Nelson Farm Weekend - Formerly Thurston Park Weekend (Maine Gravel Series)
Albion, Maine
- Date
- Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 6:00 AM
- Location
- 233 Drake Hill Rd
Albion, Maine
04910
United States
OpenStreetMap Google Maps - Links
- bikereg.com
About this event
NOTE: For various reasons, we needed to re-schedule this year's event to July 11-12!
Brought to you by one of the knuckleheads behind the Fon Solo/Cider Cross weekend in October, this weekend of fun follows the same format with running and bike races on Saturday and a super fun gravel grind on Sunday!
Unlike last year, all events will be located on the Nelson Farm in Albion. This will make logistics easier for all!
On Saturday, we have the cyclocross/mtb races as well as the Last Man Standing style trail run:
Cyclocross/mtb:
-
One 40-minute race with separate CX and MTB categories if numbers allow
-
About a 1-mile course that sweeps through the woods and fields around the farm.
-
Bring any bike — gravel, mountain, cyclocross — whatever rolls!
-
Prizes TBD
Last-Person-Standing Style Trail Run:
-
Race format is an easier version of the Backyard Ultra
-
~1 mile loops on the same course
-
Time limit decreases by 1 minute per lap
(e.g., Lap 1 = 20 min, Lap 2 = 19 min, etc.)
-
Rest and refill between laps
-
Run till you can't make the cutoff!
-
You can expect 7–8 laps if you're at a 12-min/mile pace
-
It is highly recommended that fast runners bring lights for the last few laps!
-
Last year, the fastest runners made it down to the 6-minute mark!
-
Prizes: the payout between the winners purses and mid-race primes will be approximately 50% of registration fees.
For families thinking of coming to spectate on Saturday, there is an adjacent park that offers several miles of fun hiking/biking trails and there is access to a large pond for adventuring.
For our grand finale, we have put together a killer ride crossing through China, Palermo, Freedom and Albion Maine! This year will see a few route modifications that impact the beginning and end of the course. This will mean a bit less trail riding and a higher percentage of non-pavement on the route. The routes this year will be close to 70% non-pavement with several sections being closed to all the rest of the year, so this will be your only opportunity to ride the full route! The final routes are still tbd but it is looking like we'll have two route options, 28 miles and 48 miles. As a bonus, the route offers distant views of Mt. Washington in a few spots if the weather cooperates. An aid station will be located at approximately 16 miles for both routes.
There is camping available Saturday night at the event venue The camping is in an elevated field with views of the Presidential Range and Mount Washington if the weather allows. Camping is located steps away from the registration table and ride start.
The event will be rain or shine. If weather conditions force us to cancel, registrants will be able to defer to 2027 if requested before July 4, 2026. Otherwise, registration fees will be donated to the Schmid Preserve in Edgecomb.
Brought to you in part by our friends at Six Rivers NEMBA.