The following are more detailed notes on the route of the Downeast 1000k written by ride leader/designer Anthony:
Riders will depart Montpelier in the pre-dawn hours, following US-2 East for 30 miles into St. Johnsbury. Riders may encounter a very short bit of road construction downtown. After passing through St. Johnsbury riders will follow several short, nice dirt roads before making their way back to US-2. The route then crosses the Connecticut River into New Hampshire & the location of the 1st control in Lancaster. This control, at a convenience store, will be staffed by a volunteer who will check-in riders & provide water. There are several other establishments, including a café in downtown Lancaster, for those riders looking for breakfast.
After leaving the 1st control the route travels North on US-3 before turning onto quiet NH-110. Riders will then climb over NH-110A to make their way to NH-16 & the Androscoggin River. NH-16 follows the Androscoggin River upstream to its headwaters near Errol, NH. Riders will likely want to stop at the convenience store/Subway in Errol to refuel prior to the next 40 mile leg, which has very limited services. This next stretch of road passes through a largely unpopulated, wooded region with lakes & rivers nearby. The profile of this section of the route is generally uphill as riders make their way to Rangeley, at an elevation of about 1500’. One final steep grade will need to be climbed before riders are greeted by a volunteer in Rangeley at the 2nd control, the Loony Bin Variety Store.
The route heads uphill for another 8 miles or so after leaving Rangeley before a long, well deserved descent takes riders into the town of Strong, ME. Riders will then make their way over small rollers to the town of Madison, on the banks of the Kennebec River. A stop at the 24 hour convenience store, just off the route, may be necessary for riders to refuel for the final 25 miles to the sleep stop. After passing through Norridgewock, riders will travel along a nicely paved road which soon turns to dirt for a short section. The dirt section of this road was in good shape for the pre-ride & was easily traveled, even in the dark. The road actually became a bit rougher once it became paved again. Riders will be greeted by several volunteers upon arriving at the sleep stop at Colby College in Waterville. Warm food, showers, drop bags & dorm rooms await riders after a long day of riding. There will be a place in the dining hall of the dorm building for riders to store their bikes so please don’t bring them into the dorm rooms.
After a few hours rest, riders will pass through Waterville & make their way over the Kennebec River on the Two Cent Bridge. This historic toll footbridge allowed workers easy access across the river to factories on the other side. Fortunately the tolls are gone & the bridge remains. At the early hour that riders will cross this bridge it’s unlikely any pedestrians will be present. But if there are any present please be sure to dismount & walk your bike past them, as the bridge is fairly narrow. The ride from Waterville to Bucksport features many short, steep rollers along quiet roads. Riders will then travel across the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, making their way to the control in Bucksport.
Riders will notice an abrupt increase in traffic volume as they make their way along US-1 North to Ellsworth. Fortunately a wide shoulder of about 8 feet will provide a buffer from the traffic. But the constant tourist & truck traffic will be noticeable compared to the quiet roads riders had been traveling on up until now. Riders will find several long climbs & descents along this section. The ride south from Ellsworth along ME-230 will likely have moderate traffic & limited shoulders. There were a few rough sections along this road as well so due care should be taken. Making their way onto Mount Desert Island, riders will travel along quieter roads before entering Acadia National Park. There is one short stretch of construction on Mount Desert Island, prior to entering Acadia, which will be mentioned on the revised cue sheet. Passing the Visitor Center, the last place to get water prior to climbing Cadillac Mountain, riders will then make their way up well paved Paradise Hill Road to the Cadillac Summit Road. Traffic may be heavy as you make your way up Cadillac Mountain, though pre-riders found that drivers were courteous & generally waited until it was safe to pass. Hopefully the weather will cooperate allowing riders to fully enjoy the views of Acadia & the ocean as they make their way up the mountain. The grade on the summit road was fairly consistent & never seemed too steep. Before long riders will reach the summit, the location of an information control.
After answering the question at the control, riders will make their back down the summit road. Caution should be exercised on the descent as traffic volume may be heavy & there are many hairpin turns along the way. The route then heads through Bar Harbor where riders may want to stop at a café for a lobster roll or something else for refueling before heading back inland. The return trip to Bucksport & on to Waterville follows nearly the same route as was taken on the way out in the morning. Riders will again likely find heavy traffic volume on US-1, then quieter, very hilly roads after passing through Bucksport. Riders will again cross the Two Cent Bridge making their way back to dinner, showers, their drop bags & the dorm rooms at Colby College.
Riders will want to bank as much time & energy as possible on the first two days to account for the challenging terrain on the third day. The first few miles after departing the college are not too difficult, but short, steep rollers will reappear along the route. After crossing the Androscoggin River riders will make their way up the first big climb of the day along ME-117. This 800’ climb features several false summits before riders make their way over the top & descend into South Paris, the location of the next control.
Riders will want to be prepared for the next section of the ride as several very steep hills await. The hills along Sodom Road are a warm up to the steep climbs on Sweden Road. This road features a long, steep stair-step climb, as well as what appears at first to be a vertical wall. Fortunately this is somewhat of an illusion due to the descending road just prior to the climb & the ascent isn’t quite as difficult as it first appears. The route mellows out as it travels through Lovell, Fryeburg & into Conway. Riders will want to refuel in Conway as there are no services along the Kancamagus Highway. Note: riders who have previously ridden the North Country 600k will be familiar with the majority of the final 100 miles of the route. The beginning miles of the Kancamagus Highway feature relatively gradual climbing, a somewhat welcome relief after the morning’s short, steep grades. Approaching Kancamagus Pass the climbing becomes steeper, but remains fairly consistent & so a good rhythm may be found. After cresting the top riders will enjoy a long, steady descent into Lincoln, the location of the next control.
Riders will want to be careful not to overindulge in Lincoln as yet another climb awaits them shortly after leaving town. The climb over Kinsman Notch isn’t nearly as long as the previous one over the Kancamagus & riders will soon begin their descent toward the Connecticut River. Several short rollers will interrupt this descent at times but the general trend of downhill will be a welcome relief after many hours of climbing. The route along this section features nice views of the Connecticut River Valley & the mountains of Vermont beyond. A continued descent will lead riders across the Connecticut River, back into Vermont to the location of the next control in Bradford.
A quiet climb along well paved VT-25 will take riders out of the Connecticut River Valley & closer to the final few miles of the ride. After turning onto US-302 the road steepens a bit as riders make their way over the Granite Hills. A nice descent follows & riders will pass the historic granite quarries in Barre before descending steeply. Riders may recall the 3 mile descent they enjoyed at the very beginning of the ride several days prior. Unfortunately they’ll need to climb the 450’ back up this hill over the last few miles of the ride. A very short descent over the last ½ mile of the ride will bring riders to the finish & a well-deserved congratulations for completing the ride!
In summary, this is a challenging, yet very rewarding ride. The terrain becomes more & more demanding as the days progress. The first day should be viewed as a warm-up to the climbing that awaits on day 2 & even more so on day 3. The climbing is rewarded with many nice descents & the views from the top of Cadillac Mountain & Kancamagus Pass are well worth the price of admission. I very much hope you’ll enjoy the ride as much as I did. I look forward to seeing you all at the start next week.