Saturday Ride Update

Given that the holidays are now upon us, the weather has turned colder and less predictable and even on "good" days morning temps are hovering just above freezing, it's time to call the end of the 2010 Saturday ride season. Hopefully the winter hiatus won't be too long. As was the case last year, we will start regular rides again as soon as winter weather allows. I think we started back up in late February or early March last year. We will periodically post to the blog throughout the winter, so check back in occasionally to see when we'll be starting up again.

Looking back on the year, we are prepared to call the season a rousing success. We saw a marked increase in the number of riders joining us weekly, we were able to integrate several longer rides and we successfully trained for the Memorial Day ride and several centuries. All in all it was a great season and we are grateful for your participation and support.

For those of you not yet ready to suffer the pain of indoor riding and looking for some holiday fun, the Reindeer ride is tonight. People are meeting at Back Bay at 6:00 and heading out for a loop around town. Light yourself up, dress in holiday garb and join the fun if you have time.

Although we are calling an end to the season, if we get a spectacular day, or if people want to ride on a given weekend, I am happy to post a general message here in the blog. Just drop me an email and let me know what time you plan to head out.

Again, thanks to everyone for a great season. Have a happy holiday and a great New Year.

11/26 & 27 Rides

---- UPDATE ----

Although it looks to be pretty nice tomorrow afternoon, temps will be below freezing much of the morning. Given the precipitation we've had around, we're going to cancel the ride due to the distinct possibility that there will be icy spots.

------

The weather is calling for 100% chance of "wintry mix" on Friday, so there will be no ride Friday morning.

Saturday looks like it could start cloudy and/or with snow showers, but that things should brighten up as the day goes on. At this point, we'll plan on riding at 9:00 on Saturday morning and heading out for about 30 miles. However, if it looks like there will be snow around or ice on the roads we'll have to bail on Saturday as well. I'll update the blog by midday Friday with a final decision.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

11/20 Saturday Ride

UPDATE

Looks like only the hearty souls made it for this week's ride.

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Well, it's looking like another cold windy day, but we'll be leaving from the shop for a ride again this week. The route is TBD, based on the temperature and wind direction.

For those of you looking to give the sun a chance to warm things up before you head out, there is a Cranksgiving ride leaving from AllSpeed Cyclery and Snow on Auburn St. (right across from Shaw's) at 10:00am. In a nutshell, Cranksgiving is a scavenger hunt for a good cause. Folks get a list of pantry items that they need to ride around town to purchase. After the event, the items get donated to charities. Apparently the stuff on the list will cost about $20. If you want more info, drop Bron an email.

Finally, there has been some talk of a Black Friday ride (aka "the turkey burner"). There's another one of those polls over there to the right asking who's interested. I'd be open to riding Friday, Saturday or both, so vote and let me know what folks want. The poll is open until Tuesday night and I'll be posting detail on next week's riding on Wednesday.

11/13 Saturday Ride

It looks to like it will be a great late fall day on Saturday, so there will be a ride. The only hitch is that I can't be there. Any volunteers to lead? Drop me an email if you're interested.

11/6 Saturday Ride

------ UPDATE ------

There are more than enough folks interested, so we'll plan on heading out from the shop at 8:00am tomorrow morning. For those of you planning to join us en route, we will head out Middle Rd. to Freeport (MapMyRide route).

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Hmmm, 40 degrees and a chance of showers. I'm open to the idea that we ride regardless of the weather, but I'll need a show of support, so drop me an email and let me me know if you are interested in riding this week. Alternatively, you could try out the shiny new poll I posted over there to the right of this post.

If there are more than 3 yes votes by 7:00 Friday night, we'll ride. The route will be an on-the-fly decision, but I'm thinking it would be nice to head out toward Freeport (MapMyRide route).

10/30 Saturday Ride

It's going to be a bit chilly, but we'll plan on heading out on a nice easy loop through Falmouth and Cumberland this week (MapMyRide route).

