Yes, We're Twenty!

 We had another fine sunny day for the ride around China Lake from Vassalboro on Mother's Day. It was nice to see China Lake with a calm surface without white caps, and many of the roads were in great shape making a really nice loop. Many Thanks to Jeanine for leading and for the fine group that turned out. This Saturday we will return to Belgrade Lakes to revisit the very first KVBC ride from 20 years ago. You do not need to show up at the ride start with a bike that is 20 years old, but if you have a vintage bike in riding condition this might be a good occasion to dust it off! Otherwise, bring what you have to celebrate 20 years of cycling in Central Maine, and we'll see you Saturday!

May 14th, Saturday:  BELGRADE LAKES

"KVBC 20th Anniversary Ride" - a traditional tour through Castle Island, Belgrade, and Rome.

START:  9:00 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).

DISTANCES:  15 or 24 or 30 miles.

TERRAIN:  rolling to hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: views of the Belgrade Lakes, some roller coaster hills, Castle Island, and Blueberry Hill - possible post-ride stop at the bakery in Belgrade Lakes Village.

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

LINK to ROUTE MAPS (short loop): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39364542
(longer loop): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39364462

(petite loop): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39364514
 

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

Belgrade Bikes!

We had a fine ride to Boothby's Apple Orchard from Livermore last Saturday on a rather frosty morning. Many thanks to John Lanoue for leading and providing an "apple shuttle" to carry purchased apples back to the start, and a tip of the helmet to all of his weary friends who ventured out and rode with us. This Saturday we will return to Belgrade Lakes for a joint ride with the Friends of Belgrade Lakes Village to celebrate the town's new official 'Park & Bike' locations, as well as a stop of the many activities and venues of the Belgrade lakes Harvest Festival, including Winterberry Farms and Hello Good Pie! Note: since it has turned rather chilly in the mornings (and to time our arrival at the festival) we will start this Saturday at 10:00 am. Hope to see you then!

Saturday, October 12 - BELGRADE LAKES

"Belgrade Bikes!" - a tour in and around the Belgrade Lakes bicycle 'Park & Bikes' with a stop at the Belgrade Lakes Harvest Festival

START: the 'Park & Bike' at the Belgrade Town Office, 990 Augusta Road, Rt. 27

DISTANCES: 10 or 30 miles

TERRAIN: flat to hilly

HIGHLIGHTS: a stop at Winterberry Farm and the Belgrade Lakes Harvest Festival, arts & crafts, cider pressing and other samplings, Blueberry Hill and some fall foliage.

LEADERS: Jim Merrick (for KVBC), 293-3784. hjmerrick@gmail.com, and Ellen Wells (for Friends of Belgrade Lakes Village)

LINK to ROUTE MAP (long): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7416124

Great Pond, Great Pavement

Last Saturday we had another wonderful joint ride with the Kennebec Land Trust on a new tour of many of their conservation properties. The day started to heat up and we just managed to finish back in West Gardiner before some thunderstorms rolled in.  Our thanks to Jean-Luc and everyone who came out for this special ride.  This Saturday we'll see if we can dodge potential thunderstorms again, as we meet in Belgrade Lakes for a tour over newly completed road projects and long stretches of smooth pavement.  Should be a treat!

June 29th, Saturday:  BELGRADE LAKES

"Great Pond Go Round" - a new pavement tour through Castle Island, Belgrade, and Rome.

START:  9:00 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:  15 or 24 miles.

TERRAIN:  rolling to hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: views of the Belgrade Lakes, some roller coaster hills, Castle Island, and Blueberry Hill - possible post-ride stop at the bakery in Belgrade Lakes Village.

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

LINK to ROUTE MAP (short loop): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7167541
(longer loop): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7167543
 

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

Post-Thanksgiving

Well, we definitely got rained out last Sunday (although I have to give an honorable mention to David, who rode over to my house afterward to pick up his jerseys). We'll try again this Saturday and hope for better conditions to work off all the extra calories taken in on Thursday.. For those who have yet to pick up their new KVBC jerseys I will again have those at the start. Meanwhile, have a great Thanksgiving, and see you Saturday!

November 25th, Saturday:  BELGRADE LAKES

"Post-Thanksgiving Ride" - a tour through Castle Island, 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:  15 or 24 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 - possible post-ride stop at the bakery in Belgrade Lakes Village.

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

LINK to ROUTE MAP (short loop): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7167541
(longer loop): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7167543
 

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

Blueberry Thrill

November has been wild and woolly, with power outages, downed trees, frozen pipes, and some occasional snow flurries. We may see a break this Sunday if the rains clear out, and since this is our 15th year lets try another 15-mile ride (with an optional longer route) in Belgrade Lakes. We'll head out through Castle Island, up Watson Pond Road to Blueberry Hill, and finish with a stop at the bakery at Hello Good Pie in Belgrade Lakes Village. If it is raining and in the 40s at the start we won't ride. Those of you who ordered new KVBC jerseys will have an added bonus, as the jerseys have been shipped and should arrive in time for Sunday's ride. Even if you don't ride, you can pick up your jerseys at the start and join us at the bakery! Hope to see you Sunday!

November 19th, Sunday:  BELGRADE LAKES

"Blueberry Thrill" - a tour through Castle Island, 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:  15 or 24 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 - possible post-ride stop at the bakery in Belgrade Lakes Village.

