Where to ride in Ottawa?

[Keith Boone]

I've got a couple of days time off, and I'm taking
my road bike to Ottawa Ontario for a few under 100km
rides. Where's the best places to go? I heard the
Gatineau Hills on the Hull side of the river are a
great place to go, but that word "hills" worries me
a little. I'm not the world's best climber... Is
there some kind of bike path that runs along the Ottawa
river? Thanks for any help.

[Zoot Katz]

Tue, 22 Jul 2003 21:37:47 GMT,
ers.com>,
Keith Boone > wrote:

> Is
>there some kind of bike path that runs along the Ottawa
>river? Thanks for any help.

Here's a map:
http://www.city.ottawa.on.ca/city_services/traffic/pdf/cycling_map.pdf
--
zk

[Zoot Katz]

Tue, 22 Jul 2003 22:03:34 GMT,
ers.com>,
Keith Boone > wrote:

>Zoot Katz wrote:
>
>> Here's a map:
>> http://www.city.ottawa.on.ca/city_services/traffic/pdf/cycling_map.pdf
>
>Now THAT is one heck of a pdf file! Thanks. Any idea about the
>Gatineau Hills park? Do I need to be a Tour de France climber,
>or can mere mortals manage?

I've never ridden there so I don't know. There are people from Ottawa
posting to this newsgroup. Google has some threads discussing riding
in the Ottawa area.
--
zk

[Marlene Blanshay]

In article >,
wrote:

> Tue, 22 Jul 2003 21:37:47 GMT,
> ers.com>,
> Keith Boone > wrote:
>
> > Is
> >there some kind of bike path that runs along the Ottawa
> >river? Thanks for any help.
>
> Here's a map:
> http://www.city.ottawa.on.ca/city_services/traffic/pdf/cycling_map.pdf

Funny a friend of ours just got back from there and said the Ottawa area
is great for cycling. Not the city itself, but the outlying areas.
Lakefield and the gatineaus area, and south and west of the city in
semi-rural areas. I think that might be Carp or Stirling, but I'm not
sure. He said the roads are great, there's not much traffic and you can go
for huge long rides. The only problem is that it can be a tad windy
because it's sort of flat and open, with lots of farms and fields. In
fact, I think I may head out there- it's only about 150 miles!

[Zoot Katz]

Tue, 22 Jul 2003 22:55:56 GMT,
>,
(Marlene Blanshay) wrote:

> In
>fact, I think I may head out there- it's only about 150 miles!

Ottawa's greatest attraction is that it's close enough to Quebec to
easily escape back to civilisation.
--
zk

[Pete Hickey]

In article ers.com>,
Keith Boone > wrote:
>I've got a couple of days time off, and I'm taking
>my road bike to Ottawa Ontario for a few under 100km
>rides. Where's the best places to go? I heard the
>Gatineau Hills on the Hull side of the river are a
>great place to go, but that word "hills" worries me
>a little. I'm not the world's best climber... Is
>there some kind of bike path that runs along the Ottawa
>river? Thanks for any help.

What kind of riding do you want? Road or mountain? I'm guessing
road. You can take a nice loop around Gatineau Park (looking out
my window at it now, a few hundred yards away). The loop is around
50km, and it is hilly. the 50km loop tires me almost as
much as a 100km ride on flats. It does offer a nice view
of the valley from several points (Champlain, Huron and
Étienne Brûlé).

Want flat stuff? East through the farmland on relatively
empty country roads. can be relaxing and enjoyable. Like
Cheese curds? I regularly do a 100km ride just to get cheese
curds in Sarsfield.. If ou start in Ottawa, it'll be closer
to 80, depending on where you start.

I don't like going west as much because it is more
populated/traffic. I comute daily in traffic, and when
going for a relaxing ride, I prefer quiet. Traffic in the
park isn't bad.

Where will you be staying? What do you prefer? I can offer
some suggestions and directions.

--
--
LITTLE KNOWN FACT: Did you know that 88% of North Americans cannot
taste the difference between fried dog and fried cat?

[Pete Hickey]

In article >,
Zoot Katz > wrote:

>Ottawa's greatest attraction is that it's close enough to Quebec to
>easily escape back to civilisation.

Oh, I wouldn'T say that the Ontario side is that uncivilized.
True, you have to go to special stores to buy beer or wine there...

-
Pete (who lives on the Québec side) hickey

[Pete Hickey]

In article >,
Marlene Blanshay > wrote:

>Funny a friend of ours just got back from there and said the Ottawa area
>is great for cycling.

I find it enjoyable.

> In
>fact, I think I may head out there- it's only about 150 miles!

Where you from? The ride to here could be a nice one.


--
--
LITTLE KNOWN FACT: Did you know that 88% of North Americans cannot
taste the difference between fried dog and fried cat?