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The 2nd Annual Tour de Mississauga cycling adventure takes place on:
DATE: Sunday, September 20, 2009
FREE Registration @ 9:00 a.m. Departure @ 9:30 a.m.
RAIN DATE: Sunday, September 27, 2009
(an online notice will appear the night before the scheduled Tour date if there is to be a rain cancellation)
STARTS and ENDS at: J.C. Saddington Park (click for map) in Port Credit
ORGANIZED by: Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee (MCAC)
REGISTRATION: www.mississaugacycling.ca/tour/register
ROUTE: There are so many trails and routes to discover in Mississauga that the Cycling Committee has decided to break the City into four quadrants, and design a cycling route for each that highlights points of interest and special trails in that part of the City. All four routes will lead to City Centre at some point along the way, and the resultant map of all the routes will resemble a four-leaf clover emanating from the City Centre. After a four-year cycle, Tour participants will know the entire City well!
This year, the Tour de Mississauga route will focus on the Southwest quadrant of the City. This 50 km course highlights the off-road trails and other cycling routes available throughout SW Mississauga, starting and ending in Port Credit, and featuring a free BBQ at Memorial Park near the Tour’s end, courtesy of the Sierra Club. Map and directions are now available.
We plan to break into 3 groups according to speed: the fast group may complete the route in as little as 3 hours; the middle group may come in at around 4 hours, and the more leisurely group at around 5 hours. These times include washroom and refreshment breaks along the way.
The 2009 Tour includes an amazing array of experiences: the Waterfront Trail, highlights of new trail work, routes with bike lanes, public art (murals and sculpture), gardens, a brief “bike portage” in the Rattray Marsh, spins around the University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM) and Sheridan Research Park, a fantastic view of the tall buildings in the urban core as well as a loop of City Hall and the Central Library. Part of the ride will be along the Culham Trail which gets riders up close to the (currently) raging Credit River, after all the rains. The last part of the ride features an easy cruise down the brand new Confederation Parkway bike route with all its fresh paving and paint. Tunnels, bridges, natural areas and urban pavements, and rides by three (3) GO Stations: this route has got it all.
After this Tour, you’ll feel like you’ve seen the whole City, yet it is still only one quadrant! And most of the route is fairly flat: any reasonably in-shape adult will be able to complete it. There is a shorter, approx. 20 km route incorporated into the first leg of the Tour, which gives participants a chance to decide if they’d like to continue and do the whole ride, or quickly make it back to the starting point. There is also a get-off point further along.
Come out on September 20 and see what you’ve been missing — learn a great route you can ride again and again! A great way to meet other cyclists and people from all over the City.
Further details and this year’s route are being finalized. Meanwhile, check out last year’s (1st Official) Tour on the MCAC website to read about the experience and view last year’s route map and Tour instructions.
NOTE: Every September 22 is World Car Free Day. MCAC is putting theory into practice and celebrating Car Free Day by creating and riding routes through the City that will help create permanant change in transportation planning and habits. The Tour de Mississauga takes place annually on the weekend before September 22. Get out and celebrate!
Mississauga bike maps
Count me in. There`s no way I`m missing this!
I know the average completion time of the three groups is listed, but it would be more helpful for me if I can get a sense of the average pace of each group.
Thanks for the suggestion for adding the average pace of each group. The Tour de Mississauga volunteers will be putting something together.
As for the listed estimated times for each group: The time includes the stops along the way.
I would really like to know what the other planned routes are. In the past the “Tour de Mississauga” had only concerned itself with a small part of the city, I wonder if the “four quadrants” includes the whole city or only the part below the 403?
Karel,
In short: Yes, ALL of the city!
Last year, at the 1st (official) annual Tour de Mississauga, our team picked a route that started in the south and tried to touch on all parts of the city. It was a good ride with lots to see. Soon after, it became quite apparent to us how BIG Mississauga really is and how much we couldn’t touch on in a single ride! In the spirit of wanting to do justice to present and future cycling routes, trails and sights in the city, we agreed to concentrate our efforts on one quadrant of the city per year. This means that in a four year cycle (pardon the pun), we should have 4 great routes that cover all the city. So this year we will focus on the south-west quadrant. Next year, perhaps north-east. We won’t repeat a quadrant until all have been covered. I really like this approach because we can really get into some outlying parts that have some hidden gems such as Malton.
The south-west quadrant made sense this year as there is already some mature and new cycling infrastructure to work with. Future cycling Tour de Mississauga rides can be of benefit to the other quadrants as well since the City may give that area special attention by adding bike infrastructure to the area in leading up to the event. This way, the whole city benefits by rotating through the quadrants.
You cannot lock your bike unto the rack, but my concern is that anybody who wants to steal your bike can easily do so. Since the driver has no control over the bike when someone signals him that he wants to unload his bike (pretending he owns the bike), it just takes a few seconds to lift it up and disappear (especially during peak schedule and you the bike owner is seated at the back and most passengers are all standing up) unaware of what your bike current status is every time the bus stops to deboard passengers. The driver cannot remember all the bike owners (albeit only two bikes every trip are allowed), but he should have “some kind of locking mechanism over the rack” to ensure no one can just take it away. This new program has just started and as it progresses the likelihood of bike theft is looming in the dark if we don’t “think outiside the bus”. This idea is indeed smart and have been beneficial to me for the last six weeks.
