Just back from a train-assisted two-night tour of western Massachusetts and a little bit of Vermont with my old friend Dave. I took Amtrak from Montpelier to Greenfield, Mass., arriving at about 1:30 in the afternoon. Dave had driven over from Cambridge, NY, and we were slow enough parking and getting organized that we didn't start riding until after 3:00. Some steep climbing getting out of town, much of it on a class 4 gravel road that we wound up on after missing a turn and had to walk. Pizza in Shelburne Falls, then a motel stay a few miles further west in Charlemont. Next day we followed the Deerfield River up to Readsboro, Vermont before turning back south to North Adams, Mass., and spending the second night there. Third day started with a long climb up over Route 2/Mohawk Trail and a excellent descent--in brilliant clear weather after two cold and cloudy days--back to the train station. A good time all around.

Top of the climb out of North Adams. We had worried about this all night, but in the morning we just rode right over it. Albeit at a slow and stately pace.

East entrance to the Hoosac Tunnel. We got there just as a westbound freight was going through.

I love the name of this Vermont village and have always thought that the American Heart Association should open a regional office here.

Looking very jaunty, sir!

Well, that's Dave--I'm considerably less jaunty than he is.

Well done and thanks for the pics! I had opportunity to ride in Western Mass and Vermont twice last year. first time a little to the east of you along the Connecticut River and second time around Middlebury and the Hudson Valley/Lake Champlain. Definitely gotta have some climbing gears!

2 day credit card tour, nice! Like the way you used trains - they're kinda like Hamburger Helper - get you out of junk miles and straight to the good stuff.

A short 2-3 day tour allows you to wait until there's good weather. With two people it's easy to organize.

You got lucky with the weather, it’s been a cold and miserable spring here in the NE, glad the weather worked for you.

Thanks for posting. I’ve wondered about using the train to get to a riding destination. I’m the next stop south of you on the Vermonter route. How were the arrangements on the train for your bike? My concern was it would get knocked around and handled like so much baggage.

I started checking the ten-day forecast a couple of weeks ago looking for a three-day weather window, and this is the first on that opened up. This is one of the benefits of being a geezer with no set schedule.

So you're around Randolph somewhere? I have had nothing but good experiences taking the train. On the Vermonter route, you roll your own bike onboard, remove the front wheel, and hang it by the rear wheel up on a rack at one end of the car. You strap it in place with attached velcro straps, then unload it yourself when you reach your destination. You can handle it as tenderly as you want to. You do have to make a reservation for a bike when you buy your ticket, and it costs an extra $20 each way fort the bike. There are a limited number of bikes permitted on each train, so you might want to reserve a space early during the summer months, but I have never had a problem getting a space a week ahead or less.

I did once take the trail from Albany to Chicago, and there I had to hand the bike over to a guy in the baggage car to hang on a hook (I guess--I didn't see what he actually did with it). That might have been a little worrisome if I'd been bringing an immaculate bike, but I brought my thoroughly scratched-up Gitane TdF. There were no new scratches when I got it back in Chicago, or at least none that I noticed.

Yes, Randolph train station is a 10 minute bike from my door. Thanks for the information!

Very nice, and the hills are not as challenging as in Vermont. I've toured in western Massachusetts a few times. It's one of my favorite areas.

As Mr. Legs mentioned, we did a multi-day tour last year from Boston to Gardner, MA, then Gardner to Newfane, VT (passing through NH and crossing the CT River to Brattleboro), then Newfane back east to Petersham, MA (and that day had the biggest climbs of the trip). Last day was a shorter ride to Worcester, MA, to take the commuter rail back to Boston. It was a great trip!

I have no idea why it's so much fun to add a train component to a bike tour, but it is.