Earth Day Every Day!

 The abrupt onset of warm weather brought about a beautiful spring ride from Winslow last Saturday.  We had a fine turnout of 17 riders including some newcomers!  A number of folks went out and did some additional miles, while others gathered afterward for lunch at Big G's.  Many thanks to Jeanine for leading another great ride.  This weekend tops off Earth Week with our traditional "Wake Up the Earth" ride on Saturday in Turner.  We are hopeful that the forecast rains will hold off until later on Saturday, but if it is raining with temperatures in the 40s at the start we may postpone the ride.  Let's hope for good weather and we'll see you Saturday in Turner!

Saturday, April 22 - TURNER

"Wake Up the Earth" - an Earth Day ride celebrating the coming of Spring, parklands, local organic farm producers, and biking of course!

START: 10:30 am at the north parking lot of the Androscoggin Riverlands State Park on Center Bridge Road in Turner. Detailed directions (and a nifty downloadable map of the park) can be found on their website: https://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=98

DISTANCE: 22 or 24 miles

TERRAIN: moderate with several long hills

HIGHLIGHTS: a scenic ride along rivers and ridgetops through Turner and Leeds, celebrating Earth Week and the coming of Spring, with a stop at the Nezinscot Farm Store.

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

LINK to ROUTE MAP (longer): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39005991

LINK to ROUTE MAP (shorter): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39006194

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.

Wake Up the Earth Ride Rescheduled to SUNDAY

A student rides across the campus of the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Me., on an early Spring morning.

UPDATE: we have rescheduled the Wake Up the Earth Ride from Saturday to SUNDAY, in hopes of dryer weather.  Hopefully the rains will finally give us a break!

It's Earth Week!  And what better way to cap it off than with the KVBC "Wake Up The Earth Ride" in Belgrade Lakes!  We will explore a brand new route this year, meeting at the Belgrade Community Center for All Seasons at 10 am on Sunday.  After a long, drawn out Winter with still some residual snow in spots, it will be a pleasure to welcome in Spring.  Hope you can join us - Wake Up the Earth!

April 28th, Sunday:  BELGRADE LAKES

"Wake Up The Earth Ride" - celebrate Earth Week and the arrival of Spring with a ride through Belgrade, Mount Vernon, and Wings Mills.

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:  26 miles with a shorter 17-mile option.

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

HIGHLIGHTS: views of the Belgrade Lakes, some roller coaster hills, Wings Mills - possible post-ride stop at Hello Good Pie bakery in Belgrade Lakes Village.

LEADER:  Jim Floyd, jimfloyd@fairpoint.net..

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7359714
 

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.

Wake Up The Earth!

It's Earth Week!  And what better way to cap it off than with the KVBC "Wake Up The Earth Ride" in Belgrade Lakes!  We will explore a brand new route this year, meeting at the Belgrade Community Center for All Seasons at 10 am on Saturday (Rain Date, Sunday).  After a long, drawn out Winter with still some residual snow in spots, it will be a pleasure to welcome in Spring.  Hope you can join us - Wake Up the Earth!

April 27th, Saturday:  BELGRADE LAKES

"Wake Up The Earth Ride" - celebrate Earth Week and the arrival of Spring with a ride through Belgrade, Mount Vernon, and Wings Mills.

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:  26 miles.

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

HIGHLIGHTS: views of the Belgrade Lakes, some roller coaster hills, Wings Mills - possible post-ride stop at Hello Good Pie bakery in Belgrade Lakes Village.

LEADER:  Jim Floyd, jimfloyd@fairpoint.net..

LINK to ROUTE MAP: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7359714
 

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.

KVBC Ride This Mornimg in Augusta CANCELED,

Good Morning, everyone.  Due to poor weather this morning, our scheduled KVBC ride in Augusta at 10:00 am is canceled.  Tomorrow's ride in Winslow is still on, and we look forward to seeing you then!  Meanwhile, Happy Earth Day!  (The Weather is always part of the Day.)

April 23rd, Sunday - WINSLOW
"Wake up the Bare Knees, By Gee" - a riverside tour through Winslow, Benton, and Clinton.
START: 9:30 AM at Winslow Elementary School, 285 Benton Avenue, Winslow.
DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.
TERRAIN: moderate.
HIGHLIGHTS: an early Spring ride along the Kennebec and Sebasticook rivers. Optional lunch stop at "Big G's" in Winslow.
LEADER: Jeanine Libby, jjlibby13@roadrunner.com.
LINK TO BCM CALENDAR: http://www.bikemaine.org/event2/kvbc-big-gs-and-bare-knees-2
LINK TO ROUTE MAP (2015): http://gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6799300

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.

