2018 MAINE'S MIDCOAST -- LIGHTHOUSES & LOBSTERS

  • 09/04/2018
  • 3:00 PM
  • 09/13/2018
  • 12:00 PM
  • Portland, ME to Bar Harbor, ME

2018 MAINE'S MIDCOAST -- LIGHTHOUSES & LOBSTERS

Tuesday-Thursday, September 4-13, 2018 -- Portland, ME to Bar Harbor, ME -- Rated: Intermediate

Come explore this craggy mid-coastline of Maine, with all the lobstering & fishing villages, the working waterfronts, and the quaint old Main Streets you'd expect to find. This mid-coast area boasts most of Maine's 70 lighthouses, and our bicycle tour will take us to at least 10 of them. We'll kick off our tour in Portland with a guided five-lighthouse ride and wrap up our week of bicycling with a lobster boat tour of Frenchman Bay, off the coast of Bar Harbor, that offers views of off-shore lighthouses and puffin colonies. Enjoy a couple of Maine's famous treats: whoopie pies and Maine wild blueberry pies!

Note: Tour leader is willing to relax the previous requirement that participants ride together. Front and rear bike lights are recommended but not mandatory.

Tour details:

- Tuesday - Thursday, September 4-13, 2018. Cycle Portland, ME to Bar Harbor, ME

- Intermediate-rated tour of 12 participants. You should be an independent rider comfortable with riding streets/roads, some with minimal or no shoulder and at least moderate traffic volume and capable of doing your own tire and bicycle repairs, if needed.

- This is a "moving" tour of 7 straight days of riding. Average riding miles per day is 35, with 48 the most and 17 the least miles. Expect elevation gains and losses each day.

- Riders will share SAG-driving vehicle duties (to be discussed and scheduled) to transport our luggage from town to town and carry rider bags containing lunches and personal items for each day's ride. Riders will receive a day's compensation for SAG-ing and can enjoy a day off from riding.

- Expect to transport yourself to a new destination most days (unless you are SAG driver that day).

- Lodging in these towns: Portland, Wiscasset, Rockland, Belfast, Ellsworth, Bar Harbor. Breakfast included at each hotel/motel. Riders responsible for their lunches, either rider pre-packed or purchased en route.

- Included in the trip cost of $1,500 is nine nights’ double-occupancy (two queen beds) lodging; a guided 25-mile loop, 5-lighthouse ride in Portland; happy hour refreshments; pre- and post-trip get-togethers; one group dinner at lobster/seafood/steak restaurant; lobster boat group tour ride in Bar Harbor; SAG services; and scheduled rides.

- Hotel amenities include complimentary breakfast; in-room or close-by secured bike storage; mini fridge; microwave; coffeemaker; free WiFi; free parking; pool/ spa (some); and most are walk or free shuttle to "downtown" areas.

- You are responsible for your and your bike's transportation to/from Maine. Recommend that you ship your bicycle to Portland and have it return-shipped from Bar Harbor; leader has Portland and Bar Harbor bicycle shops location & packaging/shipping fees information. You can fly to Portland and return from Bangor. Taxi service is available from Bar Harbor to Bangor Airport.

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PRELIMINARY TOUR ITINERARY

Tuesday, September 4 -- Arrive/check in at Portland hotel after 3 p.m. Evening welcome meeting. Dinner on own.

Wednesday, September 5 -- Group ride in Portland -- Five Lighthouse Bicycle Tour, lunch and hybrid bikes included. 25-mile loop, 5 lighthouses. Pick up shipped bicycles from bike shops. Happy hour/meeting. Dinner on own.

Thursday, September 6 -- Check out of Portland hotel; ride to Wiscasset; check in at lodge. Lunch on own. Happy hour/group dinner/meeting.

Friday, September 7 -- Check out of Wiscasset lodge; ride to Rockland hotel; check in. Happy hour/meeting. Lunch, dinner on own.

Saturday, September 8 -- Loop ride to Port Clyde and Marshall Point LH, then stop at Owl's Head Light on return to Rockland. Happy hour/meeting. Lunch, dinner on own.

Sunday, September 9 -- Check out of Rockland hotel; ride to Rockland Harbor Light, then on to Belfast hotel. Happy hour/meeting. Lunch, dinner on own.

Monday, September 10 -- Check out of Belfast hotel; ride to Ellsworth hotel. Lunch on own. Group dinner at lobster/seafood/steak restaurant.

Tuesday, September 11 -- Check out of Ellsworth hotel; ride to Bar Harbor hotel. Check in, change clothes, town shuttle to Lobster Boat Tour. Lunch, dinner on own.

Wednesday, September 12 -- Loop ride of Mt. Desert Island (Acadia National Park) to Bass Harbor Light and return. Drop off bicycles to be shipped. Lunch, dinner on own.

Thursday, September 13 -- DBTC tour ends, depart hotel after breakfast. Taxi to Bangor Airport or own plans post-tour. Can extend stay at hotel, if desired.

To register, please mail a $750 deposit check, along with your completed DBTC liability waiver and registration/medical forms, to: Marilyn Choske, 3900 Holland St., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. Balance of $750 is due by June 1, 2018.

NOTE that registration funds are nonrefundable but may be transferrable. Please direct any questions to: mjchoske@gmail.com or by phone to Marilyn at 303-905-8510.


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