The Fourth is First

We had a great ride last Sunday from Brunswick to Harpswell. The weather cooperated, the scenery was first-rate, we had a fine turnout, and there were two bakery stops! Our thanks to Ken for leading the ride and to everyone who took part.

We will start off July with our popular "Fourth of July Ride" starting from the Bean School on Middle Road in Sidney on this Sunday, July 1. Celebrate your Independence! And join us if you can!

Sunday, July 1st, SIDNEY:
"Independence along Middle Road" - a mainstream  tour through the middle of Sidney & the middle of a prime farming district & the middle of Fourth of July preparations.
START:  9:00 AM at the James H. Bean Elementary School on Middle Road in Sidney.
Directions to the Bean School:
From south: I-95 North exit #120. Turn right at end of exit ramp onto Lyons Rd. Follow Lyons Rd. to stop sign. Turn left onto Middle Rd. Bean School is approximately one mile on the right.
From the north: I-95 South exit #120. Turn left at end of exit ramp onto Lyons Rd. Follow Lyons Rd. to stop sign. Turn left onto Middle Rd. Bean
School is approximately one mile on the right.

DISTANCE:  16 or 30 Miles.
TERRAIN:  moderate with a few hills.
HIGHLIGHTS:  some fine back roads and Kennebec River views, and some Fourth of July paraphernalia, most likely.
LEADER:  Jim Putnam, put@roadrunner.com.
LINK TO RIDE MAP: http://gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6799304

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com, check out our blog, Posted Roads at http://postedroads.blogspot.com, or follow us on Facebook.

KVBC Rides in July

Here is the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club revised ride schedule for July! If you experience any dizziness reading it, you need to go ride your bike. And you're in luck because we have SIX scheduled rides for July, with a space left open for the BCM Lobster Ride on the 22nd! Please note that the ride on the 15th will be the "Tour de Whitefield" originally scheduled for August, and that "Ken's Hot Dog Ride" in Mount Vernon will move to later in August (we just can't squander all the fun in July).

Don't forget tomorrow's rides on Sunday in Brunswick and Greenfield. See you on the road!

Harpswell and Greenville on Sunday

We had beautiful weather for the tour of the Kennebec Land Trust conservation lands on Saturday, with some 24 riders from both KLT and KVBC joining in for two great loops. Many thanks to Jean-Luc and Jim for leading us! This Sunday we will meet either in Brunswick for a coastal ride around Harpswell Sound (Ken promises that no one will get lost in labyrinths of unmarked dirt roads) or in Greenville for a tour on and about Moosehead Lake (Jeanine says no one will get rained on).  Whether you venture north or south, hope you can join us!

Sunday, June 24 - BRUNSWICK

"All's Well that Harpswell" - a tour of the coastlands around Harpswell Sound.

START: 9:30 am at the Merrymeeting Plaza near Cooks Corner, 147 Bath Road in Brunswick. Park at the far end adjacent to the entrance of Shaw's.

DISTANCE: 37 miles with a 29-mile option.

TERRAIN: rolling with a few decent hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: scenic water views, salt air, the Androscoggin River Trail, possible lunch stop at Wild Oats.

LEADER: Ken Louis, klouis17@hotmail.com.

Also, in GREENVILLE on Sunday, June 25 - the Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital fundraiser, the Greenville Bike and Boat: http://events.emhsfoundation.org/site/TR?fr_id=1180&pg=entry. Contact Jeanine Libby for registration info to sign up for the AMC/KVBC Team: jjlibby13@roadrunner.com.

Property Pedal with the Kennebec Land Trust

We have been experiencing great cycling weather of late. Last Saturday we had a picture perfect day for the ride from Jefferson around Damariscotta Lake. Our thanks to the Griffins for leading us on such a great route. This Saturday we hope for more fine weather as we explore some of the conservation lands of the Kennebec Land Trust. We had a great ride last year on the first "Property Pedal" and this year's revised route looks even better with the chance to scope out more of the KLT properties. There is no fee for the ride (although the KLT welcomes new members!). Hope you can join us!

Saturday, June 16 - WAYNE

"Kennebec Land Trust Property Pedal" - a tour of some of the most scenic conservation properties of the Kennebec Land Trust.

START: 9 am at the Wayne Elementary School on Pond Road.

DISTANCES: 16 or 37 miles.

TERRAIN: moderately hilly to hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: scenic back roads of Wayne, Fayette, Monmouth, and Readfield, passing by many conservation properties of the Kennebec Land Trust.

The 16 Mile loop will feature approximately four properties with a scenic view of Mt. Washington and 857 feet of climbing/descent:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26838678

The 37 Mile will feature approximately seven properties and 1870 feet of climbing/descent:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26838660 

LEADERS: Jim Floyd, jimfloyd@fairpoint.net, and Jean-Luc Theriault, jtheriault@tklt.org. 

The Jefferson Jaunt

With favorable weather last weekend, we decided it called for a double header so we met on Saturday in Readfield at the Firemen's Breakfast and in Vassalboro on Sunday for the Ride Leaders' Lunch.  And we biked a combined 60 miles, too (fortunately!).  Our thanks to the Lipmans for their wonderful hospitality on Sunday, and a tip of the helmet to the Readfield Fire Dept. for Saturday's breakfast and everything else they do.  This Saturday we will head out to Jefferson and round about Damariscotta Lake for more great scenery, and we hope you can join us!

Saturday, June 9 - JEFFERSON

"The Jefferson Jaunt" - a circumnavigation of Damariscotta Lake.

START: 9:00 am at the Jefferson Village School, 48 Washington Road, Jefferson.

DISTANCE: 27 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: scenic back roads with a stop at the Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder and the Bunker Hill Church overlook of the lake.

LEADER: Bryan Griffin, bjgriffin@roadrunner.com.

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim Merrick at 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com, or check out our club blog, "Posted Roads" at http://postedroads.blogspot.com, or keep up to date via our Facebook page.