Rte 52 between Camden,Maine and Belfast, Maine

[Sailariel]

I still see quite a few Touring bikes using Rte 52--goes past our house. I drove that route the other day and it is downright dangerous for cyclists. It is narrow with no shoulder. The road is badly broken up with cracks in the road that would be paralell with your direction of travel. Those cracks can and will tear your sidwall. Route 1 has more traffic but has recently been repaved. There is a smooth and wide repair lane from Camden to Lincolnville Beach. From there you have no shoulder for about 2 miles but very smooth road. At Northport you get your wide and smooth repair lane back. The repair lane through Searsport is a bit rough but very rideable. Enjoy Maine. Any questions, call Alex at 207-338-3105.

[Peaks]

Tom Robertson:  Take note.

[TRobertson]

We have printed the information from Alex out, and will make a note to
add the new information to our addenda, and then the map when we
reprint it.

Thanks for the information.

Tom Robertson
routes and mapping

 

[switt]

I just rode this stretch on Friday, 8/17, and it was *awful.* The
shoulder is nonexistent, and the pavement is so bad, that you really
have to ride close to the yellow line to avoid potholes and frost heaves.  
but the traffic is moving really fast around curves, so you have to move
over into the rubble.  I really wished I was still out on route 1, where
the shoulder was wide and smooth.  It's ashame, because route 52 is a
beautiful, scenic road, and the turnoff onto Woods Road to go into
Belfast is all completely repaved, and extremely nice riding.  but I really
felt unsafe while on 52.  I'm sure as soon as it's repaved, it will once
again be the perfect cycling backroad.  This was also the case with
route 230 between ellsworth and trenton - after goose cove road, the
traffic subsides, but until then it's similar to 52.