Motorcycle Journeys Through New England

Book excerpt: This all-new fourth edition of the most popular motorcycle touring guide to New England offers more suggested routes than ever, along with fully updated listings of motorcycle-friendly lodgings and great out-of-the-way restaurants. Motojournalist Ken Aiken leads two-wheeled travelers through twisty mountain passes and beautiful valley backroads to scenic, intriguing destinations in six key regions: the rugged Maine coast, the high notches of New Hampshire's White Mountains, the lush gaps of the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Lake Champlain region between upstate New York and Vermont, the rolling Berkshire hills of Massachusetts, and the coastal delights of Rhode Island and Connecticut. Aiken covers well-known motorcycle-touring roads like Vermont's Route 100, the Mohawk Trail, and the Kancamagus Highway, but his inclusion of little known regional roads frequented by local riders sets this guide apart from others. Altogether, Aiken has carefully plotted 28 trips for motorcyclists, most of them taking one day to complete. Multi-day tours can easily be created by linking adjacent trips. Each trip includes a detailed map and specific route directions. The trips are designed to accommodate various riding styles and audiences, from sightseeing two-up travelers to sport riders bending the curves. Vermont: the Marble Belt, Green Mountain Gaps, the Piedmont, the Northeast Kingdom, Lake Champlain New Hampshire: the Bronson Hills, Seacoast region, Lake Winnipesaukee, the White Mountains, Coos County Maine: Mid-coast, Mount Desert Island, Down East, the Great North Woods, Rangeley Lakes Massachusetts: the Berkshires, Mohawk Trail, Central region Connecticut: Litchfield Hills, Eastern Connecticut Rhode Island: the Gilded Age of Newport