Berkshires Weekend 2024
May 24-27, 2024 Bikes, Beers & Ice Cream: Memorial Day Weekend in the Berkshires
Please join us for 3-4 days of cycling through the beautiful country roads, farmlands and hills of Berkshire County, on NYCC's annual Berkshires Weekend.
Please sign the list at the bottom of this webpage, so we can keep you in the loop.
Getting There Some of us will cycle from NYC. Others will take a train, and then ride from the train. Others will come by car or bus. For more information about travel and lodging, please scroll down. If you’re cycling part of the way, you’ll need to either pack light or arrange with a driver to carry your luggage. We suggest you use the Message Board to arrange for a ride for your luggage.
Our Rides
A wide variety of A, B and C rides for NYCC members will be listed in our Ride Listings, led by experienced NYCC ride leaders. We’ll probably be adding additional rides until just before the weekend, so keep coming back to the Ride Listings to see what’s new.
There may be rides to and from NYC (~130mi). Other rides may start with a train from Grand Central, followed by a 40-60mi scenic ride from the train to Sheffield/Great Barrington (and back on Monday). There may be local rides Friday and Monday mornings for those who come up early or leave late.
Saturday is our All-Class ride to Lakeville. There won't be any other listed rides on Saturday.
Sunday we’ll have 30-80mi rides around the area, including mountains, valleys, and cultural sites. Some rides will be flatter, some will be knee-breakers. Something for everyone.
Where Our Rides Meet
Most A and B rides will start at 9am at the Southern Berkshire School District at 491 Berkshire School Road in Sheffield (not to be confused with “The Berkshire School,” which is nearby). Most C rides will start at the Quality Inn (formerly Day’s Inn) in Great Barrington.
Social Events
In addition to great rides planned for A, B and C levels (posted in NYCC's Ride Listings), the following social events will also be held:
Saturday, May 25th: All-Class Ride to Lakeville
On Saturday, our rides will converge for a picnic lunch at Lake Wononskopomuc (or you can just say “Lakeville Lake”) in CT. There will be three different routes: the A’s will ride approximately 65 miles, the B’s about 50 miles, the C’s around 40.
En route to Lakeville, the Trinity Church in Lime Rock will again be holding its really delicious bake sale, which usually includes sandwiches, pastries, coffee and other beverages, in addition to a restroom stop.
Lunch can be purchased at the bake sale or at the On-the-Run Coffee Shop in Lakeville, or carried from home
Saturday, May 25th: Saturday Dinner at Barrington Brewery
Our annual NYCC dinner at the Barrington Brewery & Restaurant, where we will gather to eat, talk and meet up with old friends and new friends. We’ll welcome our Berkshires first-timers and share the great experiences of our NYCC Berkshires Weekend. We've arranged a prix-fixe menu of delicious options for omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. Non-member guests are welcome at our dinner.
View the menu here.
The price for dinner is $44.50 per person, including taxes and tips. Use the payment link at the top of this page to sign up for dinner and select your entree. Before you pay, click the Entree for Dinner box and select either Omnivore, Vegetarian, or Vegan from the drop-down menu.
Please sign up and and pay by Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 12:00 noon. At the restaurant you will be provided a ticket to give to the wait staff as payment.
If you can't sign up by noon on May 16, we may be able to accept your payment later or even at the door. However, since Barrington Brewery is a popular restaurant, we can't guarantee seating unless you've signed up in advance.
If you're not having dinner, why not come by for drinks and snacks at the bar. No reservations necessary.
Location: Barrington Brewery & Restaurant, 410 Stockbridge Rd (Rte 7), Great Barrington, MA 01230; 413-528-8282.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Directions:
- Route 7 North thru the town of Great Barrington
- bear right on Route 7 across the bridge over the Housatonic River at the northern end of town, and continue about 2 miles.
