Want to stay cycle fit this fall and winter? Carmen Diges' superb indoor cycling training sessions at the Adelaide Club start again on Wednesday, January 9. And these are not your run-of-the-mill spin classes. Carmen is a certified Master spinning instructor, coach and competitive cyclist; she carefully tailors her classes and tests participants' progress to improve performance and meet personal goals. Plus, the Adelaide, at Adelaide and Bay Sts., now has new, state-of-the-art Stages bikes, with power meter technology.
Sign up soon. Classes are from 6:35 to 7:35 p.m. Wednesdays. The eight-week series starts Nov.7, and is $90 plus HST. Four sessions are $50 plus HST. Please register with Lauren at 416-367-9957 x 4309 or lauren@adelaideclub.com.
Hello Ice Skaters,
Host for this evening is Fred Lee.
For first timers to Friday evening ice skating, a TBN membership is not required. We skate on public rinks. Admission is free to almost all rinks. A few rinks have skate rentals. We skate for about one and half hours and then head to a restaurant near by for dinner.
Catherine Whitfield - ice skating coordinator
iceskate@tbn.ca
For Sunday, January 20, the weather forecast is indicating 5 to 10 cm of snow the previous day, and on Sunday, cold temperatures (-18C to -16C), 30 Km/h NW winds, with gusts to 45 Km/h. Please check the website after 8 AM on Sunday, just in case this walk is cancelled.
Due to this potentially nasty weather, I plan on walking in a mostly southerly direction, in locations where buildings should provide some protection, and will stay close to subway stations to make it easy to leave early. I also plan on having a few breaks at indoor locations where we can warm up.
Meet at 10 AM at the Tim Hortons at 2245 Yonge St, on the east side of Yonge just south of Eglinton, near the Eglinton subway station. We will walk mostly down Yonge, then Bloor towards Spadina, and ending in Chinatown, a distance of about 8 Km. We can end there, getting on a Spadina streetcar, or walk to St Patrick station (8.7 Km), or Dundas station (9.4 Km).
The planned route is available on Ride With GPS at: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29191158
The approximate distances to early exits and break locations are:
0.0 Km - Eglinton Station 1.4 Km - Davisville Station (early exit) 2.5 Km - Tim Hortons, 1521 Yonge (coffee/bathroom break) 2.6 Km - St Clair Station (early exit) 3.4 Km - Summerhill Station (early exit) 4.0 Km - Rosedale Station (early exit) 4.8 Km - Bloor/Yonge (break & early exit) 6.0 Km - St George Station (early exit) 6.6 Km - Sid Smith Hall (bathroom break) 8.0 Km - Dundas & Spadina (lunch stop & exit to Spadina streetcars) 8.7 Km - St Patrick Station (exit to Spadina Subway Line) 9.4 Km - Dundas Station (exit to Yonge Subway Line)
0.0 Km - Eglinton Station
1.4 Km - Davisville Station (early exit)
2.5 Km - Tim Hortons, 1521 Yonge (coffee/bathroom break)
2.6 Km - St Clair Station (early exit)
3.4 Km - Summerhill Station (early exit)
4.0 Km - Rosedale Station (early exit)
4.8 Km - Bloor/Yonge (break & early exit)
6.0 Km - St George Station (early exit)
6.6 Km - Sid Smith Hall (bathroom break)
8.0 Km - Dundas & Spadina (lunch stop & exit to Spadina streetcars)
8.7 Km - St Patrick Station (exit to Spadina Subway Line)
9.4 Km - Dundas Station (exit to Yonge Subway Line)
There is currently a scheduled subway "late opening" from Osgoode to Bloor-Yonge, in case that affects your travel plans, but please check https://www.ttc.ca/Service_Advisories/Subway_closures/index.jsp for any changes.
Non-members are welcome. This is an official TBN event, so they will be asked to sign the waiver form, but, like all winter walks, will not be charged the non-member fee.
If you have trouble finding us at the start, please call me on my cell at 416-917-8866. If I don't answer, try again, as I may miss the first call.
John Burdett - TBN City Walk Coordinator
Hi Ice Skaters,
We are skating at Regent Park this evening. This rink is located at 480 Shuter St. and has heated change rooms. By TTC, take 505 Dundas streetcar, either direction, and get off at Sumach St. and walk south by walkways to the rink or take the Queen streetcar and get off at Sumach St. and walk north to the rink. We will skate until 8:00 pm and head to a restaurant near by for dinner.
Host for this evening is George Witte.
For first timers to Friday evening ice skating, a TBN membership is not required. We skate on public rinks. Admission is free to almost all rinks. A few rinks have skate rentals. We skate for about one and half hours and then head to a restaurant nearby for dinner.
