Jump to content

RDL 2021: Plan B


mikerider
 Share

Recommended Posts

15 hours ago, kmkm said:

Hope everyone can make the best of the winter to come.  

Thanks for the well-wishes & positive-vibes!

Same back at all of our brothers & sisters north of the border!

Maybe time to reserve e-bikes & buggies & lounge chairs in Aruba?...

 

IMG_3963.thumb.jpg.1aa622268185b270ababde8a81053ce5.jpg

 

702591251_Happy2.thumb.jpg.67d7624f5774a5de3c9d40b848600eb9.jpg

 

IMG_20200103_150211.thumb.jpg.c5d461b59186a7007b9bee65820e43da.jpg

Rock n Roll.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Andy, it is very clear that politics plays little in the reality of covid. All around the globe there is a struggle to beat this down. Even countries with the best laid plans cannot contain it. We are in desperate need of a vaccine, even if it only works on 50% of those who get it. Time to start working together and realizing that each persons own individual behavior is extremely important between now and then, we probably have another year in front of us, so in order to keep every one going we all need to do our own due diligence , here is to wishing everyone on here a healthy future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are all gonna die.

 

 

 

 

Someday, Somehow. When your number is up it’s up. 

 

Positive with Covid does not mean death. Tired of the sky is falling mentality.

Are you afraid of the flu? If not, you should be, it’s as deadly as Covid. 

 

Edited by iceman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess this would be a good baseline as it is the snow belt and has the trails that are wide and more remote.

Starting in the western mountains and heading northeast, you basically want to go thru these areas on a saddlebag trip:

Rangeley

Eustis or Stratton

Forks or Jackman or both

Moosehead Lake area (Greenville or Rockwood)

Millinocket

Aroostook County (top of Maine below Riviere du Loup). towns like Houlton, Caribou, St. Agatha, Fort Kent.

 

I am guessing Rangeley to Fort Kent would be a 3 to 4 day trip. Maybe take an extra day to ride around northern Aroostook County. Your ride back to Rangeley may be over some of the same trails in some areas. Beware in Maine that Fri and Sat nites the hotels are often full. I have saddlebagged across this area many times. It is nice.

mike

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/10/2020 at 8:49 PM, iceman said:

We are all gonna die.

 

 

 

 

Someday, Somehow. When your number is up it’s up. 

 

Positive with Covid does not mean death. Tired of the sky is falling mentality.

Are you afraid of the flu? If not, you should be, it’s as deadly as Covid. 

 

Agree that Covid doesn't mean death but I don't like what I have been reading about some of the "longhaulers" descriptions of their post Covid on going illnesses and I sure as hell don't like the thought of having to be on a ventilator. 

Agree that the Flu can be deadly but we have a vaccine (flu shot) that drops the percentage risk dramatically. Guess I better get an appointment made for mine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Mike, well already started my plan B, hoping the SNOW GODS will corporate. I’ll be in Fort Kent between Xmas and New Years hopefully riding. Will just be a 4 day ride to get back into Snowmobile mode!!! I have to tell ya.... man do I need to just get LOST on my sled. Working during this Covid thing is DRAINING. Thinking I might just buy the season pass and just ride the GREAT STATE OF MAINE this year.If the border happens to loosen up during the season, I’m thinking of exploring NB a lot more 

Hope a lot of us US members on here can cross paths with each other on our Maine trips.

Stay well. Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chris, you got one long drive to Fort Kent!!!

It is hard to get current conditions of Maine snow and trail conditions. Dealing with a lot of clubs, many post on Facebook. Also the MSA (Me Snowmobile Assn) has a section that divides the state into sections and gives updates every few days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

51 minutes ago, mikerider said:

Chris, you got one long drive to Fort Kent!!!

It is hard to get current conditions of Maine snow and trail conditions. Dealing with a lot of clubs, many post on Facebook. Also the MSA (Me Snowmobile Assn) has a section that divides the state into sections and gives updates every few days.

Long ride it certainly is for sure!!!

Over the last 4 years or so, I’ve developed a great relationship with the Northern Door so we’ll see what happens.🙏

Back in either 2016/ 2017 up there, we were riding one day, next morning the temperature was I think almost 42 degrees, couldn’t believe it. Just like a lot of other members on here, if we want to ride..... we find the snow!!!!!. Is what it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is  a state of Maine trail map available to order on the Maine Snowmobile Assoc. web site. Not sure if the state maps show local trails.  The major snowmobile hubs I listed in a previous post should have regional maps through their tourism site or chamber of commerce site, and I also believe the Maine Snowmobile Assoc. has  lists of where to get local maps. Aroostook County has a nice map, do an on line search to order one. Back when I did a lot of riding in Aroostook County, maps were very easily available at just about every hotel and tourist stop.  

Starting a saddlebag trip out of Rangeley gives you the shortest drive in the truck when coming from out of state. Also, most of the towns listed have dedicated parking lots for your truck and trailer. I would guess most Maine hotels don't have space to leave you rig for a week so make sure to check that info when you call about your first night's stay. Also I am guessing most of these towns have no form of taxi service so it might be wise to pick a hotel in town near services or ones that have a restaurant. Most of these towns I listed are very small and far from any big cities and some have no sled dealers.  In fact, If I had a breakdown on a saddle bag trip, I would look into an airport at the town for some commercial pilot to fly me back to the truck in his Piper Cub as most of these towns have a small airport. Finding someone in Maine to transport you and your broken down sled hundreds of miles back to your truck could be a real problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Blueblood said:

thanks mike rider.  any sugestions on maps also?  the pdf map i have found does not have distances.  makes you relise how easy quebec makes it for us snowmobilers.

I had the same issue. The ITS map shows distance if you scroll in closer. Some of the local trails you'll need a club map. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, Blueblood said:

well with the way things are going i have been looking into main.  im having trouble finding good info on putting saddlebag trips together.  is this just not common up there?  base hotel with daytrips seems easy to lay out.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our first trip up North in Maine. We had the same problem with putting together a bag trip. So far our plan is :

2 nights at 5 Lakes lodge in Millinocket

1 night at Hewes Brook Lodge

1 night at The Inn at Acadia 

1 night at Homestead Lodge

1 night 5 Lakes Lodge

Maybe this will help some. Any input is welcome.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Pipemaster said:

Our first trip up North in Maine. We had the same problem with putting together a bag trip. So far our plan is :

2 nights at 5 Lakes lodge in Millinocket

1 night at Hewes Brook Lodge

1 night at The Inn at Acadia 

1 night at Homestead Lodge

1 night 5 Lakes Lodge

Maybe this will help some. Any input is welcome.

 

You found some top notch places, many I never heard of and must be new since my days of riding that area. Very impressive looking lodges. You are now the official guide for Maine!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, mikerider said:

 

You found some top notch places, many I never heard of and must be new since my days of riding that area. Very impressive looking lodges. You are now the official guide for Maine!

I’ve been to 5 Lakes with the Wife a few times but never further North that Libby Camps . Just snooped around on the old intraweb and came up with this plan. We have a big group ( 8-10 guys ) so I like to make reservations early. We have done a January trip 20 plus years in Quebec with the same group of guys but I don’t see that happening this year. Let’s hope for cold and snow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Pipemaster said:

Our first trip up North in Maine. We had the same problem with putting together a bag trip. So far our plan is :

2 nights at 5 Lakes lodge in Millinocket

1 night at Hewes Brook Lodge

1 night at The Inn at Acadia 

1 night at Homestead Lodge

1 night 5 Lakes Lodge

Maybe this will help some. Any input is welcome.

Check out the Umcolcus sporting camps not far from the Homestead lodge. Jeff and his wife are great people! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Pipemaster said:

Our first trip up North in Maine. We had the same problem with putting together a bag trip. So far our plan is :

2 nights at 5 Lakes lodge in Millinocket

1 night at Hewes Brook Lodge

1 night at The Inn at Acadia 

1 night at Homestead Lodge

1 night 5 Lakes Lodge

Maybe this will help some. Any input is welcome.

Another choice in Millinocket is Twin pine camps at the NEOC. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks everyone for the additional info.  its making putting my first maine trip together much easier.   how far north would we normally have to go to ride after Christmas?  obviously it is not always the same, but my better half wants to book early for guaranteed rooms.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, yorkxf9000 said:

GPS trailmasters offers a good map of the snowmobile trails in Maine for your phone and gps. 

I’ll second that. Just ordered new version.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Christmas week can be sketchy on snow and grooming.  One town may be up and going but maybe not the next adjoining area. My best guess for early snow and some grooming might be Jackman or the Fort Kent area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...