One of the favorite spring pastimes for cyclists is finding out “what’s open now?” Whether you’re a road biker wondering when Passaconaway or Bear Notch will be clear enough of snow to ride or a mountain biker waiting for dry enough trails to ride, spring is a time of anticipation.
For some, it’s also a time of competition. Who will be the first one to claim they rode over Bear Notch? One spring, we cranked and pushed our bikes through the snow to try to make that claim. Who will do it this year?
kAmx? E9:D E:>6 @7 D@4:2= :D@=2E:@?[ H6 5@?’E D66 @C E2=< E@ A6@A=6 >F49 2?J>@C6] (6’C6 ?@E 92?8:?8 2C@F?5 3:<6 D9@AD[ 32CD @C EC2:=9625D E@ 42E49 E96 =2E6DE G:36] %96C6 2C6 ?@ D4965F=65 C:56D H96C6 H6 42? E2=< E@ @E96C 4J4=:DED E@ 7:?5 @FE H92E’D @A6?] w@H6G6C[ E96C6’D 2=H2JD D@4:2= >65:2] qJ 4964<:?8 5:776C6?E C:56 8C@FADV u2463@@< A286D[ J@F 42? 86E :?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE A=246D E@ C:56]k^Am
kAmv@ E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E:?JFC=]4@>^Jc7de;JGQmE:?JFC=]4@>^Jc7de;JGk^2m[ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E:?JFC=]4@>^J35gH2f4QmE:?JFC=]4@>^J35gH2f4k^2m[ @C k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E:?JFC=]4@>^Jhd3G2KhQmE:?JFC=]4@>^Jhd3G2Khk^2m E@ D66 H92E @E96C 4J4=:DED 2C6 D2J:?8 23@FE C@25 2?5 EC2:= 4@?5:E:@?D] q6EE6C J6E[ 8@ @FE 2?5 4964< :E @FE 7@C J@FCD6=7]k^Am
kAm{2DE H66<6?5[ H6 8@E E96 G2? @FE 7@C :ED 7:CDE DAC:?8 EC:A] |:C24F=@FD=J[ 27E6C 36:?8 A2C<65 @FED:56 2== H:?E6C[ :E DE2CE65 C:89E FA] {@25:?8 FA E96 3:<6D[ H6 D6E @FE E@ 7:?5 @FE :7 E96 4=@D65 D64E:@? @7 !2DD24@?2H2J #@25 H2D C62==J C:5623=6] x’5 D66? 2 u2463@@< A@DE 3J r@?H2J {:3C2CJ s:C64E@C 2?5 C:56C s2G:5 $>@=6? E92E :E H2D] xE @77:4:2==J @A6?65 FA @? uC:52J]k^Am
kAm(6 5C@G6 FA E96 z2?42>28FD w:89H2J E@ E96 p=32?J r@G6C65 qC:586[ 7:8FC:?8 :7 H6 DE2CE65 7C@> E92E 6?5[ H6 4@F=5 8@ 2D 72C 2D H6 4@F=5[ E96? EFC? 2C@F?5 2?5 4@>6 324<] %96 A2C<:?8 =@E 925 E@@ >2?J 42CD :? :E[ >2?J @7 E96> 7C@> @FE @7 DE2E6] %96C6 H2D 6G6? 2 42C 7C@> r@=@C25@] (6 H6C6?’E 4@>7@CE23=6 DE2CE:?8 E96C6]k^Am
