Cycle the Scenic Countryside of Grafton

Cycle the Scenic Countryside of Grafton, Sutton, Millville and Uxbridge, MA

Cycle the historic landscape of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in Massachusetts. Select a cycling route of 20 or 35 miles along carefully researched back roads. We’ll cycle through wooded stretches, pedal past farmland and climb to see a few classic New England hill top village centers. Visits will be made to National Historic Landmarks, a riverside museum, artisan shops and colonial farms. One of our nation’s largest concentrations of historic landmarks lies within this area and we will meet those with the present day passion and determination to preserve the landscape.

35 Mile Option: We venture off for a day of cycling along the rolling hills of scenic Grafton and Sutton. Our route is on roads only a local would know about; past well-kept working farms and two villages on the National Register of Historic Places within Sutton. Sites to be visited include:

· Waters Farm, built in 1757 and now a living history center, teaches visitors about life in New England. The farm and several outbuildings sit on 130 acres of woods and pasture.

The charming town centers of Grafton and Sutton feature traditional New England Congregational churches and wonderful collections of 18^th and 19^th century homes.

· Eaton Farm Confectioners has been a family run business for over a century. Here candy is made the old fashioned way. Try a Lust Bar, an Eaton Farm specialty, made of a blend of peanut butter, chocolate chips, cashews, marshmallows and rice crisps coated in gourmet chocolate.

· Vaillancourt Folk Art, the country's largest and best known producer of Santa Claus and Father Christmas figures, is housed in a circa 1820 farmhouse. Artists create original folk art products designed from antique chocolate molds. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the production of these Vaillancourt figures and time to browse in the unique shop.

· Keown Orchards has been family owned and operated for 80 years. Here you can pick up a snack to eat at the orchard or on the road.

20 Mile Option: Today we cycle on flat roads close to the course of the Blackstone River and see several 19^th century mill villages. The roads are a pleasant mix of wooded back roads and lightly traveled village byways. The sites we visit in Uxbridge and Millville, MA include:

The Chestnut Hill Meeting House in Millville was built in 1769 and served as a religious, social and civic meeting place. The Meeting House will be opened for our group to hear a docent’s presentation on life in 1769.
Classic mill village architecture in Uxbridge and Northbridge, spanning the earliest 18^th century mills to the vast mill-centric communities developed during the 19^th century
A short walk will take us to Lookout Rock in Uxbridge, used by Massasoit’s son, King Philip, during the 1675 struggle against the white settlers.
At the Riverbend Farm Visitor Center we will learn how the Blackstone Canal was built beginning in 1828 to convey goods from Worcester to the Atlantic Ocean via Providence, RI.

We’ll encounter gently to moderately rolling terrain with some hilliness along both routes. These trips are best suited for a beginner to intermediate rider who is able to cycle on varied terrain. We advocate a “stop and smell the roses” type of touring so that you can enjoy each day’s route at a comfortable pace.