Tuesday, April 23, 2013

River Road and Bear Notch 10:00 am

Thursday, April 25th, 2013

Let's do another traditional early season ride for this Thursday. River Road in Bartlett Village is quiet, scenic and flat.  It allows for many distance options, and any kind of bike will do fine. It is 5 miles, out and back from the blinking light. Add more by riding up Stillings Grant for 2 more miles or do another lap. I am curious about the ratio of pavement to snow on Bear Notch Road, so those that want to climb a bit can investigate. Add 6 miles, round trip if you start at the Attitash parking lot.

Longer option:  Meet at Attitash, ready to ride at 10:00 am. Park in the lot across from the lifts. Ride to Bartlett Village, do River Road, then check out Bear Notch Road. Mileage can be 13 miles and maybe 5 to 10 miles more, depending on where the snow line is on Bear Notch Road.

Shorter option: Meet in Bartlett Village, ready to ride at 10:15. Meet the riders coming in from Attitash at the blinking light.  Park on the side of Bear Notch Road in the roadside parking spots near the church. Ride out and back on River Road and Stillings Grant. Don't want to climb Bear Notch but you want to enjoy more miles?  Ride another lap on nice flat River Road.

Looks like sunshine and warmer temperatures for this Thursday!

News Alert!!  Acadia National Park's Loop Road is closed to cars but open to bikes up until May 17th!  Typically this is just a one day treat, but this year it has been a month!!  Ride this paved 27 mile park loop and the 40 miles of manicured dirt carriage roads without car traffic!  Off season lodging rates make this a good deal and a good deal of fun!!




Wednesday, April 17, 2013

First Ride of 2013 Season! Thursday April 18th, 2013 10:00 am


Thursday, April 18th. Meet at the Maine Visitors Center in Fryeburg on Route 302 at 10:00 am, ready to ride.

Let's ride the Fryeburg Bikepath and some quiet roads in Fryeburg Village!

Last year I posted the ride described below for our first ride of the season, March 22nd!! We had an extra month of good skiing this year!! 

The weather looks good in the morning, the clouds and drizzle will move in during the early afternoon.  This ride allows for shorter or longer versions, which we can choose depending on the sky and our "meet-that-saddle-again" issues. There is likely some sand on the back roads. For this ride you can bring any bike: road, hybrid, touring, mountain. Arrive early enough so you are ready to ride at 10:00. 

I am setting up an easy, mostly flat, easy going, fun cruise, using the Fryeburg Bikepath as a gateway to roads that we have not done on ThursdayBike. We start on the Fryeburg Bikepath, ride some nicely paved roads in the village, then go behind Fryeburg Academy and out Ice House Road to the top of Lovewell Pond. We can go further if we are energetic - Monomomy Road is really nice!  8 miles or up to 15 miles. 

Meet at the Maine Visitors Center on Route 302, just past the NH-ME border at 10:00 am, ready to ride. Bring water and lunch or snacks. Good luck digging out the shorts, t-shirts and bike gear!!