KVBC 2011 Ride Schedule

Ahh, the Bike Boom years. I came across this great blast-from-the-past image in the Time/Life photo archive, dating from 1971. Hard to believe that was 40 years ago! And what a great ensemble of groovin' Mod Squad cyclistas, ready to roll. Pre-index shifting, pre-suspension, pre-computer, pre-helmet - pretty much pre-everything. Didn't stop them at all. And check out those retro jerseys! Looks like some of those jerseys have double breast pockets. You might still find a bike from that era, but you're not likely to come across one of those jerseys any time soon. I've found some old bike jerseys in bike shop bargain bins, but nothing like those. If you know where there's a stash of them, let me know. It'd be great to try and recreate this photo sometime, perhaps on one of the rides we have coming up this year...

Here is the 2011 preliminary ride schedule for the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club. We still have a few open dates to fill, and I am expecting that we will have a few more rides to add as we get closer to spring. If you have a favorite ride that you would like to share, map it out, pick a date, and let me know the details. Many, many thanks to all of you who signed up to lead a ride. We have some really interesting rides in store, and here's hoping that the weather will be just perfect for all of them. Here in winter, with a thick snow pack and sub-zero temperatures, we're allowed to hope for perfect weather, since just about anything would be perfect by comparison, so we're not askin' much. Except maybe for one of those jerseys.

Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club 2011 Ride Calendar

April 23 (Saturday) – KVBC Wake Up the Earth Ride, 10:00 AM, Wayne Elementary School, Wayne, 25 mi. Road; leader: Frank Rosen.

April 30 (Saturday) – KVBC Three Lakes Tour, 9:30 AM, Tom’s Bike Boutique, East Winthrop, 25 mi. Road; leader: Denise Crowell.

May 7 (Saturday) – KVBC Manchester in May, 9:30 AM, Manchester Elementary School, Manchester, 23 mi. Road; leader: Jim Merrick.

May 21 (Saturday) – KVBC Tour of Litchfield, 9:30 AM, Purgatory Village, Litchfield, 25 mi. Road; leader: George Luckhurst.

May 28 (Saturday) – KVBC Single Chainring Tour, 8:30 AM, Lunch Pad Restaurant, Livermore, 25 mi. Road; leader: Frank Rosen.

June 11 (Saturday) – KVBC Cobbossee Odyssey, 9:00 AM, Tom’s Bike Boutique, East Winthrop, 25-30 mi. Road; leader: Cynthia Snow.

June 25 (Saturday) – KVBC Capital Breakfast Ride, 8:00 AM, Hussey Elementary School, Augusta, 25 mi. Road; leader: Connie Brown.

July 2 (Saturday) – KVBC Fourth of July Ride, 9:00 AM, James H. Bean Elementary School, Sidney, 25 mi. Road; leader: Jim Putnam.

July 16 (Saturday) – KVBC Biking to Bowdoinham, 10:00 AM, Laura Richards School, Gardiner, 40-45 mi. Road; leader: Joe Renda.

July 24 (Sunday) – KVBC Eleven Ponds Ride, 9:00 AM, Mount Vernon Post Office, Mount Vernon, 30 mi. Road; leader: Jim Merrick.

August 13 (Saturday) - Ken's Hot Dog Ride, 9:00 AM, Wings Mills (Mt. Vernon), 25-30 miles Road, Ken Louis.

August 21 (Sunday) – KVBC Alna Alternative, 9:30 AM, Alna Post Office, Alna, 20-25 mi. Road; leader: Sandi Hodge.

August 27-28 (Saturday & Sunday– KVBC Downeast Sunrise Trail, Time TBD, Ellsworth, 30-40 mi per day, one or two day ride (overnight option) on packed gravel surface to explore the new trail; Dave Wood.

KVBC Ride Planning Meeting and Pizza Fest

We had a wonderful New Year's Day ride last Saturday in Hallowell. The roads were clear and even dry in sections - not messy at all, and traffic was very light. With the clouds moving in, I'm not sure if the temperature actually got up to 50 degrees, but it was very pleasant for January 1st - even if I was overdressed. We rode out Town Farm Road towards Litchfield, and explored some back roads on our way back to Hallowell, just over 14 miles in all. It wasn't until we got back to Hallowell that I suddenly realized that we had to climb a very difficult hill up Winthrop Street back to the ride start at the Hall-Dale School. I had completely forgotten it. Oh, fudge. Turned out it wasn't as bad as I remembered it. It was worse. Oh well, at least Duane was very good natured about it. Have to remember to consider the entire route next time I make up a ride at the last minute.

We will have our annual KVBC ride planning get-together at the BCM's Augusta office on Thursday, January 20th, for pizza and planning. Let me know if you can come, and if you can't make it and have a ride in mind to lead, let me know as well. See you then!

Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club Planning Meeting

Thursday, January 20, 2011, 7:00-9:00 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.

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 capitol 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 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!

Happy New Year!

I don't know about you, but I have always loved riding on New Year's Day. The weather can be pretty intimidating in our neck of the woods, but looks like this year might be an exception. If anyone is up for a ride tomorrow, I'm game. Incredibly, they are predicting temperatures around 50 degrees, which is almost shorts-weather! I'm not sure I would go quite that far, but it's too nice to pass up. Let's meet at the Hall-Dale Elementary School off Winthrop Street and see what we can find for clear streets. Maybe we'll check out the Rail Trail before heading over to Slates! Hope to see you there!

Saturday, January 1st - HALLOWELL

"Happy New Year!" - a scenic tour over hill and dale through Hallowell.

