I like rides organized at the grass-roots level that are intended to be mostly about the ride. I don't like the idea of using bike rides for "industrial fundraising" as has happened in the world of golf. Don't ask me why-it just rubs me the wrong way but I can be pragmatic. Champlain's Folly found the right balance as far as I am concerned. It is raising money for a cycling cause (a velodrome) and yet it had a great grass-roots feel to it.
There were several choices as to the distance and I picked the 160km and rode with a group consisting of Marc Clemens, Marc Brazeau and Ric Sudac. We started right at 9am with some others but quickly it was reduced to the four of us except that a "German Guy" (more on him below) was with us and we caught up with a strong rider later who stayed with us. I really liked this route as it was mostly on roads I rarely, if ever, see and it had little traffic. For most of the trip it was just the six of us - a very manageable group.
We stopped at the second rest stop to refill our bottles thinking that we would have another chance in 35km or so. As it turned out there was not a rest stop in another 35k and we were getting parched so we stopped at a store. It was here that we chatted to the "German Guy". Seems he is here to scout out Ottawa as a location for a big ride his European based company may organize in the future. He is a very strong rider.
It was very shortly after leaving the store that a large group caught us. It was great to sit in - it was about 40km/hr at 120w so the rest of the ride would be super easy but this was not to be. Marc B. came up to me in the group and gave me the team orders "no riding in the group". We were to drop out of the group and stay behind. So the two Marcs, Ric and I were once again riding alone as the two who had joined us were more rational and stayed in the bunch.
As it turned out we caught the group just before Storyland and at the top of this rise there was the rest stop we had been looking for. Seeing as we had refilled our bottles we didn't need to stop but the big group did so we were on our own for the rest of the ride back into Arnprior. The four of us finished together only because they took mercy on me when I cramped up.
As I said, I really liked this event. No showing ID, no long lines, no dramatic promises, no chip timing (we all have computers anyway), no jersey (we got socks-I don't like my entry money for a charity event going toward clothing, I assume the charity needs the money more than I need a jersey or shirt plastered with logos-I hope the organizers were getting the socks free) and lastly a nice route with good riding buddies.
I appreciated the way the post ride meal was handled. We were all given a ticket that we could spend at one of the food trucks up to $10 worth of fries, burgers, milkshakes etc(+the beer ticket!). I wonder if in the future the event could convince some of the new "exotic" food trucks to attend-that would be neat.
I want to thank all the organizers and volunteers of this event. It was a hot day to stand around and organize anything. I appreciate your efforts very much in making this a very enjoyable ride for me. I will be back.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Lac Louisa (near Brownsburg Quebec)
This last weekend I managed two great rides both different from the usual. The next post will describe Champlain's Folly which took place on Sunday.
On Saturday I was invited to a cottage up at Lac Louisa which is about 150km north east of Ottawa. I wanted to stay along the Ottawa River as much as possible so after riding to Rockland I hoped on Old Highway 17. This is an excellent road for riding-low traffic and not dead straight. I never really felt like I was climbing but when I crossed the South Nation River in Plantangent I had a short climb and from the top there was a wonderful vista toward the Ottawa River with a great, gradual descent. The name of this road is not on Google Maps but it is smooth, low traffic and ironically has paved shoulders. I traveled this road until Treadwell and then just stayed on the road by the river until Hawkesbury. I suspect that those going to Montebello on Sunday took this road too. It is absolutely fantastic to ride on.
After crossing into QC from Hawkesbury I went onto some of the dirt/gravel roads to make my way north and slightly east. These roads ranged from just the usual hard pack dirt that was easy to ride on to others with narly gravel sections. I had felt great but the heat, and climbing on dirt quickly started to wear me out. My last bit of gravel was to be Montee Jackson but there was a "do not enter" sign and I didn't want to take a chance of riding it only to find out that I had to turn around and come back because of bridge being out or something. This meant I was now a little lost so I headed east along Carriere and fortunately it took me to Brownsburg. From here I started climbing again along 327 until the road to Lac Louisa. The roads were fantastic- narrow with some shade, not much traffic and enough twists and turns to make it interesting. I felt that the climbing was gradual but there were two sections with 11% and 18% posted but these sections were not very long. I did come across a few other cyclists who looked like I felt - hot and tired.
