Tour de Gorham

Cancelled due to Rain Out

This Tuesday Bob has graciously agreed to lead the ride.  So I'm posting this ride early with the hope that the weather will cooperate.  Bob will email the group if the weather isn't conducive to a ride.

Tour de Gorham

This perennial favorite is about a 14 mile circumnavigation of Gorham on mostly dirt roads and trails with a bit of paved road thrown in too. Starting by the common in downtown Gorham. We'll cross route 16 and take a residential road to a foot bridge across the Peabody River and get on the pipeline trail. Here there will be a short but very steep hill to walk up with the bikes. And then it's pretty much of a straight shot on the pipeline trail back to Route 2 and North Road.

Next we’ll follow Hogan Road west for about 5 miles on the virtually untraveled north side of the Androscoggin River where there will be awesome views of the river and several power dams. Then we’ll take a left onto the Presidential Rail Trail which will take us to Route 2. Across route 2 is the gravel Gorham Emergency Road which is closed to motorized vehicles except in (you guessed it) emergencies when Route 2 through the center of town is impassable. At the airport we’ll have a choice to continue onto route 16 through the center of Gorham or to get onto the pipeline trail which will take us by the south side of the airport. This portion of the pipeline trail is a bit rough but doable with some bike walking.

Most of this ride will be on pretty flat and smooth trails and roads. The exception is the pipeline trail which has rolling hills and several excellent opportunities to walk the bikes.

Directions: Drive north on route 16 to Gorham. Just before the T intersection with route 2 there will be railroad tracks. Immediately after crossing the tracks turn left onto Railroad Street. Hook a U turn and park on the other side of the road across from the Common.

For those of you who want to carpool meet at The Old Town Hall in Jackson, across the road from the post office at 8:50.

Let's start the ride at 9:30am.