10/23 Saturday Ride

This week we will be heading out toward Cumberland and Yarmouth (MapMyRide route).

10/16 Saturday Ride

We're looking for a contingent leader this week since Bron is out of town and I am trying to get over a cold. The hope is that I will be ready to ride in the morning, but we would appreciate hearing from anyone willing to take the reins if I can't make it. Please just email me if you are interested.

As for a route, we will wait to see what the weather does. It looks like the day will start out windy, wet and cold, so odds are that we will do something in the 30-35 mile range.

Saturday Ride Question...

UPDATE

We are NOT going to do the proposed loop over in the White Mts. since most of the responses were that people were not able to make a long ride this weekend given the short timeframe.

We will go ahead with the "normal" Saturday ride instead and will post the route later this week.

*****

During the ride this weekend, there was some discussion about doing one final longer ride. The runaway favorite route was the loop that includes Bear Notch, the Kanc, Franconia and Crawford Notch over in New Hampshire (MapMyRide route). We'd like to get a sense of whether people would be interested in heading over there for a ride this coming Saturday, October 16.

I would like to hear from as many people as possible by Tuesday morning so I can make a decision before Kris sends out his club-wide end-of-season email, so please email me and let me know if you want to join the stroll through NH.

Depending on the interest of the group, we will decide whether there will be a "normal" Saturday ride as well.

10/9 Saturday Ride

Congratulations to all who took part in the various century rides last weekend!

Now that the "training" period is over, we need to regroup a bit and figure out what people would like the Saturday rides to look like for the rest of the year, including how much longer the rides should head out.

This week we are mulling over a few different routes and don't have anything specific planned, so we'll just meet at the shop at 8:00 and come up with something.

10/2 Saturday Ride

Good luck to everyone planning on doing the Dempsey Challenge and the Cadillac Challenge Century this weekend!

For those looking to join the Saturday ride this week, Jim will be taking the lead on a route out through Falmouth, Cumberland and Yarmouth (MapMyRide route).

9/25 Saturday Ride

The Saturday ride will be leaving at the normal time this week.

See you at the shop at 8:00am.

This week is a final jaunt before many folks head off to tackle the Dempsey Challenge or the Cadillac Challenge Century next weekend. Since the summer folks have all headed home, we are planning a long-contemplated route down through Old Orchard Beach and Gorham (MapMyRide route). While the route is shorter and flatter than the past few weeks, the hope is that we can take advantage of some long, uninterrupted sections to maintain a decent pace without the need for many stops.

Like the past two weeks, we do not have a specific shorter loop planned. However, since the ride starts by heading over the bridge, it will be relatives simple to break off and do some permutation of the Prout's Neck Loop (MapMyRide route).

9/18 Saturday Ride

Given the length of this week's ride, we will be starting a bit early and leaving the shop at 7:30. Plan on a chilly start to the day, with temps hovering just above 50° when we head out.

This week's route will be an 86 mile jaunt up through Raymond (MapMyRide route). In addition to the length, there's also a fair bit of climbing with a touch over 6,000' of total elevation gain. We will try to incorporate two stops along the way to provide people with the opportunity to grab a snack, but please plan ahead and bring extra fluids, some solid food and cash to cover any drinks or snack. Speaking of solid food, I got a fair bit of grief for bringing waffles the last time we did the Raymond loop. It turns out I'm not alone in considering them a great biking snack: Honey Stinger Waffle review.

Like last week there is no "normal" Saturday route planned. However, for those not interested in riding the full loop, there are several opportunities to break off and head back to the shop. We'll check in with people before we head out and figure out what makes the most sense.

For those of you looking to do more than 86 miles this week, the Loon Echo Hike n' Bike Trek, which claims to be the "toughest century ride in Maine," is this weekend.