 

Wake Up!

Next weekend is Earth Day, and we have a double-header lined up!  Saturday will be our annual Wake Up The Earth Ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail in Augusta, a reasonably flat, mostly off-road route that is a perfect warm-up if you haven't been able to get your bike out much - and it falls on Earth Day this year!  It is a fun ride and features a stop at Slate's Bakery in Hallowell.  Sunday we will head up river to Winslow for another popular early ride, Big G's and Bare Knees, intended to warm things up to shed some layers - plus an optional stop at Big G's for lunch.  Hope you can join us on one ride, or both!

April 22nd, Saturday - AUGUSTA
"Wake Up the Earth" - an early Spring/Earth Day ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail through Augusta, Hallowell, and Gardiner.
START: 10:00 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: EARTH DAY! 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 Floyd, jimfloyd@fairpoint.net.

LINK TO BCM CALENDAR: http://www.bikemaine.org/event2/kvbc-wake-up-the-earth-ride-2

LINK TO ROUTE MAP (2016): http://gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6838283

 

 

April 23rd, Sunday - WINSLOW
"Big G's and Bare Knees" - a riverside tour through Winslow, Benton, and Clinton.
START: 9:30 AM at Winslow Elementary School, 285 Benton Avenue, Winslow.
DISTANCE: 25-30 miles.
TERRAIN: moderate.
HIGHLIGHTS: an early Spring ride along the Kennebec and Sebasticook rivers. Optional lunch stop at "Big G's" in Winslow.
LEADER: Jeanine Libby, jjlibby13@roadrunner.com.

LINK TO BCM CALENDAR: http://www.bikemaine.org/event2/kvbc-big-gs-and-bare-knees-2

LINK TO ROUTE MAP (2015): http://gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6799300

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.

Wake Up the Earth!

Greetings!  We are approaching Earth Day 2016, which means Spring should be arriving any day now (assuming we haven't missed it already).  And that means it is time for the annual KVBC Wake Up the Earth Ride!  We'll meet on Sunday, April 17th, at 10 am at the Augusta End of the Kennebec River Rail Trail, riding to Gardiner and perhaps a bit beyond, stopping in Hallowell at Slate's Bakery on the way back.  Certainly hope you can join us!

April 17th, Sunday - AUGUSTA
"Wake Up the Earth" - an early Spring/Earth Day ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail through Augusta, Hallowell, and Gardiner.
START: 10:00 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: 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 Floyd.

NOTE: if you are looking for a new bike, or selling an old one (or both), the Bicycle Coalition of Maine is holding their first of two Bike Swaps in Orono tomorrow, April 10; the second swap is in Portland on May 1.  Details at their website, Bikemaine.org.

WAKE UP THE EARTH BIKE RIDE

Yes indeed! The weather is finally turning spring-like, and we are one week away from the first KVBC ride of the season, the Wake Up The Earth Ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail in Augusta! It has been a very long winter, and it is definitely time to wake things up and get out and ride!  Hope to see everyone next Saturday in Augusta at 10:30 am!

April 18th, Saturday - AUGUSTA
"Wake Up the Earth" - an early Spring/Earth Day 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 Maine State Housing Authority (353 Water St.) in the shadow of Memorial Bridge.
DISTANCE: 20+ miles
TERRAIN: flat (and we mean flat)
HIGHLIGHTS: 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 Floyd.
 
A special note: the CMCC is planning a ride and potluck tomorrow, Saturday, April 11, in Vassalboro - details on their Facebook page.

Wake Up the Earth 2014

We had a great warm-up ride last Saturday in North Augusta thanks to Jim Floyd and David Lipman.  They picked a perfect day, and we had a nice turn-out of twelve riders on short notice.  We didn't lose anyone (we think) and the roads were a lot better than expected.  This Saturday's ride will be our first official ride of the season - the "Wake Up the Earth" ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail, with a possible stop at Slates Bakery in Hallowell (actually two possible stops, as we pass by it twice, and it's hard to pass by).  The ride will be on gentle, mostly flat terrain, and will be moderately paced - perfect if you haven't been out much as yet this year.  Hope you can join us as we kick off another great year of cycling!

April 19th, Saturday - AUGUSTA

"Wake Up the Earth" - an early Spring/Earth Day ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail through Augusta, Hallowell, and Gardiner.

