Friday August 31 2007

Details
Ways Mills...

Oh, Joy! LA's been in Brazil for a week and with Paul in school, Phoebe at the stable, and the weather being cooperative I got out on Bonnie for the first time in a week for two, count 'em, two short rides.

After an agonizing two hours doing errands and renewing the Honda's reg, I paid a visit to the RWT Bank and then headed off towards Baldwin's Mills to check out the road between there and Stanhope as an alternative to the terrible VT 114 down to Island Pond.

Never made it to Baldwin Mills as I was enchanted by the gravel between Ways Mills and Barnston. Sensational westward views from these smooth roads with just the right combo of twists, curves, and straightaways.

Used up a fair amount of time hanging around two previously unvisited cemeteries that I encountered. Especially notable was the Burbank Cemetery on Chemin Provencheur. Burbank is wedged inside of a ninty-degree curve of the road which in turn is saddled by twisty curves on both sides. The stones face west right across the curve and the hay field on the other side of the road.

Finally ran out of time as two o'clock approached and headed back towards Ways Mills to make a beeline home. Coming back into Ways Mills I was surprised to see that I'd made a perfect loop back to the bridge at the intersection of Madore and Isabelle - what a sweet little ride!

It was so nice that after dinner I left Phoebe and Paul to do the dishes and made the same loop over again. Went kind of fast considering it was "deer hour" and made the whole trip in exactly one hour, including a five-minute stop to watch the sunset.

Route

  • Ayer's Cliff
  • Burroughs Falls
  • Left on Chemin Fairfax
  • Left on Chemin Cloutier
  • Right at next fork (towards Ways Mills)
  • Ways Mills
  • Cross Chemin Ways Mills

    (Begin Loop)

  • Right onto Chemin Isabelle just before bridge
  • Right onto Chemin Provencher
  • Left on Chemin Stage
  • Bear left at "Y" after cemetery (Ch Routhier to right)
  • Cross Ch Arnold and continue straight onto Chemin Valliancourt
  • Left on Chemin Madore
  • Ways Mills

    (End of Loop)

  • Right on Chemin Ways Mills
  • Left on Rte 141
  • Burroughs Falls
  • Ayer's Cliff

Attractions

  • Burbank Cemetery (photos)
  • Heathton Cemetery (photos)
  • Narrow bridges, twists and turns
  • Lovely farms and buidlings
  • Various views of Mount Orford, Owlshead, and the Pinnacle