Presque Isle is preparing now to host cycling enthusiasts from about 41 states and six countries as the BikeMaine bicycle tour rolls through Aroostook County just a few months from now.
The Bike Coalition of Maine (BCM) is a statewide advocacy group working to make Maine better for bicycling and walking. BikeMaine is BCM’s largest event and is a fully supported, seven-day cycling tour elevating bicycle tourism in Maine and introducing participants to a new area of the state each year.
BikeMaine was started in 2013 as a way to promote Maine as a bicycling destination and to use bicycling as an economic development tool for local economies.
For 2018, the event is coming to Aroostook with Presque Isle serving as the primary host community with the event starting and ending here. For the full route and more information on BikeMaine, please visit www.ride.bikemaine.org/bikemaine-2018.
Seventy five BikeMaine staff members will arrive in Presque Isle on Friday, Sept. 7, followed by 450 riders on the 8th. They will stay overnight and leave the next morning, returning to town on the 15th. Each day, the riders will enjoy a “leisurely” trek via bicycle to a new community in northern Maine, covering approximately 55 miles in the process.
Each host community along the route is tasked with providing activities, information and food, while keeping the riders safe.
It is estimated that this event will bring around $660,000 into The County’s economy as well as providing, in most cases, a first glimpse of our beautiful County to the participants.
In 2017, there were 400 participants from 41 states, provinces and countries.
Mike Chasse, city councilor and principal in Bike Board & Ski, will be serving as the “town coordinator.” Obviously, with an event this large, numerous committees are required to organize the event. All committees must be in place and actively at work by the beginning of April.
If you are interested in helping with this event and serving on the Volunteer Committee, please contact either Jamie Guerrette (694-1320, jguerrette@emhs.org) or Sherry Locke (764-5197, sherry@unitedwayaroostook.org).
If you are interested in helping with this event and serving on either the Activities or Information Committee, please contact Kim Smith at the City of Presque Isle at 760-2722 or ksmith@presqueisleme.us.
Please consider lending a hand to help the spirit of Presque Isle shine for these cyclists and their supporters.
Kimberly Smith is grant writer/public information officer for the city of Presque Isle. She can be reached at 760-2722 or via email at ksmith@presqueisleme.us.
