'Did you see it?" asked Bob LeRoy. "See what?" I asked.

"Black bear. Saw him spin and then he was gone," said LeRoy, a backwoods veteran.

Though that black bear proved elusive to these eyes, there is vast opportunity for bear, moose, deer, hare and other wildlife sightings while pedaling a mountain bike in northern Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness region.

LeRoy knows the Greenville-area woods, having both owned and managed a couple of traditional Maine Sporting Camps now owned by the Appalachian Mountain Club. He's the AMC's land stewardship manager in the area and was one of three pedaling pioneers trying the new 17-mile Pleasant River Valley Bike Trail that runs between the club's Medawisla Wilderness Camps and Little Lyford Pond Camps. LeRoy was joined by club public relations coordinator Rob Burbank of North Conway and myself for a look at the route before it opens to the public perhaps as early as the end of June.

The route is part of the AMC's Maine Woods Initiative, which the club says is "an innovative approach to conservation that combines outdoor recreation, resource protection, sustainable forestry and community partnerships." The club bought the 37,000-acre Katahdin Iron Works property and is eyeing 28,000 acres called the Roach Pond tract. They've purchased a few camps and are putting together recreational opportunities in hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and now mountain biking.

Located some 28 miles from Greenville, the camp-to-camp spin starts from the serene shores of Second Roach Pond, Katahdin deep in the distance, and leads along logging roads to the simple pleasures of Little Lyford Pond Camps near Gulf Hagas. Cyclists will appreciate the hearty meals and showers before and after the ride. The ride utilizes existing logging roads through three landowners: Plum Creek timber company, land management company Prentice & Carlisle and the AMC.

The route runs along a deciduous forest of beech, birch and maple and was put together by LeRoy's sister-in-law, Shannon LeRoy, who along with her husband Larry - and Bob - owned Medawisla. Bob LeRoy once owned Little Lyford Pond Camps. Shannon is now the club's regional camps and projects manager. She too knows the area, pointing out birds and wildlife during the drive to Medawisla.

"We used to finish our chores at 2 p.m., take the jeep and see how lost we could get," she said with a smile.

Bicycling and logging roads have been anathema in the Maine Woods, with cyclists forbidden on miles of those golden roads of industry. But that is slowly changing as new landowners enter the picture.

Cycling the Pleasant River Valley is a moderate challenge. The remote forest is on display with chances of beauty and nature's dark side around every corner. During a mile-long climb, three vistas cut by logging looked out to a jewel of real estate: Big and Little Spencer Mountains, seven-mile-long First Roach Pond and North Inlet.

"If you have binoculars with you, it's worth scoping out moose in North Inlet feeding," said Bob LeRoy.

Road conditions varied from loose gravel to two-track. There's no singletrack along the spin. Overflow from beaver activity made for some wet and muddy patches, and the mosquitoes and black flies were hungry. Baker Mountain's ravines were gorgeous and cycling under tree canopies was a welcome treat. In season, there will be berrying, and bird watchers might catch sight of a red-eyed vireo, grouse or black-throated green warbler. Remote peaks like Gulf Hagas, No. 4 Mountain and Hay Mountain were part of the scenery.

A working forest means there is a chance of seeing logging trucks, and on this day, the lone evidence of woods work was an excavator.

But less than a mile into the ride, nature's cruelty lay by the road side. At the top of a hill, a bull moose was on its side, writhing and covered with flies. Still alive, it was obviously suffering. A quick spin back to Medawisla brought a couple of camp managers who would alert the Maine Warden Service. The moose was put out of its misery.

The wide logging roads undulated in the vast and wild woods. Hills were conquered, like pedaling up a side of Shaw Mountain. Cyclists could also enjoy their efforts during a two-mile downhill. The two-track was fun, crossing over small bridges that spanned rushing streams. Along the two-track was where Bob spotted the bear, the excitement during a section of quiet exploration.

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