Still a Haven

 Sunday's KVBC ride from Norridgewock turned out to be sunnier and more pleasant weather-wise than expected. The 50/50 gravel route took us over some very pretty back roads with little traffic and lots of early foliage. And the ride leader's home-made cookies at the ride's end really hit the spot!  Many thanks to Denise & Brian for another fine ride!  This Saturday we will set off on another Fall tour around the Summerhaven section of Augusta.  Lots of great Fall riding ahead!

Saturday, October 19 - AUGUSTA

"Beyond Summer-Haven" - a post-summer tour through the Summerhaven section of Augusta, and Readfield, Wings Mills, and Belgrade.

START: 10:00 am at the parking lot by the Career Center at 2 Anthony Avenue, off of Darin Drive, across from the Great Wall Buffet.

DISTANCE: about 34 miles

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills; route includes about a quarter-mile of gravel

HIGHLIGHTS: many pretty ponds and streams and little-traveled back roads west of the capital.

LEADER: Jim Merrick, hjmerrick@gmail.com

LINK TO ROUTE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48764106

Gravel By Half

 

The weather was quite damp at the start of the KVBC ride from Waterville to Canaan on Saturday. In weather parlance, the expression that rain will end "mostly" by 9am should actually be "mostly (but not all)" - but eventually end it did, and once the roads dried up we had a fine ride.  This Sunday we will set off from Norridgewock for a ride over both paved and unpaved roads - about a 50/50 mix of each.  Wide tires are recommended - the route is a great introduction to gravel riding!  Please note the 10:00am start, and hope to see you Sunday!

Sunday, October 13th - NORRIDGEWOCK

"Indigenous Gravel" - a mixed surface ride exploring the back roads of Mercer, Rome and Norridgewock

START: 10:00 AM at 434 Fredericks Corner Road, about two miles from the junction of Rt.2 in Norridgewock. Please park along the driveway.

DISTANCE: 24 miles

TERRAIN: moderate; the route is about half gravel (despite what the route map indicates)

HIGHLIGHTS: lots of adventurous back roads, paved and unpaved, with Amish enclaves and Fall foliage

LEADERS: Brian Bowker, bbowk321@yahoo.com; and Denise Crowell, denisemcrowell@gmail.com.

LINK TO ROUTE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48493902

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

Sorting Out Somerset

 

We had a beautiful Fall day for our ride from Boothby's Orchard in Livermore on Saturday.  The roads were in good shape, we had a fine run on the Chesterville Esker, an abundance of apples for picking at the end!  Many thanks again to John for leading.  This Saturday we will head north from Waterville to check out some early Fall foliage from several great ridgetop vantage points in Somerset County.  Hope you can join us!

Saturday, October 5 - WATERVILLE

"A Somerset Sortie" - an early foliage tour through Somerset County.

START: 9:30am at Colby College, visitor parking at the Lower Athletic Center Parking Lot, corner of Mayflower Hill and Campus Drive, beside the roundabout and across from the baseball fields. See aerial view attached. Follow detour signs around construction on Rices Rips Road and Mayflower Hill Drive.

DISTANCES: 29 or 39 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: country roads up and down the Kennebec and inland from Canaan to Benton, ushering the Fall season.

LEADER: Jim Merrick, hjmerrick@gmail.com

LINK to ROUTE MAP (Long): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48498707

LINK to ROUTE MAP (Short): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48498777

 

Aerial View of Ride Start Location

 

October, October!

Here is the KVBC Ride Line-Up for October! Lots of great Fall rides ahead!

Fall Equinox

 

An Apple a Day

 

We had a distinctly Fall-like day for our ride in Whitefield on Saturday, despite it being the last day of Summer.  It was mostly cloudy and cool, but the roads were dry and scenic, we had a nice ride and a welcome stop at the Sheepscot General Store.  Our next KVBC ride will set out from Livermore on Saturday - note the 10:00 am start.  On Sunday, the 6th annual "Share the Road with Carol" ride will take place in Windsor; you can pre-register up until Sept. 26 at www.bikereg.com/share-the-road-with-carol and it may be possible to register on the day of the event. Lots of great riding ahead as we head into Fall!

Saturday, September 28 - LIVERMORE

"Boothby's Apple Ride" - a tour of the ponds and ridges around Livermore and Chesterville, with an apple orchard stop.

START: 10:00 am across from Boothby's Orchard, 366 Boothby Road (Rt. 108) in Livermore. Park in the field across from the orchard.

DISTANCE: 39 miles with a 24-mile cut-off.

TERRAIN: moderately hilly with several good hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: great back roads with numerous scenic views, and a stop at Boothby's Orchard, a family-owned farm for seven generations going back to 1865.

LEADER: John Lanoue, johnlanoue@hotmail.com

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44501008

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

Back in Whitefield

We had splendid weather for a great ride in Wayne on Sunday.  Lots of scenic overlooks, river views, vast fields of corn, and for the more adventurous, some interesting gravel roads off the beaten path.  All topped off by a stop at Tubby's Ice Cream at the ride's end.  Many thanks again to Fritz and Susan for leading and sweeping the ride!  Please join us this Saturday on the last day of summer as we welcome the arrival of Fall on our tour around Whitefield and vicinity.  See you then!

Saturday, September 21 - WHITEFIELD

"Whitefield Backroads" - a rural tour through the rolling hills and farms of Whitefield, Windsor, Somerville and Coopers Mills.

START: 9:00 am, at the Whitefield Elementary School, 164 Grand Army Road, Rt. 126

DISTANCE: about 28 miles.

TERRAIN: rolling hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: lots of scenic rural roads around the Sheepscot River Valley, possible sightings of local Amish families out at work, and a stop at the Sheepscot General Store.

LEADER: Jim Merrick, hjmerrick@gmail.com

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43754874