Attention all high school students with an interest in outdoor adventure - the days are warm, the nights are cool, the bugs are gone and the leaves are changing color, and what are you doing? It’s time to get outside and take advantage of one of Maine’s best seasons, and here’s your chance:
This fall be a part of the adventure on a four-day, three-night backpacking trip into the Maine wilderness. This trip is designed specifically for high school students with an interest in outdoor leadership; outdoor-preparedness, backcountry travel, trip planning and logistics, outdoor ethics, working with a group, and staying comfortable in the outdoors. We will travel via foot with packs on our back, learning essential skills along the way. Discover the beauty of the Maine wilderness, all the while learning what it takes to share the adventure with others.
No previous experience or is required. You just need the desire to learn, explore and share in the excitement!
Healthy Hometowns Mission:
Empowering communities to embrace a healthy, active, outdoor lifestyle – year round
Dates: September 23rd to the 26th
Location: The Maine Appalachian Trail
Eligibility: Any student entering the 9th through 12th grade this fall is eligible. All participants will be asked to fill out a short application to reserve a spot on the trip.
Price: There is no fee for this trip. In return, all participants will be asked to complete a small outdoor-based service project of their choosing in their school or community (i.e. donating time with their school outing club, community ski club, doing trail work, etc…)
Contact: For a complete information packet, or to register for this trip contact Mike Smith at 207-227-0250 / mikes@mainewsc.org. Spaces are limited. Deadline for sign up is Wednesday, September 15th.
Courtesy of Aroostook F-Stops
Presque Isle, ME -
The best summer weather Aroostook County has to offer was on full display this weekend to greet spectators, racers and festival-goers of all ages at the Nordic Heritage Sport Club’s Fat Tire Festival. Two days of biking events kept the more than 150 participants & volunteers at the Nordic Heritage Center entertained and on the move.
Saturday started with a mountain bike biathlon event featuring a division for all ages. In the under 14 air rifle division Carter Hall of the Southern Maine Biathlon Club took first, while Adam Schwendt took second, and local rider Jason Bartley took third. In the .22 caliber, 14 & older division SMBC athlete Jack Elder was third, teammate Kellan Humphries was second, and Andy Marble of Farmington was first.
Saturday afternoon brought over 30 riders in the downhill competition, from around Maine and western New Brunswick. Local Caribou resident, and Nordic Heritage Club members Gannon Therrien, Ridge Mortland, and Chad McPherson posted the fastest times in the youth, junior, and adult divisions respectively. Eileen Carey, also of the Nordic Heritage Sport Club posted the fastest female time of the day.
The racers weren’t the only ones busy with bikes at this year’s festival. The Bicycle Coalition of Maine was on hand offering informational sessions and trainings for community members interested in becoming Bike Safety Instructors. Music, games, food and prizes contributed to making Saturday an action-packed day for all, topped off with a pasta dinner and bonfire social that evening. As the sun set, kids continued to turn their pedals through the venue’s terrain park, while conversation around the fire kept spirits high.
Sunday the festival concluded with a cross-country mountain bike race that drew close to fifty competitors, with representation from as far south as Falmouth, and as far north as Quebec, proving that the challenge of the NHC trails is not one to be missed! In the expert division it was two riders from Edmunston, NB that posted the fastest times of the day. Patricia Hebert finished her 21-mile race in 2:22:47, while Mathieu Maltais won the men’s division for the second year in a row with a time of 1:43:49.
The organizing committee would like to thank all of the participants, volunteers and sponsors for making this year’s event such a tremendous success. A special thank you also to the Aroostook F-Stops photography club for capturing the weekend’s events in such vivid detail. Photos from the F-Stops can be viewed at www.thearoostookfstops.org, as well as online at the festival website: www.nordicfattire.com. Be sure to check the festival site, also, for a full list of race results, highlights from the weekend, and details on next year’s festival!
Courtesy of Aroostook F-Stops
1. Bicycle Coalition of Maine Informational Meeting Saturday, July 31st, 12-1
at the Nordic Heritage Center
Please join the Bicycle Coalition of Maine's Executive Director,
Allison Vogt, and Education Director, Jim Tasse, for a one hour
meeting and discussion on Saturday, from noon to 1pm in the (insert
location here). Allison and Jim will share information about the
Bicycle Coalition's current and upcoming programs in Northern Maine
and want to hear from you about bicycle advocacy needs in your
community.
2. Bicycle Coalition of Maine Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Instructor
Training, Friday July 30th and Saturday July 31st, 2-5 pm at the Nordic Heritage Center
Learn how to be a Bike Ped Safety Educator for the Coalition and
present our nationally recognized bicycle and pedestrian curriculum in
schools, Y's, rec centers, etc. This free training, which runs about
2.5 hours, covers the basics of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s
Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education Curriculum (which is presented
to about 10,000 people every year) and makes you eligible to become
one of our paid instructors. The training also includes an overview
of how to stage a bicycle rodeo and reviews some of the myths and laws
pertaining to bicyclists on the roads.
