9/1 Ride Update

Last night was a perfect night to be outside on the bike - the weather was just great. There were three of us on the ride. Thanks to Bethany and Kristy who showed up! Only 4 more rides until the end of our group riding season - hope you can try to make it to some of them!

Happy riding,
Shannon
p.s. Due to diminishing daylight, we leave at 5:30pm now instead of 6pm.

8/25 Ride

Hi there,
Tuesday's weather looks like a hot one...84 degrees. Jacqueline will be leading the ride again this week as I have a meeting to attend. No one showed up last week to ride - maybe the weather was too hot? If it looks to be too muggy, we may cancel. Check back here Tuesday afternoon for the latest update.

Thanks!
Shannon

8/18 Ride

Greetings summer cyclists!
Tuesdays weather looks like a perfectly sunny, warm evening so bring lots of water with you! Jacqueline will be leading a combined A and B ride for the next two Tuesdays. Thanks so much Jacqueline! I hope everyone has a great ride!

Shannon
p.s. The ride leaves right at 6pm due to the diminishing daylight, so allow yourself enough time to get your bike and gear together and be ready to bike right at 6pm. Thank you!

8/11 Update - Rain!

Looks like wet roads out there in Saco so we will cancel for tonight. See you next week!

Shannon

8/11 Ride

Hi riders,
Tuesday's weather looks to be scattered thunderstorms - so I guess we'll just have to wait to see how things go tomorrow. Hopefully we can bike between the storms!

I have commitments on 8/18 and 8/25 - would anyone be available to lead the ride one or both of those nights? It seems like we've been riding together As and Bs so we can plan to do that the next few weeks.

Thank you,
Shannon

8/4 Ride Summary

It was a nice ride last night and we ended up all riding together As and Bs. We had seven on the ride, two of which joined us from out of town here on summer vacation. The weather wasn't too warm - a slight breeze and we picked a route where we could ride part of the way along the coast. Rode almost 25 miles.

See everyone next week!
Shannon

8/4 August is here!

Hi gals,
The weather for Tuesday's ride looks FABULOUS - sunny and warm! Looking forward to seeing everyone Tuesday night at 6pm for the A and B rides. If the weather is hot, we will probably plan both rides to ride near the coast. Isn't it wonderful we have that option - living so close to the seacoast? I wonder where cyclists in Iowa ride when the weather gets this hot?! We are truly blessed.

Anyone care to go for pizza or a burrito after the ride?

Happy riding,
Shannon
p.s. I am still looking for one or two people to take over as ride coordinator for 2010. My duties will end October 1st of this year. Anyone with any interest or questions about what the volunteer position entails please drop me an email. My email address is posted on the blog.

p.s.s. Mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept 19th. That is the day SMCC is putting on the Biddeford Criterium. This year it's on Main Street in Biddeford. Some of you volunteered last year at the crit in Saco. Anyone interested in helping out again this year it would be greatly appreciated. We take very good care of our volunteers on race day - breakfast, lunch, snacks, drinks, tshirts. Work part of the day or the whole day - be a marshall out on the course or under the white tent in registration - the choice is yours! You may even want to sign up to race the crit that day, too. I will have more info about this as the date gets closer.

7/28 Ride UPDATE

Beautiful day expected today and this evening. Great cycling weather! Stacey will be the B ride leader tonight as I have a meeting to attend. Hope everyone has a great ride!

Shannon

7/28 Ride

Tuesday's weather looks wonderful - sunny and 86 degrees! This season we've had so many cancellations for our Tuesday night ride due to rain, but hope everyone plans to come out Tuesday for the women's ride at 6pm. It looks like a beauty of an evening.

Happy riding,
Shannon

7/21 Update - RIDE CANCELLED TONIGHT

Hi gals,
I just checked intellicast.com and the weather appears pretty bad. Lots of rain looks to be coming into our direct path in Saco today and this evening. Unfortunately I do not see a break in the clouds. Looks like we will have to cancel the ride tonight and wait for better weather (hopefully) next Tuesday.

Stay dry out there if you can!
Shannon

7/21 Ride

Greetings riders,
Tuesday's weather looks to be great - not a cloud in the sky......haha......not! Looks like another rainy week with scattered thunderstorms every day. Can you believe it? Hopefully the weatherpeople are wrong and we can ride Tuesday night. Unless the roads are wet, we will ride! My meeting was cancelled for Tuesday so I will be there. I will be 12 weeks pregnant Tuesday - anyone up for pizza afterwards to celebrate with me?!!!

