Weekly Club Rides
All weekly rides leave from Back Bay Bicycle, 333 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME. Helmets required and lights are strongly recommended on Mon, Wed. and Thurs. evening rides. Road bikes only, please. (No fixed gear, time trial or tri bikes) If it is your first time on ride, please introduce yourself to the ride leader. Please read, learn and obey Group Ride Guidelines at bottom of this page.
CCCP's official ride season runs for 7 months from April 1st through Oct. 31st. Weather depending we often start some rides in March and often continue some of the rides until Thanksgiving. For most up-to-date info on weekly rides, Special Event Rides, time changes, social eventsd and last-minute-spur-of-the-moment rides please join the CCCP E-Mailing list. Send "Add me to CCCP Mailing list" to kris@gwi.net. You can also get updates by clicking on CCCP blogsite: Rides
Monday Ride
Moderate to fast loop to Cumberland, approximately 28 miles.
The Monday ride leaves the shop at 6pm (5:30pm, before mid-May and after late August), 5pm in Oct-Nov)) and covers a mostly flat course at a moderate to moderate-quick pace. There are 2 groups, a faster A group and slower B group. There are predetermined stopping points for people to regroup so no one gets permanently dropped. There is a range of riders speeds on Mondays, from 16 to 20mph so there is almost always someone to ride with.
Member Richard Hutchins leads the A group. Email Richard
Route map go to: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/81329475/
From the shop we head around Baxter Boulevard to Payson Park, through the park to Ocean Avenue. The intersection of Ocean and Washington Avenues is usually busy and the group is held up at the light and consolidates. Once across Washington Avenue we continue straight on route 9 all the way to traffic light in Falmouth where we regroup. Be sure to pull over into right turn lane before stopping so that a vehicle can get through. Light will not turn green no matter how many bikes are waiting.
Bear right off of Route 9 at fork onto Middle road, After bearing right at the fork there is no stop until just before the intersection with Tuttle Road where we stop for first Regroup. Please stop at fire hydrant 100 meters before Tuttle stop sign and not at intersection.
After regroup, take right right onto Tuttle Rd, cross bridge over Rte 1, then left at Stop sign onto Rte 88. Take right at Cousins Island sign onto Gilman Rd. Straight at first stop sign, cross causeway onto Cousins Island then take left at Chebeague Ferry sign onto Wharf Road. Stop and regroup at Town Ferry Landing.
Retrace route back to Rte 88 then take left onto 88, pass Tuttle Rd and ride all the way back to Rte 1 where we stop for the 2nd Regroup just after taking left onto Rte 1. Then take Rte 1 over the bridge to Portland, bear right onto Veranda Street, cross Washington Ave onto Baxter Boulevard which takes us back to Back Bay Bike shop.
Please note in B group that we reverse the direction of this route every week. Also A-group sometimes goes out and back all the way on Rte 88. When riding the counter-clockwise loop our 1st Regroup is at Falmouth Landing Store on Rte 88. The 2nd Regroup stop is same spot on Middle Road, right after we turn left onto Middle from Tuttle.
Early and late season we sometimes shorten or modify ride for remaining light and for variety such as adding Cousins and Littlejohn Islands in for variety.
For those interested, we socialize at our post-ride recovery spa, Forest Gardens pub, one block down Forest Ave from Back Bay Bike. Lycra and your precious bikes are welcome inside Forest Gardens.
Wednesday Women's Ride
The Wednesday Women's Ride leaves from the shop at 5:30pm (moving back to 6pm in mid May)
This ride is a no-drop ride with B group riding approx. 20 miles and A-group riding 25 to 30miles at faster pace.. The route takes us out into Falmouth and back. (Click map below) B group takes right at Point 20 on map onto Woodville and loop back. A group will continue straight past Woodville, left onto Range Rd, right onto Bruce Hill, right onto Blanchard, right onto Rte 9, right back onto Winn Rd then left onto Woodvile (Point 20) adding an extra 9 miles. There are a few regrouping points on the route, allowing varying speeds without fear of being dropped.
