Hello! I've planned a 5-day trip through Maine for early next month–nothing extreme, mostly easy 70-80 mile days going from campground to campground, and I'd love whatever advice any Mainers here (or folks familiar with biking in Maine) might have. Anything from good stops along the way to better routing choices.
I made the route in the pictures from heat maps and some established routes on RWGPS. I'll be on a gravel bike and prefer riding on trails rather than roads, but since my bike will be packed, I've been avoiding anything that looks technical. Thanks in advance for any advice!
by jschrifty_PGH
2 Comments
I am not from Maine, but I have ridden the ACAs northern tier through Maine. If you commonly ride in the Appalachians, ignore me, but my experience and impression is that an “easy 70-80 miles” does not exist in Maine. There’s a reason people who bike cross country (regardless of direction) say the Appalachians are the hardest. The little bumps on elevation profiles that look negligible compared to mountain passes are WAY harder than any mountain pass.
I’m currently riding across the Appalachians in New Brunswick. I started in Halifax. Its day 9. I’m almost at Grand Falls heading North West. I’d say 40 miles is a HARD day, and I’m on a road bike with 25 tires riding the smoothest road I can find. There is no way 70 miles on trails is anything less than extreme out here. I barely make it up the short punches. My legs are trashed, and I’ve still got another mountain range to climb.