BCM Women's Ride

Two American WACs (Women's Army Corps) with bicycles, Southern England, June 1944.

Best Wishes on this Memorial Day! And a reminder: the Bicycle Coalition of Maine's Women's Ride is next Sunday, June 1, in Freeport: http://www.bikemaine.org/events/womens-ride. On-line registration ends this Wednesday, May 28 (there may be on-site registration at the start as well). Laura Lipman has offered to lead a KVBC contingent to the ride; if you would like to join Laura and hundreds of other women cyclists, sign up for the ride through BCM and contact Laura at laura.lipman@roadrunner.com.

Vassalboro and Bike Month

We another adventurous ride on Saturday around the challenging hills bordering Cobbossee Lake, and once again we managed to dodge the forecast rains.  Our thanks to John Lanoue for a great ride.  Hopefully we will start getting some sunnier and warmer weather as we move into summer, all the better to showcase these great rides our intrepid leaders are coming up with!  We'll meet in Vassalboro this Saturday to close out the rides for Bike Month.  Last year the temperatures on this ride soared to 90 degrees!  Not sure we'll challenge that record, but the Lipmans have again arranged for a post-ride gathering - much appreciated! - and they'd appreciate RSVPs so they can get a head count.  If the sun will RSVP we'll be in great shape!  See you Saturday!

Saturday, May 31st - VASSALBORO

"Velo Vassalboro" - a scenic tour around the China Lake region

Start:  9am  at the home of David and Laura Lipman.  Condo is after Natanis Golf Course on ARROWHEAD DRIVE heading north. (Not to be confused with Fairway Drive. Use Barrows Road on your GPS and we are the next road on the  left after that)  Please park after the garages in the large dirt parking lot after the condo buildings.

Distance: 28 miles

Terrain:  Moderate to Hilly

Highlights: Views of China Lake and Webber Pond,  gentleman farms and country homes along the Neck Road.   Stay afterwards for a light lunch and to socialize with fellow bikers.  Please RVSP to laura.lipman@roadrunner.com so we can get an idea of how many will be staying for lunch.

Leader:  David Lipman, dlipman@lipmankatz.com

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com, or keep up to date via our Facebook page.

The Odyssey Around Cobbossee

We had a great ride last Sunday in Clinton and Benton - we were able to go biking with the alewives without getting rained on, and Jeanine had picked out a great route that was appreciated by the large turnout.  Thanks Jeanine!  This week we will kick off Memorial Day weekend with an old favorite, the Cobbossee Odyssey, with an all new ride start location in Manchester.  Hope to see you Saturday, and if not, have a great weekend!

Saturday, May 24th - MANCHESTER

"A Cobbossee Odyssey":  a tour around Cobbosseecontee Lake.

START:  9:00 A.M., at the parking lot on McArdle Street, just off Rt. 202W past the junction of Rt. 202 & Rt.17, between the Manchester Grange Hall and Fielders' Choice Ice Cream Stand.  The parking lot is the first right after you turn on McArdle Street.

DISTANCE:  27.5 miles.  A map of the route can be found here: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/BRTWebUI/Course/667369

TERRAIN:  rolling with some challenging hills.

HIGHLIGHTS:  views of Cobbossee Lake, back roads of Winthrop, Manchester, West Gardiner, Litchfield, and Monmouth, and an ice cream stop conveniently at the end!

LEADER:  John Lanoue.

For more info on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com, or follow us on Facebook.

No Biking with the Alewives Tomorrow

RIDE UPDATE: SATURDAY'S KVBC RIDE SWITCHED TO SUNDAY.

After some discussion (and forecasts of 100% rain tomorrow) we decided that we didn't want to ride with the fishes quite that much, and given that the weather on Sunday looks a lot more favorable, we have opted to change this week's ride in Clinton to SUNDAY, May 18, same time and place.  Be sure to stay tuned for any additional changes as we move into the weekend.  Thanks for your understanding, and we'll see if we can get a ride in this weekend.

