RWGPS Route Links
The Routes Come saddle up out of Sydenham this week, and enjoy the fabulous fall colours of our region. The routes go east on Wilmer Road and the Opinicon Road out to Chaffey's Locks, and beyond. They do NOT include the Desert Lake Loop. The Opinicon Road is wonderfully scenic - it goes past some of the prettiest lakes in the region. The A, B and C routes are out and back. Our objective with this group of routes is to travel on the Opinicon Road, without any gravel sections or overly long stretches on the sometimes busy Highway 10. Out and back is the only viable solution. However, the result will be "double the fun" on this terrific cycling road!
RWGPS "Elevation Gain" Estimates The geospatial folks have created a grid of the entire world. The grid points are 90 metres apart, and the elevation for every point in the grid has been accurately measured using satellite technology. If the slope between the various grid points on a route is relatively constant, software like RWGPS can make a reasonable estimate of the climbing requirements of the route. However, if the route is very upsy-downy between the grid points, the software will usually significantly underestimate the climbing requirements. This may be the case with this week's routes - "now u know"!
Early Registration and Car Pooling In order to facilitate restaurant planning, ride leader organizing and possible car pooling (and thereby lessen the Club's carbon footprint), please register early in the week if possible. Our thought is if your neighbor or friend sees early in the week that you are riding, they may consider reaching out to you to organize a carpool. Change your mind about riding? No problem. Our planning is quite flexible.
Pace Groups When registering, be sure to indicate your preferred pace group:
- the short and medium routes will generally be ridden at a D or C pace
- the long and extra long routes will generally be ridden at a B or A pace
After Ride Refreshments After the ride, Lenny's Deli will welcome us for lunch or other refreshments. Our experience with Lenny's this summer has been great - the staff are super friendly and the service is super efficient!
Some Sydenham Trivia Feel like an ice cream cone or coffee to finish off your visit to Sydenham? Head into Trousdale's, Canada's oldest general store. It's now a treasure trove of both old and modern goods. And if you're relaxing outside the store, note the Grains & Goods Bakery across the street. They bake some of the most awesome bread you'll find anywhere in the world. Although they won't be open on Sunday, they do distribute their goods at Tara Foods and the Memorial Centre farmers' market on certain days.
Ride Preparation Riders should be familiar with Ontario's Safe Cycling Guidelines, and bring the following with them on the ride:
- a cell phone (if available), with the app "what3words" installed
- a copy of the ride route (downloaded to a mobile device or printed)
- a spare tube, pump and repair kit
- sufficient hydration and nutrition
- health card
- document showing address and emergency contact information
The Saddle up Sundays Program Saddle Up Sundays aims to offer a Sunday cycling outing for all levels of riders on a varied collection of the most scenic and the safest country roads close to Kingston. The rides include stops at the best coffee shops along the way, and finish up with refreshments at some great restaurants. We’re a work in progress, so please feel free to suggest modifications to our program.