2022 FARM Gravel Ride series
A once a month 40-60 mile organized gravel ride in different regions of Northern Maine. Region 1 Fort Kent/New Canada/ St. John Valley. Depart New Canada community center route 161, FARM ride loop. 60/30 mile options Region 2 Van Buren/ Long Lake/Madawaska/St. John Valley. Option 1; Depart Long lake VB cove Rossignol camp East side-VB lake road turn R on ATV trail to Haunted forest-Masse road to VB- Dump road to Parent [...]
10th year anniversary of our last ride with James Grandmaison September 26, 2008—- September 26, 2018
This past September several friends and I went back to Tuscany, Siena and Chianti to be specific to not only enjoy the fine wine, food and cycling but to honor and remember our friend James Grandmaison who passed away while riding in Tuscany on the road to Castellina in Chianti on September 26, 2008. Going back to the exact location (Vico Alto) just outside of Siena brought back a flood of [...]
Mark, Brian and Bouey do the Vermont Overland 2018
My brother Brian has been after me for several years to do this gravel ride in Vermont, the "Vermont Overland". It has become so popular that within 1 hour on January 1st it is completely sold out, 700 registrants! Brian has told me multiple times that this ride/race is perhaps one of the best and premier events in the country, 43 miles with 6000' of climbing, that more than meets his criteria for a "good [...]
Lessons learned on the Road Less Traveled by Noah Rossignol
One of the most important moments in my life was my first bike ride on "the fake-speed." The so called "fake-speed" was an old road bike, with Litespeed decals despite not actually being a Litespeed, that had been sitting outside unused for many years. One day I pulled it out of its resting spot, greased the chain and gears, pumped up the tires and went for a little ride. I had never rode a road [...]
Thoughts on Gravel Grinds and “The FARM ride”
Matt Michaud and I have been doing gravel rides (that is riding your road bike on surfaces other than tarmac, pavement or city streets) for at least 12-14 years. I remember it vividly in those early years, we'd plan for an all pavement ride and then invariably and unexpectedly we would encounter a section or sections of rough gravely roads. I can still hear myself tell Matt that we were officially now part of the [...]
European-style randonnee coming to Maine
By Julia Bayly, BDN Staff Published Bangor Daily News April 13, 2011 Online Article Link Caribou-based Fresh Trails Adventures is planning a bicycle ride from Fort Kent to Lac Temiscouata, Quebec, on Saturday, May 14, and hopes to introduce the randonnee to cyclists in northern Maine with its first FARM — French Acadian Randonnee of Maine — ride. Popular in Europe, the randonnee tradition is not a race. Rather, it’s classic cycling within an organized group [...]