Living here in CT, we have some super secret routes that meander through CT, NY and Ma. These were major roads back in colonial America but have been long lost and forgotten. There are abandoned towns everywhere in the woods with cellar holes, foundations and dangerously deep uncovered wells everywhere here in the NE. I metal detect here and have found hundreds of coins going back into the mid to late 1600's. There is tons of history here along with bizarre and insane stone walls in the woods! Like 7ft tall walls for 100ft with what looks like shooting port holes in them. Indian wars or hunting? No answers.
TTRGuy, I didn't know we had anything like that left in CT. When my daughter was little, we went to Thomaston Dam, but now that area is in jeopardy due to a proposed hiking route.
I am new to adventure motorcycle riding. I found your channel today and just subscribed. I live in South Carolina, but I am from Massachusetts and have family all over New England up into Fort Fairfield Maine. My last summer in New England, I went to Mount Washington and stayed in Maine at my uncle's resort. Loved the series. I'm actually looking at a GSA1250 to start touring the country. I have a 22 Royal Enfield Himalayan that I have set up to travel at a slower pace . It's an easy bike to ride and great at slow speeds and can still do 65-70mph. 55 is its sweet spot. I'm recovering from a work place injury and hopefully will be able to go next Fall. Love the video.
Your viewers may like to know that New Hampshire has a secondary route called the Hampster Trail. It runs from the Massachusetts boarder in the south to the Canadian boarder in the north, traversing grave, forest, and class 6 roads (New Hampshire's equivalent to Vermont's class 4 roads). Great technical riding and worth the diversion if one has the time, or great one off trip.
The 7 mile road up Mt. Washington became fully paved in 2022, however some winter weather bothered the pavement and it may or may not be fully repaved. In Maine, not on the BDR, where the Appalachian Trail ends in Baxter State Park motorcycles have not been NOT allowed past the gate for a long time and the hiking trails start 8 miles in.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us. Very obvious you’re an experienced rider by the way you stick to the facts and consider all levels of riders ability when answering questions. Thanks for taking the time to post and helping us be safe and have a great time.
Thank you so very much Sterling for so beautifully capturing the essence of the NEBDR. We very much look forward to showing those from outside the Northeast this very special route and area!
Sterling, you are such a talented rider & photographer. Thank you so much!!! I have never been to the east coast but this looks like an amazing way to experience that area. Peace
Loved the video, Sterling! Liked. Already Subscribed. Thank you so much for this entire NEBDR Series of videos. I've been a supporter of the BDRs since the beginning. I've purchased many of the prior videos on DVD to own. The state by state capsulizing and summarizing the route was amazing. Not just this video, the other ones you did before. This was an awesome summary of the whole route. Thanks to you. And thanks to the BDR folks for allowing you to put this out here for free for all of us to enjoy and plan. Yes. I will do this BDR. There is no doubt. It looks awesome. You're a master at filmography, narration, still pictures and you have the cred of riding the whole thing loaded up on a big GS. You rock!
Great job ... thank you.. I am located in upstate ny.. I have ridden many of the areas covered in the bdr.. ny state and Vermont areas are my regular trips..and it’s fantastic.. we are so lucky to have them !
A friend and myself did 3 sections and made it to the boarder of Vermont and had to end it there just last week .. Plan on finishing the rest next year .. Great ride so far
While my CRF1100 is hibernating for the winter, your videos make the perfect adventure entertainment to while away the snowy winter days. I watched the entire AZ to MT and back video series this morning.
Going to do some BDRs with my grandson when he turns 18 (4 more years). Since we live in Massachusetts, this one will be our first. Thanks for the heads up video. Ride on!
Great stuff Sterling…..lovely to see the back roads and villages in USA. In UK we don’t have many of this type of road except maybe a few short routes. Maybe the closest we have are on the Scottish islands. Cheers from Cambridge 🇬🇧
Great video. It’s funny as I grew up in western Massachusetts and adventure motorcycling and off road/dirt biking is absolutely terrible as the first minute of your video disclosed. You’re guaranteed a slip and slide on something or crash like you stepped on a bar of soap. After moving west I will never ride the arduous technical slippery 45° roots and rutted muck of the east again.
