Pics from Cali-Fornication..

Here are some of the many pics I took while in California last week..The first three are a bit out of order..because First, Blind Boy Paxton and I were smiling and enjoying the Jug Band Fest in Golden Gate Park..Then our pleasure slowly turned to shock and horror as we beheld hippies dancing badly at the fest..And you can see my favorite crazy lady enjoying the Jug fest..JUGG fest..ahem..

We visited Winters while we were there and stayed with awesome musician/artist Robert Armstrong, creator of Mickey Rat, member of The Cheap Suit Serenaders, among other things..We got to play some music with Bob and keith Cary, creator of the Commodium..a bedpan based mandolin!!! Yay! Free the Pee! It was a fun time...I liked Winters a lot. We may just stay there instead of SF next time we go out there..Sf was fun but chilly..

Armstrong has these great robots that he builds all over the place..My favorite was COFFEE ROBOT of course! And we got to see Keith Cary's barn full of fun stuff...Then there's Meredith Axelrod, a great musician from Devine's Jug Band, Bob Armstrong and I in front of that handsome mural! And I was happy to see our LP at Amoeba records on Haight Street..What a cool record store..And I just had to snap a pic of some old hippies on the Haight..They seemed confused that Jerry Garcia was not smoking a DOOBIE on Haight..

I'll post more pics of Santa Cruz County and stuff tomorrow..What nice beaches and redwood forests there..and more HIPPIES!!! That whole state smelled like patchouli and unwashed pubes!

A Torrid Traverse

On Saturday, August 15, a group of twelve riders gathered in Mount Vernon for the Kennebec Valley Bicycle Club ride. The ride, "the Mount Vernon Traverse," was longer and hillier than initially advertised. Hotter, too. Temperatures were already in the high 80s by the start, and would climb into the 90s by the end of the ride.








The route headed north to Rome via Watson Pond Road. I had a family reunion later that day, but since I live in Mount Vernon I was able to make it to the start. The route was a 34 mile loop with no cut-offs, so I debated whether to ride the entire route or turn back at some point. We began the first of a series of strenuous climbs by heading up Blueberry Hill. Fortunately a good part of the climb was in the shade which made the effort a lot cooler.







At the top of the hill the riders stopped to regroup before continuing on to Rt.27 North and the second long climb. Returning via Rt. 134 the group would encounter yet another challenging climb up Cape Cod Hill in New Sharon. Both of those long climbs would be open and sun-baked, so the group decided to take advantage of the shade while they had it.





It was at this point that John suddenly remembered that he had left something behind in his car that he needed (he said something about "A-C") so I took the opportunity to ride back with him, climbing all the hills we had just come down. We made it back OK and I went off to continue preparations for my family gathering. John drove his car back over the route as an impromptu sag wagon. He later hosted a cool, post-ride gathering at his cottage, lakeside. After all the heat and the hills it was no doubt a welcome respite at the end of the ride. Many thanks to John and the impressive number of riders who showed up in the heat.

The next KVBC ride is Sunday in Alna with more beautiful roads and another post-ride gathering. We have more great rides coming up - hopefully the weather will stay dry and turn a bit cooler.