4th Quadrennial Leap Day Ride

Hi Gang!  It's a Leap Year, which means we have an extra day to ride bikes, and we all have bikes, so that means it's time for the KVBC Fourth Quadrennial Leap Day Ride!  (I think there's a logical progression in there somewhere.)  We will meet on Monday, February 29, at 11 am at the Hallowell Boat Landing at 226 Water Street - there's also some parking spots across the street.  Depending on the weather and road conditions, we'll do about a 20-mile ride down the rail trail to Gardiner and return on some back roads and stop in at Slate's Bakery at the end.  If the weather is really questionable we may alter these plans drastically, so stay tuned for further updates.  Who knows?  We rode in 50-degree weather back in December, so you never know - it might turn out to be a great day for riding, and if it isn't, there's always Slate's!

Monday, February 29 - HALLOWELL

"Take a Leap" - the fourth Quadrennial KVBC Leap Day Ride!

START: 11:00 am at the Hallowell Public Boat Landing at 226 Water Street, riverside.  There's another small parking lot almost directly across the street.

DISTANCE: about 20 miles, conditions permitting.

TERRAIN: flat along the rail trail, moderate otherwise.

HIGHLIGHTS: a Bike Ride!  In February!  On Leap Day!  Also, a post-ride stop at Slate's bakery.

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

LINK TO ROUTE MAP: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6793592

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! While it may be a bit chilly to contemplate right now, we have a ride planned just two weeks from tomorrow - the "Leap Day Ride" on Monday, February 29th, at 11 am in Hallowell. Perhaps we'll see you then! Meanwhile, stay warm!

The 2016 KVBC Ride Calendar

Here it is, folks - the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club Ride Calendar for 2016!  We have a great season of rides planned, starting with our fourth Quadrennial Leap Day Ride coming up on February 29th - only a few weeks away!  As we get into the season we will have some of your favorite rides as well as some new ones, including an all-new century route.  Not to mention all of the great post-ride events planned by our volunteers that make the rides really special.  Many, many THANKS to everyone who volunteered to lead rides this year!  Once again, please check your ride listing(s) to make sure I have the particulars correct (ride listings are subject to modifications).  We'll see you out on the road!

Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club 2016 Ride Calendar

February 29, Monday – Hallowell: “Take a Leap” (Leap Day Ride); 11 am, Hallowell Boat Landing on Main Street; Jim Merrick, 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com.

April 17, Sunday – Augusta or TBD: “Wake Up the Earth Ride”; 10 am, Augusta KRRT parking lot off of Water Street or TBD; Jim Floyd, jimfloyd@fairpoint.net.

April 24, Sunday – Hinckley: “The Goodwill Gruppo”; 9 am, L.C. Bates Museum on Rt.201; Jeanine Libby, jjlibby13@roadrunner.com.

May 1, Sunday – Manchester: “Cobbossee Odyssey”; 9 am, adjacent to Fielders’ Choice Ice Cream on Rt.202; John Lanoue, john.lanoue@avid.com.

May 7, Saturday – Skowhegan: “Acorns and Ales”; 10 am, Oak Pond Brewery, 101 Oak Pond Road, Skowhegan; John Lanoue, john.lanoue@avid.com.

May 14, Saturday – East Vassalboro: “Biking with the Alewives”; 9 am, Vassalboro Elementary School; Jeanine Libby, jjlibby13@roadrunner.com.

May 22, Sunday – Readfield: “The Maranacook Meander”; 10 am, Maranacook School Superintendent’s Office, Rt.17; Lydia Leimbach, mrsl330@yahoo.com.

May 29, Sunday – Vassalboro: “Velo Vassalboro”; 9 am, Arrowhead Drive, Vassalboro; David Lipman, dlipman@lipmankatz.com.

June 5, Sunday – Wings Mills: “Ken’s Hotdog Ride”; 9 am, Marble Point Lane, East Mount Vernon; Ken Louis, klouis17@hotmail.com.

June 12, Sunday – Mount Vernon: “Eleven Ponds Ride”; 9 am, Mount Vernon Post Office on Main Street; Jim Merrick, 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com.

June 18, Saturday – Augusta: “Capitol Breakfast Ride”; 8:30 am, Hussey Elementary School off of Quimby Street; Connie Brown, cbrown@msmaweb.com.

June 24-26, Friday-Sunday, Greenville: “Hike, Bike and Boat”; 6 pm (Friday) at Gorman Chairback Lodge in Greenville (fee TBD), 10:30 am (Sunday) at Moosewood Maritime Museum for the Bike & Boat tour (fee: $25); Jeanine Libby, jjlibby13@roadrunner.com.

July 2, Saturday – Sidney: “Fourth of July Ride”; 9 am, Bean Elementary School, Middle Road, Sidney; Jim Putnam, put@roadrunner.com.

July 9, Saturday – Damariscotta: “Drafting through Damariscotta”; 10 am, Hannaford’s Plaza in Damariscotta; David Lipman, dlipman@lipmankatz.com.

July 10, Sunday – Boothbay: “Bicycling to Boothbay”; 9 am. Knickerbocker Boat Landing, Boothbay; David Lipman, dlipman@lipmankatz.com.

July 16, Saturday – Norridgewock: “Cycle Somerset”; 9 am, 434 Frederick Corner Road, Norridgewock; Denise Crowell and Brian Bowker, denisemcrowell@gmail.com. 