9/11 Saturday Ride

After a great ride last Sunday, we will stretch things out a bit more this week with a jaunt up toward Brunswick (MapMyRide route). For those interested in a shorter loop that is more in line with the normal Saturday ride, there are several options, so we will work something out as the ride develops.

As for our plans on 9/18, we would like to get some feedback on the idea of starting at 7:30. With an 86 mile ride that includes over 6000' of climbing scheduled (MapMyRide route), starting early seems to make a lot of sense. Please drop me an email or leave a comment if you are either for or against a slightly earlier start. Also, before I get a deluge of responses that there is less than 3000' of climbing according to MapMyRide, you should be aware that MapMyRide significantly underestimates the elevation gain.

Fall is obviously a great time of year to bike around here, and there are a bunch of rides in the coming weeks in addition to the Dempsey Challenge and the Cadillac Challenge Century on October 3. Two local options worth considering are the Lighthouse Ride this weekend and the Loon Echo Hike n' Bike Trek next weekend.

9/4 Saturday Ride

- UPDATE -

Ride Moved to SUNDAY at 8:00am this Week

Thank you for all the responses. It was nearly unanimous that we move this week's ride to Sunday morning, so we will leave the shop on Sunday at 8:00am for the planned longer route through Cumberland, Falmouth and Yarmouth (MapMyRide route).

In the event that the weather moves through faster than expected and things dry out by Saturday morning, I will probably head to the shop since we are not sure how many people actually follow the blog. So, if it isn't raining steadily tomorrow morning and people show up at the shop to ride, I'm happy to do something relatively flat and easy in the 25-30 mile range (probably the Monday night loop going counterclockwise).

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First, thanks to Eric for stepping up and leading the ride last week. All reports were that it was a great ride.

The story for this week is Earl. According to the NOAA forecast, we are looking at a chance of showers and 15mph winds for Saturday. However, the weather.com projected track looks to have the storm somewhere right off our coast, which could potentially mean some seriously heavy rain and winds. Not that anyone would be likely to show up, but we are not going to have the ride in the midst of a tropical storm.

Ordinarily, we would head out in light rain and light winds and if there was no lightening anywhere in the area. However, since we have a fairly long ride planned for this weekend (MapMyRide route) and since this week's ride is part of a progression intended to help people prepare for the Dempsey or the Cadillac century rides, I am open to discussing the option of moving the ride to Sunday morning.

Please drop me an email and let me know if you would prefer to ride on Sunday. Not surprisingly, these pleas for input often go ignored, but please take the 10 seconds to drop me your thoughts. Since people need to know what we are doing, we will make the decision no later than Friday at 7:00 pm. Please check back here after then for an update.

As for the rest of the longer training rides, we will stick with the original plan:

• 9/11 - Brunswick loop (66 miles)
• 9/18 - Raymond Hill from Portland (86 miles)
• 9/25 - Old Orchard Beach (52 miles)

8/28 Saturday Ride

We're looking for a brave soul to lead the normal ride this week. So, if you're interested, please let me know.

For the longer ride this week, Eric has agreed to lead the group on a route out to Pineland (MapMyRide route).

I didn't get much feedback on the proposed plan for getting ready for the two century rides the first weekend in October, so we'll go forward with the following plan:

• 9/4 - Gray loop (55 miles)
• 9/11 - Brunswick loop (66 miles)
• 9/18 - Raymond Hill from Portland (86 miles)
• 9/25 - Old Orchard Beach (52 miles)

Please drop me an email with any comments, questions or complaints.

8/21 Saturday Ride

This week we make another attempt at heading out in a bit of a new direction and tackling the Mitchell Hill route (MapMyRide route). It's supposed to be a gorgeous morning, so we will plan on having a slightly longer version of the ride that will include a trip down to Prout's neck and around Shore Rd. for those that want to add a few extra miles (MapMyRide route).

If you have any questions about the ride, please drop me an email.