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

LINK to ROUTE MAP (short loop): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7167541

(longer loop): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7167543
 

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

Great Ride, Great Pond

We certainly lucked out on the weather for the KVBC ride last Saturday in Whitefield - the rains dried up, and we had a great ride through "Amish Country" and a great post-ride stop at the Griffins.  Many thanks to Bryan and Holly!  This Saturday we will meet in Belgrade lakes for a tour of the lakes region, and the newly repaved Watson Pond Road.  Last ride in August - the Fall is coming up fast!  Hope you can get out and join us!

August 26th, Saturday:  BELGRADE LAKES

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

START:  9:00 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:  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 - possible post-ride stop on Belgrade Lakes Village.

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

LINK to ROUTE MAP: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6800290

 

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

Falling Leaves

We had a great time riding about the local haunts on our pre-Halloween cemetery ride in Wayne on Sunday, with lots of colorful foliage and costumes. Speaking of costumes - I'm pleased to report that the second batch of KVBC jerseys have been shipped and may actually arrive in time for the ride on Saturday! The ride on Saturday? Oh, yes - we will meet at the Belgrade Center for all Seasons on Saturday for our last ride in Daylight Savings Time for the year. If the weather holds in the weeks ahead we'll check out Standard Time, too, but for those of you looking forward to KVBC long-sleeve jerseys (and the other assorted jerseys on order) this Saturday may be your lucky day! Those of you who can't make Saturday's ride, fear not - I'll get your jerseys to you one way or another. Stay warm!

November 5th, Saturday:  BELGRADE LAKES

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

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

DISTANCE:  28 miles.

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

HIGHLIGHTS:  post-peak foliage views of the Belgrade Lakes, some roller coaster hills, Castle Island, Blueberry Hill, and a possible stop at the cafe in Mount Vernon.

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

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

 

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim at 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com, or find us on Facebook.

Back to Belgrade

We definitely had some Fall weather on Sunday for the ride in Farmington, and there were tights, arm warmers, jackets, and full-finger gloves in evidence as the temperature never quite reached 60. Kudos to all who turned out on such a crisp morning, particularly Denise who rode to the start and finished with 50 miles on the day. Our thanks to Larry for leading another great ride. Here's hoping this great Fall weather will continue this Sunday we will venture out on a pre-foliage tour of the Belgrade Lakes region. Hope you can join us! 

Sunday, September 21: BELGRADE

"Take it or Leaf it" - Belgrade, Mount Vernon and Rome Pre-Foliage Tour.

Start: 9:30 am, Belgrade Community Center on Rt. 27, a half mile south of the Village of Belgrade Lakes, on the right (northbound) just past the Great Pond Marina.  Park in the community center parking lot nearest the street (just as you turn in).

Distance: 28 miles

Terrain: Generally hilly with some nice stretches to recover

Highlights: Views of Long Pond, Castle Island, Minnehonk Lake and some nice back roads to include Bean Rd, Watson Pond Rd and Belgrade Rd.

Leader: Ken Louis.

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club and its rides contact Jim Merrick at hjmerrick@gmail.com, or follow us on Facebook.

The Hills Take Their Toll

Heading off down Mercer Road in Rome

The legendary Hills of Rome can be punishing, but I was wondering if I was even going to see them at the start of the ride on July 7. Less than a half-mile down Mercer Road from the Rome Town Hall, my rear wheel began making some persistent clicking and pinging - upon inspection, several pairs of spokes had come loose - real loose. No spoke wrench, so I had to make some delicate tensioning with a 6" adjustable wrench - enough to get by, but I spent the rest of the ride picking the smoothest line I could find through occasionally rough pavement.

The Descent Down Wooster Hill

I wasn't so lucky on the descent that followed on Wooster Hill. My wheel held up fine, but my little trustworthy digital camera flew off, and I had to waste more time backtracking and searching for scattered pieces. After a time, I did manage to find everything and put it back together, but I couldn't get it to work for the rest of the ride. Good that I carry two cameras. Good also that my cycling companions are quite patient - and by some estimation, photogenic. (Nice modelling of the new BCM 20th anniversary jersey, Ken.)

Smooth Shoulders on Rt. 27

We emerged from the hills of Rome to a nice long downhill run on Rt. 27. With smooth pavement and wide shoulders, I could take some chances with the second camera and record some images on the descent.

Approaching Belgrade Lakes Village

We rolled into Belgrade Lakes village and stopped by the village store, where a fellow from across the street tried to sell us an aluminum boat dock and a pontoon boat to go with it (or actually, raffle tickets for the same). Yep, we were in Belgrade Lakes all right. We decided not to take a chance - hey, you might win, you know - and we headed off toward Castle Island.

Passing through the Isthmus of Castle Island

Castle Island is always a pretty spot where the road threads its way along the narrow causeway and connecting bridges between the lakes. The speed limit drops to 15 mph, however, which causes some consternation in some motorists who cannot accept going as slow as (or slower!) than cyclists. But we managed to evade the more impatient drivers and passed though without incident.

Heading back through Mount Vernon

It began to cloud up a bit as we headed back through Mount Vernon and up Watson Pond Road. We passed Blueberry Hill and French's Mountain, descending back to Rt. 27 and climbing back to Rt. 225. From there it was just a short spin back to the start at the Rome Town Hall, bringing to conclusion one of the hilliest 20-mile rides you can find anywhere.

Until Next Time - See You on the Road!

The Belgrade Lakes

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.