Ride Name: Lyndhurst Lunch Loop (C) and Lyndhurst Landscapes (B)
Ride Date: Sunday, May 3, 2009
Report By: Rosemary Lysaght
The Lyndhurst Lunch Loop was the perfect late spring leisure ride. Sunny skies. Lots of breaks. No speed records were broken.
We were passed by a freight train (AKA the Lyndhurst B ride, a group of 7 cyclists led by Diane Davies), about 3/4 of an hour into the ride. After that rush, we knew it was time to chill out and enjoy the scenery.
We enjoyed a brief stop at Jones Falls (nothing open, but be advised the new owners of the Kenney Hotel plan to open up in a week or two), Lyndhurst for tea, the Junction for lunch, and a few scenic rest stops as we passed over Big Hill and Burnt Hills Road.
The vistas were spectacular, and the camaraderie even better. The only disappointment — the little store in Battersea seems serious about closing, and has NO ICE CREAM, not even a pre-packaged drumstick! This spells trouble for the Velo Club.
President's Pick May 4, 2009
Ride Name: President's Pick
Ride Date: Sunday, April 19, 2009
Report By: Margaret Wild, President
Your new President had visualised the Ride as an undemanding excursion for newcomers and beginners, so it was a pleasant surprise to see such a great turnout of KVC veterans.
A crisp sunshine day with increasingly brisk NE winds meant that they could not resist flying along Hwy 33 into Bath, arriving there more than an hour ahead of schedule. Most of the group chose to make an extra loop west from County Road 7, along McIntyre and Storey Roads to CR 8, and return by CR 22. This brought us back in perfect time for lunch, with the exception of those held back by the longest freight train in the province.
The majority then opted to return via Milhaven, Caton and Clark Roads back to Collins Bay, fighting a wind which had turned quite brutal by this point, giving a total of 64 km, averaging a mere 16 km per hour, to ensure a ride worthy of its 'C' rating!
Kingston-Roubaix May 4, 2009
Ride Name: Kingston-Roubaix
Ride Date: Saturday, April 11, 2009
Report By: Paul Rappel
Last Saturday's Kingston-Roubaix tour featured cool temperatures coupled with a stiff wind from the northeast. Hal, Noel, Paul C., Paul R., and Rosemary braved the weather to take on the countryside north of Middle Road, including a bit of dirt road to approximate that "Paris-Roubaix experience".
Of course, nothing could duplicate the brutal cobblestone sections of the real thing, but Mother Nature seemed determined to duplicate the northern European spring climate. Fortunately, the KVC version included a layover at the Husky truck stop, a welcome treat after braving the wind and cold.
After the ride, a few riders continued into Kingston and had the KVC's first coyote sighting of the year, a scraggly looking grey beast loping through the fields west of Joyceville Road, north of Highway 2.
Howe Island Hop April 8, 2009
Ride Name: Howe Island Hop
Ride Date: Sunday, April 5, 2009
Report By: Paul Rappel
Sunday's Howe Island Hop brought together a contingent of members and guests, various types of bicycles, and the fit (almost everyone) and the unfit (your editor). Most of the riders started from CFB Kingston, and they made short work of the ramble to the Howe Island Ferry. There, a few more riders appeared, including guests Colin and Trevor.
The group now consisted of Adrienne, Barbara, Brian, Cary, Colin, Colin Macdonald, David, Diane, Gaetan, Gunther, Hal, John Fee, Keith, Marilyn, Mary Jean, Paul, Rosemary, and Trevor. The ferry crossing was followed by some introductory words from Diane and Paul. The ride held together across the island, then split into groups of varying speeds (with the exception of your editor, who, not having been able to get in the training kms, and having chosen a bicycle that weighed twice as much as anyone else's, rode solo far off the back) and regrouped at the ferry (thanks for waiting, gang). What if it sank? Well, perhaps we could have had time to grab our seat bags, retrieve a spare tube, inflate it, and float across. Not.
The bunch had coffee and snacks in Gan before heading back. At Deer Ridge two groups formed, one to take 4th Concession Road and one to head straight back on Highway 2.
Thanks go to Diane Davies for leading the ride and taking care of all the sign-in duties. The weather was chilly at the start, but was quite warm enough as the day unfolded, and the sunshine was a welcome change after the previous few days of grey, wet, miserable weather. Diane should also be relieved, as this was a welcome change from a few seasons ago, when all the early rides she led were met with grey skies and rain. Good start, Diane!
See related photos from the "Howe Island Hop" ...
- Paul