It’s been nearly twelve years to the day when I started my journey to run the length of the 230-mile Bay Circuit Trail (BCT). The adventure didn’t go exactly to plan, but I eventually completed the entire trail. Now, here I stand at the northern terminus of the BCT at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, about to attempt my second end-to-end adventure from Newburyport to Kingston. Unlike last time, I will not be traveling by foot, but instead by bicycle. With practically zero mountain biking experience, this will be a challenging ride (also because I don’t own a mountain bike 😳).
There is conflicting information on the BCT website with regards to the Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm. The interactive map shows the bike route passing through the farm, but the trail description indicates "bicycles not allowed." I choose to bypass the farm, departing the visitor center parking lot onto Ocean Avenue. It wasn't long before I was passing Tendercrop Farm on busy Route 1A. Tendercrop Farm was once home to the only buffalo on the BCT. Buffy the buffalo passed about four months after I visited her on my 2011 run of the BCT.
When I saw a domed house mentioned in the trail guide, I knew it was just a matter of feet before I would turn left into Old Town Hill Reservation. Little's Trail in the reservation would have been ridable even for me but I was on my Trek 7000 with road touring tires and was concerned I could slip when cornering as the trail was covered with dry leaves. I decided to hike-a-bike for the 0.8 miles through the woods. I felt it was good practice for all the future hike-a-bikes I would be doing over the next 200 miles.
The 35 mph wind gusts slowed my progress as I peddled through the open expanse of the Newbury Salt Marsh and over a bridge spanning the Little River. The salt hay here is harvested year-round and is used as mulch for landscapers and gardeners throughout New England. After crossing Little River a second time, I began the steep climb up Old Town Hill. I was able to ride some of the approach to the summit but had to walk once the grade hit 14%. Once I reached the summit, I rode a short distance on the Ridge Trail before dismounting again for the -22% descent down Switchback Trail. Yes, I was getting really good at this hike-a-bike thing!
The remainder of the ride was uninspiring to say the least; a 5.5-mile ride on Route 1A south to Prospect Hill in Rowley. At least there was a one-foot-wide shoulder to give me a false sense of safety.
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