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.
The trailhead:
This sign should have been a good indicator for the suffering I endured climbing back up to the top later in the day:
There's about a mile of gradual climbing, with lots of roots on double track. Then you turn onto the Cranmore connector:
You've reached the start of best trail section when you see this sign. An awesome downhill with great views:
A trailside enhancement:
One of the views:
Some berms on the way down enhance the flow:
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:
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.
Finally at the top!
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.
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:
At the top. Looking back towards Harrison:
Bear Pond:
Looking down:
Shawnee Peak - home of the DH mtb snow race
Here's why it's the Pine Tree state:
Ride #3 - Shell Pond. This area is part White Mountain National Forest, part failed resort. Evergreen Valley 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:
The start of the good stuff:
It's pretty rough, primitive singletrack, but a lot of fun:
A View near the bottom of the descent - Shell Pond:
An old airstrip:
The old Stonehouse:
Back on the singletrack along the Cold River:
The river crossing:
More good stuff on the other side:
On the way back yo the car you pass Deer Meadow bog. Lots of wildlife, and moose sightings are fairly common:
Ride #1: Red Tail Trail - North Conway NH.
The trailhead:
This sign should have been a good indicator for the suffering I endured climbing back up to the top later in the day:
There's about a mile of gradual climbing, with lots of roots on double track. Then you turn onto the Cranmore connector:
You've reached the start of best trail section when you see this sign. An awesome downhill with great views:
A trailside enhancement:
One of the views:
Some berms on the way down enhance the flow:
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:
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.
Finally at the top!
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.
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:
At the top. Looking back towards Harrison:
Bear Pond:
Looking down:
Shawnee Peak - home of the DH mtb snow race
Here's why it's the Pine Tree state:
Ride #3 - Shell Pond. This area is part White Mountain National Forest, part failed resort. Evergreen Valley 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:
The start of the good stuff:
It's pretty rough, primitive singletrack, but a lot of fun:
A View near the bottom of the descent - Shell Pond:
An old airstrip:
The old Stonehouse:
Back on the singletrack along the Cold River:
The river crossing:
More good stuff on the other side:
On the way back yo the car you pass Deer Meadow bog. Lots of wildlife, and moose sightings are fairly common:
