# Maine Wilderness



## tomcat (May 14, 2012)

5.13.12 Quimby Land, AMC Land
Since Roxanne Quimby bought 30 thousand some odd acres north of Sebec Lake and south of Katahdin Iron Works road, it left miles of old logging road teeming with wildlife, views, and lots of mt bike options.  The trick is knowing where the roads go since even a Delorme map is hard to follow and does not contain all the roads leading to confusion.  I know people that explored the area for year and get good ideas for rides.
I started in the sleepy little dot on the map, Barnard Maine just a few miles north of Sebec lake where the Quimby gate starts.  I rode in about 7.5 miles where I hit a prominant T and turn left for 2 or so miles.  A older logging road marked by the first stream w/o a bridge is where I turn off.  Less than a mile in I found a beautiful moose Antler shed.  I looked for its mate for a short while before continueing. I carried it strapped to my camelbak for 29 miles.  This road ends at an old derelict camp ready to fall over.  This is where it got tricky. I was too follow an overgrown ATV trail to the next road.  Well I chose the most visible of 3 possible routes and after 1/3 mile I came out on next logging road about 11 miles in.  A couple more right turns I ultimately came upon AMC land before ending up at the Katahdin Iron Works Road near the gate. A bear ran out and ran down the logging road a 1/4 mile or so before turning back into woods.  My first bear sighting in almost 4 yrs. This was about 15 miles into it.  miles 17-21 featured rain of various hardness.  Chilly rain as I don't think temp made it too 55. From the KI road, I turned down a snowmobile/atv trail that follows Pleasant River. A nice path albeit muddy at times overlooking the river. I was on this for no more than 5 miles and hit Houston Stream which was my landmark for my next turn.  I was back on Quimby land at mile 27 with a four hundred foot gradual climb that ultimately brought me back to the first T and the final 7.5 miles too my car  It would rain on and off at this point to the end.  At mile 35 too top off the day Mr Moose decided to show up along the trail.  Just for the hell of it a turkey crossed the trail a little further.  All said and done I rode 38.08 miles in 3hr 48 min.  I think this is my longest 100% off pavement mt bike ride ever.  An awesome lollipop loop with some beautiful view in the 100 Mile wilderness looking at the peaks of the Barren Chairback Range and White Cap Range and many ponds and peaks around. A bear a moose, my first moose antler shed, What else could there be and I didn't see a single soul the entire ride.


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## bvibert (May 15, 2012)

Sounds like one heck of a ride!


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## tomcat (May 15, 2012)

It's not the most technical ride but it sure is fun and has a wilderness feel.


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