I hope everyone is enjoying the Tour this year. It certainly is exciting! All the drama between Lance & Contador - wow! I think the press is making more out of that than there needs to be. How about those amazing finishes by Mark Cavendish? Pretty incredible, too.

Happy riding,
Shannon
p.s. Ride update - weather forecast for Tuesday night says possible thundershowers. Let's play it by ear and see how things look when it gets closer to that time. If I need to cancel I will post here, but hoping the rain clouds will bypass Saco!

7/14 Ride Summary

Hi gals,
We only had 3 women for our ride last night - where did everybody go?! Maybe it's just middle-of-the-summer busyness. Did the brief rain mid-afternoon scare everyone away? We had a great ride - Heather, Helen and I. Hope to see more of you next week! I have meetings to attend the following two Tuesdays but I will get someone to cover me.

Enjoy the sunshine this week!

Happy riding,
Shannon

7/14 Ride

Hi gals,
The weather this week looks BEAUTIFUL! Hope to see LOTS of riders Tuesday night at 6pm for our weekly ride.

Happy riding,
Shannon

7/7 Ride - Cancelled

Hi there,
You'd think with the date being 7/7 we would get lucky and see some sun today! Oh well, see everyone next Tuesday and hoping for dry roads!

Shannon

7/7 Ride

Hi there,
It's been great to see the sun these past few days! I'm hoping it holds for a few more! Hope everyone had a great 4th holiday with family and friends and included some biking on this long weekend.

I have a commitment I need to attend to on Tuesday night so I will not be there, but I think that this point everyone seems to riding in the A group anyway - well, except for me (being pregnant, I am only riding about an hour or so at a time and keeping the pace at about 15 mph). I hear the A ride went about 24 miles last week and there was a great turnout. Thank you to Meg and Kristie for joining me on the B ride last week. The BBQ was nice and thanks to all the ladies who stuck around after the ride for the BBQ.

If the weather doesn't look good for Tuesday, I will make a post to this blog on Tuesday to let everyone know not to show up.

Thanks everyone!
Happy cycling,
Shannon

6/30 Ride is.....ON!

Hi gals,
The SMCC Summer Solstice Ride and BBQ is ON for tomorrow night. You can review previous posts for more details. See you Tuesday at 6pm.

I also wanted to pass along some information about an upcoming ride that raises money for children's cancer research:

"Miles for Max"
www.milesformax.org

Max is 4 yrs old. He was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at 18 months. This is a rare form of cancer that strikes at the central nervous system and the adrenal gland.

The ride is on Saturday, August 29th in Kennebunk with a BBQ lunch at the end. Riders can do 10, 20, or 40 miles. Registration is $25.00.

Thanks everyone!
Hope to see you all tomorrow night!
Shannon

6/30 Ride and BBQ

Greetings my rainy day riders!
The forecast for weather does not look good - yet again! I'm thinking it may be time for me to move closer to the equator to find sun.

I will update Monday as we know more about the weather for Tuesday's ride and BBQ.

Shannon

6/23 Ride and BBQ - POSTPONED!

Hi gals,
The Solstice rides and BBQ have been postponed until 6/30. Hopefully it will have stopped raining by then :)

Shannon

6/23 Ride

Greetings riders,
Tuesdays weather looks to be....what else? RAIN! If it's just drizzly, I think the men will probably still ride. I guess we need to decide if the A and B women riders want to ride in the rain or just hang out and socialize at the BBQ instead. Please post a comment so we can see what the consensus is.

Thanks!
Shannon

6/16 Ride Update

Hi gals,
Today's weather is PERFECT! The womens A and B rides leave at 5:30pm tonight and plan to ride TOGETHER for a loop around Kennebunkport. Hope everyone has a FABULOUS ride! If you plan to ride with the men tonight - they leave at 6pm.

Happy riding,
Shannon
p.s. Unfortunately, I am a little under the weather today so I will not be able to join you tonight, but take some PICTURES and I will post them to the blog. Stacey will be the B ride leader tonight if you have any questions.

6/16 Ride

The weather forecast for the next few days is "showers" but hopefully they'll move through the area quickly and we'll have clear skies and clear roads for our special ride Tuesday night. Here's a rundown of our rides Tuesday night...

Co-ed fastest group (20+ mph) meets at 6pm
Womens A and Womens B (usually meets at 6pm, too, but this week it's 5:30pm) for a ride along the coast and around Kennebunkport. 25 miles. Look forward to seeing everyone there!

