Archive for the ‘Cycling’ Category

Cycling the Donauradweg, Sept 2008

Posted on: June 30th, 2009

After getting addicted to cycling in Europe on our German trip in 2005, we returned this year to cycle the Donauradweg (Danube cycle way). This is a system of trails and marked cycle routes that extend along the entire Danube River.

We completed about half (750 km) of the route, from Passau, Germany to Budapest, Hungary on a 3 week trip, with several day stops in Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Munich. 650 km was completed by bike, and the rest by hydrofoil and train.

We flew from Toronto to Munich, rented the “trekkingbikes” and hopped directly on a train to Passau, where we spent the first night in Europe. Next morning we were off on the adventure of our lifetimes! When we finished our stay in Budapest, we took the train back to Munich, where we rested for a couple of days, and “re-hydrated”!

We hope you enjoy this photo album.

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Summer Vacation, August 2006

Posted on: June 30th, 2009

This vacation had a little bit of everything. We stayed in Quebec City for a few days, then up to the Charlevoix area as far as Tadoussac. Then we ferried across the river to Riviere du Loup, and stayed in LaPocatiere for a few days.

On the way back, we camped in Prince Edward County, where we met up with the Montreal bunch. See Montreal 2006 for history. Although not technically a cycling trip, we logged about 300 km, which ain’t that bad.

I put a few shots from our Labour Day trip to Collingwood with the High Park Bike Club

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Prince Edward County, Summer 2006

Posted on: June 30th, 2009

We’ve been cycling in Prince Edward County for about 10 years, and I thought this year I should finally get some snaps before it gets totally overrun with tourists. It is one of the most tranquil places I know of, and I hope these photos show a little of that. Even the cars are more bike friendly, which is rare in Ontario, where they think that cyclists don’t pay taxes.

We’re going camping here again in August, so maybe I’ll have a few more shots to add. But its more of a party bunch, so the photos may show not tranquility, but cigar smokin’, moonin’, drinkers.

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Cycling weekend in Montreal, June 2006

Posted on: June 30th, 2009

I’ve cycled in Montreal many times, and it just about my favourite big city to cycle in. There are bikes everywhere, bike lanes separated from auto traffic (like the photo below), and even the car drivers are more bike friendly.

Add the great food, the nightlife, the French ambiance, the fabulous B&B (Chez Francois), and a bunch of cycling buddies, and you have one of the best weekends of the year. I think I’m going again next June.

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Cycling in Germany, Sept 2005

Posted on: June 30th, 2009

This was a 2 week trip to Germany and the Czech Republic, with a 4 day cycling trip included. We spent a couple of days in Munich, then took a train to Heidelberg. Here we rented trekkingbikes from a bicycle courier business, called PerBike. The bikes were good quality, but needed tuneups, and one needed a cable for the front derailleur, which I had to install myself. But these things just make travelling more interesting…..right?

We cycled east along the Neckar, Jagst, and Tauber Rivers, about 210 km to a walled town, called Rothenburg. This was an amazing route, with medieval villages, castles, rolling hills and river valleys, and great food and beer at the end of the day. It was mostly easy rolling, and mostly paved bike trails with no cars.

From Rothenburg, we took a train back to Heidelberg, got rid of the bikes, then another train to Berlin, where we stayed for a couple of days. Then we travelled, again, by train to Prague, where we spent 3 days, before heading back to Munich.

This was a great introduction to cycling in Europe, and I’m already thinking about the next trip, ……… to ……………

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Cycling in BC, Aug 2002

Posted on: June 30th, 2009

Chantal and I flew out to Vancouver with our bikes, rented a station wagon, threw the bikes in the back, and explored British Columbia for 2 weeks. We needed the car because of the territory we wanted to cover on this trip. In total, we drove abut 2400 km, and cycled on 11 days. We visited Lake Okanagan, the Osoyoos desert, Whistler, Gabriola Island, and Vancouver Island all the way to Tofino.

I know, you’re thinking that this is not a real cycling trip, but the days that we did get out on 2 wheels were really worth it.

“How different it is to be riding through a landscape, rather than just by it. In some ways it makes a strange place less exotic, and yet it becomes infinitely more real. You feel the road under your wheels, the sun and the wind on your body, and there are no walls or windows between your senses and the world.”

- Neil Peart, Rush (another Hamiltonian, just like me)

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Iles de la Madeleine – Aug 2000

Posted on: August 15th, 2000

The archipelago of Iles de la Madeleine is part of Quebec and is in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. To get there, you must take the ferry from Souris, PEI, which is about a 5 hour boat ride.

This was the first time that Chantal and I camped with only bicycle transportation, so we left the car in PEI, loaded up the bikes, and boarded the ferry. The restaurant on the boat served excellent cappacino, and over several cups, we had an interesting conversation with a couple from Quebec City. We later saw them cycling on the island.

We arrived at the main town of Cap-Aux-Meules, and cycled to our campsite at Gros-Cap. Here we set up our tent, and went on day trips to several of the islands, which are connected by sand dunes. The islands are mostly flat, so the cycling is fairly easy, but there are always strong winds present. The wind was especially annoying at night, when it seemed like someone was slapping the tent all night.

Each day we experienced fabulous scenery, clean, sandy and isolated beaches, and at night we had delicious seafood. Iles de la Madeleine is known for its lobsters. To add to the adventure, since we didn’t cook at the camp, each night we would exchange the bike shorts and jerseys for evening wear, and cycle into Cap-Aux-Melees (about 8 km) for dinner. After cocktails and wine, returning to the camp was interesting in the total blackness. However, we did have lights, and there are very few cars on the island.

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L’ile Verte, summer 1999

Posted on: August 15th, 1999 No Comments

One of my most memorable day trips was to L’ile Verte, in Quebec’s Bas-Saint-Laurent region on the St. Lawrence River, just east of Riviere-du-Loup. This is on the south side of the river, about 200 km east of Quebec City, close to Chantal’s home town. The reason why Chantal and I even visited this tiny island is because it has the oldest lighthouse on the St. Lawrence (1809), and at that time I was into lighthouse photography. We left the car on the mainland and took the bikes on the water taxi, just for the day. The island is an easy 12 km long, but we didn’t see any cars, only a few other cyclists, and it was one of the most tranquil places I’ve seen. With only a population of about 40, there is not much there, so bring a lunch. We didn’t see any stores or accommodation, but there may be a couple of B&B’s.

The lighthouse was very interesting, and there are some beautiful views of the river. We saw some whales, but they were too far to photograph. Cycling on the only road felt like a trip to the past where there was no traffic noise and fumes, only ancient farms and the sounds of the river and the birds. We stopped for the view so often, I didn’t even get a chance to put the camera back into my backpack. Click on the thumbs below to enlarge the photos.

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