Leaves in the Lakes

We had a splendid ride from Wayne last Sunday to put a fitting end to October and our regularly scheduled rides of the year.  Heading into November we will have some impromptu rides depending on weather conditions and interest.  The forecast for this Saturday calls for sunny skies and temperatures near 70, so let's meet in Belgrade Lakes for a ride around Rome and Mt. Vernon with a possible bakery stop at Hello Good Pie at the end.  See you Saturday!

November 5th, Saturday:  BELGRADE LAKES

"Take It or Leaf It" - a tour around Great Pond through Belgrade, Rome, and Mount Vernon.

START:  10:00 A.M., at the Belgrade Community Center on Rt. 27, a half mile south of the Village of Belgrade Lakes, on the right (northbound) just past the Great Pond Marina.  Park in the community center parking lot nearest the street (just as you turn in).

DISTANCE:  28 miles.

TERRAIN:  rolling to "moderately" hilly (translation: there are hills on this ride).

HIGHLIGHTS:  a balmy November tour of the Belgrade Lakes, some roller coaster hills, Castle Island, Blueberry Hill, and a possible stop at the bakery in Belgrade Lakes.

LEADER:  Jim Merrick, hjmerrick@gmail.com, 293-3784.

LINK to ROUTE MAP: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6796306

 

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim at 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com, find us on Facebook, or check out our blog at http://postedroads.blogspot.com.

Wailing in Wayne

 We had a nice crisp Fall day for our ride from Waterville to Canaan on Saturday.  I was only able to tag along for the first few miles before I had to break off, but I'm told that everyone had a great ride, thanks due to David for leading!

Seems hard to believe but we are coming to the end of October so it is time for our annual Halloween/Cemetery ride in Wayne on Sunday - please note the 10:00 am start. As in past years, costumes are optional - just remember to include helmets and clothing appropriate for the weather, and bring a mask if you are stopping in stores.  Hope to see you on our last scheduled ride of the year, and perhaps into November if the weather is favorable!

Sunday, October 30th - WAYNE

"Wicked Wayne" - a Halloween ride featuring some historic cemeteries along some quiet back roads (maybe too quiet). 

START: 10:00 AM at the Wayne Elementary School, 48 Pond Road, Wayne.

DISTANCE: about 22 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, creepy in spots.

HIGHLIGHTS: at least five local cemeteries, including the circular Wing family cemetery and the Kent family cemetery; the Apple Shed on Kents Hill, a notorious, unsolved historic crime scene, and other local haunts. 

LEADER: Jim Merrick, hjmerrick@gmail.com, 293-3784.

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37867944

For more information about the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com, 293-3784, or check out the club blog at http://postedroads.blogspot.com.

Sortie, Sortie

 We had a nice Fall ride from Farmington to Industry on Sunday.  The early morning fog burned off and we saw lots of peak foliage.  More great foliage is in store for this Saturday as we head out from Waterville to Canaan on a route originally laid out by Camille Chamberland who, as many of you know, set out on his own sortie earlier this year.  We're happy he left us this route - you may still find memories of him along the way - and we hope you can join us on Saturday (or Sunday in case of rain).

Saturday, October 22 - WATERVILLE (Rain Date: Sunday, Oct. 23)

"A Somerset Sortie" - a scenic tour through Somerset County in near-peak Fall season.

START: 9:00am at the Alfond Youth & Community Center, 126 North Street, Waterville.

DISTANCES: 33 or 39 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: country roads along the Kennebec and inland from Canaan to Benton, with some fine ridge-top views.

LEADER: David Chiappetta, dlchiappetta@aol.com.

LINK to ROUTE MAP (Short Ride): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41235305

LINK to ROUTE MAP (Long Ride): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41172993

On to Industry

Fall has definitely arrived, and with luck and Paxlovid (insert PSA re: latest Covid bivalent booster here) we will have a ride this Sunday!  We will meet at the Hannaford Plaza in Farmington (note 9:30 start) and ride along some scenic ridgetops in New Sharon & Industry out to Clearwater Pond.  The ride includes some optional gravel stretches along the Sandy River and the hard-packed sections of the Whistlestop Rail Trail.  There are few stores along the route, but many in Farmington - masks are once again recommended for stopping in stores.  Hope to see you Sunday!

Sunday, October 16:  FARMINGTON

"The Ups and Downs of Industry":  a Fall foliage ride through the picturesque hills and hollows of Farmington, New Sharon, and Industry.

