The winter months quickly passed and as I write this, I have four days until Vancouver! I half trained for it(ha!) and it's only now starting to sink in that this is really going to happen. I am looking forward to seeing our amazing country from the seat of a bicycle and a little nervous at the same time. I've always said that anything I do in life, I do it for a story! So, here goes the adventure!
Tour du Canada is an adventure that puts wheels on the Canadian coureur de bois tradition. For most people, a cross-Canada ride starts with an individual goal because such a trip is the ultimate cycling experience. A Tour du Canada ride is a shared experience that allows cyclists to see Canada at a human scale and meet people from all of its regions. Being part of a group provides individuals with the confidence and resources to meet their goals and makes possible a trip that many would not contemplate on their own. Participants become part of a small, close-knit community that moves across the continent during ten weeks of summer.
The Route!The Route is one that samples the flavour of the country. The 7,550 -kilometre trip goes through all 10 provinces and allows riders to experience the diversity of the regions. We ride from west to east, taking advantage of prevailing winds. From Vancouver, our route takes us through the Fraser River Canyon, across the Okanagan Valley and over Rogers Pass to reach the Rocky Mountains.
After crossing Kicking Horse Pass, we descend to the dinosaur trails around Drumheller. Riding alongside the canola and wheat fields of the Prairies, we pass through the Qu'Appelle and Red River Valleys.
Our route takes us through rugged granite canyons of the Canadian Shield and around the northern perimeter of the Great Lakes. In Southern Ontario, we follow rural roads past historic settlements to reach the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill.
From the capital, we follow the Ottawa, Richelieu and St. Lawrence Rivers to reach the sea. Along the way we pass through Old Montreal and by the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City. After crossing the base of the Gaspé Peninsula, we follow the Acadian Coast in New Brunswick to Confederation Bridge leading to Prince Edward Island. From P.E.I., we go to Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island to catch the ferry that takes us to the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland.
A No-frills TourTour du Canada is a no-frills tour, but we do provide trucks and drivers to carry gear from site to site. Accommodations are pre-arranged. At a few locations we stay in university dorms or hostels, but mainly it's your own tent over your head at nights. During the day's ride, you carry what you need for the day (typically a rain shell, camera, lunch and an on-the-road tool kit). We cook as a group. Meal plans stress the high-carbohydrate diet needed by active cyclists. Camp-style gourmet cooks are encouraged.
The OrganizerAdministrative support for the Tour is provided by CycleCanada, The Veloforce Corporation., which is owned by Bud Jorgensen, a long-time recreational cyclist and cycling advocate.