Happy riding,
Shannnon
p.s. Just a reminder 6/23 is the Summer Solstice Ride and potluck BBQ. If anyone has ideas on the route for that night - drop a comment on the blog or send me an email - we're open to suggestions. Don't forget to invite your family to the BBQ afterwards!

Tour de Cure pictures

Some of the SMCC women rode the Tour de Cure in Kennebunk on Sunday. Here are some pictures! Love the pink! Thanks for representing the club well! You gals look GREAT!

6/9 Ride Update and UPCOMING EVENTS!

Hi gals,
Tonight's ride was pretty much rained out. Hope everyone get out for a run, biked on their trainer, hit to the gym - or all 3!

6/16 Next Tuesday....BIG PLANS!!! Both A and B rides leave at 5:30pm for a loop around Kennebunkport. Approx 25 miles. Very scenic - bring your CAMERA! Hope to see you there! If we have any B riders who are uncertain about the distance, please email me and we can discuss another route. Should we stop for ice cream along the way or after?

6/23 Annual Summer Solstice Ride and BBQ at the Saco Shop. We will have to decide where we want to bike as we celebrate the longest day of the year - hallalujah! SMCC will provide meat and veggie burgers and you bring a side dish to share. This is a ton of fun. Families welcome to join for the BBQ after the ride - the more the merrier! Don't forget bug spray, too. :)

Happy riding,
Shannon

6/9 Ride

Tuesdays weather looks like showers, but I guess we'll have to see if the forecast changes by then. Fingers crossed! Hope everyone had a great weekend and you were able to get out on your bike one of these beautiful days - or be outdoors in some way. Summer is just a few weeks away!

Mark your Calendars A riders!!!! On 6/16 the Women of the A ride are planning a special ride leaving the shop at 5:30pm. It will be a 25-mile loop along Route 9 and around Kennebunkport. Very scenic and great summer route. Hope to see many A riders join us. The B riders will also have a ride 6/16 but it will leave at 6pm at the usual time unless there is interest in a special ride as well - maybe a different route or more mileage?

Other items of note...
Velo! Velo! Photos from the world of cycling.
Friday, June 5th. 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Local photographer, Matt DeLorme, will be showing his cycling related photos at Gorham Bike & Ski as part of the First Friday Art Walk. You may as well start and end your evening at GBS and take advantage of our valet bike parking service. Park your bike in our secure parking area. Walk the downtown. Return by 8PM to pickup your bike! It's that easy! Hope to see you there!

Portland Greendrinks Event
Tuesday, June 9th. 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Born from the combined resources of Portland Trails and Gorham Bike & Ski, this event is sure to be a good time. Come network with environmentally-minded Portlanders, while enjoying local brews of all varieties. You can find more details at: http://gorhambike.blogspot.com/search/label/Events

Happy riding,
Shannon

6/2 ride pictures

Pictures of the women from the A ride last night having fun!

6/2 Ride

Happy June! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night at 6pm for our womens A and B rides. Weather looks perfect - in the 70s! Woohoo! Finally!

Just a reminder - if you want to order clothing - go to bikereg.com or check out the selection still available at Gorham Bike & Ski in Portland.

Happy riding!
Shannon

Online Club Clothing Ordering Now Open

Hi cycling women,
You may now order SMCC club clothing at BikeReg.com. Ordering closes at midnight on Sunday, June 7th.

Copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?EventID=8765

If you have any questions, email Dave Palese: dave@gorhambike.com


Happy riding,
Shannon
p.s. There is still some womens clothing available at the Portland shop - stop by soon for best selection.

Metric Century this Sunday - all are welcome!

Join us for the SMCC Metric Century, hosted by Jamie Wright (you do not need to be a club member to join this ride)

What: 60 +/- miles of rolling terrain. This is great ride for anyone who wants to spend a pleasant day pedaling some of the scenic roads of western Maine. Post-ride potluck barbeque to follow at Jamie’s house.
When: Sunday, May 31st. Bagels and coffee at 9AM. Ride leaves at 9:30AM.
Where: Jamie’s house. 11B Laurel Pines Dr, Gorham, Maine 04038
Fee: Bring a donation of non-perishable food items for the Gorham Food Pantry.

SMCC will buy the pre-ride coffee and bagels, as well as the post-ride non-alcoholic beverages. Bring your favorite meat or veggies for the grill, as well as a side salad or whatever.

