la liste - rides 2015

So by now I have done my usual list of favorite rides, so is it now time to revisit a favorite, or try to explore and find another ride to the list? Decisions, decisions. 

 

-Ormstown (3x) I’d do more rides here except Mercier bridge and alternatives are bad bridges. Although Mercier has its seasonal mega repairs completed for 2015. Since 2008 it’s been being reconstructed with half being federal and half being provincial, and for the provincial half, the re-decking objective seems astoundingly low priority. Because whenit is finished, nice new wide bike/pedestrian sidewalk reconnecting that part of south shore to mtl for bikes.

 

Lacolle (5x) I like riding here and maybe another visit in in the autumn for apple season – greatly improving the snacking potential in Franklin area. As you saw, nice top quality roads too. As I ride in other regions, I notice the parts with bad roads. 

 

Mystic/Bedford/Frelighsburg (2x) This is usually the first real mega hill I do (covey hill I do the easy way) and it enters the eastern townships hills via some real nice riding terrain.  There is also a really short cute covered bridge that I can’t find this year. And I know it’s on this ride!  I did a copout a couple of times in trying to extend the distance east so I have to go back and finish the longest distance version of the ride. Maybe to do this I have to start in Frelighsburg and not Bedford of Mystic.

 

Louiseville, this ride is on the north side of the St Laurence and has that combo of flats and into and then out of the hills that I like. Nice hills too, with optional insane hills. Then downhill back to the car.

 

St-Jean-de-Matha – Home of my fave compact area full of hills. Some recent pavement deterioration on two downhill sections plus some megacheap chipseal (small stones sprayed with tar, except the stones are not small like they are supposed to be so nonstop b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-umpy) makes it less fun. With better road surface this is a top favorite ride. 

 

Victoriaville – this ride starts on the plains but not for long as it heads into across and out of the hills. Victoriaville is a nice town, the rural scenery is nice. This is in the slightly farther drive distance class of rides. Still, on bike two hours from getting in the car. Also birthplace of poutine.

 

Plessisville – This is the big leagues. A bit far but nice riding on historic and quiet roads. Generally always up or down. One mega hill that I did in downhill direction this year.

 

Berthierville – last week’s longish but easy ride, but it seems to get less easy as the day progresses. Nice to ride on islands then in farmland back on shore. One final nice rest stop area that is basically super quiet oddly located rural park before final section back to car traffic civilization. This is second year I do this ride and I like it. I am looking for some ride-lenthening variations.

 

Dirt: / dirt road / dirt trail / mtn bike

 

Ayers Cliff (tomifobia trail) – nice scenic double-track rail-trail along tomifobia river to stanstead and away from roads and traffic. Sometimes rides are not all about hills and distance.

 

Arundel (Corridor Aerobique)

nice scenic double-track rail-trail along rouge river and away from roads and traffic. Sometimes rides are not all about hills and distance. It’s a bit short of a ride though. This is the far end of this trail and not the whole trail since much of it seem just a grind.

 

Mansonville  / Knowlton (dirt) – two rides in one day through different parts of eastern townships dirt roads. Both nice, the mansonville one more scenic. Good early season mtn bike on dirt road riding.

 

East Hereford (mtn bike) – visited 2x, need to go back here some more, maybe Saturday!

 

Rimouski – vacation easy riding, it has bike path all along river all through town. One day I’ll go with the wind and bike to here from home.

 

 

To Do list

Lac megantic – I did this last year, nice to ride around lake, a second section to Mont Megantic would be added once some dirt roads are paved and some paved roads are improved, but presently it’s dirt road and I skip that option. But one day, I’ll ride up Mont Megantic, maybe when I get a triple on my next road bike.

 

Shawinigan/Ste-Tite – didn’t come here for a few years. Need to go back, but some issues with a certain bridge. This is also the start point for a ride through Parc National de la mauricie, which I did once, and is now a major sportif mega ride (I avoid crowds and sportif types) but I found parc de la mauricie to be a bit too much “always in a forest” to be really enjoyable, very few views.

 

 

Jay Peak – long climbs, newly renewed asphalt. After I train all winter I’ll go back here. Because long climbs.  

 

Chemin Nordet/St-Donat – a popular laurentiens mega-road through nowhere, the destination town at the turnaround end of the ride needs paved shoulders to make that part of ride safe and fun and not a near-death experience. Maybe too popular/big of a road for my quiet roads in nowhere’sville tastes.

 

 

Tremblant / Riviere Rouge Huberdeau – Another annual ride I do with Jim every year. Still waiting for one section to get the asphalt repaved (last repaved in 1800s it seems like), It has a covered bridge and is otherwise a nice ride in really nice terrain.

 

Frelighsburg/Stowe – Did this in probably 1980/early 90ss with Pierre, 50 miles south, 50 miles back north. Smuggler’s notch to climb to get to and back from Stowe. Sort of on my redo someday list.

 

Ormstown-Lyon Mtn crossborder century– This was better to do when we had a base in Ormstown. It’s another 100 miler century ride. There’s some issues with Franklin border crossing being open/closed.

 

Mont Laurier – Montreal – P-tit train du nord bike path is 200 km from St-Jerome to Mont Lauruer (tremblant in the middle) along with more 50 km-ish more riding mainly on bike path back home to Mtl. This is a long term goal requiring overnight in Mont Laurier and an early start.

 

Montreal-Quebec – waiting for a big tailwind and I’ll try this one in a day sometime. Maybe with wife-based car support.

 

Quebec-Gaspé with the wind. Another needs some wife-based car support to do this lightweight and speedy.