2020 Acadia National Park Bicycle Tour

BIKEternity

Description
Itinerary
Phone Reservations

September 11-18

Feed your body and adventurous spirit with a week of cycling across exquisite coastal beauty, practicing yoga in local seaside studios, and indulging in the best seafood Maine has to offer. Explore by bicycle the natural and elegant wonders of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. We’ll glide along smooth pavement that winds past pink granite seaside cliffs and on the carefully graded carriage roads which follow the natural terrain, all the while enjoying the breathtaking views within the Park. Acadia National Park was designed in 1916 by John D Rockefeller as a sanctuary for the leisurely appreciation of natural beauty at the speed of horse-drawn cart—which happens to be perfect for bicycle speed! We will traverse the Park’s forested interior and circumnavigate the island’s rugged coast. We’ll be taught yoga from some of Downeast’s finest teachers, stay in charming waterfront hotels, and even have a two-hour boat cruise through Blue Hill Bay so we can visit the quieter parts of this Downeast jewel, touring Deer Isle before we follow the Penobscot River back to our starting point. It will be a week of invigoration, relaxation, good meals, and great times.

What to Expect:

This is a fully supported tour with indoor accommodations ranging from hotels to a rented farmhouse, meals in local establishments as well as some private catering, on-route SAG, and luggage transportation. The weather will be pleasantly brisk, and the famously brilliant New England fall foliage will be nearing its dazzling peak! We will traverse smooth pavement as well as hard packed dirt ideal for cycling, with only minor gains in elevation. Daily mileages range from 18-42 miles with some days having options for more. Bike rentals are available. Temperatures will range from the 40s at night to the upper 60s during the day, with a high chance of clear sunny skies.

Highlights:

-45 miles of pristine car-less carriage road which link the highlights within Acadia National Park to a seamless day’s bike ride

-Tea and popovers at the historic Jordan Pond House

-Daily yoga classes taught by a variety of esteemed local teachers

-A visit to the lesser-known gems of Downeast Maine including the Schoodic Peninsula and Deer Isle, where you’ll enjoy the local art, food, and culture of these quaint Atlantic fishing communities

-An authentic Shore Dinner specially prepared for us in a farmhouse kitchen— lobster with all the trimmings

-A delightful cruise through Blue Hill Bay on a chartered lobster boat ferry.

-The unparalleled splendor of New England fall foliage

What’s Included:

-Welcome reception and orientation

-7 nights in hotels and one night in an Airbnb farmhouse

-All gratuities at hotels and restaurants

-19 meals--6 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners from fine-dining to home-cooked

-Snacks and beverages between meals

-5 yoga classes

-Two ferry rides include all taxes and fees

-All park and other entry fees

-Full van and baggage support

-2 BIKEternity trip leaders

-Daily route directions and maps, including GPX files for your GPS or phone app

-Transportation Shuttle to start line

Not Included

-Airport transfers

-Insurance of any kind

-Optional guide gratuities

-Alcoholic beverages

-Items of a personal nature

-Bike Rentals
Day 1: Orientation in Bar Harbor 3pm

Day 2: Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park Carriage Trails

Miles: 18 miles or 45 miles

Terrain: Hard pack gravel roads inside the park, smooth pavement to and from the park.

We’ll begin our morning with a walk to Destination Health for some gentle yoga; this will get our bodies off to a great start for the day’s riding. From there we’ll cycle into Acadia National Park.

One of Acadia’s unique and prominent features is its network of over 45 miles of carriage roads built by millionaire philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. between 1913 and 1940. Henry Ford’s motor car was gaining popularity at this time, and Rockefeller created this sanctuary for the pleasures of horse and carriage riding. As such they are full, evenly graded, and designed for the best scenic viewing of the park’s splendor. They’re also perfect for bike riding. We’ll spend the day in the park sightseeing gorgeous granite formations and lakes, taking in the history of this extraordinary place, and experiencing the tradition of tea and popovers at the Iconic Jordan Pond House. We finish off the day with yoga at Destination Health.

Day 3: The Schoodic Peninsula

Miles: 42 or 52 miles +2,770 ft / -2,751 ft

Transfer: 10-mile ferry ride to Winter Harbor

Terrain: Smooth pavement, backroads, and shoulders along larger roads

Starting our morning again with yoga at Destination Health, we’ll take a ferry across Frenchman’s Bay to the Schoodic Peninsula, the lesser known and quieter side of Acadia National Park. We’ll have a choice to circumnavigate the peninsula’s cliff-faced coast, or turn West and take in the views of Mount Desert Island from the North. At the end of our day on the bikes, we head back towards Bar Harbor and our luxurious accommodations at the Bar Harbor Inn.

Day 4: Bar Harbor to Southwest Harbor

Miles: 31.3 miles · +2,062 ft / -2,074 ft

Terrain: Smooth pavement, much of it one-way.

Today we’ll depart right after breakfast to ride the Park Loop Road, an impeccably smooth one-way blacktop land that winds along Mount Desert’s granite coastline. There are many opportunities to explore the beaches and tide pools along the way. We’ll end our day in Southwest Harbor and rejuvenate our riding muscles with a yoga class at Acadia Yurts, a sweet off-grid wellness center in the woods that has a flotation tank as well!

Day 5: Southwest Harbor to Sedgewick, Deer Isle Loop

Miles: Options up to 50 miles · +3,430 ft / -3,398 ft

Terrain: Chip seal pavement.

Today begins with a 2 hr cruise (including tea and snacks) on the retrofitted chartered lobster boat ferry The Elizabeth T. Our watery route takes us past the Bass Harbor Lighthouse and the islands ofBlue Hill Bay to Brooklyn on the Blue Hill Peninsula. We then have the option to cross the bridge and circumnavigate Deer Isle or head straight to our rented farmhouse for the night. Here we’ll enjoy yoga on the lawn and a traditional Lobster Shore Dinner prepared by your guide Kalyana’s very own chef father.

Day 6: Sedgewick to Orland through Castine

Miles: 38.6 miles · +2,428 ft / -2,422 ft

We’ll head out and hug the Bagaduce Riverbank as we travel North, passing through the quaint and briny fishing town of Castine for lunch on our way to Orland on the Penobscot River. We’ll have afternoon yoga and can choose to watch the sunset from an observatory perched 450 feet atop the Penobscot Narrows Bridge.

Day 7: Return to Bangor

Miles: 21 miles · +1,126 ft / -1,186 ft

We’ll continue to hug the Penobscot River as we range north back towards Bangor where we will experience our last day of yoga together and celebrate our memorable week with a celebratory dinner. Your overnight hotel is included and departs for home the next day.
Call 860-428-9301 to reserve this trip over the phone

Monday-Friday, 9 AM to 3 PM Mountain Standard Time