POSTED ROADS

Merry Christmas and Holiday Greetings!

2011-12-24T18:26:00.003-05:00

Best Wishes for the Holidays and the New Year to all of you from the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club! We had a great year for cycling in 2011 (although from a non-cycling perspective, I'm really looking forward to 2012)!

Coming up in January we will plan for our annual ride planning pizza party - stay tuned for details. I am also amenable for organizing another New Year's Day Ride - perhaps along the rail trail in Hallowell, if the weather remains rather mild - although I recovering from a (non-cycling) calf injury, and may not be able to ride by then. I certainly hope to be ready for my 6th quadrennial Leap Day Ride - which will be Wednesday, Feb. 29th - more details as we get nearer to the date. These winter rides are subject to weather, but we have had pretty good luck with them in the past.

And I'm sure that when we get into March, we'll all start to look forward for the spring rides to start up again in April! Perhaps we'll get to see each other before then!

Happy New Year!

Halloween is not for Weenies

2011-10-28T21:10:00.003-04:00

We've had some great Fall cycling weather of late, with two really nice rides in Farmington and Winthrop. Lots of sun and very little wind. The weather forecast for Sunday looks to be rather grim, but if we manage to avoid a lot of snow we will meet in Wayne for a special Halloween ride to some notable cemeteries, including the round Wing cemetery in Wayne. Last year's ride was a lot of fun! Costumes optional - even zombies must wear helmets. To get you in the mood, here's a classic Edward Gorey tale. This may be our last official ride of the year. Don't let anything scare you away!

Sunday, October 30th - WAYNE

"All Hallows Tour" - a Halloween ride featuring some historic cemeteries.

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

DISTANCE: 15-20 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, creepy in spots.

HIGHLIGHTS: the Wing family cemetery, the Kents Hill orchard, perhaps a notorious historic crime scene, and other local haunts.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Industry in Fall

2011-10-06T21:03:00.004-04:00

The weather last weekend was pretty nasty, but this weekend is looking a lot better with sunshine and temperatures expected in the 70s. Great riding weather for October! Please join us Saturday morning in Farmington for a pretty ride to Clearwater Pond in Allens Mills and some great ridgetop views to take advantage of the best part of the Fall Season.

Saturday, October 8th: FARMINGTON

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

START: 10:00 A.M., at the Hannaford Plaza on Rt. 4 in Farmington, about a mile south from the junction of Rt. 4 and Rt. 27, towards Wilton. Park near the entrance to the shopping plaza.

DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.

TERRAIN: rolling to hilly - includes an optional short (1/4 mi.) section of hard-packed dirt road, which can be circumvented by adding a mile to the overall route.

HIGHLIGHTS: quiet back roads along the Sandy River, spectacular panoramic views from the ridgetops of New Sharon & Industry, Clearwater Pond at Allens Mills.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Pedaling to Pocassett on 9/11

2011-09-09T22:36:00.004-04:00

Since our last ride we have had a ton of rain, lengthy power outages, and I personally have had a plague of bicycle-related mechanical problems. My in-season solution has always been to have more than one bike to fall back on, but the problems have started to mount, and now I am faced with multiple repairs. But the weekend weather forecast is too nice to let this great fall weather pass, so I'll try to come up with a working bike by Sunday when we head out to Readfield and Wayne. We will have a short loop in case some people want to head over to Vassalboro where the CMCC is sponsoring an event with time trials Sunday. Otherwise I hope to see you Sunday morning in Readfield - with a working machine!

Sunday, September 11th: READFIELD

"Pedaling to Pocasset": a sampling of the fine back roads of Readfield, Wayne, Fayette, and Kents Hill, with nice runs along Pocasset Lake and Lovejoy Pond.

START: 9:00 A.M., Readfield Center, near the junction of Rt. 17 and Rt. 41. Park in the lot behind the Readfield Post Office.

DISTANCE: 20 miles

TERRAIN: rolling with a few hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: splendid waterfall in North Wayne (a lot more impressive than it usually is this time of year), quiet roads skirting the shores of Pocasset Lake and Lovejoy Pond; possible ice cream stop in Wayne and/or the Apple Shed in Kents Hill.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

NOTE: The Downeast Sunrise Trail ride re-scheduled for next weekend, Sept. 17-18, is still on, as far as I know, and we will have updates later in the week. The following weekend is the Common Ground Fair in Unity, where I will be working at the Stanley Museum booth again on Friday and Saturday. The Bike Coalition can also use volunteers at their bike valet parking area (our Museum booth will be right next to them this year!). If any of you are interested in pedaling to the fair, we can try to put together a ride up near Unity on the 23rd or 24th. Let me know what you think. We can also use ride leaders for the remainder of September and into October. Still some great fall riding ahead!

Hot Dogs and Toasted Buns

2011-08-17T20:33:00.008-04:00

Last Saturday we traveled down a sandy dirt road on no map to Ken's house, taking our cue from a beautiful summer day - and the promise of hot dogs later - to ride over some of the hill country in Wings Mills, Belgrade, Manchester, and Augusta.

The day was clear, but would turn hot, and some of the hills were long. But we had little traffic and good company.

We could hardly grouse about the sun and the heat, for the ride had nearly been rained out in previous years. Ken's hot dogs remained one of the club's best secrets. But no longer - not after last Saturday.

Our thanks to the Louises for the great ride and their hospitality - and for the perfect setting to chill out after a sweet ride. See you next year? Hot Dog!

A reminder - the KVBC ride scheduled for Sunday, August 21st, in ALNA has been POSTPONED and we will be meeting in SMITHFIELD at the fire station at 9:00 am instead. See you then!

Alna is OFF - Smithfield is ON

2011-08-17T20:09:00.003-04:00

Due to unforeseen family commitments, our scheduled ride this Sunday in Alna will be POSTPONED and rescheduled for another date.

Instead, we will be meeting in Smithfield for a great double loop around North and East Ponds with some great lakeside runs, followed by a nifty ice cream stop. Hope you can join us!

Sunday, August 21st - SMITHFIELD

"Route 8 Figure 8" - a scenic tour through Smithfield, Belgrade, Rome, and Mercer.

START: 9:00 AM, at the new Smithfield Fire Station on Rt. 8 in Smithfield, about a quarter-mile north of the junction of Rt. 8 and Rt. 137.

DISTANCE: 15 and 28 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate to moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: many scenic lake views and back roads, and an ice cream stop.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

You Are What You Eat

2011-08-10T19:00:00.005-04:00

I'm told that there was a great ride last week in Wayne, with such classic cycling views as rolling past fields of sunflowers just 20 miles outside of Paris (well, Paris, Maine, anyway), and some culinary quandaries involving lobster rolls vs. Tubby's ice cream. Decisions, decisions.

No need for decisions this Saturday, because Ken is leading us on a ride exploring the "other side" of the Belgrade Stream in Mount Vernon, followed by a hot dog roast at his house overlooking the water.

We have openings in the KVBC ride calendar for leaders in September and October. If you can lead a ride, contact Jim at hjmerrick@gmail.com. Fall is coming - more great riding ahead!

Saturday, August 13th - WING'S MILLS (Mount Vernon)

"Hot Dog! - The Hot Dog Ride" (not because we'll ride like one but because we will want one) - a tour through Mount Vernon, Belgrade, North Augusta, and Manchester

START: 9:00 AM at 49 Marble Point Rd., Mount Vernon

Directions to Start:

From Augusta, take #27 North to Belgrade and turn left onto #135 (Christy's store and blinking light)
Go 3 miles and right onto Wings Mill Rd; go 2.5 miles and right onto Marble Point Rd. which is just
after crossing Belgrade Stream; it is a hard pack dirt road and we are the log home on the right)

From Mount Vernon, Readfield: Take North Rd to Wings Mills Rd and go about 3 miles to Marble Point Rd;
just after passing Bartlett Rd on the right, turn left onto Marble Point

Delorme Maine Atlas Map 12; A-4. Just west and across the stream from the intersection of Dunn Rd and
Wings Mill Rd. (Marble Point is not listed by name on the map).
DISTANCE: 29 miles
TERRAIN: Moderate with some hills
HIGHLIGHTS: Views of Belgrade Stream, Hamilton Pond, Stuart Pond, Messalonskee Lake, Doctor Pond, Silver Lake, Gould Pond, with a Hot Dog cookout lunch following the ride - swimming available also.
LEADER: Ken Louis.

Somewhere Outside of Paris

2011-08-10T18:44:00.004-04:00

Last Saturday, Ray & Jane Giglio led the KVBC ride from Wayne through Leeds and North Monmouth on the "Tour de Lacs." The group rolled past some classic cycling vistas, including fields of sunflowers some 20 miles outside of Paris (Me.).

Ray reports:

"Beside Jane and I, we had three other riders for the Tour de Lacs ride on 8/6: George Luckhurst, plus Claudette Purington and her husband Tom Keyes. Perfect day - the ride was 29 miles. It was our anniversary (23rd) so I took Jane out to eat at a benefit lobster roll dinner at the Cary Memorial Library in Wayne, after a swim and change of clothes at the Androscoggin Yacht Club. Hey, she had her choice of there or at Tubby's. Unfortunately, Claudette and Tom, and George, had other places to go to."

Unfortunately, some of us (including this would-be blogger) had to miss it. Many thanks to Ray & Jane for stepping up and leading such a memorable ride.

Whatever you do, don't miss next week's ride in Wings Mills, where Ken will reprise his Hot Dog Ride! See you then!

Along the Esker

2011-08-10T18:25:00.005-04:00

We had a fine ride in Mount Vernon, cycling past many ponds and lakes and over some challenging hills in Chesterville. At one point, we overtook a family of four out cycling - always a cause for rejoicing, to see families out cycling together. Beats the heck out of spending "quality time" at the Mall.

Leaving the hills behind for a time, we had a great run along the Chesterville Esker - a nice flat ridge of glacial deposits running between many pristine little ponds - one of the more striking cycling venues in Central Maine. Too soon, we had to leave it, too, behind, as we traversed the rolling terrain back to the start at Mount Vernon. Perhaps we can schedule a return in the Fall.

Wandering and Pondering

2011-07-18T22:47:00.004-04:00

Summer has finally arrived! With it has come the heat, but not so bad as in other parts of the country, and as one rider last Saturday remarked, we'll be nostalgic for this heat soon enough. As for last Saturday, we had another great ride down to Bowdoinham along some really pretty back roads, skirting ponds and marshlands, dappled with welcome shade. Our "warm" thanks to Geology Joe for another great tour.

This Saturday is the Bicycle Coalition of Maine's 10th annual Lobster Ride in Rockland. They could still use some volunteers for flagging, rest stop support, and post-event clean-up. There's a lobster roll (and a t-shirt) in it with your name on it - just call Cecelia Garton at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine at cecelia@bikemaine.org or 623-4511. Volunteers may also sign-up online, at http://www.bikemaine.org/events/lobster-ride/lobster-ride-volunteer-form.

Please join us in Mount Vernon this Sunday to count ponds and have fun on multiple 50 mph descents (there are potentially three, road conditions permitting). Whether that has any benefit to cardio-vascular training I'll leave for experts to judge. I've been informed that this ride has 3,230 feet of climbing (by one rider's electronic calculations) and there are several 15% grades (short ones, though) on Sandy River Road. The ride also has some unique scenery, with a delightful (and flat) run along the Chesterville Esker - a good part of the route was laid out by glacier! We may also get together after the ride at the cafe in Mount Vernon.

Sunday, July 24th - 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, Mount Vernon Post Office, just off Rt. 41 on Main Street in Mount Vernon.

DISTANCE: 14 and 29 miles.

TERRAIN: Rolling with a few good hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: rural back roads winding through many small ponds and lakes, and across the top of the Chesterville Esker. Possible post-ride get-together at the cafe in Mt. Vernon village.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Bowdoinham by Bike

2011-07-12T22:26:00.006-04:00

Splendid weekend weather and a great breakfast ride in Augusta made for some really fine cycling for everyone who made it to Sunday's KVBC ride. The early morning ride start was not too hot, and some of the bikes that showed up were really cool - Peggy practically stole the show with her funky Rans semi-recumbent with electric motor assist. Only recently configured, she had already put 600 miles on it, and she was talking about tackling Cadillac Mountain!

Many thanks to Connie for leading the ride and once again opening her house to us for a post-ride breakfast which was much appreciated! Her porch is a great place to chill out after a nice ride, and the kitchen fare is great, too.

We have a great ride coming up this Saturday in Gardiner, heading down the coast to Bowdoinham - a great tune-up ride for the BCM Lobster Ride the following weekend. Rumor has it that we are finally in for a string of really fine weekend biking weather. Hope you can all join us!

Saturday, July 16th - GARDINER

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

START: 10:00 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 new 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: 40-45 miles.

TERRAIN: Moderately hilly.

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

LEADER: Joe Renda.

A Capital Breakfast Again

2011-07-04T18:05:00.002-04:00

Happy Fourth! And if you were on the ride in Sidney on Saturday, you likely had a happy Fourth. It was a beautiful ride, sunny, not too hot, very little wind, lots of fresh new pavement, and a great group of 20 people taking part in a great route. Many thanks to Jim Putnam, who seems to have a special knack for picking great weather days eight years running.

Next Sunday we will have a reprise of the Breakfast Ride in Augusta that was washed out a week ago. Thanks are due to Connie who was quickly able to reschedule her ride. If you plan to come, please R.S.V.P. to Connie, the ride leader, ahead of time, so she can get an idea of the head count for breakfast after the ride. The long range forecast for Sunday looks promising, so mark you calendars so you don't miss out! If you are heading for the Maine Bike Rally in Brunswick, have fun, and if you can take some KVBC brochures along, let me know. Thanks!

Sunday, July 10th - AUGUSTA

"Capital Breakfast Ride" - a tour through the streets and past the features of our capital city.

START: 8:00 AM at the parking lot of the Hussey Elementary School on Quimby Street in Augusta. Quimby is right off Rt. 100 at the traffic light across from Auclair's Cycle heading north; detailed directions here: http://www.augustaschools.org/schools/hussey_elementary_school/directions.htm

DISTANCE: 25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some flat stretches riverside.

HIGHLIGHTS: breakfast, the capital, the Kennebec close up, new and intriguing routes - and did we mention breakfast?

LEADER: Connie Brown. Please R.S.V.P. if you plan to ride, so we can get a good head count for breakfast. Thanks!

Cycling Fourth

2011-06-27T08:37:00.003-04:00

Well, it's either going to stop raining soon or some clever person is going to invent an automatic self-replenishing chain-lube. Either one of those might be nifty, but right now I think I'd like to see a sunny day for one of our rides. The Fourth of July is coming up this weekend, which means another great ride in Sidney, led, as in year's past, by Jim Putnam. Hope you can make it, and if not, have a great holiday weekend!

Saturday, July 2nd, SIDNEY:
"Independence along the Middle Road" - a tour through the middle of Sidney & the middle of a prime farming district, in 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 30 Miles.
TERRAIN: moderate with a few hills.
HIGHLIGHTS: some fine back roads and Kennebec River views, and some 4th of July paraphernalia, perhaps.
LEADER: Jim Putnam.

