I know there's at least one hearty out there who wants a ride, so we're on for tomorrow.
Let's start at 10:00, and we can choose from the Highlands ride, Pinelands, or Freeport. I got a booster shot this morning, so I make no performance guarantees, and each of these rides offers an easy out if I just don't have it.
==BUMP TO SUNDAY==
Overnight snows and 17 mph winds (gusting up to 30mph) coming WNW—meaning headwinds for the first hour—leave me concerned for both road and temperature conditions tomorrow. Let’s bump to Sunday
==UPDATE==
It appears the gods would prefer we have more turkey tomorrow instead of a ride: 80% chance of rain by 11:00, and I don’t like the idea of being 15 miles out when a cold rain starts. Let’s bump the ride to Saturday (or Sunday? Less wind). Plan to ride Saturday at 11:00 (unless I hear votes for Sunday by Friday at 5:00).
We traditionally start this ride out in Westbrook so we don’t waste miles in uncertain weather just trying to get to the good part!
Let’s meet behind the Westbrook CVS for an 11:00 start.
The Turkey Burner course varies a bit year to year, so this year I have a 41-mile loop out towards Bonnie Eagle HS, with a bonus 10-mile addition around the river if the weather decides to play nice. If it doesn’t, we’ll be right by the Frog and Turtle for brunch.
Let's get the bad news out of the way right off: I have cooties. The good news is it's cooties with a small "c," not a big one. Regardless, I don't need to be sharing this with you, so I am out of any group riding this weekend.
The good news is that the PVC Fondo Pace Double Loop is happening tomorrow. The details go something like this:
We leave CycleMania at 7:35 am, just after the "racers." Coed. Feel free to forward to others. Should be clear, low wind and about 30 degrees at start and 40 by finish.
The full route is about 43 miles. Link on Strava:
https://www.strava.com/routes/2896482585729556642
We will regroup multiple times, the first re-group will be at SoPo High School on Highland Ave. Second re-group at Prout's turn around. Depending on who shows up there may be a fast group and regular group.
Notes: Be careful at the intersection of Highland and Blackpoint in Scarbough, and in the second loop the intersection of Sawyer and 77 in Scarborough.
First loop: "Normal" Saturday ride except that as we get back to SoPo we will turn left off of Cottage Rd. onto Sawyer Rd. - Shell Station is the landmark.
Second Loop: Starts as we take Sawyer southwest the entire way back to Rt. 77 in Scarborough turning left onto 77 just south of the Cape line (so no Prout's on loop two). We will then ride 77 all the way back to the bridge then to the Shop (no Shore road in second loop).
Single Loop Option: Those wanting just one loop will also turn left on Sawyer, but then right on 77 (Ocean Ave) and back over the bridge. (avoiding the construction on Cottage Rd).
Coffee, Snacks and Awards at the Shop following the ride.
After a rainy, windy Friday, Saturday appears to be mild and calm. It will be 50° at 10:00, so let's head up to Pineland. Two offerings: the ever-popular Hilly Pineland (featuring The Wall of Depot Road) and Less Hilly Pineland, (foregoing Depot and approaching via Mill Rd). Both routes front-load the climbing, so it's a nice spin home. Theoretically, the difference is 5 miles and 1000+ ft of climbing; I am unconvinced.
Either way, pick your poison and we'll vote in the morning. Let's roll from the church at 10:00.
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Tuesday looks like a great night to get out: temps around 50 and calm winds... 26 miles, leaving the church at 5:30.
Tomorrow looks beautiful and sunny, but not until noon, so...how about we have a noon ride?
I got a special request for an anniversary ride from 3 years ago this week (has it really been that long???). 50 miles on a lovely fall day...
Well, honestly, it is not looking good for any time this weekend but, it *is* Maine, so... if I wake up to wet streets in the morning, I'm rolling over and pulling the comforter up. If it's dry (and appears it may stay that way until 10:30 or so), I'll head into town, so... meet me at the church on time, and we'll pick a path then.
The Merrymeeting Metric has been pushed to Sunday, at 9:00, so we can all enjoy our indoor chores tomorrow!
The tourists are gone, the weather is fine, and I don't have a century this week: let's go to Old Orchard!
This is a 51-mile ramble with a little time on the Eastern Trail as we travel south. The temp at 8:00 should be about 53° and will only vary by 3 or 4°, so dress appropriately. We'll plan to stop at Saco Variety to refuel.
Planning ahead, we have the Merrymeeting Metric on the 16th and the new Oxbow Metric on the 23rd—clearly, I will not be leading rides on those days but, if you want me to post something, just let me know.
Nine years ago, the Cadillac summit looked like this; I confess, I am hoping for better. In the meantime, I need a Volunteer Bunny Wrangler for the Saturday ride—I will post the ride of your choice, so let's see those hands...
The weather appears… uncooperative for tomorrow. I’ll be doing a century on Sunday, so the route will not be long, if it happens at all. If it’s not raining (or 50% chance of it thru 10:00), I’ll see you at 8:00.
And, just like that, it's Fall, and cooler temperatures are upon us. Also, it's Century Season. It's our (my) last weekend before Dempsey (on the 26th) and Cadillac (on the 3rd) and shortly afterwards we have a couple of metric century options with the club (the Merrymeeting Metric and possibly the Oxbow Metric). All this is to say, we need some hilly miles, and it's time for the Raymond Hills!
