Weekly Club Rides

All weekly rides leave from Back Bay Bicycle, 333 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME. Helmets required and lights recommended.Road bikes only, please. (No fixed gear, TT or tri bikes)For most up-to-date info on weekly rides, Special Event Rides, time changes and last-minute-spur-of-the-moment rides please join the CCCP E-Mailing list. Send "Add me to CCCP Mailing list" to

Monday Ride

Moderate to fast loop to Cumberland, approximately 28 miles.

The Monday ride leaves the shop at 6pm (5:30pm, before Memorial and after Labor day, 5pm in Oct-Nov)) and covers a mostly flat course at a moderate to moderate-quick pace. Depending on the size of the group it may split, but 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 in the point man for this ride. Email Richard

Directions

View the Map

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 man bikes are assembled.

Bear right off of Route 9 fat fork onto Middle road, After bearing right at the fork there is no stop until the intersection with Tuttle Road where the ride regroups.
After regroup, take left onto Tuttle all the way to light in Cumberland Center. Take right onto Rte 9, proceed single file through town, then take right at next light onto Greeley Road, Proceed down all the way to Middle Rd again and take right. Stop and regroup at intersection of Middle and Tuttle again. Please note that we alternate direction of this Cumberland Loop each week for variety.
We return on same route, Middle Road and Rte 9 back to Portland, but instead of Ocean Ave, we take fork to the left at cement plant onto Presumpscot Street, then take left onto Sherwood St and right onto Vannah Avenue. Vannah crosses Washington Ave and puts us onto Baxter Boulevard which takes us back to the shop.

Wednesday Ride

The Wednesday night Women's Ride leaves from the shop at 5:30pm (moving back to 6pm after Memorial Day).

This ride is approximately a 20 mile, no-drop ride. We average 15 mph. The route takes us out into Falmouth and back. There are a few regrouping points on the route, allowing varying speeds without fear of being dropped.

Contacts for the ride: Christine Caputo (sendchristineanote@hotmail.com) or Diane McGraw (dmac7618@yahoo.com).

Thursday Ride

Every Thursday 6pm (from Memorial until 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 remaining light. 6 hills over 1 mile including 3 hills over 2 miles and one that hits 14% There are 2 groups. A Group leaves at scheduled time and averages 19 - 22 mph with 2 regroup points. B Group leaves 5 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 sudden lane changes in the pack, never cross the yellow line, don't pass on high speed descents, 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.

kris@gwi.net

Directions

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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. 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), moderate distance (25-35 miles) 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.

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 their name below.

Sean Sweeney

Bron Nelson