Page 51 - Laconia Rally News 2018

RIDE TO THE SKY ON THE LEGENDARY MT. WASHINGTON AUTO ROAD!
M
14th! The most spectacular eight miles of riding in
mitting), there are two
onday, June 11th & Thursday, June
“motorcycle-only” days
the state can be found in the White Mountains of New Hampshire on the Mt. Washington Auto Road. This amazing ride to the summit of the highest peak in the Northeast will reveal views that have to be seen to be believed.
Join your fellow two-
wheeled adventurers for
what has become a kind
of informal “rolling rally” on the road to the highpoint of New England. From there, spread out before you will be the Presidential Range in all its glory, along with views of five states and Canada, with the Atlantic Ocean on the horizon — unless you’re riding “among the clouds” which is an exhilarating experience in itself! Either way, you can proudly claim your bumper sticker,
When America’s first man-made attraction opened in 1861, it was known as the Mt. Washington Carriage Road and it would be 50 years before the change from real horsepower to machine made horsepower would take place.
The first motorcycles to make the climb did so in 1905 during the second “Climb to the Clouds” race. Records show that an Indian motorcycle, driven by F.T. Kellogg set the speed record at 20 minutes
letting the world know that “THIS BIKE CLIMBED MT. WASHING-
59.2 seconds, narrowly missing tak- ing the overall speed record to Bill Hilliard, who raced his Napier to the top in 20 minutes, 58.4 seconds.
TON”. Custom pictures of your Mt. Washington experience will be taken
(or guided stage tours) on Monday, June 11th and Thursday, June 14th.
The good news is that today’s motorcyclists can take all the time they want to enjoy the views on the way up— and with 99 turns there are plenty of views to take in! There are also a lot of potential weather conditions to experience as the road cruises through four climate zones from base to summit. At more than a mile in the sky (6,288 feet to be exact), it is best to be prepared for anything—as Mark Twain once said, “If you don’t like the weather in New England, just wait a minute”.
The Mt. Washington Auto Road will be open daily from 8:30 am to 5 pm for regular operations and guided tours throughout Laconia Motorcycle Week®. The cost for motorcycle and operator is $17; each additional adult is $9. Guided tours are $36 for adults and $16 for kids age 5-12. Breakfast or lunch (with the best views in New Hampshire!) can also be found at the Glen View Café at the Auto Road base lodge.
all week long and be available through phantombiker.com.
The Ride to the Sky tradition continues in 2018! While bikes are welcome daily, all season long (weather per-
For more information about the “Ride to the Sky” and Motorcycle Week on the Auto Road contact the road at (603) 466-3988 or mtwashingtonautoroad.com #
Reached the summit!
Good times at the Looney Bin!
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Photo Courtesy: Joe Newman
Photo Courtesy: The Looney Bin