Feeling a bit dissatisfied after the tire drama on the MA BDR earlier in the month, I decided to pack up the Norden again for a quick weekend in Vermont and New Hampshire. I went back and forth a bit on the plan, debating trying to hit Maine and how much time to spend off pavement. A lot of the state parks in NH and VT end their seasons at Labor Day and close for a few weeks before re-opening for walk-ins in the off-season, so campground selection was pretty limited. In the end I decided to head up to Groton, NH, finally hit Mt. Washington in the morning, and then ride west on the NH section of the NE BDR for a day before camping and riding home.
It was a bit of a rainy evening camping in Dolly Copp Campground in the White Mountain National Forest, but between the rain showers I was able to enjoy reading by the campfire and relaxing after a hectic month in a new job. I woke up early enough on Saturday to get to Mt. Washington before what I expected would be heavy fall traffic, but I was turned away at the gate due to heavy winds on the mountain. The weather just never seems to cooperate for me when I’m in the area.
I backtracked to the national forest to pick up the BDR. The sections in NH is pretty easy and flowy, with Sandwich Notch Road probably being the highlight. The optional section through the Bartlett Experimental Forest is interesting, as well, and on this trip it was the only time I crossed paths with other adventure riders out enjoying the fall day. There were also a shocking number of off-leash dogs with no recall, which really feels like a bad combination in an area that’s as popular with dual sport riders and overlanders as it is.
Tori and I have spent two weekends hiking and exploring around Sandwich — first on our quest to visit every town named Sandwich and later for our mini-moon, so I made a point to stop in town for lunch and ride by the cabin we stayed in for both. Unfortunately, the covered bridge to the cabin was undergoing some much needed repairs, so I continued on my way through Sandwich Range Wilderness on the BDR.
Once I hit the early afternoon I had to bail from the route to make it to Elmore State Park in Vermont, one of the only campgrounds in VT taking reservations after Labor Day, and get set up before dark. It was a perfectly pleasant night at camp, and I even got a pity firewood delivery from a local couple who heard me asking for a wheel barrow when checking in. The morning light was perfect when I packed up camp the next day and road home to wrap up the season.