One last note - the ride pace is any pace you want it to be. Any abilities are welcome. Jamie will have maps so you can ride as far or as not-so-far as you want to go, and as fast or as not-so-fast as you want. Hope this helps! Bring the friends you usually ride with and ride together on this Metric Centuryyyyyyy!

If you have questions about the ride or anything else, email Jamie at Jamie@gorhambike.com

-Shannon

5/26 Ride Update

Greetings riders,
The weather for tonight's ride looks pretty good! Temps are dropping so bring enough clothing - arm warmers, windbreaker, etc, as needed. The rain is coming, but we should have no problems on the ride tonight - looks dry.

Just a reminder Stacy and Lynn will be helping out with the B ride tonight - thanks again for your help! Hope A and B riders have a great ride. I will be able to join you again next week.

There seems to be a lot of interest in having a ride on another day of the week (Saturdays!). I would be happy to make a post here if you would like to coordinate something. I'm sure there would be others who would like to join your ride. There are so many great places to ride from Saco - let me know the approx route and date of the ride and I can make a post.

On another note - I ate breakfast Friday at a cute little place on Route 112 called Bunny's Kitchen. I think this would be a fabulous place for us to finish after a Saturday ride sometime. If we leave early we could stop there on our way back for brunch. Maybe we can plan something for a Saturday in July.

Happy riding,
Shannon

5/26 Ride and next clothing order!

Greetings cyclists!
I hope you have great plans for this holiday weekend and getting in some long rides. The weather sure looks like it's going to cooperate!

Tuesday 5/26 the B ride sub will be Stacey with a little help from Lynn, too. If for some reason it is raining on Tuesday and we have to cancel, I will make a post on Tuesday at noon so check back here then if the weather looks questionable.

Regarding clothing...
You will be able to make your next clothing order through bikereg.com. Dave is in the process of getting the offerings online. He hopes to finish this over the next week or so, so I will keep you posted when you can make your order. There isn't a fit kit at the shop, but enough women have clothing that if you wanted to try on a jersey to see how it fit or to figure out your size, I'm sure one of us could let you try on our jersey before one of our group rides. Sizes run small so I would suggest ordering a size larger than your usual cycling clothing. I think everyone who has clothing would agree with me on this.

Everyone have a great holiday weekend!

Happy riding,
Shannon

5/19 Ride Summary

Thanks everyone who showed up tonight. Another great ride! Every week it seems we have 5 or 6 new riders showing up to the ride. We should plan to go for pizza afterwards one of these weeks. I think I found a ride sub for the B-ride for next Tuesday so we're all set on this. Hope everyone on the A-ride had a great ride, too.

Everyone have an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend!

Shannon

5/19 Ride

Greetings riders,
Once we get through the rain this weekend, the weather for our ride Tuesday looks GREAT! We had two great rides last week for the A and B rides. I hear the A riders are learning about paceline skills thanks to Sue and Bethany. Sweet! See you Tuesday at the Saco shop for our 6pm ride.

Happy riding,
Shannon
p.s. I'm looking for a ride leader substitute for the B-ride for the 5/26 ride if anyone is interested please drop me an email. This leader could be an A rider or a B rider. Thanks so much!

5/12 Ride UPDATE!

Hi gals,
The weather looks like it's going to hold for tonight - so I'll plan to see everyone tonight at the Saco shop for our 6pm A and B rides!

Happy riding,
Shannon

5/12 Ride and Weekly events

Greetings cyclists,
Tomorrow's weather looks to be rainy in the afternoon. Let's not call the ride off yet, though - maybe it will change by then and we'll be able to ride. I'll update the blog tomorrow so please check back.

I also just wanted to put a plug in for the Girls & Gears Night THIS Thursday at the Gorham Bike & Ski shop in Portland. This is a GREAT annual event to attend - see my previous post for more details. Lots of fun things going on for you women at this event. Hope you can make it!

Saturday there is a bike swap at Gorham Bike & Ski in Portland, too. (see previous post for more details, too!)

Happy riding,
Shannon

Upcoming Events next week...

Girls and Gears Women's Night
Thursday, May 14th. 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Gorham Bike and Ski is having a special night just for women. If you've been cycling for many years, are just getting started, or are thinking about getting started, come by for this night of fun, food, specials, and info.

-Bicycles designed specifically for women.
-Fitting and Positioning using our Body Scanning system.
-Test rides.
-Technical clinics- Learn how to fix a flat on the road, and more.
-Free Chair Massages.
-Great food!
-Wine Tasting- By Old Port Wine Merchant
-Savings Throughout The Store
-Custom Girls and Gears t-shirt to the first 75 women.