Scheduled Winter City Walk - Start location and other information to be posted by the Wednesday before the walk. Walks begin at 10 AM and are typically about 10 Km. A shorter, slower walk may be available, as well.
Non-members are welcome. They will be asked to sign the waiver form but will not be charged the non-member fee.
For more information check the TBN website under PROGRAMS - FALL/WINTER - CITY WALKS (https://tbn.ca/programs/fallwinter/citywalks) for a description of the Winter Walk program. If you have any questions, email me at citywalks@tbn.ca.
John Burdett - City Walk Coordinator
We will be skating at the Bentway Trail at 250 Fort York Blvd. By TTC there are several chooses, take the 511 Bathurst streecar and get of at Fort York Blvd. and walk west to the rink, take the 509 Harbourfront streetcar and get off at Fleet St. and walk north, or take the 121 Fort York - Esplanade bus east and get off Gzowski Blvd. The Bentway Trail has skate rentals. We will skate to about 8:00 pm and then go to a restaurant near by for dinner. Public skating is from 5 to 9 pm.
Terry Walsh is the host.
For first timers to Friday evening ice skating, a TBN membership is not required. We skate on public rinks. Admission is free for almost all rinks. A few rinks have skate rentals. We skate for about one and half hours and then head to a restaurant nearby for dinner.
Catherine Whitfield, ice skating coordinator
Please register online for this outing. You can pay by Credit Card, PayPal, or by cheque. If you are paying by cheque, download the sign up sheet from the link below. Include a cheque made payable to "The Toronto Bicycling Network, Inc.".
For more information, download the Information file below:
Information PDF: InformationWolfDen2019.pdf
Sign Up Sheet PDF: SignUpSheetWolfDen2019.pdf
When you register and complete payment, you will receive an automated email with a linik to download a Confirmation document providing directions to the Hostel, an itinerary, and some extra information. Please book before Sunday, 03 February 2019.
Plates, cups, cutlery, pillows, bedding, linens, and towels are all provided. Showers and washrooms are in the main lodge. You only need to bring clothing, winter gear, and something for the potluck dinner Saturday.
While we will not directly organize car pooling, we will help in the process. See the information document for more details.
The hostel is about a three hour drive North from Toronto on Highways 400, 11, and 60.
paul price & Brenda Sweet 905-567-1035 (home, no voicemail)
Email: pbtrips@tbn.ca
Trying again to skate at Hodgson Senior Public School grounds located at 276 Davisville Rd ( and Mount Pleasant Rd.). By TTC - take the subway to Davisville station and either 1) take bus # 11 east, get off at Mount Pleasant Rd., walk east, and the rink is located behind the school or 2) walk east along Davisville Rd., cross over Mount Pleasant Rd., and the rink is located behind the school. By car, there is parking lot behind the school off of Millwood Rd. (one block north of Davisville and from Mount Pleasant). We will skate to about 8:00 pm and head to a restaurant near by.
For first timers to Friday evening ice skating, a TBN membership is not required. We skate on public rinks. Admission is free to almost all rinks. A few rinks have skate rentals. We skate for about one and half hours and then head to restaurant nearby for dinner.
Julie Postil is your host.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here Guest rider registration - $5: click here Caution notes: please ride single file on the paved shoulder on Aurora Rd between McCowan Rd and Highway 48. Please also take extra care as you go south on Highway 48, and then turn left/east across Highway 48 onto Lakeshore Rd. Time to dig out from winter and head into the countryside north of the city! Opening day for the 2019 Wednesday Wheelies season will be March 27 This week's rides of 61, 80 or 97 km will start from the Victoria Square Community Centre, just east of the 404 on Elgin Mills Road. The maps and cue sheets indicate that the designated lunch stops for the rides are at two golf clubs. However, the golf clubs are unlikely to be open at this time of year. Thus, we suggest you stop in either the Musselman Lake area (the short route) or Mt. Albert (the medium and long routes), or you can bring a lunch or snack with you.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here Guest rider registration - $5: click here A 63, 89 or 102 km ride north from King City up into the Holland Marsh (Wikipedia article) to Bradford, Schomberg or Tottenham. The 63 km ride will lunch in Bradford at either Tim Hortons or Coffee Culture Cafe & Eatery . The medium ride will lunch at the Grackle Coffee in Schomberg. The long ride will lunch at the Foodland in Tottenham. Meet for a 10 am departure at the Municipal Parking Lot located at the northwest corner of King Road and Keele Street.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 37, 59, 80, or 99 km ride east and north from Stouffville with lunch at Annina’s Bakeshop (reviews) in Goodwood. Meet for a 10 am departure at the Free Parking Lot on Park Drive just south of Main Street in Stouffville. To get to the start, drive north on Hwy 404 to Stouffville Rd, and then go east into Stouffville. Facilities are available at many of the chain restaurants and gas stations as you come into Stouffville.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS links: click here Weather forecast: click here Caution note: the medium and long routes cross Highway 9 at kilometre 33.2. Highway 9 can be busy, including with trucks. Cross carefully. Gravel stretch: the long route has a 1.5 km stretch of unsealed road lined with wonderful stately trees shortly after passing Upper Canada Camp and turning west towards Orangeville. A 67, 80 or 97 km ride from Schomberg, with lunch at The Hockley General Store and Restaurant in Hockley (review). Meet for a 10 am departure at the Arena parking lot in Schomberg. The Arena is on the west side of Main Street in Schomberg, just south of Hwy 9. Need pre-ride facilities or a coffee? Tims is nearby (map).