Map the Ride
Contacts for the ride: Christine Caputo or Diane McGraw
Thursday Ride
Every Thursday 6pm (from mid-May until just before Labor Day. 5:30pm in late Spring and early Fall 5pm in October) Starting and ending at Back Bay Bicycle, 333 Forest Ave. Portland. This is our fastest and hilliest ride. 30-40 miles long, depending on time of year and remaining light. 6 hills over 1 mile including 3 hills over 2 miles and one that hits 14% There are 2 groups. A Group, led by Richard Hutchins, leaves at scheduled time and averages 19 - 22 mph with 2 regroup points. B Group , led by Kris, leaves 3 minutes later, rides same course at more moderate pace, stays together as a group and averages 17-19 mph.
Please remember, this is our most challenging ride of the week and is intended for riders who are comfortable and experienced in ridiing in packs and pacelines. That said, at CCCP we want this to be a fun and safe environment, so please respect other riders, always watch the wheel in front of you, don't make any sudden lane changes, accelerations or decelerations in the pack, NEVER cross the yellow line, don't pass on high speed descents, keep to the right and avoid riding more than 2 abreast, obey all stop signs and lights and always keep a sharp eye on the traffic. We are representing our sport and club during a busy and dangerous time of day so we should minimize driver aggravation by keeping to the right and single or double file as much as possible.. People are driving home after a long day of work, so we need to be PROACTIVE when it comes to safety.
For those interested, there is a post-ride social hour at Forest Gardens, 2 blocks down at 371 Forest Ave from the shop. Sweaty bodies, lycra and your precious bicycle are welcome inside Forest Gardens.
FMI: A Group: Richard: rjhutch10@yahoo.com
B Group: kris@gwi.net
Directions: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/6800747/#
The route is as follows: From bike shop to Baxter Boulevard, left through Payson Park, right onto Ocean Ave (Rte9), left onto Woods Rd, left onto Woodville Rd, right onto Field Rd, slow pace for recovery after right onto Winn Rd, left onto Range Rd, right onto Bruce Hill Rd. Stop and regroup at intersection of Bruce Hill and Blanchard Rd across from the Cumberland Fair grounds. Take l Blanchard which becomes Orchard then becomes Whitney Rd. Stop at stop sign then left onto Gray Rd (Rte 100/26), single file on this stretch as there is lots of traffic, rough pavement and no shoulder,then right onto Dutton Hill. Over Dutton then left at bottom onto Dutton Hil/Center Rd. Stop and regroup at intersection of Rte 202. (If not enough light, ie. spring and fall, up and back down same side of Dutton Hill then turn right onto Forest Lake, regroup the proceed to Blackstrap Rd. When even less light take left on Forest Lake directly after turning onto Dutton),.After Rte 202 regroup, straight on 202. Take left onto Falmouth/Babbidge Rd, right onto Blackstrap Rd. Use caution on fast downhill as road has many cracks and potholes. Stop and yield at stop sigh at Brook Road. Cross over highway then take right onto Outer Washington Ave. Right onto Canco Rd, then next left and next right then left onto Wellington/Pya St, right onto Clifton St, left onto Vannah Ave, then right onto Baxter Boulevard back to shop.
Kris' Old Man's Shortcuts: So not quite up to form yet, having a "no legs day' or like me just old and slow but can't yet admit it? No problem. In addition to the 2 regroup points of the ride, here are three Thursday shortcuts which allow you to reconncect with the ride if dropped.
1.If dropped on or before Woods Road, make right instead of left onto Woodville Rd. You need to keep riding briskly but you can catch the pack where Woodville intersects Wynn Rd.
2. If dropped on the Blanchard wall right after Fairgrounds Regroup or just can't deal with the extra mile of "false flat" climbing up Orchard, take left at top of first climb at stop sign onto Skillins Rd. Cross Rte 100/26, pass over turnpike and take next right onto Forest Lake. This will take you to bottom of Dutton Hill where you can wait for pack or, better yet, take left onto Dutton Hill ride to top then razz the first riders over the top for taking so long. They are all in such oxygen debt at that point that they won't be able to figure out how you got ahead of them.
3. So just not up for Dutton's 14% climb? Or got badly dropped on the endless Blanchard/Orchard/Whitney 2 mile hill and want to catch up? Right after turning right onto Dutton Hill, take next left onto Forest Lake which will merge to the right onto Blackstrap Road. Ride that up to Babbidge and wait for group (it could be 10-20 minutes) or hang right onto Babbidge and be ready to pull a quick U-turn as soon as you see the pack coming.
Saturday Ride
The Saturday morning ride leaves every Saturday at 8am from Back Bay Bicycles, 333 Forest Ave, Portland.