Sunday, May 18th, CLINTON

"Biking with the Alewives" - a tour along the banks of the Sebasticook River to the Benton Alewife Run.

START: 9:30 AM at the Old Mill Park off of Rt.s 100 and 11 in Clinton.

DISTANCE: 25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, with some hills and flat sections.

HIGHLIGHTS: scenic river views and a stop at the Benton Dam to view the return of the historic alewife spring run.

LEADER: Jeanine Libby.

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com, and check out the club's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KennebecValleyBicycleClub.

Biking with the Alewives

We had a beautiful day, at long last, for a splendid Mother's Day ride in China on Sunday.  It was a great ride with lots of rolling farmland and scenic lakeside runs, some historic cemetery stops, and some great tailwinds!  Many thanks to Jeanine for putting the ride together and offering to shift the ride date at the last minute to take advantage of the weather.  Jeanine is doing double duty this week, as she will also be leading our ride Saturday in Clinton to the Benton Alewife Festival: https://www.facebook.com/events/377947635659942/?fref=ts.  The alewives, a vital resource going back to prehistoric times, have made a remarkable comeback, and here's your chance to see the spring run in action.  As always, hope you can join us!

Saturday, May 17th, CLINTON

"Biking with the Alewives" - a tour along the banks of the Sebasticook River to the Benton Alewife Festival.

START: 9:30 AM at the Old Mill Park off Rt.s 100 and 11 in Clinton.

DISTANCE: 25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, with some hills and flat sections.

HIGHLIGHTS: scenic river views and a stop at the Benton Alewife Festival celebrating the return of the historic alewife spring run.

LEADER: Jeanine Libby.

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com, and check out the club's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KennebecValleyBicycleClub.

Alewife Harvest in Benton, Maine

China Surprise is SUNDAY!

 

RIDE UPDATE: due to the forecast of rain on Saturday, we will be switching the scheduled start of this week's ride in China to SUNDAY when it is supposed to be sunny and in the 70s.  (70s?  Did he say 70s?  Is that a typo?)  If you forwarded the earlier ride announcement to anyone off-list, please let them know of the change, thanks!  We will meet in East Vassalboro on Mothers' Day morning, and we'll be back in plenty of time for you to call your Mom and tell her what fun you had.  OK?  OK!  We'll see you Sunday!

 

SUNDAY, May 11th, EAST VASSALBORO

"China Surprise" - a delightful tour over the hills and dells of Vassalboro and China.

START: 9:30 AM at the Vassalboro Historical Society parking lot just north of the China Lake boat landing on Rt. 32 in East Vassalboro (not the boat landing in South China).

DISTANCE: 25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, with some hills and flat sections.

HIGHLIGHTS: a selection of great, scenic rural Maine roads with great views of China Lake and surroundings, with a surprise thrown in!

LEADER: Jeanine Libby, jjlibby13@roadrunner.com.

 

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com, and check out the club's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KennebecValleyBicycleClub.

Surprises in Store

We had a fine ride out of Pike's Oasis in Livermore on Saturday, thanks to John Lanoue. The weather turned out OK - finally starting to warm up a bit - and we explored some new roads on the return route from Chesterville to Livermore.  This Saturday's ride returns to China, with its great back roads, lake views, small hamlets, and yes, a surprise!  Hope you can join us!

 

Saturday, May 10th, EAST VASSALBORO

"China Surprise" - a delightful tour over the hills and dells of Vassalboro and China.

START: 9:30 AM at the Vassalboro Historical Society parking lot just north of the China Lake boat landing on Rt. 32 in East Vassalboro (not the boat landing in South China).

DISTANCE: 25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, with some hills and flat sections.

HIGHLIGHTS: a selection of great, scenic rural Maine roads with great views of China Lake and surroundings, with a surprise thrown in!

LEADER: Jeanine Libby.

 

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com, and check out the club's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KennebecValleyBicycleClub.