Right Outside My Door in Keene, NH

Biking and a Brew: Big Climb/Great Downhill 18.3 miles. Elevation gain 1067 feet. Moderate to Difficult. Keene and Surry, NH. A diversely textured ride that starts at a downtown brewery, loops out into the country, follows the river and then pops you back out in the city. I've just agreed with a publisher to a new Biking and Breweries in New England book. So occasionally I'll be using this column to rough out some of those rides. I'm planning on including rides from Peterborough, Keene and Brattleboro, so we'll start right here in Elm City for the first one. Park behind Modestman Brewery, take a left onto Eagle Ct., a right on Main St. and then a left onto the Cheshire Rail Trail. The trail hitches through parking lots and is a bit difficult to follow until it becomes clear on the other side of Island St. Peddle west, looking for traffic at all the road crossings. Enjoy the views across the golf course and then it's deep, quiet woods. You'll cross Hurricane Rd. just past four miles. Continue about 3/4 mile further until taking a new, packed gravel path on the right. It's a fun swoop down to merge onto Summit Ridge Dr. and then a bit further to Summit Dr. (old Rt. 12). Cross Summit Dr. into an industrial park sprawl of C & S Grocers parking lots to arrive at new Rt. 12 with lots of traffic. Cross carefully onto Wyman Rd. Up and down past Covenant Living until you reach Old Walpole Rd. Now the climb — about 300 feet over a mile with a maximum grade of 8%. Not too hard, but enough to get your heart pumping, and it's nicely shaded for most of the climb. But, oh what a pay-off. Turn right on Pond Rd. and enjoy the plunge down to Rt. 12A. Lots of curves, twists and a few uphills to dampen your speed, really exhilarating. At the bottom, turn right onto 12A and enjoy the very slight downhill grade until a sharp left on Surry Dam Rd. Right at the dark brown William Hayward Tavern (sadly, not still a tavern) onto East Surry Rd. More expansive golf course views as you peddle south along this wonderfully placid, flat section of road. Left on Court St. for my least favorite section of this ride. There's lots of traffic and not much shoulder down to the hospital. Grin and bear it. At least it's slightly downhill. Past the hospital hang a right onto the Appel Way bike trail. A quick swoop and then before the bridge across the Ashuelot, turn left onto the path snuggled along the river. Look for herons, muskrats and ducks as you cruise by oxbow ponds gradually transmuting into swamps. It's wonderful to have this preserved riverine forest park — it feels like a bit of wilderness amid downtown Keene. At the end of this trail you arrive at Ashuelot River Park. Maybe a coffee at Starbucks, or an artisan sandwich at Jenna's? Or complete your ride by heading back downtown on Gilbo Ave. or the rail trail. Cross over Main St. where most drivers courteously give bike riders the right of way. Back at Modestman, you deserve some cold refreshment. The beer-istas are happy to provide tastes of the beers on tap. If you like hoppy double IPA's, I think The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World is the cat's meow. If you're hungry, you can now get pizzas and salad as well. It's a simple, uncomplicated menu and it's hard to beat the combination of a craft lager and a craft pizza. Hurray for the bike-ability of Keene and Cheshire County. For a digital map of this ride, see: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48453711 At a Glance: Keene, NH to Pond Rd in Surry. 0 miles &emsp;&emsp;Park in the parking lot behind behind Modestman and start biking with a left &emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp;turn onto Eagle Ct. and then a quick right on to Main St. 0.1 miles&emsp;&emsp;Turn left onto Cheshire Rail Trail. Continue past Center of Keene and Colony &emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp;Mill 0.6 miles&emsp;&emsp;Once you reach Island St., find the rail trail continuing west on the other side. &emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp;Follow rail trail for many miles. 4.2 miles Cross Hurricane Rd. and continue north of the rail trail 4.9 miles&emsp;&emsp;Turn right onto a beautiful new packed gravel travel that swoops curvily &emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp;down to merge onto Summit Ridge Dr. coming to an intersection with &emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp;Summit Drive. 5.7 miles Hitch left and then a quick right into CVS Wholesale parking lot. Wend your way through this lot to the exit on Rt. 12. 6.0 miles&emsp;&emsp;Cross Rt. 12 onto Wyman Rd. 7.5 miles Left onto Old Walpole Rd. Start long climb. 8.8 miles&emsp;&emsp;Right onto Pond Rd. Hang on tight. 10.5 miles Right onto Rt. 12A South 12.2 miles Sharp left on Surry Dam Rd. 12.6 miles Right at Old Tavern onto East Surry Rd. Mellow ride along golf course. 15.3 miles Left onto Court St. Tolerate the traffic. 16.4 miles Right onto Appel Way Bike Trail 16.6 miles Left onto gravel trail before crossing Ashuelot River Bridge 17.6 miles Cross West St. onto Island St. and immediately turn into Colony Mill pkg. lot. 17.7 miles Slight right onto Gilbo Ave. 18.1 miles Cross Main St. and wend your way back to your car behind Modestman.