Old news:

All right, back roads fans, here we go! Fellow AONErs and Peterborough residents John Percival and Guilherme Bonatto have teamed to put together what promises to be a fabulous motor tour in the Monadnock region of southern New Hampshire. And it’s this Sunday (October 3rd)!

Our group of Alfas will rendezvous at the Percivals’ town house at 21 Governor Square in Peterborough, near the intersection of Routes 101 and 202. After a brief pit stop, we’ll proceed to nearby Depot Square, a destination spot for the Monadnock region. Depot Square is framed by the confluence of two rivers in the center of Peterborough. It provides an attractive setting for the Sharon Art Gallery plus several fine restaurants and clothing boutiques. Our group can visit the Square and have lunch at our leisure.

After lunch, we’ll proceed north to the historic village of Hancock, NH via some lovely country roads. The tour will pass country estates, Hancock Center (with the oldest operating inn in NH), and make a brief stop at Hancock Baskets, distributors of Nantucket and Shaker Weave baskets.

The tour will continue via Vatcher and Windy Roads, passing horse farms and country estates, pausing briefly at the McDowell Dam. The final leg of the Monadnock region loop will head south via Route 202 and country side roads to Jaffrey Center, and make a final refreshment stop at Kimball’s Farm, east of Jaffrey Center.

John Percival and his wife Peg will welcome our group and provide guidance around Depot Square, Peterborough, Hancock, and Jaffrey. Guilherme ran the route with John last weekend and proclaims it to be “magnifico”!

To keep things under control, we’re limiting the tour to 15 cars—first come, first served! To sign up, call John Percival at 603-924-7922. Do it now while you are thinking about it! See you Sunday!

Note: In case this Sunday is a rainy day, we will postpone the tour to Sunday, October 10th.

The timeline (approximate):

• Arrival 11:00 to 11:15

• Leave Governor Square @ 11:30

• Brief lunch (brunch?) and stroll around Depot Square area - Peterborough

• Leave Depot Square @ 12:30 (with brief line-up on side of 202 N in case group is split)

• Apple Orchard @ 12:50

• Depart Apple Orchard @ 1:10

• Hancock @ 1:15

• Harris Pond @ 1:20 (pictures and gathering around Harris Pond)

• Depart Harris Pond @1:30

• Hancock Baskets @ 1:40

• Leave Hancock Baskets @ 2:10

• Windy Road to Peterborough @ 2:40

• McDowell Dam @ 2:50 (Alfa photo-op “at the top", where they deserve to be)

• Peterborough Center @3:05

• Kimball’s Farm at Jaffrey NH @ 3:20 (ice cream or lobster rolls)

• Arrivederci! Auguri, si vediamo!

Directions:

• From Route 3 - Exit 7 or 8 West, onto 101A West (Amherst St) to 101 West toward Wilton, NH. Stay on 101 toward Peterborough. After Pac Monadnock, go downhill past a blinking light (intersection with 123). Take the 2nd right after the blinking light onto Pine Street, and immediate left to Governor Square entrance

• From Route 202 - Heading North (from Northwestern Mass), go past Jaffrey toward Peterborough. Turn right at a traffic light onto 101 heading East, through bridge to 2nd left onto Pine Street, and immediate left to Governor Square entrance.

• From I-91 in Brattleboro VT - Take Exit 3 for Route 9 East toward Keene NH. Where 9 changes to 101 East, continue straight toward Dublin lake and Monadnock Mountain. Careful going through Dublin (radar and steep downhill). Stay on 101 to Peterborough, straight through a set of lights (at intersection with 202 South), through bridge to 2nd left onto Pine Street, and immediate left to Governor Square entrance.

Tour Map:

• Click here to download the Tour Map in PDF format