START: 11:00 AM, Hall-Dale Elementary School, 26 Garden Lane off of Winthrop Street in Hallowell.

DISTANCE: 15-20 miles.

TERRAIN: moderately hilly.

HIGHLIGHTS: a new year, great weather, Slates Bakery (yes, they're open) and part of the rail trail perhaps.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

As proof of my fondness of New Year's Day rides, here's a selection of old patches from rides in the past. My old club, the Charles River Wheelmen, holds an annual New Year's Day ride in Boston starting from Park Square. I took part in every one of the rides run in the 16 years I lived in Boston, I led the ride twice, and I've been back to visit on New Year's several years since. On some years, they have had over 100 riders on the New Year's Day ride!

Season's Greetings!

Season's Greetings to you all!

We had a terrific season of cycling in 2010. From Earth Day to Halloween, we had 23 rides scheduled over 28 weekends (with most of the rest filled in by major cycling events). Only one ride was canceled due to bad weather (thunderstorms); another was postponed but we substituted another in its place. I'm personally pleased that I made it to all but one of the rides! I want to thank all of the ride leaders who graciously offered to share one of their rides with us, and for all the folks who showed up to keep me company on the rides I led.
Thanks, too, to all those who welcomed us into their homes and shops for baked cookies and other treats. Thank you all!

Today I had my first "Posted Roads" placard sighting, which means it's already time to start planning for next year! Sometime in January we will have our annual ride calendar planning party and pizza fest. Those of you who would like to attend - either to plan rides or just socialize (yes, both are eminently acceptable and not necessarily exclusive) - drop me a line on what evenings are best for you (or not) and I will try to find a good day to meet. We have traditionally met at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine offices in Augusta, but I will entertain suggestions for another venue, if any entertaining options come to mind.

In the meantime, I hope to spend the rest of the Winter trying to catch up on my ride reports from this past summer, going back to Memorial Day, I think. Obviously, I was spending more time riding than blogging, but keep an eye (or a browser) on http://postedroads.blogspot.com and I will try to give you something to recall the roads of summer while you are waiting to be plowed out. I'll also resolve to try and figure out the intricacies of online mapping, Facebook, and all those things currently beyond my limited comprehension. I expect that by March I'll be more than ready to get out and ride. Perhaps I'll see you out there, too.

Thanks again, and Best Wishes for the Holidays!

Win Pizza in Tuscany

Win A Tuscan Bike Tour in Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s Super Raffle

Augusta – The Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s 2011 Super Raffle features a grand prize of a VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations trip to Tuscany, Italy. Valued at as much as $3,145, the 10-day trip includes roundtrip airfare from New York to Italy plus accommodations, sightseeing and world-famous Italian cuisine.

The lucky winner will be able to join one of VBT’s 2011 Tuscan Coast or Tuscany by the Sea tours. Both trips feature:
· Small groups (14-20 people).
· Eight nights at comfortable hotels and unique accommodations such as a country resort or an agrihotel with a private wine cellar.
· Excursions to places such as an ancient castle, an olive oil mill or a pastry-making lesson.
· Free use of a VBT custom bicycle and helmet.

Both trips are rated as easy to moderate bike rides, with daily distances ranging from 15 to 45 miles. VBT provides bilingual guides, maps and a fully equipped support van. The raffle winner may choose departure dates between March and November 2011, subject to availability.

Everyone who purchases a raffle ticket will receive a T-shirt featuring the Bicycle Coalition’s new logo. Tickets may be purchased for $50 each at www.bikemaine.org/store/raffle-tickets or by phoning (207) 623-4511.

A total of no more than 200 tickets will be sold. The raffle will be held on the first day of spring, March 20, 2011. For more information, please visit www.BikeMaine.org.

All Hallows Tour

We had a brisk, colorful ride in Belgrade last week. Stayed dry, but cloudy and cold. We had some fine cycling weather this week, nonetheless. Perhaps it will carry into the weekend. We will meet in Wayne on Sunday for a special Halloween ride to some notable cemeteries, including the round Wing cemetery in Wayne. Costumes optional - anything from Elmira Gulch to Pee Wee Herman - with proper helmets, though. Don't let anything scare you away!

Sunday, October 31st - WAYNE

"All Hallows Tour" - a Halloween ride featuring some historic cemeteries.

START: 10:00 AM at the Wayne Elementary School, 48 Pond Road, Wayne.

DISTANCE: 15-20 miles.

TERRAIN: moderate, creepy in spots.

HIGHLIGHTS: the Wing family cemetery, the Kents Hill orchard, perhaps a notorious historic crime scene, and other local haunts.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

Highland Fall Fling

We had a fine ride on Columbus Day weekend along the Sheepscot River, although it started out a bit blustery, overcast, and cold. Things actually warmed up nicely later in the day, so a later ride start may have been in order. The weather this Sunday looks favorable, and the fall colors are holding strong, so lets try for a ride in Belgrade Lakes - starting a bit later, at 10:00 am, to let things warm up a bit at the start. We may have a post-ride gathering at either the cafe or the grill in town. This may be one of the last chances to get a group ride in, and to enjoy the fall colors. Hope to see you there!

October 24th, Sunday: BELGRADE LAKES

"Highland Fling" - a tour around the Kennebec Highlands through Belgrade and Rome.

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: about 20 miles.

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

HIGHLIGHTS: fall foliage, views of the Belgrade Lakes, some roller coaster hills, Castle Island, and Blueberry Hill.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.