La Bella Berkshires

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La Bella Berkshires

Mountains, museums, and magical cycling in the cultural Mecca of Massachusetts

Highlights

Beautiful riding along peaceful New England roads
Colorful fall foliage
Visit historic Hancock Shaker Village
Visit to the Norman Rockwell Museum
Ride the secluded Ashuwilticook Rail Trail

Description

Long known for culture and natural beauty, the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts also offer a diverse range of cycling opportunities, from the remote pastoral valleys to the challenges of the highest mountains in the state. Our tour is based for three nights in rural, historic Lenox. Our cycling days will be filled with memorable visits to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge and to the Hancock Shaker Village. You’ll experience fall foliage everywhere we ride, from the Taconic Range to the winding Housatonic River. As with all Ciclismo Classico tours, we include deluxe accommodations and gourmet dinners.

Price

$1,795
Single Supplement

$550
Ability Level

Intermediate
Terrain

Rolling with some climbs
Distance

35-40 miles a day
Departing

Lenox
Arriving

Lenox
Bike Rental

Included (Electric assist bike available at extra cost)
Dates
- June 15, 2012
- June 29, 2012
- September 27, 2012
- October 5, 2012

Day 1: Welcome & Warm-up

Meet for a light lunch at the lovely Rookwood Inn in Lenox, your home base for the weekend. You’ll be met by your guides, who will fit you to your bike and provide an opportunity for everyone to get acquainted. Then, you’ll do a 15- or 20- mile ride to get used to your bikes and start taking in some of the local flavor. Dinner in Lenox.

Day 2: Hancock Shaker Village

We ride out from Lenox along scenic Undermountain Road to the Tanglewood Music Center. From there, we enjoy a nice climb along Lenox Mountain. Then we ride on to Hancock Shaker Village to visit the shops, kitchens, barns, and other features of this popular attraction. On our return, we descend to West Stockbridge and can stop to visit the Berkshire Botanical Garden. A walk through the Audubon Society’s Pleasant Valley Nature Sanctuary or Kennedy Park near the Inn would be a great way to conclude the day. Dinner in Lenox.

Day 3: Stockbridge & Alford

We ride past stately mansions on Prospect Hill Road past the estate gardens of Naumkaeg to Stockbridge. Continuing, we follow the Housatonic River rapids past the Guthrie Center, made famous in the epic song Alice’s Restaurant. We turn to take on the rolling hills at the foot of the Taconic Mountain range in Alford on our way to West Stockbridge, where we stop for lunch. On this route, we’ll pass by Chesterfield and the Norman Rockwell Museum; this is a day full of museum opportunities. Our return takes us along Stockbridge Bowl on our way back to Lenox. We celebrate our final evening with a wine tasting and dinner.

Day 4: Ashuwilticook Rail Trail

Today we’ll take the van north to the foot of Mount Greylock, the highest mountain in Massachusetts and Williamstown, the “Village Beautiful.” We set out for 12 miles on the Ashuwilticook Rail Trail, returning through farmland in Adams, Cheshire, and Lanesborough. Cycle through this natural paradise to get to know the area and to become accustomed to your bike. Then back to Inn after lunch, where we say our farewells.