a fairly flat ride back north to Chester., though sometimes on a lousy road surface. The last run downhill to Rt. 20 is steep and fast, ending with a stop sign on busy Rt. 20.

And then there is Wade Inn Road. I hate this road, but it does offer a long, steady climb, a good thing. Unfortunately, the surface is miserable. Lousy surface, up, up, up, and I never found my rhythm. I never found anyone's rhythm. If the surface was better this would be a super route.

The return north on Rt. 8 was quick and familiar.

Roads: Rt. 8 south straight across Rt. 20 onto Bonnie Rigg Hill, right onto Algerie Rd., left onto Blandford Rd., left onto Gore Rd., left onto Rt. 20, right onto Wade Inn Rd., right onto Rt. 8. Click here for a link to the ride on Map My Ride, with cue sheet, distances and map

Berkshire Rides

Berkshire Cycling: Great Barrington - Sheffield Loop 2

18 miles   Paved Roads

Towns: Great Barrington, Egremont, Sheffield

Parking: Great Barrington

 

Pond usually covered with geese

Another nice after-work ride for me, not too long and generally flat. When I ride near home after work it is always hilly … not always what I want to see after a long day and commute. So I often ride here, then drive home. This ride goes west from Great Barrington to the pretty, very traditional white-building, town of South Egremont, then south past the Appalachian Trail before turning back west in Sheffield.

View of hills to east

One of these days I’ll ride to the top of Mount Washington, past Bash-Bish falls, but my defeat on Washington Mountain Road chastened me enough to wait another few weeks before trying  this south county hill. 

Sheep farm

The two Washingtons are confusing, even to area residents.  One is a hilltown, simply named Washington, with “Washington Mountain Road” leading to it from the northwest. It is large in area, small in population, with most of its landmass  unpopulated in October Mountain State Forest. The other town is Mount Washington, located on the Connecticut/New York border, featuring (surprise) Mount Washington.  Even the Commonwealth can get confused: once about fifteen years ago the state deposited monies due to Mount Washington into the bank account of Washington. Both are small towns, and no one realized the error for months. 

   

 

On today’s ride I pass the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Kellogg Center, located on Rt. 41. This mid-18^th century farmhouse was a gift to the Trail Conservancy, is the regional office for Massachusetts and Connecticut, and offers workshops and retreats for staff and hikers. 

Continuing south, on the other side of the road the herd of sheep reminded me of my trip to the Languedoc in southern France. Though the Cévennes are much more rugged, and high, than the Berkshires, some people say that they aren't really mountains, just as I say the Berkshires are hills. The Cévennes are sheep country and provide milk for Roquefort cheese. There is a growing cheese industry here, but I haven’t learned of any local sheep-milk cheese.

The ride across Berkshire School Road is fast and flat, followed by a short stint on Rt. 7, a jog over to Boardman and the ride back to central Great Barrington.

Roads: From Great Barrington travel west on Rt. 23 to South Egremont, turn south on Rt. 41, then left onto Berkshire School Road. Follow it back to Rt. 7, turn north and follow Rt. 7 for a short distance to Maple Street. Right on Maple then left on Boardman. Left when Boardman ends onto Brookview which takes you quickly back to 7. North to Great Barrington center.

Berkshire Rides List

Berkshire Cycling: Around October Mountain

32 miles   Moderate   Paved Roads

Towns: Washington, Becket, Lee, Lenox, Pittsfield, Dalton, Hinsdale

Parking: Washington town park on Rt. 8

Lilacs in bloom, May

One of the unexpected delights of cycling is smelling the world around you. In late May the lilacs are blooming in the Berkshire hills (no longer in the valleys though) and the fragrance is marvelous.

After last week’s rest stop (I could call it defeat) when climbing October Mountain via Washington Mountain Road I decided to focus on longer rides with less climbing, so Friday I rode around the mountain, instead of over it, this time keeping it generally on my right side. Much of it is a pretty ride, with varied terrain, one decent climb up Kirchner Road, a steep descent and a good flat ride linking them. 

The road goes past the trailhead for Basin Pond, land preserved be Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC.) This is an excellent hike, especially late in the day when the setting sun lights up the west-facing slope. BNRC is a fantastic local organization that protects important habitat and open space in the county, and deserves support from everyone who lives in or visits the Berkshires. 

Basin Pond Trailhead

 From the parking lot at the park in Washington, I headed south on Route 8 to the intersection with County Road, where McInerney comes in, then followed County onto Yokum Pond Rd. and down to Route 20. This is a fast, steep, curving descent to Route 20, where the road dead-ends. I drive it almost daily going to work, and when the road is ice-covered occasionally have seen cars opt to slide into the bank rather than into busy Route 20. I know this road is steep, by most any standard, but I don't know how to get a photo that shows incline.

But before getting to their trailhead I passed a mystery blue box. They have appeared in many places around the county, dangling from the trees at about the same height. Later I learned they are used to monitor for invasive beetles. 

Riding down Route 20 into Lee I thought this ride should be subtitled Go Out and Ride in Traffic. The shoulder on most of the road is wide enough, but it is after all a shoulder, complete with broken glass, bad surface and grates. I often see cyclists riding here, but for me the semi-trailers were nerve wracking. 

Beetle monitoring box

The route passes by Herman Melville's home at Arrowhead. I noticed from the sign that it is open only by appointment, this time of the year. Turning right on Williams Street I rode back east and got lunch at Berkshire Organics, a small shop specializing in local and organic food, near the intersection of Kirchner and Washington Mountain.  

Today I rode straight onto Kirchner Road, not up the mountain. This is a longer, but a less steep climb and has state forest land on both sides of the road. It wasn’t easy, but certainly was easier than the alternative ride up Washington Mountain Road. Kirchner Road ends on Rt. 8, where it is a right hand turn and an easy ride back south to the car. Click here to see the route, with cue sheet and climbing details on Map My Ride.

Arrowhead, Herman Melville's home

Roads: Rt. 8 south. Right on McInerney, immediate left onto County, stay left onto Yokum Pond Rd. to Rt. 20. Right on Rt. 20. Right on East St. Right on Mill Street. Left at deadend, then straight onto Walker Street. Right onto East St. (becomes Chapman Rd.) Right onto Holmes Rd. Right onto Williams St. Straight onto Kirchner Rd. Right onto Rt. 8 back to Washington. 

BERKSHIRE COUNTY RIDES LIST