For more info or to register, please email jim@bikemaine.org
As the evening progressed Monday night the "showers" turned into a substantial rain, but that didn't dampen spirits of the riders that showed up for NHSC's second "Grass Roots Race Night". This time, mountain bike riders did a short "Up & Down" race, which involved racing up the Upper Goat trail, and then descending the Downhill trail to the finish line. Due to the trails being a little slick, the group opted for an interval start, which allowed everyone to essentially race the clock, without having to worry about other riders on course.
The results are as follows:
Seth 09:12.00
Gary 09:43.00
Marty 09:58.00
Chad 10:02.00
Mike 10:09.00
Ed 11:18.00
Steve 11:43.00
Tom 12:41.00
Joe 15:02.00
Thanks to everyone for coming out - it was a great time. The next Grass Roots Race Night will be on Monday August 9th. And don't forget to come get your race on at the Fat Tire Festival July 31st and August 1st!
We had an awesome turnout for the first community race night this summer, and given the holiday taking most folks away at the start of July, we've decided to reschedule race #2 for this coming Monday.
Here are the details:
Monday, July 19th
6:00 PM at the Welcome Center at NHC
$2 to enter
This time the race format will involve a little more creativity, come prepared for a good time!
Even if you don't want to race, there will be plenty of casual group riding as well, come join in the fun.
This summer the Nordic Heritage Sport Club will be sponsoring the annual Spud Cycle Classic road bike race, happening during the annual Potato Blossom Festival. Volunteers are needed. Club members - If you are interested in helping out please contact Mike at mikes@mainewsc.org, or at 207-227-0250. For more information on the event check out the events page.
Each spring since 2005, when the trails of the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle thaw from a busy winter of on-snow recreation, the same members of the Nordic Heritage Sport Club that ski, snowshoe, and volunteer for world-class competitions, grab their bikes and move to the winding 20+ miles of singletrack trails that accompany the ski trails at the Nordic Heritage Center. Gathering for weekly group rides, running community bike programs, and maintaining the beautiful wooded space provided by the club’s parent organization, the Maine Winter Sports Center, the individuals that make up the Nordic Heritage Sport Club are breathing new and energetic life into the warmer months of Aroostook’s outdoor recreation.
This past Saturday, club members once again gathered their efforts to put in a day’s work at the Nordic Heritage Center. This time the focus was to improve the venue’s mountain bike terrain park for the annual bike festival happening in July. The Fat Tire Festival, which features two days of games, races, and social events, is a one-of-a-kind event in Northern Maine, geared towards celebrating the sport of off-road cycling. The clubs terrain park is a key feature of the festival, providing countless hours of enjoyment for riders of all ages wanting to try their hand at pedaling a bike over wooden teeter-totters, log-rides, stair-steps, dirt jumps and more. With building materials graciously donated by SW Collins Company volunteers were able to put in a full day’s work building new park features, manicuring existing terrain, and cleaning away debris from the winter months.
“Our bike terrain park is the perfect place for riders to get comfortable with new skills”, said Chad McPherson, avid club rider and chief organizer of the work day. “We have features to play on for every level of rider. All you need to improve is an open mind and willingness to try new things.”
Club president Tom Chasse commented that the work day was a huge success, “with lots of fun and great company helping to build new park features”. A huge thank you goes out from the Nordic Heritage Sport Club to all the volunteers who came out to lend a hand, especially those willing to do the chainsaw work. And a special thank you is extended to the SW Collins Company for donating materials.
With continued support of the club, community, and riders from around Maine and New Brunswick, mountain biking in Northern Maine will continue to become a staple of summertime recreation in Aroostook County.
The Nordic Heritage Sport Club also wishes to remind people that there will be a trail work day at the 10th Mtn Ski Center in Fort Kent on July 10th. This will mark the beginning of a new system of singletrack trails in the St. John Valley that cyclists, hikers, runners and walkers can all get out and enjoy. For more information visit www.10thmtskiclub.org. And of course, the Fat Tire Festival is happening this July 31st and August 1st at the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle. Check out www.nordicfattire.com for details.
Calling all riders, walkers, hikers, runners and anyone excited to lend a hand. The NHSC is hosting it's summer trail work party this Saturday at NHC. We will be doing work on the mountain bike terrain park in preparation for the mountain bike festival. We will also be doing some small trail projects such as tree clearing on Tom's Trail.
The day will begin at 9:00 AM, and we will stop mid-afternoon so we can enjoy a ride and / or hike on the trails, followed by a BBQ at the lodge. All are encouraged to come and lend a hand. We could also use help collecting some equipment, such as a roto-tiller, and a small utility tractor capable of moving small cement steps. If you can offer up these items please contact Chad McPherson at CMcPherson@SWCole.com
The club will provide tools, direction, and food for the BBQ. BYOB and lunch / snack. See you Saturday!
