Mountain Bike! Maine, A Guide to the Classic Trails, by Sarah Hale and David Gibbs, Menasha Ridge Press, 374 pages, $15.95

Even with the tremendous amount of new snowfall in Aroostook County, everyone in my household has turned their attention to mountain biking -planning our spring and summer excursions, tearing apart, cleaning, and repairing components and inventorying gear.

Mountain Bike! Maine by Sarah Hale and David Gibbs is a guide we’ve had for several years. Although the book is well organized, includes a variety of trails, and offers a wide array of information in the preface and introduction, it does seem to have one major limitation – and that is simple, its age (1998).

The sport’s popularity is growing. This means more riders are on the lookout for new trails. It would be difficult for any trail guide to stay current given the sport’s increasing attention to trail design and construction within the state. Having said that, this guide could be an asset to new riders or riders unfamiliar with what Maine had to offer.

This book has several noteworthy sections. For example, the book’s preface discusses the significant geologic historical events that have most impacted Maine’s topography, flora and fauna, and special issues such as fording rivers, equestrian encounters, hunting season, bugs, and land-use controversy.

There are ride recommendations for families, novice, intermediate, and advanced riders, point-to-point and out-and-back rides, wildlife viewing, single-track, double-track, multi-day tours, and more.

Another noteworthy section is the glossary. It defines each of these terms for new riders. The introduction includes a review of the International Mountain Biking Association’s Rules of the Trail and the afterword discusses land use controversy and presents a code of behavior for mountain bikers from the National Off-Road Bicycle Association.

The guide describes 76 trails and is organized by location. There are chapters describing trails in southern Maine, western Maine mountains and lakes, Kennebec Valley, Midcoast Maine, Penobscot Valley, Down East Maine, and Aroostook County. Each trail is described according to its overall length in miles, configuration and shape, location, aerobic and technical difficulty (i.e., paved, unpaved, sand, single-track), condition, scenery, elevation change, land status, rescue index, hazards, services, and any other notes on the trail. It includes black-and-white pictures and maps for each destination.

As a County resident and a mountain biker, I’m always interested in how Northern Maine and specifically Aroostook County fare in such trail guide. I am usually disappointed. The only trails listed in the County are the rail trails.

The widely used trails behind the University of Maine at Presque Isle, Arnold Brook Lake, and Squa Pan Mountain are not mentioned. The single-track at Mantle Lake Park is absent, and the age of the book precludes the newly developed single-track at the Maine Winter Sports Center in Presque Isle from being included.

The Essex Woods, a popular single-track destination in the Bangor area, is also absent. While this trail guide is still useful, sometimes the best way to stay current on trail locations and development is to call local bike shops, hook up with local riders, attend mountain bike races and demos, and specifically ask about those kinds of trails you enjoy most.