Capital Breakfast Ride Postponed

2011-06-24T21:33:00.001-04:00

Due to impending weather conditions (rain and thunderstorms) tomorrow's KVBC ride in Augusta (Saturday, June 25 at 8 am) will be postponed to another date. Please forward this message to anyone you know who may be planning to ride who is not on our email list. Thanks, and we will reschedule the ride for another weekend.

A Capital Breakfast

2011-06-22T23:53:00.003-04:00

We had a fine ride around Cobbossee Lake led by Cynthia Snow last June 11th. Despite another so-so forecast, eleven people showed up and were rewarded with a great ride. Many thanks to Cynthia!

I wasn't quite so lucky, as I was off in Vermont attempting two back-to-back centuries in the cold and rain. There was some great Vermont scenery, even wet as it was, but the Vermont roads have really taken a beating since the last time I was there. Their roads may even be worse than some of ours now, sorry to say, but still worth a trip.

Next Saturday's ride will be in Augusta, and it will include breakfast on the agenda! If you plan to come, please R.S.V.P. to Connie, the ride leader, ahead of time, so she can get an idea of the head count for breakfast after the ride. In year's past this event has been really well received, and you wouldn't want to miss it!

Saturday, June 25th - AUGUSTA

"Capital Breakfast Ride" - a tour through the streets and past the features of our capital city.

DISTANCE: 25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some flat stretches riverside.

HIGHLIGHTS: breakfast, the capital, the Kennebec close up, new and intriguing routes - and did we mention breakfast?

LEADER: Connie Brown. Please R.S.V.P. if you plan to ride, so we can get a good head count for breakfast. Thanks!

The Cobbossee Odyssey

2011-06-05T22:46:00.005-04:00

Finally some beautiful weekend weather! I hope you all were able to get out and enjoy it. Since I had to work at Colby for reunion weekend, I went out Saturday morning on an alumni ride with members of the Colby Cycling team. Not only was I the oldest one there (by far) I also had the oldest bike (by far). I dusted off my 1975 Raleigh, since I was representing the Class of '75. Both the bike and I held up OK. I brought it out again for the ride Sunday with the Central Maine Cycling Club, and again it rode really well. Would've been better if I hadn't gotten lost, but that's another story. It did get me back to the start where we had a great post-ride barbecue put together by Dave Richard and his crew, who have offered to do it again later this summer. My thanks to them all.

I hope we are in for a stretch of good weather, because Cynthia has a great ride set for this Saturday around Cobbossee Lake, followed by the Trek weekend, and Connie's breakfast ride in Augusta on June 25. Lots more to come!

JUNE 11th, Saturday: EAST WINTHROP

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

START: 9:00 A.M., at the parking lot of Tom's Bike Boutique, 2208 Rt.202 in East Winthrop, across from D.R Struck's Nursery.

DISTANCE: 30 miles.

TERRAIN: rolling with some challenging hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: views of Cobbossee Lake, back roads of Winthrop, Manchester, West Gardiner, Litchfield, and Monmouth.

LEADER: Cynthia Snow.

A Ride to a Barbecue

2011-06-02T23:24:00.004-04:00

Dave Richard has graciously invited us to a joint ride this Sunday with the Central Maine Cycling Club and the Charlie's Big Wheels Trek Team in Vassalboro, followed by a post-ride barbecue/pot luck (see details under HIGHLIGHTS below). This ride is essentially a "re-do" of the joint ride we had planned last year that got washed out - a "re-do" of the RIDE, we should emphasize - NOT the "washed out" part! The weather looks like a great weekend, finally!

Sunday, June 5th - VASSALBORO

"CMCC/Charlie's Big Wheels Barbecue Ride" - a tour through the scenic back roads of Vassalboro with the Central Maine Cycling Club

START: 10:00 AM at the ride leader's house, 35 Katie Drive, off of Gray Road approx. 1/4 mile from the junction with Rt.32 in East Vassalboro (see map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?address=35+Katie+Drive&city=Vassalboro&state=Maine&zipcode=04989)

DISTANCE: 3 or 4 route options up to 40 miles plus

TERRAIN: moderate to challenging

HIGHLIGHTS: a joint ride with the Central Maine Cycling Club/Charlie's Big Wheels Trek Team, featuring quiet back roads through a very scenic area and a post-ride barbecue; additional details at their website: http://www.irproshop.com/index.php?pr=BBQ_page

LEADER: Dave Richard.

A Single Chain Ring At-a-Time

2011-06-01T21:47:00.003-04:00

An update on a potential KVBC ride this weekend: We have no ride scheduled for Saturday, June 4, but if the planets align properly we may have something in the works for Sunday. The tentatively scheduled ride to North Haven that was on the preliminary calendar is being reworked for a later date - the logistics are a bit more challenging than one of our normal rides, but we still hope to offer an island ride later this year. Sunday is the 10th Annual Womens Ride organized by BCM in Freeport - word is that it is a lot of fun, inspiring, and worth all the effort that goes into it. For those of us who are... what's the right word? Ineligible?... anyway, for those of us who aren't attending the ride in Freeport, we might have an alternative ride closer to home on Sunday, especially if someone jumps up and offers to lead one.

We had a fine ride last Saturday in Livermore. A bunch of us got together for breakfast before the ride at the Lunch Pad, a great little seasonal diner. Despite another dismal weather forecast, the ride came off really well. Well, at the beginning the mist was as thick as black flies (or maybe the black flies were as thick as the mist) but once we got rolling that took care of itself. There was some question as to why it was called a "single chainring tour" as there were (despite being significantly flat) a few significant hills en route. Actually it was meant to be called the "single-chainring-at-a-time tour" but I shortened it because I didn't want to be accused of being too verbose. Our thanks to Frank Rosen for another great ride. We'll see what we can drum up for this weekend. Stay tuned!

Women's Ride

2011-05-28T22:06:00.006-04:00

The 10th Annual Women's Ride is this coming Sunday, June 5, in Freeport. They are still accepting registrations - according to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine's Facebook page, they are having some problems with on-line registration, but you can register by calling the BCM office on Tuesday if the on-line system is still down. You can also register the day of the event.

This is a great way to introduce women, both young and older, to a fun and festive all-women ride. Distances are 5, 15, 25 and 50 miles. We start the morning at a great venue, LLBean's Headquarters. When riders return, they will be greeted with a steel drum band, massage and yoga. Then we move the celebration next door and rehydrating in the awesome backyard at Grittys! There are some great giveaways and raffle (need to be present to win)!

We could use help in the following areas:

Volunteers. The day of the event. Contact Cecelia Garton or call
207-623-4511 Volunteers can be males, too!~
Raffle Items. Whatever you can provide or think will inspire more women to ride.
Women riders from Your Community: Encourage all of the women in your circles to participate. So invite and tell a sister, wife, mother, daughter, girlfriend, aunt, and grandmother. This is a great initiative to get more females of all ages moving! Register HERE

Lastly, we are jumping into the social media world and have "LIKED" many of you that have supported BCM. If we did not find you, please LIKE us so we can LIKE you back! We are also going on Twitter to cross promote as well. Please feel free to share your Twitter handle if you have a moment.

Thanks in advance for all your support with this endeavor!

Now for some warm weather and sunshine!

Single Chainring Tour

2011-05-23T21:17:00.004-04:00

Hey, we saw some blue sky last Saturday! We saw dry pavement! Heck, we even saw shadows of bikes on dry pavement! Get this - we even saw the SUN! Oh, the rapture! Well, it was a bit humid, but not the end of the world. And George led us on another terrific ride - with a great cookie stop! Hopefully it will dry out again by this weekend when Frank leads us on an adventure to Leeds, as well as the great run along the Chesterville Esker. Come early, and we'll have breakfast!

Saturday, May 28th - LIVERMORE

"Single Chainring Tour" - an exploration of the flatlands from Livermore to Leeds, through Fayette to the Chesterville Esker.

START: 8:30 AM at the Lunch Pad Restaurant (7:30 am if you want to join us for breakfast) at the junction of Rt.17 and Rt. 133 (Park Street) in Livermore, where Rt. 17 N comes into a "T" intersection just before downtown Livermore Falls. Park in the Footware parking lot next to the diner.

DISTANCE: about 25 miles.

TERRAIN: mostly moderate with no big hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: A nice flat run along the scenic Chesterville Esker - good roads and good people.

LEADER: Frank Rosen.

Return to Litchfield

2011-05-16T10:19:00.002-04:00

Once again the weather gods smiled on us (or perhaps, ignored us) and we got in another ride before the rains moved in last Saturday in the Belgrade Lakes. The weather was mostly cloudy, mostly cool, and thankfully mostly dry - and all of us had fun, mostly. (The ride leader was mostly under the weather, but he managed to do most of the ride.) Somewhat damp and dreary weather ahead for Bike to Work Week, but hopefully not enough to deter the faithful. Here's hoping everything clears out for this Saturday's Tour de Litchfield - a really great ride, and one where the sun always shines. I'm counting on that. See you then!

Saturday, May 21st - LITCHFIELD

"Tour de Litchfield" - an exploration of the back roads of Litchfield.

START: 9:30 AM at the Libby-Tosier Elementary School parking lot, at the junction of Rt. 197 and Academy Road in Litchfield Corners.

DISTANCE: about 25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate to rolling.

HIGHLIGHTS: quiet back roads and ponds in Litchfield, and possibly a cookie stop!

LEADER: George Luckhurst.

The Belgrade Lakes

2011-05-09T23:58:00.003-04:00

Hey, we actually lucked out weather-wise on last Saturday's ride in Manchester. All the forecasts of rain, thunderstorms, high wind and hail, managed to evade us - at least on the ride itself - and the ten of us who rode had a pleasantly storm-free ride. May is National Bike Month, so we'll take advantage of an open date in the calendar to revisit one of our club favorites and ride around some of the fine roads in the Belgrade Lakes this Saturday. Help kick off Bike to Work Week (or Commute Another Way Week) and come join us in Belgrade. Hope to see you there!

May 14th, Saturday: BELGRADE LAKES

"Great Pond Go 'Round" - a tour around Great Pond through Belgrade, Rome, and Smithfield.

START: 9:30 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: 23 or 30 miles, with a short option of 15 miles.

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

HIGHLIGHTS: views of the Belgrade Lakes, some roller coaster hills, Castle Island, and Blueberry Hill.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Manchester in May

2011-05-01T22:05:00.002-04:00

We had a great ride last Saturday, with fine Spring weather and a great turnout of 22 riders. We rode over some great roads, rescued a runaway dog, dealt with a mysterious grey minivan, did not get rained on, and all-in-all had a really nice ride. Many thanks to Denise for putting together the ride and sharing fresh baked cookies afterwards! Hope you can all come out again this Saturday as we explore the back roads north of Manchester and Wings Mills. See you then!

Saturday, May 7th - MANCHESTER

"Manchester in May" - a posted roads tour from Manchester to Wings Mills.

START: 9:30 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 next to the fire station just after you turn off Rt. 202 onto Rt. 17 West.

DISTANCE: 23 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, with one long hill.

HIGHLIGHTS: We'll ride some paved (albeit sandy) back roads along some streams in and out of Wings Mills and take in some pre-foliage hilltop views.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Spring on the Big Lakes

2011-04-25T22:29:00.002-04:00

Well we almost lucked out with the weather last Saturday, but the rains only held off until about a half-hour before the start, and then mixed with sleet. With temperatures dropping, Frank & I decided to postpone the ride till some other day with less hypothermic conditions. Not the way we drew up the start for the season, but we'll just hit the "reset" button and give it another go this Saturday! More showers are on the way this week, but they most likely won't last through all of April, and we'll find out on the last day of the month when Denise takes us on a tour of the big lakes in Winthrop, Monmouth, and Manchester - hopefully on dry pavement! See you then!

Saturday, April 30th - EAST WINTHROP

"The Big Lakes Tour" - a ride along the shorelines of Lakes Maranacook, Annabessacook, and Cobbosseecontee.

START: 9:30 AM at the parking lot of Tom's Bike Boutique, 2208 Rt.202 in East Winthrop, accross from D.R Struck's Nursery.

DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: Some nice lakeside runs along backroads in Winthrop, Monmouth, and Manchester.

LEADER: Denise Crowell.

Wake Up The Earth Ride

2011-04-17T20:56:00.003-04:00

OK. We've had the late, late Winter snows and enough April showers to fill several flower shows. Enough of that already! Now it's time to Wake Up the Earth! Come on out and join us in Wayne the day after Earth Day, to kick off the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club's 10th season! It looks like we have a great lineup of rides scheduled (and more to come) and we hope to get off to a great start in Wayne on Saturday. If you haven't gotten many miles in yet, no worries - this is a fairly flat route and a great first ride to start the season. All are welcome! And with gas nearing 4 bucks a gallon, never a better time than Earth Day to start traveling as "car-free" as you can. Hope to see everyone this Saturday!

Saturday, April 23rd - WAYNE

"Wake Up the Earth!" - an Earth Day tour of the lakes and waterfalls around Wayne, Leeds, Livermore, and Wayne.

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

DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, with some surprisingly flat sections.

HIGHLIGHTS: some very nice scenic shore roads, meadows, and waterfalls - and we're back riding again!

LEADER: Frank Rosen.

For more information about the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com

The All-New DomestiqueBot

2011-04-01T22:45:00.011-04:00

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A Memorable Memorial Day Ride

2011-03-14T21:43:00.009-04:00

As part of our countdown to Spring, here is the first of a series of ride reports from last Summer, starting with the Memorial Day weekend ride on May 29, 2010, starting in East Winthrop at Tom's Bike Boutique on Rt.202.

We had a fine turnout, considering that the ride was scheduled at the last minute on a long holiday weekend. The weather was dry, although mostly cloudy.

It's usually a good sign when the ride leader is smiling! (Or perhaps that's the trademark of a professional dental hygienist?).

The route took us over the back roads of Winthrop and into Litchfield and Monmouth.

We rolled past historic cemeteries and many lakes and ponds.

As customary, we often stopped to chat while we waited for others to catch up.

And once everyone had caught up, we more often than not, continued to chat.

But there were more fine roads to explore, so we were soon on our way.

If you missed this ride, don't miss it twice - Denise will be leading it again on April 30th! Thanks, Denise!

Getting Anxious For Spring?

2011-03-08T21:21:00.006-05:00

If you're one of those people who think all of this wonderful, winterful, ice-crystalled Currier & Ives scenery would've looked REALLY great about a month and a half or so ago, you probably have lots of company. But have faith - we are just 46 days away from our first scheduled KVBC ride on April 23! And we will begin our countdown here on the POSTED ROADS club blog with ride reports from last year serving as previews for the rides ahead (if I can find time to post reports and get my bikes and legs in shape in the next six weeks). A special salute should go out to those who have been riding through the winter. In case you missed it, the Morning Sentinel had a nice profile of Denise Crowell last month: http://www.onlinesentinel.com/reallife/ice-biking-keeps-you-in-shape-all-year_2011-02-12.html.