8/14 Saturday Ride

It looks like another great week for riding. This week the normal route is going to head over through Falmouth (MapMyRide route) and for those of you interested in putting on a few extra miles, we are also going to have a longer ride that will head up toward Gray and over to Yarmouth (MapMyRide route).

If you have any questions about the ride, drop me an email.

8/7 Saturday Ride

This week we will head back through Falmouth and Cumberland (MapMyRide route). There is no formal longer ride this week, but if some people are interested, there are options to branch out on a longer ride by including Dutton Hill, Sligo Rd. etc.

I have been giving some thought to the prospect of putting together a series of longer Saturday rides geared to help prepare people for one of the century rides in early October. The plan is still very much in flux, but I would like to get people's feedback on the following schedule for September's longer routes:

• 9/4 - Gray loop (55 miles)
• 9/11 - Brunswick loop (66 miles)
• 9/18 - Raymond Hill from Portland (86 miles)
• 9/25 - Old Orchard Beach (52 miles)

Please drop me an email with any comments, questions or complaints.

7/31 Saturday Ride

This week we will head out in a bit of a new direction and tackle the Mitchell Hill route (MapMyRide route). It's supposed to be a gorgeous morning, so we will plan on having a slightly longer version of the ride that will include a trip down to Prout's neck and around Shore Rd. for those that want to add a few extra miles (MapMyRide route).

If you have any questions about the ride, please drop me an email.

UPDATE

We wound up changing the route at the last minute. For those of you that use the blog to keep track of ride options in the area, we went over to Cumberland, headed up toward Gray, hopped over toward Pineland and then headed back into Portland (MapMyRide route).

7/24 Saturday Ride

This week we are going to head out toward Freeport (MapMyRide route). Depending on how the group feels, we may offer the option to split the group when we hit S. Freeport Rd, with those looking for a longer ride heading up toward Brunswick.

If you have any questions about the ride, please feel free to email me.

7/17 Saturday Ride

After a few weeks off, we will head back over toward Falmouth this week and take a jaunt up Mountain Rd. From there, I think we will head over to Cumberland and possibly even Yarmouth (MapMyRide route), but depending on the interest of the group we may make things a bit longer or shorter.

As we move toward August, there has been some suggestion of starting another series of training rides for the folks interested in riding either the Dempsey or the Cadillac challenge. But, we would really like your input on whether there would be interest in a more structured series of rides, so PLEASE, drop me an email or post some comments on whether you would be interested and if so, which event you would like to tackle.

7/10 Saturday Ride

The weather looks a bit questionable for this Saturday. If it's a little wet, we'll plan to head out. But, if there's thunder or lightening in the area, we'll call things off.

If the weather cooperates and we get to head out, we'll be doing a new route with a bunch of familiar sections through Falmouth and Cumberland (MapMyRide route). After a few weeks of generally flat rides, this route adds some hills back into the routine.

If you are new to the ride or have any questions, please feel free to email me.

7/3 Saturday Ride

This week the Saturday ride will continue the rolling rides of the past few weeks, with a trip out through Cumberland and Yarmouth (MapMyRide route).

6/26 Saturday Ride

This week we will be heading over to Cape Elizabeth to head around the Prout's Neck loop (MapMyRide route).

6/19 Saturday Ride

Rob has graciously agreed to take the lead this weekend and will be following the familiar route up Mountain Rd and over to Cumberland (MapMyRide route).

6/12 Saturday Ride

After last week's complete washout, it looks like this Saturday morning could be about the only reliable window for a dry ride this weekend. We'll be attempting a slight variation of some common routes this week as we tour Falmouth, Cumberland and a bit of Yarmouth (MapMyRide route).

Also, we are looking for comments/feedback on this spring's attempt to train people for the Memorial Day ride. If there is enough interest, we are considering creating a similar training schedule that would help people prepare for either the Cadillac Challenge or the Dempsey Challenge—both century rides taking place on October 3.