Hi
I want to participate and have never done this tour before. Is a road bike appropriate or is a mountain bike recommended? Does the tour take through gravel roads/trails that are not appropriate for a road bike?
Written instructions of the four quadrants of the city would be a great asset since we can’t do it all in one year!
Thanks for organizing
Is this a road course, Cyclocross or mountain bike trail riding?
I actually have the same question as Steve. I was wondering if this is more geared towards a mountain bike/cyclocross bike or the later (hopefully the earlier!).
Hi Steve and Stephen, thanks for your interest in our 2nd annual Tour de Mississauga cycling adventure. Last year, I took my mountain bike and left my road bike at home. I think that was a good decision. Mind you, we did have a cyclist out on a fixed gear track bike and he seemed to fair pretty well. As the route goes both on roads and groomed or paved multi-use trails, it really depends on what condition some of the packed gravel trails are in. If I had a cyclocross bike, I would take it. This year I haven’t made up my mind if I’m going to take my road bike with 700×23 tires or not. If I do, I fully understand that I may have to “bike portage” in a few places where mountain bikes may still be able to ride. Almost all bikes should be able to cycle the route, but I would recommend picking a bicycle with fatter tires if you have one.
Hi Pat, yes, I would recommend a mountain bike if you have one but just about any adult bicycle should be able to take most of the terrain we will cross. As for way-finding, we will be meeting this week to get the written instructions and maps finalized. They will be handed out at the registration table. If they are available sooner, I will get electronic copies of them posted on this page – http://www.mississaugacycling.ca/tour/route
Nice coverage by The News, and great looking new website by the way (glad you got rid of that “Blogspot” look). I better be one of the top 50 registrants to win that t-shirt!
i am looking forward to it.
Will there be a shorter ride for beginners as was mentioned in the Miss. News? I would like to try this out, but have not done a long bike ride of over 30mins. Do you think this is okay or that I need to practice my biking?
Ah okay so this course would not be appropriate for my new Pinarello Prince. I think I will pass this year….
Greetings Merlyn, There is a “shorter” 20km route. It can be done at a slow pace and it will include some stops. I would recommend going out on a few bicycle rides beforehand so your body becomes more used to being on a bicycle. Doing so will also get your cycling muscles toned for the ride. Doing a few pre-rides will also allow you to measure your fitness and confidence on the bike. You can also spot parts of your bike that may need tightening or tuning. You can always turn around before the mid-way point and backtrack to the start. However, the “shorter” route will be done at a slow pace with stops along the way. We would love to see you out there. We can help you find other participants at your pace that you can ride along with.
Steve, yes, if I had a new Pinarello Prince, I would opt to find a different bike. If you don’t have anyone else to borrow another bicycle from, send an email to webmaster (at) mississaugacycling.ca and we’ll see if we can find you a loaner. It may be a loaner that makes you feel like you’re “slumming it” compared to a Prince, but it’s worth the experience.
In future years, we should look at adding a metric century with detour points for for the pure “roadies”.
Are helmets required for this ride?
Hi Adam,
Yes, absolutely, safety approved cycling helmets are required to be a participant in the Tour de Mississauga cycling adventure on Sunday, September 20, 2009. Thanks for your interest!
Will the ‘brief portage’ involve our feet getting wet/muddy? I would like to make the right choice between whiter sneakers or older darker ones..
Thanks,
Neal
I understand it to be on a well-worn path and so long as there isn’t any rain, it will be a dry “portage”. I believe we must unseat ourselves from the bicycles in order to respect the delicate balance of nature along the Ratray Marsh path – but it is a path and not wading through any marsh or mud.
I have notified the route planner to confirm this.
Neal, Allan,
The Rattray Marsh portion is a series of wooden boardwalk. There is absolutely no getting wet and muddy involved. The only thing is we are not allowed to ride on the boardwalk itself, hence the portage. I walked through the entire length of the boardwalk during Jane’s Walk back in May. However, when I went back in August, access from Jack Darling Park was blocked due to construction. I hope they are done by now…
I have clips on my bike and road shoes – will this be appropriate since it is difficult to walk with them. Maybe a road bike is not appropriate after all if we are going through the Rattray Marsh. Please advise. Thanks
If you have cycling shoes with “clipless” pedals, then there are some things to consider:
(1) There is a detour option for the Rattray Marsh portion, and I’m checking with the trail coordinator to see if we can get them on the maps. Parkland Ave to Contour Drive to Bexhill Rd is a good Rattray detour and the construction mentioned above doesn’t interfere with that route.
(2) Culham Trail I have ridden with my road bike the last couple of years and there is always some sections of new gravel that was easier to walk over than ride. If there is too much terrain that is unsavory for a road bike then The Credit Woodlands is an excellent “detour” to the Culham Trail.