KVBC Club Dues: our annual dues for 2011 become due on April 1st - still dirt cheap, at $10 per person or $15 per household. The money goes to pay for our insurance coverage, as well as club affiliation with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine and the League of American Bicyclists. Send your dues with a signed copy of the KVBC Membership Form (the link is under the Club logo on the blog) to Sandi Hodge at P.O. Box 511, Alna, Maine 04535. Please note the new mailing address which may not appear on the online form. Thank you!

We still have a number of open dates available for ride volunteers. If you can lead a ride, please contact Jim Merrick at 293-3784 or hjmerrick@gmail.com. We also have two additional rides to announce (one is actually an updated listing):

August 13 (Saturday) - Ken's Hot Dog Ride, 9:00 am, Wings Mills (Mt. Vernon), 25-30 miles Road, Ken Louis.

August 27-28 (Saturday & Sunday– KVBC Downeast Sunrise Trail, Time TBD, Ellsworth, 30-40 mi per day, one or two day ride (overnight option) on packed gravel surface to explore the new trail; Dave Wood.

THINK SPRING!

KVBC 2011 Ride Schedule

2011-01-27T20:22:00.006-05:00

Ahh, the Bike Boom years. I came across this great blast-from-the-past image in the Time/Life photo archive, dating from 1971. Hard to believe that was 40 years ago! And what a great ensemble of groovin' Mod Squad cyclistas, ready to roll. Pre-index shifting, pre-suspension, pre-computer, pre-helmet - pretty much pre-everything. Didn't stop them at all. And check out those retro jerseys! Looks like some of those jerseys have double breast pockets. You might still find a bike from that era, but you're not likely to come across one of those jerseys any time soon. I've found some old bike jerseys in bike shop bargain bins, but nothing like those. If you know where there's a stash of them, let me know. It'd be great to try and recreate this photo sometime, perhaps on one of the rides we have coming up this year...

Here is the 2011 preliminary ride schedule for the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club. We still have a few open dates to fill, and I am expecting that we will have a few more rides to add as we get closer to spring. If you have a favorite ride that you would like to share, map it out, pick a date, and let me know the details. Many, many thanks to all of you who signed up to lead a ride. We have some really interesting rides in store, and here's hoping that the weather will be just perfect for all of them. Here in winter, with a thick snow pack and sub-zero temperatures, we're allowed to hope for perfect weather, since just about anything would be perfect by comparison, so we're not askin' much. Except maybe for one of those jerseys.

Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club 2011 Ride Calendar

April 23 (Saturday) – KVBC Wake Up the Earth Ride, 10:00 AM, Wayne Elementary School, Wayne, 25 mi. Road; leader: Frank Rosen.

April 30 (Saturday) – KVBC Three Lakes Tour, 9:30 AM, Tom’s Bike Boutique, East Winthrop, 25 mi. Road; leader: Denise Crowell.

May 7 (Saturday) – KVBC Manchester in May, 9:30 AM, Manchester Elementary School, Manchester, 23 mi. Road; leader: Jim Merrick.

May 21 (Saturday) – KVBC Tour of Litchfield, 9:30 AM, Purgatory Village, Litchfield, 25 mi. Road; leader: George Luckhurst.

May 28 (Saturday) – KVBC Single Chainring Tour, 8:30 AM, Lunch Pad Restaurant, Livermore, 25 mi. Road; leader: Frank Rosen.

June 11 (Saturday) – KVBC Cobbossee Odyssey, 9:00 AM, Tom’s Bike Boutique, East Winthrop, 25-30 mi. Road; leader: Cynthia Snow.

June 25 (Saturday) – KVBC Capital Breakfast Ride, 8:00 AM, Hussey Elementary School, Augusta, 25 mi. Road; leader: Connie Brown.

July 2 (Saturday) – KVBC Fourth of July Ride, 9:00 AM, James H. Bean Elementary School, Sidney, 25 mi. Road; leader: Jim Putnam.

July 16 (Saturday) – KVBC Biking to Bowdoinham, 10:00 AM, Laura Richards School, Gardiner, 40-45 mi. Road; leader: Joe Renda.

July 24 (Sunday) – KVBC Eleven Ponds Ride, 9:00 AM, Mount Vernon Post Office, Mount Vernon, 30 mi. Road; leader: Jim Merrick.

August 13 (Saturday) - Ken's Hot Dog Ride, 9:00 AM, Wings Mills (Mt. Vernon), 25-30 miles Road, Ken Louis.

August 21 (Sunday) – KVBC Alna Alternative, 9:30 AM, Alna Post Office, Alna, 20-25 mi. Road; leader: Sandi Hodge.

KVBC Ride Planning Meeting and Pizza Fest

2011-01-08T13:05:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful New Year's Day ride last Saturday in Hallowell. The roads were clear and even dry in sections - not messy at all, and traffic was very light. With the clouds moving in, I'm not sure if the temperature actually got up to 50 degrees, but it was very pleasant for January 1st - even if I was overdressed. We rode out Town Farm Road towards Litchfield, and explored some back roads on our way back to Hallowell, just over 14 miles in all. It wasn't until we got back to Hallowell that I suddenly realized that we had to climb a very difficult hill up Winthrop Street back to the ride start at the Hall-Dale School. I had completely forgotten it. Oh, fudge. Turned out it wasn't as bad as I remembered it. It was worse. Oh well, at least Duane was very good natured about it. Have to remember to consider the entire route next time I make up a ride at the last minute.

We will have our annual KVBC ride planning get-together at the BCM's Augusta office on Thursday, January 20th, for pizza and planning. Let me know if you can come, and if you can't make it and have a ride in mind to lead, let me know as well. See you then!

Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club Planning Meeting

Thursday, January 20, 2011, 7:00-9:00 PM

Location: Bicycle Coalition of Maine Headquarters

341 Water Street (2nd Floor), Augusta

The BCM Offices are at the beginning of Water Street as you come off the circle, and there is a free parking lot across the street. Map & directions can be found at the BCM website: www.BikeMaine.org, 623-4511.

Purpose of meeting is to put together the KVBC ride calendar for the year. We will also discuss holding other events and get-togethers, possible joint events with other clubs, and other KVBC issues.

Pizza and other refreshments will be served. All members and interested individuals are welcome to attend.

The Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club (KVBC) is a recreational road riding club located in the central Maine capitol district. An all-volunteer club, the KVBC offers weekend rides on scenic local cycling routes designed by its members. Most of the club's rides start within a 30-mile radius of Augusta, with some further afield. KVBC rides vary in distance and terrain, and are intended to offer regional day tours that will appeal to riders of different abilities. Riders are free to ride at their own pace - non-members and newcomers are welcome. Helmets and signed waivers are required for all participants at KVBC cycling events. Annual membership dues - $10 for individuals, $15 for households - are collected in early April to raise funds for the club's liability insurance and its affiliate membership in support of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine (BCM). KVBC rides and events are posted on the BCM's events calendar (both on-line and hard copy versions), with further details distributed by e-mail to everyone on the club's free contact list. If you are in our area and are interested in participating in a KVBC scheduled ride, please feel free to join us!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T17:17:00.008-05:00

I don't know about you, but I have always loved riding on New Year's Day. The weather can be pretty intimidating in our neck of the woods, but looks like this year might be an exception. If anyone is up for a ride tomorrow, I'm game. Incredibly, they are predicting temperatures around 50 degrees, which is almost shorts-weather! I'm not sure I would go quite that far, but it's too nice to pass up. Let's meet at the Hall-Dale Elementary School off Winthrop Street and see what we can find for clear streets. Maybe we'll check out the Rail Trail before heading over to Slates! Hope to see you there!

Saturday, January 1st - HALLOWELL

"Happy New Year!" - a scenic tour over hill and dale through Hallowell.

START: 11:00 AM, Hall-Dale Elementary School, 26 Garden Lane off of Winthrop Street in Hallowell.

DISTANCE: 15-20 miles.

TERRAIN: moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: a new year, great weather, Slates Bakery (yes, they're open) and part of the rail trail perhaps.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

As proof of my fondness of New Year's Day rides, here's a selection of old patches from rides in the past. My old club, the Charles River Wheelmen, holds an annual New Year's Day ride in Boston starting from Park Square. I took part in every one of the rides run in the 16 years I lived in Boston, I led the ride twice, and I've been back to visit on New Year's several years since. On some years, they have had over 100 riders on the New Year's Day ride!

Season's Greetings!

2010-12-17T21:34:00.004-05:00

Season's Greetings to you all!

We had a terrific season of cycling in 2010. From Earth Day to Halloween, we had 23 rides scheduled over 28 weekends (with most of the rest filled in by major cycling events). Only one ride was canceled due to bad weather (thunderstorms); another was postponed but we substituted another in its place. I'm personally pleased that I made it to all but one of the rides! I want to thank all of the ride leaders who graciously offered to share one of their rides with us, and for all the folks who showed up to keep me company on the rides I led.
Thanks, too, to all those who welcomed us into their homes and shops for baked cookies and other treats. Thank you all!

Today I had my first "Posted Roads" placard sighting, which means it's already time to start planning for next year! Sometime in January we will have our annual ride calendar planning party and pizza fest. Those of you who would like to attend - either to plan rides or just socialize (yes, both are eminently acceptable and not necessarily exclusive) - drop me a line on what evenings are best for you (or not) and I will try to find a good day to meet. We have traditionally met at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine offices in Augusta, but I will entertain suggestions for another venue, if any entertaining options come to mind.

In the meantime, I hope to spend the rest of the Winter trying to catch up on my ride reports from this past summer, going back to Memorial Day, I think. Obviously, I was spending more time riding than blogging, but keep an eye (or a browser) on http://postedroads.blogspot.com and I will try to give you something to recall the roads of summer while you are waiting to be plowed out. I'll also resolve to try and figure out the intricacies of online mapping, Facebook, and all those things currently beyond my limited comprehension. I expect that by March I'll be more than ready to get out and ride. Perhaps I'll see you out there, too.

Thanks again, and Best Wishes for the Holidays!

Win Pizza in Tuscany

2010-11-30T21:19:00.003-05:00

Win A Tuscan Bike Tour in Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s Super Raffle

Augusta – The Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s 2011 Super Raffle features a grand prize of a VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations trip to Tuscany, Italy. Valued at as much as $3,145, the 10-day trip includes roundtrip airfare from New York to Italy plus accommodations, sightseeing and world-famous Italian cuisine.

The lucky winner will be able to join one of VBT’s 2011 Tuscan Coast or Tuscany by the Sea tours. Both trips feature:
· Small groups (14-20 people).
· Eight nights at comfortable hotels and unique accommodations such as a country resort or an agrihotel with a private wine cellar.
· Excursions to places such as an ancient castle, an olive oil mill or a pastry-making lesson.
· Free use of a VBT custom bicycle and helmet.

Both trips are rated as easy to moderate bike rides, with daily distances ranging from 15 to 45 miles. VBT provides bilingual guides, maps and a fully equipped support van. The raffle winner may choose departure dates between March and November 2011, subject to availability.

Everyone who purchases a raffle ticket will receive a T-shirt featuring the Bicycle Coalition’s new logo. Tickets may be purchased for $50 each at www.bikemaine.org/store/raffle-tickets or by phoning (207) 623-4511.

A total of no more than 200 tickets will be sold. The raffle will be held on the first day of spring, March 20, 2011. For more information, please visit www.BikeMaine.org.

All Hallows Tour

2010-10-28T23:38:00.004-04:00

We had a brisk, colorful ride in Belgrade last week. Stayed dry, but cloudy and cold. We had some fine cycling weather this week, nonetheless. Perhaps it will carry into the weekend. We will meet in Wayne on Sunday for a special Halloween ride to some notable cemeteries, including the round Wing cemetery in Wayne. Costumes optional - anything from Elmira Gulch to Pee Wee Herman - with proper helmets, though. Don't let anything scare you away!

Sunday, October 31st - WAYNE

"All Hallows Tour" - a Halloween ride featuring some historic cemeteries.

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

DISTANCE: 15-20 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, creepy in spots.

HIGHLIGHTS: the Wing family cemetery, the Kents Hill orchard, perhaps a notorious historic crime scene, and other local haunts.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Highland Fall Fling

2010-10-23T21:56:00.002-04:00

We had a fine ride on Columbus Day weekend along the Sheepscot River, although it started out a bit blustery, overcast, and cold. Things actually warmed up nicely later in the day, so a later ride start may have been in order. The weather this Sunday looks favorable, and the fall colors are holding strong, so lets try for a ride in Belgrade Lakes - starting a bit later, at 10:00 am, to let things warm up a bit at the start. We may have a post-ride gathering at either the cafe or the grill in town. This may be one of the last chances to get a group ride in, and to enjoy the fall colors. Hope to see you there!

October 24th, Sunday: BELGRADE LAKES

"Highland Fling" - a tour around the Kennebec Highlands through Belgrade and Rome.

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: about 20 miles.

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

HIGHLIGHTS: fall foliage, views of the Belgrade Lakes, some roller coaster hills, Castle Island, and Blueberry Hill.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Be Prepared (to Change this Week's Ride Start)

2010-10-08T20:30:00.003-04:00

NOTICE: KVBC RIDE START CHANGE. We will be meeting for the KVBC ride this Sunday at the Windsor Elementary School, about a half mile north of the Windsor Fairgrounds, as it has been pointed out to me that there is a major three-day event involving several thousand Boy Scouts scheduled at the fairgrounds this weekend. Everyone of them, I'm sure, is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. But they'll also be armed with lasers and fireworks, so to be on the safe side, we'll shift the start of the ride to the school instead. See you there!

OCTOBER 10th, Sunday: WINDSOR

"Sheepscot River - China Lake Tour": a tour up and down the banks of the Sheepscot River, through Windsor, Whitefield, Pittston, and Coopers Mills, plus an optional half-century or metric century around China Lake, adding the towns of China, Vassalboro, and Palermo.

START: 9:00 A.M., at the Windsor Elementary School on Rt. 32, about a mile north from the junction of Rt. 17 and Rt. 32. The school is on the left, northbound.

DISTANCE: 27, 56, or 63 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with no big hills on the short ride; moderate to hilly on the long routes.

HIGHLIGHTS: scenic back roads with fine straight runs, the R. Majorowitz Sculpture Garden in Alna, and nice views of the Sheepscot, one of the most pristine rivers in the Northeast; the long routes include ridgetop vistas and views of China Lake. Also lots and lots of Boy Scouts. Be prepared.

LEADER: Jim Merrick (former Star Scout).