START:  10:00 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:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kennebec+river+rail+trail&sll=44.311274,-69.77447&sspn=0.028006,0.055189&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Kennebec+River+Rail+Trail,+Kennebec,+Maine&ll=44.311497,-69.774309&spn=0.003501,0.006899&t=h&z=17&lci=bike

DISTANCE: 20-25 miles

TERRAIN:  flat (and we mean flat, unless of course we take a detour to add on more miles)

HIGHLIGHTS:  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; possible stop at Slates Bakery in Hallowell, too!

LEADER:  Jim Floyd.

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

Wake Up The Earth - Change of Date

Due to rain in the forecast on Saturday, we will change the start of the KVBC Wake Up the Earth Ride to Sunday, when it is forecast to be sunny and in the 50s! Please join us at the Augusta end of the Kennebec River Rail Trial on Sunday, April 21 at 10:00 AM!


April 21st, Sunday - AUGUSTA
"Wake Up the Earth" - an early Spring/Earth Day ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail through Augusta, Hallowell, and Gardiner.
START: 10:00 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: 20-25 miles
TERRAIN: flat (and we mean flat)
HIGHLIGHTS: 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. Possible ride stop at Slate's Bakery in Hallowell.
LEADER: Jim Merrick (substituting for the injured Jim Floyd. Get Well, Jim!)

Wake Up The Earth - 2013

 

 

Hello everyone!  While we are waiting to see what this latest "storm" will bring, don't forget the Bicycle Coalition's Great Maine Bike Swaps and see what they will bring!  The Orono Swap is this Sunday, April 14, and the Portland Swap is Sunday, April 28.  Details on the BCM website.

 

 And we are only 8 days away from the first official KVBC ride of the season - the Wake Up The Earth ramble along the Kennebec River Rail Trail from Augusta to Gardiner and back - including a stop at Slate's Bakery in Hallowell - all happening Saturday, April 20!

 

For up-to-date information on KVBC rides be sure to check in on the KVBC page on Facebook!

 

 

 

April 20th, Saturday - AUGUSTA

"Wake Up the Earth" - an early Spring/Earth Day ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail through Augusta, Hallowell, and Gardiner.

START:  10:00 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:  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. Possible ride stop at Slate's Bakery in Hallowell.

LEADER:  Jim Floyd.

 

Down By The River

The 2012 KVBC Wake Up The Earth ride started out overcast and cool. The weather forecast indicated that the rain would hold off until the afternoon, qualified by the actual conditions as "maybe." As for riding the Kennebec River Rail Trail, there was no "maybe" about it, and the ten of us took off.

In truth, there was more auto traffic on Earth Day than I would have liked, but for a stretch through Hallowell the way was fairly clear. Once back on the Rail Trail we were again car-free.

An Earth Day information booth crew welcomed us at the Gardiner end of the Rail Trail.

We continued down river to a private boat landing, then regrouped for the return - to Slate's Bakery.

As we returned, the skies began to clear and the sun broke out. We took our place out in the bakery's courtyard as the Earth woke up, and planned our rides to come.

Join us in Wayne on Saturday, April 28, for the next Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club ride!

Wake Up the Earth!

Time for our first ride of the year! (Well, actually our second ride, as Larry & I broke in the year early with a Leap Day Ride to Slate's Bakery in Hallowell in February.) We will likely have warmer weather this Saturday, if the remarkably Spring-like weather we've been having will hold for next weekend. Jim Floyd will be leading our "Wake Up the Earth" ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail in Augusta as we kick off another year with the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club. We might note that we should be passing by the Slate's Bakery on Saturday, too - in case you feel you missed out on something last February (which you did). In any case, I hope you can join us! And take note that this weekend the Bicycle Coalition of Maine will host the first of two Great Maine Bike Swaps: the first on Sunday, April 22 in Bangor; followed by one in Portland on Sunday, April 29. Let's get rolling!

Illustration: The Luckhursts on their tandem pass through downtown Hallowell on a KVBC breakfast ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail. This particular rendering came out looking rather Mediterranean. Still, I have yet to hear from any Italian touring company seeking to use the image in their advertising.

April 21st, Saturday - AUGUSTA

"Wake Up the Earth" - an early Spring/Earth Day ride along the Kennebec River Rail Trail through Augusta, Hallowell, and Gardiner.

START: 10:00 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:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kennebec+river+rail+trail&sll=44.311274,-69.77447&sspn=0.028006,0.055189&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Kennebec+River+Rail+Trail,+Kennebec,+Maine&ll=44.311497,-69.774309&spn=0.003501,0.006899&t=h&z=17&lci=bike

DISTANCE: 20 miles

TERRAIN: flat (and we mean flat)

HIGHLIGHTS: 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.

LEADER: Jim Floyd.