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.

 

Military Working on Pedal-Powered Drone

Mojave Desert, Calif.: MILITARY REPORTEDLY WORKING ON PEDAL-POWERED DRONE.

Scientists working for the U.S. Army Special Ordnance Division are working on a prototype of a new pedal-powered drone. The drone, they say, will be human-powered, but the energy savings will more than make up for the extra cost of recruiting, training, and replacing human pilots.

The actual workings of the new drone are classified, but it is believed to employ a radical new design that amplifies the leg strength of the pilot through advanced biomechanics. The military is also experimenting with PEDs that have been extensively field-tested in professional cycling.

Military spokesmen were not willing to be interviewed on camera, but speaking off-the-record, they claimed they had no problem finding cyclists to volunteer for the dangerous assignment of testing the new machine. Ironically, it is the wide-spread viewing of grainy videos taken by actual drones in the act of vaporizing vehicles driven by suspected insurgents that have inspired many cyclists to volunteer.

"That's right," said one recruiter closely involved in the project. "You can always tell who the hard-core cyclists are. You ask them: 'Why do you want to join the military?' and they say: 'I want to blow up cars and trucks.'"

The military hopes to have these new drones in operation by the end of the year, or as soon as they figure out the placement of water bottle mounts. Meanwhile the intensive training of cyclist-pilots continues. "It's so friggin' awesome," said one trainee who agreed to talk off-camera. "I can't wait to use this on my daily commute!"
 

Maine Maple Sunday

 

 

Spring is just about upon us, the Posted Roads signs are out, the sap is running, and the weather is turning nice (finally).  Time for a short bike ride!  The weather tomorrow looks to be sunny, warmer, and not so windy.  And it is Maine Maple Sunday, with small local sugarhouses open to the public and giving out free samples.  All those interested can meet at the Manchester Elementary School on Rt. 17 and we will set out on a short 12-mile ride in search of some syrup!

 

Sunday, March 24th - MANCHESTER

"Maine Maple Sunday in Manchester" - a syrupy, posted roads tour around Manchester.

START:  11:00 AM, at the Manchester Elementary School parking lot on Rt. 17, near the junction of Rt. 17 & Rt. 202.  The school is on the left just after you turn off Rt. 202 onto Rt. 17 West.

DISTANCE:  12 miles.

TERRAIN:  moderate, with one long hill.

HIGHLIGHTS:  We'll ride some paved (albeit sandy) back roads to the Hilltop Farm on Prescott Road for some maple syrup sampling as we tap into Spring.

LEADER:  Jim Merrick.

KVBC 2013 Ride Calendar

We had a great ride planning meeting last Monday - in spite of the last-minute snow squall.  Thanks to all who ventured out in the slick driving conditions, and to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine for our "one last time" use of their Augusta offices (and good luck on your move to Portland).  Here, below, is what we came up with for the KVBC 2013 Ride Calendar.  Many, many thanks to all who volunteered to lead rides!  For those of you who signed up for rides, please check the listing below and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine's EVENTS Page to verify the accuracy of your ride: start time, location, distance, etc.  Please get back to me by Friday, February 8, with any corrections.  If you are not on the list and you would like to lead a ride, please note the OPEN dates on the calendar and get back to me.  We have some great rides planned for this year, including the Kennebec River and Jay-Farmington Rail Trails, a return of the Camden Vineyard tour, and a few rides out near the coast.  Can hardly wait!

 

Jim Merrick

hjmerrick@gmail.com

 

Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club

2013 Ride Calendar

4/20 – 10 AM – Wake Up The Earth Ride, Kennebec Rail Trail, Augusta – Jim Floyd

4/27 – 9 AM – Wayne Refrain, Wayne Elementary School – Ray Giglio

5/5 – 10 AM – Cinco de Mayo – Windsor Fair Grounds, Windsor – Bud Newell

5/11 – 10 AM – China Surprise – Vassalboro Hist. Soc., East Vassaboro – Jeanine Libby

5/18 – 9:30 AM – Big Lakes Tour – Tom’s Bike, Ea. Winthrop – Denise Crowell

5/25 – 10 AM – Tour of the Back 40 – Windsor Fair Grounds, Windsor – Leanne Moll

6/1 – 9 AM – Velo Vassalboro – 6 Fairway View Drive, Vassalboro – Dave & Laura Lipman

6/8 – 9 AM – Readfield Roundabout – Readfield Post Office, Readfield – Ray Giglio

