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.
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