Horse fences photo by Allen McGregor / CC BY 2.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 62, 78 or 96 km ride from Mt. Albert to Uxbridge for lunch at the Tin Cup Caffe (reviews). Meet for a 10 am departure at the Community Centre on the south side of Main St in Mt. Albert.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here Caution note: please ride single file on the 1.5 km stretch on Highway 7 coming into Rockwood. This is a 63, 80 or 98 km ride from Boston, Ont. north through picturesque Glen Eden (and also Limehouse and its old lime kilns on the medium and long routes) to Rockwood for lunch at either the Whistle Stop or Goodfellows Field to Fork (reviews). Meet for a 10 am departure at the Boston Presbyterian Church (some history). For a pre-ride pit stop, there is a Tim Hortons on the left just past the first traffic light after you get onto Hwy 25 (map).
Driving directions: click here
RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 62, 88, or 107 km ride from the village of Ashburn to Enniskillen. The lunch stop is at the picnic tables in Enniskillen. You can either bring your lunch, or purchase something at the adjacent convenience store. The medium and long routes can also stop for refreshments at Tyrone Mills. Meet for a 9 am departure at Ashburn Community Park on the west side of Ashburn Road, 200 m north of the main intersection (map). There is a porta potty at the end of the parking lot. Enniskillen was the birth place of brothers Sam McLaughlin who operated the McLaughlin Motor Car Co. (which later became General Motors of Canada) and John James McLaughlin who founded the Canada Dry soft drinks business. Sadly, the Canada Dry brand no longer has any connection to Canada. It is owned by the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. out of Plano, Texas, a multinational corporation that also distributes 7 Up, A&W Root Beer, Clamato, Yoo-hoo, and countless other brands. (link to Canada Dry story)
In each of the last two years, a group of Wednesday Wheelie types have headed down to Hornell for some cycling in the northern Allegheny Highlands (click here for Wikipedia article). The Highlands are part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the Eastern United States and Canada. In less technological times they posed a significant barrier to land travel in eastern North America. In our era, they are a hidden cycling gem - great scenery, terrific roads and, best of all, lots of challenging hills. We are therefore now scheduling two Hornell outings for 2019 - once in the spring and again in the fall. The spring outing will be from Tuesday May 14 to Thursday May 16. If you think you might be interested in joining the Wednesday Wheelie Hornell peloton for this outing, please read on. In 2018 some of our friends from the Niagara Freewheeler also joined us. We hope that some of them will be back with us in 2019, and perhaps also a few friends from elsewhere.
Accommodation We will be staying in the Econo Lodge (website) in North Hornell which is a short distance south west of the Finger Lakes. Please call the hotel directly at 607-324-0800 to make your reservation. Tell them that you are part of the Wednesday Wheelies group and ask them to put you in the "New Building". It's a separate structure of 18 large rooms, all of which are non-smoking. If you run into any confusion trying to make your booking, we suggest you call back when Eric is on duty. There are also about 50 additional rooms in the other buildings. You can expect to pay around $60 per night, including breakfast. Don't try and use one of the many of the online booking options as you may actually pay more, and you probably won't be able to ask to be put in the New Building. We suggest you drive down on the Monday evening and stay through until the Thursday morning. However, if you want to come for either a shorter or longer stay, no problem.
The Scenery As mentioned above, the region is very hilly, and so not for the faint of heart (sorry). You may wish to consider using a granny gear bike. There are some really long beautiful remote stretches on all of the routes. It will be impossible to avoid enjoying the scenery, even when you are climbing! You may even decide that the scenery is spectacular. Be sure to bring along some sort of camera device.