Soon as the border opens this one is one my list. As a Canadian with the boded still closed due to COVID-19 its impossible But I got a great buddy south of Buffalo NY with an ADV bike as well Have an Aunt and cousins that live just off the NEBDR in Waitsfield Vermont for an overnight stay and visit. Looking forward to 2021 to get this ride done.
For 6 months I've been researching & planning a summer 2022 TAT run. Purchased most of my gear & a new bike. Today (2/27/22) is the first time I've heard of the NEBDR. Perhaps I'll run this route first to see if I need any adjustments to my gear selection B4 the big trip.
As a New Englander, NY is not part of our tribe! But because they have some nice trails I am sure we can all welcome NY into the New England BRD. Hope to do this one day!
Sterling, I leave the first of August to tackle this BDR, any suggestions as to clothing ? I’m out of NorCal and.have.done ID,WA,SOCAL NV and bits of Nw. But have no idea on how to dress for success in the east ‘s humidity. Also where was your favorite overnite?
BDR rates this route as the hardest BDR with CA second hardest. I guess everyone has their own opinion. I plan on riding some BDRs in 2021 and want to progress with easier ones first. Thanks !!
Last time I was on top of Mt Washington was was sportbike riding with my cousin..we also have dirt bikes. A group of gearless harley riders rode up, engines reving to the moon... and tried to park on the gravel parking lot. They thought they could back their bikes in, up hill, on gravel and not have an issue. It was like watching people ride for the very first time. All of their bikes tipped. One blonde got tossed down the parking lot. One adult male was on the verge of tears. It was absolutely hilarious how a little gravel turned their world upside down.
I'm planning to do a couple sections this summer. I'm a little disappointed that the NH section didn't include more technical bits. There is plenty of it here that is on par with VT.
I keep going back and forth on what type of bike I want for BDR fun. KTM790, KTM500EXC, CRF450, T700.... Everyday I change my mind... Now there are rumors of Middle weight Africa Twin... Dangit.
Thanks AGAIN ! Stirling... have been recommending you to a guy called Fraser Band who coincidentally lives in Stirling Scotland - his channel "Travels on My Motorbike" s very well produced, as, like yourself, he is a professional photographer and has documented some good trips in Europe - worth a look - his production, music and editing are excellent - and like you he's passionate about m'cycle touring... I have recommended your own channel to him - he's seen your Baja movie and he sends you his compliments ! Bill Kerr in the UK on 2017 r1200GS TE Exclus. with Wingman of the Road tent/swag.
@@SterlingNoren pleasure and I enjoy my Bushbox XL stove too like your Firebox . Check out "Bushbox XL " vids on You Tube.... I save small wood from garden keep it a year and it works well- also use cotton wool with Vaseline as a starter as its paraffin based.... love it... I actually dislike gas stoves though realise they have their place but for a day's ride-out a Firebox and a bit of wood is all you need... in your hme climate in Az. I guess you can just pick dry wood off the ground and burn it... not so in Rainy England! Unfortunately... loved your Montana/Wyoming episode up at Bear Tooth... Bill on Gs 1200 and Wingmanoftheroad.com. tent on the S. coast of England
The Northeast BDR looks great. Unfortunately, I'm boycotting New York and Massachusetts. My wife is from Vermont and I thought about showing this to her but the Green Mountain portion would make her terribly home sick. A friend is currently preparing for the Mid Atlantic BDR and I wish I was doing it. I'm very anxious to try the Southeast BDR when it's released. There is some great riding around here.
Sterling, what an awesome series of videos, very exciting and informative. Discussing the routes with friends, not all have bikes but want to explore...in your opinion, would the route be possible for a full size 4x4 say Jeep Wrangler be able to fit on the trails and tag along?