Sunday, May 26th: Outdoor Ice Cream Social
Cool off and cool down with other NYCC members at SoCo Creamery, the Berkshires’ place for amazing award-winning (no kidding!) ice creams, gelatos and sorbets. SoCo uses simple and delicious ingredients for recipes made in their very own kitchen.
Location: SoCo Creamery, 5 Railroad Avenue, Great Barrington 01230
Time: 9:00 p.m.
*Just show up, grab your own ice cream and hang out on Railroad Avenue!
Dining Out
A lot of the area dining is centered on Railroad Avenue in Great Barrington. Some of the restaurants may set up outdoor seating.
Berkshires Calendar of Events (non-NYCC events)
Don’t forget to check out the local Berkshires Calendar of Events http://berkshires.org/events/ for a Memorial Day Weekend full of exciting, fun and delicious happenings, from wine and food festivals to summer concerts.
Lodging
Participants make their own arrangements for accommodations. Depending on the ride level you will be doing, you may want to stay near either Sheffield (most A and B rides) or Great Barrington (most C rides). On the other hand, it’s only 7mi from one town to the other, which is a nice warmup if you’re riding to your start point. At this point, we don't know if anyone will be offering NYCC discounts.
Accommodations vary from full-service hotels to country inns to B&Bs. Room shares and house shares may be posted on the NYCC Message Board or in Discord.
Another possibility for lodging: www.berkshires.org. Click on "Places to Stay” and they’ll give you all kinds of suggestions. Airbnb is another resource.
Sharing
To share lodgings or automobile rides to, from and around the Berkshires, feel free to post or respond to such posts on the NYCC Message Board or in Discord.
NYCC members have stayed at the following accommodations during the Berkshires Weekends. This list has no particular order, implies no preferences and by no means includes all possibilities. Shop around.
Lantern House Motel | 256 Stockbridge Road (Rt 7) | Great Barrington, MA 01230 | phone: 413-528-2350 | www.thelanternhousemotel.com Comfortable, bike-friendly motel. See the website for photos. Possible NYCC discount--call and ask.
Mountain View Motel | 304 State Street Road - Rt.23 East| Great Barrington, MA 01230 | phone: 413-528-0250 | www.themountainviewmotel.com Email [email protected]
17 units. Cable TV, A/C, phone, refrigerator, kitchenette suite. King beds available. Continental breakfast. Clean rooms.
Monument Mountain Motel | 247 Stockbridge Road, RT 7 | Great Barrington, MA 01230 | phone: 413-528-3272 | www.monumentmountainmotel.com
17 units (some non-smoking) 1 story AAA motel located on Rt. 7 opposite Friendly's: King beds, queen beds, phones, coffee, heat, A/C, CCTV w/HBO, pool. Close to Tanglewood, arts, golf, skiing and hiking.
Race Brook Lodge | 864 Undermountain Road (Route 41) | Sheffield, MA 01257 | | phone: 413-229-2916 | www.rblodge.com
Rustic, "chintz free," mountain retreat. Restored 1790s timberpeg barn. Country style rooms with baths. Hearty breakfast buffet. Hiking heaven. Possible discount for NYCC members--call them to ask.
The Wainwright Inn | 518 South Main Street | Great Barrington, MA 01230 | phone: 413-528-2062 | www.wainwrightinn.com
Historic 1766 home in town. Wrap-around porches. Fireplaces. A/C. Private baths. Full breakfast. Refreshments. Inquire about children. No pets.
Quality Inn (formerly Days Inn) | 372 Main Street | Great Barrington, MA, 01230 | phone: 413-528-3150 | http://www.choicehotels.com
Orchard Shade | 999 Hewins Street | Sheffield, MA 01257-9668 | phone: 877-672-4233 | www.orchardshade.biz
Charming 1850 guest house with 3 lovely rooms set on 2 acres by a quiet country road.
Sheffield Lodge, 400 S. Undermountain Road
If you have any questions, or if anything here needs updating, please write to [email protected] .
And, please sign up below, so we can keep you in the loop!!
