Coming in from Lynn on Rte 114, you would come down through Middleton to the junction of rte 125 coming in from the left joining 114 for about a mile. On the left would be what is now the Merrimac college campus. Rte 125 turns right to head to Haverill, at an intersection that had Thompson's Restaurant and the Furniture Barn furniture store. Your dad could have taken a left there and gone over to Andover, but probably continued down 114 into So. Lawrence, making a left near the train station over to rte 28. A right turn on rte 28 and it's over the "falls bridge" (Lawrence dam on the Merrimac River is right there) into Lawrence. Maybe stopped for a hotdog at Lawton's at the far end of the bridge. Then it's continuing northward on "Broadway" (rte 28) into Methuen, going past the mills and finally entering Salem NH. Continuing up 28 past Rockingham Park ("and they're off...."
) and you are suddenly in country. On the South side of Derry, rte 28 beared to the left, and you probably headed straight "up the bypass" (28A). After a little bit, you top a hill and there is an amazingly long straight away with ups and downs on some small hills (try to hold your breath until that car way up there finally passes you.
Didn't have a gameboy!!!!). As you come into Auburn, Lake Massebesic is on your right, and in the summer in daylight, there is always a bunch of sailboats out on the Lake (drinking water supply for Manchester). right after the lake was the "Turnpike House" where we used to stop and eat. We called it the halfway house, because it was about 1/2 way between Lawrence/Andover/No. Andover and Lake Shore Park in Gilford. About 7 or 8 miles (I think), the bypass rejoined rte28 and rte 3 in Hooksett (allowing us to miss all that traffic in Derry and then Manchester). Up to Allentown and Pembroke, passing Indian Cliff with the totem pole, to where rte 28 cuts off from rte 3. Check out the boats at the Pembroke boat place there on the right in the later years. Keep heading north and go through Epsom and Pittsfield, oh wow, are we in Barnstead already (I never did see the Barnstead Parade, but they had signs out about it all the time!
). Come into Alton and take a left on rte 11 and go through the town (what time is it on the town hall steeple...wow, we made good time...oh yeah, and you had to know how to tell time that was not displayed digitally!!!!
)(still do at the town hall). Feeling really good now, 'cause there's Downings, ah the busy corner store (how about an ice cream, Dad? Dad? Dad?????). Love riding along looking at the lake (11d was rte 11.). then it was West Alton, Ames Farm, Lakeshore Park, wow the broads are rough (as seen from lakeshore drive, rte 11 then. Ah, sure does feel good to stretch!!!!! It sure was a long ride (probably pushing 3 hours from Lynn).
Biking the route...I wouldn't have a large enough death wish to ride a bike up 28 through Lawrence Methuen Salem. Way to much traffic.
Anyway, hoped you enjoyed the ride