Whether you’re looking for inspiration to get on your bike for the first time (or for the first time in a while) or you’ve been riding the same routes over and over for the last 10 years and could maybe use a change of scenery, there’s a ton of bike ride ideas on exploremaine.org to get your two wheels turning.
The site – sponsored by the Maine DOT – features a searchable database of rides all over the state – from easy-going rides along Maine’s southern coast to a challenging 50-mile “Potato Blossoms” route in Aroostook County. You can search by region, distance, and difficulty, and find routes that include other appealing features, too, like swimming holes, state parks, ocean views, lighthouses, and historical landmarks.
You can also find routes with low traffic or off-road trails, if you’re not as comfortable riding on the roads.
Each ride has a downloadable map and cue sheet:
The above map and cue sheet are from Tour #7 – Southern Coast, which has a 21-mile ride on gentle terrain for most cyclists and hillier 34-mile and 49-mile rides for intermediate cyclists. The rides go through Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, with views of beaches, Walker’s Point, Cape Porpoise and more (in a nutshell: it’s a sweet area to ride). And it’s just one idea on the site.
There’s also a lot of supremely helpful ride information, with descriptions of what you’ll see, road conditions (always subject to change, of course), cautions (like heavily trafficked areas in the summer), and starting points where you can park and leave your car (looks like most/all of the rides are loops, so no worrying about getting 50 miles away and then having to ride all the way back).
With all that searchability, you can find a bike ride that’s perfect for you – just the right distance, difficulty, and scenery. So get searching – your next “favorite ride” is waiting.
Find a Maine Bike Ride:
Search rides by region, distance, and difficulty on www.exploremaine.org
