Eastern Trail
News

August 2004 EASTERN TRAIL NEWS

In this ETA news summary :
Eleven Towns & ET Alliance each vote $5K to fund ET Management District
Scarborough Marsh Trail Update
Land for Maine's Future (LMF) Alert - Tuesday August 17, 2004
Maine’s New ATV Laws to Take Effect end of August
Sunday, September 12 - Two ET Rides for Everyone, starting in South Berwick 
ET East Coast Greenway 17-19 September Weekend
Saturday September 18: Eastern Trail-a-Thon 8-Lighthouse Fundraising Ride
Sunday September 19 Ride ET with ECG from Saco River to Wells
Missing or confusing On-Road ET signs?
October 15 - Maine Trails Conference Early Heads Up
Share the road with cars (From ETA’s e-mail)
September 13, Monday - ETA regular monthly Meeting, 7 PM
Help Create the ET, Join ETA 

Eleven Towns & ET Alliance each vote $5K to fund ET Management District - With steadfast resolve Kittery, Eliot, South Berwick, Wells, Kennebunk, Arundel, Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough and South Portland municipal governments and the Alliance each voted $5,000 for 2005 to fund and administer the historic Eastern Trail Management District. If the November tax cap passes, ET funding for 2006 could become interesting.

Scarborough Marsh Update - When we visited the marsh Saturday, CPM Constructor were hard at work,and the Dunstan River ET bridge was partially assembled. Trail surface, where complete, is as smooth as a pool table.

ETA Vice President Pam Partow recently pledged funds to provide marsh kiosks in memory of her dad and mom, Kenneth and Jessie Chace who anonymously donated more than one-half the $120,000 local match to allow marsh trail construction.

Join the 8-Lighthouse Ride to cross the bridge on 18 September. (See below.)

Land for Maine's Future (LMF) Alert - Tuesday August 17, 2004 at 1:00 PM State House Room #228 - The Legislature's Appropriations Committee will meet tomorrow at 1:00 in Room #228 of the State House to consider the latest proposal from the Governor for a bond package. The largest item in the package is $20 million for the Land for Maine's Future program. As you may know, the LMF program has exhausted its funds. Without another bond question approved, it can no longer support land conservation efforts in the state. A strong show of support for the program is critical. Please consider attending tomorrow's meeting. 

Maine’s New ATV Laws to Take Effect end of August - Thanks to Governor Baldacci, responsible ATV owners, and a grassroots effort Maine enacted new ATV laws to encourage ATV club formation and to provide severe penalties for renegade ATV operation. Sanford’s Sno-Goes Snowmobile Club, Representative Landry of Sanford, and hundreds of others worked to develop and pass this new law. The law should please Eastern RR corridor abutters who report groups of 30 ATVs at-a-time racing passed their homes. FMI see http://www.state.me.us/ifw/rv/atvlaws2004.htm

Sunday, September 12 - Two ET Rides for Everyone, starting in South Berwick 

#1 - On Road Eastern Trail Ride - Starting from Vaughan Woods State Park, S. Berwick, 9:00 AM Sharp. Ride Length 35-40 miles, recreational, 17-18 mph pace. Helmets required. For more information: Send e-mail to trip leader & Management District Trustee Terrence Parker.

#2 -  10-Mile Family On-Road ET Ride - Meet at South Berwick Town Hall to depart at 10 AM for a ten-mile easy-paced, ET On-Road loop ride. Helmets required. Contact trip leader & Alliance Trustee Kevin Dawson or call 748-1152.

ET East Coast Greenway 17-19 September Weekend

Saturday September 18: Eastern Trail-a-Thon 8-Lighthouse Fundraising Ride - Spectacular Maine Coastline; five beaches, 22 to 40 miles (40 mile option included ride across Scarborough Marsh on the new ET bridge.) Self-guided recreational ride, snack and rest station breaks, bib numbers, maps provided. Start and end at Bug Light Park. 8:30 registration for a 9:00 am start. For more details and to register on-line see http://www.easterntrail.org/lthouse04.html.

Sunday September 19 Ride ET with ECG from Saco River to Wells - East Coast Greenway riders invite you to bring a picnic and join then about noon on the banks of the Saco River in Biddeford as they break for lunch. Then join the riders to bike to Wells on the On-Road ET as they continue their adventure to Key West.

For other ET Calendar Events, see http://www.easterntrail.org/calendar.html

Missing or confusing On-Road ET signs? - The Management District now has a supply of replacement On-Road ET signs. ETA collects user input for the Management District. If you notice missing or damaged ET signs, please report them to ETA@EasternTrail.Org.

October 15 - Maine Trails Conference Early Heads Up - The second State-wide Maine Trails Conference will be held at the Owls Head Transportation Museum, in Owls Head on Friday October 15, 2004. The conference is sponsored by the Maine Bureau of Parks & Land’s Maine Trails Advisory Committee in cooperation with organizations throughout the state. Educational sessions and workshops on current trail issues are planned. The first conference was fantastic. Save the date; more information coming.

Share the road with cars (From ETA’s e-mail)

To the person in charge: I would like to commend you and your group on what seems to be a very nice route for bicyclists to enjoy. We see many going by the house. I however, would like to mention a safety concern. It has to do with some cyclist riding in groups. Every so often while driving, we come across groups of cyclist riding 2,3,4 wide going down the road. For me, this is uncalled for and very dangerous. The back roads here in Berwick and in Wells are narrow. I will use my horn to let them know that I am coming up behind them. Some will realize that there is a car coming and move into a single file line. Some for whatever reason seem to think riding in the middle of the road is o.k.. Well, we know its not. Sooner or later, someone will get hurt because of this behavior, blame it on everyone else except themselves; and ruin it for everyone else. The roads are narrow and twisty. We don't want anyone hurt. Please, notify the riders that riding in the road and on the side of the road are two different things. One is acceptable and one is not.

Thank you.   Regards, Tim Stevens

September 13, Monday - ETA regular monthly Meeting, 7 PM

ETA meetings are now being held in the Saco Armory.

Directions: Take Maine Turnpike Saco exit. Turn RIGHT immediately after the toll plaza. At the end of the ramp, turn LEFT at the light onto Industrial Park Road. At the next light turn LEFT onto Rt. 112 toward downtown Saco. In ¼ mile turn RIGHT onto Franklin St.(just beyond the playground.) In ¼ mile the Armory is on your LEFT. It’s the 2nd Army building, NOT the Army Reserve facility. Entrance on the right side.

Help Create the ET, Join ETA - Click here to complete the certified-secure membership application. Enjoy the newsletter and Alliance outings. Your membership can make a difference. If there are no ETA members, there will be no ET. 

“Trails consolidate and connect communities, rather than encourage them to expand and fragment.” - David Burwell, founding president, Rails to Tails Conservancy

A highway takes your car to the country, a greenway your mind. 
- Charles Little

Call us (207.284.9260) or e-mail the ETA office