All smiles for this guy! The weekend signified the first day out for many of us, and with most of the club up north on the club ride, I was heading out solo. Destination – Baker River Valley Clubhouse.
Leaving from the train station in downtown Meredith, I headed north up the railroad tracks. This is the first time in 3 years I’ve been able to leave out of downtown up the railroad bed with minimal exposed track. Usually the club only grooms when there’s enough snow so it was a welcome site to see this Friday night.
Railroad bed conditions were 6.5/10. There was some exposed rail in places and you could see it just under the snow on others, but you were still able to ride at speed most of the way up to Plymouth.
Ashland Train Station
Ashland Trestle
I think we all love/hate these
One of my favorite stops whenever heading North is Biederman’s. They have sandwiches to die for, and you can pull your sled right up to the door if you can figure out the exit point. This is a Plymouth NH staple located right between Main Street and the snowmobile trail. I highly recommend trying a Zamboa and the Old Man.
Moving on, the next stop was the Baker River Valley club house. The trails from Plymouth>Rumney were in great shape all things considered. This club has a great spot that serves food, beverages, snacks, and is always loaded with great people and tons of sleds. I pulled in as two large groups were moving on. Check out that clubhouse!
Destination reached, it was time to head home. Rather than double back, the decision was made to head over the mountains through the wind turbines. To get there, I rode a section of trail that was new to me. This was a section of powerlines on 151. Powerlines can be hit or miss, but this section was great!
Hopping off 151 and into the mountains, the route was 11>24>8. The trails through Rumney and up into the beginning of Hardy Country were excellent, particulary higher up. After that, the water bars started…and there were some big ones all the way through 24. With the cold temps rolling in, the clubs will be able to remedy this, but as many of you know, temps have been 10 degrees above average and the ground hasn’t been able to freeze. Hopefully the sub zero temps coming this weekend will take care of that so the groomers can work their magic.
Wind Turbines
This view of Newfound Lake never gets old
Circling back to the railroad tracks, I topped off the gas tank in Ashland before the final leg of the journey. The sky over Waukewan never disappoints.
Trip Totals
Miles: 75-ish
Time: 5 hours
Biederman’s Sandwiches Consumed: 1
You can see the full loop below.
While it was great to be out on the sled, there is still work to be done and we do need more snow. If you haven’t joined a club yet, please consider doing so. They are all volunteer, non-profit organizations and can all use the help.
If you haven’t done so yet, join a club: Join a Club
Download the NHSA App: https://nhsa.com/nh-snowmobile-trail-map/
As always, watch your speed, ride safe, and ride right.
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