Beverly says it is the birthplace of the American Navy, and Marblehead and Newburyport say the same, so it is a safe bet that the first ship of the Continental service was the subject of a spirited local argument. In 1775 a schooner called Hannah, fitted out here under orders from George Washington, put to sea to capture British supply ships, and the town has treasured the claim ever since. The harbour that launched her still works, though today the boats are mostly yachts, and the waterfront has been tidied for the sea-view apartments.
It is a sizeable city of forty thousand and more, the largest on this stretch of the North Shore, with a solid old downtown, a college campus, several good cafes and a long history as a shoe town. In the twentieth century, the United Shoe Machinery Corporation built enormous factories here and made the machines that made the shoes for much of the world, until the business faded. The salt-marsh creeks and tidal inlets that thread the town give it a different feel from the grey, inland cities, and on a clear day in October the light on the marsh is lovely.
Salem is just across the bridge, with its witch-trial history and its great maritime museum, and Beverly's roads lead on along the coast to Manchester-by-the-Sea and Gloucester. Route 127, the coastal road, winds through the neighbourhoods of Beverly Farms and Prides Crossing, past huge old estates, stone walls and glimpses of the sea, in tight, shaded bends. It is a slow, scenic road, with a lot of cyclists and walkers, and a surface that varies from smooth to patchy. Summer weekends are crowded, and parking near the beaches is a challenge.
There is no problem with fuel or food in Beverly. The main roads have stations, the downtown has plenty of cafes and restaurants, and there are shops of every sort. For a rider on a loop around the North Shore, it is the logical place to stop, rest and refill before heading up the coast. The best times to ride are early in the morning on weekends, or on a weekday in spring or autumn, when the traffic is lighter and the scenery is at its best.