As we sit here planning our bicycle adventures for 2019 I had to stop and realize I had never shared our video of Marie and I when we spent a week in June of 2017 Bicycling Maine from Portland to Bar Harbor. What a great time that was.
Husband and Wife
First, it is the first time I have ever gotten Marie to do a “major” ride with me. The promise of all the romance Maine had to offer was certainly a factor…not to mention the lobster. The rides we rode to train together were great, too. Away from the kids and the chores of daily life we could just be husband and wife, friends.
Summer Feet Cycling
To arrange the tour we used Summer Feet Cycling to make our lives easier. They shared with us bike routes, made reservations at B&Bs and shuttled us from place to place when the route called for it. Knowing that we would be staying at Bed and Breakfast establishments as well as getting the occasional car ride really helped me to sell the trip to Marie.
Summer Feet did a great job. We were well pleased with the B&B accommodations, locations chosen and most of the route. There were some minor things I would have changed about the route. Then again, if I had gone on my own there wouldn’t have been a route! I would have just set off from place to place and wandered in between.
Mountains and Coastline
By far, I think Marie’s favorite parts of the ride were the coastlines. Me? I was in agreement though I did enjoy the mountain climbs and the views from on top. Marie was really NOT in to the climbs but was a good sport about it all. No, we didn’t see any moose.
The Cities
I had no idea how cool the cities in Maine would be. I loved Portland and Belfast. Marie got a great deal of pleasure at the shops in Bar Harbor. The brick buildings and water views and, well, for these landlubbers the cities had a lot to offer.
Ice Cream, Beer and Cod
All you ever really hear about in Maine is the lobster. And it was good. Marie had it many, many times. Me? I loved the beer culture in Maine. Holy cow! Every city seemed to have its own brewery, or two. Every city had ice cream everywhere. And the Cod? I fell in love. I ate far more Atlantic Cod than lobster. Then again, I’m a steak and bbq guy.
We Just Were
All told, we rode 228.82 miles with 12,157′ of elevation gained. Not a sprinter’s pace, to be sure. Still, I didn’t write at all while on this bicycle tour. The moments were simply enjoyed…and photographed. I’ll let the video above and the pictures tell the rest of the story. I’m just glad I was blessed to take the trip…with my wife. That will always be my memory of bicycling Maine.
Nice one!
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