Gorham Bike and Ski Bike Swap
Saturday, May 16th. 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Looking for a great deal on bike? Or, do you have an old bike you'd like to sell? Either way, our Bike swap on May 17th, from 10am to 2pm is a don't miss event. Would-be buyers should arrive early to get the best selection. Would-be sellers click here for details on how to get involved.

For buyers: This is a bike bargain hunter's paradise. There will be great deals on new and used bikes of all types and sizes. This sale is one day only so don't miss it! Get here early!

For sellers, here's how it works:
1.) Bring the bike you want to sell to Gorham Bike and Ski Wednesday, May 13 thru Friday, May 15. We'll talk to you about your bike and what we think you should price it at.

2.) If we sell your bike on Saturday, May 16 you can get one of the following:
-80% in the form of a check, mailed in 10 business days.
-100% as store credit
-Unsold bikes must be picked up by 5:00pm Sunday, May 17.
-Bikes must be in good working order.
-No department store bikes.
-GBS reserves the right to refuse bikes for sale.

5/5 Ride Update

Greetings gals,
Happy Cinco de Mayo! The rainy weather looks like it's here to stay for the afternoon so I have to unfortunately cancel the ride tonight. I hope everyone can get in some rides in between the rain showers this week. See you next Tuesday!

Happy riding,
Shannon

5/5 Ride

Greetings women riders,
I've been checking the weather for Tuesday's ride. It looks like rain, but let's wait and see what the day brings. This time of year the weather changes rapidly and if the roads look dry, we can still plan on riding. I've had many women emailing me with interest in our women's group rides and my email list is up to 93 women - very exciting! Can you imagine if EVERYONE showed up on the same Tuesday night to ride? I think we'd make the paper! Wouldn't that be fun?

Stay tuned for another update on tomorrow's ride as we see how the weather unfolds tomorrow.

Regarding our rides tomorrow...this is the gameplan - I will be taking the B riders on the same route as last week (this was around OOB 16 miles and averaged 14mph). The A riding women will have their own ride - route will vary and speed will be about 18mph. (If there are any A riders who want to join the men's ride, you are more than welcome - that is still an option if you are interested).

Happy riding,
Shannon

4/28 Ride Update

The weather couldn't have been more perfect for last night's first ride of the season! We had 11 women show up to the ride. There were 5 women on the B ride and 5 on the A. Special thanks goes to Susan who showed up for the group picture even though she wasn't able to ride last night - that's dedication! The B ride averaged 14 mph for 16 miles. I don't have stats on the A ride (if someone emails them to me I will update), but it was quite a bit faster. I think the men were going at a pretty fast clip - even when we asked them to keep it at 19mph.

Ladies - if you were on the A ride and felt discouraged getting dropped by the men and thinking about not coming back, please know we will change things for next week and the future. Please give us another chance! We are still trying to work out the kinks for rides early in the season. The A riding women could make make their own A- ride or follow the guys out and then cluster together for their own ride as the guys pace picks up.

Both womens rides are no-drop rides, meaning there are 3-4 stops during the ride to re-group, drink some water, catch your breath. For safety, we stop at all stop signs and traffic lights.

Some future joinees are asking what to bring on the ride - bike (preferably a road bike), helmet, water bottle, cellphone, spare tube in case you get a flat and something to pump up the tire with (co2 or pump), a few dollars, and very important is some type of ID. I love www.roadid.com bracelet I just bought one in PINK, of course! If anyone has anything else to add to this list, please feel free to leave a comment.

Other items to bring/wear that make riding a little more comfortable - cycling shorts (these are meant to be worn without underwear so you don't chafe-FYI), cycling gloves (these have pads on the palms to prevent hands going numb), clipless pedals - if anyone has anything else to the list, please feel free to leave a comment.

Hope to see even more women join us next week!

Happy riding,
Shannon
P.S. Just a reminder to email in your "Rider of the Week" questionnaire. I have only received 2 thus far. We will take individual pictures next week to go with these.

4/28 Ride

Hi women,
The weather looks great for tomorrow's ride! Looking forward to seeing you at our first ride of the season. Both rides A and B will leave from the shop at 6pm. Please allow time getting to the shop due to traffic on Route 1 in Saco, as well as time to change and use the restroom at the shop, if necessary. We will meet outside the shop on Cutts Avenue for our group picture at 6pm and then we'll be on our way!

