Fall riding in Northern New England

[FromMaine]

This is just an FYI for anyone thinking of riding up to northern New England for the Fall foliage.

 

Sept. and October is the Moose rutting season, and they are on the move. A full grown male can be 7 feet at the shoulder and weigh up to 1700 pounds. Many of our back roads here in Maine are not cut back very much, if at all, meaning a Moose can be on you pretty darn quick. Unlike a deer or bear, where at dusk you might catch a reflection in their eyes, a Moose is so tall that a motorcycle or cars headlights won't illuminate their eyes. Also, unlike Canada, Maine does not have game fences, so you can see these guys on a major highway, thought the cutbacks are generally wider so you stand a chance of at least seeing them. Just because you don't see a sign doesn't mean there are no Moose around, Mainers are cheap, if there are only a few collisions a year, there won't be a sign, but if you see one of the ones pictured, take heed. Just to give you an idea, I took this pic of my bike next to a  replica of a fully grown Moose. Also. if your bike does not have auxiliary lighting, you may want to consider adding some. I added these lights when I bought the bike. I've set them up so I can angle them out 10-15 degrees and up about the same. They are no guarantee, but are helpful if I get caught at dusk or dark on the bike.

 

If you do come up, you are seeing New England at it best, hope you enjoy your ride.