Crank Some Crawford, 9:00 am

Thursday, June 2

Let's do a ride out on the western side of the valley this week, with a little elevation gain to get our hill climbing gears warmed up!

Destination: Lunch at the pond across from the Willey House. Pack your own lunch or get it there.

Note that the start is at 9:00 am, earlier now that the warmer, spring weather has finally arrived!

Meet at the Attitash parking lot, ready to ride at 9:00 am.

The ride to the Willey House from Attitash up route 302 is about 29 miles round trip. It is NOT HARD -- it is WAY easier than Bear Notch Road, a gradual climb with flatter sections of relief. The ride back is marvelous. Those that want to burn some extra calories can continue 2.5 miles up the notch to the Crawford RR station, then return to meet everyone else for lunch at the Willey House.

For a shorter option, start in Bartlett Village (24 miles total) or at the parking area for the Fourth Iron Bridge (~18 miles total). Join the crowd as they ride by: ~ 9:15 at Bartlett Village, ~9:25 at Fourth Iron.

For a longer ride, 40 miles, start out of the Grants parking lot (8:30 am), meet the folks at Attitash for the 9:00 departure.

Do you need a map?? See the link below. Even if you don't need one, take a look at the elevation profile AFTER you finish the ride.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/2356636

Thursday, May 26th

Cruise Fryeburg Harbor from the Peace With Inn with Lunch at the Stow Store

Let's check out the springtime green grass and potato fields over in North Fryeburg! After all the rain and damp weather, perhaps they are planting rice this season?


The Peace With-Inn once again will allow us to park in their yard - a great place to start the ride. The Inn is 7 miles from North Conway: Take East Conway Road past Sherman Farms, bear left onto Route 113 North. At Webster's Country Store bear right to continue north on 113, and continue 1 mile north to the Peace With-Inn, on the left.

Here is more info on the Peace With-Inn: http://www.peacewithinn.com/directions.htm

As you all know by now, the Stow Store is now open, and the new owners, Maureen and Jim are excited to get the word out and show everyone what they have done.

No need to bring lunch - just some $ - Maureen and Jim know we are coming are are preparing pastries, soup and a special pasta salad for us to enjoy.


Time: 10:00 Ready to Ride


Place: The Peace With-Inn, parking area on the left side of the Inn

Anyone form Bartlett/Jackson want to carpool? Meet at Grant's Parking lot at 9:00 am.

Route: there are so many excellent options here!

For the longer ride - Cornshop Rd- Fish St - McNeil - Union Hill - Meadow - Stow Store and the 113B loop, then back via Union Hill, Harbor and 113 South (30 miles).

To make it even longer, from the Stow Store, keep North on 113 as far as you like -- The Basin? Evans Notch?

To make it shorter, eliminate the loop north of the Stow Store and return via 113 South (20 miles).

Here is a map:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/6664331

Camp Grenada

Ride Cancelled Thursday, May 19

OK now, this is not funny anymore.

There has been only one ThursdayBike ride so far this season.

This means to me that when the current lingering low pressure system moves east, we will have amazing spring (summer?) weather.

Remember Alan Sherman's "Camp Grenada" song??? (1963!)

"...camp is very entertaining,
And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining." (see links below for the lyrics and youtube)

So, perhaps it is necessary to try to ride on an alternate day, to keep in shape and in good spirits.

Looks like Friday morning could be OK for a short ride before the rain comes in the afternoon-- anyone want to try for a short ride in Bartlett - River Road and/or Bear Notch Road?

Meet on FRIDAY morning at the Attitash parking lot at 10:00 am if it is not raining and the roads are starting to dry out.

I will likely post for a ride on Sunday or Monday, since the weather should be nice. The Crank the Kanc is on Saturday, how about if we try a Crank Some Kanc (or all of it) on Sunday?? Check the blog -- I will set a time and place when I'm sure about the weather!


For the lyrics to Alan Sherman's famous song:
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/granada.htm

and the youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Hx_X84LC0

Thursday, May 12th

Brownfield is Turning Green

...So let's go check it out in the warm sunshine!!!!

The ride is a GO for this week and I am so confident of good weather that I am posting it on Tuesday instead of waiting until Wednesday night!!