The Saturday ride is an inclusive, moderate paced (15-18mph), no-drop ride.
This ride is an excellent introduction to group riding and great training for charity rides. The Saturday ride is also an opportunity for veterans to add a recovery ride to their week while lending their group experience to newer riders. Routes purposely vary to introduce cyclists to the variety of rides in the Portland area.
This year we have been trying something new with the Saturday rides. Rather than having a traditional A and B ride, we have been planning two separate routes, with the normal ride averaging about 30 miles and a longer ride in the 40-45 mile range. The entire group starts together and then splits at a designated point during the ride. This arrangement gives everyone the opportunity to warm-up a bit before having to make the decision to take the A or B route.
The Saturday rides leave the shop every Saturday just after 8:00am, and the blog (http://cccportland.blogspot.com/) is updated every week (usually by Thursday night) with maps of that weekend's ride. If you're looking to get in some additional miles before the ride on Memorial Day or just want to add a longer ride to your weekly schedule, come on out and join us.
While the Saturday ride strives to be a true “no-drop” ride, we ask that people please come prepared. A road bike and a helmet are required and at least one, if not two, full bottles of water or sports drink are strongly encouraged. Riders generally find that they travel faster in a group than they do alone, so add about 1-2 mph to your average solo speed when judging your ability to join this ride… don't sell yourself short and miss out! As noted, this is a no-drop ride. Therefore, there are systematic waiting points throughout the route and the ride leaders work to ensure that the ride maintains the appropriate pace.
For more information on this ride contact: Sean or Bron by clicking below.
Sean Sweeney
Bron Nelson
Sunday Randoneur Ride
8:30am Road, distance, scenery, and hills are the recipe. Comfortable 14 mph avg. Rides begin and end at Back Bay Bicycle. Route varies week to week but generally 30 - 40 mileas. Always back by 12:15.
For more info contact:bbbike@gmail.com
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GROUP RIDE GUIDELINES
s a f e . c o ur t e o us . l e ga l .
Don’t be a Jerk
Being courteous and obeying traffic laws will set a good example for new group riders and will improve how the public views group rides and cyclists in general.
This is YOUR Group!
If you see a person behaving inappropriately, you have the right and responsibility to speak up and talk to that person! If we don’t police ourselves, the Police will!
Ride Smart
Be alert. Be aware of riders around. Avoid overlapping wheels. TT, triathlon and fixed gear bikes are unsafe in group rides and should not be used. Riding with hands on aerobars is prohibited. Helmets are required.
Be Predictable
Look before you make a move. Riders and motorists expect you to ride in a straight line and at a consistent speed. Avoid sudden changes in speed or lane position. Scan behind and to the side before changing position.
Be Visible
Wear bright colors. Maine law requires cyclists to use lights in darkness, and lights are recommended in reduced visibility conditions.
Communicate
Clearly communicate to other riders changes in speed or direction, road hazards, pedestrians and vehicles. Call out “car back,” “slowing,” or “stopping” as needed. Communicate calls throughout the group. Coordinate group turns and moves. Ear buds interfere with group communication and should not be used.
Choose Proper Lane Positioning
A rider is permitted to use the entire travel lane when setting up for a left turn, where hazards exist, or where it is unsafe for a car and bike to travel side by side with at least three feet of space between them. Maine law permits bikes to ride in the travel lane, as far right as is practicable. Never cross yellow center lines. Use paved shoulders when it is safe to do so.
Avoid Riding More than Two Abreast
Ride single or double file as appropriate to the roadway and traffic conditions. While riding two abreast is not illegal in Maine, please exercise your rights with courtesy.
Don’t Pass on Right
Gather behind the last car in line at an intersections. Although Maine law permits a cyclist to pass cars on the right at an intersection, such behavior is discouraged in group rides as a courtesy to motorists.
Be Courteous at Intersections
Respect traffic sigs and signals. At stop sighns, consider moving as a single unit through intersections if all riders feel it is safe to do so. Slow and stop at yellow lights. Consider adopting a policy of stopping or slowing after intersections when the group is split.
Don’t Block Traffic at Regroups
Plan regroup points at locations away from intersections and move as far off the travel lane as possible when stopped and waiting.
These Group Ride Guidelines are for all group rides, including both training and recreational rides. These guidelines were created by a committee of club group riders and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine and are endorsed by CCCP.
For more information, visit BikeMaine.org