Touring - Ye Olde "Toronto to Montréal"

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View Full Version : Ye Olde "Toronto to Montréal"

Bacciagalupe
06-19-06, 04:57 AM
I'm considering a trek from Toronto to Montreal, most likely in mid-September. This will be a "credit card" tour, as I'm not an experienced camper.

Anyone know of any good recommended routes and accompanying maps, or done this route fairly recently? The goal is to make it in 7 ride days.

Thanks!
- B

Erick L
06-19-06, 10:11 AM
http://www.hedney.com/waterfront.htm
acantor
06-19-06, 12:50 PM
Make sure you have an up-to-date version of the Waterfront Trail map. It's invaluable because it will help you find the quiet roads.

If you follow this route:

http://www.hedney.com/waterfront.htm

The suggestion to take the Go Train to Rouge Hill is a good one.

NoReg
06-21-06, 02:28 AM
The Hedney route is pretty good, however.

- The ride out of Toronto is fine as far as I am concerned. A lot of it is really nice. Kingston road I enjoy but it isn't for those who don't have any city chops.

- The Hedney route sticks too much to the waterfront trail, which is often ridiculous. At one point it takes you a mile south, 200 yards east on the waterfront in a factory area, north a mile, west a bit so that you can see the point you went south a block further down the road. These problem are mostly in the Port Hope east area. The trip throigh PE to Kingston is great, but in Kingston he takes you on the waterfront through some very hilly stuff. I follow the main commercial drag through Kingston and then pick up the water at the bottom of downtown.

- I was glad to have a guide for the end of the thousand Island parkway, there are a few minor turns there that might get you lost for a little bit.

- The entry to Montreal got me totaly lost. I gather what I was heading for was an illegal hWY bridge crossing that is closed to cyclist, I got way off track and made an illegal crossing in Akwessassne (seemed kinda appropriate). Mostly my fault for asking for local directions... But I did quite a bit of homework about this part of the trip, and had maps. Not small enough scale in the suburbs as it turned out.

- I meet a lot of cyclists who miss or don't bother to turn south at or just before Liverpool Road, and miss the nicest section of waterfront trails. It's also a section that is fairly direct and largely protected from trafic. Even saying that it might be faster to stick to the HWY, though you hit a lot of hills, depends on how much of a rush you are in.