Maine series looking to add new riders

Monday, May 16, 2005

By JENN MENENDEZ
Correspondent

Prefer fat tires to thin ones? Well, the Maine Mountain Bike Series, with races from Camden to Biddeford to Carrabassett Valley, is looking for new competitors.

The series, founded in 1993, hit its heyday in the late 1990s, attracting more than 800 riders to some races. Ridership has dipped since then and organizers are attempting to draw in new riders. The first of eight races is May 29 in Biddeford.

"The people who come like our series a lot. It's kind of a down home series," said longtime racer Davis Carter, who owns Bath Cycle and Ski.

"It's not real glitzy. All the races are fairly small. We have a good chilli feed afterwards. People kind of like that personal touch."

Mary Longhofer, an R.N. from Scarborough, became more involved in organizing the event this year. She's raced in the series for four years.

"It's become a big part of my life. I'm 41 and still feel like I'm getting stronger. I love the challenge," Longhofer said. "It's fun, and good people. We have long winters in Maine. So coming out in the spring is great. You get to see people you haven't seen since fall. You see kids grow up."

Longhofer said the larger races on the circuit still attract more than 150 riders. The smaller ones, however, have dropped to around 50 or 60 competitors.

The series generally races in three levels: beginner, sport and expert. Junior races are also divided into those levels. This year a fourth category was started in order to attract newcomers: first timers. First timers can come to the race free of charge and take just one lap on the course. "There's people out there who want to do it but might be intimidated," Longhofer said. "They can do one lap. We want to get numbers up right now. It's fun, good people." Carter hopes the new category will be a welcoming sign for new riders. It's free. No muss, no fuss. No entry fee. No application for membership," he said. "We're just trying to get folks back into it."

Sport and expert riders race more than one loop. Most of the courses are narrow, woodsy trails, but terrain varies.

"Most are single track in the woods, one bike wide," Longhofer said. "Some are really technical in terms of rocky drops, logs, roots, you name it. That's what people love. It's what mountain biking in a lot of our minds really is -- in the woods being challenged."

The series kicks off May 29 with the Rotary Park Short-Track in Biddeford and ends Sept. 25 in Georgetown at Reid State Park. The series recently became affiliated with the Eastern Fat Tire Association -- a grassroots New England group that will sanction and insure all of its races.