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Tours

New England in The Fall – 2024

£2,975.00

TOUR REF: EEC24
TYPE: Road Cycling
LEVEL: Regular
DATES:
28 Sept – 12 Oct 2024
DURATION: 15 days / 14 nights (13 days cycling)
ACCOMMODATION LEVEL: Standard 

 

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New England in The Fall

After the regular successes of our forays to the West Coast, the East Coast in all its autumn glory. This journey takes you from the Canadian border to Philadelphia, all timed to enjoy the very best of the autumn colours.

Though everyone has heard of the incredible autumn colours of New England few have had the opportunity to spend real time experiencing this natural wonder.  What better way take it all in than from the saddle of a bicycle?

Our trip starts close to the Canadian border in Bar Harbour, Maine and finishes on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania having covered some 730 miles and no fewer than 7 states.   We will be mostly following the tried and tested ‘Atlantic Coast’ route published by the Adventure Cycling Association.  However, this is far from being an exclusively coastal route and we will enjoy river valleys, mountains, parks and woodlands, as well as experiencing American life in towns of every shape and size.

This two week trip is suitable for all regular cyclists with an average of 56 miles per day and no extreme climbs.  Each day you will be provided with maps and turn-by-turn instructions, though these will be in a different format to the famous Bike Adventures ‘yellow sheets’. For those with SatNav a .GPX file will be made available before departure. 

Accommodation is in motels and hotels.  Because accommodation in the US is generally sold ‘by the room’ we regret that our supplement for single occupancy is higher than for our European routes.

If you would like to read other people’s comments on our holidays then check out the Customer Comments page.

Tour Price includes:
  • All accommodation within the US in a mix of bed-only and bed and breakfast accommodation
  • Full tour leader support, typically 1 per 6-8 guests
  • Full vehicle support with tools and spares
  • Airport transfers (see detail) within the United States
  • Detailed route guides
Tour Price does not include:
  • Meals other than breakfast as mentioned
  • Flights or other travel to/from start/finish
  • Insurance
Itinerary:

Day 0 – Arrive
We will assemble and spend the night in Bar Harbor, Maine.  Please contact us to discuss airport transfer arrangements.

Day 1 – Bar Harbor to Searsport – 57 Miles
Bar Harbor is a small town and we are quickly out into the woods in all their glory before crossing from Mt. Desert Island to the ‘mainland’. From here the roads are mostly quiet and very pretty as we work our way past the many waterways of Penobscot Bay/River. Our destination is Seasport, a deep water port and antiques centre.

Day 2 – Seasport to Waldoboro – 44 miles
We start our day continuing to skirt the bay through Belfast before turning slightly inland to avoid US1 and the bulk of the coastal traffic. Our destination is Waldoboro, a small fishing town and home to the atmospheric Moody’s Motel and Diner.

Day 3 – Waldoboro to Freeport – 49 Miles
We continue to head approximately south east, using backroads wherever possible. Where we must use US1 there is always a generous shoulder. The coast here is a maze of inlets and waterways and we cross bridges at Newcastle, Wiscasset and Bath. Our destination is Freeport, an ‘upscale’ town known for its restaurants and opportunities for ‘retail therapy’.

Day 4 – Freeport to Kennebunk – 65 miles
A longer day as we turn inland, away from US1 and into the natural splendour of Maine. We clip the southern tip of the substantial Seago Bay lake before turning south and following the Serco River for several miles. By day’s end we have returned to the coast and the 17th century town of Kennebunk. 

Day 5 – Kennebunk to Exeter – 51 miles
Today we closely follow the coast, sometimes on US1 and sometimes on back roads. We are running parallel with Interstate 95 which carries the bulk of the traffic! Today we bag our second state as we cross into New Hampshire, passing through the seaport of Portsmouth before finishing a little inland in Exeter with its rather splendid historic ‘downtown’.

Day 6 – Exeter to North Leominster – 64 Miles
Another day, another state…this time Massachusetts. We begin a large inland arc to avoid the sprawl of Boston, passing through many small communities but also magnificent woodlands. We end our day a little off the ACA route in order to find suitable accommodation, in North Leominster.

