Go Jump In a Lake

Heading into Monmouth Center

Dig out that sunscreen!  (If you can remember where you put it.)  The sun finally showed up for our Fourth-of-July ride, and we had a great turnout and a great ride.  Many thanks to Jim Putnam for offering to lead the ride twice in five days, and kudos to everyone who did it twice!  This Saturday will feature a classic ride from Winthrop to Monmouth from the shores of Lake Maranacook.  If the temperatures soar, we can beat the heat with a dip in the lake or a double dip cone - or maybe both!  We'll see you then!

Saturday, July 6th - WINTHROP

"Lakes and Orchards" - a tour through Winthrop and Monmouth.

START:  9:00 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 - post-ride swimming and ice cream options, too!

LEADER:  Jim Merrick, hjmerrick@gmail.com.

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

Back for the Big Lakes Tour

Heading Out from East Winthrop

It was raining about as hard at the ride start in Vassalboro last Saturday as on the start of any bike ride I've seen - no doubt the weathermen who forecast "100% chance of rain" were muttering, "I told you so." But as the 10 o'clock ride start rolled in, so did Marty and Scott (who rode from Waterville, no less) so Jeanine and I decided we had a quorum, and off we went.  Within 4 miles the rains tapered off, the skies cleared a bit, and the pavement started to dry out.  Not quite trusting our good fortune (and with a nod to our co-riders who had to ride back to Waterville) we cut the ride short to about 15 miles after a fascinating tour of some historic graveyards.  Many thanks to Jeanine for leading the ride (and making the rains hold off for the better part of the tour).  This Saturday we will hope for a bit dryer conditions when we meet in East Winthrop for the Big Lakes Tour at 9:30 AM.  It's another great ride and I hope you can join us!

Saturday, May 18th - 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.

For more information on the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, contact Jim Merrick, hjmerrick@gmail.com or check us out on Facebook.

Cobbossee, Cobbossee

Taking a Break near Monmouth

We had a nice ride Sunday in Belgrade Lakes.  It was cloudy and quite cool at the start, but it stayed dry and the sun did finally come out as we were climbing the hills on Rt. 226 into Rome.  It is definitely starting to feel like Fall, and we have a beautiful stretch of weather ahead.  This Saturday we'll meet in East Winthrop in front of Tom's Bike Boutique where Cynthia has a great route planned around Lake Cobbossee.  Hope you can make it!

September 15th, 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.

East Of Winthrop

Cruising Down Memorial Drive

We had a great ride from East Winthrop on June 2nd. The predicted rains, aside from a few sprinkles, held off and we were able to get the entire ride in without getting wet. Denise has organized a popular ride from Tom's Bike Boutique, so she had a fine turn-out despite the forecast. The delicious home-made molasses cookies after the ride didn't hurt either.

Heading Out of Monmouth

For most of the ride, we stuck together as a group, expecting the rains to fall. As luck would have it, we wound up with good company and dry pavement.

Regrouping at the Crossroads

Heading into the Hills and the Return on Rt. 135

The return route added some challenging hills, but we were beginning to think we were actually going to beat the rain. Feeling ambitious, Denise took us back around on the shore of Lake Maranacook a second time for good measure.

One of the Great Roads Between the Lakes

Our thanks to Denise for another great ride (and the cookies!).

Hope you can join us this Saturday, June 16, at Kents Hill for the next Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club ride!