This years beach ride

Thought I'd post a ride I've been doing about once per week. It takes me past farms, horse ranches and along most of the NH coast. I start in Newfields and go through Exeter, Kensington and Hampton Falls on my way to the coast. I ride north along the coast so that I'm on the same side as the water.  There are a few one half to one mile long hills on the route, but overall it is flat to rollers type of terrain. A fun ride that provides miles of cruising at a good speed along the coast and inland hills/rollers that let you hit the upper 30's mph.
Google map of the ride

And some pics of my new ride, the sweet Bacchetta Carbon Aero 2.0

Drinkwater Road

Drinkwater Road

Just North of North Hampton Beach

Looking North

Lee Hook Loop

This ride takes you past farms, rivers and through the woods on mostly lightly traveled roads. If you start at the Newfields Town Hall, you will go through "downtown" Newfields with all the hustle and bustle of a country store. The country store is across from the Town Hall and offers coffee, muffins, sandwiches, soups and more.

Head west on Route 87 (Piscassic Road) and you will pass Piscassic Ice Pond on the left. Route 87 does not have much of a shoulder and usually has 2 to 4 cars per minute. Often fewer cars than that. Turn right onto Bald Hill Road which is has very little traffic and is mostly residential, with a few small farms and fields along the way. You can follow Bald Hill Road to the end and take a right onto Grant Road, but I like to turn right on Johnson Road just before reaching Grant Road. Grant road has more traffic than Bald Hill, and no shoulders, but usually not too many cars pass me while on Grant. There is a short climb shortly after turning onto Grant. Follow Grant straight through the 4 corners intersection with Ash Swamp Road, and all the way to the end. Then left onto Route 152 which has more traffic, but does offer a shoulder most of the way until you reach Lee Hook Road. You will then pass by picturesque farms and have some fun on some rolling hills. The last hill at the end will get your heart rate up. Be careful when making the left onto Route 155. The view of cars coming is not very good. The speed limit on Route 155 is higher and there isn't a shoulder, but you are only on it for a short run down a fun hill. I am almost always able to make the left onto Tuttle Road at 30 mph. Once in awhile I have to hit the brakes and let cars go by. Tuttle Road is very lightly travelled and goes through a forested tract of land. Wadliegh Falls on the Lamprey River is at the intersection of Tuttle Road and Route 152. Go left on Route 152, over the Lamprey, then a quick right onto Campground Road, which is also very lightly travelled. Campground Road takes you to Jacobs Well Road which ends up back at Route 87, a little further west of Bald Hill Road.

View Lee Hook Loop in a larger map

Hampton Falls Loop

Another storm has dropped 6 or more inches of rain on us. I haven't been doing as much riding due to the weather and spring chores. So here's a map of a ride.

Here's a map of the Hampton Falls Route 88 to Route 84 loop. It starts and ends at the Newfields Town Hall.


View Hampton Falls Loop in a larger map

Brentwood Loop

This is a nice loop that starts and ends in “downtown” Newfields. You can park at the Town Hall across from the country store. There is also parking at the marker, which is at the power lines on Watson road in Exeter. Parking here will give you a shorter ride. There are not many hills and no big climbs. The roads are rural and not heavily traveled, but there are no shoulders most of the way. Route 27 does have shoulders and is the most heavily traveled road. You can see the map here.