Finally, we are looking for some backup leaders for the Saturday ride. Please drop us an email if you are willing and able to help us out on occasion.

6/5 Saturday Ride

Congratulations to all who successfully completed the Memorial Day ride. It was a great day and a great event.

This week the weather looks to be heading downhill fast for our Saturday ride. We are still planning to head out unless it is really raining, but we are going to hold off on picking a route until Saturday morning.

If you have any questions about the ride, please drop me an email.

5/29 Saturday Ride

First, we want to thank everyone who made last weekend's rides such a success. Between assistance covering the normal ride and a great turnout for our longer ride around the Raymond hill route significant amount of support went into making everything come together. Thanks!

This week we will return to having one route for the Saturday ride. The specifics are undecided at this point, but will feature something in the 30-mile range. Two options we are mulling over are the familiar ride up Mountain Rd. over to Cumberland (MapMyRide route) and the somewhat flatter route out Middle Rd. and around the Greely/Tuttle loop (MapMyRide route).

For those riders who have been using our longer rides as a way to prepare for Monday's Annual CCCP Memorial Day Ride, this weekend's ride is intended to be an easy, comfortable ride that will provide the opportunity to stretch your legs a bit before heading over to the White Mountains.

Please send me an email with any comments and/or suggestions.

5/22 Saturday Ride

We are within 2 weeks of the CCCP Memorial Day ride, which for those that have been participating in our series of longer rides, means that we have just one more long ride before the big event.

This weekend will be a bit of an adventure. For the first time, we are splitting the group entirely and starting the longer ride from a different location. Here are the details:

The Normal Saturday Ride

Leaving from Back Bay Bikes at 8:00

Diane has graciously offered to lead the ride this week. The ride will be 30 miles, heading through Falmouth and Cumberland (MapMyRide route).

The Longer Saturday Ride (Raymond Hill Route)

Leaving from Cumberland Center at 7:30

This week's longer route will start in Cumberland and tackle the Raymond Hill loop (MapMyRide route).

Given the length and terrain of the route, we are planning an early start. Please plan to meet at 7:30 in the Cumberland Fire Department parking lot located at the corner of Main Street (Rte 9) and Tuttle Rd (google map). For those of you driving to the start, there is ample parking in the Greely school parking lots right across the street from the fire station.

For those of you that need a ride, Bron and I will be at Back Bay Bikes at 7:00 to help shuttle people to Cumberland. We have the capacity to bring 4 riders/bikes, so if you need a ride, please let us know ASAP to reserve your place. In order to make the 7:30 meet in Cumberland, we need to leave at 7:00, so don't be late.

Also, a note about fuel for the ride. the current forecast is calling for sunny skies and 60 degrees. We are expecting that the ride will last 3 1/2 to just over 4 hours. Therefore, everyone should be prepared with at least 2 water bottles, preferably containing sports drink, and some solid food. There are a few potential places to stop if people need to refuel during the trip, but please come prepared for a long day in the saddle.

Please confirm that you need a ride by sending me an email ASAP. Also, if you could be available to help shuttle a rider or two, please let me know just in case we have some overflow that we need to handle.

5/15 Saturday Ride

There are only two more weekends before the CCCP Memorial Day ride. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the weather forecast for this weekend stays favorable because this week's longer ride will take us up Mountain Rd., Dutton Hill and Depot Rd. (MapMyRide route). We will also have a normal Saturday loop for those looking for a ride in the neighborhood of 30 miles. Based on the interest of the group, the normal route will either be the Mountain/Mast ride (MapMyRide route) or the Mountain/Blanchard ride (MapMyRide route).

On May 22, we will have our first "destination" Saturday ride. While the normal ride will leave from the shop as usual, people interested in the longer ride will meet in Cumberland to do the Raymond Hill loop (MapMyRide route). In an attempt to better plan for this ride, we are trying to get an approximate count of people who will be joining us. So, please, drop me a quick email if you are planning on doing the Raymond Hill ride with us on May 22.

