The go anywhere anytime bike - touring Down East Maine

One of the things I love most about the Salsa Mukluk is its ability to go anywhere at anytime.  No other bike I have owned has offered me this kind of flexibility.  On each of the long distance expeditions and tours where I have traveled by Mukluk, I have been able to cover an incredibly diverse set of terrain. 

E and her purple Muk with Escalators ready to be studded

Locally, in Down East Maine, the story is no different.  On any given ride, I can cover road, dirt trails, bogs, mud flats, beaches and whatever else mother nature throws my way.  The fall weather has continued to be spectacular and yesterday was no different.  Hopping on the bikes we did a spectacular 20 mile loop along the bold coast, choosing dirt where we could, some remote beaches and a finishing ride in the dark (and I mean dark...).

The beautiful fall blueberry barrens

An old abandoned smoke house sits back in a protected cove

As the high pressure system moved in, the rain passed us by and the winds continued to pick up.  The setting sun this time of year is just spectacular giving you dramatic skylines and lighting up the rust colored blueberry barrens.   We turned around as the light began to fade, stopped in to visit friends -- like all good guests, we arrived carrying with us two bottles of JK Scrumpy's, tucked neatly in my Porcelain Rocket Booster pack, to share with John and Lisa.  The two are building a house right on the coast, on one of the most spectacular pieces of land I have ever seen. 

What a spot for their new home

Bikes, friends, food and drink, agh life is good. With the dark rapidly approaching it was time to head off.  My light had been destroyed by water, so with nothing more than flashing lights on the rear of my bike and a little camp headlamp, it was a race back to town. Heading out, while riding into a strong headwind, we were stoked that at least on the return leg, the wind would be at our back.  Alas, as all good travelers know, the wind gods constantly conspire against you, and tonight would be no different.  The front now passed, the winds had swung to the west and we had a full on slog at hand.

Fading light and the race back to town

This region of Maine is simply spectacular and difficult to describe with words alone.  The coastal roads offer up a visual feast for the eyes and an endless array of paths to explore.  While you could drive it in a car and get some sense of the beauty and complexity of the area, it really must be experienced on two wheels.  The ability to stop, detour, explore, smell, see, and breathe in the majesty of the region is the only way to truly immerse yourself in Down East Maine.

Fall is rapidly approaching

I love this time of year, it is so peaceful, colorful, and a wonderful time to take pictures. 

Combine cameras and bikes along with gravel roads, and you suddenly have the ability to get off the beaten path and explore the region at its finest.  This image was taken in the Moosehorn NWR while out riding my Salsa Ti Mukluk.  The Mukluk is the perfect mode of transportation for getting back into the woods along the rutted and often wet trail system of NE Maine.

This year I will be starting a set of photography workshops that are focused on using bikes as a means of accessing remote and pristine areas.  I am looking at doing one or two of these in Maine this October and possibly a third in Vermont.  If you are interested drop me a line. 

Simplicity

I went on a photo stroll yesterday looking for signs of spring.  Rolling through the back-roads on the Mukluk with just one camera and a single lens was a refreshing exercise in simplicity.  My weapon of choice, the D800E with a single fixed length lens, my manual focus Zeiss 50/2 Makro-Planar.  I have to say, that lens has become one of my favorite of all time. While there are times I wish for something wider, I find it almost perfect for the way I see the world.  When I needed to zoom, I simply walked closer or moved back.  Again, a lesson in simplicity.  

A bike, two wheels, a camera and one lens.

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Spring growth surrounds an old abandoned fishing boat.​

Portfolio Site In Transition

For the next couple of weeks, my portfolio site, www.glenncharles.pro will be unavailable as I transition to a new service. I have been a long time user of Live Books but it is now time to part ways.  Stay tuned for things to go live mid January.  In the meantime, be sure and browse the galleries from my image archive at: www.glenncharles.pro