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June, 2006
Dropping Durgin
BY PATRICK ABBOTT
As you travel north on US Route 201 out of West Forks, you will encounter a considerable rise in elevation. In fact the highest point on US Route 201, 2119 feet, is about five miles south of Jackman. The hill immediately north of town is known as Durgin Hill. From Enchanted Outfitters to the village is approximately three miles, and 700 vertical feet. To most people it's just a big hill, but to a long boarder, it's much more.
I had always known about Durgin Hill but it wasn't until I went to the University of Vermont that I recognized its huge potential. While at UVM I was turned on to longboard skateboarding by my suitemate Big John. There are a variety of factors that make Burlington a longboarding Mecca. The biggest of which is the topography of the city. The whole thing is on a hill, from the very top at the Redstone water tower in the east, to the bottom at Lake Champlain in the west, is a mile-and-a-half and 350 vertical feet. That's a good run by anyone's standards. So once I was hooked on longboarding I thought to myself, "Hey I know where there is a huge hill!" But bombing huge hills is not as simple as that. The condition of the road surface plays a large role in the feasibility of the descent. If the pavement is all cracked and chunks are missing the likelihood of a skater making it down safely is dramatically reduced.
And that was the problem with Durgin Hill. That is, until about four years ago, when the state repaved our section of the scenic byway known as US Route 201.
To most people a street being repaved is just a big headache. The process is loud, malodorous, the traffic nightmares are maddening and it usually involves shirtless, overweight men. But we longboarders aren't like most people. To us those shirtless chaps are Santa Claus bringing the best gift a downhill skateboarder could want, fresh pavement. It's smooth, uniform, quiet and offers unbelievable grip and feel. It's like a powder day that lasts all summer. So as soon as the pavement was down on Durgin Hill, I knew it was finally time to ride the beast.
The upper sections of the hill are fun and fast with long run-outs that allow you to pick up a good amount of speed on the hills, but the final drop is the real crux of the descent. Once you pass that sign that says, "nine percent grade next mile" it's all business. No more leisurely wide radius turns or artistic surf style. This hill is all about survival skating. Once you commit, there's only one potential pull-off on the right side of the road up into a driveway, the entrance of which usually is covered with sand (also known as a skaters' worst enemy). The only reason that this hill can even be skated is largely due to its width. It's almost four lanes across, and believe me, if you want to make it down you'd better use all of them. You'd better be carving that hill up like a Thanksgiving turkey; because if you fool yourself into thinking that you can just straight-line it you will be sorely mistaken. Every second that you spend pointed straight down this hill increases your speed exponentially.
Riding this beast requires a strategy. I call my preferred method for descent the "Double Drop" and this is how it is done. Keep in mind that this technique is described from a regular-footed person's point of view. Set up on skiers' right and cut a hard heel side across the fall line to about the middle of the road, then a short toe side to get a look up the hill and see if any fully-loaded logging trucks are barreling down the hill towards you at 80 miles per hour. Follow that up with another hard heel side and you should be at the skiers' left side of the road, where you proceed to cut a long toe side all the way back to the skiers' right side of the road. Repeat for the next mile without messing up and you will have dropped what I consider to be one of the most demanding longboard runs in Maine. Mess up, and hopefully all you'll get is a bruised ass and maybe some lost skin.
So the next time you come up to The Forks for a raft trip, throw your board and helmet in the car and explore one of the other adrenaline-pumping activities that this amazing area has to offer. And watch out for those logging trucks.
DISCLAIMER: Don't try this. This kid Pat is crazy.
Patrick Abbott is a 27-year-old diplomat. He represents long boarders in negotiations with all other beings. A college student in Vermont on the 10- year plan, he advocates for sharing the road, and running the river. With any time not spent skiing, hiking, boating or skating he's searching for clues at the scene of the crime. He has spent summers in the West Forks forever and yes ladies, he is single.
Email nick [at] noumbrella [dot] com with your questions, comments and concerns.
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