Ontario By Bike E-News: July 2022 | |
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A Local's Guide to Road and Gravel
Cycling in Caledon
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A “community of communities” stretching from the borders of Brampton to the edge of Orangeville, Caledon’s incredible landscape along the Niagara Escarpment, scenic roads, trails and its many attractions, have made it one of the best places to cycle in Southern Ontario. As with any popular destination, many of the roads in the area can be extremely busy with car traffic on weekends. The challenge, and the reward, come from knowing which roads to choose when cycling. For this blog we recruited local experts to guide you to the safest and most scenic cycling routes in Caledon. | |
Celebrate the Cycling Season in Perth County, Stratford & St. Marys | |
You’re invited to discover this unique cycle region this season!
Celebrate the cycle season within the beautiful regions of Perth County, Stratford and St. Marys! With so many opportunities for exploration both on and off the trails, you’ll need a few days away to soak it all in.
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Cyclists Survey: Perth County | |
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Have you cycled in Perth County, Stratford, St. Marys in the past 3 years?
If so, we would greatly value your input through a survey we are conducting, as we are working with Perth County who are undertaking initiatives to improve the cycling experience for visitors and residents.
For reference, see Perth County Cycling Map HERE.
*Please respond before: August 5, 2022.
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10th Annual & 2022
Cycling in Ontario Guide
View our annual Cycling in Ontario / Le vélo en Ontario guide online. Find ride ideas, resources and info to inspire your next bike adventure. OntarioByBike.ca/2022
View all past editions at: OntarioByBike.ca/Ten
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2022 Award Winners
Ontario's Best Bicycle Friendly Businesses
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We are pleased to announce the 2022 Bicycle Friendly Business Award Winners. This is the fourth year of our awards, where we select one Ontario By Bike certified bicycle friendly business from each of the 13 tourism regions in Ontario.
Find a full list of all 2022 winners at: OntarioByBike.ca/2022AwardWinners
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Over the coming months and in each e-newsletter we will feature each award recipient. Consider stopping in at one of these locations on your next cycling adventure in their region as they have all taken the extra steps offering services and amenities to welcome cyclists. | |
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Quayle's Brewery
Oro-Medonte, ON
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Located on a beautiful rural property between Coldwater and Orillia, Quayle’s Brewery offers farm fresh craft beer, spring water, a delicious menu with local ingredients, live music, beer tastings and tours, yard games, bike repair stations, washrooms and parking, and all with friendly service. Hosting over a thousand cyclists each year, including two cycling events starting and ending at the property, the brewery makes it a huge priority to support the cycling community.
With so many road routes and trails in the area to explore, try the 50km Coldwater Course route starting at the fairgrounds in Orillia, with rolling terrain, challenging climbs, views of Bass Lake, adding a stop at Quayle’s, only a 5km detour off-route. Or have a day of leisurely family-friendly trail riding on the Uhthoff Trail, just a 13 minute drive north of the brewery. This bicycle friendly brewery is also in the process of creating some cycling routes starting and ending directly at their property, so stay tuned. QuaylesBrewery.ca
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Café sur la rive
Plantagenet, ON
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With a picturesque setting and patio overlooking the South Nation River (a tributary of nearby Ottawa River) in the town of Plantagenet, Café sur la rive is a popular stop for cyclists, having a beautiful riverside patio, friendly service, and delicious healthy food (and gelato!). They are very accommodating of groups and owner Nathalie is always happy to give local suggestions, knowing many of the cycling routes in the area.
Explore the area on the 87km Cycl-O-Route Ottawa River West Loop, a road cycling route that takes riders onto both the Ontario and Quebec sides of the Ottawa River, stopping in Plantagenet and taking the ferry across the river at Clarence Point. Or try the 46km Plantagenet-Wendover loop, featured on the Prescott-Russell Regional Cycling Map, where you’ll find wide-open countryside, forests, and scenic views of both the South Nation and Ottawa Rivers. CafeSurlarive.com
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In addition to the award winning bicycle friendly places to eat, visit and sleep there are a number of bike businesses that provide services and/or tours located in each region. To recognize all they offer in 2022, special mention and an award goes out to the following in Bruce Grey Simcoe: | |
Ride Destination: Norfolk County | |
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Norfolk County is multi-season oasis of outdoor activity. With many kilometres of beautiful Waterfront Trail along Lake Erie, great beaches, interesting towns, and enticing trails, it’s easy to spend many days exploring the area by bike.
