Princeton, MA to Princeton, ME?

[Garandman]

(Cross posted with Advrider).

For the most serendipitous of reasons I'm planning a two or three day ride from Princeton, MA to Princeton, ME. Princeton MA is in central MA, Princeton ME is about 100 miles NE of Bangor or 50 miles N of Machias.

I could camp or stay at a hotel overnight, doesn't really matter.

Google maps sends me over to 95 and north, but I'd like to take a back-road scenic route. NH Rt114 is due N, then I could perhaps take 4 to 113 E through the lakes region, or follow the herd to 112.

But once I get E of the NH border I don't have much first-hand experience with roads in Maine: I drove to Millinocket and the farthest N I've ridden is Trenton.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[stoinkythepig]

Do you have a GPS you can use on your bike? I can't offer any help with Maine, but I can offer better routes than 114 and 113 through most of NH. I'd wend my way over to 153 in Farmington via back roads, then take 153 north to 113, and 113 all the way to route 2. I'm not sure what route 2 is like east of Bethel, but you may find some alternate routes up that way.

When are going? I could lead you from somewhere like Westford MA to Farmington NH on all back roads, many of them ridiculously fun, but darn near impossible to write directions for. I have vacation time to use up, my shoulder is almost better, and I'm jonesing for a ride.

[gixxer72]

Black Woods Road from Ellsworth to Cherryfield is an excellent road. Maine Scenic Byway with very few houses, tons of elevation changes and a variety of fast sweepers and slower, tight curves. I believe it is rte 181 or 182...
No need for 95 or Rte 1 once you get into Maine, if you know where you are entering Maine I could point you to some good roads to get you over to Princeton.

[Garandman]

Do you have a GPS you can use on your bike? I can't offer any help with Maine, but I can offer better routes than 114 and 113 through most of NH. I'd wend my way over to 153 in Farmington via back roads, then take 153 north to 113, and 113 all the way to route 2. I'm not sure what route 2 is like east of Bethel, but you may find some alternate routes up that way.

When are going? I could lead you from somewhere like Westford MA to Farmington NH on all back roads, many of them ridiculously fun, but darn near impossible to write directions for. I have vacation time to use up, my shoulder is almost better, and I'm jonesing for a ride.

I have a Garmin Zumo 660 with the MapSource software so I can create custom routes and upload them. I also have the DeLorme NH and ME Gazetteers. I'll look those up!

I'll probably go during the week of 7/21.

[stoinkythepig]

Plug these way points into your 660 and name them in a manner that lets you keep them in order:

538 Martins Pond Rd
Groton, MA 01450

42 Island Pond Rd
Groton, MA 01450

182 Pond St
Dunstable, MA 01827

28 Sullivan Rd
Hudson, NH 03051

30 E Nashua Rd
Windham, NH 03087

28 E Derry Rd
Chester, NH 03036

104 Chester Rd
Candia, NH 03034

299 Estes Rd
Rochester, NH 03867

274 New Hampshire 153
Middleton, NH 03887

Use the navigation avoidance options of highways and tolls, and calculate route by shortest distance then just navigate to the way points in the order listed. Once you are on 153 take it until your reach 113 north. Take 113 north to 2 east.

[stoinkythepig]

FYI, there's a short section of maintained dirt road in that route posted above. It's only about a mile long and the twisty bits on either end of it it make it worth it if dirt bothers you.

[Garandman]

Thanks, not a big concern. The Tiger has a high pipe. Thanks!

[SVRACER01]

FYI 153 is rough from farmington to wakefield.
i came up with this http://mapq.st/1zTOdFv thats a days ride
or this http://mapq.st/UiN9K6

if youre feeling really adventurous, theres some dirt in this one http://mapq.st/1nWwrwj