My husband and I were looking for a fun way to "leaf peep," since the Common Ground Fair was cancelled this year due to the coronavirus precautions. I saw an article about RailCycling, and we thought we'd give it a try. We were not disappointed!
So what are RailCycles? Think of a tandem recumbent bike, that runs on train tracks. We started at a historic train station in Unity (unfortunately, we were there too early to partake of the ice cream shop that was housed in one of the buildings, but we did browse a soap shop). Check out the tiny museum, which doubles as a rudimentary gift shop. We then sat down on our Cycle. They are somewhat adjustable for height, but not completely. I'm short (5' tall), and the closest I could get to the pedals had me reaching, because of the placement of the brake cable. When I tried one of the others, the closer setting was too close (maybe sized for a child). My seat also seeped water (though it hadn't rained for days), and I ended up with a very wet butt. The seats also aren't very wide, so take that into account.
Once we got started, it was a lot of fun - one major roadway across which Logan stopped traffic so we could cross, followed by a stretch of track that traversed the woods with their beautiful fall colors, then hugged past Unity Pond, through a swampy area (where we were treated to three lovely herons flying past), and across a railroad bridge before stopping to turn around and head back. All the while we pedaled steadily, getting exercise as well as a fun ride through the woods.
When we did reach that halfway point, I was disappointed - it all goes by so quickly! The entire trip takes an hour or so. It's not a difficult pedal, though there are some slight grades (remember, these are train tracks, and trains don't do well going up and down hills). I think that if the group (there were five couples, including us) were having trouble keeping up, our guide would have slowed down to accommodate us. But if you're looking for a strenuous workout, you won't find it here. We enjoyed the ride, spent some time together laughing, talking and taking in the scenery - great activity for a beautiful autumn day in Maine. Longer would have been better for us, but Logan did say that a longer ride is planned for October! read more