Author: Ruth Louden

Career counsellor, education consultant, employment coach, technology addict, cyclist, homebuilder

2nd Annual Veggie Car Race Ride from Cobourg – Saturday, August 24

August 15, 2019
First Annual Veggie Car Race Ride Hosted by Barb & John – 2018

Below is an invitation from Barb & John, who hope to get your early confirmation of attendance, so they can shop for veggie car parts!

It’s Veggie Car Race Ride time again! John and Barb are hosting the second annual Veggie Car Race Ride at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 24th at their home near Cobourg (see directory for map and address). Ride route will be East Danforth.  

First we ride, then we eat.  Food to be provided – pulled chicken or pulled pork tacos or sandwiches, salad, dessert – and then you’ll be singles or teams of two to build your ‘race car’ out of vegetables.  

Here’s a YouTube video if you need an idea. And if you are on the GF Facebook group, you can get a sneak peek of the highs, lows and hilarity of veggie racing by watching some of the videos from last year.

Veggies, utensils and solid axel material will be provided. If you want to add anything exotic or bring your carving tools, have at it. Car building and racing to follow lunch. Non-riding spouses/partners welcome. Bring your own beverages.

Cycling from Garden Hill – Tuesday, August 20

August 15, 2019

Pete and Ruth are hosting Tuesday’s Bikes, Barns, Burgers & Beer ride from their home in Garden Hill. We’ll have printed maps on hand for the 47 km ride that can be shortened in kilometres, but not elevation. Alas, we live in an area with lovely hilltop views . . . so be prepared to climb a few hills and enjoy the many vistas!

We’ll provide hamburgers, veggie burgers and chicken burgers – you’re welcome to bring appetizers, salads and desserts!

We look forward to seeing you for one more summer ride!

Cycling from Cobourg – Friday, August 16

August 14, 2019

Hey Freewheelers – we had a last minute change to our schedule so we’re making Friday’s ride a downtown Cobourg start location so that we can all enjoy Ribfest as a reward! No cookin’ required, just feastin’. Or festin’.

Check back on this post later today to see which route we have decided will work best. Considering Town & Country, the Turkey Ride or Hamilton Heights. If you have thoughts, please comment. We’ll follow the suggestion of Klaus, seconded by Pete to do Brian N.’s Favorite route. Those participating can agree on how far they want to go and how many hills they want to climb in advance of the rib feast.

We suggest you find parking wherever you can near Ribfest. We will meet on our bikes at a central location by 5:30 – i.e., the parking lot behind the Dutch Oven where we typically meet. If you can park there, great, alternatively, Barb has investigated some alternatives. Her discoveries about the event and the parking options are below.

Here’s the need to know site for Ribfest:

  • It is free to get in
  • No bikes, water bottles, bags, and the like.  
  • Vendors post their prices

Here’s a map of free parking (well 2 hours but I’m sure the meter gestapo leave work at 4:30 Friday night) in downtown Cobourg.  The Trinity lot is usually good, particularly on the elbow down to Swayne Street.  It isn’t far to walk from there.  I will also pop in to at 66 King tomorrow and ask Edward who owns it if we can park in his side lot right across from Vic Park.  He closes at 5:00.  We may all have to promise to stop in sometime for a coffee and sweet, but that is no problem as it is a wonderful place.  
https://www.cobourg.ca/en//resourcesGeneral/Documents/Parking-Map.pdf

Hope to see you there! Nom, Nom.

Riding from Campbellcroft – Tuesday, August 13

August 11, 2019

Jennifer and Andy will host Tuesday’s ride from their home starting at 10 am.

We will follow The Oak Hills route which offers 50-km and 37-km options and apparently, also a 27-km option. The longer route does have Stark Hill in it, so be prepared for a climbing challenge.

Chili will be the main lunch offering – you’re welcome to bring salad accompaniments or desserts.

Good news – the weather forecast for Tuesday is actually improving since earlier in the week. Should it worsen, Jennifer will make the call Monday evening re: whether to cancel!

