July, 2005
After the rain
An update on the Maine Mountain Biking Scene
By Corin Meehan
Maine's Mountain bikers are finally venturing out to the trails. After our extra rainy late spring, great riding is finally here.
The Maine Mountain Bike Association's race series started on Memorial Day weekend in Biddeford with the Rotary Park Short Track Race. A short track race involves a much shorter course than normal, but with more laps than conventional cross-country races. Usually the course will consist of less technical terrain than most, but with enough challenges thrown in to keep things interesting. Though these races tend to be fairly fast, they're a great way to ease into a season. This is especially true for the first time racer. Over a mile of rolling terrain, with a few sharp climbs, a nice little steep descent and a one hundred foot water hole kept the race exciting and challenging. The weather was perfect, with temperatures in the low 70's and blue skies. A very welcome change from the previous several weeks! With the date falling on a major holiday weekend, turnout was on the low side. However, a very respectable number of riders from around the state came to compete. The kid's race was especially popular. Most racers started slower than normal race pace. Speaking with many before the race, a common complaint was the lack of good training weather. Your humble correspondent managed to pull off a win in his class. A career first duly celebrated later at the pub!
The second race was held the following weekend at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal. Conditions on race day were a muggy 85 degrees. Attrition was high, with almost 40 racers not finishing. Mechanical problems and fatigue were major factors. The race is a challenging course, riding hilly, technical trails at race pace puts a large workload on the body. This, combined with hot, humid conditions can lead to riders making bike handling mistakes on tough sections of trail. Flat tires, and other issues led to many riders having to call it quits. New England trails, while extremely enjoyable to ride, can be very challenging. Roots, rocks and other aspects of our landscape can put a premium on bike handling skill. This is "technical" terrain in mountain biking jargon. Even with suspension, a rider has to "work" the trail, using his or her body as well as bike. Finesse, balance, weight distribution and bike setup all come into play. This can be frustrating for the newcomer. We all want to roll along and float through challenging trails without having to stop until we're ready to enjoy the view. However, the payoffs are well worth the journey to get there. Not only will riding be more enjoyable, but safer as well. There's nothing more satisfying than riding a section of trail without having to put a foot down. The book Mountain Bike Like A Champion is an excellent resource for those trying to perfect these skills. Written by mountain biking legend Ned Overend, the book covers a wide range of skills and techniques. Overend is also a fountain of wisdom for the aspiring racer and has several chapters covering racing and training topics.
Bradbury is the ultimate mountain biking spot in the greater Portland area. The park is home to approximately 15 mile of trails, from tight windy singletrack (miles of it!) to lung busting climbs, and rolling technical trail. The addition of another 130 acres to the park promises further trail building opportunities. It should be mentioned that all of the superb singletrack at the park was built by volunteers, including mountain bikers. These folks put a lot of effort into keeping these trails in prime riding condition. The park use fee is a bargain at three dollars per person, with season passes available.
Another mecca for trail riding is Parsonsfield, in the southwest corner of the state. Home of Back Country Excursions, Parsonsfield has over 30 miles of great trails that are publicly accessible. Cliff Krolick, owner of BCE has both maps and guided tour services available. Back Country Excursions is the oldest mountain biking touring company in the U.S. Though the trails are open free of charge, it's recommended that those unfamiliar with the trails at least arm themselves with the trail map and information that BCE can provide. The cost is minimal and well worth it. If you have the money, consider a guided tour or one of BCE's mountain bike weekends. Cliff is an all around great guy as well as an experienced mountain biker who loves to share knowledge and the joy of riding. Over the course of the season, the company offers very reasonably priced events. The legendary Bike N' Brew Fest being the best known. A lodge as well as bunkhouse and campsites are available. There's even a terrain park on the lodge grounds for skill practice. Check out BCE on the web at www.bikebackcountry.com. Oh, and don't forget to try their cookies!
Corin Meehan lives in Portland, and is still attempting to ride all of Bradbury without putting his foot down.
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