The Rides We've plotted hilly rides for the first two days. On the third day, there will two around a lake options - one flat and the other hilly. Click here to see RWGPS plots of the rides (click on the "Show all on map" button in order to see the big picture). The RWGPS link includes some other options for anyone choosing to stay longer than three days. As the event approaches, we will refine parking lot information, refreshment stops and other details, and some nits will be fixed. Start times for the rides will tentatively be 9:30. There will be a short drive to the start locations on the first two days, and a slightly longer drive to the start location for the rides around the lake on the third day.
After Ride Socializing and Dinner Each day after the ride, we will meet in the parking lot outside our rooms for some after ride socializing and rehydrating. We will generally head off as a group around 6 pm for dinner at one of the local restaurants.
Flexibility Since we all be staying in the same hotel and will likely be a fairly small group, we will have the flexibility to change details to suit the circumstances (e.g., start times or restaurant details).
Weather and Cancelling Your Hotel Reservation Click here to check out the weather forecast for Hornell (this page also includes also includes links to 14 day and 7 day forecasts). If the weather looks like it will be really lousy, you will be able to cancel your hotel reservation without penalty up to 11 am on the day before your scheduled arrival. If we have one bad day of weather, Corning is a very touristy town about an hour away that's worth a visit. Of particular interest is the Corning Glass Museum (website) where you can learn all about glass making and how Corning developed Pyrex, Corelle, fiber optic cable, gorilla glass and other game changing technical glass products. Another bad weather day option would be a visit to Ithaca and Cornell University.
Driving For driving directions, click here. Google Maps estimates the driving time to be 3.5 hours in good conditions. Of course, there is the border and possible traffic delays. Hence, we recommend that you drive down on the Monday evening. In order to avoid roaming charges on your phone, you may wish to download the Google Maps sections for the area before leaving home. This will allow you to put your phone in airplane mode after crossing the the border. In addition to using Google Maps to get to the hotel, you will also find it useful for finding parking lots, restaurants, etc.
Registration If you think you are likely to join us, please click on the registration button on the left and register as soon as possible. If you change your mind at any point, not an issue. However, it will be very helpful to us if you register so that we have a reasonable sense of our likely numbers.
Suggestions or Questions If you have any suggestions for changes or refinements to the proposed program, we will be very happy to hear them. Also, if you have any questions about the event, please feel free to contact us.
RWGPS and PDF links: click here
Weather forecast: click here
Caution note: shortly after the lunch stop there is a dangerous left turn. It's where you turn left off Appelby Line and cross over to Side Rd 2. The turn is on a bend and so there are visibility issues in both directions. Consider pulling over to the right side of the road and stopping so that you can look carefully in both directions before crossing over (the "Safer Left Turn").
A 67, 85, or 103 km ride from Hornby to Lowville. Lunch will be at the Lowville Golf Club on Britannia Rd just outside Lowville. The picture at the top of this page is an early picture of the Lowville United Church just down the road from our lunch stop. Click here for some interesting history of the church. Meet for a 9 am departure at Hornby Park. Facilities are available at the Tim Horton's/Petro Canada at the lights as you turn onto Steeles.
Rattlesnake Point photo by Alexander Synaptic / CC BY-NC 2.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 58, 73 or 90 km ride from Keswick along the shores of Lake Simcoe through Stephen Leacock territory past Sibbald Point Provincial Park to Virginia Beach Marina. The medium and long routes then turn inland while the short route returns back along the shores of Lake Simcoe. Lunch for all three routes will be at Tim Horton's on Dalton Rd. Meet for a 9 am departure at the Georgina Ice Palace, just off Woodbine Ave in Keswick.
Cook's Bay photo by Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 69, 85 or 102 km ride starting from Caledon East. Lunch for the short route will be at the Higher Ground Coffee Co in Belfountain. The medium route and long routes will stop at the Tin Cup Café in Erin. Meet for a 9 am departure from the Caledon East Community Complex. When you arrive, please park along the perimeter of the parking lot away from the building. There are washrooms in the building.
Forks of the Credit Turn Pike photo by Michael Gil / CC BY 2.0
If you haven't joined TBN yet, you can ride as a guest. Click HERE to register. There is a $5 fee. You must be 18 or over.
Meet at the parking lot in Etienne Brule Park - Map. The ride follows the Humber River and goes in a loop on streets and through parks. The apres-ride is at Brydens, 2455 Bloor Street West.
