The Raymond Riders

General information for a group of riders out of Raymond, ME.  I wasn't the originator of this group but seemed to pick up the roll of informal organizer in an attempt to keep it going week after week. The group was started by friends preparing for The Loon Echo Trek. 

Top of Quaker Ridge

• What: A "weekly" road ride in the Sebago Lake Region in Maine
• Time: Saturday Mornings @ 8:00A (Sunday Morning by arrangement some weeks due to rain or schedule conflicts) 
• Location: Jordan Small School Parking Lot (Sheri Gagnon Memorial Park by arrangement some weeks)
• Distance: Usually 20 mile rides in the spring building to 60+ mile rides in the fall.  Longer rides usually have one snack stop.  BYOS
• Pace: 16-20mph depending on the course
• Ability: All.  If you are able to do the distance, the group will  periodically wait for slower riders to catch up.
• Course: Varies by week. All "paved" rods. 
• Goal: To get people together to enjoy a ride.  To train for Loon Echo & Other events.  To exercise, To get together and yack about bikes. As one rider put if, "If they'd move their legs as fast as their lips we'd go faster".  This isn't (usually) a high paced group ride but more of a brisk social ride.
• Rules:  In general, we try to follow the rules of the road.  Stop at stop signs and red lights, use hand signals & ride to the right when there is traffic.  "Idaho Stops" are certainly the norm when no cars are around.
• Organization: Specifics of each week are sent out in an email list.  If you are a local rider and would like to be included, leave a comment and I'll add you to the list.
• Strava: I usually generate the routes on Strava.  You don't need an account to see them but it's a great way to share rides and it's free. The Candid Cyclist on Strava
• Legal:  This is America after all.  All Riders Ride At Their Own Risk.

I Found a Turtle, Can I Keep Her?

Not the same turtle, not the same guardrail, but the same bike.  I guess it could be the same turtle but it was about 5 miles away from the last turtle spotting.  My turtle identification skills aren't finely honed.

Doing What Turtles Do

In other news, my legs are totally dead from last night's segment hunting ride.  I wasn't sure I was going to get up some of the hills this morning.  Strava should give razzie awards for the lamest efforts.

Early Morning Cyclist Inspiration

OK, it's been too long since I've posted so much as even a picture.  (and the last one was a little lame) .  The problem is that "Early Morning" in the summer comes a lot earlier than early morning in the winter.  Today I was up a little after 5:00 which meant it had been light for nearly an hour.  What I'm trying to say is there'll probably be no sunrise pics for a few more months.

I did use my early start to go explore some nice countryside.  The tops of the hills in the sun were warm and the bottoms of the valleys were cool.

Upper Range Pond

Middle Range Pond

Regretfully no picture of Lower Range Pond, although I did pass by it.