START:  9:30 A.M., at the Hannaford Plaza on Rt.s 2 & 4 in Farmington, about a mile south from the junction of Rt.s 2 & 4 and Rt. 41, towards Wilton.  Park near the entrance to the shopping plaza.

DISTANCE:  25-30 miles.

TERRAIN:  rolling to hilly; approx. one mile plus of gravel along the Sandy River, and 3 miles of cinder on the Rail Trail (optional)

HIGHLIGHTS:  quiet back roads along the Sandy River, spectacular panoramic views from the ridgetops of New Sharon & Industry, Clearwater Pond at Allens Mills, a possible stop at Java Joe's in Farmington, and an optional run along the Whistlestop Rail Trail.

LEADER:  Jim Merrick, 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com.

LINK to ROUTE MAP: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6874732

 

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club and its rides contact Jim Merrick, 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com, or check out the KVBC blog, "Posted Roads" at http://postedroads.blogspot.com.

 

More Apples!

We had some crisp, Fall weather for our rides from Readfield on Saturday and from Norridgewock & Madison on Sunday. Saturday featured a stop at the Monmouth Apple Festival where we sampled numerous apple treats (the apple pie was sublime). Sunday was less windy and warmer, and we stopped at two historic landmarks: the Wire Bridge in New Portland, and the Bailey Farm Windmill in North Anson. Many thanks to our ride leaders (and their stand-ins), Brian, David, & Jim, and to all who turned out! This Saturday we will return to Livermore for our annual ride to Boothby's Apple Orchard. Hope you can join us as we roll into the month of October!

Saturday, October 1 - LIVERMORE FALLS

"Boothby's Apple Ride" - a tour of the ponds and ridges around Livermore and Chesterville, with an apple orchard stop.

START: 10:00 am at the store formerly known as Pike's Corner Oasis (now Rusty Lantern) at the junction of Rt.s 106, 133, and Campground Road in Livermore.

DISTANCE: 39 miles with a 24-mile cut-off.

TERRAIN: moderately hilly with several good hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: great back roads with numerous scenic views, and a stop at Boothby's Orchard, a family-owned farm for seven generations going back to 1865. We may have a vehicle at the orchard to transport any apples you buy back to the start.

LEADER: John Lanoue, john.lanoue@avid.com.  

LINK to ROUTE MAP (2016): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6799282

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club contact Jim Merrick at 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com, and check out the KVBC blog at http://postedroads.blogspot.com, or the KVBC Facebook page. 

October Rides

Here is the KVBC Ride Line-up for October! More great Fall riding ahead!

Is This Bridge Wired?

We have reportedly some fine riding weather coming up this weekend for our end-of-September KVBC double header.  Saturday, as previously announced, we will ride from the Readfield Elementary School to Winthrop, Monmouth, and Wales, stopping at the Monmouth Apple Festival.  Here are the ride details for Sunday's ride from either Norridgewock or Madison to the historic Wire Bridge in New Portland.  Please join us on either ride, or both!

Sunday, September 25 - NORRIDGEWOCK and MADISON

"The Wire Bridge Ride" - a Fall Foliage tour along the scenic Carrabassett River, through Norridgewock, Madison, Anson, New Portland and New Vineyard.

START: Long Ride - 9:00 AM at the Mill Stream Elementary School, 26 Mercer Road (Rt. 2) in Norridgewock; Short Ride - 9:30 AM at the parking lot across from the former Madison Mill on Main St. in Madison, just before the bridge over the Kennebec.

DISTANCE: Long Ride - approx 53 miles; Short Ride - approx. 37 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills

HIGHLIGHTS: Fall foliage along the Carrabassett River, and the historic Wire Bridge in New Portland, a civil engineering landmark built in 1866, perhaps the only one of its kind still in existence.

LEADERS: Brian Bowker, 485-6793, bbowk321@yahoo.com; and David Chiappetta, dlchiappetta@aol.com

Link to long route (53 miles) starting at the Mill Stream Elementary School in Norridgewock: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40981768

Link to short route (37 miles) starting from parking lot across the street from the former Madison Paper Mill, Madison

http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=837129

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club contact Jim Merrick at 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com, and check out the KVBC blog at http://postedroads.blogspot.com, or the KVBC Facebook page.

 

Apple Pie!

