ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 2:15 PM Page 1 NEW ENGLAND MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION May 2015 #139 www.nemba.org ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 2:15 PM Page 2 2 |May 2015 Ride the Trails ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 5:01 PM Page 3 Save the Trails SingleTrackS No. 139| 3 ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 2:15 PM Page 4 SSingleingleTTrackS NEMBA, the New England Mountain Bike May 2015, Number 139 Association, is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organi- zation dedicated to promoting trail access, maintaining trails open for mountain bicyclists, and educating mountain bicyclists to use these trails sensitively and responsibly. SingleTracks is published six times a year by the New England Mountain Bike Association for the trail community. ©SingleTracks Editor & Publisher: Philip Keyes Contributing Writer: Bill Boles Copy Editor: Nanyee Keyes Executive Director: Philip Keyes [email protected] NEMBA 8 PO Box 2221 Acton MA 01720 Board of Directors Adam Glick, President Matt Schulde, Vice-President Bangor City Forest Anne Shepard, Treasurer Central Maine has some great riding. Check out this area next time you’re in the Harry Meyer, Secretary Bangor area. Rob Adair, White Mountains NEMBA By Mark Condon and Aaron Brasslett Brian Alexander, CeMeNEMBA John Anders, Midcoast Maine NEMBA Eric Boudreau, Wachusett NEMBA Matt Bowser, Central NH NEMBA Aaron Brasslett, Penobscot Region NEMBA Paula Burton, CT NEMBA Eammon Carleton, BV NEMBA Matt Caron, Southern NH NEMBA Steve Cobble, SE MA NEMBA Leo Corrigan, RI NEMBA Paper Trail SingleTracks Hey, get creative! We wel- Peter DeSantis, Southern NH NEMBA Brian Danz, Greater Portland NEMBA come submissions, photos and artwork. This is Erik daSilva, Penobscot Region NEMBA Places to Ride — 8 your forum and your magazine. Be nice, and Jeff Doyle, Quiet Corner NEMBA share! Andrew Favreau, Greater Portland NEMBA Basic Biking — 12 Harold Green, Pioneer Valley NEMBA On the Cover: Rider: Adam Glick, Henry Kells David Hughes, Carrabassett Region NEMBA Chapter News — 14 and Matt Sexton riding the Middlesex Fells dur- Stacey Jimenez, Quiet Corner NEMBA ing GB NEMBA’s annual toy drive ride. Chris Joosen, White Mountains NEMBA NEMBA Rides — 36 Hank Kells, North Shore NEMBA Do you have a photo that would make a good Chris Kezckemethy, Fairfield County NEMBA Support our Sponsors — 38 Frank Lane, North Shore NEMBA cover shot? Email it to [email protected] Marc Lombard, Pioneer Valley NEMBA Bill Markham, Berkshire NEMBA Want to Underwrite in ST? Stuart McDonald, Merrimack Valley NEMBA Harry Meyers, Berkshire NEMBA SingleTracks offers inexpensive and targeted Barry Moore, Merrimack Valley NEMBA underwriting which helps us defray the cost of Chris O’Toole, CeMeNEMBA producing this cool ‘zine. Call 800-57-NEMBA Kevin Orlowski, Central NH NEMBA or email [email protected] for our media kit. Peter Poanessa, BK NEMBA David Riding, SE MA NEMBA Moving? Pete Schraeder, BK NEMBA Joshua Tauses, Carrabassett Valley NEMBA Don’t miss an issue! Change your address online Chris Thurrott, Greater Boston NEMBA Al Tinti, CT NEMBA at nemba.org or mail it into SingleTracks, PO Box Ryan Tucker, Fairfield County NEMBA 2221, Acton MA 01720 4 |May 2015 Ride the Trails ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 2:15 PM Page 5 Save the Trails SingleTrackS No. 139| 5 ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 2:16 PM Page 6 TREADLINES Annual Election of NEMBA’s Board of Directors NEMBA members are cordially invited to NEMBA's Annual Meeting and Election of our Board of Directors on May 2nd at 3pm at Waxy O'Connors, 1 Rainin Rd Woburn, MA. NEMBA's chapters have nominated who will represent their chapter on NEMBA's Board as a primary voting member and alternate. Now it's time for NEMBA membership to vote. Berkshire NEMBA Central Maine NEMBA Midcoast Maine NEMBA RI NEMBA Harry Meyer Chris Riley John Anders Matt Schulde Bill Markham (alternate) Chris O'Toole (alternate) Morgan Laidlaw (alternate) Peter Gengler (alternate) SE MA NEMBA Blackstone Valley NEMBA Central NH NEMBA North Shore NEMBA Steve Cobble Eammon Carlton Kevin Orlowski Frank Lane David Riding (alternate) Anne Shepard (alternate) Matt Bowser (alternate) Hank Kells (alternate) Southern NH NEMBA Brattleboro-Keene NEMBA Fairfield County NEMBA Northwest CT NEMBA Matt Caron Peter Poanessa Ryan Tucker Jonathan Regan Peter DeSantis (alternate) Michael Davern (alternate) Paula Burton (alternate) Brian Vibert (alternate) Southeastern CT NEMBA Cape Cod NEMBA Greater Boston NEMBA Pemi Valley NEMBA Cory Stiff Michael Dube Adam Glick Lauren Purtell Thom Lamourine (alternate) Perry Ermi (alternate) Maciej Sobieszek (alternate) Mike Avery (Alternate) Wachusett NEMBA Carrabassett Region NEMBA Greater Portland NEMBA Pioneer Valley NEMBA David Burnham