This route was like three separate rides. Open and easy along the river, shorter sections of gravel/dirt and finally some decent climbing on great country roads. I highly recommend all of these roads.
On Saturday I was invited to a cottage up at Lac Louisa which is about 150km north east of Ottawa. I wanted to stay along the Ottawa River as much as possible so after riding to Rockland I hoped on Old Highway 17. This is an excellent road for riding-low traffic and not dead straight. I never really felt like I was climbing but when I crossed the South Nation River in Plantangent I had a short climb and from the top there was a wonderful vista toward the Ottawa River with a great, gradual descent. The name of this road is not on Google Maps but it is smooth, low traffic and ironically has paved shoulders. I traveled this road until Treadwell and then just stayed on the road by the river until Hawkesbury. I suspect that those going to Montebello on Sunday took this road too. It is absolutely fantastic to ride on.
After crossing into QC from Hawkesbury I went onto some of the dirt/gravel roads to make my way north and slightly east. These roads ranged from just the usual hard pack dirt that was easy to ride on to others with narly gravel sections. I had felt great but the heat, and climbing on dirt quickly started to wear me out. My last bit of gravel was to be Montee Jackson but there was a "do not enter" sign and I didn't want to take a chance of riding it only to find out that I had to turn around and come back because of bridge being out or something. This meant I was now a little lost so I headed east along Carriere and fortunately it took me to Brownsburg. From here I started climbing again along 327 until the road to Lac Louisa. The roads were fantastic- narrow with some shade, not much traffic and enough twists and turns to make it interesting. I felt that the climbing was gradual but there were two sections with 11% and 18% posted but these sections were not very long. I did come across a few other cyclists who looked like I felt - hot and tired.
This route was like three separate rides. Open and easy along the river, shorter sections of gravel/dirt and finally some decent climbing on great country roads. I highly recommend all of these roads.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Riding around Shawinigan - La Mauricie National Park
For over a quarter-century now I have been fortunate enough to make three or four visits a year to my in-laws who live in Grand-Mere Quebec (now officially amalgamated with Shawinigan). This town is beside the Mauricie River about 40km north of Trois-Rivieres so about 1.5 hours northeast of Montreal.
For the last 20 or so years (since I started riding) I have been able to take advantage of the fantastic cycling in this area. For the most part roads are in good shape, not dead straight, have light traffic, respectful drivers and more and more, narrow paved shoulders. Like much of Quebec, towns are nicely spread out about 10-15km apart so the depanneur is never too far away. The terrain is varied in that you head north and you are in the hills, head south and its pretty flat, just like Ottawa.
The ride I will detail is a staple loop in this region. I alternate between clockwise and ccw; this last weekend it was ccw. The highlight is the 65km through La Mauricie National Park. This is similar to riding in Gatineau Park except there are less cars, it is not a loop and the hills are more challenging but nothing too extreme. I started from Grand-Mere and rode north on Rue Principal. This is a great road as it borders the Mauricie River and offers spectacular views. Also this road becomes the main road in the Park, all one has to do is stay on it. Basically, once in the Park one is climbing with a series of rolling hills culminating in going past the Le Passage Lookout which is where the two photos below were taken. Since this is one of the highest points in park it is all downhill from here, with a few uphills thrown in for good measure. (As I was starting my "descent" two riders coming up the other side were high-fiving so I guess this can be considered the "queen climb") The entire length of the road is bordered by forest with breaks thrown in for lakes, swamps and streams - it is truly a beautiful place to ride. It costs $7 to enter the park, even if you are on a bike. There are many scenic areas to stop for a rest and in a couple of locations (off the main road) one can buy something to eat but I typically load my water bottles at the gate and just ride through non-stop (with the exception this time so I could take the two photos); the bugs can be fierce!
