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MTB - Old Town/ Orono Trails 4/15/12

BackLoafRiver

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Headed to Old Town to meet 2 friends for some riding. One of the two does a club ride twice a week and has intimate knowledge of the trail system up there. For the past few years, we have just dubbed around the trails getting lost and not really knowing what there was.

Turns out, there is way more stuff than I had imagined.

Wheels on dirt by 2:15, we did some of the usual stuff we were familiar with around the University. After 5 miles, he took us through the first cemetery of the day and showed us this small but AWESOME loops across the railroad tracks. I had no idea this stuff was out there. Well burned in, dry, and fast, the trail looped over mounds and rode the spine of a pretty set of small hills.

After a few miles, we started the long climb out to a point they call "Birch Knoll". From there, its 3 different descents all leading to a new area of riding. We chose one that had 2 large kickers built into the center of the trail. (we all opted to ride around...don't judge)

The rest of the day was more exploring and checking out only a small fraction of the offerings up there. Easily the highlight was a section called "The 95 Trail". It was a hellacious climb through the woods but it dumped you out on a ledge overlooking the interstate. (cars have full view of you, and you them) The trail was beautiful burned in brown among green grass. Gordgeous, flowly, and fast. After half a mile, it dumps you into a rock garden descent then dumps you out onto the second graveyard. From there, a section called "Fox Run" awaits. It is a set of swooped up corners and flow.

I had my gopro with me but, being the idiot I am, left the memory card at home. So no pics or video.

Each one of us took a nice fall throughout the ride. Mine ended with my saddle getting caught under my shorts and pulled them down in the back just far enough to have a pine shoved up my crack. Not pretty. If you saw it, you would have laughed....or been scarred for life.

All told, we hit 17.2 miles in 2 hours and 14 minutes of total riding time.
 

BackLoafRiver

New member
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Nov 19, 2008
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Augusta, Maine
Holycrap! That is a blistering pace on a MTB

It felt it. I was a pool of sweat by the end. Not sure I could duplicate it if I tried.

I meant to add to the original post that Runkeeper had our mileage at 658.8 miles. We all got a laugh out of that.
 
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