The Great Outdoors - Mountain Biking

by Tim Jones

Map of New England t Loon Mountain in New Hampshire, you can load your bike on the gondola and take it to the top. It's downhill all the way from there. You'd better be an expert mountain biker, however, because the trails down are steep and rough. Even the owner of the local bike shop hints darkly of broken bones. That sounded a little too rough for me. My kids wanted to try it, but I vetoed the idea. My wife was amazed at this sudden display of common sense.
But there are other attractions on the summit of Loon Mountain -- a restaurant, nature programs, a lumberjack storyteller, cave walks, and a view tower. It's worth the price of the gondola ride to the top.
There's still plenty of biking back at the base. Seventeen miles of trails will satisfy mountain bikers of any ability level, including beginner, with enough variety for any family outing. Join shorter loops with longer ones if your family has different levels of commitment and energy: All trails end up back at the base lodge, so it's impossible to lose anyone permanently.
If you prefer your biking even more civilized, Loon also runs a shuttle bus that will take you and your bike up to Franconia Notch. You can then ride back to Loon at your own pace. About half of the 13-mile ride is on a paved bike trail in Franconia Notch State Park. The other half is on the paved margin of Routes 3A and 112. There's also a dirt-road detour that takes you round-about partway back to Loon. The ride is 80 percent flat or downhill and is suitable for riders of any age.
The shuttle costs $10; rental of a mountain bike and helmet for 4 hours (plenty of time for the bike path) is $30. If you're gonzo enough for the gondola, a full-day pass is $16, half day is $10; a single ride is $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-16, $8 for senior citizens. For general information call 603-745-8111; dial extension 5566 for specific biking information.