6 weeks to RLCT... Krikey!

Upcoming Club Events:

Please take a look in the calendar to see all the upcoming events you may wish to take part in.

April 23 (this Thursday) - club social, 5-9PM

See the calendar for details.

May 15-18 (long weekend) - Northumberland out-of-town tour

The first-of-the-year multiday OBC outing, setting out on day rides from a base on the Lake Ontario shore in Cobourg. A variety of rides await, selected from these options, perhaps others. A very fun way to get your season underway and get to know, better, fellow club members, and enjoy new routes and a new part of the province, by bike. More info: https://ottawabicycleclub.ca/tours/

Volunteer's sought and needed!!

Your club, and all the activities it organizes, run on volunteers and it needs us all to pitch in, whether a little or a lot; every hour helps.

Almonte-Paris-Roubaix (next Sunday) If you don't mind being considered an enabler of a wild, crazy, often muddy, Spring ritual, do consider helping out with the always popular Almonte-Paris-Roubaix ride. It's sure to be rewarding! Info: https://ottawabicycleclub.ca/almonte-paris-roubaix/

Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour Whether your are planning to ride the tour or not, there are plenty of opportunities, either on the weekend or beforehand, to play a small (or large!) but vital role in making it successful. Many many many volunteers are needed. Please sign up. https://ottawabicycleclub.ca/rlct/

This & that

 Is your bike ship-shape? Are you carrying basic tools and equipment? Be sure all the critical components -- brakes, drive train; tires -- are in good shape and thus ensure that your bike won't be inclined to leave you in tears at the side of the road. On all club rides (in fact, whenever you ride), please carry, minimally, a spare tube, tire levers, air pump (or equivalents for tubeless). Having bright, day-time running lights (front & back) is also a really good idea to improve your visibility to drivers. 

Keep an eye out for trash, rocks, sand, gravel, etc. on the roads, especially rounding corners. It's unlikely that the street sweepers will be out tout de suite, so Spring riding requires special attention to the road surface.

On to the ride...

Event Description

Road Ride from deepest, darkest Orleans heading east.

Start Location  : Millennium Park, Orleans  https://maps.app.goo.gl/yq3nh9tWAdeZ8NcW7

Start Time         : 9:00 AM Departure - gather 8:30-8:45

NOTE THAT, DUE TO CONTINUING IFFY WEATHER, THE DEPARTURE TIME MAY BE PUSHED TO 10:00AM (to avoid unpleasantness) AS THE FORECAST BECOMES FIRMER. I WILL ADVISE ALL REGISTERED RIDERS, BY EMAIL, IF THAT OCCURS.

Will Orleans provide better weather than what we have seen so far? TBD. In any event, here are some routes out east. Generally, they have quite a pleasant, country road feel. When we get over to Quebec, likely next time around, in June, the routes get even more scenic (with river "cruises", to boot!).

If you know of good rest stops, open on Sunday mornings, east of Trim Rd that you don't see mentioned on the maps, please let me know so that I can add them and make people aware.

Continue to dress for the weather.  It seems the cool weather will be with us for another week, at least.

Public Service Announcement: A start-of-season reminder that it is not really great form for a group to stop to use the toilet without a couple of members buying something. Also, bringing your own food into a restaurant is likely going to invite a reaction. :)

Bonne route!

PS: Note that one can take transit to Orleans, early on Sunday mornings -- I've done it for the last couple of years, even for 8:00 launches -- but that has meant bussing to Place d'Orleans -- with the bike on the bus rack (I've never had an issue with my steel bike) -- and riding from the there to the start (7.5km). Check the schedule, though. as many bus routes from the west end at Millennium Park.