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.

Early Morning Cyclist Inspiration

Usually I use this title as an excuse to post a picture of a nice sunrise but inspiration comes in many forms.  Today it came in the form of a nice craft beer.  OK, a beer.  OK, almost a beer.  But it was chilled to about 40 degrees in the crisp morning air.  It's not everyday you find your breakfast by the side of the road.

Bud Light

In unrelated news.  We took a 30 mile ride around the Pirate Tri bike course on Sunday.

Top of Quaker Ridge.  The view is great without those huge heads in the way.

Bridgestone MB-3

When I was young our mountain bikes didn't have any shocks and we liked it that way.  Actually, they hadn't been invented yet but we liked to ride so I guess in a sense we did like it that way.  The Bridgstone wasn't my first mountain bike and it was far from my last mountain bike but it is my longest running mountain bike.

My first mountain bike was actually a Diamond Back Ascent.  The strange thing is I can't remember where I got it and I can't remember how I got rid of it but I do remember riding it...A LOT, around Orono, ME.  It was pretty small for me but I didn't care, I just jacked the seat up and rode it through the woods.

Not my MB-3.  This wasn't my Ascent either but it looked very similar.

Next came a Giant Iguana.  I only vaguely remember buying it (actually I don't think I do) but I do remember selling it.  Must have had that bike for about 3-4 years.  I can't remember that either.  But I do remember riding it.  Or I could remember riding my Bridgestone. I can't remember that but it must be true. I could browse the interweb to find a picture of a similar bike but I won't bother.  From what I remember (which obviously isn't much) the Giant was a decent bike so if you find one cheap, give it a try as a commuter rig.

So, on to the point of this story, a 1994 Bridgestone MB-3 Bicycle. I do remember buying this at National Bike and Ski in Freeport. OK, so they are Freeport bike and ski now but it's the same store, mostly.  (Side note, I think I actually bought the Giant here too)  (Second side note: I never bought bikes online back then because online hadn't really been invented either, maybe AOL).  I didn't realize it at the time but I was buying a bike that would be a cult classic.  1995 was the last year the Bridgestone would import it's well made bikes into the US.

I also remember riding this bike, and I rode it quite a bit.  I haven't thought back on those days for a while but I'd get home from work almost every decent summer day and head for about an hour of trails.  I guess I was always passionate about my riding.  Then life changed and the bike went into storage for what could have been eternity but it wasn't.  I got back into biking pulled the trusty MB-3 out and started riding the trails again after 10ish years.  This is when I realized that full suspension had fully developed and my older bones (and back) were ready.  But I had a plan.

Shiny new fenders

My trusty old MB-3 would be converted into my foul weather commuter.  I fitted it with road friendly tires and fenders and it was re-born (praise doG).  A few years (could be months) later I bought a pair of studded tires for it so I could ride it year round.  That was 3 years ago and the bike is still going strong through the worst conditions.

Shimano Ice Technologies Rev 1.0

So here we are, 20 years later and the bike is still going strong.  It now has 7 other bikes to compete with and holds the spot as the second slowest bike in the stable but it still comes out to play. The bike still mostly has it's original bits and pieces aside from the ones I broke off and replaced.  It has lovingly been given the name "The Tank" not that it is that heavy but it goes through most anything.  Actually, it is listed at 26.7 lbs which isn't that shabby for a steel bike built 20 years ago.  It probably weighs in at 36 with the extra fenders and heavy tires I run.  I'll even take it through the trails, fenders clacking, when I'm feeling nostalgic.

So, if you find one of these at your local bike shop take a second look because it's a decent sturdy bike that goes and goes and goes.

Early Morning Cyclist Inspiration

Oh what a difference a week makes.  Last week at this time I did a full trail commute over the lake and snowy trails. 

Today, just one week later, the snow is almost gone the lake is opening up and it is supposed to be near 70!

This morning was not 70, it was about half 70.  I didn't care, I was in shorts anyway.  It was also super foggy. 

The little lump to the left of the tower is the top of a hill peaking out of a cloud.

I hadn't planned to climb Hackers Hill but that was the only place to catch the sunrise and what a sunrise it was.

Too bad they built a house in the prime sunrise spot.

Early Morning Cyclist Inspiration

The winter riding is quickly coming to a close.  The trails have been closed to motorized vehicles until May but they are still good for riding on cold mornings like today.

I could have brought the car today but I couldn't bring myself to do it.