This featured ride is from the Moto-Maps® “Finding America” discovery tour and was created and reported by the company’s founder, Keith Myers.

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I’m not sure what it is about the changing of the seasons that makes New England come alive.  Maybe it’s the drop in humidity and insect population that make outdoor activities so inviting.  Maybe it’s the apple picking and brilliant foliage that makes everything feel festive – or maybe it’s the knowledge that winter is on its way and we need to make the most out of the nice weather...  Regardless of the reason, autumn in New England is a great time to ride – and today, I decided to take the Triumph out and do some exploring.

This ride starts and ends in Wilton, New Hampshire and makes a 212 mile loop through the southwest corner of New Hampshire, the southeast corner of Vermont and the northwest section of Massachusetts.  The ride is a bit long – and if you make as many “discovery detours” I as did, you may want to take the suggested shortcut.

It’s a bit of a chilly start in the morning as I head out of Wilton down Route 31 – but the road is well paved and twisty and the fresh air is exhilarating.  After a few miles down the road you come to the “Yankee Siege”.  It started as a local farm stand (and still is) but has grown over the years as an off-the-beaten-track attraction.  With a bit of “Yankee-redneck” engineering, a lot scrap metal and some pumpkins, the field has been transformed into a medieval battle ground with a castle on one end and a giant catapult (trebuchet, actually) on the other end.  You can picture the rest, and “Pumpkin Chunkin” says it all… 20lbs. pumpkins souring 1500 feet towards the castle – it’s worth a google video search.

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I have to keep moving, so I continue down Route 31 to 202 to Route 123.  Route 123 is a quiet backroad that takes you through the scenic colonial villages of Hancock and Marlow.  Did I mention to bring a camera along?  If not, I should have.  Take your time to explore the area before heading down Route 10.  Route 10 brings you down to Route 9 into Keene, NH where the road opens up and heads westward into Brattleboro, Vermont.  Both Keene and Brattleboro are worth exploring.  Route 9 gets a little hard to follow when you enter Vermont, but just follow the signs and you will be fine.  Once you get past Brattleboro the road turns into a real treat as you continue west towards Route 100.

Route 100 is an iconic road in Vermont – known for its history, scenery and pleasure of travel.  The road runs north to south from the Canadian border to Massachusetts and I’m on the most southern portion.  I only stay on 100 for a short distance before turning onto Route 112 and Route 8A.  Route 8A is a narrow twisty road that takes me into Charlemont, Massachusetts and the Mohawk Trail (Route 2).  The Mohawk Trail is one of America’s oldest scenic routes and dates back to before the wheel.  It was named by the European settlers who used the Indian path for trade and travel between Boston and Deerfield. 

I head east on Route 2, stopping at Shelburne Falls to check out the Bridge of Flowers and to grab a bite to eat.  The Main St. diner/general store is a step back in time – but the tofu chili gives it a modern, trendy twist.  I appreciate its warmth (where’s the beef?) and savor my last spoonful before I head on my way.  I continue east on Route 2 for an enjoyable stretch before merging with I-91 for a bit and then exiting again to continue on Route 2 to Orange, MA.  A left onto Route 2A and a couple miles down the road brings me to Route 78.  Route 78 is another fantastic bit of road that takes me north to Route 119 back in New Hampshire and onto the last long leg of the ride.

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Route 119 provides both long open stretches as well as tight twisty curves.  I stop for a bit in Fitzwilliam, NH to enjoy the village commons (which hasn’t changed very much in the last couple hundred years) before continuing down Route 119 bringing back into Massachusetts and to Route 31.

It has been a long day (in a good way) and I’ve explored more dirt roads, village commons and old cemeteries (a great way to get a unique glimpse of history) than I can mention here - but the chill is starting to return to the air – so without further delay, I head north along Route 31 and twist my way all the back to Wilton, New Hampshire.  What a great day!