Celebrate Cycle Simcoe’s 10th Anniversary with a Century Ride

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Have you ever challenged yourself to a century ride? Well now’s your chance! This year, Cycle Simcoe is celebrating their 10 year anniversary and we’ve partnered with them to host a one-day tour of the Simcoe County Loop Trail—a ride that will check the century off your bucket list and immerse you in all the beauty Simcoe County has to offer. The 160 km Simcoe County Loop Trail is about 80% gravel rail trail with some paved trail and on-road sections. It winds through forests, wetlands, farmlands, and urban areas, offering a multitude of experiences for hikers, cyclists, and runners. Admire the scenic beauty The varied terrain and plentiful vistas provide an exceptional outdoor experience. You’ll ride through the Minesing Wetlands Conservation Area, catch glimpses of the Nottawasaga River, and look out over the expanse of Georgian Bay and Lake […]

How to cycle every day in April in Ontario

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How to cycle every day in April in Ontario The “30 days of biking” pledge is an international movement to ride every day in April, any distance, and then share your adventures online with the hashtag #30daysofbiking. It sounds easy enough! I am down to the last few days and am confident I am going to make it. I have been out every day, with some very short rides, some e-bike rides, some cruises, and some longer rides and decent workouts. All in all, the experience has been positive: it has made me more active, encouraged me to be outside in all weather, and I am feeling strong and ready to tackle the rest of the season. What was challenging? It was a challenge to go every day, especially when the weather was bad. I knew before starting that I […]

Bring on the e-bikes!

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Bring on the e-Bikes E-bikes make cycling accessible to almost everyone. They come in many shapes and sizes, with differing motor types. The basic premise is that an electric motor assists as you pedal, and the amount of assistance varies depending on what assist level you select. For more about how they work, check out this article.  From a practical perspective, here are some things you can do with an e-bike: Get fit. There is research to suggest that e-bikes can contribute to meeting physical activity recommendations and increasing physical fitness.  Like regular biking, riding an e-bike likely improves mood and overall well-being as well. Have control over exercise intensity. With an e-bike, you can get outdoors and cycle without having to follow the stereotypical cyclist’s “suffer” mantra. By controlling the degree of pedal assist, you can work harder or […]

Cycling Georgian Bay Shores in Tiny & Tay: A Double Dog Route

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Cycling Georgian Bay Shores in Tiny & Tay: A Double Dog Route Tiny and Tay townships in Simcoe County are known for their rich history, adjacency to Georgian Bay, and… being the namesakes of dogs owned by Lady Simcoe, wife of the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. There are numerous great cycling routes in these townships, and we have merged a couple of them into a point-to-point route on our  Georgian Bay – Muskoka tour.  We start just outside of Waubashene and end in Wasaga Beach with an optional extension to Collingwood. It is mostly flat, with the notable exception of a hill out of Midland. Much of the ride is along the scenic shores of Georgian Bay. The route is about 77km one way. There is a link to the GPX file at the end of this post. […]

Kids love cycling trips too!

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Kids Love Cycling Trips Too! When kids and adults spend time together outdoors, whether it is hiking, skiing, or cycling, it can be exhilerating, and, in our opinion, leads to the most fabulous family vacations. Everyone involved has the chance to experience the adventure together including the joys and challenges, the camaraderie, and shared pride of accomplishment.  If your family loves to be on their bikes, here are some tips to help you plan a fun and memorable cycling trip.  Make cycling a regular family activity Cycling as a regular family activity allows children to gain skills, confidence, and satisfaction while allowing parents to assess their potential, as well as making sure the equipment fits, especially their bike. For young children, going for 10-15 minute rides is fine. It’s all about empowering them and ensuring they associate cycling with fun […]

I BLINKED MY EYES AND SUMMER WAS OVER, BUT WHAT A RIDE IT WAS!

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I BLINKED MY EYES AND SUMMER WAS OVER, BUT WHAT A RIDE IT WAS! By Mathew Pettit Hey folks, Mathew here with his very own take on the SUMMER THAT WAS. I’m sure I can find a relatable audience with a few choice words here: very hot, very cold. Ups, downs. CONFUSION. But most importantly, biking. Biking? What? Aye! This has been the summer of BIKES.  For the past 8 weeks, I’ve been leading a tour of cyclists through the heart of ORILLIA, catching glimpses of the city that IS, but also WAS.  From the Mnjikaning Fish Weirs, a meeting place with historic and cultural significance dating back a certain 3000 years, to the newly renovated and beautiful Couchiching Craft Brewery. Two quite distinctly different meeting places, with different practices culturally and spiritually, albeit both meeting places nonetheless. The WAS, […]

Climbing Hills is a Blast!

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Climbing Hills is a Blast! By Lisa Pottier Are you intrigued by hills but doubt you can do it? Did you ever try one but feel you almost suffocated? Or maybe you can’t even get your head around why anyone would ever want to climb a hill on a bike, and how could that possibly could be positive? Read on to learn how I learned to love hills! Why hills are the way to go  The aesthetic Whether on a bike, hiking, or in a car, rolling or steep landscapes almost always beat flat ones as far as astonishment, surprises and character. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely love flat landscapes, but the twisty roads with varying elevations that allow last minute glimpses to a wonderful barn, lake or field are the ones that steal my heart the most. Clifftops […]

Keep the legs spinning all winter, part 1: Give Zwift a chance!

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Zwift makes indoor riding suck less. A lot less. As a cyclist who disdains the trainer, I previously limited myself to one spin class per week and chose instead skiing, snowshoeing or running as winter activities – anything to get me outside and off the stationary bike. But last year, Mr. Humdinger and I decided to buy a smart trainer and try Zwift. And despite having been a confirmed skeptic known to openly eye-roll when Zwifters pontificated, I fell for the game almost instantly. I fell for the experience points, the sweat droplets, the ride-ons, the sprint and KOM/QOM challenges, the “close the gap” messages, and, I am more than a little embarrassed to say, I even fell for the garage. The garage is where you dress your avatar and buy new equipment. Of course, more kits and accessories are […]

Summer Summary and Looking Ahead to 2021

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Thanks for a great summer! A huge thank you to everyone who got out cycling this summer and supported local bike businesses, cafés, restaurants, breweries/wineries and all other manner of small businesses along your routes. In an obvious understatement, it has been a crazy few months.  Like almost everyone else in the tourism industry, March and April were marked by booking cancelations and sleepless nights. Fortunately, with the COVID-19 reprieve over the summer and a renewed interest in cycling, we were able to run tours. To meet 2020’s unique needs, we focused on local day and weekend trips, and custom tours. Pedal, Pints & Pubs Orillia We were really lucky that Orillia and area suddenly became home to two craft breweries this spring, where previously there had been none. This presented an opportunity to introduce a Pedal, Pints & Pubs […]