By Marty Basch

Nice job  Dave Kinsman.

Fryeburg's cycling advocate, Mountain Division Alliance chair, former owner of Downeast Bicycle Specialists and one-time groovy rock and roll drummer, is the driving force behind the Mountain Division Trail.

Without his dedication and persistence (and that from Fryeburg selectmen, Maine Department of Transportation, DOT bike-ped coordinator Dan Stewart, Southern Maine Regional Planning and others), there would still just be a train track paralleling Route 302.

That's changed.

Next to the Portland and Ogdensburg Railway is now a strip of black pavement that opens up a world of possibilities and imagination for area cyclists and visitors. It is a sorely needed and much appreciated ribbon of recreational opportunity in the Mount Washington Valley.

The 1.5-mile section of black pavement extends from the Maine Visitor Center to Porter Road with another 2.5-mile leg to Airport Road—perhaps with benches— scheduled to be built next summer.

Also, the town of Brownfield is applying to construct a four-mile section.  In all, the idea is to have the trail go the 52 miles from the Maine-New Hampshire border to Portland.

Parking is available at the Maine Visitor Center off U.S. Route 302, east of the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Maybe 12 feet at its widest, the trail attracts cyclists, walkers, joggers, in-line skaters, dog walkers (picking up after dogs is an absolute must!) and more. Last Sunday, what struck me the most was the number of young families out walking. There were also several young children on bikes, some with training wheels, an absolute delight to see.

The trail isn't officially opened yet. Landscaping, fencing and signage are being finalized. It's best to stay off it during the week.  An official grand opening is set for October 14 at 3 p.m.

The trail takes users along a back side of Fryeburg, closer to where the fair was once held and a busy train station once was active. There are hill views both ways—Starks Hill, a former ski area called Ski-W, to the east;  Oak Hill and another on the return to the visitor center—and Ward's Brook to pass by perhaps as a place to look for moose at dawn and dusk.

The trail is a place to ride unencumbered, without the specter of motorized traffic save where it crosses the road. As whenever cycling, rules apply and cyclists of all kinds must be aware of those who tread slowly. Courtesy's a good idea to practice.

Rail trails, as the name states, follow along a rail line, not always the most scenic part of a town. Hills and brook are lovely, but there is also the industrial section of town with its grayish underbelly. Nonetheless, the pathway is an absolute delight.

The trail rises slightly as it leaves the visitor center and ends somewhat abruptly until the next phase is complete but its length is somewhat magical. What if ice cream was sold or cold drinks? What if you rode it and then stopped into town for a bite to eat? How about using it as a way to get to and from the Fryeburg Fair.

For the seasoned cyclist, the trail might be just a segment of a longer ride say using the newly paved Haleytown Road and other freshly paved roads south of Route 302 in conjunction with New Hampshire backroads.  It certainly takes cyclists away from a narrow and crumbling 302 shoulder on the entrance into town from the New Hampshire side.

The beauty is the opportunities it presents for the casual or new cyclist.  They might still huff and puff along the way and find a three-mile round-trip something of a challenge. That's the thing. They now have a place to go and play without the rocks and roots of a mountain bike trail or motorized traffic concerns.

Plus, older pedestrians now have a place to walk without burden. Who knows, they might even become cyclists.

Valley cyclists have long ventured north to Quebec's Route Verte and west to Stowe, Vermont for slices of cycling heaven along bike paths, lanes and rail trails. Now the valley has its own small slice of nirvana. Take a spin on it and look for a large marker stone near the start with the letter "P" and number "50." That's means 50 miles to Portland. Imagine one day riding all the way there.