Great video and thanks for the in-depth review videos as well! Looking forward to taking my new Tiger 900 through some of the NEBDR. Any advice on tires? Would something like the Dunlop Trailmax Missions be ok for most of the sections or would you recommend something more off-road oriented?
Love the videos. What was the furthest mileage between gas stops? I'm planning on doing it in September on my crf450l and was wondering about tanks. Thanks
Thanks for the great video. For navigation, did your GPS provide turn-by-turn directions, either on the screen or audibly via Bluetooth headset? Or did you just follow the track on the GPS screen? I've used the latter on similar routes. It works well but you end up blowing past turns that aren't obvious and have to circle back. Thanks again.
@@SterlingNoren Thanks for the confirmation. I also downloaded the NEBDR tracks (gpx to kml) to "My Maps" in Google Maps. I can see them displayed on my Android phone, but it isn't clear if Google Maps will be useful for navigation. I have Locus Maps too.
Rode it because some friends begged me. Thought it was the lamest thing ever. Best thing about the NEBDR is that so many idiots follow it, it opens up great riding in the rest of the states without idiot riders. Lures the buffoons to one central route. That's good. But for anyone wanting an actual good adventure ride, avoid it like the plague.
My question would be .... Once you do this long route what do you do at the finish ? Do you now ride the route back the way you came ? Or do you take regular highways back ?
Definitely regular highways! It’s so much fun to complete a BDR and have the satisfaction of completion at the end but it would be kind of masochistic to turn around and do it all again!
If you Mapquest or Google a return trip on asphalt and hit "No Tolls" "No highways" you will generally get a very nice back country paved ride back. Google gave me a very nice day-long ride back to the start.
Living here in CT, we have some super secret routes that meander through CT, NY and Ma. These were major roads back in colonial America but have been long lost and forgotten. There are abandoned towns everywhere in the woods with cellar holes, foundations and dangerously deep uncovered wells everywhere here in the NE. I metal detect here and have found hundreds of coins going back into the mid to late 1600's. There is tons of history here along with bizarre and insane stone walls in the woods! Like 7ft tall walls for 100ft with what looks like shooting port holes in them. Indian wars or hunting? No answers.
I take my detector and drz and look for spots like this, gonna do these routes this year
TTRGuy,
I didn't know we had anything like that left in CT.
When my daughter was little, we went to Thomaston Dam, but now that area is in jeopardy due to a proposed hiking route.
Your the guy I want to ride with
@@fairwind3111 Any time!
That's awesome!!
I am new to adventure motorcycle riding. I found your channel today and just subscribed. I live in South Carolina, but I am from Massachusetts and have family all over New England up into Fort Fairfield Maine. My last summer in New England, I went to Mount Washington and stayed in Maine at my uncle's resort. Loved the series. I'm actually looking at a GSA1250 to start touring the country. I have a 22 Royal Enfield Himalayan that I have set up to travel at a slower pace . It's an easy bike to ride and great at slow speeds and can still do 65-70mph. 55 is its sweet spot. I'm recovering from a work place injury and hopefully will be able to go next Fall. Love the video.
Your viewers may like to know that New Hampshire has a secondary route called the Hampster Trail. It runs from the Massachusetts boarder in the south to the Canadian boarder in the north, traversing grave, forest, and class 6 roads (New Hampshire's equivalent to Vermont's class 4 roads). Great technical riding and worth the diversion if one has the time, or great one off trip.
Thanks for the info! I'm going to try that route next year!
The 7 mile road up Mt. Washington became fully paved in 2022, however some winter weather bothered the pavement and it may or may not be fully repaved.
In Maine, not on the BDR, where the Appalachian Trail ends in Baxter State Park motorcycles have not been NOT allowed past the gate for a long time and the hiking trails start 8 miles in.
June 19 to 25 I experienced the NEBDR solo. Those days will stick with me all my life as some of the best.
