5/18 SUNDAY Ride

New plan, sports fans: we were supposed to do Raymond Hills this weekend but, absent divine intervention, I don't see any time window dry enough for that to happen safely. Saturday is another complete washout and Sunday's rain is due to start around 2:00, so we need to pivot.

In order to get us more climbing and some distance options, I think we go back to Pineland via the hilly route and hope to do the long route home that takes us to West Durham and Freeport after, but I think we may well need to take the Rte 231/Cumberland/Longwoods shortcut home to stay dry. We'll check the weather once we hit Pinelands.

Wheels roll at 8:00

May 17 Garmin | Strava	May 24
Memorial Day

5/11 SUNDAY Ride

We can't seem to catch a break, can we? Saturday looks like another complete washout. I don't see any choice but to bump to Sunday. That said, being Mothers' Day, I'd like to schedule for later in the morning, so as not to ruin any breakfast plans.

The goal is Wild Oats but, as you know, there are many shorter options, so pick your poison. If someone has Strava maps for the courses below that are missing them, share a link with me and I'll add it.

Wheels roll at 10:30

May 10
	Wild Oats 66 Strava | Garmin Little Dog 64 Strava | Garmin Maquoit Rd 57 Strava | Garmin Highland Rd 51 Strava | Garmin Freeport 34 Strava | Garmin
May 17	May 24
Memorial Day

White Mountain Tune-up Series (Readers' Digest Condensed Version)

The weather has just been disastrous this spring, interfering with our Legs of Steel training--we may need to settle for Legs of Fairly Substantial Aluminum this year. 😣

I had hoped to start with our traditional Old Orchard ride, but it's four weeks until Memorial Day: we have a long way to go and a short time to get there, so maybe we save that one for the 24th. 

Let's do Hilly Pineland tomorrow. The rain may threaten our journey home, so we can take a shortcut back from Pineland--most of the work is done on the front side.

The rest of abbreviated schedule is laid out below. If you have any different thoughts/alternatives, feel free to let me know.

Wheels roll at 8:00.

Garmin | Strava

May 10	May 17
May 24	Memorial Day

4/27 Sunday Ride?

Well, we went from a half-wet weekend to "haul out the hip waders" in a hot minute! 😕

Suffice to say there is no ride on Saturday, but I keep checking the weather outlets and it seems like some of them think there might be a break Sunday morning. Maybe. Being foolishly optimistic, let's register a hopeful 8:00 on Sunday morning, and we'll choose a route if that dry window appears.

If nothing pans out, maybe this is the weekend to do that bike maintenance you've been putting off? Here are some helpful links. Come Monday, there should be no more squeaking in the paceline!

• The 1-Hour Tune-up: How To Make Your Bike Feel Like New
• The GOAT: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/
• Park Tool: https://www.youtube.com/@parktool
• Syd Fixes Bikes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SydFixesBikes
• BikeSpeeds: https://www.youtube.com/@Bikespeeds
• RJ the Bike Guy: https://www.youtube.com/@RJTheBikeGuy
• The Bike Tube: https://thebiketube.com/

4/19 Saturday Ride

Looks like we may finally have a little sun, a little warm, and a little wind (as opposed to a lot). The wind will be SSW for most of the morning, so we'll go west with a 35-mile loop. It's supposed to rain tonight, so we'll let it dry out a bit and start at 9:00.

Garmin | Strava

4/12 Saturday Ride NOT

It is not looking at all good for tomorrow, sports fans: nor Sunday, either.

On the plus side, there's more time to do the taxes.  😖

4/5 Saturday Ride

It's April: today is fabulous; tomorrow, not so much.

We will never break 40° tomorrow and the rain should start around 2:00. However, if you're hearty, we could do Mitchell Hill in the morning. If you're more than hearty, you can stretch 33 miles into almost 40 by adding in the Cape loop.

Let's make sure we stay out of the weather: wheels roll at 8:00. Dress warmly!

