A group of inn owners and bike trail advocates have come together to encourage tourists to bike the Granite State. The Inn to Inn Bike Tour takes tourists along the Northern Rail Trail, a 53-mile packed-dirt trail from Boscawen to Lebanon.
The Inn to Inn Bike Tour opened for its first season this summer. The tour is a partnership among seven inn owners in the Lake Sunapee Region and Upper Valley, the rail trail, Lakes Region Airport Shuttle in Tilton, and Rhino Bike Works in Plymouth. Organizers say both the environment and the economy will benefit as it brings attention to the bike trail and visitors to NH’s inns.
While planning a multiday bike trip can be a logistical nightmare, the tour makes it easy. The website lets riders reserve bikes, inns and transportation all in one place. The seven participating inns are spaced 30 miles apart near trailheads and riders can ride alone or with a guide. Bikers can carry their belongings with them or arrange to have them transported to the next inn. “We first became involved because it is a wonderful area for bike riding and we want to promote that activity. It is done a lot in our neighboring state so this is a great way to get people on our trails and in the inns,” says Denis Swords, owner of the Follansbee Inn in North Sutton.
The tour is the brainchild of Pecco Beaufays, who moved to NH from New York in 2006 and bought the Highland Lake Inn in Andover. He is a fan of the region’s beauty and its unique bike trails, and wants more people to share in both.
Slade Warner, co-owner of Rhino Bike Works, is also proud of the Rail Trail. “The Rail Trail has been expanding and improving over the past decade, making it quite connected,” Warner says.
Bike rentals include a helmet, bike rack, bag and pannier system (storage boxes), lock, and water bottle. Along the trail there are places to stop and eat, and bikers receive vouchers to stores and restaurants in towns along the way. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included at each inn.
For more information, visit bikethenorthernrailtrail.com.