Departure Time: 6:00 PM Distance: 25 km Typical Speed: 16 to 22 km/h Online interactive map: RWGPSFile to print: Official PDF
Use the links on the RWGPS website to put the route onto your mobile device, and to customize the map and cue sheet if you wish to print your own layout and font size.
Helmets and lights (front and back) are required. Please bring your TBN membership card. Check the website 2 hours before the ride for last minute info. More on FNR and upcoming rides.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click hereWeather forecast: click here Caution note: there is a 1.6 km busy stretch on County Rd 2 heading north starting at km 8.6. It's largely downhill and there is an extra lane or good paved shoulder for the first half of the distance. However, the paving then becomes quite rough. Thus, reduce your speed and keep your distance from the cyclist in front along this stretch. As always, emphasize your presence with a good rear flashing red light. A 62 or 88 km ride from the village of Ashburn through the Oak Ridges Morraine to lunch at either the Nestleton Country Store in Nestleton or the Wolf Run Golf Club just after Janetville. Meet for a 9 am departure at Ashburn Community Park on the west side of Ashburn Road, 200 m north of the main crossroads in Ashton.
Oak Ridges Moraine photo by Rick Harris / CC BY-SA 2.0
In 2017 and 2018 the Wednesday Wheelies left the "safety" of our Toronto area countryside and headed up to Collingwood for three days great riding and socializing. In 2019 we'll be heading back to Collingwood on Tuesday June 12, Wednesday June 13 and Thursday June 14. Collingwood has some great hills with fantastic road surfaces (click here for some examples), and so there will definitely be some hill climbing during this event. However, there are also some trail riding options for the less vertically inclined. In addition, Collingwood has a terrific selection of hotels, restaurants, shops and other facilities. We'll take advantage of some of these amenities during our visit. We realize that a multi-day midweek event is difficult for the working members of our group (sorry). However, we hope that the event will be sufficiently attractive that at least some of the working members will be enticed to make the event part of their annual holidays. The event is a Wednesday Wheelies event. However, we will be delighted if other members of the TBN join us. As the time of the event approaches, the details below (e.g., routes, restaurants, etc.) will be refined and finalized.
The Routes All the routes are available on RWGPS. If you would like to see a consolidated map of all of them on RWGPS, click here, and then click on the button at the bottom left titled "Show all on map". Schedule Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Accommodation You are on your own in finding accommodation. Because the event is a midweek event before the start of the school summer holidays, our understanding is that you should not have any difficulty in finding accommodation and that the prices should be reasonable. The choices in Collingwood range from backpacker dormitories to five star luxury hotels. And of course some people may be lucky enough to be able to stay with family or friends who have a property in the area. Although we will not have a headquarters hotel for the event, we have done a little bit of digging around for options. The Luxury Inn, Comfort Inn and Days Inn are all centrally located, modern and reasonably priced. The Luxury Inn will likely be the cheapest. With luck, you may be able to get mid week, pre season pricing at the other options. The Milestone Motel is an old style drive up. It may be a little cheaper yet. It's well located and has very good reviews. Everything is Optional If you choose to participate in the event, it will be totally optional as to whether you ride all three days, and attend all the social functions. If you wish to have a non-riding partner join you, terrific. And if you wish to play golf or participate in some other activity, no problem. Our big picture goal is simply to have an out-of-town cycling meet-up in June in a lovely location where there will also be opportunities for socializing. Registration If you think you will likely participate in “The Wednesday Wheelies Go to Collingwood”, please click on the button at the left and register as soon as possible (including for your partner, if applicable). If you change your mind at any time, not an issue. Just let us know at wedwheelie@tbn.ca and we'll delete your registration. And if at any time you have an idea for enhancing the fun factor of the event, please let us know. We want to make the event a highlight of your 2019 cycling season! The Wednesday Wheelies Crew
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 74 or 96 km ride from Schomberg to Caledon East. The lunch stop is at the Trailside Bistro & Cafe which has an outside sitting area. Meet for a 9 am departure at the Schomberg Community & Agricultural Arena parking lot in Schomberg. The Arena is on the west side of Main Street in Schomberg, just south of Hwy 9. Need pre-ride facilities or a coffee? Tims is nearby (map). Horse fences photo by Allen McGregor / CC BY 2.0
If the weather is nice and we have a good turnout, we will take our annual Wednesday Wheelie group picture before heading off. If you own a TBN cycling jersey, please remember to wear it. If you have an extra one that someone else might be able to wear for the picture, please bring it. Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 62, 78 or 96 km ride from Mt. Albert to Uxbridge for lunch at the Tin Cup Caffe (reviews). Meet for a 9 am departure at the Community Centre on the south side of Main St in Mt. Albert. Click here to go to the website of Lucy Maud Montgomery Society of Ontario from which the above picture is taken. The house is in Leaksdale near Zephyr just north of Uxbridge and is where many of Lucy Maud Montgomery's novels, including many of the Ann of Green Gables series, were written.