David Hughes Andrew Favreau Mike Akrep Joshua Tauses (alternate) Brian Danz (alternate) Harold Green (alternate) White Mountains NEMBA Rob Adair Central CT NEMBA Merrimack Valley NEMBA Quiet Corner NEMBA Chris Joosen (alternate) Al Tinti Barry Moore Stacey Jimenez John Joy (alternate) Malen Anderson (alternate) David Julian (alternate) 6 |May 2015 Ride the Trails ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 2:16 PM Page 7 Save the Trails SingleTrackS No. 139| 7 ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 2:16 PM Page 8 PLACES TO RIDE Bangor City Forest, AKA, “The Bog” By Mark Condon and Aaron Brasslet Less than two miles from the per- fume counter at Macy's in the Bangor Mall, discover an intricate web of rocky, rooty singletrack and easier double track trails, all contained within the 680 acres of the Bangor City Forest. Formally called the Rolland F. Perry City Forest, this sprawling expanse of wildlife habitat and working forest abuts the 205- acre Walden-Parke Preserve. Need to gear up before the ride? You're just a 5-minute drive from the nearest Starbuck's latte. The Bangor City Forest and Walden- Parke Reserve areas, known affec- tionately to local riders as "the bog," hosts trails that are a hidden sur- prise. Trails that have a reputation for being difficult. "Busy." Not a lot of flow. Most trails push your skills as you make your way through chal- Although many us enjoy these challenging trails, they are not for lenging New England singletracks. Riding the Bog is a rite of passage everyone. The lack of beginner singletrack trails in the area keeps new for locals. riders from developing the skills to master more difficult routes and 8 |May 2015 Ride the Trails ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 2:16 PM Page 9 really explore the area. Current 'beginner' trails are just double track that don't give newer riders the experience of riding real singletrack. There's little to no transition from the packed dirt trails to the winding, rooty, rocky challenge of the existing singletrack network. Recognizing that these riders are a key component in grow- ing the sport in our area, PR NEMBA has been working with the Bangor Parks and Recreation Department to link a system of 'improved' singletrack trails that are accessible and more enjoyable to less experienced riders as well as provide the "flow" experience that many riders feel the City Forest lacks. That said, the City Forest still offers something for every rider, from the smooth gravel of Deer Trail to the rocks and roots of Bear Trail to the woodsy path of Woodchuck. This network, including the smooth East-West trail, is popular with walkers and runners, so be considerate of our fellow users. In general, you get classic Northeast singletrack— lots of rocky, rooty, twisty trails. Adam Craig, one of the most prolific mountain bike racers in U.S. history—Olympian, World Cup racer, and winner of 18 national championships—started his racing and cycling apprenticeship on the rocks and roots of the Bog. Craig, a native of the small New England town of Exeter, Maine, credits much of his World Cup racing success to the skills he learned riding on the trails in these Maine woods. Continued on page 10 Save the Trails SingleTrackS No. 139| 9 ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 2:16 PM Page 10 Located in the northeast corner of the city, the Forest also con- tains the entrance to the Orono Bog Boardwalk. The 1-mile boardwalk loop trail extends far into the other worldly landscape of a classic peatland. Although closed to bikes, the Boardwalk offers a bike rack and gives riders a chance to do some up-close, on-foot nature observation, including 3 types of carnivorous plants. Want something a little differ- ent? Cross over to the west side of the old Veazie Railroad bed, and enter the Walden-Parke Preserve, owned by the Bangor Land Trust. This diverse habitat includes hardwood and softwood forest, vernal pools, and a large bog. The Preserve offers lots of fun, flowy loops through a series of less technical single track, swaths of trees, along the edges of the bog, on top of rocky out- crops. Unlike City Forest trails, the mountain bike trails in the 10 |May 2015 Ride the Trails ST201505 139.qxd 3/31/2015 2:16 PM Page 11 Preserve aren't marked. But local riders or groups lead by PR NEMBA or one of our 3 local bike shops can direct you to excellent trails: Charlie's Trail or Ianazzi's or Hayden's. The easiest way to access the Bog is to park at the end of Kittredge Road, just off Stillwater Avenue, at the back of the Bangor Mall. There you'll see a field resembling a half dome— literally the capped former city dump. Over this sloping hill you'll pass bluebird houses, a cattail marsh where red-winged blackbirds fly about, and an iconic beaver dam leading to the trail network. Enjoy this wild place—so close, yet so far from the Bangor Mall.