Touring - Local weekend tours?

Do any of you do weekend tours around your local areas? How much do you know about your local areas? Have you visited all the national and provincial/state parks within cycling distance? All the tourist attractions?

One of the things about living in an area is that we tend to ignore the fascinating stuff right around us, and instead make all kinds of plans to visit other parts of the country or world (which is great too! :)).

When I started cycling long distances in Manitoba, and realized I could reach places all over the province by bicycle, I started doing short tours and day trips. I have cycled through most of the southern half of Manitoba now. I've been to places and seen things which most people I talked to, who have lived all their lives in Manitoba, didn't even realize were there!!

Now I've moved to Alberta, and a part of Alberta where I haven't lived in 28 years. I've visited here occasionally, but for the most part, I am unfamiliar with this area.

One of the things I'm really looking forward to when the weather gets a bit better is exploring the area. I've already started in a limited way ... short rides. :) I've been looking at maps and routes, I've located the hostels and campgrounds all around here, and I've got at least 2 tours planned. One could be a weekend tour (Sat/Sun), the other will have to be a long weekend tour, it's a bit further out.

How about you? Planning any local tours?

I've done some local touring and hope to do more. I'm embarassed at how little of Canada I've actually seen. The problem with north america is that the distances are too far apart and there aren't many historical sites to see. Don't get me wrong, I think Canada is the best country on the planet to live in. Just not as keen about visiting it, I guess.

Where in Alberta are you? Southern alberta looks like it has some great touring possibilities.

I've done some local touring and hope to do more. I'm embarassed at how little of Canada I've actually seen. The problem with north america is that the distances are too far apart and there aren't many historical sites to see. Don't get me wrong, I think Canada is the best country on the planet to live in. Just not as keen about visiting it, I guess.

Where in Alberta are you? Southern alberta looks like it has some great touring possibilities.

Neither was I ... until I went to Australia. All of a sudden all sorts of people there asked me questions about Canada. A lot of them had either come over for a visit, or were intending to. That was very nice, BUT ... it really was very embarassing when I couldn't answer a lot of their questions, and when they were telling me things about Canada I didn't know. It was then I realized that before my next overseas tour, I'd better become a bit more familiar with my own country!

I'm in central Alberta. The short tour I'm thinking of is Red Deer to Nordegg and back. Nordegg is about 175 kms away so that's a nice two day ride. Nordegg has a hostel which, apparently, is a good one, and also camping facilities (I think). A three/four day tour would be all the way to Saskatchewan River Crossing and back. I've been on that road on a bicycle once before way, way back when, but don't remember much of it. Another tour I'm thinking of might be to Drumheller. I've been there a few times by car, but never by bicycle.

And BTW - from my experiences cycling through Manitoba, you'd be surprised how many historical sites, and other interesting things there really are - tucked into small "dot-on-the-map" towns here and there - which most people don't even know are there.

I do a number of extended weekend (Friday to Sunday) tours each year. Usually the first one is in late March as a shakedown tour, just to make sure all the equipment is in good shape and working properly. If it isn't, then I'm not 3,000 km from home.

I usually try to avoid tours during one of our periodic summer heatwaves because I simply don't find biking enjoyable at 30C and 90% humidity.

I usually take my big tour on the shoulders (March-May and September-October). I find that the weather is usually great around southern Ontario and even better in Europe. Also most of the tourists have left so I feel I have the place to myself.

This spring I'm planning to take an extended weekend tour from Toronto to Paris (Ontario). I'll start out on the Lakefront Trail to Hamilton via Burlington and then take the Hamilton to Brantford rail trail then on to Paris and back for Sunday. Normally I stealth camp in a hammock, but there is a conservation area right on my route, so I might actaully park with the Winnebagos for a night.

My main tour this year will be to England in October. So far it looks like I will be flying to Cardiff. heading across to Gloucester and over to Reading on the Thames-Severn canal tow paths. I'll be returning via Gatwick.

It's funny you mention that, I've been planning or maybe just mapping several tours for the Bluegrass country here in Kentucky (US). Kentucky has some great country roads to cycle on (Once you learn how to deal with the dogs). In many cases I will need to drive to a starting point on a Friday evening and leave Saturday from there.
I'm going to start a journal on the crazyguy site called "2005 Bluegrass Mini-Tour Series" and just put all my 2 & 3 day tours in one journal. Lots of photos and some local history and color.

i'm going to ride some of the hudson river valley this spring, and explore some of the parks on brooklyn's jamaica bay

Cool question. I love riding around the hills and valleys of my Virginia home. I realize that this may not be exactly what you're talking about, but every year, I try to participate in Bike Virginia http://www.bikevirginia.org/2005/faqs/index.htm

It's a five-day ride covering some different and interesting part of our state every June. In addition to well-thought-out lovely routes, they provide free admission to museums and events. Its both a great vacation and a great way to learn about my home state.