Happy riding,
Shannon

4/21/2009 Ride - Cancelled

Hello riders,
Due to the rain today, we will postpone our first official women's ride of the season until next Tuesday, April 28th. Hope to see you then!

Happy riding,
Shannon

4/21/2009 Ride

Hi gals,
I have been getting some emails from women asking about the ride tomorrow and if we would ride in the rain. Tuesday looks to be quite rainy for our first ride of the season. If it were later in the season I think we would be more inclined to ride, but this early the riding just isn't very fun in the cold, wet weather. If it's visibly raining and the roads are wet, we will postpone our first ride. If it has stopped raining and the roads are somewhat dry, we will ride. I will update the blog tomorrow at noon once I see what the weather is doing mid-day. Stay tuned!

-Shannon

First Ride of the 2009 Season!

Hi Women Bikers,

The time has finally arrived for our first official ride of the season on Tuesday, April 21st! The weather looks to be showers for Tuesday, but hopefully this will change in the next 3 days! Both the A and B rides leave the Saco shop of Gorham Bike and Fitness at 6pm. Please be ready to roll at 6pm. The shop closes at 6pm, so arrive early if you need services at the shop, or to use their bathroom.

Gorham Bike & Fitness is located on Main St. in Saco. Please park on Cutts Ave next to the shop. There is a parking lot behind the town hall to be used for parking as well.

I rode the B route last week and the pavement is pretty chopped up in sections going down to Camp Ellis. We will keep the roads of this route, but will ride them in a different order so we have better pavement. This will include - Beach Street, Old Orchard Street, Saco Ave, Portland Ave, Ross Road, Pine Point Rd, East Grand, West Grand, Bayview, Beach Street. Just a reminder - we will come to a complete stop at all stop signs and traffic lights for increased safety. The A ride route varies week to week and will be discussed the night of the ride.

We will plan to take a group picture Tuesday night as well. Look forward to riding with you! If the weather is very rainy, we will postpone our ride until the following week.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.
Happy Riding,

Shannon
p.s. Thanks everyone who showed up last week for our info night and tire changing clinic - we had 15 women in attendance!

Friday, April 10th ride

Kim is interested in riding tomorrow and asked me to make this post...

Hi there fellow bike ridin' lady friends. I will be riding tomorrow from the Saco/Biddeford area and was wondering if i could rope any of you into accompanying me. My goal is to finish up by dark (7:30-7:40ish) ... ride a casual but steadily-paced 28 to 32 miles (i'll have a few routes in mind) ... simply time in the saddle. I would say we ought to be leaving our meeting spot by 5:30pm. I will be at the mill buildings in Biddeford, but can meet in a different location somewhere in Saco or Biddeford if that makes more sense to others. Please send an email or give me a call if you would be interested in joining me and we can decide on a meeting place!

Take care.
- kim :)

phone - 590.2575

2009 Season Opening Events for the SMCC women!

Greetings women riders!

Tuesday, April 14th, the women of Southern Maine Cycling Club (SMCC) will be starting the season with a Tire Changing Clinic and Group Riding and Safety 101 class from 5:30-7pm at the Gorham Bike & Fitness shop - located on Main Street in Saco (cost is free!). This is an informational night in the shop – so no need to bring your bike! Even if you can't make it until 6pm, please join us then! Whether you are new to riding, haven’t been riding long or just want a refresher, this will be a great event for you! In addition to covering rules of the road, group riding information and safety, we’ll also cover what to put in your under-seat bag and what to wear for the most comfort on the bike. We hope you will attend this meeting so our first group ride we won’t have to spend time reviewing these things, but can spend the time on our bikes! If you cannot attend but want to, please drop me an email so I can make sure to review some things with you before our first ride on the road. John, from the shop, has graciously agreed to give the tire changing demo. I hear he likes chocolate chop cookies if anyone wants to bring a thank-you gift for him :)

Our first official ride of the season is Tuesday, April 21st at 5:30pm. The ride will eventually change to 6pm as the days get longer. I highly suggest you get out on your bike at least twice before our ride on April 21st – for yourself, and also out of respect for the others who have been riding the past month. This will serve many purposes – 1st It will let you know if your bike needs to be tuned-up or repaired so you have time to get it into the shop before the 21st. 2nd It will give your some saddle time to help your body be ready to bike in a group setting. The first few times you’re out on your bike can feel a little unsteady as your body acclimates to riding, looking over your shoulder for cars, bum gets used to the seat, neck & shoulders getting used to holding up your head, etc. 3rd It will be safer for the group if you have ridden a few times already because you will be faster, know your shifting better and won’t be as teetery (squirrely) on the bike which translates into less risk for injury for yourself and the other riders.