Norfolk County is known for its tranquil paved road riding through beautiful countryside. Norfolk Tourism has 8 digitally-mapped road cycling routes ranging from 40 to 100km, with detailed information on where to start and stop along the way. Try the 55km Port Town Tour, stretching from Port Dover to Fisher’s Glen. This hilly, winding loop has hills and views to keep the thrills coming. Discover the abundance of shops, restaurants, galleries and museums, and fun things to do in Port Dover.
At Turkey Point, mountain bikers can enjoy over 85km of singletrack with both beginner trails and more challenging features, including steep hills, sharp corners with high berms, and boardwalks and bridges. With the sandy soil found in the area the trails can be ridden earlier in the season without the mud found elsewhere – good for riders and for trail preservation.
For recreational trail-seekers, the 10km Lynn Valley Trail passes through mixed woods, wetlands, open grassland and agricultural land, all along the Lynn River. The Lynn Valley Trail connects via other trails all the way north to Brantford, branching off north and east, so the opportunities for multi-day off-road tours are plentiful.
For more information, check out the Explore Norfolk Trails, Norfolk County Trails GIS Map, and Ontario By Bike Norfolk County - Great Places to Cycle Page that also has the Norfolk area bicycle friendly businesses to eat, visit and sleep.
(Photo Credit: Tour de Norfolk)
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2022 Ontario By Bike Rides - Upcoming | |
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We are now just one week away from the second of our Ontario By Bike Rides for the season!
With two remaining sold-out rides coming up in August and September, be sure to join our waiting list in case of cancellations (click on your preferred ride at link below and contact our booking agent), and you can join us as we discover more incredible ride destinations around Ontario. We are expecting some ride spaces to open up in August. OntarioByBike.ca/Rides
Liked what you read above - Ride Destination Norfolk County? We'll soon be riding there, on our September Hamilton Brantford Port Dover Trail Ride. Inquire about waitlist and come discover beautiful Brant and Norfolk Counties.
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2022 Cycling Events
Visit our new for 2022 Cycling Events Calendar. With the new format, events can be displayed in your choice of list or calendar view, search for events by categories, and find all the useful info you need to plan ahead and sign up to participate at events that suit your ride style in 2022.
View the full 2022 calendar here: OntarioByBike.ca/Events
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Making Tracks
-Mountain Biking in Simcoe County-
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By popular demand, the Simcoe County Museum in Minesing has opened a new temporary exhibit on the history of mountain biking in the area. Making Tracks – Mountain Biking in Simcoe County explores the evolution of the sport in the region, and how Simcoe County has been a training ground for World Cup champions and Olympics team members. See a custom bike from the Olympics and all things MTB from the past. This exciting temporary exhibit runs from May 12 to September 5, 2022.
For more information visit: Museum.Simcoe.ca/Exhibits/Orientation
If you can plan a visit next week, July 21-24, tie it in with a stop at Hardwood Ski & Bike for the 25th annual Canadian Championships MTB event and see some of Canada’s top World Cup racers.
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VIDEO: Ride Oxford
Beautiful video showing why Oxford County is a great cycling destination. Oxford County is easy to find, but hard to forget. Learn all about events, places to eat & stay, and area attractions.
Learn more at RideOxford.ca (YouTube link HERE.)
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In the News: Bikes & Travel | |
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Ontario By Bike Network
Project of Transportation Options
850 Coxwell Ave ~ Toronto, ON ~ M4C 5R1
Office: 416-827-2774
Toll-Free: 1-866-701-2774
Email: info@ontariobybike.ca
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Want to read more: Link to our e-Newsletter archive HERE | |
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