Bicycling around Pierce / Carry Ponds (Maine) area?

[Tramper Al]

Hey,

I am working on logistics for my next ME AT section, from East Flagstaff Road to Caratunk. To close the loop, I am planning to bicycle down Rt. 102 to Bingham, across the Kennebec, then over via the logging roads past Pierce Pond, the Carry Ponds, and out to Long Falls Dam Road and AT at the SE corner of Flagstaff Lake.

Obviously, gates and the occasional washout are not a problem for me on my mountain bike. However, I know that on some of the more isolated Maine logging roads, bicycles are specifically prohibited. Does anyone know of any such prohibition in the Pierce / Carry Ponds area? I think it's about a 90 mile trip on a $90 shuttle without this shortcut approach.

Thanks in advance,

 

[Papa Bear]

Al

I think you want to stay well south of Pierce Pond. The ATC map (#5 - Kennebec to Hyway 27) shows a road off of the Pierce Pond road which goes west above East Carry Pond then right around the tip of West Carry Pond and then down into Long Falls Dam Road. Much shorter. It's a little hard to figure which roads in Delorme they are. DeLorme has lots of roads and it's hard to tell which are major and which are not.

The ATC map has "Main Logging Road" where it leaves the Pierce Pond road, and then "Private Road (Gated)" where there is a left turn towards West Carry Pond.

On deLorme the first left looks to be the road above "North Branch" and the second left is just before the road you're on which says says "Carrying Place Road" (which you turn off of). Compare the two maps and you'll see.

Of course the reason they would ban bicycles is that logging trucks would squash you like an ant without even noticing. You wouldn't have a problem with that, would you?

Regards
Pb

 

[Tramper Al]

Yes

Hey Pb,

That sounds right. I don't have my map, but I think I start out from Bingham toward Pierce Pond, but turn left toward the Carry Ponds on my way in.

I have this notion that while biking, I can usually hear trucks approaching pretty well. Maybe I should aim for a weekend too. Thanks for your concern!

 

[Jay H]

Hey Tramper Al (nice avatar, BTW ), when I biked to New Brunswick from NJ, I could easily hear the logging trucks through Maine... I'd actually try to catch a draft off of them. Of course, I had a bike mirror with me so I could purposely keep an eye on them. Tons of them heading west on Route 6 from Danforth towards Lincoln, and like us, they get up early too!

Good luck from a fellow crazy cyclist.

Jay

 

[Mad Townie]

Tramper Al, I was on some of those roads a couple days ago (Report in Trail Conditions). If my Camry could handle it . . . well, ALMOST handle it . . . you'll have no trouble on your bike. Seriously, the road bed is good and solid, even after heavy rains Saturday. I don't know how much active logging is going on in that area right now; there is some, because we saw a couple skidders parked on the roadside and some fairly new tote roads. Still, as you said, you should be able to hear the big trucks. Now the pickups and Explorers, that's another issue.

In all seriousness, you can rely on the Delorme and you'll have no problems with the double dashed line roads at least.

 

[Fitz]

Don't know for sure...

but I don't think you'll run into the no bike restriction that is in place in the North Maine Woods. They enforce that rule at the gated checkpoints.

I don't know of any manned checkpoints, fees, etc in the Pierce Pond area, so you are probably on your own.

 

[g o]

tramper al,

if you don't want to do the bike ride, send me a pm and i'll help you out with a shuttle. i live just about in the middle between caratunk and east flagstaff rd. if i can't help maybe one of my friends in the forks can give you a ride.

go

 

[Nadine]

You can drive on ungated roads to within 200 feet of Middle Carry Pond. I just completed this section last week. The road is easily passable in a car. The Delorme atlas and AT maps depict the roads accurately.

Nadine

 

[Mad Townie]

Well, I guess I have to post an update to my earlier comments about the passability of the roads by Toyota car. My note was posted before I got the $450 bill for the busted front pipe. That'll teach me to drive on those roads with 4 people in a road-hugger!!!