The group departs Square One (Duke of York Blvd and Burnhamthorpe Rd) at 6:00 AM. Plan to arrive by 5:30 AM at Mississauga Celebration Square to sign in, find your group, and get in the group picture at 5:50 AM. You have until midnight to complete the ride. A set of lights is mandatory for those participants who finish after dusk (past the 13.5 hour mark).
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here Caution note: there is a nasty left turn on both the medium (km 53.6) and long (km 86.6) routes. It's where you turn left off Appelby Line and cross over to Side Rd 2. The turn is on a bend and so there are visibility issues in both directions. Consider pulling over to the right side of the road and stopping so that you can look carefully in both directions before crossing over (the "Safer Left Turn").
A 61, 78, or 108 km ride from Campbellville past Waterdown, with lunch at the Lowville Golf Club (website). The Lowville Golf Club is on Britannia Road on the right, one driveway past Conservation Halton and 400 metres before the church at Guelph Line where we used to turn left to descend down into Lowville. The Club has sandwiches or full meals. The long route may also wish to stop at the Carlisle Golf Club (website). Meet for a 9 am departure at the Campbellville Lions Club Hall. The entrance to the parking lot is just south of the railway tracks in Campbellville. There is a Porta Potty in the Campbellville Conservation Area just before crossing the tracks.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 37, 59, 80, or 99 km ride east and north from Stouffville with lunch at Annina’s Bakeshop in Goodwood (reviews). Meet for a 9 am departure at the Parking Lot on Park Drive just south of Main Street in Stouffville. To get to the start, drive north on Hwy 404 to Stouffville Rd, and then go east into Stouffville. Facilities are available at many of the chain restaurants and gas stations as you come into Stouffville. Butter Tarts photo by Rob Campbell / CC BY-NC 2.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here
A 67, 78 or 91 km ride starting from the Glen Williams Ball Field. These are new routes for 2019. They include some short, but very attractive and passable, unpaved stretches. Lunch stops are available Ray's Third Generation in Alton, the Higher Ground Coffee Co in Belfountain or the General Store in Inglewood. Meet for a 9 am departure at the Glen Williams Ball Field
Glen Williams Panorama photo by Ken Heaton / CC BY-SA 4.0
Want to explore some new riding areas in Ontario. On July 10 and 11, we are going ride out of Welland. On the Wednesday, we'll work our way down to and along the shores of Lake Erie. On the Thursday, we'll explore the Niagara Escarpment to the west of St. Catharines. If you are potentially interested, please read on.
Accommodation We'll be staying at the Niagara College residence on the Wednesday evening. The rooms can accommodate two persons and are in pairs with shared washroom facilities. To book your room, call the college at 905-732-9700 and advise them that you are part of the Wednesday Wheelies. The cost per room (including for a second person in the room if applicable) should be around $85. The address of the residence is 110 Niagara College Boulevard, Welland, ON L3C 7L4.
The Rides Each day there will be a short option and a long option. The Wednesday rides will start from the college at 11 am. The Thursday rides will start from the college at 9 am. To see the routes, click here. To see all the routes on a single map, click on the button titled "Show all on map". In the coming weeks, we'll be refining the route details and adding the short routes.
After Ride Socializing and Dinner After the ride on Wednesday, we'll be heading to the Smokin' Bhudda in Port Colborne for some after ride summer socializing and dinner. The restaurant is in the old Port Colborne train station adjacent to the Welland Canal. To go to the restaurant website, click here. To read the Trip Advisor reviews, click here.
Why Not Niagara Falls? We have intentionally avoided Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake. The two towns and the roads in that area are quite busy and therefore less than optimal for cycling.
Driving Driving time to the Niagara College residence should generally be between 1.5 and 2 hours. For driving directions, click here.
RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 62, 88, or 107 km ride from the village of Ashburn to Enniskillen. The lunch stop is at the picnic tables in Enniskillen. You can either bring your lunch, or purchase something at the adjacent convenience store. The medium and long routes can also stop for refreshments at Tyrone Mills. Meet for a 9 am departure at Ashburn Community Park on the west side of Ashburn Road, 200 m north of the main intersection. There is a porta potty at the end of the parking lot.