Windsor and the Guardians of Rust

2010-10-07T18:19:00.005-04:00

We had a beautiful ride to Pemaquid the last weekend of September, thanks to Sandi Hodge, and last weekend the Dempsey & Cadillac Challenges had great weather, too. Can we make it three in a row? Why not? The weather this Sunday looks very nice, and may be one of the last weekends to get a good ride in, so come on out and join us on one of our favorite trips along the Sheepscot River. We'll meet at the Windsor Fairgrounds for the pretty Sheepscot loop, and I'll bring maps for the optional 56 and 63 mile routes. If you are not doing the Tour de Farmington, this is a great alternative to get in a great metric century with fall foliage. If you can't make it, have a great Columbus Day weekend, and as always, stay tuned for some further rides ahead.

October 10th, Sunday: WINDSOR

START: 9:00 A.M., at the Windsor Fair Grounds on Rt. 32, about a half mile north from the junction of Rt. 17 and Rt. 32. Park in the lot across from the entrance.

DISTANCE: 27, 56, or 63 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with no big hills on the short ride; moderate to hilly on the long routes.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Pemaquid, Pemaquid

2010-09-19T21:57:00.004-04:00

We had a splendid ride last Saturday through Winthrop, Monmouth, and Manchester, and a delightful post-ride party with great food and company. Many thanks to Denise for leading the ride and opening up her house for us - and providing the great food afterwards. Thanks, Denise!

This Sunday's KVBC ride will return to the scenic Pemaquid Peninsula with a great ride along the shore. The route is not only scenic, but also a great trip to the ocean, and there are many great places to stop and see the sights. Hope you can join us! (Photo: Maine Office of Tourism.)

Sunday, September 26th; DAMARISCOTTA

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

START: 9:30 AM at the landing at the North end of Biscay pond. From the north, take Belvedere Road east off of Rt. 1. The Miles Hospital Hospice Building is on the corner. At the stop sign turn right onto Business Rt. 1 and at the traffic light by McDonald's turn left onto Biscay Road. From the south, turn off Rt. 1 onto Business Rt. 1, pass thru town & turn right at the light by McDonald's onto Biscay Road. Follow Biscay Road until you come to a small beach and landing on the right (the water is close to the road). Park on the wide shoulder on either side of the beach.

DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.

TERRAIN: Moderately hilly to Hilly.

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

LEADER: Sandi Hodge.

Bohemian Winthrop

2010-09-12T20:40:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone! Hope you have been able to enjoy some of the great cycling weather of the past few weeks. After a short hiatus we will take up where we left off, and return to one of our favorite ride locales, leaving from Tom's Bike Boutique in East Winthrop. Not only has Denise a great ride for us, she has also arranged for a post-ride pot luck at her house in Manchester, about two miles from the start. Denise says she will have some chili, cornbread, fruit salad, and cookies - bring what you like to share. If you have things that need to keep warm or cool, contact Denise about dropping things off before the ride. And if you need to keep warm or cool after your sojourn through bohemian Manchester, Denise says she'll have her hot tub fired up and at the ready. There you go! Just don't forget to bring your bike.

Saturday, September 18th - EAST WINTHROP

"Wandering Around Winthrop" - a tour through the bohemian environs of Winthrop and vicinity.

START: 9:00 AM at the parking lot of Tom's Bike Boutique, 2208 Rt.202 in East Winthrop, across from D.R Struck's Nursery.

DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: Some nice lakeside runs along backroads in Winthrop, Monmouth, and Manchester. Post-ride gathering at the ride leader's house.

LEADER: Denise Crowell.

Roman the Hills

2010-08-25T18:34:00.001-04:00

We had a very pleasant ride on Sunday morning in Wings Mills despite the light rain that was supposed to fall in the afternoon, and the hot dogs and hospitality at the Lewis' post-ride spread were absolutely first rate! Many thanks to Ken, who is already thinking of a date for his ride next year. This Saturday our roads lead to Rome with its multiple hills - and an optional long loop around Great Pond. The weather looks like it will be clearing up for this weekend - hope to see you then!

Saturday, August 28th: ROME

"The Seven Hills of Rome" - a roadside tour of the many hillside trails through Rome and Belgrade.

START: 9:00 AM, Rome Town Hall at the corner of Rt. 225 and Mercer Road, about 0.3 mi from the junction of Rt. 27 and Rt. 225.

DISTANCES: 20 - 35 miles.

TERRAIN: Moderate to Hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: the route passes 5 trailheads, Blueberry Hill and the Kennebec Highlands. There is an optional short hike up French's Mountain to a spectacular scenic vista.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Hot Dog!

2010-08-16T23:32:00.000-04:00

We had great weather - sunny and cool - for our ride last week in Readfield. Many thanks to Frank for the great route, and the great ride stop at the Kents Hill Orchards - the raspberry turnovers were a real treat. This Sunday Ken is leading us on a ride exploring the other side of the Belgrade Stream in Mount Vernon, followed by a hot dog roast at his house overlooking the water. We have openings in the KVBC ride calendar for leaders in September and October. If you can lead a ride, contact Jim at hjmerrick@gmail.com. Fall is coming - more great riding ahead!

Sunday, August 22nd - WING'S MILLS (Mount Vernon)

"Hot Dog! - The Hot Dog Ride" (not because we'll ride like one but because we will want one) - a tour through Mount Vernon, Belgrade, North Augusta, and Manchester

START: 9:00 AM at 49 Marble Point Rd., Mount Vernon

Directions to Start:

From Augusta, take #27 North to Belgrade and turn left onto #135 (Christy's store and blinking light)
Go 3 miles and right onto Wings Mill Rd; go 2.5 miles and right onto Marble Point Rd. which is just after crossing Belgrade Stream; it is a hard pack dirt road and we are the log home on the right)

From Mount Vernon, Readfield: Take North Rd to Wings Mills Rd and go about 3 miles to Marble Point Rd; just after passing Bartlett Rd on the right, turn left onto Marble Point

Delorme Maine Atlas Map 12; A-4. Just west and across the stream from the intersection of Dunn Rd and Wings Mill Rd. (Marble Point is not listed by name on the map).

DISTANCE: 29 miles
TERRAIN: Moderate with some hills
HIGHLIGHTS: Views of Belgrade Stream, Hamilton Pond, Stuart Pond, Messalonskee Lake, Doctor Pond, Silver Lake, Gould Pond, with a Hot Dog cookout lunch following the ride - swimming available also.
LEADER: Ken Louis.

Readfield Mt. Pisgah

2010-08-13T22:59:00.000-04:00

We had splendid weather for the China Lake-Palermo-Vassalboro ride last week, with picture perfect views from Mo's Mountain (which I'm told has a story about it, though I haven't been told what it is yet. Probably something involving cursed chainrings, judging from some technical problems one of our riders had to endure - and I think everyone else had cursed chainring tattoos.) This week's adventure involves Mount Pisgah - and maybe some ice cream and apple turnovers ("turnovahs" for those of you who are natives). What more could you want? See you there!

Sunday, August 15th; READFIELD

"Mount Pisgah Turnovah" - a tour from Readfield to Winthrop to Wayne and back to Readfield.

START: 8:30 AM, at the Readfield Elementary School on South Street, a half-mile from the junction of Rt. 17 and South Street at Readfield Depot. Readfield Depot, where there is a small market and a RR crossing, is about a mile south of Readfield Center.

DISTANCE: approx. 30 miles.

TERRAIN: Rolling with a few hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: Readfield and its surrounding towns are interwoven with fine cycling roads and scenery, and the ride may feature stops at Tubby's Ice Cream in Wayne and the re-opened Apple Shed in Kents Hill, before returning to Readfield where the town's "Heritage Days" events are in full swing.

LEADER: Frank Rosen.

Almost Alna

2010-08-03T22:17:00.001-04:00

Greetings everyone! Hope you all had a splendid weekend and were able to get out and ride. Mnay thanks to Frank Rosen for volunteering to lead the ride in Fayette on short notice. I had a great time down in Standish volunteering at the MS-150 ride - beautiful routes and great weather. Things are looking a bit dreary for this week, but better for the weekend. If we need the rain, better to see it fall midweek or at night!

If you haven't heard by now, the KVBC ride, "The Alna Alternative," scheduled for Sunday in Alna has been postponed and will be rescheduled for some other date in the future. Meanwhile we will have an alternative ride around China Lake on Saturday. It's "almost Alna," so I hope you can all make it!

Saturday, August 7th; EAST VASSALBORO

"Almost Alna" - a tour around China Lake, with Palermo and Windsor added on the longer loop.

START: 9:00 AM at the Vassalboro Historical Society on Rt. 32 in East Vassalboro. From Augusta take Rt. 3 East 9.5 miles to Rt. 32 North for 4.4 miles. The Vassalboro Historical Society is in a red shingle schoolhouse on the right, lakeside.

DISTANCE: 18 and 36 miles.

TERRAIN: Rolling with a few hills (short ride); moderately hilly to Hilly (long ride).

HIGHLIGHTS: Fine back roads and views of China Lake, ridgetop views and the village of Palermo (watch for Elk).

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

All Along the Esker

2010-07-27T00:39:00.001-04:00

We had a wonderful ride to Bowdoinham, courtesy of Geology Joe. Beautiful roads with little traffic, and lots of shade to beat the heat. Many thanks to Joe (and Melinda, too!).

We will have some changes to the ride calendar for August. The Alna ride scheduled for Sunday, August 8, will have to be postponed while the ride leader recovers from surgery. Sandi vows that she will be ready for her Pemaquid ride in September. Good luck, Sandi!

This Saturday we will return to a club favorite: the Ridge Road along the Chesterville Esker in Fayette and Chesterville. And stay tuned for the return of Two Wheels Over Easy, the KVBC's popular breakfast ride series, as we roll into August.

Saturday, July 31st - FAYETTE

"All Along the Esker" - a bike ride back to 'the land before time' in Fayette and Chesterville.

START: 8:30 AM at the Fayette Community School on Rt.17, about two miles west of the junction of Rt.17 and Rt.41N in Kents Hill.

DISTANCE: about 24 miles.

TERRAIN: mostly moderate with no big hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: A nice flat run along the scenic Chesterville Esker - good roads and good people.

LEADER: Frank Rosen.

Gardiner to Bowdoinham by Bike

2010-07-12T23:05:00.000-04:00

We had a very pleasant ride in Smithfield yesterday. The weather held up nicely - not quite as hot as the past week, with lots of shade and a nice breeze. Beautiful roads, especially the great run along the shore of North Pond, with virtually no traffic. We met some other cyclists mid-ride, visiting for the summer, and stopped to chat and talk-up rides - they may join us on a few coming up. Speaking of which, we have a great one coming up this Saturday in Gardiner, heading down the coast to Bowdoinham - a great tune-up ride for the BCM Lobster Ride the following weekend. Hope you can all join us!

Saturday, July 17th - GARDINER

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

DISTANCE: 40-45 miles.

TERRAIN: Moderately hilly.

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

LEADER: Joe Renda.

Sunday in Smithfield

2010-07-07T22:03:00.000-04:00

We had a great Third-of-July ride last Saturday in Sidney. Many thanks to Jim Putnam for leading the ride, and all those who kept up the pace in the heat. This weekend is the Maine Bike Rally in Brunswick. For those of you still hanging out around here, Sunday looks like a nice day weatherwise, and a great opportunity to return to Smithfield for a popular ride on some great roads. Join us if you can - we may have an ice cream stop in Smithfield after the ride.

Sunday, July 11th - SMITHFIELD

"Route 8 Figure 8" - a scenic tour through Smithfield, Belgrade, Rome, and Mercer.

START: 9:00 AM, at the new Smithfield Fire Station on Rt. 8 in Smithfield, about a quarter-mile north of the junction of Rt. 8 and Rt. 137.

DISTANCE: 15 and 28 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate to moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: many scenic lake views and back roads, and an ice cream stop.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Ride on the Fourth of July

2010-06-28T23:33:00.000-04:00

We had a nice hilly ride in Mount Vernon last Saturday. The weather was fine, the roads were (mostly) great, and we had a good group - including some new folks - which is always welcome. The Fourth of July is coming up, which means another great ride in Sidney, led, as in year's past, by Jim Putnam. Hope you can make it, and if not, have a great holiday weekend.

(Photo: Fourth of July, 1941, Vale, Oregon. Library of Congress Collection.)

Saturday, July 3rd, SIDNEY:
"Independence along the Middle Road" - a tour through the middle of Sidney & the middle of a prime farming district, in 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 30 Miles.
TERRAIN: moderate with a few hills.
HIGHLIGHTS: some fine back roads and Kennebec River views, and some 4th of July paraphernalia, perhaps.
LEADER: Jim Putnam.

Ponds, Ponds, and More Ponds

2010-06-21T23:12:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the First Day of Summer! We had a great ride in Augusta last Saturday, followed by a great breakfast at the ride leader's house. Many thanks to Connie for both the ride and the hospitality. The Trek had great weather, too, and I trust they've all recovered and are ready for more, because there's more great riding ahead.

Please join us in Mount Vernon this Sunday to count ponds and have fun on multiple 50 mph descents (there are potentially three). Whether that has any benefit to cardio-vascular training I'll leave for experts to judge. I've been informed that this ride has 3,230 feet of climbing (by one rider's electronic calculations) and there are several 15% grades (short ones, though) on Sandy River Road. The ride also has some unique scenery, with a delightful (and flat) run along the Chesterville Esker - part of the route was laid out by glacier! We may also get together after the ride at the cafe in Mount Vernon.

Sunday, June 27th - 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, Mount Vernon Post Office, just off Rt. 41 on Main Street in Mount Vernon.

DISTANCE: 14 and 29 miles.

TERRAIN: Rolling with a few good hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: rural back roads winding through many small ponds and lakes, and across the top of the Chesterville Esker. Possible post-ride get-together at the cafe in Mt. Vernon village.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

A Capital Breakfast

2010-06-13T16:59:00.000-04:00

We had a better-than-anticipated ride in Readfield Saturday, as we were largely successful in dodging raindrops that weren't in the original forecast. While the skies tried to decide whether to pour or not, Frank led us on some short, improvised loops so we were never too far away from the ride start in case the skies really opened up. In doing so, he took us down some great roads that we hadn't been down before, and we had a lot of fun. Next Saturday's ride will be in Augusta, and it will include breakfast on the agenda. Last year's event was really well received, and you wouldn't want to miss it. To those of you doing the Trek, good luck, good weather, and Bon Route!

Saturday, June 19th - AUGUSTA

"Capital Breakfast Ride" - a tour through the streets and past the features of our capital city.

DISTANCE: 25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some flat stretches riverside.

HIGHLIGHTS: breakfast, the capital, the Kennebec close up, new and intriguing routes - and did we mention breakfast?

LEADER: Connie Brown.

Roundabout Readfield

2010-06-07T23:46:00.000-04:00

We had a rather soggy weekend that saw our scheduled joint ride last Saturday with the Central Maine Cycling Club postponed until some later date. I spent the morning at a special alumni ride with members of the Colby Cycling Team since it was my (gasp!) 35th reunion. I have to say that after riding 20 miles plus in the pouring rain with those guys, I didn't feel so special - I was definitely spotting them 35 years. I could barely stay with them on the hills, and truth be told, I suspect they were dogging it. Not that that mattered much - I don't think that if I turned the clock back 35 years I could've climbed that effortlessly then. It was fun, though. Hopefully the weather will be much nicer this Saturday when we return to Readfield for another fine ride, and yet another opportunity for me to avoid acting my age. 'Til then!

