Sharon Miller enjoys fat-tire biking.
People are encouraged to get outside this weekend to enjoy some wintry fun with Midcoast Conservancy. Two events are scheduled as part of the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend: a Winter Skills Day in Liberty on Friday, Feb. 3, and a Fat Bike Demo Day at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson on Sunday, Feb. 5.
Midcoast Conservancy and Maine Sport Outfitters are partnering to offer the Winter Skills Day, a unique opportunity to discover new ways to be outside in the cold months. After meeting up at the Walker School in Liberty at 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, participants will learn to build a winter campsite, and will be introduced to several different shelter options, from building a quinzee to sleeping under a tarp shelter to learning what a bivy sack is. The group will even set up a winter camp kitchen, along with a fire pit and snow benches from which to enjoy hot cocoa. After the warm-up, Walker School principal Glen Widmer will lead a snowshoe hike up Haystack Mountain. The day will wrap up at 5 p.m.
On Feb. 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a fleet of fat bikes from Bath Cycle & Ski will be on hand at Hidden Valley Nature Center, located at 131 Egypt Road in Jefferson, for riders to take out on the trails. Experienced riders will offer instruction to novices; all riders are asked to bring a helmet if they have one. With nearly 30 miles of trails at HVNC, riders will be able to find just the right route for their level of experience. A bonfire will be blazing all day, so attendees should bring lunch and beverages to enjoy around the fire between rides.
The Great Maine Outdoor Weekend is a series of events led by outdoor-oriented organizations and companies to celebrate the how, where, and what of being active outside in Maine. The goal is to connect friends and neighbors with the natural world, to promote fun, physical activity, and good health. For more information about the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend, go to greatmaineoutdoorweekend.org. For more information about and/or to register for either event, go to midcoastconservancy.org or call 389-5150.
