Hey all you Nomadic Mainers

[patmahoney]

I am going to be making a trip from South of Boston up to Dexter ME in a couple of weeks any suggestions on the best route? I am pretty suwah I can get theyah from heyah http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif I will not be in a rush so I guess I am looking for the best riding route, ya know comfortable, scenic, as much time as possible off of 95.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Will also be posting this on the trips and travel forum.

Thanks

[radco]

Pat pop into Maine Riders Forum on Delphi,.. Ping Ron the owner,, he know s all the roads.. and check out NEW ENGLAND Riders on Delphi,, Tons of Ma. people there that travel here,,, I use the same handle there.. as well..
From off my head I would say a nice ride up the Coast is Rt 1 BUT after Portland.....check out Rt 7 to Dexter alot freshly paved. Rt 7 is nice and paved up my way.. .Rt 202 is good and hits Rt 7.,, From Ma up not sure which are good,, But Rt 2 is another good road,,,Hope my hit and miss help alittle. Give a shout when here in Maine,, .Rich

[damark115]

Pat
I'm in Northeast Mass. I always love to trip up to Maine along Rte 1 or 1A. Very scenic. 1A is good if your not in a rush. Not sure your planned route but NH seacoast is a good ride up through Hampton and into Rye then Portsmouth. If its a weekend just come in above Hampton center or you will be walking thru hours of traffic at the beach center. I try to take off that way during the summer at least once a week after work for some "ride therapy" for 2 - 3 hours.
Not sure above Portland, Haven't ventured the bike up that way yet.
Mark

[macmac]

If it was me I would want to get the Hell out out of Dodge.

I would take Rt 128/95 around beantown to Rt 3 or I -93 and ride up to no less than Rt 112 The Kanc, or Rt 302 to Rt 3 and then Rt 2 into Maine to Rt 7.

Avoid the coast (you live on it anyway, and don't get near it untill Bar Harbor if that.

You ain't going to Dexter to see the salty pond anyway, so hit up Moosehead, Rangely, and Jackman Maine.

If you hit on Rt 302 in NH and get on 2 East you will be shinin' even if it is all rain!

[ponch]

I can vouch for Jackman, I have 100 acres there. It's beautiful country.


If it was me I would want to get the Hell out out of Dodge.

I would take Rt 128/95 around beantown to Rt 3 or I -93 and ride up to no less than Rt 112 The Kanc, or Rt 302 to Rt 3 and then Rt 2 into Maine to Rt 7.

Avoid the coast (you live on it anyway, and don't get near it untill Bar Harbor if that.

You ain't going to Dexter to see the salty pond anyway, so hit up Moosehead, Rangely, and Jackman Maine.

If you hit on Rt 302 in NH and get on 2 East you will be shinin' even if it is all rain!

[damark115]

Guess it all depends on what you want for scenic. Jackman is beautiful. Big moose around dusk though. Last time saw 7 inside 5 miles. Enjoy the trip either way.

[patmahoney]

Thanks to all for your help, I have to pull out the map and take alook at these roads. I am heading up on a Thursday and back on Sunday, so I was thinking maybe taking 95 North until I get out of MA then taking some of the ME back roads up to Dexter then using the NH route on the way back.

Thanks also for the recommendations on destinations once in Maine, Margaret is meeting me in Dexter coming down from Greenville, her parents have a camp on Lower Wilson Pond we've done Moosehead many times, but Rangely and Jackman sound like possibilities.

Will let you know once I sort out the actual route.

[macmac]

Southern Maine inland is non-discript if you ask me. Dead flat, nothing to see you can't see in anywhere Mass inland.

The Coast is wonderful in Maine, but not while the tourists are hacking up doing what they call driving. To me that is as bad as waiting 4 hours on I 95 to get past the tolls..

If I was you I would blast right up I 93 and not look back before you pass Plymouth NH.. That is exactly what Mass looks like till there.

Ain't you just sick of the dammned tourists going to the Cape?

Fiddle around in NH and head east in a clear clean breeze to get into Maine with mountians!

Get up on Rt 2 east which is a good road for time and pretty. It is a bit straight but you need to make some time. After Plymouth NH 93 is nice too...

I love the salty pond, but you couldn't drag me there this time of year for love or lobster!

[patmahoney]

After looking at the maps and plotting the routes out in Mapquest I think I will be taking one of two routes 93N up to 3 then 302 to 16 to 2 then 7 into Dexter. Second choice would be 95N to Portsmouth then cut over to 16N and take that up to 2 and finish off the same as before.

[macmac]

I would take the western route, for fast traffic, less tolls over all. 3 stops fot tolls in NH one on 95 and 2 more on the Spaulding, what you are calling Rt 16. Rt 16 starts after the last toll.

It isn 't pretty till Ossipee, maybe Wakefield, and Rt 16 is clogged with summer traffic at times, but not like it used to be.

If you check the map on Rt 16 look in Ossipee where Rt 25 crosses to the west.. I live near Rt 16 there in the next town Tamworth.

So I get around some and going north if I have no need for North Conway i go west every time.

The route you chose west has many other nice options, but that one is nice just the same.

Coming off Rt 3 / I 93 in Franconia, and getting right back on Rt 3 north there is Rt 115 to Rt 2, 302 north to Rt 2, all nice.

Rt 2 is a fast road and pretty, but not twisted much.

It looks like you want to see Crawford Notch, which is very nive dropping you sout and east to get on Rt 16 and see the east side of the ridge you just saw the west side of... So very nice, and somewhat twisted.

If you go south on Rt 302 bear in mind that is big Moose country, and where I saw 3 last week.

Rt 115 is short cutting to Rt 2, and has splendid views and a lot of lupine out right now. In case you don't know what lupine is, around here it is a big deal, and a flower that is purple in large fields, it has other colors too like white and reds. The flower heads are large cone shaped, and in a firld fill of them all the colors will be displayed in the same place.

Rt 115 is big moose country too, and is known for very big whitetail deer, and Bear!~

The turkeys have made a big come back and you sure don't want to hit one. Just keep a eye out and that sort of thing in mind.

I 95 is a bad deal anywhere south of Bangor IMO.... You would lmow what it is like in Boston better than me. It used to run right thru Boston and the roads sucked!

Rt 128 went around Boston inside I-495, but I know on a map I -95 is Rt 128, and both suck IMO. Between you and Danvers is a Royal Pain.. More over there is nothing to see.

From Danvers to Portsmouth it is the same old thing mile after mile, a salt swamp, and to Wakefield it is just low rolling hills and still boring.

But you do it as you see fit.

[patmahoney]

Thanks Mac.

I was also thinking that I could cut more time off on 93 get up north quicker. 115 looks good too thanks again.

Patrick

[macmac]

I forgot to say I 93 has one toll, and that's it, unless you cut off and get on 3 first. They call it Everett Turnpike, and that isn't bad for a southern NH get there road. It merges with I-93 at Manchester.

I do the super slab to get some place, but I like the best one to get it done...

If you git movin you could be in Lincoln NH by lunch time, and they have a Bill and Bob's Roast beef... Like Kellys in Revere.. and or like Bill and Bobs in Salem Ma.. ( i love that BBq sauce James River)