The closest village after exiting the Park is Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc. The bakery is rarely open but when it is, its the place to get delicious fresh donuts. From here I rode toward my starting point via 351. This road is in good shape, a bit busier but with a nice shoulder. It is less picturesque than the others. I hop off the 351 in Saint-Gérard-des-Laurentides and take a back road to meet up again with the 351 through St-Flore (where I was married in the beautiful old church) and into Grand-Mere. The total loop is 115km. Here is a link on Google Maps (separate window) to the area http://goo.gl/maps/TKsER. Its easy to spot the road in the Park.
When I started riding here it was rare to come across other cyclists. This is starting to change now that the Defis du Parc (www.cyclomauricie.com) takes place each September. (I have come across a few local riders who have partaken. That weekend also includes several other events - running etc.) I saw more riders this last time than ever before ie maybe 25. I also saw, for the first time, a TT bike in the Park. It caught my attention because for years I have wondered why there aren't Trigeeks all over this area-its perfect. Lots of great roads to ride on, many running routes, both on road and trail and many open water swimming options in the various lakes and rivers that dot the region. For people who like the outdoors either passively or actively this area is fantastic. It is also home to a famous canoe race, the Classique internationale de canots de la Mauricie.
I highly recommend this area and I have ridden many of the roads. Mostly paved, some gravel. There are enough options to take up several days of good riding. (The road to St. Alexis to visit the micro-brewery is another beaut.) If ever anyone has any questions about this area feel free to email me.
The photos are taken from two different platforms at Le Passage. While I was there you could see a group of canoeists heading into the distance. There are no roads north of the Park on the west side of the Mauricie River. Its a pretty wild area - On the map it simply says "Beyond here be dragons"
For the last 20 or so years (since I started riding) I have been able to take advantage of the fantastic cycling in this area. For the most part roads are in good shape, not dead straight, have light traffic, respectful drivers and more and more, narrow paved shoulders. Like much of Quebec, towns are nicely spread out about 10-15km apart so the depanneur is never too far away. The terrain is varied in that you head north and you are in the hills, head south and its pretty flat, just like Ottawa.
The ride I will detail is a staple loop in this region. I alternate between clockwise and ccw; this last weekend it was ccw. The highlight is the 65km through La Mauricie National Park. This is similar to riding in Gatineau Park except there are less cars, it is not a loop and the hills are more challenging but nothing too extreme. I started from Grand-Mere and rode north on Rue Principal. This is a great road as it borders the Mauricie River and offers spectacular views. Also this road becomes the main road in the Park, all one has to do is stay on it. Basically, once in the Park one is climbing with a series of rolling hills culminating in going past the Le Passage Lookout which is where the two photos below were taken. Since this is one of the highest points in park it is all downhill from here, with a few uphills thrown in for good measure. (As I was starting my "descent" two riders coming up the other side were high-fiving so I guess this can be considered the "queen climb") The entire length of the road is bordered by forest with breaks thrown in for lakes, swamps and streams - it is truly a beautiful place to ride. It costs $7 to enter the park, even if you are on a bike. There are many scenic areas to stop for a rest and in a couple of locations (off the main road) one can buy something to eat but I typically load my water bottles at the gate and just ride through non-stop (with the exception this time so I could take the two photos); the bugs can be fierce!
The closest village after exiting the Park is Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc. The bakery is rarely open but when it is, its the place to get delicious fresh donuts. From here I rode toward my starting point via 351. This road is in good shape, a bit busier but with a nice shoulder. It is less picturesque than the others. I hop off the 351 in Saint-Gérard-des-Laurentides and take a back road to meet up again with the 351 through St-Flore (where I was married in the beautiful old church) and into Grand-Mere. The total loop is 115km. Here is a link on Google Maps (separate window) to the area http://goo.gl/maps/TKsER. Its easy to spot the road in the Park.