This year, we will have 2 rides, (both are no-drop rides). A “no-drop ride” does not mean we go slow enough not to drop anyone – it just means we will have periodic stops along the way to regroup.


The B ride will be for women only and will average 14-15 mph. Distance will start at about 16 miles and will increase as the season goes along. Our route for April and May is as follows (we'll change the route each month or so): http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/me/saco/444123876654294082 In the past we have said bring any type of bike, (road, hybrid, mountain) but you are going to be more comfortable, safer and faster if you are on a road bike. If you do not have a road bike, contact me and we can see about finding you a road bike. (FYI - Cape Able bike shop in Kennebunkport rents road bikes – you may want to rent for a few weeks to see if this is something you are going to pursue long-term). If you do not feel you are able to ride at 15 mph for 16 miles, I would suggest riding more often during the week to work up to this speed and distance and challenge yourself. If you need more suggestions on how to get stronger or to ride faster, you may want to look into hiring a coach. Dave Pelese is a certified cycling coach dave@gorhambike.com if you would like a email him about a training program or for more information.


The A ride will be co-ed. Pace will be 19 mph. Distance around 30 miles – and more as the days get longer. Route changes weekly. Even if you feel like you might not ride at 19 mph (yet), I highly recommend challenging yourself by joining this ride so you get stronger and eventually you’ll be able to hang on for the entire ride. Last year this ride was really fast, but the racers are no longer riding in this ride. This ride is supposed to be slower than the Saturday morning ride from Gorham Bike in Portland. I hope this encourages you to come out and try this one!


Become a Member! We hope you will considering joining the SMCC club (annual dues are only $20) if you are riding in our group rides. This membership will give you access to great discounts on bikes, clothing and accessories, plus you can purchase our sweet pink clothing when it arrives this spring! Here is a club membership form you can print out and mail with a check into the shop. http://gorhambike.com/dir/244/files/SMCC-Membership-Form-09.pdf


Looking forward to next week! Should be FUN!!!!
See you on April 14th!

Happy riding,
Shannon

Scone Recipe

Many people wanted my scone recipe so I thought I would post it here.

"Sea Crest by the Sea" Buttermilk Scones

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In small bowl, beat the following with a fork and then set aside:
1/2 c. buttermilk (if you don't have - use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 TBS vinegar or lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes)
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond flavoring

Measure out the following and set aside:
3/4 c. white chocolate chips
3/4 c. frozen raspberries

In large bowl mix together:
2 c. flour (I use 1/2 unbleached white, 1/2 whole wheat)
1/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Then add 6 TBS butter (chopped into 1/2" cubes ) and mix using pastry blender or hands until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and barely stir until crumbs are moistened. Then fold in chips and berries. If you overmix the scones will be hockey pucks! Most of the ingredients are just pressed together. It doesn't have to look pretty and the corners square, etc. It will look pretty after it's cooked!

With lightly floured hands, pat the dough into ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cut into 9 to 16 pieces - depending on your scone size preference! Serve warm or cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Season kickoff breakfast pics!

Want to join our club but don't have a bike?

If you are looking for a bike but funds are low or you are not sure yet if cycling is truly your sport yet, I highly recommend attending the Bike Swap at the USM Sullivan Gym on April 26th from 10am-2pm. See this link for more information. Word on the street is to GET THERE EARLY for best selection of used and new bikes! I hear they have great deals!

http://www.bikemaine.org/bikeswap.htm

Ride leader substitute

I am in need of a ride leader to lead the B ride on the following dates this Spring/Summer. Please drop me an email or make a post if you are interested or willing for the following dates:

April 28th
May 26th
June 23rd
July 28th
August 25th
September 22nd


Thank you!
Shannon

Gorham Bike & Ski Grand Opening

Hi women,
Just wanted to pass along the information about GB&S's grand opening celebration coming up next weekend at their new Portland location.

Please click on link to be directed to their website and check out the Saturday morning ride that starts at 8:30am.

www.gorhambike.com


Happy riding,
Shannon

Saturday Kickoff Brunch!

Hi women riders,
Just a last-minute reminder about our brunch tomorrow from 10:30-1pm. Location is at Sue Lamb's home at 20 Ledgemere Drive in Biddeford - which is just off Route 9.

