ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to thank the following persons for their assistance:

Peter Thorpe and Daniel A. O'Brien of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management for their encouragement and patience and their assistance in making contact with planners in the project area.

Senator William Saltonstall for his support and concern for the development of bicycle touring routes.

Cathy Lewis of the Central Transportation Planning Staff, Boston, for having developed and maintained the Claire Saltonstall Bikeway as the first designated Massachusetts bicycle touring route, on which the routes developed in this project are modeled.

Sally Peters, Bob Kowaleski and other members of the Franklin-Hampshire Freewheelers for their patience in discussing routes and in moderating their pace for this bicyclist, who had not put in enough hilly miles before joining them on their club's ride; also Walter Godchaux for supplying copies of the club's ride maps and cue sheets.

Sean Hayes and Bonnie Parsons of the Pioneer Valley Planning Council for discussing bicycle routes and providing a copy of the Pioneer Valley Bicycle Guide.

Don Podolski of New Horizons bicycle shop in Westfield for evaluation of routes, for carrying a complete stock of U.S. Geological Survey maps for the Berkshires, and for providing a copy of his award-winning century ride route.

Jim Cope of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation and Construction for helpful contacts with planners and bicyclists in the Connecticut Valley.

Steve Lyons, author of the Bicyclist's Guide to the Southern Berkshires, for long hours of assistance in evaluating routes.

Lewis Cuyler, author of two books about bicycle routes in the Berkshires, for assistance in contacting public officials to determine the status of bicycle route designations in Pittsfield.

Jeff Cohen of the City of Pittsfield for researching the status of bicycle routes in that city.