That's all I'm limited to for the time being. I've got to be back at work Monday. That's the downside of being self-employed..... :(

Funny you should bring this up. I just started planning a “mini” loaded tour in my local area.

I plan to start doing many “mini tours” in Pa because:
1 Between family and work commitments, 3 to 4 days off is about all I can do.
2. Since I consider my home state of PA to be a hidden treasure, I’d rather tour in state than anywhere else in the world.

I contacted the Harrisburg Bike Club to find someone with knowledge of the back roads and they think that mini self contained tours would be a great addition to their club rides. So looks like we will be doing quite a few.

The concept of a mini tour makes a lot of sense, given everyone’s schedule and commitments. Knowing you local history is a great way to feed your roots.

I could have sworn I've answered this question already... :D


This year, I'm thinking of doing a few Toronto-Niagara-Toronto tours along with some in the North and East direction (Same concept -- bike for 100 miles, camp and then bike back or stay a day then bike back). I have the added advantage of having Monday's off during the summertime at the college and if I'm really nice to the scheduler I might even get Friday's off or only have a class 1st thing in the morning (8-1130 at the worst). :)

Cool question. I love riding around the hills and valleys of my Virginia home. I realize that this may not be exactly what you're talking about, but every year, I try to participate in Bike Virginia http://www.bikevirginia.org/2005/faqs/index.htm

It's a five-day ride covering some different and interesting part of our state every June. In addition to well-thought-out lovely routes, they provide free admission to museums and events. Its both a great vacation and a great way to learn about my home state. I was on their web site. Looks like a GREAT ride. Not too expensive. Do you think this years route will be hilly?

I was on their web site. Looks like a GREAT ride. Not too expensive. Do you think this years route will be hilly?

The route is NOT flat. I've ridden in the area. There should be a good number of rolling hills but all of the truly tough climbs into the Blue Ridge Mountains are optional. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 the most difficult the organizers rate it a 7. But lots of people of all abilities should be able to handle the ride. There are two layover days (out of five) and shorter options most days. Here's what I found on the web site:

How difficult is the route this year?
Webster defines a valley as "an elongate depression of the earth's surface usually between ranges of hills or mountains;" a description which accurately portrays the terrain of the Valley Byways Tour. We will split our time between the two valleys (Roanoke and Shenandoah) and will experience the best that the two valleys have to offer. There are climbs for the intrepid cyclists such as the ascent up Vesuvius on Rt. 56 (the toughest climb along the 76 bike route) on our additional mileage option on Tuesday, but overall the terrain consists of lots of rolling hills. Bring your bike with a wide gear range - either 21 or 24 speed - and you'll be fine. The Director's subjective difficulty rating for 2004 is 7 (see Routes for more detail).

We have a cottage located in northern Michigan and use this as a home base for local touring. On weekends during the summer we take out a map and pick an area that we want to ride to. Sometimes we ride directly from the cottage, sometimes we drive to a starting location, park and go day touring. At least once during the summer we take a one week tour usually with the Rails to Trails group on the Michigander. We would love to tour other states but there just seems to be a never ending amount of places that we can ride right here at home.

After I fully set myself up for a tour last year I came to this realization that I could now just freely wander with no worries about where to stay, what to eat or anything as long as I left with the basic setup. I wasn't able to put this much into practice last year but I intend to starting doing Saturday rides with at least the camping and cooking gear with me at all times. Then if it becomes late enough while I'm out, I can just look for a store grab a few essentials and keep riding till a good camping spot comes up. Then a leisurely ride back the next day. As it is a good half day ride to get to the cascades I think this will really work out well. I want to do this at least one weekend a month as the weather improves.

Oh I should mention that I've been doing wandering day rides for years now. As my endurance has improved these have gotten pretty far out. But I always found myself having to start back just as I things started to get interesting. Now there isn't too much within 50 miles that I haven't ridden to. The option of just continuing to ride and then camp somewhere really expands the exploring option for me. The free range exploring taking interesting roads, following creeks, looking for weird stuff that's how I like to ride.

The option of just continuing to ride and then camp somewhere really expands the exploring option for me. The free range exploring taking interesting roads, following creeks, looking for weird stuff that's how I like to ride. Amen, Brother! That's ont of the best parts of cycling. I love getting "lost", and finding all the interesting little things that most people miss.