 We had much cooler weather for our ride Saturday from Richmond, with many of us sporting tights, jackets, arm warmers, etc. Fortunately it was sunny, and we had a really beautiful ride to Wiscasset. About a half-dozen of us took part in the Share the Road with Carol ride on Sunday where we lucked out with more fine riding weather and met up with some old friends. This weekend we will return to the Monmouth Apple Festival on Saturday after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, followed by a popular tour to the Wire Bridge in New Portland on Sunday (details to come). More fine riding ahead!

Saturday, September 24th - READFIELD

"Monmouth a la Mode" - a tour through Readfield and Winthrop to the Monmouth Apple Festival.

START: 9:00 AM at the Readfield Elementary School, 84 South Road, Readfield.

DISTANCE: 29 or 33.5 Miles.

TERRAIN: Rolling, with a few stiff hills. The long ride includes approx. 1/2 mile of gravel.

HIGHLIGHTS: Back roads beside rolling orchards, lakeside summer camps, small hidden hamlets... and the Monmouth Apple Festival: a great little small town festival devoted to celebrating all things pomological in one of Maine’s classic apple towns. The festival features lots of hot, baked apple pies and other apple treats, yard sales and open houses, fun and games, and self-guided tours of the Monmouth Historical Society’s many unique museum buildings and shops.

LEADER: Jim Merrick, hjmerrick@gmail.com.

LINK to ROUTE MAP (long): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7411865

LINK to ROUTE MAP (short): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7413905

For more information about the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com, and check out the KVBC blog, Posted Roads, at http://postedroads.blogspot.com.

Richmond to the Sea

Cooler temperatures were the order of the day for the start of our ride Sunday in Wayne.  It warmed up fast when the sun broke through the clouds by late morning.  Fritz and Susan led us on a wonderful ride over many back roads, with a pair of short gravel options for those who wanted to explore the area further.  Many thanks to our leaders, and once again to Chris for warm home-made muffins at the start!  This Saturday's ride will head out from Richmond to the sea, with a likely stop at Treats in Wiscasset.  Sunday will bring the 6th annual "Share the Road with Carol" ride in Windsor.  Lots of things happening, and we hope you can join us!

Saturday, September 17th - RICHMOND

"Wheeling to Wiscasset" - a tour along the river through Richmond, Dresden, and Wiscasset.

START: 9 AM at the public landing in Richmond (also known as Fort Richmond Park) at 315 Front Street (Rt.24). Park in the public lot next to the landing.

DISTANCE: approx. 35-40 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with one or two significant hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: scenic views along the river and Wiscasset, with a possible stop at Treats in Wiscasset.

LEADER:  David Lipman, dlipman@lkblawmaine.com.

LINK to RIDE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37008486

 

 

We welcome suggestions for improving our rides and encourage active participation of all members.  For more information, contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com or via the club blog, Posted Roads at http://postedroads.blogspot.com, or check out the KVBC Facebook page.  

Don't Let the Good Times Wayne

We had near perfect weather for our ride last Saturday from China to Albion, and it suited the ride very well. We also had a fine turnout of 19 riders, including some newcomers.  Many thanks to Duncan and Tammy for leading us on a great ride!  This Sunday we will head over to Wayne for an early Fall classic, and we have already started to see the leaves turn.  Hope to see you on Sunday!

Sunday, September 11th - WAYNE

"Which Way to Wayne?" - an early Fall tour from Wayne to Fayette, Livermore, Leeds, and Winthrop.

START: 9 am at the Wayne Elementary School, 48 Pond Road, Wayne. 

DISTANCE: 37 miles.

TERRAIN: flat to moderately hilly; with perhaps an optional route with some gravel riding.

HIGHLIGHTS: scenic back roads with some great views. 

LEADER: Fritz Onion, fritzonion@gmail.com

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://www.strava.com/routes/4011324

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. 

O Albion, O Yes

We had a beautiful ride from Augusta last Saturday, despite having a weather forecast anomaly. The morning fog and drizzle failed to clear out as promised - at least not until the ride was almost over.  The route itself was exceptional, and kudos for Cynthia, the ride leader, are well deserved.  Thanks, also, to Cynthia and Chris who thoughtfully brought cookies and muffins respectively - which were well-appreciated!  With August behind us we head straight into September and some fine Autumn rides, starting this Saturday in China and Albion.  Hope you can join us!

Saturday, September 3 - CHINA

"O Albion" - an early Fall tour through China, Palermo, and Albion.

START: 9:00 am at the China Primary School at 763 Lakeview Drive, Rt. 202, in China. The Primary School sits well in back of the Middle School that fronts on the road.

