Saturday, March 25, Ride in Sidney CANCELED

Winter does not seem to want to call it quits just yet, so due to possibly poor road conditions our planned KVBC ride tomorrow in Sidney will be canceled.  We will shoot for our next scheduled ride, Saturday April 8, in Vassalboro.  Stay warm, and see you in April!

Johnny B. Good(hu)e

According to the calendar, the Vernal Equinox is tomorrow, March 20, and this weekend is Maine Maple Sunday, and (if the weather holds up) we will have a ride on Saturday!  We will meet "Way back up in the woods among the evergreens" at Bacon Farm Maple Products in Sidney for a 20-mile ride. In case of rain (or worse) we may cancel and just "go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track." Hope to see you Saturday!

Saturday, March 25 - SIDNEY

"Johnny B. Good(hu)e, or Maine Maple Sidney" - a sweet ride to mark the alleged arrival of Spring and Maine Maple Sunday with a stop at a Sugar House on Goodhue Road in Sidney.

START: 10:00 AM, at Bacon Farm Maple Products at the corner of Goodhue Road and Rt. 23 (Pond Road) in Sidney. Parking may be limited to streetside, although there may be additional parking available at the New England Music Camp on Rt. 23 just north of the Sugar House.

DISTANCE: about 20 miles

TERRAIN: moderate with some hills

HIGHLIGHTS: Maple syrup! Maple products! Maple Sidney! Go Johnnie Go!

LEADER: John Lanoue

BCM Calendar Link: http://www.bikemaine.org/event2/kvbc-maine-maple-sidney

2017 KVBC Ride Calendar

Here is the 2017 Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club Ride Calendar.  Many thanks to our volunteer ride leaders for offering to lead rides this year!  We have some really interesting rides planned for this season - a few of which are still in the planning stages, so some of the ride info will be updated later - and we may have some last-minute changes or additions.  Hopefully we will have some warmer and dryer weather coming up, and we'll need it, as our first ride is scheduled for two weeks from this Saturday, on March 25 in Sidney as part of Maine Maple Sunday weekend.  Note to Ride Leaders: if you notice any corrections to be made in the listings please let me know.  Thank you!  Hope to see you all out on the road this year.  We should have another great year of riding ahead!

Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club 2017 Ride Calendar

March 25, Saturday: SIDNEY - “Maine Maple Sidney.” Start: 10:00 AM, Bacon Farm Maple Products, 415 Goodhue Road, Sidney 04330. 20 mi. Leader: John Lanoue.

April 8, Saturday: VASSALBORO – “Let’s Ride Fifteen (KVBC 15^th Anniversary).” Start: 10:00 AM, Vassalboro Town Office, 682 Main Street, Vassalboro 04989. 15 mi. Leader: Jeanine Libby.

April 22, Saturday: AUGUSTA – “Wake Up the Earth Ride.” Start: 10:00 AM, Kennebec River Rail Trail, Augusta 04330. 21 mi. Leader: Jim Floyd.

April 23, Sunday: WINSLOW – “Big Gs and Bare Knees.” Start: 9:30 AM, Winslow Elementary School, 285 Benton Avenue, Winslow 04901. 27 mi. Leader: Jeanine Libby.

May 6, Saturday: SKOWHEGAN – “Ales and Acorns.” Start: 10:00 AM, Oak Pond Brewery, 101 Oak Pond Road, Skowhegan 04976. 38 mi.  Leader: John Lanoue.

May 14, Sunday: VASSALBORO – “Biking with the Alewives.” Start: 9:00 AM, Vassalboro Elementary School, 1116 Webber Pond Road, Vassalboro 04989.  26 mi. Leader: Jeanine Libby.

May 21, Sunday: READFIELD – “Maranacook Meander.” Start: 10:00 AM, Maranacook School Superintendent’s Office, 45 Millard Harrison Drive, Readfield 04355. 27 mi. Leader: Lydia Leimbach.

May 28, Sunday: VASSALBORO – “Velo Vassalboro.” Start: 9:00 AM, Arrowhead Drive, Vassalboro 04989. 24 mi. Leader: David Lipman.

June 3, Saturday: WATERVILLE – “China sans Green Bean’s.” Start: 9:00 AM, Waterville Junior High School, 100 West River Road, Waterville 04901. Leader: Steve Robe.

June 11, Sunday: BRUNSWICK – “Cundy’s and Sundaes.” Start: 9:30 AM, TBD, Brunswick 04011. 27 mi. Leader: Ken Louis.

