A really BIG thank you to the Northumberland Hills Cycling Club, the Cobourg Cycling Club, and the Ganaraska Freewheelers who came out today to make the Bikeathon the phenomenal success it was! We’ve never had so much fun pedalling so fast going nowhere!

It’s all set to go. The Second Annual Bike Week starts on May 26th with Bike for the Planet. As most know, the awareness event, the Stationary Bikeathon takes place tomorrow in front of Victoria Hall. A really big Thanks goes out to those who will be pedalling, and especially to Roy Martin who has given tireless effort to make it all happen.

Here are a few points to remember:

• Times: 8am – 8pm
• Helmets are required (we want to raise awareness here!)
• Wear your NHCC jersey if you have one
• Water will be available to riders
• Please arrive 5 minutes early for your time slot

Even if you aren’t riding, come on down with friends and family and bring a camera. Besides, the guys (and girls) on bikes could use a little friendly chatter.

Here is a link to the spreadsheet with the times and volunteers! If you haven’t yet volunteered for a time, don’t let that stop you. There are a few extra bikes available on the scene and it wouldn’t be a bad thing to see a few NHCC jerseys pedalling at any given time.

This event is an initiative of Sustainable Cobourg’s Bicycle Action Committee.

NOTE: THERE IS NO REGULAR THURSDAY RIDE, DUE TO THE BIKEATHON

An easy, casual group ride. We travel along at a pace that everyone can do, enjoying some conversation and scenery. These are the rides where you see beautiful rainbows and sunsets like we did on Monday’s ride! Quite a different experience from the Thursday/Sunday rides. If you haven’t tried one of our evening rides before, come and check it out.

Start time: 7:00pm
Location: Donegan Park
Ride Leader: Vivian Vandenhazel
Route: To be announced

Please comment below to say you’re coming!

Easy Ride! (and I’ll bet you’re happy to hear that if you’re one of those who did the hills on the other side of Hwy 28 today) It’s the long weekend, and while all those people are battling it out on the 401 trying to get back home from the cottage, we’ll be out riding our bikes and eating ice cream (or frozen yogurt if that’s your style). Yes, that’s right, ice cream! Bring a few toonies with you on this ride because we’re going to take a break down near the pier at that wonderful little ice cream joint. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope the rain holds off.

Start time: 7:00pm
Location: The Mill restaurant parking lot
Ride Leader: Anita Macklin
Route: To be determined

Please comment below to say you’re coming!

Just like Thursday. That’s how we do it in these parts…..we sort of “preview” the Sunday ride by doing it on Thursdays. So if you miss it one day, you can catch it on the other. Or, better yet, ride both times and try it at two different speeds.

Choose what suits you the most. The 48km regular route starts in Bewdley, with a 25km short & leisurely option. There’s also an extended option**, (see below).

The Scenic Group:
Ride slower, enjoy the sunshine and the scenery—the 35km route is recommended for you if that’s your style. This group is usually small, but riders stay together, and nobody gets left behind. Care to slow it down a little and lead this ride? It doesn’t require any special skill, just a little desire to ride & keep others company. Please comment below if you can do this on Sunday. 

Regular Group:
The 48km route is for those of you who want to ride a little longer. Bring a little $ if you want to grab a snack or two at the Harwood Store.

The Non-Stoppers
If you wish to be a non-stopper, expect to go a little faster. If you find yourself dropping behind, that’s okay too—you can join up again with the regular crowd when they catch up.

Start time: 10:00am
Start location:Bewdley Arena
Route Map: “The Scenic Route” (35, 48, or 94km options)  route map here

UPDATE: The route map shows 35, 48 and 94km options. (not 25 as previously planned). Also, please be forewarned that the short route is not flat—it’s hilly enough to be challenging for some.

**Extended option (96km)

Start at The Mill Restaurant at 8:30. That will give you 75 minutes to ride the 23 km required to reach the start point in Bewdley. And of course you’ll need to ride back again afterward.  🙂
UPDATE: The Thursday group needed 15 minutes more in order to arrive in Bewdley on time, so plan to leave The Mill at 8:30 instead of the originally planned 8:45.

Please reply below and mention which group you might choose to ride with.

We’ve got three distances to choose from. The 49km regular route starts in Bewdley at and there’s an option to shorten the ride to 25km if you prefer to ride at a more “scenic” pace. There’s also an extended option**, adding distance both before and after the regular route. Take a look at the descriptions below so you can anticipate in advance which group you might want to ride with.

The Scenic Group:
If you like to take your time, riding slower and taking in the scenery, the 25km route is recommended for you. This group will ride together, making sure to not leave anyone behind. We would appreciate a volunteer to lead this ride! Please comment below if you’re on board. 

Regular Group:
The 49km route is for those of you who want to ride a little longer. There may be occasional stops to re-group, and you’ll see some of the best scenery around. There’s an opportunity to re-load drinks and grab some snacks at the Harwood Store.

The Non-Stoppers
Need we say more? The non-stoppers may ride 49 (or 96km), and will likely be moving it along at a rapid pace. If you wish to try riding in this group, by all means do so….there’s the nice safety net of being able to fall back to the Regular Group if they leave you in the dust!

Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Bewdley Arena
Route Map: “The Scenic Route” (35, 48, or 94km options)  route map here

**Extended option (96km)
Start at The Mill Restaurant at 8:45. That will give you 75 minutes to ride the 23 km required to reach the start point in Bewdley. And of course you’ll need to ride back again afterward.  🙂

Please reply below and mention which group you might choose to ride with.

The Monday ride was a lot of fun. More than 15 people came out and rode 20km. For some it was a “recovery ride” after riding really hard the previous day, and for others it was their first time out this year. In any case, the leisurely scenic pace of the ride allowed for lots of conversation and as always, our Monday/Wednesday evening rides are guaranteed slow and nobody ever gets left behind. We’ll do another one this Wednesday.

Ride Slow if you Want to Ride Fast
There’s a place in everyone’s training and exercise programs for some easy riding. If you don’t believe it, take a look at this article describing the benefits and the art of riding slow and how riding slow can make you ride faster http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadscholar/2012/04/05/the-art-of-riding-slow/.

Start time: 7:00pm
Location: Donegan Park
Ride Leader: To be determined
Route: To be determined by ride leader

Please comment below to say you’re coming!