Customer Reviews

Short Bike Rides in Eastern Massachusetts, 3rd (Short Bike Rides Series)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Howard's routes are excellent - he always finds the most scenic routes through towns, managing to avoid the larger busier roads in most cases. He pays close attention to safety details - ie: when you take his trips, you won't come across a stop sign at the bottom of a steep hill unless he specifically mentions it.

I have done several of the rides, and highly recommend this book or any of the others he has done.

Brad Charbonneau

I have enjoyed many of the rides detailed in this book. They are among the most scenic I have experienced. But the author goes beyond simply choosing routes based on scenery, terrain, mileage, etc. He also seems to have a knowledge and appreciation for the different elements of the routes themselves. It's not uncommon for him to mention historical highlights of the communities the rides pass through, or the significance of landmarks along the routes. What the cyclist gets from this book is not just "go 1.2 miles, turn left and go to the end", but also a wealth of information about the rides that adds a whole new dimension to the cycling experience. This book is a must for anyone who enjoys a good bike ride.

I concur with rweiner's review. Over the past 8 years I have enjoyed many of the routes that Howard has written about. I have found that his ride descriptions, directions, and assessment of the level of difficulty are very clear and consistent. His books have introduced me to areas of New England that I never would have experienced any other way. I look forward to enjoying more of his rides in the future as I continue to try out new routes from his books.

Over the last 15 years, my friend and I have enjoyed pedaling along Howard Stone's routes throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He chooses the most scenic, historic, and friendly areas; he always has the bicycler in mind when he gives directions. I have always wanted to thank him and his staff for many fabulous hours of biking pleasure.

While the other reviewers appear to be very satisfied with this book, I have to disagree. I have now tried three different rides in this book throughout MA, and EVERY one of them had significant errors or unclear directions at various points along the route. I would only suggest buying this book as a guide of where to bike, but NOT to use it routes.

When I tried one of the rides recently, the directions indicated the rider to "bear left" at a non-existed merge, while the map showed a hard right. The correct path to follow turned out to be a hard left (greater than 90 degree turn). There was another error on the same route.