July 23, Saturday – Farmington: “Tour de Carrabassett”; 9 am, municipal lot adjacent to the gazebo opposite the court house; John MacDonald, stmac@somtelme.net.

July 31, Sunday – Gardiner: “Bowdoinham by Bike”; 9 am, Laura Richards Elementary School on Rt. 201; Joe Renda, geologyjoe@gmail.com.

August 6, Saturday – Augusta: “105 on 105”; 8 am (for the century route), old Cony High School at terminus of Rt.105; Jim Merrick, 293-2784, hjmerrick@gmail.com.

August 14, Sunday – Richmond: “Wheeling to Wiscassett”; 9 am, Town Boat Landing on River Street; David Lipman, dlipman@lipmankatz.com.

August 21, Sunday – Lincolnville: “Out through the Cellar Door”; 10 am, Cellar Door Winery; Tammy Jones, tjjones@colby.edu.

August 27, Saturday – Vassalboro: “Hills and Beans”; 9 am, Arrowhead Drive, Vassalboro; David Lipman, dlipman@lipmankatz.com.

September 4, Sunday – Wayne: “Which Way to Wayne?”; 9 am, Wayne Elementary School, Pond Road; Fritz Onion, fritz-onion@pluralsight.com.

September 10-11, OPEN (Maine Lighthouse Tour is the 10^th; Pedal the Penobscot is the 11^th)

September 17, Saturday – Livermore: “Boothby’s Apple Ride”; 9 am at Pike’s Oasis; John Lanoue, john.lanoue@avid.com.

September 24, Saturday – Winthrop: “Monmouth a la Mode”; 9 am at the Winthrop Town Boat Landing on Coady Street; Jim Merrick, 203-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com.

October 1, Saturday – Chesterville: “Three Peaks and a Pontoon”; 9 am, Sand Pond Parking area; John Lanoue, john.lanoue@avid.com.

October 9, Sunday – Freeport: “Freewheeling around Freeport”; 10 am, Amtrac lot in Freeport or TBD; Ken Louis, klouis17@hotmail.com.

October 16, Sunday – Smithfield: “Route 8 Figure 8”; 9 am, Smithfield Town Office; Larry Childs, lrchilds@roadrunner.com.

October 22-23, OPEN

October 30, Sunday – Wayne: “Wicked Wayne”; 10 am, Wayne Elementary School on Pond Road; Jim Merrick, 293-3784, hjmerrick@gmail.com.

Ride Planning Meeting

HiFolks!  We will have our annual KVBC Ride Planning Meeting this Saturday, January 23, at 11 am, at the offices of Lipman & Katz (thank you, David Lipman!) at 227 Water Street in Augusta. A scientifically-conducted opinion poll of our members with opinions revealed that Saturday was preferable if the Patriots were still playing, and that an earlier time in the day would work best.  Hey, we're flexible.  There is some on-street parking on Water Street, and a public parking lot not far away as you come off the circle; the number at the office is 207-622-3711. We'll meet at 11 am and order pizza for lunch.  We'll also put together a ride schedule and discuss some potential special events, possible overnight trips, a club jersey, and any other business.  If you are unable to make the meeting Saturday, but you have a ride you'd like to lead, please let me know so I can fit it into the schedule.  We have some extra leeway this year, as the Bicycle Coalition of Maine is phasing out their print calendar, so we don't have to meet their early publication deadline as in years past.  If you have any questions or concerns or ideas regarding the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club, the meeting in January is a good time to sound them out.  I can also bring them up if you can't make the meeting.  Hope to see you Saturday!

Jim Merrick
207-293-3784

hjmerrick@gmail.com

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Thanks to all of our intrepid Ride Leaders, and to all who came out on our rides even in less-than-ideal conditions, and to everyone who helped host or organize a post-ride gathering. Thanks to you, 2015 was a great year, and we look forward to 2016!
Stay tuned for our annual ride planning meeting sometime next month. Our next anticipated ride will be on February 29 - Leap Day!

Happy Holidays!

Best Wishes for the Holidays to all of you! May you all have another great season of cycling ahead!

Over Hill and Hall-Dale

So, you know, Winter doesn't officially begin until December 21st, and it looks like the weather gods have decided to do things officially this year.  Which means we have more mild weather in store for this weekend - partly sunny and temperatures near 50 degrees - two weeks running!  Can't turn up another opportunity to ride in beautiful late-season weather.  Let's meet Saturday morning in Hallowell at the Hall-Dale Elementary School for a 23-mile ride to Slate's Bakery - a possible preview of the Leap Day Ride next Feb. 29.  Think it'll be 50 degrees in February?  At this rate, you never know, but we'll take advantage of it while we can.

Saturday, December 12 - HALLOWELL

"Over Hill and Hall-Dale" - a December ride through Hallowell, Litchfield, and West Gardiner.

START: 10:00 am at the Hall-Dale Elementary School at 26 Garden Lane off of Winthrop Street in Hallowell.

DISTANCE: 23 miles.

TERRAIN: rolling with some good climbs; flat along the rail trail.

HIGHLIGHTS: riding in December with only a few layers; the Kennebec Rail Trail; possible stop at Slate's Bakery.

LEADER: Jim Merrick.

LINK TO RIDE MAP: http://gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6763231