Autumn in the Berkshires

Oct 5-10, 2008
Oct 12-17, 2008

Price: US$2150 for 6 days/5 nights.
Includes 4 dinners, 2 picnics, and all breakfasts.
Terrain: Moderate, with options for all abilities.
Arrive: Boston Logan Airport or drive to Great Barrington.
Depart: Boston Logan Airport.

Autumn is a celebrated time of year in New England, as the countryside becomes a kaleidoscope of gold, orange, and crimson. Nowhere is the foliage display more spectacular than in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. Blessed with quiet roads and moderate terrain, the region is a cyclist's heaven! Our routes lead us through idyllic farmlands, forested hillsides, and quintessential New England villages. We'll stretch our legs along the way with a short hike to Bartholomew's Cobble, a National Natural Landmark.

Cyclists are not the first to be inspired by the Berkshires' beauty. In 1790, the Shakers established "The City of Peace," which has been preserved as a fascinating historical museum at Hancock Shaker Village. During the Gilded Age, wealthy aristocrats seeking summer escapes from Boston and New York built lavish thirty-room "cottages" overlooking the Berkshires hillsides. Daniel Chester French, the creator of the Lincoln Memorial, made the Berkshires his home, as did illustrator (and avid cyclist!) Norman Rockwell and novelist Edith Wharton. The region continues to be a mecca for the fine arts, as well as theater, music, and dance.

Each of our three country inns welcomes us to a different era of Berkshire history. The Wildflower Inn, set in ten acres of gardens and woodland, was originally the heart of a wealthy 1850's farm estate. Once the residence of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, Devonfield is a gracious mansion dating from the early 1900's. The Rookwood Inn, a turreted Victorian-era gem, will host us for our final two nights in the Berkshires.

New England Bicycle Tours
Autumn in the Berkshires Itinerary
Day 1: Meet at noon at Boston Logan Airport, or drive to the Windflower Inn near Great Barrington for a two-night stay. We'll relax with wine and cheese around the fireplace before our welcome dinner of northern Italian specialties.

Day 2: Serene pasturelands and majestic mountain views line our route to Bartholomew's Cobble for a picnic overlooking the Housatonic River. Visit a metal sculptor's studio along the way. Our loop ride discovers Berkshires' village gems: Sheffield's covered bridge, the classic town green in Alford, and Great Barrington's shops and galleries. (33, 40, or 53 mi.).

Day 3: Pedal past alpine views in the Monument Valley and handsome horse farms in the Tyringham Valley, where we'll cross the Appalachian Trail. Picnic along the way at pretty Umpachene Falls. We'll be welcomed at Devonfield in Lee. (30, 44, or 52 mi.)

Day 4: Enjoy the "art of cycling" on our loop visiting the Rockwell Museum, Gilded Age mansions, and Chesterwood, Daniel Chester French's home and studio. Continue to the Tanglewood grounds, summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Two-night stay in Lenox at the Rookwood Inn. (15 or 30 mi.)

Day 5: Ride to Hancock Shaker Village, with time to visit the museum and its unusual round stone barn. A rolling option continues to Williamstown and the impressive galleries of the Clark Art Institute, or pedal on to inspiring views of the Taconic Crest on our tri-state loop into New York and Vermont! Farewell celebration. (31, 37, or 66 mi.)

Day 6: Free morning in Lenox to browse in art galleries, tour Edith Wharton's estate, or hike in the Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. Early afternoon departure for Logan Airport. (0-15 mi.).

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