Saturday #2: the legs should be starting to loosen up a bit, so let's head over to Mitchell Hill and see how they feel about The Wall! The weather looks pretty darn reasonable for Saturday, so let's back up the time to a 9:00 start so we don't blow out the middle of the day. See you at Glickman.
Our blog will be segueing to ForestCityCycling.blogspot.com, so save the url—should happen in the next week or so.
April’s here! Saturday is supposed to be sunny, if a little cool, so why don’t we duck the wind and head out on the Highland Lake loop. It’s 30-32 miles, depending on how we start out, and my anemic winter means I will be wheel-sucking at every opportunity; you have been warned. 😎
Wheels roll at 10:00.
New kits are available now, but only for a very small window—time is of the essence! Store closes March 21st, so jump right in there (click the image) and get ordering!
Louis Garneau Size Guide (I talked to LG Support to get the right one)
This page, the Facebook page, and the web page will be converting soon, so expect some redirects. The Strava club is already up, so come find us. I know it’s snowing out, but rides will be starting up in April, so get that maintenance done—you know I’ll call out all squeaking bikes, so don’t risk it!
I’m going to go out on a limb and say we’re not going to be out on the road Saturday, so perhaps it’s finally time to call it a season. We made it into December, so that’s pretty good!
Enjoy your holiday seasons and your winter activities—it was a great year!
I think winter is finally arriving: we won’t even break 30° until 1:00 tomorrow, and we’ll only have that for about 15 minutes; wind chills will be less than half that. I think that might be a little too cold for 90+ minutes on the road creating even more wind.
I have to work tomorrow, so can’t ride anyway, but I am posting no official course because of the temps. The choice is yours, of course; if you’re determined, I would suggest a course with a coffee shop along the way.
I can’t see us staying dry with any route other than maybe the MNR to Cousins, which doesn’t appeal to me this morning. For those interested, I would recommend that, but I’m going to step out. Maybe next week.
Well, the weather woobies appear to be in disagreement about tomorrow's forecast, so it's best to post something, in case it all works out.
Let's try the Pineland ride that we didn't do a few weeks back—if we do get caught by rain, we can be warm and enjoying coffee and muffins while we wait for rides home. There's the skinny way or the hilly way, depending on your whim and the rain. An 8:00 start gives us the best chance for success, I think, but, fair warning, if I wake and find rain expected by 9:00, I'm rolling over and pulling up the covers. See you at the school.
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UPDATE: I was not satisfied with the previous courses, so I've created some new variations on an old reliable.
Gobble, Gobble, Pedal, Pedal—it's time for the 7th Annual Black Friday Ride!
We've had an extra day of turkey sandwiches and pie, so let's get to it! I have 3 distances for Saturday: a base of 42, an extra jog up to Limington for 52, and an extra loop down to OOB for 70. The weather will be sunny but breezy, so dress a little warmer than the 37°-44° might indicate.
This follows the typical SMR moderate pace, but if you have a group that likes a quicker pace, or a slower one, we don't mind—many groups make for more fun! We'll see you at the end for coffee and a muffin (we'll be starting near The Daily Grind, and the Frog & Turtle and Roots Café are nearby).
Start time is 9:00 a.m. from the public parking lot on the corner of Bridge and Main Streets in Westbrook.
| 42 Miles | 52 Miles | 70 Miles |
So there I was getting ready to post a noon ride for tomorrow since it's going to be cold in the morning. I was going to suggest Pineland, so at least we know there's a hot coffee/cocoa waiting. And then Theresa reminded me the PVC Doppio Ciclo and Fondo are tomorrow.
Well, now I'm befuddled.
I do like the Fondo, there's still coffee, and you can quit after one loop or do both if you need the miles--just bring a non-perishable donation for the Preble Street Food Bank. I'm thinking this is where I'll be. Fair warning: it starts at 7:30 from Cyclemania, so dress warmly!
If you're looking for the noon ride, I still suggest Pineland for all the reasons mentioned above. Theresa says she might do both. There's the skinny way or the hilly way--you can choose up at ride time.
12:00 at the school.
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Saturday is looking soggy, so I’m going to take advantage of a day off and join the Coffee Ride tomorrow morning, with an option for more miles after the coffee! Feel free to join and respect the more relaxed pace, leaving from Gorham Bike & Ski at 8:00. I’ll check the weather tomorrow to see if Saturday looks any better.
Tomorrow looks like a beautiful fall day. I've been wanting to do the Saco loop for a while now, but it never seemed to work out—so how about tomorrow?
I am still off my game a bit and will likely fall off the back (hint: it's a perfect day for the not-so-swift of us to join!), but it's all good: riding is the only thing I do now that doesn't hurt (much)!
Let's keep with the 9:00 start time; we should have a temperature window of 40°-53°.
It was a glorious reunion last Saturday, but the hard ground, old boots, and lack of foot-pounding activity for 9 years served to leave me a bit hobbled. The Old Girls are still undefeated, but the feet are not. 😕
I will not be riding in the Oxbow Metric this weekend, but am up for something a little more relaxed while I heal up. Seems wise to see who shows up and pick a course then, so think of something you’d like to do.
It's October now, so we can push the start times back to 9:00 and let the temps rise a bit for the rest of the season. If you're in for a tame ride tomorrow, I’ll see you at the school.
I am officially in need of a bunny wrangler, as I am most decidedly out of town for the weekend: |
| That’s right, sports fans, my collegiate rugby club—one of the oldest in the nation—is celebrating its 50th anniversary tomorrow when those of us still of sound body (if not mind) will take the field again in a match against the current collegiate side. 1989 or so  As usual, I will post the preferred route of any volunteer leader, so let me know if you’re interested. Also, think happy thoughts: we will be playing against 18-20-somethings in their athletic prime, two of which will be the daughters of one of the Olde Girls playing with me! |
National Championships Amherst, MA 1994  |
MERRYMEETING METRIC CENTURY on October 8th @ 9:00 AM.Start/finish at Flight Deck Brewery in Brunswick. The ride is a clockwise loop of Merrymeeting Bay with a coffee-and-muffin stop in Richmond and an out-and-back climb of Blinn Hill at the far point. This is a beautiful ride—don’t miss it.