Meet: 10:00 am Ready to Ride

Where: Maine Visitors Center, just over the border in Maine, right side of Route 302

Route: Haleytown Road into Brownfield. Return by Sam Brown Hill (great views!)

The ride will split into 2 groups, you choose:

Longer option: Cross route 5/113 and get some hill climbing on the triangle loop. 31 miles total

Shorter, easier option (for those who haven't been on the bike much yet this season !) 21 miles (does not include the hilly triangle on the east side of route 5/113). There are options to make this ride even shorter if desired.

We will check out the black fly status on the northern shore of Burnt Meadow Pond (on route 160, just south of Pig Street). It could be a good lunch/snack stop.

Map:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/9015244

RIde for May 5th Cancelled

Another Cancellation.

It is amazing that we just cannot get a good Thursday for the 2011 season opening ride. There is a good chance of rain and the temperature will only get into the 40's.

Last week 6 hearty ThursdayBikers went out for a (un-official!) ride. They got wet on the way back to the cars, but when they arrived it stopped raining. Three flat tires were attained during that ride. Fortunately I had cancelled the official ride. No way are we kicking off the ThursdayBike season with 100% wet riders and 50% having to fix a flat...

The long term forecast for next week's "opening day" looks much better!!!!!!!!!

First Ride of the Season: April 28th, 2011

CANCELLED!!

Dog-Gone-It, but the weather forecast just is not cooperating. The road is wet, the fog is in the valley, the forecast for storms seems to indicate an earlier approach of rainshowers.
I think it is best to just cancel the ride today.

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The weather continues to be a challenge, but I am setting up the standard, local, old-favorite just to get us out and get this season underway!!!!!!

Last year at this point we all had done quite a bit of riding. This year I have heard that some off you have not even been on your bikes at all yet....... (but the skiing has been soooo great!!).

Let's do the old regular ride -- West Side Road and Passaconaway, starting out of the public parking lot behind the Eastern Slope Inn in North Conway. Let's start at 10:00. We should be done before the predicted rain and possible storms come in in the afternoon. This should get the wheels turning.

Time: 10:00 - Ready to Ride.
Arrive early enough to get the cobwebs off the bike, the tires pumped and the chain lubed. I will have a pump and lube if you need them.

Miles: 19 to the Dugway Picnic area on Passaconaway Road. You may ride further if you like, the road is clean, but the gate is closed and the road beyond the gate is littered with tree debris.

Bring: Beverage, lunch and/or snacks to enjoy overlooking the Swift River from the picnic area. Most of the way back from there is downhill or flat, with a warm tailwind to get you back to the car.

See you there!

2011 Cycling Season

Hi ThursdayBikers!

Welcome to the 2011 Cycling season! It was great to see so many ThursdayBikers at the Velo Club Party at the Moat yesterday!

I typically post the Thursday rides on the blog on Tuesday night, but with difficult forecasts I sometimes need to wait until Wednesday night before I can plan a ride around the weather.

Last year the group had already done 3 rides by now (but the skiing was over…)!! We rode every Thursday in April, starting April 1st, but, we did not ride any Thursdays in June. Everything always seems to balance. I guess we can look forward to great riding in June this year!!

I have not set up a ride for tomorrow, April 21 because the weather looks a bit too cold and windy for our first grand opening ride of the year. Perhaps you can use part of the day to prepare your bike for the upcoming season? (or- do a short ride to prepare you seat for the season??)

To start getting excited about riding and exploring, here are some fun rides that will be included again this season:

Lupine Ride in Randolph and Jefferson
Bethel to Bryant Pond Loop
Wing Road/Hazen Airport Loop in Jefferson
Franconia Notch Bike Path
Vermont Side of the Connecticut River
Franconia/Sugar Hill/Bath Loop
Littleton via River Road
Lost Nation Loop

Some new rides I plan to put together for this season:

Brownfield-Fryeburg rides which will include the new 1.5 mile section or the Mountain Division Rail Trail in Fryeburg (to be started this spring!)
Parsonsfield-Cornish
Dunn Notch-Grafton Notch

So, pump the tires and lube the chain! See you next week!!