Bailey Hazen & PuppyDog (6/6-9)

A weekend of rain, or so it was forecast. It did rain, but we experienced very little of it. My step mother frequently accused my father of waving his "magic wand" to ensure things went his way. Perhaps I inherited it. But I certainly used the "magic wand" on this trip.

Our adventure began, as most don't, on a thursday. Anne took time off from work to join us. The cast of characters varied over the following four days, Anne and I providing the only continuity. Anne, Callan and I began our Vermont trip before 0900 by heading for Maine. Sure that's the wrong way, but we headed up the Maine/New Hampshire border until we reached Rt 2. Then proceeded west on the north side of Mount Washington, through Franklin to Woodsville NH. Why? Because there was a rain front heading north, and we hoped to stay in front of it. With hopes of not getting wet until almost to the Twin River Campground. What occurred was better. No rain, clear skies and a view of Mount Washington. Arriving in Woodsville and setting up camp well before any rain.

We went out to eat at Shiloh's Restaurant, which is always good. Upon entering it appears too fancy for camping bikers, but most of the other customers are equally outclassed by the cloth napkins and upscaleness feel of Shiloh's.

Upon return to the tents, we headed to bed early. We had planned no fire, just sleep. It rained overnight, while we slept. Improving the sleeping temperatures as the night went on into morning.

The Bailey Hazen is an old military road from colonial America. The BWMMOV group plans these two rides so one can ride the Bailey Hazen up to the border of Canada on Friday. Turning around on Saturday to ride down from the north on the Pupply Dog route to a campsite in the middle of Vermont. Then on Sunday one could then continue south along the Puppy Dog route to the Mass border. These roads are all rural back roads traveling over as little pavement as possible.

Needless to say, most of the group wasn't happy about the forecast for rain all three ride days. Not just rain, but heavy rain. Camping in the rain, riding in the rain, over muddy roads. That's a vacation that only a mother could love (and then only when she is allowed to leave the kids home).

We planned to stay two nights at the Twin River Campground, which happens to be just down the street from the start of the Bailey Hazen ride. Providing a breif ride to the starting point on Friday morning. This two night choice made us ride the Bailey Hazen north and then return back to our campsite, but we would be doing it with light bikes (no camping gear). And setting up tents twice, instead of all three nights, in the forecasted rain. Breaking camp once on Saturday morning to move to a new campsite at Silver Lake for the MOV BBQ.

Jim joined us Friday morning at the campsite to leave his camping gear. We proceeded to the P&H Truckstop for fuel, breakfast and the start of the Bailey Hazen ride north. Many bikers already milling about, when we went inside for breakfast. Turns out the club member expected to lead the ride had a family emergency that kept them home. So after we ate, we amassed a group of bikes and led the ride north on the Bailey Hazen. We had planned on our group of a half dozen frriends, but had 3 or 4 times as many trailing us.

The ride north went well. I missed one turn and the lead three bikes had to u-turn back to the fork. In another spot I failed to take a short section and just bypassed it. Along the route the rain caught us. I pulled over near a known lunch stop to put on rain gear and ask the group to decide to ride on or stop for lunch. The group chose continue, with hope of getting ahead of the rain. The most interesting event occurred when we arriving at multiple large circus tents. The road went through them and down into the woods, where it become a path with a washed out section of culvert. Anne correctly refused to enter and I split the group in two. The bravest continued through the washed out section, and the rest of us rode around to the other side on the pavement to meet them. We traversed a number of dirt roads in light rain, with sunshire just out of reach. Then a section of pavement allowed us to retake the sunshine and finish the ride on dry roads.

At the end of the ride we made sure the other riders knew not to follow us south, and helped identify where their next stop was. Then we headed back towards our campground via a route along Lake Willoughby. A very pretty ride, even if we did ride back into the rain. After a stop for dinner we arrived back at our campsite, where Nate had joined us. It seemed like we had escaped again, but the rain cought up shortly after JIm had his tent up. Our firewood went unused as we chose dry sleep over wet fireside chat. Everyone excpet Callan, he decided to leave Friday night instead of Saturday morning. Assuming the rain would be lighter Friday, only to later report this may not have been the best choice.

Saturday morning arrived, we packed up and headed off to Polly's Pancakes for breakfast. It was dry until our beeper went off, then it rained. It rained hard while we ate, and it wasn't entirely done by the time we exited. Jim chose to head for home, over riding in the gloom to Silver Lake for a BBQ. Nate, Anne and I headed for Silver Lake. We had mostly good weather, but got wet once or twice. Arriving at Silver Lake and selecting a campsite without rain. Setup went smoothly. Nate and I did a beer run before the BBQ. After the BBQ dinner we joined the guys in the campsite next to us, who had optimistically purchased firewood. As evening passed the fireside chat probably got louder as our numbers dropped one by one. And then it was quiet.

Rain was forecast for 0700, but it started an hour early, at 0600. Anne and I walked to the covered pavillion to make coffee. Talking with the few others also sheltering from the rain. Eventually we packed up in the rain and planned to head a nearby restaurant for brunch. Killing whatever time was needed for the storm to pass over and then ride home behind it. We informed the sleeping Nate of our plan. He contemplated his options and said not to wait for him. We went to the diner and he packed up and joined us shortly after we had a table. By the time we exited the diner the rain had passed. We rode home on wet rodes but without rain.

Asside from the final packing up Sunday morning in the rain, we had avoided getting too wet. Working around the storm cells and rain over a four day period of time. Nobody had bike issues, dropped a bike or had rain/mud related problems. Our mind often gives fear more weight that it deserves, but once again reality turned out better than predicted. Thank you "magic wand".