Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 00:59:00 +0000
From: Kevin Daniels 
To: HAWKGT-L@LISTSERV.HAWKGT.COM
Subject: i luv VT// Twisties of the North East

>> I had a buddy who lived in Schodack but I can not
recall a curve to be found.  I heard Vermont 100 was a
excellent road.  I rode the BMW to Connecticut last May
but the weather cut my trip on up into Vt. and N.H. <<

I lived in CT for a couple of summers and spent many-a-
miles looking for Hawklove in VT and New Hampshire.  I
found it, but that was before I rode down south.  Got a
map and a highlighter?  The good roads:


VT17 - the best road up there, but it can be
treacherous.  Switchbacks, and 90s.  You'll love it,
just beware the frost heaves on the westside of the
mountain.  It's the only place where my VFR ever shook
its head (eastbound).  skills test.

VT125 - almost as nice.  lotsa curves, more than on VT73.

VT - Lincoln Gap Road (near 17) is cool and steeper than
anything I have seen before or since.  brake fade
anyone?  easy dirt section.

VT100, 100a, 100b - mostly okay, like the BRP.  Awesome
if you're on a Gold Wing, a nice way to get somewhere.
No low gear corners.  The only really outstanding part
is conveniently located between 125 and 17.

VT - Bethel Mtn Rd - you will be all alone up there.
rough at the beginning, but sweet at the top.  ask for
directions near Bethel.

VT108 - goes thru Smugglers Notch so there are lotsa of
pedsetrians there by midday.  Really tight.

VT140 - south of rutland.  almost as good as 17.  no
traffic, my favorite.

MA2 - the part between North Adams and route 8A (skip
the rest).  (northwest corner of mass).  nice, has one
good, low gear corner: "The Hairpin".  Like VT100: lotsa
sweepers, nice scenery.

MA8A/VT8 - Hawklove.  narrow and tight.

MA57 and 23 - southwest corner.  really fun, but heavily
patrolled.  worth the risk?  yes.

NY74 - towards the bottom of Lake Champlain - as i
recall, it's the only numbered highway I ever rode in NY
where I had to shift down past 4th. several, in fact.
good county roads in the area.

NH112 - The Kanc.  like MA2, even has exactly one
hairpin.  sweepers and great scenery.

NH113, 113A - narrower and tighter than 112.

NH 118      If you look at where U.S. 302 crosses the VT/NH border and trace
east, you come to NH 112.  NH 118 splits south from 112 roughly halfway
between U.S. 302 and I-93/U.S.3/Woodstock.

It's often badly frost-heaved, but two years ago, it had been
newly-resurfaced, and was still wearing a lot of moisture from a light
morning rain that had come and gone.  I was able to ride quite briskly
on the BT56's (aka Suzuki OEM version of BT-010) that came stock on the
'busa, and the tires never once gave me a scare, or even a doubt.


NH302 - fun for high speed sweepers, might have lotsa
traffic.

NH16 - between 110 and 26.  sweeping.  26 is nice too.
fewer humans that far north.

NH142 - Near Franconia.  good stuff, tight and twisty.
goes to Polly's Pancake Parlor.  good eats.

NH - Mt Washington AutoRoad is more fun than I would
have imagined as long as you're up to passing the
cagers.  silly fun.  narrow.  chilly up there.

ME27 - nice and winding road to the Canadian border.
unfortunately, there are very boring roads on the other
side of the border back to NH.

ME219 - further south, tighter, fun.


FWIW, MA and NH both have more people and more cops than
VT.  you don't see many lawmen on the backroads of VT.
kev - north ka'lina