Saturday, June 12th; READFIELD

"Readfield Roundabout" - a tour in and around the scenic byways of Readfield or thereabout.

START: 9:30 AM, at the Readfield Elementary School on South Street, a half-mile from the junction of Rt. 17 and South Street at Readfield Depot. Readfield Depot, where there is a small market and a RR crossing, is about a mile south of Readfield Center.

DISTANCE: 25 to 30 miles.

TERRAIN: Rolling with a few hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: Readfield and its surrounding towns are interwoven with fine cycling roads and scenery, and this ride will scope out a good selection of both.

LEADER: Frank Rosen.

Joint Ride with the Central Maine Cycling Club

2010-06-01T21:34:00.000-04:00

We had another great ride last Saturday to kick off a splendid Memorial Day Weekend. Thanks to Denise who put the route together on short notice, and arranged for a post-ride cookie sampling at Tom's Bike Boutique in East Winthrop. Following a great ride with eating in a bike shop, surrounded by beautifully sculpted bikes, makes one feel like you're at an opening at an art gallery. A special treat! Let's hope the fine weather holds up for this Saturday, when we join the folks of the Central Maine Cycling Club for a joint ride in Vassalboro. See you there!

Saturday, June 5th - VASSALBORO

"Tour de Vassalboro" - a tour through the scenic back roads of Vassalboro

START: 9:30 AM at the Vassalboro Community School, 1116 Webber Pond Road, off of Bog Road approx. 3 miles from the junction with Rt.32 in East Vassalboro (see map).

DISTANCE: 25-30 miles

TERRAIN: flat to moderate

HIGHLIGHTS: a joint ride with the Central Maine Cycling Club, featuring quiet back roads through a very scenic area

LEADER: Dave Richard.

Ospreys and Oatmeal Cookies - Litchfield Part 3

2010-05-30T23:38:00.001-04:00

We actually got to see a pair of ospreys at their nest up in the high tension lines.

Thanks again to all who made this a great ride!

Ospreys and Oatmeal Cookies - Litchfield Part 2

2010-05-30T23:21:00.001-04:00

Here are some more photos from the "rolling hills" and other features on the Tour de Litchfield on May 22nd.

Many thanks to George and Chris for the great ride, and the great cookies! (To be continued...)

Ospreys and Oatmeal Cookies - Litchfield Part 1

2010-05-30T22:51:00.001-04:00

The KVBC's Tour de Litchfield is a very scenic ride with historic buildings, including the old Litchfield Academy at the ride start, and our host's house, where we were treated to oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies. The roads are really nice, passing by well-kept farms, the Litchfield Fairgrounds, and several pretty lakes. What few hills there are, all lead to great vistas and even opportunities to view nesting ospreys. Here are some views from the ride on May 22nd.

(To be continued...)

Big Lakes Tour

2010-05-25T23:45:00.000-04:00

We had a splendid tour of Litchfield last Saturday - great roads, fine weather, beautiful scenery, and a happy group of ten riders. Many Thanks to George for leading the ride and marking the route, and to Chris for the wonderful cookie stop. We have a fine stretch of weather forecast ahead and Denise has planned a new ride for this Saturday starting in East Winthrop. If you are going to be around for the long weekend, come on out! Otherwise have a great holiday weekend, and we'll see you in June (Vassalboro ride on Saturday the 5th).

Saturday, May 29th - EAST WINTHROP

"The Big Lakes Tour" - a ride along the shorelines of Lakes Maranacook, Annabessacook, and Cobbosseecontee.

START: 9:30 AM at the parking lot of Tom's Bike Boutique, 2208 Rt.202 in East Winthrop, across from D.R Struck's Nursery.

DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: Some nice lakeside runs along backroads in Winthrop, Monmouth, and Manchester.

LEADER: Denise Crowell.

Down By The Riverside

2010-05-25T22:41:00.001-04:00

We had about a dozen riders on the KVBC rail trail ride, Sunday, May 16th. Many thanks to Dave, who led the group out of the Augusta end of the rail trail. The weather was fine - a bit breezy, but sunny and dry.

The Kennebec River Rail Trail follows along the river and the existing RR tracks from Augusta to Hallowell, where it briefly merges with street traffic through the center of Hallowell. The trail then resumes off-road for the remaining stretch to Gardiner.

The trail is paved for most of its length - there is a short section of cinder-pack at the north end. There are narrow sections where signs direct cyclists to dismount and walk (although we didn't find that necessary with light trail traffic) and there are barriers or berms at street intersections. Two of us - Jim & I - rode tandems with our daughters, and we were able to negotiate the barriers and narrow sections without difficulty. We saw a number of young children riding solo as well, accompanied by their parents - there were two young lads who were likely not more than 4 years old.

Dave took us beyond the Gardiner terminus of the trail to the riverside park just beyond, where we took in a spectacular overview of the mighty Kennebec, running clean through its banks. Dave told us that years ago, no one would want to get this close to the river, but now that it is much cleaner thanks to the efforts of many communities and agencies (and activists spurring them on) the river is now a popular spot for all sorts of recreational activity.

Including ours, and we turned back and rode the trail back to the capitol. We could see first-hand why those who live nearby the trail would find it a real attraction.

Tour de Litchfield Redux

2010-05-16T21:18:00.001-04:00

We had a great day on the Rail Trail - about a dozen riders (in our group) and lots more along the path. We had two tandem teams of dads with stokids, all of whom did very well. A bit windy along the waterfront, but nice and sunny. Thanks to David for leading the ride, pointing out the sights, and updating us on future plans and prospects for trail expansion. Next Saturday's ride takes us back to the fine cycling roads along the Tour de Litchfield. This was a very popular ride last year, as hinted by the highlights (below). Hope to see you all there!

Saturday, May 22nd - LITCHFIELD

"Tour de Litchfield" - an exploration of the back roads of Litchfield.

START: 9:30 AM at the Libby-Tosier Elementary School parking lot, at the junction of Rt. 197 and Academy Road in Litchfield Corners.

DISTANCE: about 25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate to rolling.

HIGHLIGHTS: quiet back roads and ponds in Litchfield, and possibly a cookie stop. (Actually, didn't we vote to make the latter mandatory?)

LEADER: George Luckhurst.

Inland Rides

2010-05-13T22:04:00.001-04:00

One of the nice things about working part-time in Waterville is that I now get to check out the Tuesday night Inland rides. "Inland," as the rides are known, is a weekly fitness-style ride series that starts and ends in the spacious back parking lot behind the Inland Hospital off of Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville. Every Tuesday night from May to September (weather and daylight permitting) a sizable and growing group of enthusiasts get together at 5:30 pm and head out on a 20-30+ mile ride. The routes vary from week to week, and the riders tend to split into two groups: one faster and one slower. The rides leave the back parking lot past a gate at the end of a quiet residential street, avoiding the traffic on Kennedy Memorial Drive. The routes take advantage of the scenic back roads that stretch along the relatively flat river plain along the Kennebec basin.

The Inland rides were long organized by Tina Quinn, the petite dynamo who directs the Birthing Center at the Inland Hospital. It is probably a non sequitur to describe a health professional's enthusiasm as "infectious," but that would seem apt. As a measure of Tina's efforts in promoting the Inland rides, one might observe that the rides draw the participation of almost equal numbers of men and women - not always the case in rides of this type - and a welcome and inclusive mix.

At last Tuesday's Inland ride, the faster and slower groups set off on two different loops, with volunteers acting as ride leaders and sweeps for both. By my helmet count, I would estimate there were at least 17 riders at the start, although Duane later calculated that there were perhaps as many as 23 altogether. I opted to ride with the slower group, cycling the shorter loop.

I can't attest to how fast the "faster" group travels, but I can say that some of the "slower" riders can set a pretty brisk pace. Trying to get steady photographs at speed can be challenging, even on fairly smooth pavement. Our group headed south on Rt. 104, past one or two fragrant farms. We made a number of stops at turns to regroup, and then crossed over I95 to the Middle Road in Sidney to head back towards Waterville. We zigzagged back across I95 to avoid some construction on our way back to Rt. 104. As dusk was closing in, we finished up the 20 mile route and made our way back to the Inland parking lot. It was a really nice ride - a good workout at the end of a day's work.

If you are situated close by Waterville and looking for something to do on Tuesdays after work, you would do well to check out the Inland rides. Updated ride announcements are often sent out by Duane Weaver, who would be happy to add you to the list if you send him an email at Duane.Weaver@maine.gov. I plan to frequent the rides now that I have the opportunity. If one of these days I'm able to hang with the "faster" group, I might even stay for ice cream at Gifford's afterwards.

Misty Belgrade

2010-05-12T22:12:00.001-04:00

It was misting, drizzling, and spitting enough to require intermittent wipers on the way to the ride start at Belgrade Lakes last Saturday. The weather forecast had gotten progressively worse all week, to the throw-in-the-towel point of "100 per cent chance of showers" but I packed up my bike and a stack of ride maps and headed over to the Belgrade Community Center to see if anyone would show up. As I waited there, Denise pulled into the parking lot. We discussed the weather and our route options - I mentioned that I had a piano recital to attend at 1 pm - and we had almost talked ourselves out of riding when Jim pulled in. Almost simultaneously, the misting let up, Jim confidently cited a more optimistic forecast of rain to the south of us, and we talked ourselves back into riding again. It would prove to be a good choice.

Not entirely convinced that the rain would actually hold off, we opted to set out on the 15 mile loop. The temperature and the winds were moderate, although the pavement was wet. We headed up the long hill out of Belgrade Lakes village on Rt.27. Except for the spray from an occasional passing car, the climb went well, and we warmed up quickly. We turned off onto Watson Pond Road and began the stepped climb up Blueberry Hill. For some reason it seemed steeper than usual - that wasn't part of the forecast - but soon enough, we were at the summit.

As we contemplated the descent, it started drizzling again, so we pressed on, turning onto Castle Island Road. The rollers into the Castle Island Camps were fun - and pretty in any weather. By the time we got to Fast Fred's hot dog stand it was raining too hard to stop, even though Fast Fred was open for business. We headed back down to Belgrade Lakes village past the golf course, the rain starting to come down steadier. No dilly-dallying in the village - we headed up Rt.27 straightaway, and back to the Community Center. Packing up our bikes, it started to rain in earnest. Our hunch at the start was right - the weather held up just long enough for us to get the 15 miles in, and the three of us had a great ride. I was really glad that Denise and Jim had come and "coerced" me into riding on a very misty day.

KVBC on the KRRT

2010-05-09T22:55:00.001-04:00

In spite of some threatening weather last Saturday, three of us did the Belgrade Lakes ride. The conditions were much better than expected, and we timed the 15 mile loop just right to avoid any serious rain. As much as we would prefer sunny, warm and dry conditions, sometimes riding in less than ideal weather with good friends can be just as much fun, and we were glad to get the ride in. This Sunday's ride will be much flatter - and hopefully dryer - as we explore the Kennebec River Rail Trail in Augusta. This will be a great ride for new cyclists and for those who have not gotten out much as yet this year. You can't find a route much flatter than this one in Central Maine.

May 16th, Sunday - AUGUSTA

"KVBC on the KRRT" - the Kennebec River Rail Trail through Augusta, Hallowell, and Gardiner.

START: 9:30 AM at the Augusta trail head of the rail trail - the municipal parking lot off of Water Street adjacent to the Maine State Housing Authority (353 Water St.) in the shadow of Memorial Bridge.

DISTANCE: 20 miles

TERRAIN: flat (and we mean flat)

HIGHLIGHTS: a pleasant run along the Kennebec River, with some great natural scenery mixed with some urban vistas, "the way cities are supposed to be."

LEADER: David Auclair.

In Wayne, One Can't Complain

2010-05-05T22:24:00.000-04:00

We had a gorgeous day for a bike ride last Saturday in Wayne - cool and dry, bright sunshine, clear skies, little wind. Frank took us out along some scenic back roads along the shore of Pocasset Pond. We headed north to Fayette, passing by the "round cemetery" where there lie Wings, not Celts.

After a spin down Route 17, we headed north again, towards Chesterville, along the ridge of the famed Chesterville Esker, a geologic formation seemingly tailor-made for cycling. A beautiful flat (!) stretch of road follows the ridge of a prehistoric sand bar left by a melting glacier eons ago. At points, the terrain drops off sharply to pristine small lakes on either side of the tree-lined route. The natural beauty is marred only by a gravel-pit operation, which served as our turn-around point. We could have gone on and on, but our return route lay in the opposite direction. We will return to the Esker later in the season, as it is a special run through all four seasons (yes, even when plowed in mid-winter!).

On the return route, Frank took us on some more pleasant back roads towards Livermore. We stopped to regroup at most intersections and turns, as usual, but the emerging black flies kept these interludes short. We gathered again for a stop at Pike's Oasis, and then headed toward Leeds. Here the local pastoralists must have missed my memo about manure spreaders, as we were treated to a magnificent roadside display.

Undaunted, we pressed on to Wayne, where a stop at the waterfall by Tubby's Ice Cream beckoned. It was a great day to be out on a bike with a great group. Many thanks to Frank and to all who took part in a sweet ride.

Next Saturday's KVBC ride will explore the Belgrade Lakes. The weather forecast is a bit damp, but think positive! More great riding is ahead.

Great Pond Go 'Round

2010-05-02T22:58:00.000-04:00

We had another great ride in Wayne last Saturday - spectacular weather, another great route and another great crowd. Many thanks to Frank Rosen who revised his planned route and put together another great ride for us. This Saturday's ride will tour through the Belgrade Lakes, with three challenging routes of varying distances. Hope you can make it!

May 8th, Saturday: BELGRADE LAKES

"Great Pond Go 'Round" - a tour around Great Pond through Belgrade, Rome, and Smithfield.

DISTANCE: 23 or 30 miles, with a short option of 15 miles.

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

HIGHLIGHTS: views of the Belgrade Lakes, some roller coaster hills, Castle Island, and Blueberry Hill.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Manchester United

2010-04-28T22:53:00.001-04:00

All the elements necessary for a great bike ride were united in Manchester for last Saturday's Wake up the Earth Ride. We had great weather, a great group of people (14 at the start), and some remarkably clean, smooth roads for this stage of the season.

Even the solitary flat tire on the ride was dealt with in a united fashion, with convenient roadside assistance, many helping hands, and perhaps some divine intervention.

There were some hills (for which the ride leader took some good-natured ribbing). But there were also some options over less strenuous terrain. The greater challenge proved to be some local farmers using the early spring weather to get a jump on the growing season by hitting their fields with their manure spreaders. Fortunately this didn't coincide with the long hills. It was bad enough riding by on the flats, eyes watering and throats gagging. One wonders if those poor guys dragging those spreaders around all day get any oxygen breaks. Wake up the Earth indeed!