Cycling from Port Hope – Friday, August 9

August 7, 2019

Ruth & Pete invite you to ride the Port Hope Barn Quilt Trail with us out of Port Hope Town Hall this Friday starting at 5:30 pm. Let’s celebrate our local agricultural history with a visit to 23 barn quilts!

As you’ll note from the above Quilt Trail map, there are a couple of sections that call for riding short stretches on busy roads – i.e., Toronto Road out of town and Ganaraska 9 through Garden Hill. We will see if there is a detour to avoid most of the Toronto Road stretch. The segment through Garden Hill should be fine, given a very wide shoulder and the lower speed limit though town.

Note as well, there are hills. Yes indeed, we have hills. Keep in mind that there are plenty of shortcuts to avoid either the busy stretches or the worst hills. Check this post later for a Ride with GPS link that will show the full distance.

We’ll top off the ride with a visit to one of the top 10 burger joints in Canada – Olympus Burger.

UPDATE: HERE IS THE RIDE WITH GPS MAP

Below is a visual of our proposed route that goes by 15 out of 23 barn quilts. Our goal was to keep it under 50 km and avoid lengthy busy road sections. We’ll bring printed maps with a cue sheet that also shows ways to make it longer and get in a few more barns!

Here is a link to this route and the cue sheet:

Riding from Cobourg – Friday, August 2

July 30, 2019

Randy and Anita will help us kick off this August long weekend with a ride from their home North of Cobourg starting at 5:30. Below is their invitation.

We have four route options for Friday night that you can download to the Ride with GPS app or print from a pdf version. After the ride we’ll have the standard, fabulous Freewheelers Potluck at our home. Please bring a lawn chair since we’ll likely be sitting outside.

Note: We will not have printed maps at the start, so please remember to print them or download them to your app.

Ride with GPS Versions
26km routehttps://ridewithgps.com/routes/30692210
33km routehttps://ridewithgps.com/routes/30692148
42km routehttps://ridewithgps.com/routes/30692153
52km routehttps://ridewithgps.com/routes/30692157

PDF Maps for Printing
26km route pdf
33km route pdf
42km route pdf
52km route pdf

Friday Rides Need You!

July 26, 2019

Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 20, 2019, at 8:40 AM, Katherine Smith <katherinevsmith@yahoo.com> wrote:

Katherine invites you to choose your Friday ride!

This is a reminder that there will not be a Friday ride today. Also, your new Friday Ride Coordinator, Katherine, is calling on your support in her invitation below.

Calling all wonderful Freewheelers, all of the hostesses and hosts with the mostest.  All of you who wish the opportunity to plan a potentially unforgettable event for your fellow Freewheelers . . .  and of course, to have my undying respect and appreciation!

I am taking over the Friday night hosting duties. My goal is 100 percent covered – no Town Hall rides, no little note says “ride has no host”.

If we can achieve this, I am willing to host a Thanksgiving Palooza at mine on the Friday night of Thanksgiving. Wait. Heck. Right, I do that every year.  Ok, if you can all help, undying love and support, and turkey still happens.

So let me know your date and choice. August has only one little date planned.  Here’s to part 2 of the cycling season (already).  Looking forward to seeing those of you signed up for our St Jacobs weekend.  Remember, there is no ride today, unless, you want to get it out of your system and do a final “ride needs host” from a town hall.

Cycling from Bewdley Community Centre – Tuesday, July 23

July 18, 2019
What a great turnout for the Campbellford Ride!

Let’s make it another great summer ride! Join Bob and Liz on the Heavenly Harwood ride, starting at 10:00 a.m. from the Bewdley Community Centre. Their invitation is below.

Enjoy a scenic ride along Rice Lake. The 36 km ride is relatively easy; the 47 km ride has lots of challenging hills for the last 11 kms. Join us for lunch at Rhinos to recoup your calories. So bring on the sweet potato fries!