DISTANCE: 28 miles.

TERRAIN: Moderate to Rolling

HIGHLIGHTS: some really nice, scenic back roads through the China/Albion area

LEADER: Duncan Tate, datateme@gmail.com

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7565084 or https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40645364?privacy_code=Q7VlKGZ6tNDre1Ty

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim at 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com, find us on Facebook, or check out our blog at http://postedroads.blogspot.com.

September Rides

 Here is the KVBC ride lineup for September! Some great Fall rides ahead!

Endless Haven of Summer

 

Our string of fine weather continued for last Saturday's Tour de Whitefield.  The heat of the day was (mostly) mitigated by lots of shade, Bryan and Holly shepherded us along, keeping us (mostly) on track, passing cars & trucks kept a (mostly) legal distance, and we had a great ride (mostly and then some!).  Many thanks to our ride leaders!  This Saturday we will return to some classic cycling routes along Summerhaven, with some new twists here and there.  Hope to see you Saturday!

Saturday, August 27 - AUGUSTA

"Endless Summer-Haven" - a summery tour through the Summerhaven section of Augusta, and Readfield, Wings Mills, and Belgrade.

START: 9:00 am at the parking lot by the Career Center at 2 Anthony Avenue, off of Darin Drive, across from the Great Wall Buffet.

DISTANCE: about 35.5 miles

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills; route includes about a quarter-mile of gravel

HIGHLIGHTS: many pretty ponds and streams and little-traveled back roads west of the capital.

LEADER: Cynthia Snow, cynthy817@gmail.com

LINK TO ROUTE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40589603

Amish Roads

The temperatures finally cooled off and gave us a beautiful summer day for our ride out of Oakland last Saturday.  A fine group of riders turned out to find lots of scenic back roads, some with new pavement, some with smooth gravel, and many with light traffic.  The ice cream stop afterwards was great, too!  Many thanks to Tammy for leading!  This Saturday will see the return of another popular ride, the Tour de Whitefield.  More great riding ahead, and we hope to see you on Saturday!

Saturday, August 20 - WHITEFIELD

"Tour de Whitefield" - a rural tour through the rolling hills and farms of Whitefield, Windsor, Somerville and Coopers Mills.

START: 9:00 am, at the Whitefield Elementary School, 164 Grand Army Road, Rt. 126

DISTANCE: about 34 miles.

TERRAIN: rolling hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: lots of scenic rural roads around the Sheepscot River Valley, possible sightings of local Amish families out at work, and a stop at the Sheepscot General Store.

LEADER: Bryan and Holly Griffin, bjgriffin@roadrunner.com, 207-332-1775 (cell).

LINK to ROUTE MAP (2020): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37084569 or https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7605889 

Barrel Up!

The weather continued sunny, hot, and humid for the KVBC rides in Gardiner and Smithfield over the past weekend.  Not the most ideal conditions, but we did luck out with lots of shade, and the routes were both scenic and light on traffic and very enjoyable despite the heat.  Many thanks to Joe and Larry for leading their rides, and for taking the time to venture out and mark the routes!  We are anticipating a break in the heat wave for this weekend as we head out from Oakland north to Norridgewock and vicinity on Saturday.  As always, we hope you can join us!

Saturday, August 13 - OAKLAND

"Barreling through Oakland" - a tour around Oakland, Norridgewock, New Sharon, and Smithfield.

START: 9:00 am at the parking lot of the United Methodist Church at 20 West School Street in Oakland.

DISTANCE: about 38.5 miles or 40 miles with ice cream stop option

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: fine back roads with lakeside views, a potential ice cream stop, and barrels of fun.

LEADER: Tammy Jones, tjjones@colby.edu.

LINK TO ROUTE MAPS:

Ride with a trip to the Ice Cream Place : https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/74629012

Ride without the Ice Cream Stop:  https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/74606596

 

Double Headers are Twice as Fun

We had a fine ride last Sunday out of Liberty over some very scenic back roads, including some spectacular vistas from Appleton Ridge. Our thanks to Paul for leading and to all who ventured out on yet another hot day.  This weekend we will kick off August with a double header featuring two of the club's traditional rides from Gardiner to Bowdoinham, and from Smithfield around the lakes.  Two days, two rides, too good to pass up!  We certainly hope you can join us on one or both!

Saturday, August 6th - GARDINER

"Biking to Bowdoinham" - a tour of the southern Kennebec Valley through Gardiner, Richmond and Bowdoinham.