Next week's ride will be Saturday, May Day, May 1st in Wayne. Frank has a great route planned for us, with more scenic roads, fewer hills, and hopefully less manure. See you there!

The Wayne Ramble

2010-04-27T21:39:00.001-04:00

We had a great ride with great spring weather and a great turn-out last Saturday in Manchester. This Saturday, May Day, Frank Rosen will lead us on another great route from the Wayne Elementary School in Wayne - and if Tubby's is open, there may be an ice cream stop afterwards! Hope you can make it!

Saturday, May 1st - WAYNE

"The Wayne Ramble" - a tour of the lakes and waterfalls around Wayne, Leeds, Livermore, and Wayne.

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

DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, with some surprisingly flat sections.

HIGHLIGHTS: some very nice scenic shore roads, meadows, and waterfalls.

LEADER: Frank Rosen.

Wake Up The Earth - Manchester

2010-04-18T22:47:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's time to begin! The first Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club ride of the season is this Saturday. Hopefully we've seen the last of the Winter's snows, the days will get longer, temperatures will be closer to normal, and everything will start turning green again. Let's Wake up the Earth! Hope to see all of you in Manchester at the start!

Saturday, April 24th - MANCHESTER

"Wake up the Earth Ride" - a posted roads tour from Manchester to Wings Mills.

START: 10:00 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 next to the fire station just after you turn off Rt. 202 onto Rt. 17 West.

DISTANCE: 23 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, with one long hill.

HIGHLIGHTS: Hopefully some dry pavement, and hold the pot-holes! We'll ride some paved (albeit sandy) back roads along some streams in and out of Wings Mills, take in some pre-foliage hilltop views, and celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day (on Thursday this year) and the coming of Spring.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Things Are Looking Up

2010-04-18T21:49:00.001-04:00

I suppose that the freakish snow storm on Saturday serves as a reminder that one can never assume that spring-like weather is going to stay spring-like for any length of time in our neck of the woods. At least it didn't amount to much, it melted quickly, and it didn't fall on next Saturday when we scheduled the first KVBC ride of the season. Heck, I think that qualifies as a good omen. Or maybe a negative bad omen, which is almost the same thing.

It's also time for our annual spring membership drive. Instead of pre-empting your regular cycling program (much like a spring storm) all we do is remind everyone that it's time to send in your club dues: $10 per person or $15 per household. Your dues help to defray costs of the club's liability insurance, and to maintain our affiliation with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine and the League of American Bicyclists. Hardly anything negative about that omen. You can send your dues to:

Sandi Hodge, KVBC Membership Coordinator
P.O. Box 511
Alna, Maine 04535

Sandi has just recently volunteered to serve as the KVBC Treasurer and Membership Coordinator. She takes over the position formerly held by Chris Beeuwkes, who served the club admirably in this role for the past eight years. We are deeply grateful to them both. Hopefully their respective volunteer efforts won't take up so much of their time that we'll see them both on our rides (and I can get a picture of them in a not-so-weird and less high-tech setting). Thanks to Chris and Sandi!

A Bridge Too Far?

2010-04-01T23:13:00.000-04:00

Maine DOT to Consider Bicycle Bridge Over Piscataqua River

A.P. - The Maine Department of Transportation announced today that they are launching a feasibility study for a proposed bikeway between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine. The plan involves adding a suspended bicycle track underneath the main deck of the Piscataqua River Bridge.

A spokesman for the agency said that traffic planners had dealt with many complaints over the years from cyclists and advocacy groups about inadequate facilities for bicyclists to safely cross over the Piscataqua, but had not been able to come up with a satisfactory solution. A consulting engineer with the department recently became aware of new bicycle bridge design in the concept stage, however, and realized that it might fill the needs of the interstate river crossing.

"We saw this design by Kolelinia on the internet," the spokesman said, "and we quickly saw how it could be applied to the problem." Rather than undertake expensive upgrades to the old drop bridges over the river, or add dedicated bike lanes to the newer Piscataqua River Bridge, the engineers saw a way to suspend one of these bicycle tracks underneath the deck of the bridge at a fraction of the cost. The bike "bridge" would allow cyclists to make the crossing between Maine and New Hampshire by riding in special channels designed specifically for bike wheels, with safety harnesses to prevent mishaps.

When asked if they thought that this design might prove too intimidating for some bicycle travelers, the Maine DOT spokesman said they did not consider this a problem. "We figure that these cyclists already share the road with SUVs, lumber trucks, and cars with out-of-state plates, so they are already experienced at risk-taking."

Another reporter brought up the concern about cross-winds, and asked if the safety harness shown in the designs had been fully tested. The DOT representative admitted that the cross-winds on the bridge could be a problem, but they wouldn't approve the final design if the safety harness was inadequate. "At 135 feet above the river, that's quite a drop," the spokesman conceded. "Scenic, though."

If the final plans meet the Maine DOT's stringent requirements, the state could begin construction by the end of the summer. "We anticipate no delays, and will not have to close down any lanes on the bridge itself during construction," the spokesman said. "We could have the bicycle bridge completed all the way to the state line by the end of the year."

When it was pointed out that the state line is only the centerpoint of the bridge, the DOT spokesman said, "Well, we have every reason to expect that New Hampshire will complete their half of the extension in due course. In fact," he added, "the New Hampshire folks consider their state line to extend all the way across the river. Maybe we can convince them to pick up the whole project on their own."

Happy American Bicycler Day

2010-03-13T21:24:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's March 13 - the 165th anniversary of the birth of Charles Eadward Pratt in Vassalboro, Maine. Pratt was the first president of the League of American Wheelmen and author of The American Bicycler, one of the earliest cycling guidebooks. Pratt is considered by many cycling historians to be the Father of American Bicycling.

In addition to being a pioneering cyclist, an influential author and cycling advocate, and a native born Mainer, Pratt was also an occasional poet. In honor of the day, here's one of his cycling poems from the heyday of the high wheel era:

A SONG OF THE WHEEL.

Charles E. Pratt.

Come with me out into the road, my wheel, —
Out into the road, ere the sun goes down!

Thy hoofs of round rubber and ribs of true steel
Shall bear me away from this tiresome town.

Aloft on thy saddle, set safe from all harm, —
The saddle ne'er mounted by trouble or care, —

I'll hie me away where the woodlands yet charm,
Where valleys are smiling and fields are yet fair.

With feet on thy quick-moving pedals impressed, —
The pedals that speed from the hurrying street, —

I'll seek the calm hills and the landscapes at rest,

Where green leaves are fresh and the breezes are sweet.

Out over the road while the sun is yet high,

While sunlight and shadows are nimbly at play,—

О Bicycle! free as the swallows that fly,
We'll hover, we'll hasten, as joyful as they.

The Wheelman October 1883

KVBC 2010 Ride Calendar (Preliminary)

2010-02-01T09:11:00.000-05:00

Hi Gang! Welcome to 2010! Thanks to our dedicated volunteer ride leaders, it looks like we have a great riding season coming up. So while the winter months wind down and the days start getting longer, start getting that bike tuned up and ready for a new season of riding in central Maine. The preliminary ride calendar listings for club rides are below. If you can offer to lead or co-lead a ride on any open dates, let me know. Meanwhile mark your calendars and watch this space for up-to-date ride info, changes and additions. If your New Year's resolution was to ride your bike more, we'll try to keep you honest. Hope to see you all on the road in 2010!

Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club 2010 Ride Calendar

April 24 (Saturday) – KVBC Wake Up the Earth Ride, 10:00 AM, Manchester Elementary School, Manchester, 23 mi. Road, Jim Merrick.

May 1 (Saturday) – KVBC Wayne Ramble, 10:00 AM, Wayne Elementary School, Wayne, 25 mi. Road, Frank Rosen.

May 8 (Saturday) – KVBC Belgrade Lakes, 9:30 AM, Belgrade Community Center, Belgrade Lakes, 15 – 25 mi. Road, Jim Merrick.

May 16 (Sunday) – KVBC Rail Trail, 9:30 AM, Augusta Rail Trail Entrance, Augusta, 20 mi. Road, David Auclair.

May 22 (Saturday) – KVBC Tour of Litchfield, 9:30 AM, Libby-Tosier Elementary School, Litchfield, 25 mi. Road, George Luckhurst.

June 5 (Saturday) – KVBC Tour of Vassalboro, 9:30 AM, Vassalboro Community School, Vassalboro, 25 mi. Road, Dave Richard.

June 12 (Saturday) – KVBC Readfield Roundabout, 9:30 AM, Readfield Elementary School, Readfield, 25 mi. Road, Frank Rosen.

June 19 (Saturday) – KVBC Capital Breakfast Ride, 8:00 AM, Hussey Elementary School, Augusta, 25 mi. Road, Connie Brown.

June 27 (Sunday) – KVBC Eleven Ponds Ride, 9:00 AM, Mount Vernon Post Office, Mount Vernon, 30 mi. Road, Jim Merrick.

July 3 (Saturday) – KVBC Fourth of July Ride, 9:00 AM, James H. Bean Elementary School, Sidney, 25 mi. Road, Jim Putnam.

July 17 (Saturday) – KVBC Biking to Bowdoinham, 10:00 AM, Laura Richards School, Gardiner, 40-45 mi. Road, Joe Renda.

August 8 (Sunday) – KVBC Alna Alternative, 9:30 AM, Alna Post Office, Alna, 20-25 mi. Road, Sandi Hodge.

September 18 (Saturday) – KVBC Wandering Around Winthrop, 9:00 AM, Tom’s Bike Boutique, East Winthrop, 25 mi. Road, Denise Crowell.

September 26 (Sunday) – KVBC Pemaquid Ride, 9:30 AM, Biscay Pond Boat Landing, Damariscotta, 25-30 mi. Road, Sandi Hodge.

Falling Leaves in Manchester

2009-10-29T19:27:00.001-04:00

Hey Folks - Don't put that bike away yet. It's time to take advantage of the Fall scenery with a KVBC ride through the old farmlands just west of Augusta. Hope you can make it, 'cause we won't have too many more opportunities like this before the winter sets in. Special Note: remember to set your clocks back an hour - the ride starts at 10:00 AM, Eastern Standard Time.

Sunday, November 1st - MANCHESTER

"Falling Leaves" - an autumnal tour from Manchester to Wings Mills.

DISTANCE: 23 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, with one long hill.

HIGHLIGHTS: We'll ride some colorful back roads through woods and along streams in and out of Wings Mills, and take in some near-peak foliage hilltop views.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Alna Again

2009-09-29T22:27:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday we had a fine KVBC ride to the Monmouth Apple Fest, thanks to Ken Louis who offered to lead the ride. The weather was spectacular - at least it was in Unity, where I was working at (and riding to) the Common Ground Fair. There was a sea of people and a mass of bicycles at the BCM compound at the fair - they didn't have a final count, but the Bike Coalition thought they may have set a one-day record, and it sure looked like more cyclists there than I'd ever seen in previous years. It bodes well for cycling in Maine, and cycling for this fall - which brings me to this weekend's rides:

We have a late season double header this weekend. We (KVBC) have been graciously invited to the social ride and barbecue of the Central Maine Cycling Club in Vassalboro on Saturday at 11 am. (Apparently no one has told them how much some of us can eat.) For details and directions see their website at: http://www.irproshop.com/index.php?pr=CMCC_BAR-B-QUE

Sunday, we will revisit the ride in Alna that was washed out earlier in the year. Some folks may be off to try the Dempsey Challenge; others to the Cadillac Challenge. For those who don't, we have the Alna Alternative, and I hope to see you there!

Sunday, October 4th - ALNA

"The Alna Alternative": a tour of the Sheepscot Valley through Alna, Pittston, and Whitefield.

START: 9:30 A.M. at the Post Office in Alna at the corner of Rt. 194 and Dock Road. Alna is located at 44:06:22N, 69:36:15W (for you GPS folks); also at DeLorme Map 13, E-2.

DISTANCE: 20-25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: beautiful back roads, the scenic Sheepscot River; and a post-ride gathering at the ride leader's house (across from the Post Office).

LEADER: Sandi Hodge.

Monmouth a la Mode

2009-09-21T22:03:00.000-04:00

Fall is definitely in the air, and this Saturday is the 21st Annual Monmouth Apple Fest. In years past we discovered this 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. It's a great ride, too - many thanks to Ken Louis for offering to lead the ride. You ought to be able to do the short ride on a slice of pie; for the long loop you might want to make that "a la mode." Don't miss it!

Saturday, September 26th - WINTHROP

"Monmouth a la Mode" - a tour from Winthrop to the Monmouth Apple Fest.

START: 9:30 AM at the Winthrop Town Boat Landing on Maranacook Lake, near the gazebo on Coady Street, off of Memorial Drive. If the boat landing parking lot is full, there are additional spaces around the corner on Summer Street, lakeside.

DISTANCE: 18 or 24 Miles.

TERRAIN: Rolling, with a few stiff hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: Back roads beside rolling orchards, lakeside summer camps, small hidden hamlets - and maybe a slice of pie...

LEADER: Ken Louis.

The Seven Hills of Rome

2009-09-16T22:51:00.000-04:00

We are starting to get some cooler weather and it looks like the leaves are turning in spots. The weather looks clear for this weekend and it might hit 70 on Sunday, just right for a tour around the Kennebec Highlands and maybe a short climb up French's Mountain. When in Rome...

Meanwhile, on Saturday, September 26, there is a great little apple festival in Monmouth. We have a great KVBC ride to the Apple Fest from Winthrop all mapped out, but we need a ride leader (I have to cover the Common Ground Fair that day). If anyone can lead the ride (honestly, the hot apple pie is not to be missed) let me know, and I'll get the ride maps to you and the ride announcement out to everyone. Wish I could be two places at once.

Sunday, September 20th: ROME

"The Seven Hills of Rome" - a roadside tour of the many hillside trails through Rome and Belgrade.

START: 10:00 AM, Rome Town Hall at the corner of Rt. 225 and Mercer Road, about 0.3 mi from the junction of Rt. 27 and Rt. 225.

DISTANCE: 20 miles.

TERRAIN: Moderately Hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: the route passes 5 trailheads, Blueberry Hill and the Kennebec Highlands. There is an optional short hike up French's Mountain to a spectacular scenic vista.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Some Call It Work

2009-09-14T21:19:00.001-04:00

But we call it hill climbing.

We had a number of good hills to climb on the KVBC ride on Labor Day. Some of the toughest were on Sandy River Road between Fayette and Chesterville. The weather was clear and cool, near ideal for some hill work.

The ride started in Mount Vernon Village - it was the third attempt at the Eleven Ponds tour that had been completely washed out and then abbreviated by rain earlier in the season. This time, the weather was cooperative, and five intrepid riders showed up on the Monday holiday to tackle the route.

After climbing up and over into Chesterville, the ride dropped down to the Ridge Road which lies on top of the Chesterville Esker, a glacial sandbar that runs between ponds and gullies carved out by retreating ice eons ago. In our age it forms a beautiful flat stretch that we rode all the way to Farmington Falls, stopping for a break at the country store in the Chesterville Mall.

