Take part in a scenic bike ride on July 5 that explores the towns and landscapes from Gardiner to Bath. This 38-mile ride starts at Gardiner’s Waterfront Park and ends at Bath’s Heritage Days celebration.

Check-in is from 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at McMann Field in Bath. Bikers will load their bikes and board the bus for Gardiner. Bikers can also meet and check-in at Waterfront Park in Gardiner at 9:20 a.m. The group ride will leave Gardiner at 9:30 a.m.

Both experienced and novice bikers are welcome. The ride will include frequent stops to rest and regroup, and the expected pace is 10-12 mph. The route passes through the towns of Gardiner, Richmond, Bowdoinham, Topsham, Brunswick, West Bath and Bath.

The event is free if participants arrange their own transportation and $10 for participants who take the bus from Bath to Gardiner. Contact Ruth Indrick at rindrick@kennebecestuary.o rg or 442-8400 to register or check out more information about the ride at http://merrymeetingtrail.org/events.ht ml.

This biking exploration passes through communities that are working to expand off-road multi-use trails to create a connected network that leads from Maine’s Capital to the Kennebec Estuary. Two new sections of trail are in the planning stages. The Merrymeeting Trail would create a path from Gardiner to Topsham, connecting the Kennebec River Rail Trail with the Androscoggin River Bicycle and Pedestrian Path in Brunswick. The Androscoggin to the Kennebec Trail would pick up at the eastern end of the Androscoggin River Bicycle and Pedestrian Path and continue on to downtown Bath. While the off-road routes are in progress, this ride gives people the chance to get out and enjoy the amazing Merrymeeting Bay region on the interim on-road routes.