CAPITAL TO COAST EXPLORATION BIKE RIDE

Take a bike ride from Gardiner to Bath to explore and enjoy this amazing part of Maine

BATH, Maine -  Take part in a scenic bike ride on July 5th that explores the towns and landscapes from Gardiner to Bath.  This 38 mile ride starts at Gardiner's Waterfront Park and ends at Bath's Heritage Days celebration.

Check-in is from 8:15am to 8:45am at McMann Field in Bath.  Bikers will load their bikes and board the bus for Gardiner.  Bikers can also meet and check-in at Waterfront Park in Gardiner at 9:20am.  The ride will leave Gardiner at 9:30.

Both experienced and novice bikers are welcome.  The ride will include frequent stops to rest and regroup, and the expected pace is 10 to 12mph.  The route passes through the towns of Gardiner, Richmond, Bowdoinham, Topsham, Brunswick, West Bath and Bath.

The event is free if participants arrange their own transportation and $10 for participants who take the bus from Bath to Gardiner.  Please pre-register for the ride by June 27th.  Contact Ruth Indrick at rindrick@kennebecestuary.org or 207-442-8400 to register or check out more information about the ride at
http://merrymeetingtrail.org/events.html.

Along the ride, participants will enjoy scenic views of the rivers that flow into Merrymeeting Bay. Stops will be made at the town centers to allow riders to explore and enjoy what they have to offer (and find some tasty snacks to munch on during the ride). There will be a chance to learn about bike trails planned in the region, visit a local bakery, drop by a farmer's market, wander in to an art center, and stop for lunch. The ride ends in Bath in the midst of Bath Heritage Days celebrations. Enjoy an ice cream, stroll through the huge library book sale, check out arts and crafts, visit the carnival rides, or relax and listen to music in Waterfront Park.

This biking exploration passes through communities that are working to expand off-road multi-use trails to create a connected network that leads from Maine's Capital to the Kennebec Estuary.  Two new sections of trail are in the planning stages. The Merrymeeting Trail would create a path from Gardiner to Topsham, connecting the Kennebec River Rail Trail with the Androscoggin River Bicycle and Pedestrian Path in Brunswick.  The Androscoggin to the Kennebec Trail would pick up at the eastern end of the Androscoggin River Bicycle and Pedestrian Path and continue on to downtown Bath.  While the off-road routes are in progress, this ride gives people the chance to get out and enjoy the amazing Merrymeeting Bay region on the interim on-road routes.