START:  9:00 AM, at the Laura Richards School, Rt. 201 in Gardiner, 1.5 miles south of the junction of Rt. 201 and Rt.s 126/9 (the junction near the A-1 Diner).  The school is a modern brick building with a "spiked ball" sculpture, on the west side of Rt. 201, on the left past the Gardiner Armory (just as you enter the "thickly settled" area).  Park in the lot on the north side of the school.

DISTANCE:  40 miles.

TERRAIN:  Moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS:  quiet back roads along streams and farmland south & west of Gardiner.

LEADERS:  Joe Renda, geologyjoe@gmail.com

LINK to ROUTE MAP: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6654861, https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36860175

Sunday, August 7th - SMITHFIELD

"Looping the Lakes" - a scenic tour through Smithfield, Belgrade, Rome, and Mercer.

START: 9:00 AM, at Tri-Pond Variety (formerly Sweet Dreams) on Rt. 8 in Smithfield, at the junction of Rt. 8 and Rt. 137. Please park in the back along the northwest side of the lot away from the redemption center and store entrance..

DISTANCES: approx. 10, 17 or 30 miles. 

TERRAIN: moderate to moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: many scenic lake views, summer camps, and a possible stop at the Ice Cream Place in Smithfield.

LEADER: Larry Childs, lrchilds@roadrunner.com

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7295953

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.

 

KVBC Rides in August

Here is the KVBC ride lineup for August! The Summer is definitely heating up!

Taking Liberty

We had another hot day (beginning to detect a pattern here) for our side last Saturday from Readfield.  David led us on a new route on some old roads, and we finished before the real heat of the afternoon, making for a very pleasant day.  Thank you, David!  This Sunday we will close out the month of July and venture out to some very pretty roads in Liberty, Appleton, and Palermo.  See you Sunday!

Sunday, July 31 - LIBERTY

"Palermo, Beyond the Pale" - an adventurous ride through Liberty, Palermo, Appleton and Searsport.

START: 9:00 am at the parking lot of ReVision Energy on Rt. 3 in Liberty, about a half mile east of the junction of Rt.s 3 & 220 (about 1.5 miles past the entrance to Liberty State Park). ReVision Energy is on the left, east-bound.

DISTANCE: 31 or 34 miles.

TERRAIN: rolling to hilly; the Appleton Ridge option is partially unpaved.

HIGHLIGHTS: exceptional rural back roads and small hamlets, including the option of traversing Appleton Ridge with its spectacular vistas.

LEADER: Paul Mitnik, pjmejm@gmail.com

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7599701, https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36795930

LINK to ROUTE MAP with Appleton Ridge Option: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7599703, https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36795947

 

KVBC Memberships & Renewals

From Puck, October 8, 1884.

Memberships in the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club provide funds for our club insurance and for our club membership contributions to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine and the League of American Bicyclists. Annual membership dues are $10.00 per person or $15.00 per household.  Membership forms can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C9P1-Xy2jfarwImXmvj1KJEc6j1X6SUV/view?usp=sharing. If you haven't renewed your membership or would like to become a contributing member, please download and fill out the membership form and send it with your payment to our membership coordinator, Sandi Hodge, at 63 Willow Grove Road, Brunswick, ME 04011. THANK YOU!

Roundabout Readfield

Another hot day for the KVBC ride in Damariscotta last Saturday, but an excellent day to ride along the coast, where we had long stretches of new pavement and lots of shade and sea breezes to keep the heat at bay.  Our thanks to David Lipman for another fine ride out to Pemaquid Point!.  This Saturday we will venture out on a new route through Readfield, Winthrop, & Monmouth.  Hope you can join us!

Saturday, July 23 - READFIELD

"All Around Annabessacook" - a tour around some of the major lakes in Readfield, Winthrop, and Monmouth.

START: 9:00 am at the Maranacook School Superintendent's Parking Lot, 45 Millard Harrison Drive off of Rt. 17 in Readfield, across from the town beach.

DISTANCE: 29.5 miles

TERRAIN: moderate with a few hills

HIGHLIGHTS: some pleasant back roads around Annabessacook Lake, with lots of scenic, rural views.