Dee
Great to hear - I leave September 3 for a solo journey from NC to MABDR to NEBDR and home - I hope it's the same.
I was planning a TAT run in 2022. Maybe I'll try this nebdr as a trial run to prove out my gear choices.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us. Very obvious you’re an experienced rider by the way you stick to the facts and consider all levels of riders ability when answering questions. Thanks for taking the time to post and helping us be safe and have a great time.
Great video, I want to ride this BDR someday. Thank you for posting.
You show these places in a way that I’ve never seen. Really makes me want to go to the states some day and do all of these rides
Thank you so very much Sterling for so beautifully capturing the essence of the NEBDR. We very much look forward to showing those from outside the Northeast this very special route and area!
Sterling, you are such a talented rider & photographer. Thank you so much!!! I have never been to the east coast but this looks like an amazing way to experience that area. Peace
Brilliant with lovely Irish music.
Loved the video, Sterling! Liked. Already Subscribed. Thank you so much for this entire NEBDR Series of videos. I've been a supporter of the BDRs since the beginning. I've purchased many of the prior videos on DVD to own. The state by state capsulizing and summarizing the route was amazing. Not just this video, the other ones you did before. This was an awesome summary of the whole route. Thanks to you. And thanks to the BDR folks for allowing you to put this out here for free for all of us to enjoy and plan. Yes. I will do this BDR. There is no doubt. It looks awesome. You're a master at filmography, narration, still pictures and you have the cred of riding the whole thing loaded up on a big GS. You rock!
Thanks! I appreciate your support!
Glad have caught this. Nice job of explaining what's ahead.
Great job ... thank you.. I am located in upstate ny.. I have ridden many of the areas covered in the bdr.. ny state and Vermont areas are my regular trips..and it’s fantastic.. we are so lucky to have them !
A friend and myself did 3 sections and made it to the boarder of Vermont and had to end it there just last week .. Plan on finishing the rest next year .. Great ride so far
Sterling, great discussion, photos, video and THANK YOU!
While my CRF1100 is hibernating for the winter, your videos make the perfect adventure entertainment to while away the snowy winter days. I watched the entire AZ to MT and back video series this morning.
Great photography, stunning places, would love to take this trail \ class 4 roads, these are what the GS is for.
They are really fun! A good mix of Class 4 and easier sections...
Thanks for the review.
Going to do some BDRs with my grandson when he turns 18 (4 more years). Since we live in Massachusetts, this one will be our first.
Thanks for the heads up video. Ride on!
Have fun!
Thank you so much for this video. I really love the way that you doing it. I did solo MABDR with ZERO experience and now I am going for NEBDR.
Another great video Sterling. I've never seen this part of the country and you have lit a fire to go there.
Great stuff Sterling…..lovely to see the back roads and villages in USA. In UK we don’t have many of this type of road except maybe a few short routes. Maybe the closest we have are on the Scottish islands. Cheers from Cambridge 🇬🇧
Hey that was great Sterling!!!
Another informative video. Thank you! P.S love the music in your episodes.
...well done...! Thanks for sharing!
Excellent video
Great video. It’s funny as I grew up in western Massachusetts and adventure motorcycling and off road/dirt biking is absolutely terrible as the first minute of your video disclosed. You’re guaranteed a slip and slide on something or crash like you stepped on a bar of soap. After moving west I will never ride the arduous technical slippery 45° roots and rutted muck of the east again.
Awesome stuff man. Can’t wait to be able to ride it, thanks for the info
Soon as the border opens this one is one my list. As a Canadian with the boded still closed due to COVID-19 its impossible But I got a great buddy south of Buffalo NY with an ADV bike as well Have an Aunt and cousins that live just off the NEBDR in Waitsfield Vermont for an overnight stay and visit. Looking forward to 2021 to get this ride done.
Among your best videos!
For 6 months I've been researching & planning a summer 2022 TAT run. Purchased most of my gear & a new bike.
Today (2/27/22) is the first time I've heard of the NEBDR.