The return ride took us back through Vienna to Mount Vernon, climbing up the Tower Road to the Bean Farm Road, over an area of glacial sand deposits so extensive it was once known locally as "Egypt." Finally descending back into Mount Vernon Village, we left the geology field lessons behind and retreated to the cafe in town for lunch. It made for a great Labor Day ride. We'll have to revisit it again next year.

Hot Dog Ride

2009-09-08T21:40:00.000-04:00

We had great weather - sunny and cool - for our Labor Day ride, exploring hills, ponds, and eskers. We had a great group of riders who stuck it out through the whole ride and some even stayed for lunch at the cafe in Mount Vernon at the ride's end. At this writing we still do not have a breakfast ride scheduled for this Friday, but on Saturday Ken is leading us on a ride exploring the other side of Mount Vernon, followed by a hot dog roast afterwards. We have openings in the KVBC ride calendar for leaders in September and October. If you can lead a ride, contact Jim at hjmerrick@gmail.com. Fall is coming - more great riding ahead!

Saturday, September 12th - WING'S MILLS (Mount Vernon)

"Hot Dog! - The Hot Dog Ride" (not because we'll ride like one but because we will want one) - a tour through Mount Vernon, Belgrade, North Augusta, and Manchester

START: 9:00 AM at Marble Point Rd., Mount Vernon

Directions to Start:

From Augusta, take #27 North to Belgrade and turn left onto #135 (Christy's store and blinking light). Go 3 miles and right onto Wings Mill Rd; go 2.5 miles and right onto Marble Point Rd. which is just after crossing Belgrade Stream; it is a hard pack dirt road)

From Mount Vernon, Readfield: Take North Rd to Wings Mills Rd and go about 3 miles to Marble Point Rd; just after passing Bartlett Rd on the right, turn left onto Marble Point, DeLorme Maine Atlas Map 12; A-4. Just west and across the stream from the intersection of Dunn Rd and Wings Mill Rd. (Marble Point is not listed by name on the map).

DISTANCE: 29 miles
TERRAIN: Moderate with some hills
HIGHLIGHTS: Views of Belgrade Stream, Hamilton Pond, Stuart Pond, Messalonskee Lake, Doctor Pond, Silver Lake, Gould Pond, with a Hot Dog cookout lunch following the ride, with swimming available also.
LEADER: Ken Louis.

Labor Day Ride

2009-09-04T19:08:00.001-04:00

First there was Hurricane Bill; then there was Danny. Hopefully the third time's the charm, 'cause the weather looks great all the way through the holiday weekend. The KVBC ride in Farmington was washed out last Saturday, but not enough to prevent scouting out a great breakfast ride for Friday. Join us on Monday, Labor Day, when we will try our luck again with the Mount Vernon ride that was rained out earlier this summer, heading out through West Mount Vernon, Chesterville, and Farmingdale. Fall is coming - more great riding ahead!

Monday, Labor Day, September 7th - 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, Mount Vernon Post Office, just off Rt. 41 on Main Street in Mount Vernon.

DISTANCE: 14 and 29 miles.

TERRAIN: Rolling with a few good hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: rural back roads winding through many small ponds and lakes, and across the top of the Chesterville Esker. Possible post-ride get-together at the cafe in Mt. Vernon village.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Top of the Hill

2009-09-02T21:18:00.001-04:00

No matter which way you're leaning, the KVBC Two Wheels Over Easy breakfast rides are a great way to start your Friday - especially on a long weekend. This week please join us for a trip to the Top of the Hill Grill in New Sharon. It pays to stay in top shape.

Friday, September 4th: FARMINGTON

"Two Wheels Over Easy" - the KVBC Breakfast Ride series.

START: 8:30 A.M., at the Hannaford Plaza on Rt. 4 in Farmington, about a mile south from the junction of Rt. 4 and Rt. 27, towards Wilton. Park near the entrance to the shopping plaza.

DISTANCE: 20 miles.

TERRAIN: rolling to hilly - includes an optional 1.1 mi. section of hard-packed dirt road, which can be circumvented by adding a mile or two to the overall route.

HIGHLIGHTS: quiet back roads along the Sandy River, spectacular panoramic views from the ridgetops of New Sharon & Industry, and the Top of the Hill Grill.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Breakfast Ride Report - Mount Vernon

2009-09-01T21:20:00.001-04:00

Last Friday we took advantage of a beautiful, crisp morning to set off from Readfield village on another KVBC Two Wheels Over Easy breakfast ride. We headed up the smooth, newly-paved surface of Church Road, climbing up to the North Road and Mount Vernon. As the four of us stopped mid-way on the long ascent, we noticed another cyclist coming up from behind. As he got closer we recognized him - Jim Putnam - who had got stuck in Readfield Depot, waiting for a train to clear the crossing. He caught us easily enough, and the five of us proceeded on our way.

We rode up the North Road toward Mount Vernon and then descended Blake Hill to Rt. 41. We came into town enjoying a very pretty run along the shore of Lake Minnehonk.

The breakfast stop was at the Olde Post Office Cafe, once the town's post office (I can remember buying stamps there when we first moved to the area). The cafe has since transformed the village of Mount Vernon "upscale" and stamps were not on my mind when we parked our bikes and went inside. Inside, one orders by the register, strategically situated beside a glass case full of enticing pastries. The fellow in front of me, a non-cyclist, capitulated and ordered, rather sheepishly, an enormous piece of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I was set on ordering a "breakfast burrito" - a wrap with scrambled eggs, cheese, and salsa - but I took pity on the poor guy and I found myself saying: "I'll have one of those, too!" not sheepishly at all. The burrito was great, but the carrot cake really hit the spot. Another member of our party ordered the "stuffed French toast" which consisted of French toast stuffed with cream cheese and fruit. It looked pretty good, too, but how much cream cheese can you eat with breakfast anyway?

We decided to leave that interesting question for another day. Most of the group set off on Rt. 41 to return to the start in Readfield, while I headed down the road to pick up my car at the mechanic's, and thence to work. I thought I might have to miss the entire ride, but then I considered that the "delayed at the car shop" would serve as a useful excuse for arriving late, where "delayed by carrot cake" would not.

We are hopeful of getting in a few more breakfast rides this fall. Our next stop may be the Top of the Hill Grill in New Sharon. Stay tuned!

BCM Bike Raffle

2009-08-26T21:28:00.000-04:00

The good folks at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine have another fund-raising raffle underway, and they have asked us, as one of their affiliated clubs, to pass on the particulars of the raffle below to all our members (and anyone else perusing here). It's for a good cause, the odds of winning the bike are a heck of lot better than winning the lottery, and it would be pretty cool to own a bike that can stand up by itself on a thin dusting of snow - a lot cooler than mine, anyway.

Win A Custom, Maine-Made Bicycle!

The lucky ticket holder in the 2009 Bicycle Coalition of Maine Super Raffle will have the opportunity to own a truly custom bicycle and to choose the set up for road, touring or cyclocross riding. This Maine-made bicycle valued at more than $3,500 offers the ultimate in “green” transportation.

The frame, built and donated by Frank Bikes in Belfast, is a blend of premium, double-butted steel tubes from Dedacciai, Columbus, and True Temper. The beautiful, handmade frame will be custom-sized to the winner’s specifications, using silver-brazed lugged construction and precise custom machining. Frank Bikes will even allow the winner to view the bike during construction, including framed photos.

The component group, donated by Downeast Bicycles, is led by the ever-reliable Shimano 105 drivetrain. The winner will be able to choose from options for the bottom bracket, cassette, crankset and front derailleur.

Further customization is possible for the handlebar width (FSA*; 40, 42 or 44mm), stem length (FSA*; 90-120mm), bar tape color, and saddle (WTB*; men’s or women’s).

The rest of the build kit includes FSA* headset and seatpost, Mavic* Open Sport Rims with 105 hubs and Maxxis* Xenith tires.

The winner of this exciting, custom-made and custom-built bike will have the chance to order from a number of upgrades and options. Selected upgrades and extras will be billed at the shop’s retail cost, a great way of upgrading your new bicycle and bypassing some of the material and labor costs!

Who among us wouldn’t want to have a bike built just for him or her? Take a chance on that dream, and help support the Coalition’s efforts to make Maine a better place to bicycle at the same time!

How to Enter:
Tickets are $50 each, and no more than 250 tickets will be sold. All ticket sales will end on December 31, 2009 – or sooner if supplies run out.

Go to http://www.bikemaine.org/store/superraffle.htm to purchase a ticket now or call 207.623.4511 to order over the phone. Act today so you don’t miss out on this great opportunity!

Thanks To:
Frank Bikes (www.youarefrank.com), Downeast Bicycle Supply (www.debike.com), and Bar Harbor Bike Shop (www.barharborbike.com) for their sponsorship of this raffle.

* Brand specified or equivalent brand, based on availability at time of build.

The Ups & Downs of Industry

2009-08-25T23:37:00.000-04:00

Alas, the remnants of Hurricane Bill put a damper on the ride in Alna last Sunday, although we plan to reschedule the ride the first Sunday in October. This week the Friday breakfast ride aims for the Olde Post Office Cafe in Mount Vernon. On Saturday the KVBC ride ventures northward to the pretty town of Industry with its funky architecture and the pristine Clearwater Pond (left) topped off with some spectacular ridgetop views (and perhaps an end of the ride stop at Gifford's Ice Cream). Hope to see you then!

Saturday, August 29th: FARMINGTON

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

START: 9:00 A.M., at the Hannaford Plaza on Rt. 4 in Farmington, about a mile south from the junction of Rt. 4 and Rt. 27, towards Wilton. Park near the entrance to the shopping plaza.

DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.

TERRAIN: rolling to hilly - includes an optional short (1/4 mi.) section of hard-packed dirt road, which can be circumvented by adding a mile to the overall route.

HIGHLIGHTS: quiet back roads along the Sandy River, spectacular panoramic views from the ridgetops of New Sharon & Industry, Clearwater Pond at Allens Mills.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Post to Post on Posted Roads

2009-08-25T23:08:00.001-04:00

Join us on Friday as we ride from the Post Office in Readfield to the Olde Post Office in Mount Vernon as part of the KVBC Two Wheels Over Easy breakfast ride series. It will be first class all the way...

Friday, August 28th - READFIELD

"Two Wheels Over Easy" - the KVBC Breakfast Ride series.

START: 8:00 AM in Readfield Center at the junction of Rt.17 and Rt.41; park in the lot behind the Post Office.

DISTANCE: TBD.

TERRAIN: moderate to moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: breakfast at the Olde Post Office Cafe in Mount Vernon; some nice back roads in Readfield and Mount Vernon.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Breakfast Ride Report - Litchfield

2009-08-24T08:38:00.001-04:00

We took advantage of the great weather last Thursday to schedule a breakfast ride in Litchfield, courtesy of George Luckhurst. Due to the late notice, only two of us showed up at the start, but 'two cyclists' qualifies as an official ride in my book, so off we went. George had in mind a very pretty 18 mile loop through Litchfield and part of Gardiner. Traffic was light and the weather was perfect. We took some great back roads, passing the historic Litchfield fairgrounds among other sights.

The route also took us past Litchfield's two notable bakeries. The first, the Black Crow Bakery, is a very enticing establishment. Attached to a historic site with its own roadside historic marker, the Purington-Shorey Homestead, the Black Crow looks like a country bakery. Despite the sign advertising "Fresh Bread - Cookies - Pasteries" we showed great restraint by continuing past without stopping.

Instead, our destination was Litchfield's other bakery, the Litchfield Country Cafe, near the junction of Rt.126 and Hallowell Road. The Country Cafe is a small, cozy restaurant-bakery with perhaps a half-dozen tables inside and an active waiting area outside. We were fortunate to get a table without waiting, although the waitress, who knew George, suggested otherwise. All of the store's baked goods are prepared in house, ensuring both quality control and a steady stream of customers to the front door. Indeed, the raisin toast that came with my breakfast of eggs, corned beef hash, and homefries could well have made a meal in itself. Just as well that it didn't, as the hash was the best I've had on any ride I can recall. The meal was so substantial the waitress actually talked me down into ordering a half-side of homefries. Since it was her recommendation, I could leave with my reputation intact and still ride afterwards.

As it was, we only had a couple of miles to go back to the start. A very nice Two Wheels Over Easy ride. Now, we just have to go back and try out that other bakery...

Sunday's Ride in Alna Postponed

2009-08-23T07:30:00.000-04:00

Due to high winds and rain this morning's KVBC ride in Alna has been postponed. The ride has been tentatively rescheduled for Sunday, October 4th.

Meanwhile, stay dry and stay tuned for next week's ride.

A Torrid Traverse

2009-08-20T15:34:00.001-04:00

On Saturday, August 15, a group of twelve riders gathered in Mount Vernon for the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club ride. The ride, "the Mount Vernon Traverse," was longer and hillier than initially advertised. Hotter, too. Temperatures were already in the high 80s by the start, and would climb into the 90s by the end of the ride.

The route headed north to Rome via Watson Pond Road. I had a family reunion later that day, but since I live in Mount Vernon I was able to make it to the start. The route was a 34 mile loop with no cut-offs, so I debated whether to ride the entire route or turn back at some point. We began the first of a series of strenuous climbs by heading up Blueberry Hill. Fortunately a good part of the climb was in the shade which made the effort a lot cooler.

At the top of the hill the riders stopped to regroup before continuing on to Rt.27 North and the second long climb. Returning via Rt. 134 the group would encounter yet another challenging climb up Cape Cod Hill in New Sharon. Both of those long climbs would be open and sun-baked, so the group decided to take advantage of the shade while they had it.

It was at this point that John suddenly remembered that he had left something behind in his car that he needed (he said something about "A-C") so I took the opportunity to ride back with him, climbing all the hills we had just come down. We made it back OK and I went off to continue preparations for my family gathering. John drove his car back over the route as an impromptu sag wagon. He later hosted a cool, post-ride gathering at his cottage, lakeside. After all the heat and the hills it was no doubt a welcome respite at the end of the ride. Many thanks to John and the impressive number of riders who showed up in the heat.

The next KVBC ride is Sunday in Alna with more beautiful roads and another post-ride gathering. We have more great rides coming up - hopefully the weather will stay dry and turn a bit cooler.

The Alna Alternative

2009-08-19T20:32:00.001-04:00

We had a great ride on Saturday with 12 riders climbing some hills in the heat, followed by a post-ride gathering at the ride leader's cabin on Watson Pond. Many thanks to John Schooley for the ride and the follow-up festivities. This week's ride will be Sunday in Alna in the scenic Sheepscott River valley, with another post-ride gathering. Hope to see you there!

[Photo by John Schooley.]

Sunday, August 23rd - ALNA

"The Alna Alternative": a tour of the Sheepscot Valley through Alna, Pittston, and Whitefield.