Day 7 – North Leominster to Aubern – 43 Miles
A shortish day spent on country back-roads, finishing a little south of the major town of Worcester in Aubern Township.

Day 8 – Aubern to Windsor Locks – 62 Miles
Another day spent on beautiful quiet back-roads as we turn east to follow the geography of the coast. Our State de jour is Connecticut and we end our day in Windsor Locks on the west bank of the Connecticut River.

Day 9 Windsor Locks to Lakeville – 52 Miles
The remainder of western Connecticut is rural and somewhat hilly but very pretty! Our destination is the imaginatively names Lakeville on the shores of Lake Wonoskopumuc.

Day 10 – Lakeville to Poughkeepsie – 45 Miles
When you say New York people always imagine the city but New York State is largely rural, as you will discover today as we cross another state line. We finish in Poughkeepsie on the shores of the mighty Hudson River.

Day 11 – Poughkeepsie to Port Jervis – 59 Miles
Our destination for the day, Port Jervis, sits at the ‘tri-state’ point – the place where New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania meet. We will cross the Delaware River to spend the night in Pennsylvania. 

Day 12 – Port Jervis to Phillipsburg – 72 miles
A long day but a lovely one, re-crossing the Delaware to follow the river on the New Jersey bank. 

Day 13 – Phillipsburg to Fort Washington – 64 Miles
For our last day we follow the Delaware south before turning southeast to begin to pick our way through the urban suburbs of Philadelphia. We finish in Fort Washington, about 10 miles from the city centre.

Day 14 – Depart
We will provide transfers to Philadelphia International Airport.

HOLIDAY DETAILS

Accommodation
The United States offers little of the small hotel/Inn/B&B accommodation that Bike Adventures is known for.  Instead accommodation will be mostly in corporate motels/hotels. 

A growing number of US hotels/motels include breakfast, though this may be limited to coffee, cereal, toast and pastries.  Wherever breakfast is not included we will provide a continental breakfast in your room.  We will always endeavour to book accommodation close to suitable restaurants for evening dining, where this is not possible, transport will be provided.

Weather
Weather in this part of the US can be very variable in the autumn.  Certainly some rain should be expected but high temperatures, particularly towards Philadelphia are also not uncommon.  Expect average highs of around 65 degrees C and lows of around 50 degrees C.  Average monthly rainfall is about 3 inches.

Flights
Your booking excludes flights and you are responsible for making your own flight bookings.    The closest airport to the start is Bar Harbor but this does not receive jet aircraft and flying with your bike may not be possible.  The nearest airport with jet services is Bangor (about 50 miles away) and the nearest major airport with good connections to international hubs is Portland (about 75 miles away).

For the return we suggest Philadelphia and it is to this airport that we will offer transfers.

Airport Transfers
Please contact us BEFORE booking flights to discuss the options and implications for airport transfer.  If you intend to fly into Portland a small transfer supplement may be applicable.

Transporting Your Bicycle
The policies of airlines vary and frequently change. Some will carry your bike in addition to the standard luggage allowance, some allow the bike as part of the standard allowance and some will charge extra.  At the time of writing British Airways allows bikes as part of the overall allowance provided they are ‘properly’ boxed.  You are responsible for checking with your airline that your bike can be carried.  Please note that, due to space limitations in the support vehicle, we cannot accept hard sided bike cases.

The rules regarding how the bike must be prepared also vary widely.  Regardless of what the airline will accept, we recommend that your bike is properly boxed, either in a purpose-built case/bag or a stout cardboard box (most bike shops have these and are happy to give then free or for a few pounds).  For advice on exactly how to package the bike contact us.  Again, you are responsible for ensuring that your packaging meets the airline’s requirements.  If you plan to use a hard case please let us know so that we can ensure we have enough luggage space to carry it.

 

Get In Touch

If you have any questions about any of our trips, please call us on 0800 002 9559 or send us a message below.