Oak Ridges Moraine Scenery photo by Rick Harris / CC BY-SA 2.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here Caution note: please ride single file on the 1.5 km stretch on Guelph Line coming into Rockwood. This is a 63, 79 or 97 km ride from Boston, Ont. north through picturesque Glen Eden (and also Limehouse and its old lime kilns on the medium and long routes) to Rockwood for lunch at either Saunders Bakery or Goodfellows Field to Fork (reviews). Meet for a 9 am departure at the Boston Presbyterian Church (some history). For a pre-ride pit stop, there is a Tim Hortons on the right just past the first traffic light after you get onto Hwy 25. Blue Peugeot Bicycle photo by Jean-Pierre / CC BY-SA 2.0
Kiting on Lake Simcoe photo by Vladimir / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Cheltenham Badlands photo by Joe deSousa / CC0 1.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS links: click here Weather forecast: click here Gravel stretch: the short route has a gravel stretch on Ashworth Rd beginning at kilometre 30. The paved alternative would be to go on Sandford Rd which sometimes has significant traffic (including trucks from the local quarries). A 68 or 89 km ride (or an 81 km strade bianchi variation partially on unpaved roads) from Stouffville to Uxbridge for lunch at the Tin Cup Caffe (reviews). Meet for a 9 am departure at the Free Parking Lot on Park Drive just south of Main Street in Stouffville. Drive north on Hwy 404 to the Stouffville Rd, and then drive east into Stouffville. Facilities are available at many of the chain restaurants and gas stations as you come into Stouffville.
Uxbridge photo by Chris Harte / CC BY 2.0
Caution note: there is a 1.6 km busy stretch on County Rd 2 heading north starting at km 8.6. It's largely downhill and there is an extra lane or good paved shoulder for the first half of the distance. However, the paving then becomes quite rough. Thus, reduce your speed and keep your distance from the cyclist in front along this stretch. As always, emphasize your presence with a good rear flashing red light. A 62 or 88 km ride from the village of Ashburn through the Oak Ridges Moraine to lunch at either the Nestleton Country Store in Nestleton or the Wolf Run Golf Club just after Janetville. Meet for a 9 am departure at Ashburn Community Park on the west side of Ashburn Road, 200 m north of the main intersection.
Fallen Comrade photo by Rick Harris / CC BY-SA 2.0
Want to explore some new riding areas in Ontario. On August 21 and 22, we are going ride out of Trent University in the Kawartha Lakes area of Ontario. On the Wednesday, we'll .... On the Thursday, we'll .... If you are potentially interested, please read on.
Accommodation We'll be staying at the Trent University residence on the Wednesday evening. The rooms have double beds and are in pairs with shared washroom facilities. To book your room, call the college at 705-748-1011 ext 7757 any time after February 15 and advise them that you are part of the Wednesday Wheelies. The cost per room should be around $65 (including if a second person occupies the room).
After Ride Socializing and Dinner After the ride on Wednesday, we'll be heading to Hot Belly Mama's for some after ride summer socializing and dinner. The restaurant specializes in New Orleans style cuisine (including Cajun vegetarian specialities).
Driving Driving time to Trent should generally be between 1.5 and 2 hours. For driving directions, click here.
Weather forecast: click here A 67, 85, or 103 km ride from Hornby to Campbellville. Lunch will be at the Trail Eatery in Campbellville.
Meet for a 9 am departure at Hornby Park. Facilities are available at the Tim Horton's/Petro Canada at the lights as you turn left onto Steeles.
Train near Campbellville photo by Milan Suvajac / CC BY-SA 4.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here Caution note: the medium and long routes cross Highway 9 at kilometre 33.2. Highway 9 can be busy, including with trucks. Cross carefully. Gravel stretch: the long route has a 1.5 km stretch of unsealed road lined with wonderful stately trees shortly after passing Upper Canada Camp and turning west towards Orangeville. A 67, 80 or 97 km ride from Schomberg, with lunch at The Hockley General Store and Restaurant in Hockley (review). Meet for a 9 am departure at the Arena parking lot in Schomberg. Need pre-ride facilities or a coffee? Tims is nearby (map).
