Printable View
I am thinking of completing the Lobster Ride and Roll next year in Rockland, Maine This ride is about 12 hours from where I live in Pa. Has any one done this ride? Is it a worthwhile well organized ride? Will I ride by the Altantic Ocean, light houses, bays etc. If you completed the ride, where did you stay? What else did you do? Any input would be appreciated.
I've never done the ride, but want to. We usually go to Maine in early July for a family reunion and just can't bring ourselves to stay long enough for this.
V.
Hi Veronica,
I haven't done the ride though we've thought about it several times. We had a place on Vinalhaven off the coast so we get the ferry in Rockland and all I know is book a place early if you plan to stay in Rockland or nearby. The place is usually hopping for this event. I've stayed at the Navigator in town and one of the other motels and sorry to say, not impressed. I think I'd look for a B & B. There are some nice places just North of town toward Camden.
I haven't done the ride, but I have ridden in that area. And yes, it is beautiful. I stayed in at Abigail's Inn in Camden, a very nice B&B - with garage / barn space for your bikes. I rode from Camden south through Rockport and Rockland and down a penninsula jutting out south of Rockland. I don't know how my ride compares to the Lobster Ride and Roll, but you can find a description of my day on this page of my journal. More info and photos in the (overall) journal A coastline beckons.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyclesome
There are quite a few B&Bs in the area, hotels too if that's your preference.
--- Denise
Great picture perfect postcard quality pictures and informative journal, Denise. Surlygirl, thanks for tip as well. Both are helpful.
Have you looked at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine website re: this ride? www.bikemaine.org
By rep, there are a variety of super routes.
I was going to do it this year, but got sidetracked with other things...definately next year.
This year I did the Trek Across Maine in June, the lung assoc fundraiser which ends up in Rockland.
Hi Cyclesome, I didn't ride this year but I did last year (the century route). It's a great ride with lots of supportive, energetic volunteers and very excellent lobster rolls at the end of the day. They usually have a big screen TV set up in the gym so that you can watch whatever Tour De France stage is on that day. The ride is growing in popularity. I think they had over 600 riders this year.
Jeff Miller (the Director of the Bike Coalition of Maine) runs the event. He is just one of the most positive people you'll ever meet and he is one heck of a cyclist.
- traveller
Traveller,
I tried to find a "course route" that would show the elevations for the century ride. I know that Maine is quite hilly. Can you give me some info on how hilly the century route is?
Thanks,
Lynette
Hi Lynette,
I'm not sure anyone has put together an elevation map for the Lobster ride courses. I'll check and post back here what I find...
- Carol
Thanks, Carol. I would appreciate that.
Did you find it really hilly when you did it?
I completed the Flattest Century in the East this last summer. It was my very first century ride.
It wasn't flat but it didn't have any what I would call "killer hills." But it definitely had lots of smaller hills.
I know that I wouldn't want to do a century that was really hilly - for me that just wouldn't be too much fun. I'm not sure if I am a good enough biker for that.:(
Thanks again for checking.
Lynette
Hi Lynette,
I still haven't heard from the Bicycle Coalition if they have an elevation map of the Lobster Ride century. I sent them an email but no response. Next time I talk with Jeff Miller (the executive director of BCM) I'll ask him in person and will post what I find out on this forum.
The Lobster ride was my very first century ride two years ago when I was just getting serious about cycling. There are a few hilly sections to the ride but I don't recall any that were "killers." But then again I really like hills and hill climbing so I may not be the best one to ask!
One nice thing about the Lobster ride that I remember was that the 50 mile mark for the century ride was right at the start/stop point for the entire event. So if you found that the first half of the century really took it out of you then you could end your ride at 50 miles.
More later...
Carol
Thanks again, Carol, for not giving up on this.
I went back to the website today and saw that registration is now open. I think that I am going to just bite the bullet and sign up. Maybe wait until the holidays are over when I have a little more cash in my pocket...
But I still would love to know the elevations.
Thanks,
Lynette
Hi Lynette,
I just got off the phone with Jeff Miller of the Bike Coalition of Maine. There apparently isn't an elevation map for this ride but Jeff will double check for me this week.
He reminded me that the first 50 miles is hillier than the last 50 miles of the century and he thinks there is between 5,000 and 6,000 feet of climbing over the 100 miles. So it is hilly for sure! (But not as hilly as the Highlander Century in upstate New York that I did this year which has over 11,000 feet of climbing over 100 miles!!!!).
So...even though it is hilly you should know that the support on this ride is fantastic. As I mentioned previously you could do the first 50 miles and if you decide that's enough you are back at the starting site for the ride at that point and could call it a day and have a nice lobster roll right then and there. Or you could ride out a few more miles to the next check point and then turn around and make it a metric century.
One of the best things about this ride is the number of folks on the course looking out for the riders. If you need to call it a day before reaching the end of the ride there will be wonderful folks out there to pick you and your bike up and bring you "home."
So I hope you'll give it a try and I certainly hope that I'll be able to make it this year myself.
Cheers,
Carol
PS - The ONLY thing I remember about this ride that was not so fun was that the school turned off the hot water heater and the showers were COOOOOOOLD!
my husband and I are also planning on doing this ride in 2008. It looks like a good ride and the lobstah is just icing on the cake!
I did it! :D
I registered for the Lobster Ride and Roll today.
I decided to do the 50 mile loop.
See you there!
Lynette
Hi Lynette,
Great! I won't know if I can make it until it gets closer to the time ---but if I do get to ride this year maybe we can connect at the event.
Carol
Traveller - Absolutely!!! :)
Lynette
I'm riding with Lynette, and about 8 others!
Hey, SurlyGirl, I spent a week on Vinalhaven island many years ago with my (now) ex-husband. Got the best lobsters ever fresh from the water. I think the lobsterman's name was Henry Gross. We rented a house there. Great memories. Small world!
Louise
I'm signed up for the 50! Hope it's good weather, as I am thinking of camping in a nearby state park (not to mention for the riding).
Hi Quint41
Sorry I didn't reply, been off the boards awhile.
Yes Vinalhaven is a great place. We sold our place
up there this year which makes me very sad. To many
family members after 3 generations to divide the time
fairly. Just got to complicated.
Best Lobsta I ever had we bought right off the boat there.:D
I just completed the Lobster Ride and Roll... Awesome ride! I completed the 100 mile ride... great scenery (even in the pouring rain)... Friendly people! Great food! (except last sag) but that stop was at a Maine Lighthouse.... so that made up for eating peanut butter on a fig bar! The Lobster Roll at the end was the best! Light traffic, fun hills, both up and down and again, beautiful scenery:D!
I did the lobster ride last year. What everyone says is true - well supported, energetic people, good food at the end :-) I did the century and the roads on the last 1/2 really needed to be repaved, but no complaints other than that.
Here's a link to the route and elevation. If you're doing the 50 it's just the last 50 miles of the century:
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united...d/422868514590