Tyler Krupa of Londonderry, NH, rides his mountain bike down the first stage of the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup Box Showdown Sept. 12 at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley. The Bigelow Mountain range is in the background.

Over 400 mountain bikers came to Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley to compete on Sept. 12 during the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup Box Showdown. Ten miles of trails have been built over the summer on the mountain.

Sarah Woodcock Reynolds of Farmington takes the handoff from her husband, Matt, during the 12 Hours of Bradbury mountain bike race Sept. 18 in Pownal. The Reynolds competed on a four-person team for the relay style race that started at 8 a.m. and ended after 8 p.m.

Frank Jalbert, left, of Lewiston and Dan Lachapelle of Auburn work on the Signature mountain bike trail on Sept. 27 at Mt. Apatite in Auburn. A one-mile expansion to the trail will be built next summer.

Rob Galloway leaves the start line on the third stage of the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup Box Showdown Sept. 12 at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley.

Nora Condit of Auburn is covered in mud after finishing the Bond Brook Tread Fest mountain bike race on Sept. 26 in Augusta. Three to four inches of rain fell on the trail system the night before the race. Condit, 14, is a freshman at Edward Little High School. The Tread Fest was her first mountain bike race.

Olympian Adam Craig speaks to the hundreds of mountain bikers who came to Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley Sept. 12 to compete during the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup Box Showdown. Craig competed in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics for mountain biking. He and volunteer trail builders have built ten miles of trails on the mountain this summer.

Chesley Will of Falmouth rides his mountain bike down the first stage of the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup Box Showdown Sept. 12 at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley.

Eli Webster rides his mountain bike down the first stage of the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup Box Showdown Sept. 12 at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley.

Racers all give race director, Chris Riley, the middle finger at the start of the Bond Brook Tread Fest mountain bike race on Sept. 26 in Augusta. Riley, an avid supporter of community driven events, trail building and gatherings, organizes the annual race each year to raise funds to build more trails. This year's Tread Fest was postponed in June because of a browntail moth infestation and moved to Sept. 26, the day after 3-4 inches of rain fell on the trails. Because nothing went as planned for this year's race, racers gave Riley the finger as a way to say "thanks buddy."

Cara Arpino rides her mountain bike down the first stage of the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup Box Showdown Sept. 12 at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley.

Lance Archibald rides his mountain bike through the Hoot, Scoot & Boogie Thruway on the second stage of the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup Box Showdown Sept. 12 at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley. One of the five mountain bike trails built this summer on the mountain goes through the structure.

Adam Craig grew up riding mountain bikes in Exeter. He made the Junior National Cross Country Mountain Biking Team while at student at Dexter Regional High School and made the United States Olympic Team in 2008. Now, he is building gravity-fed mountain bike trails at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley.

Justin Lagassey and Stephanie Sprout spend time together before the start of the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup Box Showdown Sept. 12 at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley. Lagassey helped build numerous mountain bike trails throughout Central Maine before moving to Plymouth, NH, to build trails at Highland Mountain Bike Park.

Shawn Rueffert of Laconia, NH, spends time with friends prior to the start of the MAXXIS Eastern States Cup Box Showdown Sept. 12 at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley. "Put some pads on and bounce around," said the 53-year-old.