visit to ottowa

[crankmaster]

Ottawa has a club with about 1200 members, and lots of cycling from the easy relaxed way to hardcore. Check out http://www.ottawabicycleclub.ca/ for lots of links. There's a membership fee, but not too expensive. Many Canadian granny's too!

You can rent all sorts of bikes downtown at http://www.rentabike.ca/

Gatineau Park is well worth the ride in the fall. It's about 30 minutes from downtown so you will need transportation but if you have family this shouldn't be a problem. It has road and mountain bike riding. Mountain bikes can be rented from the park or from the bike shop - both in Chelsea, Quebec close to the park. It's hilly but the fall colours can't be missed.

Now lets hope our weather improves before September - we've had nothing but rain this summer. Sept - Nov could have any weather from above 20C to snow. Cyclocross riding occurs until the snow is about 10 cm deep. After the end of October you've got to have the gear to ride outside.

[grannieann]

thank you to the kind people who have offered suggestions for my coming visit
I am looking forward to coming to Ottowa and it sounds like an ideal place to
ride a bike-my son has a road bike-an old Malvern Star made in Australia-but it is
too big for me. Quite likely it would be the only one in Ottowa!
Here at the moment
weather is cool to cold, still winter & rugging up for rides, but of course nothing like
winter over there. I hope to compete in
Kangaroo Hoppet (crosscountry ski-race) end of August then some bike touring
in Bendigo district prior to flying to Canada.
cheers to all you good people
Keep riding
Ann