When I started riding here it was rare to come across other cyclists. This is starting to change now that the Defis du Parc (www.cyclomauricie.com) takes place each September. (I have come across a few local riders who have partaken. That weekend also includes several other events - running etc.) I saw more riders this last time than ever before ie maybe 25. I also saw, for the first time, a TT bike in the Park. It caught my attention because for years I have wondered why there aren't Trigeeks all over this area-its perfect. Lots of great roads to ride on, many running routes, both on road and trail and many open water swimming options in the various lakes and rivers that dot the region. For people who like the outdoors either passively or actively this area is fantastic. It is also home to a famous canoe race, the Classique internationale de canots de la Mauricie.
I highly recommend this area and I have ridden many of the roads. Mostly paved, some gravel. There are enough options to take up several days of good riding. (The road to St. Alexis to visit the micro-brewery is another beaut.) If ever anyone has any questions about this area feel free to email me.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Ottawa to Rigaud
Countless times I have driven by “Mont” Rigaud on my way to and from Montreal. Each time I wondered what it would be like to ride there. The hill looks challenging but certainly nothing crazy. Last year, coming back from Montreal, my wife dropped me off and I rode back to Ottawa via Vankleek Hill. It was a great ride but I didn’t attempt the “Mont”.
This last weekend I was heading to Grand-Mere (refer next post) and so I decided to ride to Rigaud with my wife being good enough to pick me up in Rigaud on the way. I had two objectives. Firstly to ride up the “Mont” but also to explore the roads south of the 417.
I made my way over to Devine and then headed south on Saumure, turning left on Indian Creek. I stayed on that road through the Larose Forest and then turned right on Champlain. This is a beautiful route through the woods although about 8km of it is gravel. (This is basically the way the group rides to Montreal for the UCI race).
I turned left off Champlain on the straight road to Saint Isidore. This road is not identified on Google Maps but I think it may be #3. Its a great road with a paved shoulder that ends in Saint Isidore. I stayed on the road east of the town and took a right on another unidentified road toward Dunvegan. Its amazing to me how quickly I went from “French” Ontario to “Scottish” Ontario and transitioned from agricultural land to a mix of agricultural and forest. Once in Dunvegan I headed east to the end of that road and took a right toward Laggan. This road was already in good shape and yet I rode on a section that is freshly repaved. With the wind I was at 40kph at about 125 watts!
Next is the Laggan Glenelg Rd (according to Google) and yes I really did come across a guy practicing his bagpipes on the front lawn. This road had very little traffic and was in good shape. This area is nice to ride in-it is not dead flat but is only mildly rolling.
I stayed on this road until the Quebec border (#325) and headed left toward Rigaud. Until now there was no climbing to be done. My first attempt at the “Mount” was a right turn onto Chemin Saint Henri. This is a fantastic road. (Like Old Carp Road only longer and with better pavement) It goes over the ridge but at a gentle grade. Its like a very long false flat. The road is in good shape, there was little traffic and much of it is through dense maple forest, check it out on Street View. The descent is nice and gentle with a few vantage points to see into the distance. It ends at the 201 and in spite of its beauty the road did not offer the climbing challenge I was seeking.
To challenge myself I took a left up Chemin Saint Georges. This is quite steep in places and generally in good shape. Its a challenge but doable. I swung right at the top and stopped at Chemin Bourget. This is where the attached photo is from. Even though you are at the top one does not see much in the distance because of the trees. I decided to go down Bourget. It starts off with three steep steps and the pavement is not the best. Full attention is required as it winds its way down to Rigaud. At the bottom I decided that was the hill climb I had been looking for so I turned around and up I went. It is much harder than the other two roads. On one of the last steps I checked my SRM: (HR 165, RPM 49, W 350, Speed 8.5kph) . I made it but there were a few moments of truth. Once at the top I toured around the roads up there and went down the other side via Saint Georges. The sign there claims a grade of 11%. (Next time I will try coming up this side of St. Georges.)
This area, both on top and below the ridge, is covered in beautiful forest with paved roads and low traffic. (201 was busy but has a wide paved shoulder. Along 201 and Saint Henri are lovely horse farms, polo fields etc). My total ride was less than 175km. Its not realistic to ride from Ottawa tour around and then ride back in one day but I highly recommend a remote start anywhere in the region. Saint Henri, although not a challenge, was a real highlight.
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