We'll meet at Mabel Wilson School in Cumberland Center at 8:30—the weather looks cool and overcast, so the ride should be comfortable. Be sure to have enough water and some snacks—there is little available between Pinelands and the bottom of Crystal Lake.
Well, we saw Brunswick last weekend, so it looks like we’re off to Hilly Pineland this week. The base loop is about 45 miles, and there’s an optional loop at the top for another 700’ of climbing.
Unfortunately, I’m not available this weekend, so I’d sure like to get a volunteer a Bunny Wrangler for the ride; all I really need is one person to respond that they a will be there so others will know they won’t be the only one showing up!
Tomorrow looks like a spectacular day, and there are so many options...
Keeping in mind the fall centuries (Dempsey on 9/26 and Cadillac on 10/3), I have 3 weekends to get in some miles and climbing. My typical routes in September include:
| Hilly Pineland | Little Dog | Raymond Hills |
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The weekend looks a lot nicer than last, so I have to get my Diabetes Century in, so tomorrow will be interesting.
I've decided to get both the Saturday ride and the century done at the same time, using two intersecting loops. The first loop looks like this, heading out to Sebago and back down through Gorham. This is where you come in:
After we return to the church, loop two looks like this:
Or like this--depending on my mood (at which point I will jump into Range Pond to cool off):
It looks like it's going to be a warm one on Saturday, and I have a century on Sunday, so I'm posting a tame ride for this week, out around Highland Lake.
See you at the church at 8:00.
Well, the weather is being iffy, so I will toss out some options. The first is the North Windham route we considered but didn't do a couple weeks back, and the other would have to be something to keep us closer to the coast if the rain comes in early: Mitchell Hill? Pinelands? Highland Lake? This would be a perfect day to do Freeport/Brunswick, but three times in five weeks is jus too much!
Seeking Wild Oats!
I will be participating in the MS charity ride, so Theresa has agreed to lead tomorrow. Her route of choice will head up to Wild Oats in Brunswick. The full route is 70 miles, but there are plenty of smaller routes built into it (35, 50, 55, 65)--whatever your legs or time are ready for, there's a loop for you!
Meet at the church; wheels roll @ 8:00.
I will be in Acadia tomorrow but will leave the route to Pinelands for tomorrow’s ride, going up the hilly way and back Sligo. Wheels roll at 8:00.
I'm torn--is it too soon to do Little Dog? Let's try this: I'm publishing Little Dog and my Middlejam route (but without Middlejam, cause it's just wrecked right now). and we'll decide in the morning.
Wheels roll at 8:00.
Sorry for the late post, but it's been a day. And then some.
I am back in town, but will be unavailable in the morning, so I leave it to the group to choose a course. I hope to get out in the afternoon so, if anyone needs a later ride, let me know.
Sorry for the late post, friends, but I've been packing for a little R & R. I'll be out of town tomorrow, but how about a little jaunt up to Freeport? Just under 31 miles, unless you get a wild hair and want to go to Brunswick.
Wheels roll at 8:00, leaving from the church.
==NEWS FLASH: ALL RIDES START AT ST. PIUS CHURCH==
Due to the construction on Baxter Blvd,
all rides will start at St. Pius church (492 Ocean Ave)
for the foreseeable future.
Ok, now that that's out of the way, we're going to head up to Pinelands for a muffin and coffee. I'm still in recovery mode, so I'm not going to do all the hills this time, and I make no performance guarantees of any kind (read: somebody else can pull!).
See you at church--wheels roll at 8:00.
I got a suggestion this week about heading out towards Salmon Falls, so how about this one? 45 miles, but if you need a little more, you can add on the Cape. Leaving from the tower; see you at 8:00.
The Mountains Are Calling, and I Must Go!
Our soggy Memorial Day weekend kyboshed the White Mountain Ride, but I am just not willing to lose the ride for two years in a row. Discussion continuing on FB, but it's looking like we'll head up to Fryeburg on Saturday for a 9:00 start (details here: Event Rides – Community Cycling Club of Portland (bikecccp.org).
Here we go, friends: the final warm-up before we head to the mountains. An early straw poll showed an affinity for the Little Dog route (or, more accurately, a disdain for the Raymond Hills), so Brunswick, here we come! I am still out of town (where it has rained every day I’ve been here), but wheels roll at 9:00.
Erin wanted something a little different, so let's dust off the old Gritty's G3 route. I've modified it so you don't actually go all the way up into Lewiston, keeping the ride at 64 miles instead of 75. Wheels roll at 9:00.
Ride #2 in our Memorial Day Tune-up will be Hilly Pineland-Hodgdon +10. This is a 50-miler without the extra loop above Pineland (or less, if you go home via 231 or North Road), and the hills are front-loaded, so it's a nice ride home. Wheels roll at 9:00.
UPDATE: I've added a few more routes (and linked them out to their live maps), each of which allows bailout points to provide a shorter ride, if needed. In reality, all routes but Merrymeeting have bailout points, so don't let any route scare you. I'm leaning towards Little Dog or N Windham to help everyone ease in.
These are the routes I have in mind for warming up the legs and lungs ahead of the White Mountain Ride.
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