On Saturday, September 18, 2010 people will be gathering with their happy mountainbikes at the Ganaraska Forest Centre, getting ready to ride 15, 30, 60 or 100kms of amazing trails. Afterwards they will be digging into a terrific hot lunch and loading up from the prize tables laden with schwag for aall the brave riders. Check out the FAQs or Pre-register online.

Get all the info here, at “Paul’s Dirty Enduro” Website

Take a look at some pictures from the 2009 Dirty Enduro

Special Call for Volunteers

To volunteer, just click here and let the wonderful folks at Bloomfield Cycle know that you are interested in volunteering. I’m sure they’ll be happy to hear from you.

Volunteer Opportunities

SWEEP Riders
Sweep riders follow the last rider of each group. They help any injured bikes or riders that they encounter on their path. They carry communications and are in contact with the command centre for the race. It’s a terrific ride through the forest at the absolute slowest pace of the last rider in the group. SO … this is not a job that requires the rider to be FAST but it is definitely a job that requires an experienced rider.

There are lots of different distance options for being a sweepers. There are slots for sweeping the whole 15K or the whole 30k course, as well as slots for different sections of the 60k and 100k courses.

You can be a sweep rider if you:
• have some experience as a mountainbiker: even better if you have lots!
• have some basic first aid skills
• have some basic bike first aid skills
• have a good functional bike that can carry extra water bottles!

What do you get?
Fame, Glory, a Free T-shirt, a Free Ride, and a Free Lunch. You’ll be loaned the supplies you need: a “sweep pack” with some first aid supplies and a spare tube or two and some basic tools as well as a few extra snacks and some water.

And What do They Want in Return?
Your happy smiling self on your sturdy bicycle shepherding the field along on the woods helping out where you can, calling for help when it’s needed.

If this sounds interesting to you, please get ahold of someone at the Bloomfield Bicycle Company (Paul’s HQ) and if you know someone you think might be interested please feel free to pass it on to them, as well.

On Saturday, September 11th, Sustainable Cobourg will be hosting the 2nd Annual Bike-for-the-Planet event. This event is FREE and it would be great if we could all come out and support this cause.

Get the 13k route map here

Hello again, NH Cycling friends. It’s been such a busy summer and it appears that riders have been a little scarce these past couple of Sundays. Like last week, there been no decision about a route or distance for this coming Sunday, so it’s open for discussion here.Anyone want to do some planning? All that’s required is choosing a start point and a route. Take a look at Brian Hedney’s routes for some inspiration.

Click here for Brian Hedney’s routes

Hello NH Cycling friends. It looks like a lot of people are away on vacations etc. so there been no decision about a route or distance for this coming Sunday, so it’s open for discussion here. If you are planning to ride this coming Sunday, do you have any suggestions? Anyone want to do a wee bit of planning and pick a route?

This Sunday we will ride from Warkworth at 9:30 instead of 10:00am. This is in order to allow people to attend the Warkworth Longlunch if they wish. The Ganaraska Freewheelers are also doing this route and many will also be attending the Long Lunch that occurs between the hours of 11:30 and 3:00.

Tickets for the optional Warkworth Long Lunch are $20 and its recommended that they be purchased in advance. (There may not be any available on the day of the lunch)
In Warkworth: Eclectic Mix – 705-924-9200
In Campbellford: Trent Hills and District Chamber of Commerce – 1-888-653-1556

Find out all about the Warkworth Long Lunch and get ticket information here.

Here is a link to the “Warkworth Wanderer” 53 or 35k route map.

This ride will start in Port Hope at Gilmer’s Home Hardware. The route is called the “Western Wanderer” and travels along the Lakeshore for the first part of the ride. We did this ride back in June and everyone agreed it was a lovely ride.

Meet at the west end of the parking lot at Gilmer’s Home Hardware in Port Hope. We’ll meet underneath the big Home Hardware sign, as we did the last time.

Here is the route map. Please take a moment to print it out for yourselves and bring it with you.

Click here for the 50k Western Wanderer Map

Start time: 10:00

Start location: Port Hope (Gilmer’s Home Hardware)

A few people were discussing a ride on Thursday, starting at Donegan Park at 10:00am. The route would likely be a modified version of the 50k that was done today (August 1). Sounds like the modifications could include bypassing a few of those hills. Anyone up for it?

Start time: 10:00
Start location: Donegan Park

Everyone is welcome!

This ride has been chosen from the Ganaraska Freewheelers route maps. Although It indicates a start and finish at the Marina, parking could be an issue so let’s modify it slightly and we’ll start at Donegan Park. It’s the long weekend and many people have summertime plans, but let’s see if at least a few riders can make it.

Here is the route map. Please take a moment to print it out for yourselves and bring it with you.

Click here for 51k Shelter Valley Route Map

Start time: 10:00

Northumberland County Tourism has asked James Barnes if they could use some of his ride photos in County Tourism promotions. As the photos have been taken in a public place and are not being used for monetary gain they are allowable, but as a courtesy to those who may not wish to be included, please comment below and Jamie will make the effort to exclude such pictures.

This coming Sunday the ride will start in Brighton (Gosport to be specific). The first half of it is flat and if you prefer to keep it that way, you can take the short cut and make it 44k instead of the original 56k.

After 32 km of relatively flat, scenic, riding, the long route heads up into the infamous Northumberland Hills. The worse of the hilly can be avoided by taking the shortcut! There is a cafe nearby for those interested in lunch after the ride.

Here is the route map. Please take a moment to print it out for yourselves and bring it with you.

Click here for the 56k or 44k route map in Brighton

Start time: 10:00