Tag: gravel

Sunday Gravel Ride | July 3rd 8:00AM

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We’re going north to Alma!

Kissing Willy Almeloragus – Kissing Bridge, most of Wilson Flats, a pit stop in Alma, down to Elora, a ricochet off of Fergus and home again. Bring money for the pit stop in Alma. The route can be shortcut by 6, 8 or 14 km at the north end if you need to do that. Make sure to load the route into a bike computer or phone app and be prepared to navigate on your own. Here’s how. Regroup in Alma at ‘Right Spot Baked Goods‘.

Tail lights are always a good idea.

The Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        24-26   kph average

Intermediate     G2       21-23   kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: Guelph Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: Both the G1 & G2 Speed Groups will follow this map:

CANCELLED – Sunday Gravel Ride | June 12th 8:00AM

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RIDE CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN. Maybe we can organize the ride for later in the day when it stops.

Not a great looking forecast, but let’s hope for the best; 7AM go/no-go call at the latest. A clockwise loop with a stop at the Erin bakery at about half way. And a slightly longer route than usual, but it’s not too technical, and is fairly flat.

The Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        24-26   kph average

Intermediate     G2       21-23   kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: Guelph Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: Both the G1 & G2 Speed Groups will follow this map:

UPDATED: Sunday Gravel Ride | May 22 at Noon

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Ride is ON! It’s quite cool, dress in layers. We’ll finish at 17 degrees in the sun.

7:00 am weather update… ride is postponed until 12 noon today. This will mean some of you can’t make it, but some still will. We’re trying to make the best of the bad weather – better than cancelling. All else stays the same. Please meet at the GYMC and be ready to pedal at 12 noon if you can make it. Weather is looking far more appealing from there. Hope to see you then.

5:30 am weather update… radar is looking promising, fingers crossed… final call at 7.

10:00 pm the night before: Still not completely clear, weather wise, one way or the other… we’ll have a final call at 7 am Sunday morning as to how this ride will proceed or not. Sleep well, and remember, your bike dreams of being ridden when it’s not!

6:00 pm Saturday afternoon, the prediction is rain for Sunday morning, but the radar indicates it might miss us. The forecast for the weekend has been less than accurate so far. If it is just a matter of waiting out the rain an hour or two, the start time may be adjusted rather than cancelling altogether. Stay tuned, we will keep updating this post as the start time grows nearer.

This route has butter tarts in it, plus a lot of gravel, but not in the same bite! We’ll be stopping at the Belwood Country Market for some of the best butter tarts we’ve ever had!

Perhaps you have noticed by now that we are steadily creeping up our gravel distances each week (80 km for this Sunday) in preparation for the 90 km BGR on June 5th. Not to worry about the length here, look at the elevation profile, you will practically be coasting all the way home!

Extra challenge: Load the route into your Bike Computer – details can be found here. And turn off ‘Route Recalculation’ in the ‘Navigation’ settings of your bike computer.

Dress for the conditions – check out our new weather forecast page. A tail light is never a bad idea either. Disclaimer: Depending on rider turn out, some Speed Groups may have to be combined. We’re looking forward to having you along!

The Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        24-26   kph average

Intermediate     G2       21-23   kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: Guelph Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: Both the G1 & G2 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Sunday Gravel Ride | May 15th at 8 am

The weather forecast has completely turned around, it’s looking very pleasant for the ride. A start of 17 degrees and a finish of 24 with very little wind. We should be home in time for lunch!

Wilson Flats is in the mix and so is a jaunt through Elora Gorge Park. Fear not, we won’t be bushwhacking the little trails in there this time! The route has a full coffee stop at the Lost and Found Cafe in Elora. Bring money and a mask for that.

Sunscreen will also be in order. Dress for the conditions – check out our new weather forecast page. A tail light is never a bad idea either. Disclaimer: Depending on rider turn out, some Speed Groups may have to be combined.

The Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        24-26   kph average

Intermediate     G2       21-23   kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: Guelph Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: Both the G1 & G2 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Sunday Gravel Ride | May 8th at 9 am

It’s a gravel ride for Mother’s Day! Oh yeah, you can work this in!

Mums, you owe it to yourself, this is your day, you know there is nothing more you would rather be doing than riding your bike! Fathers, give her the space she deserves, let her sleep in, and leave her alone at least until noon-ish by riding your bike and going wherever it is that you and your friends go. Children, your mum loves you and knows that when your happy she’s happy! Show her the joy you have had in the morning by spending the warmer, better part of the day with her in the afternoon. Do it for her. Spend time with your mother today, right after you get back from the prerequisite mental preparation of riding your bike!

By the way, what is the difference between justification and rationalization?

This route is an early season fave. It has a bit of everything and it’s not too long.

We will stop at the Danish Place to sit on their picnic tables, but they are not scheduled to be open by the time we get there, so bring your own mid ride food. Dress for the conditions – check out our new weather forecast page. Forecast so far is coolish but sunny. A tail light is never a bad idea either. Disclaimer: Depending on rider turn out, some Speed Groups may have to be combined.

The Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        24-26   kph average

Intermediate     G2       21-23   kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 9:00 AM

Start Location: Guelph Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: Both the G1 & G2 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Wednesday Gravel Rides | May 4th 6:00PM

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It’s looking like a nice evening for a ride… finally!

These Wednesday night gravel rides are new this year. Route distances are selected to get us all home before sunset. Bringing lights is always a good idea. Fortune favours the prepared – Les Graviers.

Disclaimer: Depending on rider turn out, Speed Groups may have to be combined.

The Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        24-26   kph average

Intermediate     G2       21-23   kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 6:00 PM

Start Location: Guelph Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: Both the G1 & G2 Speed Groups will follow this map:

2022 P2A Race Report

The cork is out of the bottle and the season has begun!

It was the warmest, bluest-sky event we can remember. We came, we saw, we had a nice time (mostly). Despite crashes, rashes, sun burns, cracked helmets, flats, double flats, transport craziness, road crossing delays, shortened courses and DNFs, it was a rather pleasant day to be out on a bike.

There were several first-timer GCC members attending Canada’s Spring Classic this year – welcome to the club! It was so great to see everyone.

Alex Lefebvre (a dual club member of GCC & PCC) was our highest finisher and had a stellar result with 14th overall in the historical 70K event averaging 31.1kph! A huge accomplishment for Alex! Well done sir, well done!

A few GCCers also stepped up their games and on to podiums. Sarah Baert won the Women 20-29 (Women’s 4th s overall!) and Maxine Oleka was “on fire” and book-ended that podium on the third step. Deanna Solomon also took third in Women 50-59. Heather Lylyk just missed the podium taking 4th in her category.

Also of note, a covert operation unfolded utilizing a GCC agent of great repute. Drawing no attention, our mystery man slipped into the second wave under an assumed identity. He used his bicycle to stealthily arrive from Guelph avoiding detection, yet adding another 40kms to his mission. The tall Russian covertly ‘attacked’ every wave in his way, taking out the VIPs and many of the elites. Like every good spy story, this one finished in the mid 60s as well. Yeah baby!

To check out how all your favourite GCC riders performed, see below or have a look here. Congrats to all our competitors, you rock… and roll so very well!

There was some hard luck out on the course as well. So we’ll take the season in front of us to pull the gravel out, lick our wounds, raise our spirits, buy some tubeless tires and possibly forget that we ever vowed to never lay money down for this ridiculous race again. On the coming season of club rides, we’ll have a great time, in good company and in familiar surroundings. So much that come Christmas, when those P2A early-bird emails starting rolling in, and we’re already sick of the trainer in the basement, with our April memories suppressed, we might optimistically start considering the unthinkable.

This has been the earliest start to our season since 2019. Keep pedalling, otherwise… you fall over.

Enjoy the ride (metaphor intended).