5/8 Saturday Ride

This week we will take a break from the split ride routine we have been experimenting with this spring and return to one ride that will head up Mountain Rd. and over to Cumberland (MapMyRide route).

Next week we will return to the split ride format with long routes that include more hills. On May 15, we will be doing a route that includes Mountain Rd., Dutton Hill, and Depot Rd. (MapMyRide route). This ride will utilize the current format where the entire group starts out together and then splits at a designated point (likely Mast Rd.).

On May 22, we will have our first "destination" Saturday ride. While the normal ride will leave from the shop as usual, people interested in the longer ride will meet in Cumberland to do the Raymond Hill loop (MapMyRide route). In an attempt to better plan for this ride, we are trying to get a count of people who will be joining us. So, please, drop me a quick email if you are planning on doing the Raymond Hill ride with us on May 22 so I can get an approximate head count.

If you have any questions or comments on how these split rides have been working, please email me.

Don't forget that the annual CCCP Memorial Day ride (MapMyRide route) is only a few weeks away.

Message from Patrick

Even though I haven't made a ride yet I want to give PROPS, KUDOS, THUMBS UP, GOOD ON YA'S, and sincere thanks to Chris and everyone that works at Back Bay Cycles and the club for going out of their way to help the folks get their bike together that are riding in the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride in May. I'll be riding in this great event and feel good there is someone helping out those folks from out of town.

I'm not a regular but make as many rides as I can with my schedule (I'll miss this years memorial day ride unfortunately. I'll be all primed for Hurricane Rd after riding around 550 miles in 6 days too!) and am proud to ride with such a great group of people. You just made me a lifelong member with this type of hospitality to these folks coming in from "away".

Thanks again and hope to see (ride) with y'all soon.

Take Care, Be Safe
Patrick

5/1 Saturday Ride

This Saturday we we will have another split ride. The normal ride is a loop we did last fall that heads up to Freeport (MapMyRide route). The longer route is the next ride in our series intended to help people prepare for the CCCP Memorial day ride. This week the longer route will also head up to Freeport, but will then continue on up toward Brunswick (MapMyRide route). Both rides will leave the shop together around 8:00 am and then split once we get to S. Freeport Rd.

At a bit over 51 miles, the loop toward Brunswick is one of the longer rides that we do. The total time for the 51 miles will likely be in the neighborhood of just over three hours, so please plan accordingly. In three hours on the bike, the weather is certain to change during the ride, so make sure you are dressed appropriately. In addition, it is important to have enough liquids and preferably some solid food to consume. We highly recommend bringing two full water bottles and something to munch on like an energy bar or a bagel. We pass the Bow St. Market in Freeport at about mile 32, which will provide people a chance to refuel if needed.

Next week we will be taking a break from these longer rides to give people a chance to rest. But, the following two weeks will include lots of hills and then Memorial Day will be upon us. If you are interested in using the longer Saturday routes as way to prepare for the Memorial Day ride, here is the tentative ride schedule:

• 5/1 Saturday Ride: Brunswick Loop (MapMyRide route)
• 5/8 Saturday Ride: Mountain Rd. and Mast Rd. (MapMyRide route)
• 5/15 Saturday Ride: Mountain Rd, Dutton Hill and Depot Rd. (MapMyRide route)
• 5/22 Saturday Ride: Raymond Hill loop - leaving from Cumberland (MapMyRide route)
• 5/29 Saturday Ride: Middle Rd, Tuttle and Greely (MapMyRide route)
• 5/31 MEMORIAL DAY RIDE (MapMyRide route)

Please email me if you have any questions.

4/24 Saturday Ride

It has been a bit of a roller coaster for spring weather so far. Kudos to Nathan and Richard for making last week's somewhat wintery ride:

Luckily, the snow from last Saturday seems to be behind us and things are looking good for Saturday, so this week we will head up Mountain Rd. and through Cumberland (MapMyRide route).

