Expanded fat bike grooming + fat bike group ride 2/28

Get ready for this fun event to support GPNEMBA’s Gorham Winter Trail Grooming. Cruise through snowy trails on your fat bike, then warm up by the fire with friends. Bring a camp chair and your favorite beverages and post-ride snacks.

This event — taking place this Saturday, 2/28 starting at 3 PM from Gorham’s Weeks/Moody’s trailhead — is free to attend, but a $10 donation per person is recommended to help fund the care and maintenance of our trail grooming equipment (you can donate here).

Don’t miss out on this awesome winter adventure! It’s all about good vibes, fresh air, and backing a great cause.

RSVP here!

For years, GPNEMBA volunteers have groomed trails for fat bike riding (as well as snowshoeing and nordic skiing) in the Gorham area while supporting grooming efforts at Bradbury State Park. We’ve wanted to expand our grooming offerings, and are thrilled to announce that, in collaboration with our partners at the Town of Windham and Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, we have expanded our grooming efforts to Windham!

Leaders of our Falmouth/Windham Trail Crew were recently trained up on how to safely utilize the Snow Dog groomers to groom out fat bike trails, and GPNEMBA has invested in equipment so all three of these machines can be utilized for grooming across Greater Portland.

GPNEMBA has groomed out nearly 9 MILES of new fat bike trails that can be access from both the East Windham Conservation Area and Lowell Preserve/Windham firehouse trailheads off Falmouth Road. These routes include popular summer trails like #1/E Line as well as the new connector to Lowell Preserve. While it’s going to take us a few days to get things groomed out following this storm, this is the year to take advantage of riding a bike on snow! Big thanks to our partners at the Town and PRLT for supporting this expanded recreational offering.
 

In November, Biddeford voters approved a $6 million General Obligation Bond to fund improvements to the City’s recreation facilities. They are now soliciting community input on how this bond funding should be utilized. This is a great opportunity to drive Biddeford leaders to invest in the city’s trail system — especially at Clifford Park, long a home of old-school multi-use trails but which has the potential to deliver a much better experience (including for mountain biking). Standout bike racer and community leader Tira Deny has asked GPNEMBA members like you for support advocating for:

1.  Machine built trails for beginner and intermediate trail users for better safety and accessibility. Similar to Lavoie Pump Track with some easier single track close to main lot.
2. Designated easy outer loop trail. We have Black trail which should be super close to this. It needs to be renamed Green and truly turned into an easy outer loop trail for Users to be able to go to when they get lost or need help.

Overall, common theme is making the trails more accessible and better for users to navigate. Please take a minute to fill out the Biddeford survey and advocate for the trail improvements listed above!
 

One of the greatest gifts of mountain biking is the way in which it draws us together. Personally, as an adult, I find it keeps me connecting with and building new relationships that others without such an obsessive hobby find much more challenging to achieve in this more isolated, digital age. So when we hear of loss in this community, in which we’re so beautifully connected, it hits that much harder.

I’ll hand the rest of this post over to Tracy Cardelli, who posted the following in the 207 MTB Facebook group:

“I’m sharing terrible news at the request of family who are trying to navigate profound grief. Last week we tragically lost a friend and member of our 207 MTB bike community, Daniel Madison St. Peter (left in photo above), Toni St. Peter’s beloved son. He passed away from injuries suffered in an auto accident.

Daniel was a wonderful young man. If you met him you liked him, if you knew him, you loved him. He was both an advanced skier and mountain biker. An exciting ride was a guarantee when Daniel was there. You never knew what harrowing feat he was going to attempt. On a personal level, he was such a warm, sensitive, funny and kind man.

“Daniel Madison St. Peter passed away surrounded by love, leaving behind a legacy of devotion, strength, and quiet brilliance. He was a dedicated father, a beloved son, a cherished brother, a loving partner, and a gifted engineer whose mind and heart shaped the lives of everyone around him.

Above all, Daniel was a devoted father. His greatest pride and deepest joy was his daughter. He loved fiercely and wholeheartedly, embracing fatherhood with tenderness, protectiveness, and an unwavering commitment to being present. His love will forever guide and surround her.

Daniel shared a long-term partnership with Hannah Trudelle, the mother of their child, with whom he built a life rooted in love, faith, and family. Together they created a home filled with laughter, resilience, and shared dreams. Their bond was one of loyalty, growth, and enduring love.

As a son, Daniel was deeply loved and admired. He carried the values of his family with him—integrity, hard work, and compassion—and honored them in the way he lived his life. As a brother, he was steadfast and supportive, someone who could be counted on without hesitation.

Professionally, Daniel was a talented engineer whose intelligence and determination allowed him to solve problems others could not. He approached his work with precision, creativity, and pride. Those who worked alongside him respected not only his skill but his character.

Daniel will be remembered for his strength, his loyalty, his quick witted humor, and the way he made those he loved feel safe and valued. Though his time here was far too short, the impact of his love will live on in the hearts of his family and all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to an account established for Daniel’s daughter to support her future and ongoing needs.

Checks be written to Mila Madison St Peter
CCFCU
808 Roosevelt trail Windham ME 04062

Alternatively you can venmo Daniel’s sister, Brittany Robbins @Brittany-Robbins-24261. Please include Mila’s name in the notes.
For further information feel free to email Toni St Peter at blmnjr@yahoo.com.”