Rusty

PlacePlateNameTownTeamCategoryCat PlaceGender PlaceTimeGapSpeedWave
14822LEFEBVRE, AlexGUELPHPCC/GCCMM30-397/21414/10831h 49′ 18″0h 06′ 00″31.1E
651331FEDOSOV, JamesGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM30-3924/21464/10831h 58′ 06″0h 14′ 47″28.8M2
1161109HARVEY, PhilipGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM40-4940/319115/10832h 04′ 37″0h 21′ 19″27.3M1
1271193CALCAGNO, LorenzGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM50-5923/291126/10832h 05′ 38″0h 22′ 20″27M1
1391010BROGDEN, JimGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM50-5930/291137/10832h 06′ 34″0h 23′ 16″26.8M1
1451050BAERT, SarahGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMF20-291/114/1352h 06′ 55″0h 23′ 37″26.8M1
1581916MCDONALD, ScottGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM40-4951/319153/10832h 07′ 54″0h 24′ 36″26.6M3
2081132BODBYL, KevinGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM30-3959/214200/10832h 10′ 37″0h 27′ 19″26M1
3161397FERWERDA, RonaldGUELPHSPEED RIVER CYCLING CLMXMSS4/7298/10832h 17′ 46″0h 34′ 27″24.7M2
3691928ATKINSON, BryanGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM40-49116/319347/10832h 20′ 53″0h 37′ 34″24.1M3
3831071LYLYK, HeatherGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMF40-494/3126/1352h 21′ 29″0h 38′ 10″24M1
4062271OLEKA, MaxineGUELPHHELLOMF20-2903/1129/1352h 23′ 15″0h 39′ 56″23.7M4
4461488WAYNE, AndrewGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM50-59100/291417/10832h 26′ 09″0h 42′ 50″23.2M2
4501067MAXWELL, JmeGUELPHINDEPENDENTMM40-49145/319421/10832h 26′ 15″0h 42′ 57″23.2M1
4642251MAHON, CameronGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM60-6932/103435/10832h 27′ 12″0h 43′ 54″23.1M4
4691641SOLOMON, DeannaGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMF50-593/2930/1352h 27′ 44″0h 44′ 26″23M2
5011159DREWITT, SheldonGUELPHMILTON REVOLUTION CYCLMM11-1506/11469/10832h 30′ 45″0h 47′ 26″22.5M1
5021160DREWITT, GordonGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM50-59115/291470/10832h 30′ 45″0h 47′ 27″22.5M1
6951503BENNETT, RobinGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM60-6952/103647/10832h 43′ 20″1h 00′ 01″20.8M2
7761514COLLINS, RobinGUELPHGUELPH CYCLING CLUBMM40-49225/319721/10832h 49′ 28″1h 06′ 10″20M2
8061704ZGRAJA, AdamGUELPHINDEPENDENTMM30-39155/214747/10832h 51′ 49″1h 08′ 31″19.8M3

Sunday April 24th Gravel Ride | 11AM start

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If you’re not heading to P2A, but still want to enjoy the nice weather on a gravel bike, then this is for you. Please wear sunscreen or keep exposed skin covered. Sunday is going to be very warm, and I don’t want to see any lobsters out there!

Dress for the conditions – check out our new weather forecast page. A tail light is never a bad idea either. Disclaimer: Depending on rider turn out, some Speed Groups may have to be combined.

The Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        24-26   kph average

Intermediate     G2       21-23   kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 11:00 AM

Start Location: Guelph Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: Both the G1 & G2 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Sunday Gravel Ride | November 7th, 11:00 am

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The weather is predicted to be around 11 degrees and partially sunny. The route will be mostly gravel roads with a couple of easy two-track ‘connectors’ (hopefully no mud).

Unfortunately there is no cafe or convenience store near halfway on this route. Please bring food, enough drink and dress for the conditions.

Check back here for weather cancellation posted no later than 8:00 AM.

Advance sign-up required. Click here: Sunday Gravel Rides.

