Our First Carriage Road Cycle
After a week of highlighting (both figuratively & literally) the Carriage Roads to hundreds of customers at Acadia Bike & Coastal Kayaking, I decided I needed to get out and bike the Carriage Roads myself. So on our first day off, Russ and I loaded the bikes onto the back of the car and headed out to the Hulls Cove Visitor Center parking lot. We mounted the bikes and started toward the access point into the Carriage Roads. As a warm welcome to the rolling terrain of Acadia, a steep uphill greeted us upon our arrival. Anyone that rides bikes with me (Betsy), knows I typically keep my bike in the highest gear. I would rather get more power behind every pedal. With that said, my bike did not spend much time in the higher gears today. We powered up the first hill and then enjoyed a nice ride around the Witch Hole Pond loop.
Next up was the Paradise Hill Loop which had some long inclines. While we tried to power through, we both hopped off the bikes to take a break on one of the large coping stones that run along many of the Carriage Roads. I never knew a rock could feel so good. We walked our bikes up the rest of the hill. That made me wonder if there is a harness that attaches to your waist and to your bike and allows you to walk up hills with your bike beside you as a hands-free option. Maybe the next big idea?? More so, I should just get into better shape and not have to walk my bike. Paradise Hill, you’ll be mine by the end of October! A downhill is like angels to a cyclist’s ears and while that was the only part of our ride left, signs warning of steep grades and sharp curves added a bit of a fear factor. The hill back down to our car at the Visitor’s Center was mighty steep, a bit narrow, and gravel. Let’s just say, I should probably get the brakes checked on my bike after applying them the entire way down the hill! While in the midst of some of the hills, I wouldn’t have said this - but after the fact our ride was just fantastic. Today’s ride wasn’t much, clocking in at just about 6 miles, but not bad for a girl that likes ice cream and a boy that likes cookies!
Carriage Road Progress: 10.7 miles down, 34.3 miles to go
