Sign Up Date: sign up starts on May 3, 2024 (Friday)
Start Point: Sandy Beach Park - lower parking lot
Directions: Exit from Crowchild Trail to head east on 50th Ave SW. Drive down the hill to the lower parking lot located near the Elbow River
Meeting Location: lower parking lot Sandy Beach Park
The ride is about 50 km with options to address the hills along the north side of the Bow River near Varsity Estates. (One option includes a total of 12 modest hills, while another reduces this to 5 hills)
The 12 hills option for the ride are all moderate in grade and length. There are 7 hills on the north side of the Bow River between Montgomery and Bowness Park and the remaining 5 are from the Bow River at Crowchild Trail back to Sandy Beach. The ride with 5 hills stays on the south side of the Bow River.
The ride starts at Sandy Beach, and we will head north along the Elbow River into Britannia, through Stanley Park and then traverse the high rent district of Rideau Park. We circle the MNP Community & Sports Centre before entering the Stampede Grounds and make our way to the south side of the Bow River. We then follow the Bow River (north side) and west to Shouldice Park where we need to decide on the hills vs. no hills. If we decide to do the hills, we will travel north on 52nd Street to get to the access to the north side of the Bow River. We then head west to Baker Park and cross back to the south side under the Stoney Trail Bridge. If we elect to miss the hills, we will bike through the Bowness community along the river.
Baker Park or Bowness Park is a good spot to stop for lunch.
From here we make out way east through the Bowness community and get to Shouldice and Edworthy Parks. We stay on the north side of the river at Edworthy (south side is closed with ice and snow spots) and continue east to around the Shaganappi Golf Course and swing south to climb up to Scarboro. There are 4 moderate hills before we summit at a point along 20th Street. We pass “My Favorite Ice Cream Shop” around 42nd Avenue and turn east here to travel to 14a Street. From there we head south back to the Sandy Beach Park
To reward our efforts after the ride (or just before the end of the ride), we can drop in to the “My Favorite Ice Cream Shop” and enjoy a treat (assuming the weather is warmer).
There are washroom facilities dotted along the route that we can make pit stops.
Remember your helmet, water, emergency information, sunglasses, sunscreen, spare tire tubes, pump and lunch.
Leader: Mike Massecar 403 969 7414
Sweep: TBD
Meeting Location: Sandy Beach - lower parking lot
Leader: Mike Massecar 403-969-7414
Sweep: TBD
There is a maximum of 16 riders on this ride.
Note that you need to be a current member of both the FLC Seniors Club and the Old Spokes Cycling Club to participate in a ride. For information on membership, check the membership page.