(3) There is a wooden stairway at the end of the Culham Trail that may slow one down who is wearing cycling shoes. Again, The Credit Woodlands detour will bypass this.
(4) Mountain bikes with clipless pedals and cycling shoes should be fine as usually the mountain bike shoes offer a bit more flex and comfort when walking.
The detours cover roads that are almost all established city bike routes. Although the detours are a nice ride, keep in mind the extraordinarily beautiful scenery that they bypass!
Do you know if written instructions will be available before the ride and if so approximately when? Thanks
Hi Pat,
Yes, our written instructions are available online right now. We are hoping to get new ones posted by the end of tomorrow that will include instructions for the bypass routes of the Rattray Marsh and Culham Trail for those that prefer to keep to the pavement.
They are downloadable Adobe PDF files available at http://www.mississaugacycling.ca/tour/route
Check out the latest Tour de Mississauga maps and written directions at http://www.mississaugacycling.ca/tour/route
See our new Tour de Mississauga FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) at http://www.mississaugacycling.ca/tour/faq
We also have a new Tour de Mississauga safety and group ride guidelines page available at http://www.mississaugacycling.ca/tour/safety
Enjoy!
Just wondering….is there a fee?
Registered last week for the Tour de Mississauga. It is may be too late for this Sun but defintely for next year I would strongly recommend that the organisers map out a route for road bikes.
Do you know approximately what time the BBQ will be at? I am hoping to ride the tour with my two sons (ages 7 and 9 years old) so we will be taking the shorter route. I was wondering if I need to pack them a lunch or will there be some food available for them once we finish the ride (versus having to wait for everyone in the 50km ride to finish).
Thanks!
When will online registration be confirmed? I received an email right after I registered saying I would receive confirmation later but haven’t yet received anything. Do you know approximately how many people have registered on line?
Thanks!
Mark, Thanks for the suggestion. YES, we have created bypass routes for road bikes. It was too late for the cartographer to put them on the maps BUT we will be using a hiliter marker to show where they are on the maps that are handed out at the registration table.
Also, if you look at the new written direction sheets, they include bypass routes for “road-only” bicycles.Find them at http://www.mississaugacycling.ca/tour/route
We are considering a metric century to be added next year that would be a great option for the road bike crowd.
Quyen, for this 2nd annual Tour de Mississauga there is NO fee. It is free, free, free.
Susan,
The setup for the BBQ at Memorial Park will begin at 11:30am. That means, I would think, by noon-ish the food will be grilling. Expect it to be open until 3:00 p.m. You can eat as soon as you get there, and leave whenever you want. I would say with 7 and 9 year old boys, you would be planning on packing some snacks for along the way. Don’t forget the water bottles!
As for the confirmation email: Just tonight a mailer was sent out. If you received it and you weren’t on the regular Mississauga Cycling email list already then you can be assured that your registration was processed. The only cause for concern is if you didn’t receive a reply from the registration system within an hour of registering online. Even so, if you show up earlier on the day of the event then we can get your registration processed if there was an issue with your online registration.
We’re anticipating a great event!
Dear Allan:
Thanks so much for your responses to my questions. My only other question is how many bikers are you expecting? Do you think it will be difficult finding parking at the park as we live in the north end so it would be much too far for the boys and I to bike all the way there and then go on a 20km ride!
Thanks!
Susan,
We have had an amazing response and we are looking at 200 – 300 cyclists participating in the Tour de Mississauga. Everyone is encouraged to cycle to the start instead of bringing a vehicle, but as you say, your situation may be too much to cycle the distance at this time. I would suggest Mississauga Transit with their bike racks on the buses, but you will most likely have 3 bikes or 2 bikes and a trail-a-bike which would go over capacity on the bus bike rack.
Beyond just getting there really early (MCAC will begin setup at 8:30am), you may want to see if there is some public day parking within a 3-5km radius from J.C. Saddington Park. Look into Memorial Park, Rhododendron Gardens, Ben Machree Park, or Jack Darling Park as parking options.
I have posed the question to the Tour de Mississauga organizers and I will post any responses I get.
There is plenty of parking near the start of the ride. There is some street parking near Saddington Park. But there is a parking lot near Memorial Park, the site of the BBQ. It is also located near the Port Credit Go Station which has 3 large parking lots. These lots are about 5 minute ride from the Start. Your best bet unless you get there really early, is the Go lots which have about 1200 spaces.
Thanks for the excellent details on parking options, Terry. Someone also mentioned the library as an option for parking. Jack Darling Memorial Park is just about a 4km bike ride from Saddington and you can follow the Tour de Mississauga maps to get to the start at Saddington Park (the Tour passes through Jack Darling Park). Here is parking info for Jack Darling Park: http://www.jackdarling.com/parking.php
As we have over 250 pre-registered cyclists, you can expect that the J.C. Saddington parking lot will become full pretty quickly if not with cars, then with cyclists registering and preparing for the Tour. As we are in step with the upcoming Car Free Day, consider riding your bike or taking public transit to the starting location if at all possible!
We had a great time on this tour. Good job everybody. Please let us know if some pictures or videos will be posted.