As we mentioned in last week's post, we are trying to incorporate the option of a longer route to allow people to prepare for the annual CCCP Memorial Day ride. So, when the group reaches Forest Lake Rd., riders interested in taking a longer ride can break off and head over Dutton Hill and up to Grey (MapMyRide route). Although, the longer route currently includes Sligo Rd., please note that we may shorten things a bit depending on time and other factors by cutting out Sligo.

As always, we will all leave the shop at just about 8:00 and will ride as one group until we reach the designated split point.

If you are interested in using the longer Saturday routes as way to prepare for the Memorial Day ride, here is the tentative ride schedule:

• 4/24 Saturday Ride: Mountain Rd., Dutton Hill and Sligo Rd. (MapMyRide route)
• 5/1 Saturday Ride: Brunswick Loop (MapMyRide route)
• 5/8 Saturday Ride: Mountain Rd. and Mast Rd. (MapMyRide route)
• 5/15 Saturday Ride: Mountain Rd, Dutton Hill and Depot Rd. (MapMyRide route)
• 5/22 Saturday Ride: Raymond Hill loop - leaving from Cumberland (MapMyRide route)
• 5/29 Saturday Ride: Middle Rd, Tuttle and Greely (MapMyRide route)
• 5/31 MEMORIAL DAY RIDE (MapMyRide route)

Please email me if you have any questions.

4/17 Saturday Ride and Proposed Training Schedule

There has been some discussion about the prospect of using the Saturday morning rides as a training vehicle for the CCCP Memorial Day ride through the White Mountains. The good news is that the level of interest has convinced us that it's worth given the idea a try. The bad news is that in order to be effective, we really need to start adding some hillier terrain starting this week. The really bad news is that weather forecast for Saturday is not pretty.

I have convinced a very small contingent of folks to head out rain or shine. Therefore, I am planning on being at the shop on Saturday morning regardless of the weather. The route will be about 35 miles and include both Mountain Rd. and Dutton Hill (MapMyRide route). I'm not going to pretend that 40 degrees, 15 mph winds and rain/drizzle ranks high on my list of enjoyable biking conditions, but if you have a jacket and are willing to brave the elements I can promise it will be an adventure.

As for the rest of the training program, we are going to try to incorporate a long ride each Saturday for the folks interested in preparing for the Memorial Day ride. The tentative plan is as follows:

• 4/24 Saturday Ride: Mountain Rd., Dutton Hill and Sligo Rd. (MapMyRide route)
• 5/1 Saturday Ride: Brunswick Loop (MapMyRide route)
• 5/8 Saturday Ride: Mountain Rd. and Mast Rd. (MapMyRide route)
• 5/15 Saturday Ride: Mountain Rd, Dutton Hill and Depot Rd. (MapMyRide route)
• 5/22 Saturday Ride: Raymond Hill loop - leaving from Cumberland (MapMyRide route)
• 5/29 Saturday Ride: Middle Rd, Tuttle and Greely (MapMyRide route)
• 5/31 MEMORIAL DAY RIDE (MapMyRide route)

Each of these longer Saturday rides (with the exception of the Raymond Hill loop on 5/29) will be an extension of a regular route that is more in-line with the traditional Saturday rides. As we have done in the past, we will all ride out together and at a designated point the folks interested in the longer ride will break off.

We would like as much feedback as possible regarding this plan so we can anticipate exactly how many people are interested and tweak the schedule if need be. So, please either leave a comment or drop me and email with your thoughts.

4/10 Saturday ride

In an attempt to switch things up a bit, this week we will be heading up Mast and down Mountain (MapMyRide route). We will leave the shop at 8:00.