6/15-16 – OPEN (Trek Weekend)

6/23 – 9 AM – Eleven Ponds – Mount Vernon Post Office, Mount Vernon – Jim Merrick

6/29 – 9 AM – 4^th of July Ride – Bean Elementary School, Sidney – Jim Putnam

7/6-7 – OPEN

7/13 – 9:30 AM – Camden Vineyard Tour – Cellardoor Winery, Camden – Ray Giglio

7/20 – OPEN

7/27 – 9 AM – Biking to Bowdoinham – Richards Elementary School, Gardiner – Joe Renda

8/3-4 – OPEN

8/10 – 9 AM – Ken’s Hotdog Ride – Wings Mills (Mount Vernon) – Ken Louis

8/17 – 9 AM – Whistle Stop Rail Trail – Jay – Bud Newell

8/24-25 – OPEN

8/31 – 9 AM – Rt. 8 Figure 8, Smithfield – Jim Merrick

[9/7 – TBD – Idyllic Islesboro – Larry Childs]

9/14-15 – OPEN

9/21 – Ups & Downs of Industry – Farmington Plaza, Farmington – Larry Childs

9/28/29 – OPEN

10/5-6 – OPEN

10/12 – 9 AM – Tour de Lacs – Wayne Elementary School, Wayne – Ray Giglio

10/19-20 – OPEN

10/26-27 - OPEN

2013 Ride Planning Meeting

From Photo-Manipulations by Erik Johansson

Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club Planning Meeting

Monday, January 28, 2013, 7:00-8:30 PM

 

Location: Bicycle Coalition of Maine Headquarters

341 Water Street (2nd Floor), Augusta

 

The BCM Offices are at the beginning of Water Street as you come off the circle, and there is a free parking lot across the street.  Map & directions can be found at the BCM website: www.BikeMaine.org, 623-4511.

 

Purpose of meeting is to put together the KVBC ride calendar for the year.  We will also discuss holding other events and get-togethers, possible joint events with other clubs, and other KVBC issues - including a new vacancy for the Club Treasurer/Membership Coordinator position.

 

Pizza and other refreshments will be served.  All members and interested individuals are welcome to attend.

 

The Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club (KVBC) is a recreational road riding club located in the central Maine capital district.  An all-volunteer club, the KVBC offers weekend rides on scenic local cycling routes designed by its members.  Most of the club's rides start within a 30-mile radius of Augusta, with some further afield.  KVBC rides vary in distance and terrain, and are intended to offer regional day tours that will appeal to riders of different abilities.  Riders are free to ride at their own pace - non-members and newcomers are welcome.  Helmets and signed waivers are required for all participants at KVBC cycling events.  Annual membership dues - $10 for individuals, $15 for households - are collected in early April (we can take dues at the ride planning meeting if you wish) to raise funds for the club's liability insurance and its affiliate membership in support of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine (BCM).  KVBC rides and events are posted on the BCM's events calendar (both on-line and hard copy versions), with further details distributed by e-mail to everyone on the club's free contact list.  If you are in our area and are interested in participating in a KVBC scheduled ride, please feel free to join us!

The 2012 Year in Review - In Pictures

Here is a link to an album of photos of the 2012 Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club Year in Review! Many of the photos have been published here in the past year, but others are compiled here for the first time.

Many of the photos were taken "blind" - with one hand on the handlebars and the other holding a compact digital camera behind-the-back - so they hardly merit any artistic consideration composition-wise. In many cases I didn't even know who was behind at the time, and some people may not have been aware that they were being photographed. So if you should find yourself in one of these images, and you would prefer that it not be plastered all over cyberspace, just let me know and I will take the photo down, or photoshop you out of it somehow.

Now, if you are crestfallen that you photo is not among these pictures, there are several ways to remedy this in the future:

1. Ride as slow as Jim
2. If apprehensive on an unfamiliar route, ride with Jim under the mistaken impression that Jim knows where he is going (people usually only do this once)
3. Ride with someone else who has a camera

If you are requesting removal of a photo, we are assuming that it is your photo. Otherwise, if you want us to remove someone else's photo, there is a right way and a wrong way to do so:

• Incorrect: "I can't stand the sight of so-and-so. Please take their picture down at once."
• Correct: "I can't stand the sight of so-and-so. I'll volunteer to lead a club ride and buy you coffee if you take their picture down at once."

And as always, hope to see you on our rides in 2013! "Smile!"