Even though it’s shivery frosty cold outside, Spring is surely just around the corner and we’ll be getting out the bikes soon enough. In the meantime, this Saturday is the Cycle Touring workshop and we need to anticipate numbers of attendees. If you want to reserve a spot for the workshop, please RSVP by dropping us a quick email and letting us know. Email: nhcycling2010@gmail.com

Not everyone wants to do a hilly hundred, and since the Thursday morning ride was cancelled due to rain, we’re just re-scheduling it for Sunday. If you start from Precious Corners the distance is 42k. Starting from The Mill a little earlier adds 8km for a 50km total.

Start Time (Level 3):9:00am sharp
Start Location (Level 3): The cemetery at Precious Corners (park along side of road)

Start Time (Level 4): 8:40am
Start Location (Level 4): The arena on Furnace St.

Route Map: Printable Route map with elevation chart or, if you are equipped with a GPS View the link on Ride with GPS
Ride leaders: Level 3: Mike McLellan

If you are planning to ride, please ensure you’ve printed out a route map and review it in advance. If you are able to lead the ride, please comment to let us know!

It’s the long weekend and that means an NHCC Century Ride. This one ain’t for the squeamish, let me tell you! There are plenty of hills (in the second half you’ll get a wee break as we take the Waterfront Trail). It’s a great 100k to get those legs ready for the next Big One, the 160k on Labour Day weekend. When your legs are screaming after this one, you can thank our wonderful NHCC President, Randy, for developing this route! 🙂

We drove the route and sourced out an optional lunch stop in Orono, a little place called the Firehall Bistro. We checked it out and it’s a quaint little diner on the main street and their menu appears to offer some decent options for cycling-minded folks like us.

Start time: 9:00am
Start location: The Mill parking lot
Route map: “Hellacious Hilly 100k” printable route map here, or link to Ride with GPS
Ride leader: Randy Albon, of course!

Please use the comment section below to get the conversation going about who’s riding, who’s planning to stop for a quick lunch break etc.

This one you should mark on your calendar. A lot of folks enjoyed this trip last year, hence our Second Annual Ride, Picnic and Swim. Here’s how it works:

NHCC Members drop off coolers, swim suits towels etc. at 9am at Donegan Park where Paul’s wife Jill will kindly transport it all to Presqu’ile Park while we hop on our bikes and cycle there. We take a big long break for a couple of hours to enjoy a swim, a picnic, and a little relaxation time before riding back to Cobourg.Continue reading→

Cycle Transitions is looking for interested cyclists who would like to become an instructor for their various Can Bike courses and school clinics. There will be opportunities to work with cyclists of all ages and abilities. You’ll be doing significant work in helping increase the level of safe cycling in our community. They have funding to cover the costs for your certification which includes Can Bike and First Aid training. If you’re interested, please contact Paul Mills or Rick Nonnekes. Once a group of participants is confirmed they’ll coordinate a training schedule.

By the way, the Northumberland Hills Cycling Club currently has five Can-Bike instructors among it’s membership. I (Anita) am committing to taking the course too, so hopefully there are others out there to join me!

This ride is typically a little different from the regular rides in that the speed and difficulty level varies according to the participants who show up. We’re anticipating this Tuesday night ride to be a little speedier than than some of the others. It’s going to be a great night for riding! Sunset doesn’t occur until 8:58 and the forecast looks reasonable for a change.

If you wish to leave from Canadian Tire in Cobourg, it will add another 14km in total to your ride. Also, if you’re leaving from Cdn Tire, plan to be there ready to go in the parking lot at 6:05. (Arriving at the Port Hope Town Hall for 6:30)

Start time: 6:30pm
Start location: Port Hope Town Hall
Sunset: 8:58 (lights required at 8:28pm)
Ride Leader: George Hussey

Spring is coming and we’ve got work to do! As promised at our Annual General Meeting we are assembling a few people to brainstorm, plan, and structure a really great Novice (Easy) Ride program this year. If you are one of our “new” riders it’s your opportunity to get involved, share your experiences, and help develop some ideas to make it a rewarding experience for new riders in the NHCC. Experienced riders who have great ideas and also remember what it was like when you were getting started are most welcome too!

Don’t worry—you won’t be roped into a whole bunch of work. Just a meeting or two to get ideas rolling. Some of the things we want to accomplish are:

• Identify opportunities for improvement
• Develop a structure for skills development
• Explore ways to connect new riders with others
• Establish some safety expectations
• Plan some workshops for bike maintenance
• Discuss routes

Date: Tuesday January 22, 2013
Time: 7:00pm
Place: Cycle Transitions

Please indicate by commenting below if you want to help out. (Helps me plan!) If you can’t make it but want to get your two cents worth in, please email us and we’ll make sure your ideas get thrown onto the table too.

Lots of rain….and more rain to come. There will be no ride in Port Hope tonight, so leave the bikes at home and stay warm & dry. See you all next time!

For those who prefer something significantly less than 100km on Sunday, why not join Klaus (fellow club member) and others to make a 24 km ride by riding to Port Hope and back again? Read about the Ride for Hope below.

Ride for Hope
Heather Smith, a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity North Day, and her friend Nellie have decided to bike from Newfoundland to her home in North Bay, raising money for Habitat for Humanity North Bay along the way.

Since starting their trek on July 15, Heather and Nellie have travelled through 4 provinces and crossed into Ontario on Sunday. The pair will be arriving in Cobourg on Saturday August 11^th, resting for the night and then setting off for Toronto Sunday morning.

To show our support and appreciation for their commitment to affordable housing, a group from Habitat Northumberland will be accompanying Heather and Nellie from Cobourg to our construction site on Harcourt St in Port Hope before wishing them the best on their trip to Toronto.

Start time: 9:00am
Start location: The Arena on Furnace St. in Cobourg
Route: To the Port Hope Habitat Build and then returning.