Damp but not Waterlogged

It all began, they say, when three friends took refuge in a torrential downpour while on a bike ride. Ana, a marine biologist, complained about her worn out raingear. Her friend Sharon, a biomedical researcher, agreed and groused about how expensive new raingear had become. Peter, their bicycle advocate friend, lamented that convincing new cyclists to take up bike commuting was often stymied by the need to ride in inclement weather. “It’s not like you can just turn cyclists into amphibians,” he joked. His friends paused and exchanged glances. Two years later “Wheeling Webfeet” ™ was born. Today, cyclists who fit the bio profile can sign up for the two-week transformation process to eliminate forever the need for any raingear. The process begins by immersion in a special chemical solution in the company’s patented “heptabaric chamber” where the patient undergoes robotic microsurgery, supplemented by frog DNA, “similar to that used in that Jurassic movie,” explained Ana, “only a lot safer. Really.” Two weeks later the rejuvenated cyclist “just slips out of the chamber and begins jumping on and off bikes to check them out,” said Peter. Within days the new amphibian cyclists are off on all kinds of biking: road, gravel, cyclocross, eroica… “you name it,” Peter continued. “For some strange reason they all seem very fond of ‘tweed rides’; we haven’t quite figured out why.” “At first we thought that they might need some special kits,” agreed Sharon, “but they seem to be happy just shopping at Goodwill.” The team at “Wheeling Webfeet” ™ did concoct a new energy bar made of crushed flies, meal worms, and assorted insects. “We knew that cyclists would eat anything,” said Sharon, “but those were a big hit.” The company quickly added those to its product line. Yes, cyclists today can now look forward to a time when riding in the rain will seem as natural as can be. The fender and raingear manufacturers will no doubt be disappointed, but cyclists will once again take their place as the leaders of the green revolution.

Along the Rail Trail

One of the KVBC's traditional early season rides is our annual out & back ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail from Augusta to Gardiner with a stop at Slate's Bakery in Hallowell. This ride offers a group ride opportunity for those of us who haven't ridden with the club, or who haven't been out with the KVBC recently, or who have yet to get their bikes out for the season. The weather for Saturday looks good, and while there is a rally at the State House at noon, we should miss most of the traffic from it (and still have the option to attend part of the rally for those who wish to). Hope to see you Saturday! April 5th, Saturday - AUGUSTA "Down the Rail Trail" - an early Spring ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail through Augusta, Hallowell, and Gardiner. START: 10:30 AM at the Augusta trail head of the rail trail - the municipal parking lot off of Water Street adjacent to the offices of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (353 Water St.) in the shadow of Memorial Bridge. DISTANCE: 20+ miles TERRAIN: flat (and we mean flat) HIGHLIGHTS: For many of us, the first ride of the season, a pleasant run along the Kennebec River, with some great natural scenery mixed with some urban vistas, kicking off another great year of cycling. Probable stop at Slate's Bakery in Hallowell! LEADER: Jim Merrick, 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com. LINK TO ROUTE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46143780 For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim Merrick, 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com, check out our Facebook page or our club blog, "Posted Roads" - http://postedroads.blogspot.com.

April Rides

Here is the KVBC ride lineup for April! The Augusta ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail has been switched to Saturday to avoid poor weather forecast for Sunday. It is one of our traditional early season club rides so we hope we can get it in!

