Riding from Portsmouth NH to Bar Harbor Me.

[wildbill1]

I and my friends (4) have just finished riding Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. (GAP & C&O Canal).  We would like to ride from Portsmouth NH (or someplace in NH or Conn) to Bar Harbor ME.  We would like to do this the 2nd or 3rd week in Sept. 2014.  I have the Adventure Cycling map Atlantic Coast Section 1 which pretty much gives the route.  What I am looking for are any and all suggestion for addendum to the route, but more specifically I would like info re B&Bs, Motels, whatever.  Someplace to eat and sleep.

Wildbill1

[JayH]

Good that you choose September, parts of the ACA's atlantic coastal route through southern ME can be quite crowded with traffic, tourists, RVs, etc.   Don't be afraid to venture inland, away from the traffic.  Part of Rt 1 are off limits to bikes, but the ACA route does reroute you anyway so no worries there.   

My only thing about lodging is that campsites in Wells, ME seem to be really popular and crowded.  My friend and I opted to stay in a hotel the night in Wells because the campsite looked insanely crowded without much privacy from the other campers...  YMMV.  I would think a lot of campsites that are coastal and in the southern portions might be very popular, might consider reservations if you happen to be by there on a weekend.

jay

[PeteJack]

I stayed in Exeter NH in May and it cost an arm and a leg. The cheapest place I found was $120 excluding breakfast. Mind you they did let me take my bike to my room which was a production: it was too big for the elevator, I had to stand it on the back wheel to get it in. Next morning I brought it down the stairs.

[raybo]

I rode from Pennsylvania to Maine and then down to Boston.  I went through Portsmouth on the way back and even stayed in the Exeter Inn!

I mapped my own route through New York, western Mass, Vermont, New Hampshire and then across Maine, where I eventually picked up the ACA route, which I rode down to Boston.

I wrote a detailed journal about this ride with many photos.

I took camping gear but rarely used it (I don't like to camp).  Instead I stayed in cheap motels and got hosted via www.couchsurfing.org and www.warmshowers.org .

Don't miss Acadia NP.