Mitchell Hill: Garmin | Strava Cape: Garmin | Strava

Black Friday Turkey Burner!

Our day of turkey excess over, we need to help ourselves feel better about it by burning some of it off!

We'll start out in Westbrook so we can get out to Limington. The meet-up spot is actually a block away from the one on the ride map: look for the small parking lot on the river across from Hub Furniture. https://maps.app.goo.gl/nQCauzwRcFkcHLYz8

Start time will be 10:00, so we can make sure we don’t miss any of the warm bits of the day. I don’t have a bunny wrangler as yet, but am hoping someone will raise a hand before the pie’s all gone. See you at 10:00.

Strava | Garmin

11/9 Saturday Ride

It's looking a little breezy and cool tomorrow, so let's try something a little shorter, heading into the wind to start with a tailwind home. It also seems a good day to start the ride at noon, since there won't be many warm hours.

The Freeport loop (35 miles) should do the trick, and I added a reversed option, just for interest--you can pick forward or backwards.

Please click the  I'm in  button so no one shows up alone. Wheels roll at 12:00

 Strava Forward | Garmin Backward

11/2 Saturday Ride

I am still limited, friends, but that shouldn't get in the way of a nice ride! 

Bruce has volunteered as Bunny Herder for tomorrow, and he'd like to go out to Salmon Falls. This is a 50-mile course (updated since this icon was made). We'll let the sun rise a bit, so it's a 9:00 start. No Strava map on this one, so please share the route with me afterwards so I can save it.

Please hit the Strava  I'm In  button so he knows he has company!

Garmin

10/19 Saturday Ride

Regrettably, I am still limited in my riding, but Theresa has volunteered as Bunny Wrangler again, and she has some requirements:

• 9:00 start, when it's going to be a balmy 50°
• Coastal and pretty
  

So the loose idea is to head in the general direction of Freeport/South Brunswick, turn back maybe on Highland, and take side-trips along the way to enjoy the color (Princess Point and Little John on the way home, etc).

I am jealous and sad for the lovely ride I will miss!

Wild Oats 66 Strava | Garmin Little Dog 64 Strava | Garmin Maquoit Rd 57 Strava | Garmin Highland Rd 51 Strava | Garmin Freeport 34 Strava | Garmin

10/12 Saturday Ride

Merrymeeting Metric Century

It's October and the light is fading, so it's time to take advantage of our weekend event rides! This week it's the lovely Merrymeeting Metric, starting at leaving from Flight Deck Brewery in Brunswick. It looks like the temps will hover just under 60° for the duration, with a fair breeze, so dress appropriately. Wheels roll at 9:00.

For any who can't commit to that ride, but courses from last week are still available. I, however, will not be available to join.

Strava | Garmin

10/5 Saturday Ride

This is Cadillac Challenge weekend, friends; if you haven't done this ride, you owe it to yourself—it's the prettiest century in Maine. 

Unfortunately, I will have to miss this year's edition (first time in 15 years) so will select a ride for tomorrow. I got a little knee issue going on and I need a route I can easily bail from, so we're going to start the ride pointed at my house! I will offer two (a 35 and a 47 miler [50, if you circle Back Cove]) and we can select in the morning. 

Given the overnight rain, let's move the ride back to a 9:00 start.

Strava | Garmin

Strava | Garmin

9/28 Saturday Ride

I am out of town this weekend to play a little rugby, but Theresa has graciously volunteered to step in to lead. But you know what that means: Theresa likes hills!

The route will be Hilly Pineland-Hodgdon (it's actually 53 miles--this is an old map), but the good news is the hills are front-loaded so, by the time you're refilling your bottles at Pinelands, most of the work will be over and you can enjoy the ride home!

Cool temps and light winds should make for a great day—wheels roll at 8:00.

Garmin | Strava

9/21 Saturday Ride

I will be working with the Dempsey Challenge folks tomorrow, but will leave this course for the morning.

Wheels roll at 8:00.

Strava | Garmin