Touring - Another run in the Niagara Region

I rode from Toronto to St. Catharines for the Pedal 100 ride for the Heart & Stroke foundation. Originally planned on doing the behemoth 200k route, but wussed out due to extreme fatigue on the ride there (poor rest/food schedule the week prior). I ended up doing a lesser K route for the Pedal 100, but I was allowed to switch, so all was well :)

Public galleries of the trip there and stuff:

Saturday:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=45695&l=e2db3&id=696475547

Sunday:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=45701&l=6f5cb&id=696475547

I wussed out of the ride home back into Toronto too, and took the chance to try out the BikeTrain initiative - which was great (and a welcome break, I was shamefully tired). Though I did ride down to Niagara Falls after the charity ride, so..

Edit; not sure if this is more appropriate here or in Long-distance, apologies for any mis-categorization!

I hear you!
Toronto to Stoney Creek (South Burlington) isn't that bad, but the stretch along the QEW North Service Road is brutal! It gets better after Jordan.

My Partner and I did the Niagara Bike Trip (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=QzzM&page_id=58766&v=1n)and really loved it.

I'm doing a Toronto/Port Dover trip on the second weekend of September. I'm cheating a bit my taking the GO train to Oakville, then following the Waterfront Trail to just South of Hamilton Bay (after the lift bridge), and then cutting up beside STELCO to Burlington Street and then up the old Toronto, Hamilton, Buffalo rail trail to Caledonia. I'm taking the Lynne Valley Trail to Brantford and the Brantford/Hamilton rail trail back to the Steel City, then bike back to the GO train for a well deserved ride back to the Big Smoke.

You might want to consider both those rail trails for another run.

Drink before you are thirsty
Eat before you are hungry
Rest before you are tired.

Do those three things and touring will be enjoyable.

Cool! We were out that way too on Sunday by chance- GO to Oakville, then along the lakeshore, around the harbour and home :)

The rail trail sounds fun stokell. What's the distance on that? The North side of the harbour is a nice detour too I'd bet! We discovered on Sunday that while riding on Burlington street... it's possible to end up on the QEW! We actually had to backtrack going the wrong direction to get back to a non-highway street. Luckily it was late sunday afternoon and the traffic was light.

Where can I find maps of those rail trails you mentioned?

Cool! We were out that way too on Sunday by chance- GO to Oakville, then along the lakeshore, around the harbour and home :)

The rail trail sounds fun stokell. What's the distance on that? The North side of the harbour is a nice detour too I'd bet! We discovered on Sunday that while riding on Burlington street... it's possible to end up on the QEW! We actually had to backtrack going the wrong direction to get back to a non-highway street. Luckily it was late sunday afternoon and the traffic was light.

Where can I find maps of those rail trails you mentioned?

There are two rail trails leaving Hamilton. One goes off to Brantford (http://webhome.idirect.com/~brown/webdoc5.htm) and later connects to one going to Paris. The other goes to Caledonia. Good luck getting much info on the latter, known as the Chippawa Trail. Although I know it exists as I've been on it. At that time it ended a few kilometres from Caledonia.

My usual source of maps is a little known publication called "Backroad Mapbooks" (http://www.backroadmapbooks.com/index-bm.php?bookId=swont&region=Ont) They use detailed maps of the region but only indicate rail trails and paths with a broken line. I usually colour photocopy the page and use a highlighter to mark the route.

Great info, thanks!