Sunday Ride?

UPDATE: 10:00 is looking better.

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Sunday around noon is looking pretty darn mild...anyone up for a ride?

Happy New Year!

Well, doggone it, I guess the snow had to come sometime. Now that we have salty schmutz on the roads--and our temp will not rise above 32° before noon--I think we have to call an official end to the 2015 season.

If conditions favor spontaneous rides between now and whenever the snow pack melts for the season, I'm happy to post here, but keep an eye on the club's Facebook page for the most ride alerts. I plan on getting some fat tires out in the snow, so you may see an alert or two from me.

Thanks for a great season, folks--I look forward to 2016!

12/26 Saturday Ride

I am out of town for Saturday, but the weather looks to be pretty good for December 26, so who's showing up at 9:00?

12/19 Saturday Ride

Well, I guess we finally have to admit it's December: it will stay 32°-40° during ride time tomorrow. This in mind, a shorter ride should be in order...35-ish miles? I know--what a piker! We can go to Westbrook, out to the Fairgrounds, Cape... bring your ideas.

Wheels roll at 9:00

BTW: who has a fat bike and is waiting for the snow to fall? Or a mountain bike and is still ready to ride in the woods? I have the most wonderful trails by my house, and they are getting an expansion...

12/12 Saturday Ride

I have to get in just 70 more miles to reach 5000 for the year: who wants to help me shatter my Personal Best by rolling 40 or 50 miles this Saturday? It's December 12th, the roads are clear, and it's supposed to be about 44°-50° at ride time: what can you say about that except "WOO-HOO! Let's go!"

OOB? Pinelands via the back roads? Brunswick? We missed the Raymond hills this fall, but I'm pretty ok with that. I'm open to suggestion, I just want another good day on the bike. Who's with me?

12/5 Saturday Ride

I will be having more fun than humans should be allowed tomorrow: starting my 24-hour road trip back home from the Midwest. As such, whoever is riding tomorrow's Dealer's Choice will be having a better day than I! I look forward to next weekend and just hope that it still rideable!

11/27 Friday Ride?

I don't know about you folks, but I can only get away with one ride this weekend, and Bruce's Post-Turkey Calorie Burner on Friday at 10:00 looks to be a lot warmer than Saturday at 9:00 (52° as opposed to 40°). Who's in?

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Black Friday Ride
10 a.m. Friday
Approx. 50 miles, moderate pace
Meet in parking lot behind Back Bay Bike

In the 1890's, the Maine Historical Society reports, the bicycle was "the perfect fit for the new American fashion," especially after the "safety" bike replaced the "boneshaker" in the 1890s.
Temperance advocate Frances E. Willard wrote in 1895, "... the bicycle was perhaps our strongest ally in winning young men away from public-houses, because it afforded them a pleasure far more enduring, and an exhilaration as much more delightful as the natural is than the unnatural."
Thus the members of the Portland Wheel Club gathered for the first annual Thanksgiving Friday Ride in 1997. That was before the day became known as "Black Friday." Indeed, it was normally a work day for Americans, except that many stayed home due to "illness." In Portland, however, those who did not work traditionally took a long bicycle ride as a digestive aid after over-indulging at the Thanksgiving table. The photo below is believed to depict just such a gathering.
The annual tradition has continued uninterrupted for over a century, except for a brief 116-year hiatus, and all are invited to participate in this great tradition. Help keep our young men out of the publick houses!

11/21 Saturday Ride

I am traveling again this weekend, friends, so it's another Dealer's Choice ride. It looks to be a little cool tomorrow, but maybe Thursday's rain will prove inspiring: it's November in Maine and we're still riding! Wheels roll at 9:00.

11/14 Saturday Ride

I have the great good luck to be working on Saturday, so this will be a dealer's choice. Meet at the shop for a quick vote and wheels roll at 9:00.

I have just learned that Cranksgiving is also this weekend, so there's an alternative.

11/7 Saturday Ride

It looks like it's going to be around 50° tomorrow, so let's take a ride!

On the table are Brunswick (a solid 55 miles, or the shorter Freeport loop for those wanting just 35), or perhaps Pinelands via Pownal, following Bruce's lovely backroads (though we don't have to do all that climbing on the way home!)

Let's call it in the morning; wheels roll at 9:00.

10/31 SMR Time Change

Given the cooler temperatures, we've decided to move the SMR ride time back to 9:00, so enjoy the extra hour of sleep and think warm thoughts!

Meanwhile, I have Mitchell Hill in mind...

10/24 Saturday Ride

Go west, young man (and woman)!

Let us turn our wheels towards Westbrook and enjoy bucolic byways and the silky-smooth new pavement of Mountain and Albion Roads!

10/17 Saturday Ride

I'm a schmuck: I was called out of town and completely lost track of time! Please enjoy you choice of rides and I will try to make up for this next week!

10/10 Saturday Ride

Pinelands

I still have a century left to ride, so I'm up for a little mileage or an easy spin. Let's assume we're heading to Pinelands: we could go the easy way or we could go Bruce's way. Or we could go to Westbrook: we'll take a vote. It should be cool but sunny tomorrow; see you in the morning.

10/3 Saturday Ride

Well, if you're not planning to do the AppleCycle or the Cadillac Challenge on Sunday, then I don't know why you have a bike at all!

Given that I'm relatively certain most of us are pedaling one of these two outings, I'm planning nothing more aggressive than Freeport tomorrow, and an easy spin, at that. Feel free to dust me; I won't mind.