The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

The Berkshires 2023

September 20th to September 30th

Ride Director: Julie Leever
Ride Co-Director: Tom Leever
Report by: Patricia Olson

A sign of a great bike tour is riders wishing it would last just a few more days. So it felt with this scenic, green tour called The Berkshires.

BAC riders from the West Coast, Mtn West, Midwest and Eastern Seaboard all converged at Windsor Locks, CT, where the tour began and finished.  A half-dozen riders were newbies and given a hearty “Welcome Aboard!” on this budget- friendly tour.

The ride difficulty in relation to the rating was accurate. The riders were given options to ride longer/shorter, more/less elevation and included in the tour was the option to climb Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts.
There were some glitches with the routes on several days.  NE had record rainfall in 2023 and road closures for bridge repair resulted in some unexpected detours.

The scenery was everything one would expect of a New England ride: fieldstone fences in the Litchfield Hills, magnificent barns painted in dark tones of grey, taupe or red, white-steepled churches and lush vegetation with orange pumpkin stands punctuating the route. It was a treat to see the iconic NE village scene of Stockbridge MA as immortalized in Norman Rockwell’s famous work.

Accommodations were all clean, comfortable and easy to find with a mixture of business hotel and a sprinkling of Historic Inns to remind us of “place”.
Breakfasts varied the most, from beautiful buffets with abundant choices to slim(er) pickings eaten in our rooms to- on one occasion- MIA. Planned dinners (5) were delicious and devoured.

The experienced leadership was apparent from start to finish. Most days there were options on routes and everyone took advantage of the variety, sharing their highlights afterwards. Arranging for 1 & 2 nt stays at locations allowed for rest, opting out of riding due to inclement weather and exploration on foot.

All riders brought gear for wet riding conditions. and they were “rewarded” with ample opportunities to put them to use. The weather and the timing of our stay in Stockbridge allowed everyone a chance to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum but our 1-nt stay in North Adams was the only day the MassMoCA Museum of contemporary art was closed. Next time?

Happy Hours were both business-like and “bonding” as the Leevers made sure we all got to know our fellow riders. It was an excellent tour of exceptional value with miles of smiles and  new friends made~