June 17, Saturday: FAYETTE – “Kennebec Land Trust Property Pedal.” Start: 9:00 AM, David Pond Woodland Conservation Area, Sandy River Road, Fayette 04349. 14 or 36 mi. Leaders: Jim Floyd and Jim Merrick.

June 23-25, Friday-Sunday: GREENVILLE – “Greenville Hike, Bike, and Boat.” Start: 6 pm (Friday) at Little Lyford Pond Lodge and Cabins in Greenville (fee TBD), 10:30 am (Sunday) at Moosewood Maritime Museum for the Bike & Boat tour (fee: $25), Greenville 04441. Leader: Jeanine Libby.

June 24, Saturday: JEFFERSON – “Down Around Damariscotta.” Start: 9:00 AM, Jefferson Village School, 48 Washington Road, Jefferson 04348. 26 mi. Leader: Bryan Griffin.

July 1, Saturday: SIDNEY – “Fourth of July Ride.” Start: 9:00 AM, James H. Bean Elementary School, 2896 Middle Road, Sidney 04330. 29 mi. Leader: Jim Putnam.

July 8, Saturday: DAMARISCOTTA – “Drafting Through Damariscotta.” Start: 10:00 AM, Hannaford’s Plaza, 469 Main Street, Damariscotta 04543. 38 mi. Leader: David Lipman.

July 9, Sunday: BOOTHBAY – “Bicycling to Boothbay.” Start: 9:00 AM, Knickerbocker Boat Landing, Boothbay 04357. 22 mi. Leader: David Lipman.

July 16, Sunday: NORRIDGEWOCK – “Ken’s Hot Dog Ride.” Start: 9:00 AM, 434 Frederic Corner Road, Norridgewock 04957. 25 or 60 mi. Leaders: Denise “Ken” Crowell and Brian “Ken” Bowker.

July 22, Saturday: AUGUSTA – “Capitol Breakfast Ride.” Start: 8:30 AM, Lillian Parks Hussey Elementary School, 12 Gedney Street, Augusta 04330. 27 mi. Leader: Jim Merrick.

July 30, Sunday: GARDINER – “Biking to Bowdoinham.” Start: 9:00 AM, Laura Richards Elementary School, 279 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner 04345. 40 mi. Leader: Joe Renda.

August 6, Sunday: MANCHESTER – “Cobbossee Odyssey.” Start: 9:00 AM, Fielder’s Choice Ice Cream, McArdle Street, Manchester 04351. 29 mi. Leader: John Lanoue.

August 13, Sunday: LINCOLNVILLE - “Out through the Cellar Door.” Start: 10:00 AM, Cellardoor Winery, 367 Youngtown Road, Lincolnville 04849. 31 mi. Leader: Tammy Jones.

August 19, Saturday: WHITEFIELD – “Hills and Mills.” Start: 10:00 AM, 184 Hunts Meadow Road, Whitefield 04353. Leader: Bryan Griffin.

August 26, Saturday: BELGRADE LAKES – “Lakes Deep, Grades Steep.” Start: 9:00 AM, Belgrade Community Center for All Seasons, 1 Center Drive Rt 27, Belgrade 04917. Leader: Bud Newell.

September 3, Sunday: OAKLAND – “Barreling Through Oakland.” Start: 9:00 AM, Tree Spirits, 152 Fairfield Street, Oakland 04963. Leader: Tammy Jones.

September 17, Sunday: LIVERMORE – “Boothby’s Apple Ride.” Start: 9:00 AM, Pike’s Corner Oasis, 1247 Park Street, Livermore Falls 04254. 39 mi. Leader: John Lanoue.

September 24, Sunday: WAYNE – “Which Way to Wayne?” Start: 9:00 AM, Wayne Elementary School, 48 Pond Road, Wayne 04284. 37 mi. Leader: Fritz Onion.

September 30, Saturday: SMITHFIELD – “Route 8 Figure 8.” Start: 9:00 AM, Smithfield Town Office, 926 Village Road, Smithfield 04978. 31 mi. Leader: Larry Childs.

October 8, Sunday: NORRIDGEWOCK – “A Wire Bridge Too Far.” Start: 9:30 AM, 434 Frederic Corner Road, Norridgewock 04957. 65 mi. Leaders: Denise Crowell and Brian Bowker.

October 15, Sunday: FREEPORT – “Freewheeling around Freeport.” Start: 9:30 AM, Amtrak Station, 23 Depot Road, Freeport 04032 (or TBD). 26 or 35 mi. Leader: Ken Louis.

