Riding in Maine

[berkshire_rider]

I spent last week in Maine at the family camp on the lake. It was mostly a family/relaxing type of trip, but the bike came along, and I got in three decent rides.

Ride #1: Red Tail Trail - North Conway NH. (http://content.mtbr.com/cat/united-states-trails/trails-new-hampshire/trail/PRD_168985_4563crx.aspx)

The trailhead:

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/2640/startks1.jpg

This sign should have been a good indicator for the suffering I endured climbing back up to the top later in the day:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5601/roadridezl9.jpg

There's about a mile of gradual climbing, with lots of roots on double track. Then you turn onto the Cranmore connector:

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/7559/wayinri1.jpg

You've reached the start of best trail section when you see this sign. An awesome downhill with great views:

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1063/redtailpf0.jpg

A trailside enhancement:

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8707/enhanceql7.jpg

One of the views:

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/3871/view4nd5.jpg

Some berms on the way down enhance the flow:

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/1457/bermedbt6.jpg

After the long downhill, you pop out of the woods at a big water tank. A short stint on the pavement and you are at the base of Cranmore:

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/1451/cranmorerl1.jpg

Several miles of climbing pain. This is one of the times where the digicam does not capture the incline. This was a long, tough climb, and something I'm used to. We usually ride tech trails with the short, steep, quick hills - not a long grinder. :dead:

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6313/fireroadkg2.jpg

Finally at the top!

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/8066/topuj2.jpg

The last mile of the ride was also the same as the first. Just before getting back there, the singletrack was "rock track". All the topsoil was worn away. Really fast.

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/9082/rocktracksc5.jpg


Ride #2. A short, easy recovery ride - Hawk Mountain. The ride started in Waterford. Around 1 1/2 miles on paved road, then a one mile slightly washed out doubletrack. Pretty easy effort for nice views. The "trail" was all like this:

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/6217/doublekw2.jpg

At the top. Looking back towards Harrison:

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8464/longlakewh0.jpg

Bear Pond:

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/1692/bearponddi5.jpg

Looking down:

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/742/toplw1.jpg
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5776/windyrivercw7.jpg

Shawnee Peak - home of the DH mtb snow race (http://www.shawneepeak.com/docs/Media/media_story.php?ID=15)

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/3503/shawneeqv7.jpg

Here's why it's the Pine Tree state:

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7587/pinetreejc7.jpg


Ride #3 - Shell Pond. This area is part White Mountain National Forest, part failed resort. Evergreen Valley (http://www.nelsap.org/me/evergreen.html) was supposed to bring prosperity to this area, but turned out to do the opposite. The ride starts here, with a 2 mile climb up a dirt road.

Some of the stuff they built but basically never used:

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9120/lodgehb5.jpg
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/6417/golfgx0.jpg
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/4295/tennishy8.jpg

The start of the good stuff:

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/6821/thestartae0.jpg

It's pretty rough, primitive singletrack, but a lot of fun:

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9709/roughls8.jpg

A View near the bottom of the descent - Shell Pond:

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2071/shellpondka6.jpg

An old airstrip:

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/1706/airstripfl9.jpg

The old Stonehouse:

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5901/stonehousevl7.jpg

Back on the singletrack along the Cold River:

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7048/riverside1yo5.jpg
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5868/riverside2pe3.jpg
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/1812/riverside3pa6.jpg

The river crossing:

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/7907/crossingvc6.jpg

More good stuff on the other side:

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/3631/woodsht7.jpg

On the way back yo the car you pass Deer Meadow bog. Lots of wildlife, and moose sightings are fairly common:

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/2655/deermeadowlg8.jpg
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/682/deermeadowbogzo6.jpg


:)

[McGRP01]

Awesome report Steve!!! Wish I was into mt. biking when I lived there, that stuff looks fun!! Kell and I are bringing the road bikes when we head up for labor day weekend. :)

[Tame Ape]

Pine trees are great! I love the loam!

[MMcG]

Great report and photos right there!

[splat]

Nice Steve !

[TreeSaw]

Great pics Steve!!! :thumb:

[johnbryanpeters]

Nice!

[Rockland]

Red Tail Trail = :thumb: :thumb:
I haven't done Scrawny Peak in years. The fire warden trail on the backside was rideable.

[Rockland]

Awesome report Steve!!! Wish I was into mt. biking when I lived there, that stuff looks fun!! Kell and I are bringing the road bikes when we head up for labor day weekend. :)

If you want to ride trails when you're up, I've got extra mtn bikes.

[MtnBikerChk]

where are all the people?

[stosh]

Awesome pics man!

I'll be in Maine this weekend, sadly I'll be at a lame-o wedding.

[McGRP01]

If you want to ride trails when you're up, I've got extra mtn bikes.

Thanks, but I doubt we'll be able to get away from the Brunswick area at all. I'm hoping my sister will watch our kids for a couple hours so we can at least get a short ride in at some point.

[berkshire_rider]

where are all the people?

Down along the coast stuck in traffic on Rte 1. It's takes some exploring, but there's plenty of good riding in Maine. It's just not in any books, and there's not very many people riding away from the coast.

[Quo Fan]

Maybe there should be a Monkeyfest at Steve's?

Nice pics, Steve.

[frznnomad]

nice report man, but what you doing climbing up when you got a ski lift to do it all for you lol.

[berkshire_rider]

nice report man, but what you doing climbing up when you got a ski lift to do it all for you lol.

If the lifts at Cranmore were running, I would have gladly paid for a lift ticket. :dead:


Next time..............I'm shutttling this ride. You can drive up the paved Hurricane Mtn road to a trailhead up top. Then it's only around a mile of gradual uphill rooty doubletrack to the good stuff. Multiple shuttle runs on Red Tail would be sweet. :cool:

[DH biker]

If the lifts at Cranmore were running, I would have gladly paid for a lift ticket. :dead:


Next time..............I'm shutttling this ride. You can drive up the paved Hurricane Mtn road to a trailhead up top. Then it's only around a mile of gradual uphill rooty doubletrack to the good stuff. Multiple shuttle runs on Red Tail would be sweet. :cool:

Awesome write-up!

Have you ever ridden "The 9 Levels of Hell?"

I think you should get a report of that trail!

[berkshire_rider]

Have you ever ridden "The 9 Levels of Hell?"

I think you should get a report of that trail!

Nope. I haven't heard of it. Is it at Attitash? :confused:

[frznnomad]

wow i had no idea that they closed the lifts this early. still awsome pics man and its kinda nice to see some guys that climb the mountain. i just need to get a trail bike so that i can lol.:rofl:

[berkshire_rider]

Actually this trail was near Cranmore, but not technically at the ski mountain. I don't think they run the lifts at Cranmore all in the summer? :confused: However, up the road at Attitash, they are still running.

Personally, I wouldn't reccomend climbing up the ski slopes there no matter what the bike weighs. :rofl:

[DH biker]

It is on Cranmore the rest I'll only say under P/M's to prevent the wrong person from riding there.

[bcd]

now thats some singletrack!