kAm%FC?:?8 2C@F?5[ H6 962565 324< E@ r@?H2J[ EFC?65 @?E@ (6DE $:56 #@25[ 2?5 E96? EFC?65 =67E @? !2DD24@?2H2J #@25] (6 A=2??65 E@ DE2CE 2E E96 62DE6C? 6?5 @7 E96 4=@D65 D64E:@?[ F?=6DD :E H2D 4C@H565[ E@@] x7 E92E 92AA6?65[ H6 H6C6 8@:?8 9@>6]k^Am
kAmpE $@FE9 |@2E EC2:=9625[ H6 H6C6 5:D>2J65 E@ D66 E96 7F== =@E 2?5 42CD A2C<65 @? E96 C@25] xE H2D ?@E 2 8@@5 D:8? E@ D66 E92E <:?5 @7 EC277:4] w@H6G6C[ H96? H6 2CC:G65 2E E96 82E6 7@C E96 !2DD24@?2H2J’D H:?E6C 4=@DFC6[ E96C6 H6C6 @?=J 2 4@FA=6 @7 G69:4=6D] ~E96C 42CD 369:?5 FD EFC?65 2C@F?5 H96? E96J D2H E96 82E6 — >FDE 36 “@FE\@7\E@H?6CD” 7@==@H:?8 E96:C v!$’DPk^Am
kAmp A:=6 @7 A=@H65 FA D?@H :? 7C@?E @7 E96 82E6 H2D 2== E96 D?@H H6 D2H] p9625[ E96 A2G6>6?E H2D 4=62C[ 6I46AE 7@C H:?E6C DE:4< 244F>F=2E:@?] (6 8@E E96 3:<6D @FE[ C@56 2C@F?5 E96 82E6 2?5 DE2CE65 @FC C:56 5@H? E9:D =:EE=6 @G6C 2 >:=6 D64E:@? E@ E96 4@G6C65 3C:586] xE H2D 2 A=62DFC6 E@ C:56 E96C6 H:E9 ?@ EC277:4] %96 DE:4<D H6C6 ?F>6C@FD 3FE 2G@:523=6] %96J 5:5?’E 3@E96C E96 >@F?E2:? 3:<6 @C E96 8C2G6= 8C:?56C] $<:??J\E:C65 3:<6D >:89E ?@E 92G6 6?;@J65 :E 2D >F49]k^Am
kAmpE E96 r@G6C65 qC:586 r2>A8C@F?5[ H6 E@@< 2 56E@FC E@ 6IA=@C6 :ED C@25D[ H@?56C:?8 :7 :E H@F=5 36 @A6? E9:D D62D@?] %96 C@25D H6C6 2 =:EE=6 C@F89[ H:E9 3C@<6? A2G6>6?E 2?5 =@ED @7 =:>3D 2?5 DE:4<D[ 3FE C:5623=6] pD H6 A652=65[ H6 E9@F89E 23@FE =2DE 72== H96? H6 42>A65 96C6 H:E9 @FC 8C2?5D@? xG6C |:??:49] w6 =@G65 C:5:?8 2C@F?5 E9:D 42>A8C@F?5] (@F=5 H6 36 23=6 E@ 4@>6 324< 96C6 E9:D J62C H:E9 9:> 2?5 5@ :E 282:?nk^Am
kAmpE E96 p=32?J r@G6C65 qC:586[ H6 DE@AA65 7@C 2 “D6=7:6[” D@>6E9:?8 H6 C2C6=J 5@] (6 4@?E6>A=2E65 C:5:?8 FA E96 5:CE s66C qC@@< #@25 29625[ 3FE 2 8C@FA @7 A6@A=6 4@?8C682E65 E96C6 5:DDF2565 FD] %96D6 52JD[ H6 2G@:5 8C@FAD =:<6 E92E] (6 EFC?65 2C@F?5 2?5 C@56 324< E@ E96 G2?] tI46AE 7@C E92E 8C@FA[ H6 5:5?’E D66 2?J@?6] (92E 2 A=62DFC6P xE H2D 2 D9@CE C:56[ =2E6 :? E96 52J[ 3FE :E E@=5 FD H92E H6 H2?E65 E@ <?@H — !2DD24@?2H2J H2D C:5623=6]k^Am
kAm%F6D52J[ x H2D 766=:?8 C6DE=6DD] x ?66565 2 C:56 2== 3J >JD6=7] %9:D E:>6[ x C@56 7C@> 9@>6] xE’D 2 D9@CE 5:DE2?46 7C@> >J 9@FD6 E@ E96 z2?42>28FD w:89H2J @C #@FE6 ``a] x A=2??65 E@ C:56 FA E96 z2?4[ EFC? C:89E 2E E96 p=32?J r@G6C65 qC:586[ E96? C:56 !2DD24@?2H2J #@25 E@ (6DE $:56 #@25] %96C6[ x’5 EFC? C:89E 2?5 C:56 E@ #@FE6 `e] pE E96 =:89E @? (2D9:?8E@? $EC66E[ x’5 EFC? C:89E[ C:56 |2:? $EC66E 324< E@ >J ?6:893@C9@@5] p D9@CE BF:4< C:56 =:<6 E92E >:89E 96=A >J >@@5]k^Am