START: 9:30 A.M. at the Post Office in Alna at the corner of Rt. 194 and Dock Road. Alna is located at 44:06:22N, 69:36:15W (for you GPS folks); also at DeLorme Map 13, E-2.

DISTANCE: 20-25 miles.

TERRAIN: moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: a possible swimming option at the dam in Head Tide, weather permitting (bring a bathing suit); the scenic Sheepscot River; and a post-ride gathering at the ride leader's house (across from the Post Office).

LEADER: Sandi Hodge.

Breakfast Beyond Purgatory

2009-08-19T18:06:00.001-04:00

Rain and thunder are in the forecast for Friday so join us tomorrow, Thursday morning, for this week's Two Wheels Over Easy breakfast ride. We'll also take in some great touring roads, so we hope you can join us!

Thursday, August 20th - LITCHFIELD

"Two Wheels Over Easy" - the KVBC morning breakfast ride series.

START: 8:00 AM in Purgatory (actually George's house): 1437 Hallowell Rd, Litchfield. From Hallowell, take the Hallowell-Litchfield Rd. After crossing the Cobbossee Stream into Litchfield, the house is one half mile from the bridge, on the right. It's the first brick house you come to. If you are coming from Manchester, take Pond Rd (which turns into Neck Rd) all the way to the end. Take a Left on to Hallowell Rd, go 2 tenths of a mile and it's the first brick house on the left.

DISTANCE: TBD.

TERRAIN: moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: Some great back roads around Litchfield past some scenic farms and ponds. Breakfast at the Litchfield Country Store.

LEADER: George Luckhurst.

Breakfast Ride Report - Gardiner

2009-08-17T21:56:00.001-04:00

The Two Wheels Over Easy breakfast ride last Friday started in Gardiner at the southern entrance to the Kennebec River Rail Trail. We had five cyclists in attendance, on three bikes. There are a number of numerical combinations that could account for this, but let's just say that this was the first KVBC ride in which the tandems outnumbered the singles by two to one. Once again, we had really fine early morning weather. The rail trail was not quite deserted - there were a few other cyclists, joggers, and walkers - but there were moments when it seemed that we had the entire trail to ourselves.

We rode the entire rail trail from Gardiner to Augusta. Except for a short section of hard-packed gravel near Augusta, the trail was smoothly paved. The recent heavy rains had washed out the hillside in some spots, leaving some impressive deposits of sand and gravel which almost entirely covered the trail in few places. But these were fairly easy to pick our way through. The trail makes use of the old railroad bed, alongside some seldom-used but still active rails. Only for a short stretch in downtown Hallowell does the trail follow urban streets.

The breakfast stop was at the Hi-Hat Pancake House, an old "car-hop" on Rt.201 in Farmingdale, right across from the rail trail. The Hi-Hat provides a substantial breakfast menu of substantial breakfasts. In my case, I opted for a spinach & feta cheese omelet, homefries, toast & coffee, and for once, it was almost too much to take in. Almost. Once again on one of these Two Wheels rides I found myself in awe of one of my co-riders, who ordered, without hesitation, "Waffles with Fruit." This concoction, when served, turned out to be a large plate-sized waffle at least an inch and a half thick, covered with strawberries and a small mountain of whipped cream. I'm beginning to wonder if this is going to develop into an ongoing contest as to who can order the most decadent-looking breakfast on one of these rides.

Breakfast concluded, the two tandems set off to return to the start in Gardiner, while I headed back to Hallowell where I had started my ride. A very pleasant morning ride, beating the heat that arrived by mid-day. Many thanks to Frank, who put the ride together, and the two tandem crews who turned out and turned heads up and down the rail trail.

If you have a suggestion for a breakfast ride, let us know and we'll try to include it in the club's schedule.

The Mount Vernon Traverse

2009-08-10T12:08:00.001-04:00

We had really beautiful weather this past weekend. Six of us rode on the breakfast ride Friday from Readfield to Winthrop, and another four riders took part in the ride from Smithfield on Saturday. Hope you all managed to get out and enjoy the weather. This Friday we will have a breakfast ride along the Rail Trail starting in Gardiner. Saturday's scheduled ride begins in Mount Vernon. Hope to see you then!

Saturday, August 15th - MOUNT VERNON

"The Mount Vernon Traverse" - a tour through the back roads of Mount Vernon, Vienna, and Belgrade.

START: 9 AM at the Mount Vernon Post Office; park down the street at the Town Beach across from the fire station.

DISTANCE: 35 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some challenging hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: Some nice backroads with a possible post-ride gathering and swim.

LEADER: John Schooley.

Top of the Mornin' - Tip of the Hi-Hat

2009-08-10T10:13:00.000-04:00

Here's your chance to take in the Kennebec River Rail Trail by bike, and dine at a car hop for breakfast. Join us this Friday in Gardiner for this week's Two Wheels Over Easy ride. See you then!

Friday, August 14th - GARDINER

"Two Wheels Over Easy" - the KVBC morning breakfast ride series.

START: 8:00 AM at the Shop-n-Save parking lot near the entrance to the Rail Trail in Gardiner.

DISTANCE: about 13 miles.

TERRAIN: flat to moderate.

HIGHLIGHTS: The Kennebec River & the Rail Trail to Augusta & back. Breakfast at the Hi-Hat restaurant (an old car hop) off the Rail Trail. This is also a great ride for those who have not biked very often this year.

LEADER: Frank Rosen.

Illegitimis nil carborundum?

2009-08-10T08:48:00.001-04:00

It was a beautiful Saturday morning in Smithfield for the double figure 8 loop starting at the Smithfield Fire Station on Rt. 8. Or at least the sign on the building said "Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department" but as I pulled into the parking lot, out the rear door of the station came sputtering a 1917 Model T Ford. Surely the Smithfield Fire Department is a bit more up-to-date than that. In fact the fire station had moved to its new digs in the former elementary school about a half-mile further up Rt. 8, where one rider correctly followed my incorrect instructions to the start. The old station had been bought by an antique car enthusiast to store part of his impressive collection. We passed him driving his Ford around town later, sputtering from one yard sale to another.

Four of us set out on Rt. 8 for the first loop around East Pond. This 14 and a half mile loop is remarkably flat, alternating between open farmland and quiet wooded roads. There is one fairly long climb up to join Rt. 137, followed by a nice downhill back to Rt. 8. Rolling back into Smithfield we caught a great view of North Pond from the ridge, as there was hardly a cloud in the sky.

Coming back into Smithfield we passed several handsome farms. One boasted a huge red barn with a large hand-lettered sign proclaiming in Latin: Illegitimis nil carborundum. I did not have my 12-year-old homeschooler, the Latin whiz, along with me so I was left to my own rusty Latin to decypher this phrase as I rode along. "Nothing is legitimate without work?" Nah, that wasn't it. Turns out the phrase doesn't make sense because it's fake Latin, meant to say something like "Don't let the bastards wear you down." I guess my old high school Latin teacher was right - you can have too little classical education.

The second loop featured a splendid run along the shore of North Pond. We followed Rt. 137 past more large farms (sans Latin this time), traversed a short stretch on Rt. 2, and climbed up Beech Hill Road. This was followed with a great downhill back to Smithfield and another fine run skirting along the shore of North Pond. At the ride's end we stopped for ice cream at the local creamery in town, which has a great outdoor seating area out back, and even a dock for canoes and kayaks coming in off the ponds. All in all, a great ride, sine dubio.

Breakfast Ride Report - Winthrop

2009-08-08T22:20:00.001-04:00

It was an exceptionally crisp and clear morning last Friday when half-a-dozen riders set off from Readfield Center in search of breakfast and some fine early morning cycling. Traffic was light - to the point of nonexistent. We marveled at riding from the Readfield Depot to the Maranacook Boat Landing in Winthrop with nary a single call of "Car Back." We exchanged morning greetings with a few joggers and early risers out for a walk. It was a very pleasant way to start a weekday.

We stopped in Winthrop at the "Full Court Deli" on Rt. 41 - a popular place, judging by the bustle of activity inside. The parking area was filling up with cars though we found ample space for bike parking near the entrance. For those of us who are not fully functional before 10 AM, the overhead menus at the counter (where one places one's order) were a bit confusing. Lots of interesting options - too many, perhaps - I opted for a straight cheese omelet with homefries, toast & coffee, rather than hold up the line. We found an empty table and a couple of extra chairs, and talked about cycle tours while we waited.

The restaurant decor resembled that of a sports bar, with posters, photographs, and memorabilia of Boston Celtics stars, past & present. This seemed more than just odd in a breakfast setting - having the likes of Larry Bird staring down at you while you're buttering your toast might put some diners off their appetite - but having ridden 8 or 10 miles in the morning air that was not a problem for us. I looked around half-heartedly for Bill Walton, if for no other reason that I could mention that he was an avid cyclist in his playing days, but I saw no representation of him from where we were sitting.

The breakfast was excellent, and the place has a wide selection of coffees. I tried a blend called the "Blueberry Cobbler" which turned out to be pretty good. Since I had hurriedly ordered something mundane, I was pleasantly surprised when the food was anything but. The homefries in particular were intensely flavorful, with lots of onions & garlic & spices. Serious homefries indeed. Have to spend more time looking at the menu next time.

On our return route we headed north on Rt. 41 before veering off on an earlier roadway that once ran between local mill districts. Sturtevant Hill Road still winds its way past some historic old farms and climbs up to a long ridgeway with spectacular views. Best of all, we found the northern half of the road to be freshly paved, providing a smooth, fast descent off the ridge. Arriving back in Readfield, we took a detour along the sites of some of the bustling mills that once packed the streams running into town. It seemed a shame to have such a pleasant ride end before 10 AM, but as it was our timing could not have been better. The clear sky and calm weather did not last, and a thunderstorm rolled through not long after we had disbanded.

Plans are underway for a breakfast ride to the Hi-Hat in Gardiner - stay tuned for more details.

Route 8 Figure 8

2009-08-04T22:37:00.000-04:00

Last Friday we had a splendid ride from Fayette to Livermore, courtesy of Frank Rosen, stopping for breakfast and returning by way of the Chesterville Esker. Saturday was a glorious Summer day (I seem to remember that's how one used to describe Summer days) with beautiful weather, a great group of riders, a really pretty route, and a fine post-ride gathering - thanks to Denise Crowell. This week the Friday breakfast ride series will start in Readfield and go to Winthrop. On Saturday we will revisit a great ride in Smithfield. More great riding is coming up, and I'd say we're due for a nice stretch of weather to match.

Saturday, August 8th - SMITHFIELD

"Route 8 Figure 8" - a scenic tour through Smithfield, Belgrade, Rome, and Mercer.

START: 9:00 AM, at the Smithfield Fire Station on Rt. 8 in Smithfield.

DISTANCE: 15 and 28 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate to moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: many scenic lake views and back roads, and an ice cream stop.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

A Full Court Breakfast Ride

2009-08-04T22:23:00.000-04:00

Join us for the KVBC Friday morning breakfast ride series:
Two Wheels Over Easy.
This week's edition will start in Readfield
and stop in Winthrop.
Hope you can join us!

Friday, August 7th - READFIELD

"Two Wheels Over Easy" - the KVBC Breakfast Ride series.

START: 7:30 AM in Readfield Center at the junction of Rt.17 and Rt.41; park in the lot behind the Post Office.

DISTANCE: TBD.

TERRAIN: moderate to moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: breakfast at the Full Court Deli in Winthrop on Rt.41; some nice back roads in Readfield and Winthrop.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Summertime in Manchester

2009-08-04T21:31:00.000-04:00

Finally, summer arrives - and just in time for a splendid ride on the first of August. Warm, sunny, calm breezes, and a great group of ten riders - mix them all together, and the combination makes for a very nice ride from Manchester to Winthrop and Monmouth.

Traffic was a bit busy on Rt.202 at the start, but soon tapered off as we turned up Rt.135 towards Maranacook Lake. We cruised down Memorial Drive along the shore and zig-zagged through Winthrop, heading south to Lake Annabessacook. The weather was so warm that we began to hear some concerns (up to now, this season unspoken) about where to find water. No problem - someone knew someone who owned a farm along the route - we'd stop there.

Before stopping, Denise led us along a very scenic loop in South Monmouth down some excellent back roads. We rolled down sun-washed pavement on Tillson Road to Fish Hatchery Road, returning to Rt.135 by way of Sanborn Road. Turning onto Rt.135, we bagan to encounter a series of stiff hills as we made our way along Lake Cobbosseecontee.

As we neared the end we began looking for shade when we stopped to regroup. Denise took us back by way of her house where she had a large bowl of fruit salad, several coffee cakes, and other goodies prepared for a fine post-ride repast. I had every good intention of photographing the spread, but once again only remembered after the fact - I had been too absorbed in eating - the food was just too enticing. Many thanks to Denise for a fine ride, and to all for good company.

Breakfast Ride Report - Livermore Falls

2009-08-02T22:15:00.000-04:00

We had our first morning breakfast ride last Friday, part of the Two Wheels Over Easy series. Frank Rosen set up a ride starting from the Fayette Central School on Rt.17 heading out to Livermore Falls. I had the day off, but I started early to run a few errands and rode to the start. Not wanting to be late, I rushed a bit and found myself at the start about 45 minutes early. The morning was clear and invigorating so I didn't mind the wait, although I started to get hungry. Soon I was joined by Frank, Denise, and Nate, and off we went toward breakfast.

Fortunately breakfast was ten miles away, at the "Lunch Pad" in Livermore Falls, near the junction of Rt.17 & Rt.133. A small, seasonal diner - famed locally for its home-made ice cream. We took a table in the indoor dining area. The decor was cheerful and the waitstaff even more so. I ordered the "big breakfast combo" which in my case included two scrambled eggs, home fries, corned beef hash, toast, and coffee. All first rate, especially the toast, made with care with home-made bread - a nice touch. My first regret was that I didn't order two "big breakfast combos," but that would've blown my modesty cover. As it was, I was outclassed anyway. While most of us opted for traditional breakfast fare, one iconcoclast among us (who might best remain anonymous) ordered a morning meal of french toast (made with same great bread, I believe) topped with raspberry cheesecake ice cream and raspberry sauce topping. The waitress was only too happy to oblige. Watching this concoction disappear led to my second regret - that I hadn't ordered one, too. Oh well, maybe next time.

You cannot visit Livermore Falls without seeing, well, Livermore Falls. So we skirted the center of town and rode downstream to see where all that rain we've been experiencing is going. Over the Dam, apparently, and lots of it. Very impressive. We wondered whether any of it was generating hydroelectric power. We've put up with enough of it - it seemed the least it could do.

On the way back, Frank took us up the newly paved Chesterville Ridge Road which runs along the top of the Chesterville Esker, a pre-historic glacial sandbar. A beautiful flat stretch of wooded road with steep drop-offs on either side, running between many small lakes and ponds. And it goes on for miles. But the bright skies of the early morning had clouded up, and it started to rain again, so it was time to head back. We'll have another breakfast ride on Friday, August 7th, starting from Readfield and heading into Winthrop. Please join us if you can!