Perhaps I'll run this route first to see if I need any adjustments to my gear selection B4 the big trip.
Fantastic as always!
As a New Englander, NY is not part of our tribe! But because they have some nice trails I am sure we can all welcome NY into the New England BRD. Hope to do this one day!
Very well done and most informative.
Great vids, great info,
On how to plan a Adventure ride THE RIGHT WAY.
THANKS DBR
It was GREAT watching your videos. I'm doing the Midatlantic BDR in a few days and then off to a cross country trip. Keep up the good work!!
Nice job!
Sterling, I leave the first of August to tackle this BDR, any suggestions as to clothing ? I’m out of NorCal and.have.done ID,WA,SOCAL NV and bits of Nw. But have no idea on how to dress for success in the east ‘s humidity. Also where was your favorite overnite?
Planning BDR trips for next year. Really excited about this one. Great info, thanks!
BDR rates this route as the hardest BDR with CA second hardest. I guess everyone has their own opinion. I plan on riding some BDRs in 2021 and want to progress with easier ones first. Thanks !!
Last time I was on top of Mt Washington was was sportbike riding with my cousin..we also have dirt bikes. A group of gearless harley riders rode up, engines reving to the moon... and tried to park on the gravel parking lot. They thought they could back their bikes in, up hill, on gravel and not have an issue. It was like watching people ride for the very first time. All of their bikes tipped. One blonde got tossed down the parking lot. One adult male was on the verge of tears. It was absolutely hilarious how a little gravel turned their world upside down.
I don't suppose you had it in your heart to offer a hand to our brothers & sisters?
@Savage22 Bolt In what way do you help a group of posers that can not ride?
A+
Nice 👍❤️👍❤️❤️❤️
Enjoyed the vid. Lots of useful information.
just finished the route, would have loved a bit more technical trails in there, but it was a great experience overall
thnks for show me
20 years in the midwest, 30 years out east. I will never go farther east than the Rockies ever again. The humidity and bugs are horrible.
I'm planning to do a couple sections this summer. I'm a little disappointed that the NH section didn't include more technical bits. There is plenty of it here that is on par with VT.
Shhhhh! Nah J/K, check out the Flatlander in NH, awesome ride.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
I keep going back and forth on what type of bike I want for BDR fun. KTM790, KTM500EXC, CRF450, T700.... Everyday I change my mind... Now there are rumors of Middle weight Africa Twin... Dangit.
Gonna use my drz 400 sm
@@bird2114 with SM tires?
I ended up buying at KTM 690 Enduro R... Seems like the all around beast that will do decent on just about any terrain, like a Jeep.
@@jordesign yes, shinko knobbies and tkc80 front
Just need to figure out where to store the extra fuel lol
Je suis très impressionné par vos aventures et je vais me préparer pour vivre des aventures similaires dans mon propre pays qu'est le "Marocco"
Thanks AGAIN ! Stirling... have been recommending you to a guy called Fraser Band who coincidentally lives in Stirling Scotland - his channel "Travels on My Motorbike" s very well produced, as, like yourself, he is a professional photographer and has documented some good trips in Europe - worth a look - his production, music and editing are excellent - and like you he's passionate about m'cycle touring... I have recommended your own channel to him - he's seen your Baja movie and he sends you his compliments ! Bill Kerr in the UK on 2017 r1200GS TE Exclus. with Wingman of the Road tent/swag.
Thanks for the suggestion!
@@SterlingNoren pleasure and I enjoy my Bushbox XL stove too like your Firebox . Check out "Bushbox XL " vids on You Tube.... I save small wood from garden keep it a year and it works well- also use cotton wool with Vaseline as a starter as its paraffin based.... love it... I actually dislike gas stoves though realise they have their place but for a day's ride-out a Firebox and a bit of wood is all you need... in your hme climate in Az. I guess you can just pick dry wood off the ground and burn it... not so in Rainy England! Unfortunately... loved your Montana/Wyoming episode up at Bear Tooth... Bill on Gs 1200 and Wingmanoftheroad.com. tent on the S. coast of England
been a while, 😉. 👍👍👍👍👍
Nice peice of work! What tires did you have on?
