Sunday, April 16, 2017

Springtime - three easy rides near Montreal with smooth clean dry quiet & scenic roads

Springtime is when I ride my favorite easy rides. Too long, too hilly, too far, those are bad things.

Spring means finding rides that are
  • start close to montreal
  • roads are dry not wet
  • roads that are clean not dirty
  • Roads that are smooth and not crapfest
  • Roads that are not full of cars
  • Roads that have lots of scenic variety
For me the first destination is Ormstown. Rides south and west of Ormstown are textbook perfect spring rides (and also perfect for summer and autumn).

The first two rides follow the Chateauguay river to Huntingdon and then upriver south to
 the covered brige at Powerscourt. It's quebec's oldest covered bridge!

You can always just ride the same route back to ormstown, or as on the first ride, take a direct route back. The second ride takes the longer route back, but adds the section along the US border and dewittville sideroad (actually called Monté Rockburn), two of the best roads in Quebec for road bike.

For rides starting in Ormstown, there are maps in the mall at the tourist kiosk located beside the pharmacy & SAQ.

#1 The first ride is the shortest: Ormstown-Powerscourt 55 km

#2 Ormstown>Huntingdon >Powerscourt>Rockburn>Stevensons orchard - it is a bit longer with all the deluxe features including Boulangerie Elgin & Verger Stevensons Orchard downhill.

Same but with direct return shortcut to Ormstown instead of Dewittville sideroad because sometimes buddies are not in shape for the last 1/3 of the ride.

#3 The other ride has an even easier car trip to the starting point at St-Bernard-de-Lacole (exit 11 on Autoroute 15 Sud, starts on bike path and then on country roads.  St-Bernard-de-Lacolle to Franklin

This is a shorter version: Shorter Lacolle-Franklin

Rides 3 and 2 can be combined into a fabulous longer ride. I recommend starting at St-Bernard for this epic length and top-quality road ride.

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