BikeMaine“, the 2013 Inaugural Ride is now taking place!. This morning, the riders started out in Dover-Foxcroft and will make their way to Belfast by tonight!

The 400 mile trek consists of about 200 riders peddling 60-72 miles per day.  The riders travel from Orono to Dover-Foxcroft, then to Belfast, Castine, Ellsworth to Bar Harbor and then back to Orono.

This year, the ride will begin with 200 eager participants, in the following years of the ride the Coalition would like to see that number expand to 2,000 riders.

According to the Coalition’s executive director Nancy Grant, the ride’s mission is “to showcase the fantastic biking that we have in Maine, and realize the tremendous economic potential of bicycle tourism in Maine”.

This ride is not for the novice, as it  includes rides of up to 72 miles per day, and of course the peddlers will have to conquer Maine’s sometimes challenging terrain.

The tour is being called “a 400 mile celebration of Maine”, as 50% of the participants are from out of state.  Each rider paid a fee of $875, and the package includes camping facilities, meals and  entertainment.  The Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s mission is to “make Maine better for biking”, and 40% of the entry fee will go towards just that, the other 60% will be investing back into the “host communities” of BikeMaine.

For updates on the ride, go HERE!

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