kAm!652=:?8 FA E96 z2?4[ x E9@F89E 23@FE 2== E9@D6 J62CD @7 5@:?8 “rC2?< E96 z2?4” E:>6 EC:2=D] x A2DD65 E96 DE2CE 2C62 2?5 4@F=5 2=>@DE 962C E96 DE2CE6C 4@F?E:?8 5@H?] x 4@F=5 :>28:?6 E96 3FKK6C 8@:?8 @77[ E96 C246C 6IA=@5:?8 7C@> E96 DE2CE[ E96 4966C:?8 @7 @?=@@<6CD] p=2D[ E96 DAC:?8E:>6 C:EF2= H@?’E 92AA6? E9:D J62C] |2J36 ?6IE J62C]k^Am
kAm%96C6 H2D?’E >F49 EC277:4 @? E96 z2?4[ H9:49 H2D H6=4@>65] %9:D D64E:@? 92D 2 G6CJ ?2CC@H “3:<6” =2?6 @? :E] x DH62C :E 86ED ?2CC@H6C 6249 E:>6 E96J A2G6 :EP xE’D ?@E 7F? E@ C:56 H96? E96C6’D 2 =@E @7 72DE EC277:4[ H9:KK:?8 3J] %92?<7F==J[ E96C6 H2D =:EE=6] x 4@F=5 6?;@J E96 G:6HD @7 E96 >@F?E2:?D 2?5 E96 9:89 H2E6C $H:7E #:G6C] }@ <2J2<6CD E96C6 E@52J[ 3FE E96C6 H2D @?6 $F?52J]k^Am
kAmpE E96 3C:586[ x 4964<65 @FE E96 A2C<:?8 =@E] ~?=J 2 D42EE6C:?8 @7 42CD H2D E96C6 — H66<52J] rC@DD:?8 E96 3C:586[ x EFC?65 @?E@ !2DD24@?2H2J] %9:D E:>6[ x 6?4@F?E6C65 2E =62DE 7@FC 4@FA=6D 2=@?8 E96 4=@D65 D64E:@?[ 3FE E96J H6C6 2== H2=<:?8[ H:E9 @C H:E9@FE 5@8D] tG6CJ@?6 <6AE E96:C e\7@@E 5:DE2?46]k^Am
kAm%96 C:56 A2DE E96 82E6 H2D A=62D2?E[ H:E9 =:EE=6 EC277:4] x 4@F=5 7@4FD @? A652=:?8[ E2<:?8 :? E96 D46?6D[ 6?;@J:?8 E96 DF?D9:?6]k^Am
kAm!2DD:?8 uC6496EE6 %:C6[ x E9@F89E 23@FE 86EE:?8 >J D?@H E:C6D @77 D@@?[ 3FE ?@E J6E] %96 C:56 5@H? (6DE $:56 H2D F?6G6?E7F=[ EC277:4 H2D =:89E @? (2D9:?8E@? 2?5 |2:? $EC66E[ D@ x 4CF:D65 @? 9@>6] x’5 C:556? 23@FE `e >:=6D[ 2?5 :E E@@< >6 2 =:EE=6 @G6C 2? 9@FC] yFDE H92E 2 “DE2J\2E\9@>6” A6CD@? ?66565 E@ <66A 96C D2?:EJ 2?5 7:E?6DD FA]k^Am
kAmx7 J@F’C6 E:C65 @7 36:?8 DEF4< :?D:56[ 86E @FE E96 3:<6 2?5 8@ 7@C 2 C:56] v@ 6IA=@C6 H92E’D C625J E@ C:56] r2? J@F >2<6 :E @G6C q62C }@E49 ?@Hn pC6 E96 t2DE $:56 EC2:=D 7:C> 6?@F89n v@ 7:?5 @FE[ 3FE 2G@:5 4C@H565 2C62D] $E2J D276[ DE2J 962=E9JPk^Am
kAmk6>m$2==J |4|FC5@ :D 2 3:<6 D276EJ :?DECF4E@C 2?5 4J4=:DE H9@ =:G6D :? r@?H2J]k^6>mk^Am

(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.