If you have any questions, please email me at rsbshb97@hotmail.com


Can't wait to see everyone at the brunch!

Happy riding!
Shannon

Any 50+ women riders out there?

Are there any riders out there looking for a 50+ ride? Betty Howes would like to find out. If there's interest, maybe we could help coordinate a ride for you. Post a response if you're interested.

Happy riding,
Shannon

Training for the Trek

Are any of you SMCC women planning on doing the Trek this year? Would you like to get a group together for the ride? Post your response here and we'll see what kind of response we get. Thank you!

Happy riding,
Shannon

Group Riding 101 for Women Clinic

Stephanie Chase is offering a 6-session clinic this spring. The clinic is limited to only 15 riders to provide enough one-on-one time, so it's first-come/first-served! Reserve your spot soon by emailing Steph Chase thinair29@yahoo.com.

Steph is excited about helping you increase your confidence on the bike, understand your bike and your physical fitness better, learning how to climb and descend, cornering. There is SO much in these classes! You do not want to miss learning from the best! Steph rides for a Boston racing team as a cat 2 racer and is sponsored by CycleOps. She only started biking 4 years ago - surely, we can all learn from her. Bring a sponge so you can soak up all her knowledge :)

Whether you have been biking for years, tried some racing or want to get into racing, or just getting into the sport - this clinic as something for everyone. Each session is specifically focused on a different aspect of riding. Why not start the season off right and invest in yourself and increasing your riding/handling abilities. Attend all 6 or just the ones you want. Cost is $120 for the entire session, or $30 per class.

If this series gets filled and there is more interest, she will start another session after this one is over.

A big thank you to Steph for offering her time and talents to help develop women's cycling in southern Maine!

Week 1 April 15th 5:30-7:30pm Meet & Greet (location TBA)
Week 2 April 22nd 5:30-7:30pm Drafting and riding a paceline (at Mable Wilson School)
Week 3 April 29th 5:30-7:30pm Techniques in climbing (at Payson Park)
Week 4 May 6th 5:30-7:30pm Cornering (at Falmouth High School)
Week 5 May 13th 5:30-7:30pm Attacking and Sprinting (at South Portland High School)
Week 6 May 6th 5:30-7:30pm Putting it all together (at Payson Park)

Happy riding,
Shannon

Welcome to the 2009 Season!

Hello women cyclists!
Welcome to our 2009 season! Last year I dropped off radar with the blog and I apologize. New year, new goals! With all the snow in my yard still piled 2 feet high, I'm having a hard time coming to grips with cycling season starting in a few weeks but I know the sun in March is warm enough to melt all this snow and bring the warmth of spring here soon!

Here are a few upcoming events I want you to be aware of...

TONIGHT!
Stephanie Chase will be speaking to the SMCC and CCCP women on Thursday, March 12th at 6pm at Rivalries (upstairs) in Portland. She will share her knowledge in group rides, training, in addition to informing everyone about an exciting clinic series she will be offering to women in the area in regards to bike handling skills and group riding.

We'd love to have you join us for this event. For those of you who were at the event in the fall with Stephanie, this will be a continuation of her brief talk. It's a great way to reconnect with our biking friends and gear up for the upcoming biking season.

SMCC SEASON KICKOFF BRUNCH
Mark your calendars! We plan to have our Annual Season Kickoff Potluck Brunch on Saturday, March 28th, from 10:30-1pm. Location is at Sue Lamb's home at 20 Ledgemere Drive in Biddeford - which is just off Route 9. Thanks Sue for hosting!

At this brunch, we will discuss:
Overview of this season's weekly ride (the ride has been officially changed from Wednesday night 5:30pm to Tuesday night 6pm)
Talk about date for 1st ride of the season
Route - discuss current route, length, speed
Review of end-of-season evaluations (submissions will remain anonymous - there were some excellent suggestions and ideas from these we should discuss in a group setting)
Discussion of A and B rides and transitioning back into one ride if that is the consensus
Special once-a-month Saturday rides
Pizza and/or ice-cream following rides
Racing - crits, time trials, cyclocross
Clinics - what types to offer?
Trek and Tour de Cure interest


Thanks everyone and we'll keep you posted on the date for our first ride of the season. Check here often!

Happy riding,
Shannon

Looking for Pictures!

I'd like to add some new pictures to our site for 2009. If you have any pictures from the 2008 seasons (silly, serious, racing, candid) - email them to me and we'll add them.