Our fall outing to Hornell will from Tuesday 10 to Thursday September 12. Hornell is in the northern Allegheny Highlands (click here for Wikipedia article). The Highlands are part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the Eastern United States and Canada. In less technological times they posed a significant barrier to land travel in eastern North America. In our era, they are a hidden cycling gem - great scenery, terrific roads and, best of all, lots of challenging hills.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 58, 73 or 90 km ride from Keswick along the shores of Lake Simcoe through Stephen Leacock territory past Sibbald Point Provincial Park to Virginia Beach Marina. The medium and long routes then turn inland while the short route returns back along the shores of Lake Simcoe. Lunch for all three routes will be at Tim Horton's on Dalton Rd in Sutton. Meet for a 9 am departure at the Georgina Ice Palace, just off Woodbine Ave in Keswick.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 37, 59, 80, or 99 km ride east and north from Stouffville with lunch at Annina’s Bakeshop in Goodwood (reviews). Meet for a 9 am departure at the Free Parking Lot on Park Drive just south of Main Street in Stouffville. To get to the start, drive north on Hwy 404 to Stouffville Rd, and then go east into Stouffville. Facilities are available at many of the chain restaurants and gas stations as you come into Stouffville.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 74 or 96 km ride from Schomberg to Caledon East. The lunch stop is the Trailside Bistro & Cafe in Caledon East which has an outside sitting area. Meet for a 9 am departure at the Schomberg Community & Agricultural Arena parking lot in Schomberg.
Puddle in the Parking Lot photo by b k / CC BY-SA 2.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 62, 88, or 107 km ride from the village of Ashburn to Enniskillen. The lunch stop is at the picnic tables in Enniskillen. You can either bring your lunch, or purchase something at the adjacent convenience store. The medium and long routes can also stop for refreshments at Tyrone Mills. Meet for a 9 am departure at Ashburn Community Park on the west side of Ashburn Road, 200 m north of the main intersection. There is a porta potty at the end of the parking lot.
Hockley Valley in the Fall photo by Nadia Prigoda-Lee/ CC BY 2.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 69, 85 or 102 km ride starting from Caledon East. Lunch for the short route will be at the Higher Ground Coffee Co in Belfountain. The medium route and long routes will stop at the Tin Cup Café in Erin. Meet for a 10 am departure from the Caledon East Community Complex. When you arrive, please park along the perimeter of the parking lot away from the building. There are washrooms in the building.
Forks of the Credit photo by Michael Gil / CC BY 2.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 37, 59, 80, or 99 km ride east and north from Stouffville with lunch at Annina’s Bakeshop in Goodwood (reviews). Meet for a 10 am departure at the Free Parking Lot on Park Drive just south of Main Street in Stouffville. To get to the start, drive north on Hwy 404 to Stouffville Rd, and then go east into Stouffville. Facilities are available at many of the chain restaurants and gas stations as you come into Stouffville.
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here A 63, 89 or 102 km ride north from King City up into the Holland Marsh (Wikipedia article) to Bradford, Schomberg or Tottenham. The 63 km ride will lunch in Bradford at either Tim Hortons or Coffee Culture Cafe & Eatery . The medium ride will lunch at the Grackle Coffee in Schomberg. The long ride will lunch at the Foodland in Tottenham. Meet for a 10 am departure at the Municipal Parking Lot located at the northwest corner of King Road and Keele Street.
Decaying Bridge photo by Adrian Smith / CC BY-NC 2.0
Driving directions: click here RWGPS and PDF links: click here Weather forecast: click here Caution notes: please ride single file on the paved shoulder on Aurora Rd between McCowan Rd and Highway 48. Please also take extra care as you go south on Highway 48, and then turn left/east across Highway 48 onto Lakeshore Rd. Time to get ready for winter. This will be the last official ride of the season. The rides of 61, 80 or 97 km will start at 10 am from the Victoria Square Community Centre, just east of the 404 on Elgin Mills Road. The maps and cue sheets indicate that the designated lunch stops for the rides are at two golf clubs. However, the golf clubs are unlikely to be open at this time of year. Thus, we suggest you stop in either the Musselman Lake area (the short route) or Mt. Albert (the medium and long routes), or you can bring a lunch or snack with you.
Season's End photo by Hailey E. Herrera / CC BY 2.0
This will be our last get together before the long coffee break of the Canadian winter. We'll at the “Marché Restaurant” in Brookfield Place (formerly BCE Place) on Yonge Street just north of Front at 9:30 AM. Please register at your earliest convenience. We need to get a reasonable fix on numbers in order for the restaurant to set aside the appropriately sized room for us. Please also feel free to register your partner for the event. We are again structuring the event as a brunch. The idea is to get in and out of the restaurant before the crush and chaos of the lunch hour. Socializing and coffee drinking will start at 9:30 AM. As we feel hungry we will head off to the various stations to pick up food. Because we will be in and out of the restaurant before the lunch hour, the restaurant will be able to give us a private room. To register, simply click on the "Register" box in the blue area to the left and follow the instructions. Problem with online registration? Send an e-mail to wedwheelie@tbn.ca and say you are coming. Need to cancel for whatever reason? No problem. Again, just email us at wedwheelie@tbn.ca.