Start time: Please be ready to pedal at 11:00 AM

Start location: The Guelph Youth Music Centre – GYMC

CANCELLED Sunday Gravel Ride | October 31st, 11:00 am

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RIDE CANCELLED. We’ll try again next week and hope for better conditions.

It’s going to be a cold, wet, mucky and windy all Hallows Eve, Hallowe’en or Halloween (your spelling preference) fall colour ride. Weather is predicted to be chilly, windy and wet – around 8 degrees at the start. Brrr…. costumes are mandatory (ok, maybe not)!

Check back here for weather cancellation posted no later than 8:00 AM.

Lot’s of long gravel roads in this one. Unfortunately there is no cafe or convenience store near halfway on this route. Bring food, enough drink and dress warmly – and no whining! Lol!!

The plan is to have two pace groups: recreational and intermediate. Both use the same route at different paces. However, these groups may be combined depending on turnout. Check the schedule for complete details.

Recreational Gravel: 21-24 km/h average
Intermediate Gravel: 24-26 km/h average

Advance sign-up required. Click here: Sunday Gravel Rides. You will have to create an account on Signup.com

Start time: please be ready to pedal at 11:00 AM

Start location: The Guelph Youth Music Centre – GYMC

Sunday Gravel Ride – Oct. 17, 11:00am

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Weather is looking cool, and possibly rainy for this weekend. The ride start will officially be at 11:00am, to account for some warmer weather and hopefully to miss any rain that comes overnight. Dress appropriately and the worst that will happen is that you’ll have a cool story about an awesome adventure.

There will be a halfway stop at the Play-A-Latte Cafe in Kitchener (around kilometer 45). Be sure to bring cash or card and mask for that.

There are two groups: recreational and intermediate. Both use the same route at different paces. However, these groups may be combined depending on turnout. Check the schedule for complete details.

Recreational Gravel: 21-24 km/h average
Intermediate Gravel: 24-26 km/h average

Check back for weather cancellation posted no later than 9:00 AM.

Advance sign-up required. Click here: Sunday Gravel Rides. You will have to create an account on Signup.com

NEW Start time: Please be ready to pedal at 11:00 AM

Start location: The Guelph Youth Music Centre – GYMC

The route: We’re going to go on an urban-ish adventure along some trails that we’ve hit before, and some brand new stuff! Should be a great time!

Sunday Gravel Ride | October 10th, 9:00 am

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Weather prediction is warm. Should be around 17 degrees at 9 am. This ride is a wee bit shorter to allow for the long weekend commitments people need to get back for. We should easily be back by noon.

There will be a halfway stop at the Lost & Found Cafe in Elora. Be sure to bring cash or card and mask for that.

There are two groups: recreational and intermediate. Both use the same route at different paces. However, these groups may be combined depending on turnout. Check the schedule for complete details.

Recreational Gravel: 21-24 km/h average
Intermediate Gravel: 24-26 km/h average

Check back for weather cancellation posted no later than 8:00 AM.

Advance sign-up required. Click here: Sunday Gravel Rides. You will have to create an account on Signup.com

Start time: please be ready to pedal at 9:00 AM

Start location: The Guelph Youth Music Centre – GYMC

Sunday Gravel Ride | Aug 22nd, 8:00 am

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This one is called Kissing Flormira Wilson for obvious reasons. It was rained out a month ago, but the forecast is looking favourable this time.

If you’ve never been around the Floradale reservoir you’re in for a treat. We also cut through Edna and Daniel Martin’s Mennonite Maple Syrup farm with permission. Sorry, no Sunday sales. Too bad, a little syrup in your water = yum & zip)!

We will be taking a snack stop at halfway in Elmira at the ‘Local Renaissance’ cafe or the Circle K convenience store across the road. Bring cash/card and a mask for both.

There are two groups: recreational and intermediate. Both use the same route at different paces. Check the schedule for complete details.

Recreational Gravel: 21-24 km/h average
Intermediate Gravel: 24-26 km/h average

Check back for weather cancellation posted no later than 7:00 AM.