October 22, Sunday: FARMINGTON – “Ups and Downs of Industry.” Start: 9:30 AM, Hannaford’s Plaza, 131 Hannaford Drive, Farmington 04938. 30 mi. Leader: Jim Merrick.

October 29, Sunday: WAYNE – “Wicked Wayne.” Start: 9:30 AM, Wayne Elementary School, 48 Pond Road, Wayne 04284. 20 mi. Leader: Jim Merrick.

Don't Forget the KVBC Ride Planning Meeting

Don't forget the KVBC Ride Planning Meeting, Monday, February 27, at 6:00 PM, at the Law Offices of Lipman & Katz, 5 Community Drive, Augusta. Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/place/5+Community+Dr,+Augusta,+ME+04330/@44.3407139,-69.7955117,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x4cb203da4028afb5:0x5eb06bd00c933dae!8m2!3d44.3407139!4d-69.793323?hl=en-US

The days are getting longer and Mud Season is practically upon us, so it is time for our annual KVBC Ride Planning Meeting! The Agenda: we will order out for pizza, discuss routes, and organize the ride calendar for the year. This is a group volunteer effort. We welcome input, and if you can't make the meeting but still have a ride you would like to lead (or help lead) or an unexplored ride you would like to do, let me know. We will meet at 6 PM Monday in Augusta near the Civic Center at the Law Offices of Lipman & Katz, courtesy of David Lipman, at 5 Community Drive.

 

Don't Forget! (Pants would help, too.)

Jim Merrick, 293-2784, hjmerrick@gmail.com

Plan Those Rides!

Hi Folks, we will be having our annual KVBC Ride Calendar planning meeting on Monday, February 27, at 6 pm, at the Law Offices of Lipman and Katz, 5 Community Drive, Augusta (thank you to David Lipman!).  We will plan out the 2017 Ride Calendar over pizza, and discuss other possible events as we enter our 15th year.  If you cannot make the meeting but have a ride in mind that you would like to lead, please let me know so I can add it to the calendar.  I will have more details as we get closer to the meeting.

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine's 2017 Kick-Off Party is coming up Thursday, February 2, in Waterville: http://www.bikemaine.org/events-old/kickoff.  Perhaps I'll see some of you there!  If not, see you in February in any case!

Jim Merrick

hjmerrick@gmail.com
293-3784

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine's Kick-Off Party in Waterville Feb. 2

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is hosting its annual Kick-Off Party on Thursday, February 2, in Waterville, and we'd love for you to spread the word to all of your bike club members-- everyone's invited, and we'd love to see them there! I've attached an invitation, and the additional info is below.

WHAT: 2017 Bicycle Coalition of Maine Kick Off Party

WHEN: Thursday, February 2, 2017, from 3:30-8pm

WHERE: Hathaway Creative Center, 10 Water Street, Waterville

HOW: RSVP's appreciated, but not required-- hope to see you there!

FMI: bikemaine.org/kickoff

New this year, we're added two educational sessions to the programming, that will each take place from 3:30-4:30 pm. It's a great opportunity to learn about what the Coalition's Legislative Agenda in 2017 (and how we bicyclists can help!) or learn about ongoing advocacy initiatives throughout the state, and get feedback from all of you in Maine's bicycling community! The party will begin at 5:00 with Happy Hour (cash bar), and at 6:00 we'll present the 2016 awards and draw the 2017 Super Raffle winners. At 7:00, we'll announce the 2017 BikeMaine Route!

We hope you all can join us for a night of bicycling fun! 

KVBC Ride Planning Meeting

Hope you are all enjoying the sudden onset of spring-like weather (soon to be followed by another arctic blast, no doubt). Before everything turns to solid ice again, I want to let you know that plans are underway to hold our annual KVBC Ride Planning Pizza Party!  David Lipman has graciously offered once again to let us use his office in Augusta (actually his new office, as he has moved from Water Street to 5 Community Drive).  The best available dates are during the week of February 27 to March 3.  If you would like to attend, please let me know what evening during that week would work best for you, and I will figure out the day that suits most.  The KVBC will turn 15 this year, so we may try to draw up some special rides to reflect on that milestone, or some similar lame excuse.  Ride leaders, be creative!  And meanwhile, mind the ice - I'm hoping my bones heal before the first KVBC ride, and who knows?  That might be close to our ride planning meeting!

Jim Merrick
293-3784
hjmerrick@gmail.com