We Are United in Manchester

 We had a nice "Maple Sunday" ride last Saturday in Chesterville. We had some nice warm sunshine at times, and a mostly flat route. John gave us a great tour of his maple syrup operation, and topped it off with some expert pancakes, themselves topped off with some expert maple syrup! Our thanks to John! This coming weekend is looking good, weather-wise, and we will take advantage and run one of our traditional rides from the past 20 years as we head out to Wings Mills from Manchester. Hope you can join us!

Sunday, April 3rd - MANCHESTER

"Manchester United" - an "almost Spring-like" tour from Manchester to Wings Mills.

START: 11:00 AM, at the Manchester Elementary School parking lot on Rt. 17, near the junction of Rt. 17 & Rt. 202. The school is on the left just after you turn off Rt. 202 onto Rt. 17 West.

DISTANCE: 19 or 23 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, with one long hill.

HIGHLIGHTS: We'll ride past Lakeside Orchards over back roads along some streams in and out of Wings Mills and take in some hilltop views.

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

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6761462

A Full Slate of Rides for April!

 Here are the KVBC Bike Rides in April! These early rides may be cancelled due to weather or road conditions. Think Spring!

Don't be a Sap

Welcome to Spring everyone!  The sap is running and we are approaching Maine Maple Sunday.  If the weather is cooperative we will have a ride Saturday in the backwoods of Chesterville, with a special maple syrup tasting at the ride leader's house.  We are not under any specific COVID restrictions, but it is a good idea to keep up with distancing and staying home if you are feeling sick.  Hope you can join us!

Saturday, March 26 - CHESTERVILLE

"John & Karen's Sugar Shack" - a sweet syrup-sampling ride from Chesterville to Farmington Falls.

START: 11:00 am at the junction of Egypt Pond Road and Main Street (about a mile from the junction of Egypt Pond Road and Tower Road).  As you turn onto Main Street (unpaved) there is a small parking area next to a small green dumpster; additional parking roadside. Signs say No Trespassing except with permission - John says we have his permission.

DISTANCE: 23.5 miles.

TERRAIN: flat to hilly; sandy road conditions call for caution on descents.

HIGHLIGHTS: a postride gathering at the ride leader's house for sap boiling and sugar sampling on Maine Maple Sunday weekend.

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

LINK TO ROUTE MAP: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7642740

Spring is Here!

 Happy Spring! We have had some tantalizing previews of Spring lately, and hopefully more to come! We are looking forward to getting in a ride for Maine Maple Sunday on Saturday in Chesterville - details coming shortly!

Ride Sunday in Vassalboro CANCELLED

It will probably come as no surprise to anyone (anyone looking out a window about now) that Winter is not quite over yet, and the potential KVBC ride tomorrow, Sunday March 13 in Vassalboro is cancelled.  We may attempt to redo the ride some other time.  We do have a ride tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 26 in Chesterville on the Maine Maple Sunday weekend, and hopefully we will see you then! 

Another March Birthday

 It's time to kick off the KVBC's 20th season!  We've long wanted to have a short ride in Vassalboro to celebrate the birth of Charles E. Pratt on March 13, 1845, a prominent, influential cyclist and son of a Quaker minister in East Vassalboro. More on Pratt here: POSTED ROADS: Happy Birthday, Charles E. Pratt!  Keeping an eye on the forecast for Sunday, it looks to be clear but quite cold and breezy, and there may be some residual snow from the storm on Saturday, any combination of which might lead to a last-minute cancellation.  But we will keep our fingers crossed and perhaps we will luck out.  Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead an hour, as we will be on Daylight Savings Time on Sunday.  Stay warm!

Sunday, March 13 - VASSALBORO

"Pratt's Birthday Ride" - a ride around Vassalboro to celebrate the birthday of Charles E. Pratt, an early cycling visionary and "Father of the League of American Wheelmen."

START: 11:00 am (Daylight Savings Time) at the Vassalboro Town Office Building, 682 Main Street (Rt. 32) in Vassalboro.

DISTANCE: 16 miles.

TERRAIN: flat to rolling

HIGHLIGHTS: a pre-Spring ride along some fine back roads in Vassalboro.

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

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38733279

March is the New April

 Here are the KVBC Pre-Season Rides in March! Our cycling forefather, Charles E. Pratt's 177th birthday is March 13, and we will try to have a short ride in Vassalboro (his birthplace). The Maine Maple Sunday ride has been relocated to Saturday in Chesterville to better experience maple syrup making and sampling. Sweet! These early rides may be cancelled due to poor road conditions or hypothermic riding conditions (wet weather in sub 50 degree temperatures), and we will attempt to get word out well before the 11:00am ride starts. But if the roads are clear and dry you are welcome to join us!