The Northeast BDR looks great. Unfortunately, I'm boycotting New York and Massachusetts. My wife is from Vermont and I thought about showing this to her but the Green Mountain portion would make her terribly home sick. A friend is currently preparing for the Mid Atlantic BDR and I wish I was doing it. I'm very anxious to try the Southeast BDR when it's released. There is some great riding around here.
Your comment says it all. Though I have plenty of friends on both side of the political divide, here in Massachusetts, we choose to get along.
@@stevencraig349 - I get along fine with anyone who isn't trying to kill me, tax me to death or regulate me to death by government proxy. :-)
Sterling, what an awesome series of videos, very exciting and informative. Discussing the routes with friends, not all have bikes but want to explore...in your opinion, would the route be possible for a full size 4x4 say Jeep Wrangler be able to fit on the trails and tag along?
Mostly yes, might get tight on some of the Class 4 type roads in Vermont but you could bypass those tight sections.
@@SterlingNoren Awesome, thanks!
What is the orange motorcycle featured with the over under headlights?
Where is Compton, NH? I've lived in this state for over 40 years and I've never heard of it.
Great video and thanks for the in-depth review videos as well! Looking forward to taking my new Tiger 900 through some of the NEBDR. Any advice on tires? Would something like the Dunlop Trailmax Missions be ok for most of the sections or would you recommend something more off-road oriented?
Nate J If it is in the budget I recommend starting with a fresh set of brand new off-road knobby tires.
I hope it's do-able with the missions, since that's all I have, lol
You're going to need a knobbi style Tire, I run an Anakee Wilds
Love the videos. What was the furthest mileage between gas stops? I'm planning on doing it in September on my crf450l and was wondering about tanks. Thanks
I have a 200 mile range on my bike and did not have a problem, although I do not remember the exact distance is between fuel stops.
Thanks for the great video. For navigation, did your GPS provide turn-by-turn directions, either on the screen or audibly via Bluetooth headset? Or did you just follow the track on the GPS screen? I've used the latter on similar routes. It works well but you end up blowing past turns that aren't obvious and have to circle back. Thanks again.
It does not provide turn by turn directions. You have to follow the track and inevitably miss a few turns along the way!
@@SterlingNoren Thanks for the confirmation. I also downloaded the NEBDR tracks (gpx to kml) to "My Maps" in Google Maps. I can see them displayed on my Android phone, but it isn't clear if Google Maps will be useful for navigation. I have Locus Maps too.
Can you get paper maps or a rolled route sheet?
I find GPS very annoying.
(same for the background music in this vid)
Is there a difficult level ranking among all the BDRs? Thanks
Where did you guys stay every night? Did you camp or stay in hotels? Just wondering if there are camping areas :)
Mostly hotels on this trip as I recall. Camping was rather limited.
Rode it because some friends begged me. Thought it was the lamest thing ever. Best thing about the NEBDR is that so many idiots follow it, it opens up great riding in the rest of the states without idiot riders. Lures the buffoons to one central route. That's good. But for anyone wanting an actual good adventure ride, avoid it like the plague.
I can't believe Sterling gave you a LIKE for this comment🤔
Any concerns if riding solo?
My question would be .... Once you do this long route what do you do at the finish ? Do you now ride the route back the way you came ? Or do you take regular highways back ?
Definitely regular highways! It’s so much fun to complete a BDR and have the satisfaction of completion at the end but it would be kind of masochistic to turn around and do it all again!
If you Mapquest or Google a return trip on asphalt and hit "No Tolls" "No highways" you will generally get a very nice back country paved ride back. Google gave me a very nice day-long ride back to the start.
Personally, I will pop a bottle of beer!
Do you work for Touratech?
No, but I have been sponsored by them and have worked closely with them on different projects for 20 years.