Ride 35 is in the books: The soon-to-be-classic Eager Beaver 2.0. This gravel grinder event, starting and finishing in Highlands Nordic near Collingwood, offered three distances: 50 km, 100 km (which I rode), and 100 miles. Dan from Substance Projects runs fantastic events and this was no exception. I was up way too early to … Continue reading Ride 35 of 50 – Eager Beaver Gravel Race – 100km version
Category: 50 Rides in my 50th year
Ride 34 of 50 – The Big 5-0 – Bicycalligraphy
There are many reasons people choose to go for a ride: exercise/fitness, fresh air, good company, race training, racing, exploring new locations, personal bests, Strava (to get kudos, or to attempt a KOM/QOM), test a new bike or new bike part... and many more. For my 50 rides in my 50th year, I've experienced many … Continue reading Ride 34 of 50 – The Big 5-0 – Bicycalligraphy
Ride 33 of 50 – Grundy Lake Provincial Park
Sometimes it's not about the ride; it's about the destination. Camping has been a big part of my summer vacations for as long as I can remember. I've been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to visit many of Ontario's fine Provincial Parks, and in recent years, I've explored the parks by bicycle. This … Continue reading Ride 33 of 50 – Grundy Lake Provincial Park
Ride 32 of 50: Trans Fat – Ancaster to Port Dover and Back
A few weeks ago, I did my "longest ride ever" with some strong friends who pulled me around on my road bike for 210 km. It was a long day, and I won't say it was easy, but compared to this long-distance ride on my fat bike, that 210 km ride a ride in the … Continue reading Ride 32 of 50: Trans Fat – Ancaster to Port Dover and Back
Ride 31 of 50 – Getting caught in the summer rain
I didn't expect to blog about this ride, but it became memorable in the last hour when we got soaked with heavy rain. I've previously blogged about the Waterloo Cycling Club Thursday rides here, and because theses rides start close to home (RIM Park), it's hard to make excuses to avoid them. The riders split … Continue reading Ride 31 of 50 – Getting caught in the summer rain
Ride #30 of 50 – Niagara Falls
Another ride on my wish list for 2016 was to ride along the trail in Niagara Falls. I've been there many times, but hadn't ridden the trail from Niagara-on-the-Lake before. So with the kiddo away for the weekend, J. and I decided to drive down to Niagara and check out the path. Along the way … Continue reading Ride #30 of 50 – Niagara Falls
Ride #29 – Waterloo to Oakville with two Escarpment Climbs
I've kept a detailed ride log ever since I got into "serious" cycling in 2002, and according to my records, my first 100 km ride was in 2006, for the Waterloo Cycling Club charity ride, when I rode 162 km on my old road bike. I've since covered that distance numerous times, with my ride … Continue reading Ride #29 – Waterloo to Oakville with two Escarpment Climbs
Ride 28 of 50 memorable rides – My first 200 km ride
One of the rides that has been in the back of my mind since I dreamed up this 50-in-50 idea was my first double-metric century, or 200 km. My previous longest ride was last year when a group rode down to Port Dover, had lunch by the beach and rode back. I figured I could do … Continue reading Ride 28 of 50 memorable rides – My first 200 km ride
Rides 25, 26, 27 – Cycling Cape Cod
Leading up to my week-long vacation in Cape Cod, I debated over which bike to bring with me. For a while, I'd settled on my fat bike, so I could ride on the sand at low tide and still ride the singletrack and rail trail. Then I thought my cyclocross bike would be best for … Continue reading Rides 25, 26, 27 – Cycling Cape Cod
Ride 24/50 – The Wild Ride at Wildwood Conservation Area
I've been trying to get to the Wildwood Conservation Area to ride my mountain bike for a few years, but it just never happened. This year, I decided to sign up the week before the race, figuring I'd get a chance to finally ride these trails that I keep hearing so much about. There's … Continue reading Ride 24/50 – The Wild Ride at Wildwood Conservation Area