Register for this ride here: Sunday Gravel Rides

Start location: The Guelph Youth Music Centre – GYMC

Start time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Sunday Gravel Ride | August 15, 2021

And now for something completely different. Well, not really, just leaning toward more singletrack 🙂

We’re doing a loop of Smith tract as a warm up, so bring your skills! Otherwise it’s some new roads and trails out near Acton, and a loop back through Hilton Falls. Should be perfect weather!

Bakery stop in Acton at Sweet Molly’s. Scratch that, they won’t be open. We’ll head to Andrews Farm Market & Winery instead at kilometre ~56.

There are two groups: recreational and intermediate. Both use the same route at different paces. Check the schedule for complete details.

Recreational Gravel: 21-24 km/h average
Intermediate Gravel: 24-26 km/h average

Check back for weather cancellation posted no later than 7:00 AM.

Advance sign-up required. Click here: Sunday Gravel Rides. You will have to create an account on Signup.com

Start time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start location: The Guelph Youth Music Centre – GYMC

SRCC Big Gravel Ride 2021!

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Updated Route as of Saturday Night. Small change at the the very beginning and very end due to construction in Howitt Creek Park. The route is now 6km shorter. See below.

We’re doing it again! Back by popular demand, the SRCC Big Gravel Ride!

And like before, we guarantee there will be sections that are unknown territory for you. We will ride this as a club as permitted by provincial and OCA guidelines.

The Ride Event is for club members only and you must pre-register. No other club rides will run on this date.

About the route: It’s 83 km long. The start and finish are at Fixed Gear Brewing, our sponsor. There are three speed groups each with a different start time, Fast, Moderate and Recreational. Sign up soon to insure you get a spot! Several club members have ridden this already and given their seal of approval. The route is really special!

Here are the details for our third-annual BGR

The Essentials:

Sunday August 29th, 2021

First wave leaves at 8:00 AM

Start and finish is at Fixed Gear Brewing on Alma Street (the original location).

Pre-registration is mandatory and available here

The Details:

  • We are limited to how many people can be accommodated at Fixed Gear post ride as per current Health regulations, so, participants only.
  • Please note there are no other official club rides on this date
  • Rain or shine
  • 83km route
  • Free parking, gear storage on site, arrive early to stow some gear
  • Three groups of various paces: Fast, Moderate and Recreational
  • Staggered start to finish at a similar time
    • 8:00 am Recreational pace
    • 8:15 am Moderate pace
    • 8:30 am Fast pace
  • The BGR 2021 is open to SRCC Club Members only
  • One free beer per rider donated by our sponsor
  • Some post ride food provided by SRCC with more available to purchase
  • Bring cash or card for additional post ride bevies or food
  • Masks are mandatory when passing through the Fixed Gear Brewing building
  • Tires: Minimum 30 mm wide tires with some file tread recommended

Hope to see you there!

Your SRCC Board

Sunday Gravel Ride | Aug 1st, 8:00 am

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RIDE CANCELLED due to wet forecast, or perhaps we should just say ‘postponed’. This ride will run on Monday August 2nd starting at the same time and location.

Long weekends leave towns quieter than usual, which is an excellent time to take advantage of what’s in our own backyard. This route uses the best south Guelph has to offer, plus a lot of gravel and two-track further down. We will stop halfway at the The Danish Place, (which is open again – yay! … just not when we get there – boo!). Bring your own snacks – and a mask just in case.

The forecast is iffy at this point. Check back here for a weather cancellation posted no later than 7:00 am.

If this ride is cancelled on Sunday, it will run on Monday starting at the same time and location.

There are two groups: recreational and intermediate. Both use the same route at different paces. Check the schedule for complete details.

Recreational Gravel: 21-24 km/h average
Intermediate Gravel: 24-26 km/h average

Advance sign-up required. Click here: Sunday Gravel Rides.

Start location: The Guelph Youth Music Centre – GYMC

Start time: Please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM