Come Ride with Us

Destination rides are once-a-month, one-day group trail rides for members of Cycle Stratford. Guests are welcome to join us for a small fee and must sign a waiver.

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Destinations are all within easy driving distance of Stratford. On the day of the ride, we meet at the parking lot at Upper Queens Park (at the corner of Richard Monette Way and Christopher Plummer Drive) prior to departure.

 

Bike transportation is available, but must be arranged in advance. Please contact us by email to register at least 2 days in advance of the ride if you would like to join us at cyclestratford@gmail.com

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2023 Schedule - Mark your calendar!

The targeted dates for the upcoming season are:

• May 13, 2023: Spring on the Trail - G2G

• June 17, 2023

• July 15, 2023 - CANCELLED DUE TO FORECASTED HEAVY RAIN

• August 19, 2023

• September 16, 2023

• October 14, 2023

Additional details regarding the destinations will be posted here closer to the date of each ride.

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September 16 - Whistlestop Trail

The September 16 destination ride is on the Whistlestop Trail. Departure time from Upper Queens Park is 9:00am heading to Blind Line in St. Thomas (approximately 1 hour drive). We come into St. Thomas area off of 401 onto Talbot Rd., Follow Talbot Rd until you reach Blind Line, turn right onto Blind Line and the trail starts about 5km down Blind Line.

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The Whistlestop Trail is a paved cycle lane 1 meter wide, with 4km of hard packed gravel from St. Thomas to Port Stanley, a total distance of 40km. Pack a lunch or enjoy a meal of fish and chips and a cold beverage while in Port Stanley.

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More information here: https://www.railwaycitytourism.com/whistlestop-trail.html 

 

Highlights of ride include an elevated park statute of Jumbo the elephant (92 m. high, 416 m length built 1872) and scenic Port Stanley. This is a nice ride but a little shorter than the usual ones, but it leaves more time to enjoy the park and Port Stanley.

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August 19 - Saugeen Rail Trail

The Aug 19 destination ride is on the Saugeen Rail Trail. Departure time from Upper Queens Park is 8:00am heading to the Walmart parking lot Port Elgin.

 

We will follow the Saugeen Trail to the Grant Ferris Fisherman Park in Southampton. We will be taking a break there for lunch. There is a washroom available at this location. After lunch we will continue back on the paved multi use trail which skirts the lake (North Shore Road) and is separate from vehicle traffic. Distance is approx. 30 to 35km.

 

Note: if anyone wants to gas up on the reserve, gas is normally at least 10 cents a litre less. Also, last time many of the participants brought bathing suits/towels with them and went swimming.

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https://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trail/saugeen-rail-trail

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July 15 - Brantford to Hamilton Rail Trail - CANCELLED!

The July 15 destination ride will be on the Brantford to Hamilton Rail Trail. We will depart upper Queens Park at 9:00 am,

and drive to the starting point of Mohawk Park, Brantford,  N3S 6S5 (about 1 hour drive).

 

The ride destination is Dundas Valley Trail Centre, Dundas, L9H 5E3, an approximate distance of 27 km each way and there are public washrooms available at both ends of ride. NOTE: Participants should pack a lunch for this destination as the concession booth has been permanently closed.

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June 17 - Waterford Heritage Trail

For this destination ride we will meet at Upper Queens Park for departure at 8:30 am, and drive 1.5 hours to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch  in Port Dover (212 Market St E, Port Dover, ON N0A 1N0). The group will ride to Waterford along Waterford Heritage Trail, a total distance of approximately 44 km. 

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There are washrooms available at both the start and turnaround points. Last time we did this ride, participants packed a lunch to enjoy at the Waterford park. At the end of the ride some may choose to get together for fish and chips in Port Dover.

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May 13 - Spring on The Trail

For the first destination ride of the season, we will meet at Upper Queens Park for departure at 9:30 am, and drive approximately 40 minutes to Linwood Community Center where there is plenty of parking and washrooms available (5279 Ament Line, Linwood, ON N0B 2A0).  

 

We will cycle approximately 20km on the G2G rail trail to West Montrose (with a slight detour on route when we get to Wallenstein). We have cycled this route in the past but it has been a few years. There is a variety store in both Wallenstein and West Montrose, and sometimes local farmers have goodies for sale in a cooler on the trail.  Port a potties should be out by May 13 in West Montrose.

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Hope to see you out there!