LEADER: David Chiappetta, dlchiappetta@aol.com

LINK TO ROUTE MAP: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/117343541 

Pemaquid Points the Way

Last weekend was just gorgeous for cycling, and our ride Sunday out of Winslow was first rate.  We had lots of fresh, new pavement and little traffic.  Our thanks to Tom for leading us on a great route!  This Saturday we will venture down to the coast for our popular ride from Damariscotta to Pemaquid and back.  Please note that this ride has been switched from Sunday to Saturday, and also note the 9:30 am start time.  We'll see you then!

Saturday, July 16th; DAMARISCOTTA

"Drafting Through Damariscotta" - a tour through Bristol, Bremen, Pemaquid and Damariscotta.

START:  9:30 AM at Hannaford's supermarket, 469 Main Street (Business Rt. 1) in Damariscotta.

DISTANCE:  approx. 39 miles.

TERRAIN:  Moderate to rolling with no major hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: scenic roads within the Pemaquid Peninsula, fresh and salt water views abound.

LEADER:  David Lipman, dlipman@lkblawmaine.com

LINK TO RIDE MAP:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37338970

 

Winsome Roads

We have been enjoying a nice streak of fine riding weather of late, including last Sunday's ride in Sidney, for which we also had a nice turnout!  Thanks to all of the 21 riders who turned out on the holiday weekend.  A special thanks to Bill Marsh Sacks who kindly gave a tour of his perennial greenhouses nearby in Sidney for a group after the ride.  Join us this Sunday if you can for a ride out of Winslow northward along the river.  More great riding in store for July!

Sunday, July 10 - WINSLOW

"Winsome Winslow" - a tour along the Kennebec through Winslow, Benton, Fairfield and Clinton

START: 9 am at the Winslow Elementary School, 285 Benton Avenue, Winslow

DISTANCE: 30.8 miles

TERRAIN: Moderate with some hills

HIGHLIGHTS: Back roads of Winslow, Benton, Fairfield, and Clinton with Kennebec River views.

LEADER: Tom Michaud, sdnytom@yahoo.com

LINK TO RIDE MAP: 

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/70587004

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/65546974 

Assert Your Independence!

 Last Saturday's KVBC ride from Mt. Vernon was sunny and hot, befitting the first club ride of summer. We did, however, have some nice shady sections along the Chesterville Esker and many of the ponds & lakes enroute, and we finished the ride before the worst heat of the day. We are now coming into July, which means we start off with one of our traditional rides out of Sidney for the Fourth of July weekend.  Assert your independence!  And see you on Sunday!

Sunday, July 3rd, SIDNEY:
"Independence by Bike" - a Middle Road tour through the middle of Sidney & the middle of the Fourth of July weekend.
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 29 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 Merrick, hjmerrick@gmail.com, 293-3784.

LINK TO RIDE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39964070

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.

July Rides

 Here is the KVBC monthly ride calendar for July! Summer is here and we have a lot of great rides lined up!

Esker Me Anything

We had a nice, clear late-spring day for our ride Monday from Readfield - much warmer and sunnier than the regularly scheduled ride on Sunday.  The route was very pretty, traffic was modest perhaps due to the holiday, and though it was breezy we actually had some impressive tailwinds.  Our thanks to Lydia for rescheduling and leading on short notice!  This Saturday we will venture out of West Mount Vernon past many scenic ponds, over some challenging hills, and across the remarkably flat Chesterville Esker.  Hope you can join us!

Saturday, June 25 - WEST MOUNT VERNON

"Eleven Ponds" - a tour past many of the hidden ponds and lakes in Mount Vernon, Fayette, Chesterville, and Vienna.

START:  9:00 AM, at the boat landings on Echo Lake and Taylor Pond on Rt. 41 at the junction of Sandy River Road; the nearest street address is 1156 ME-41. There is a bridge and a dam and a free-standing brick chimney as landmarks. Park in either boat landing lot on opposite sides of the road.

DISTANCE:  14 and 29 miles.  Long route has approx. 1/4 mile of gravel surface.

TERRAIN:  Rolling with a few good hills (and one memorable one).

HIGHLIGHTS:  rural back roads winding through many small ponds and lakes, and across the top of the Chesterville Esker.

LEADER:  Jim Merrick, hjmerrick@gmail.com, 293-3784.

LINK to RIDE MAP (Long): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39591548

LINK to RIDE MAP (Short): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39591616

 

Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club rides are open to members and to the cycling public.  Helmets are required of all riders at KVBC events.  In case of severe weather, scheduled rides may be postponed or designated as "show & go" rides at the discretion of the ride leader.  For ride updates and reports, check out the KVBC blog at http://postedroads.blogspot.com or follow us on Facebook.