KVBC 2025 Ride Calendar

Hello Everyone! We had a wonderful ride in Chesterville last Saturday with a great turnout of 18 riders. Thanks are due to John, who gave everyone a great tour of his maple syrup operation after the ride, and the pancakes and syrup samples were a welcome treat! This weekend we have another return of Winter, but if the weather cooperates we will soon get back on track with our rides in April. Here is the tentative KVBC Ride Calendar for 2025! You will note that we still have some openings available for would-be ride leaders out there. Our thanks to all the folks who have volunteered to lead rides! They have lots of great riding for us ahead, and we hope to see everyone out in 2025! KENNEBEC VALLEY BICYCLE CLUB 2025 RIDE CALENDAR (Please Note: Dates & Locations May Be Subject to Change) March 15: Vassalboro, “Pratt’s Birthday Ride” March 22: Chesterville, “Pishou’s Sucrerie” April 6: Augusta, “Down the Rail Trail” April 12: Kents Hill, “Kents Hill to Watson Heights” April 19: Turner, “Wake Up the Earth” April 26: Vassalboro, “Through the Mills” May 3: Augusta, “Almost Summerhaven” May 10: China, “O Albion” May 17: Winslow, “Winsome Winslow” May 24: Jay, “May in Jay” June 1: Vassalboro, “Velo Vassalboro” June 7: Readfield, “Maranacook Meander” June 14: Mount Vernon, “Eleven Ponds” June 21: Norridgewock, “Not for Naught” June 28: Readfield, “Readfield Grinder” July 5: Sidney, “Independence Day Ride” July 12: Liberty, “Palermo Beyond the Pale” July 19: Oakland, “A Cone or a Dish” July 26: Damariscotta, “To Pemaquid Point” August 2: Chelsea, “Chelsea Chainrings” August 9 or 10: OPEN August 16: Palermo, “China and Palermo Hills” August 23: Gardiner, “Biking to Bowdoinham” August 30 or 31: OPEN September 6: Richmond, “Richmond to the Sea” September 13: Wayne, “Which Way to Wayne” September 20 or 21: OPEN September 27: Livermore Falls, “Boothby’s Apple Farm Ride” October 4 or 5: OPEN October 11 or 12: OPEN October 18 or 19: OPEN October 25 or 26: OPEN November 1: Wayne, “Wicked Wayne” November 8: Belgrade, “Ugly Sweater Ride”

Chesterville Ride Rescheduled from Sunday to SATURDAY

The KVBC ride in Chesterville scheduled for Sunday has been switched to SATURDAY to take advantage of the forecast for warmer ride conditions, which are predicted to be sunny and mild and sweet. Well, John says it will be sweet, so that's pretty authoritative. Hope to see you on Saturday! Saturday, March 22: CHESTERVILLE "Pishou's Sucrerie" - a sweet syrup-sampling ride from Chesterville to Farmington Falls. START: 11:00 am at the junction of Egypt Pond Road and Main Road (about a mile from the junction of Egypt Pond Road and Tower Road). As you turn onto Main Road (unpaved) there is a small parking area next to a small green dumpster; additional parking roadside. Signs say No Trespassing except with permission - John says we have his permission. DISTANCE: 23.5 miles. TERRAIN: flat to hilly; sandy road conditions call for caution on descents. HIGHLIGHTS: a post-ride gathering at the ride leader's house for sap boiling and sugar sampling! LEADER: John Lanoue, johnlanoue@hotmail.com LINK TO ROUTE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45880277

Boiling Down Chesterville

We had a surprisingly nice, mild sunny day for our Pratt's Birthday Ride in Vassalboro on Saturday. The roads were in great shape, we didn't hit any headwinds until right at the very end, and we had a dozen riders including some newcomers! Welcome! A fine turnout for the Ides of March. This weekend looks to be sunny as well, so we will hope for a repeat as we gather on Maine Maple Sunday in Chesterville for a ride ending at John's sugaring operation with some sweet sampling! It all boils down to a great ride, so we will see you Sunday! Sunday, March 23: CHESTERVILLE "Pishou's Sucrerie" - a sweet syrup-sampling ride from Chesterville to Farmington Falls. START: 11:00 am at the junction of Egypt Pond Road and Main Road (about a mile from the junction of Egypt Pond Road and Tower Road). As you turn onto Main Road (unpaved) there is a small parking area next to a small green dumpster; additional parking roadside. Signs say No Trespassing except with permission - John says we have his permission. DISTANCE: 23.5 miles. TERRAIN: flat to hilly; sandy road conditions call for caution on descents. HIGHLIGHTS: a post-ride gathering at the ride leader's house for sap boiling and sugar sampling! LEADER: John Lanoue, johnlanoue@hotmail.com LINK TO ROUTE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45880277

In Pratt We Trust

Believe it or not, it's time to kick off the KVBC's pre-season rides!  This Saturday we hope to have a short ride in Vassalboro to celebrate the birth of Charles E. Pratt (on March 13, 1845 in Vassalboro) a prominent, influential cyclist and son of a Quaker minister in East Vassalboro. More on Pratt here: POSTED ROADS: Happy Birthday, Charles E. Pratt!  Saturday's weather forecast looks pretty nice, for March, with temperatures reaching 50, so we'll see if we can't get a short group ride in with Spring less than a week away!

Sunday, March 12 - VASSALBORO

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

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

DISTANCE: 16 miles.

TERRAIN: flat to rolling

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

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

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