ACA Northern Tier

[Kittery Rider]

All,

I am back from a leave here. 

 I live in Maine and want to explore/ tour it,.  I am in Kittery and am curious about the Northern Tier?  I am not really sure how to approach touring the state.  Where to camp?  Routes, etc...  I know the coast is not for me. Any help getting started would be great.

Thanks,  John

[CMajernik]

John:
You might want to begin at this website and order the bike book.
http://www.exploremaine.org/bike/

[Kittery Rider]

Yes thanks, I have that book.  Just looking for additional info.

Thanks, John

[John Nelson]

I know very little about riding a bicycle in Maine except what I experienced on the Northern Tier. Campgrounds along the NT in Maine seem to be mostly private, and pretty expensive in peak season (so you might want to go before Memorial Day or after Labor Day). There does seem to be a reasonable supply of Warm Showers hosts along the NT in Maine. I stayed with two. I also liked Whitney's Wilderness Cabins near Woolwich, which gets you a cabin with electricity but no running water for $25.

As you know, Maine has lots of sleepy roads, lots of trees, lots of rivers, lots of bridges, and lots of hills.

It seems a fair way from where you live to the Northern Tier, but depending on how much time you have, you could work your way up to Fryeburg, across to Bar Harbor on the NT, and then back home on a bus along the coast. Within Maine, the NT goes through Fryeburg, Lovell, Sweden, Bridgton, Naples, Webbs Mills, Shaker Village, Danville, Penleys Corner, Durham, Brunswick, Bath, Woolwich, Wiscasset, North Edgecomb, Newcastle, Damariscotta, Waldoboro, Warren, West Rockport, Rockport, Camden, Lincolnville Center, Belfast, Searsport, Stockton Springs, Verona, Bucksport, Orland, East Orland, Ellsworth, Trenton, Mount Desert, and Bar Harbor.

[indyfabz]

Maine was my least favorite part of the Northern Tier route and the Atlantic Coast route south from Bar Harbor through Portsmouth, NH. A lot of traffic in places and, as noted, expensive camping that was often crowded. I did the entire NT during ACA's group tour. The "field notes" carried by the leader described one campground as "combat camping at its finest." 100% accurate. Backtracked on the NT and then stayed on the Atlantic Cost route home to Philly.

Finding camping is relatively easy. Pick towns in the areas where you think you might like to ride, go to Google Maps and search for "campgrounds near [name of town]". Zooming in and out will narrow and broaden the results. Private campgrounds will often have their web site with their rates. Also works well for grocery stores and restaurants.

While on Velo Quebe's Grand Tour back in '08 I spent two night in Lac Magentic (Yes. That Lac Magentic.) One day there was an option to ride into ME for a while.  Almost no one did it because it rained much fo the day, but I hear the ME portion was supposed to be very pretty. The border crossing was on Rte. 27, with the closest town of note being Eustis.

[BobG]

The "field notes" carried by the leader described one campground as "combat camping at its finest."

Ha!........I remember that one near Damariscotta. The notes went on to say "This place is a cross between a world's fair and a campground."

John- Once you get away from the coast The ME Northern Tier section is mostly pleasant back roads.

[indyfabz]

The "field notes" carried by the leader described one campground as "combat camping at its finest."

Ha!........I remember that one near Damariscotta. The notes went on to say "This place is a cross between a world's fair and a campground."

And it was. Packed. Kids running everywhere. Bumper boat rentals. But at least there was a bar.