Here is the KVBC Ride Schedule for May - May is Bike Month!

Loopy Colby

We had fair weather for the Wake Up the Earth ride in Turner on Saturday. A bit cloudier and cooler than expected, but the roads were mostly in good shape, and the stop at the Nezinscot Farm store on Earth Day was a treat. This Saturday we will revisit a classic tour over the Colby Loop, starting at the same location as in pre-Covid days, although the location has since been transformed quite a bit, so we've included a drone's view of the ride start. Hope to see you there!

Saturday, April 29 - WATERVILLE

"Over the Colby Loop" - a classic circuit from Waterville to Oakland, Smithfield, and Norridgewock

START: 9:30 am at Colby College, visitor parking at the Lower Athletic Center Parking Lot, corner of Mayflower Hill and Campus Drive, adjacent to the new roundabout and across from the baseball field (see attached view).

DISTANCE: 34 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills

HIGHLIGHTS: scenic farmland, lakes and streams, and good roads with hopefully little traffic

LEADER: Duncan Tate, datateme@gmail.com

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7481935

LINK to GPS MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42640947

 

Earth Day Every Day!

 The abrupt onset of warm weather brought about a beautiful spring ride from Winslow last Saturday.  We had a fine turnout of 17 riders including some newcomers!  A number of folks went out and did some additional miles, while others gathered afterward for lunch at Big G's.  Many thanks to Jeanine for leading another great ride.  This weekend tops off Earth Week with our traditional "Wake Up the Earth" ride on Saturday in Turner.  We are hopeful that the forecast rains will hold off until later on Saturday, but if it is raining with temperatures in the 40s at the start we may postpone the ride.  Let's hope for good weather and we'll see you Saturday in Turner!

Saturday, April 22 - TURNER

"Wake Up the Earth" - an Earth Day ride celebrating the coming of Spring, parklands, local organic farm producers, and biking of course!

START: 10:30 am at the north parking lot of the Androscoggin Riverlands State Park on Center Bridge Road in Turner. Detailed directions (and a nifty downloadable map of the park) can be found on their website: https://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=98

DISTANCE: 22 or 24 miles

TERRAIN: moderate with several long hills

HIGHLIGHTS: a scenic ride along rivers and ridgetops through Turner and Leeds, celebrating Earth Week and the coming of Spring, with a stop at the Nezinscot Farm Store.

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

LINK to ROUTE MAP (longer): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39005991

LINK to ROUTE MAP (shorter): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39006194

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.

How Big are Gs?

 

We had another fine ride last Saturday along the very smooth back roads of Windsor, China, and South Vassalboro.  Still rather blustery, but lots of good sunshine - and good company!. Many thanks to Paul for stepping up and offering a ride to get us out and about.  The weather is supposed to really warm up this week, just in time for our ride from Winslow on Saturday.  With any luck, we may be able to show up at Big Gs with bare knees (or those of us opting for a post-ride lunch). We may also have a collection of women's cycling kits to distribute before and after the ride.  Hope you can join us!

April 15th, Saturday - WINSLOW
"Big G's and Bare Knees" - a riverside tour through Winslow, Benton, and Clinton.
START: 11:00 AM at Winslow Elementary School, 285 Benton Avenue, Winslow.
DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.
TERRAIN: moderate.
HIGHLIGHTS: an early Spring ride along the Kennebec and Sebasticook rivers. Optional lunch stop at "Big G's" in Winslow.
LEADER: Jeanine Libby, jjlibby13@roadrunner.com.

LINK TO ROUTE MAP:  https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4932699574

Through the Mill

 We had a really nice ride on Sunday from Manchester. The weather outlook called for high winds and low wind chill conditions, but the four of us who showed up gambled that that was just an April Fools forecast. In fact, the day was much milder than expected; blustery, but with full sunshine that moderated things and made the late morning quite pleasant. The weather outlook ahead calls for even warmer conditions this weekend, so we will meet in So. Vassalboro on Saturday for a 10:30 start. Hope to see you then!

Saturday, April 8 - SOUTH VASSALBORO

"Through the Mills" - a tour through Windsor and So. China to Weeks Mills and Coopers Mills.

START: 10:30am at the ride leader's house at 700 Cross Hill Road, So. Vassalboro. Park in the turnout half-way up the driveway by the garage.

DISTANCE: 26 or 30 mi.

TERRAIN: somewhat hilly, roads recently paved.

HIGHLIGHTS: some fine back roads through some venerable old mill villages. Possible post-ride get-together at the Sidereal Farm Brewery a half-mile north of the ride leader's house.

LEADER: Paul Mitnik, pjmejm@gmail.com

LINK TORIDE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42416871

 Maine State Highway Safety Committee for the first time uses an AI Chatbot to produce their new bicycle safety brochure. Using sophisticated AI software , the new guide, entitled "On Two Wheels," is drawn from thousands of images to best match the suggestions thoughtfully laid out by staff members on a whiteboard in the Highway Safety Committee's break room. The AI tool has successfully taken in this data and generated a universal image of a Maine cyclist, illustrated on the brochure as a cisgender male youngster appropriately dressed for a day of cycling, wearing an argyle sweater over a shirt and tie and light-colored slacks. The ideal cyclist is shown riding smartly upright, confidently signaling a left turn without bothering to glance behind to see if any other road users are paying attention. The Highway Safety Committee hopes that the brochure encourages Safe Bicycle Drivers Today to create Good Drivers Tomorrow - or at least the AI-generated ones.