4/3 Saturday Ride

After more than our share of rain, this weekend looks to be perfect riding weather. The route this week will have two options. The "standard" route will be the now familiar route up Mountain Rd, over to Cumberland and back Tuttle Rd. (MapMyRide route). However, we are also going to have a longer route that will break off in Cumberland Center and head over to Sligo Rd. in Yarmouth (MapMyRide route). Both rides will start out together and will stay together as a group until Cumberland Center. At Rte 9 in Cumberland, we will split.

We will be leaving the shop at 8:00. If you have any questions about the ride, please drop me an email.

3/27 Saturday Ride

It promises to be a bit cold to start the day on Saturday. Therefore, we will give the sun some time to do its magic with a

9:00am START FOR THIS WEEK'S RIDE.

For a route, we will head up Mountain Rd. and then wander through Falmouth for a bit (MapMyRide route).

3/20 Saturday Ride

The weather this weekend looks to be about as perfect as you could expect from March in Maine. To celebrate, we will head out on one of the old standby Mountain Rd. loops that heads over through Cumberland (MapMyRide route). We'll leave the shop at 8:00 as usual.

3/13 Saturday Ride

After a nice start to the year last week, the Saturday rides are officially back. This week we are doing a variation of the Monday night ride that will take us through Falmouth and Cumberland (MapMyRide route). It will probably be a bit chilly at 8:00, but starting early should help us beat any chance of rain.

3/6 Saturday Ride

With the forecast calling for sun and 44 degrees on Saturday, it looks like it's time to start back in on the Saturday rides. This week we will start of with a relatively short jaunt to get everyone back in the swing of things. We are considering two different routes: a 20 mile trip out Middle Rd. (MapMyRide route) or a 22 mile ride that incorporates Falmouth Rd. and Woodville (MapMyRide route). Let us know your preference by leaving a comment or sending me an email.

We will leave the shop at 8:00 as usual.

2/27 Saturday Ride

The weather looks horrible for Saturday, so we won't try to go for a ride this week. However, there seems to be some interest in getting out sooner rather than later, so to the extent that the weather cooperates, we'll start things in the next few weeks.

Saturday Rides - - It's Not Too Early, Is It?

The lack of any significant precipitation has us wondering whether it's time to start heading out on Saturday mornings. Our thinking was that provided it is above freezing at the designated start time and the roads are clear of snow/ice we would start the Saturday rides back up beginning February 27.

The plan would be to get things started with some easy trips of 20-25 miles just to get out on the roads again. If you have thoughts, please post a comment or drop me an email so we know whether there is any interest.

Movie Night - 02/04

Community Cycling Club of Portland Presents

BICYCLE DREAMS

An award winning documentary about the most insane cycling
event in the world - The 3000 mile Race Across America.


Thursday, Feb. 4th
7:00 pm social / 7:30 pm film
Zero Station
222 Anderson Street, Portland, ME

All are welcome. No charge.
Snacks and beverages encouraged. (BYOB)

Free Physical Therapy Testing

Tracey Merrill wants everyone to know that Back In Motion Physical Therapy is offering free 30 minute screenings. If you have a nagging ache that won't go away and you are not sure what to do about it, go see Back in Motion to help you figure out what to do. It may be as simple as:

• suggesting exercises you can do at home,
  
• making a referral to your doctor for PT, or
  
• suggesting activity modifications.

Locations are in South Portland just behind Shaw's Millcreek (161 Ocean Street) and in Gorham (94 Main Street). Just call Back in Motion and mention the free screen when scheduling your appointment.

SoPo tel: 799-8226,
Gorham tel: 839-5860.

Trek Across Maine Recruitment

Hey folks!

It is that time of year for Tracey to start recruiting for the CCCP Trek Across Maine team. For those of you who don't know, it is a 3 day bike ride from Sunday River to Belfast that raises money for the American Lung Association of Maine. It is a blast and Tracey is always looking for more riders!

Anyone interested, please email her at: wanttocycle@gmail.com