Route information

NOTE: The 5th annual Tour de Mississauga will take place on Sunday, September 16, 2012.  We will explore the Southeast quadrant of the City.  See you then!

ROUTES for 2011: This year the Tour de Mississauga explores the north-east quadrant of the City.  This is the next quadrant in a four-year cycle to experience every corner of the City by bike!  All routes have a “get back quick” option, should you decide not to cover the entire distance.  Click each map image further below for the full-size map and zoom-in to review each route in detail. All routes will be marked for Tour day, and a map is included with your Registration Package.

The 2011 Tour includes an amazing array of experiences: Enjoy highlights of new trail work and learn routes with bike lanes.  Points of interest include the Hershey complex and IceLand, the Airport, Britannia Farm and the downtown core.  Ride through prestige industrial employment areas (very quiet on Sundays).  Explore the beautiful natural areas along the Etobicoke Creek Trail.  Discover the old village of Malton and see historic Malton Victory Hall (where we will have a Tour lemonade stand).  Tunnels, bridges, natural areas and urban pavements: these routes have got it all.  See MAPS below.

Most of the routes are fairly flat.  Any reasonably in-shape adult will be able to complete the 60 km.  The shorter 30km route (ideal for families) is incorporated into the first leg of the 60 km Tour, which gives participants a chance to decide if they’d like to continue and do the longer ride, or take the shorter route back to the starting point.

Click here to REGISTER.  FURTHER BELOW ARE DETAILED ROUTE DESCRIPTIONS.

ROUTE PREVIEW: MCAC volunteers were out since late Winter, scouting routes for the 2011 Tour through the north-east quadrant and taking photos.

Click to view the PHOTO ALBUM: Etobicoke Creek Trail (66p PDF — may take a few seconds to download), which shows the adventure in store on the 30km and 60km routes, along with some MCAC comments.

Note the 50m ‘land portage’.  Note also that the Edward Scarlett Park leg of the Trail was simply a meadow back in the Spring, and cyclists had to ride along a truck rut — trail construction has been proceeding all Summer, to prepare for the Tour riders!  Apart from 2 inclines (walk your bike if you like) the route is fairly flat.  HYBRID BIKES are fine to handle the trail.

The 100km route is on this trail for only 1km, and road bikes can handle that portion, as noted on the 100km map.

Some riders may complete the 60 km route in a little over 3 hours; more leisurely riders may come in at around 4-5 hours.  These times include washroom and refreshment breaks along the way.  Come out on September 18th and see what you’ve been missing — learn a great route you can ride again and again, plus it’s a great way to meet other cyclists from all over the City!

READ MORE ABOUT THE ROUTES:

► Mississauga News article (August 10, 2011): Get on your bike and ride.

► Mississauga Life article (September, 2011): Tour de Mississauga.  (2p; illustrated with 2010 Tour riders and scenes from the 2011 routes)

► Mississauga News opinion column (Sept. 6, 2011): Vote with your wheels.

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QUADRANTS: At left is the Tour ‘quads’ map showing the 2011 Media Resources 60km Signature route in the Northeast quadrant of the City.  Every year we explore a different quadrant, and this year is certainly our most diverse route yet, covering all kinds of terrain and land-use areas.
In 2012, we will be touring the SW quadrant, which will complete the four-year cycle and the ‘cloverleaf’ pattern we have been building year-by-year.  After that, we can use a wide variety of route combinations.  The Tour is an important impetus for cycling infrastructure improvements, as will be seen this year, especially along the Etobicoke Creek Trail!

FINAL MAPS FOR THE NORTHEAST ROUTES NOW POSTED BELOW..

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20/30km Grant Thornton ‘Family Ride’

START TIME:  9:30 a.m.

30km_Tour_de_Miss_2011_NE_final_v2

This ‘Family-friendly’ ride is growing rapidly in participation.  Suitable for children 10 years and over (accompanied by parent or guardian), and a great choice for casual cyclists of all ages who want to ‘get out there’.  Not suitable for road-only bikes.

There is 50m ‘land portage’ along the Etobicoke Creek Trail (Toronto side) – marshals will be there to assist.  Bikes must be walked through this section – trail is covered in tree roots.

NOTE: Has a ‘get-back-quick’ option which reduces this route to approx. 20km and can also be extended to the 40km route (see below).
Click image for detailed map.  Preview the Etobicoke Creek Trail via the MCAC PHOTO ALBUM (66p PDF).

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60km Media Resources ’Signature Ride’

START TIME:  8:30 a.m.

60km_Tour_de_Miss_2011_NE_final_v2

The most popular ride on the Tour features all the best off-road trails and on-road cycling routes available in the north-east quadrant of Mississauga — it’s our ‘Signature’ ride.  Not suitable for road-only bikes.

There will be a ‘Lemonade Stand’ at Malton Victory Park – lay on the grass and take a break!  (shown with lemons on the map)

There is a 50m ‘land portage’ along the Etobicoke Creek Trail (Toronto side) – marshals will be there to assist.  Bikes must be walked through this section – trail is covered in tree roots.
NOTE: Has ‘get-back-quick’ options which reduce this route to approx. 40km, or even to 20km if the Family ride shortcut is taken (see above).
Click image for detailed map.  Preview the Etobicoke Creek Trail via the MCAC PHOTO ALBUM (66p PDF).

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100 km Invesco ‘Challenge Road Ride’

START TIME:  8:00 a.m.

Download CUE-SHEET one page (Adobe PDF)
Download Google Earth KML file
Download GPS gpx file
Browse to map on bikeroutetoaster.com
100km_Tour_de_Miss_2011_final_v2 Includes notation about the 1km packed limestone trail, per below.

This is the 2^nd year of the 100km road-only ‘Challenge’ ride. It was strongly supported by ‘roadies’ last year after requests were made the previous year!  This year will be an all-new route.

The roadies on the MCAC send this note: “The Challenge Road Ride is 99% paved roads. The only exception is an awesome cut-through under the 401 between the airport and Matheson Drive, along the Etobicoke Creek Trail.   The City of Mississauga is aware that this cycling trail of packed limestone needs to be in its best possible condition to take on road bikes.  It has been re-packed once this summer and will be inspected and receive maintenance leading up to the event.  Road bike cyclists can at their discretion ride it or walk their bike if they choose. Narrow bike tires will be able to handle the surface, but it is recommended that the speed is slowed through this 1km stretch.”

This year’s 100km route goes beyond the north-east quadrant, and also includes a Brampton component.

NOTE: Has a ‘get back quick’ option which reduces the route to approx. 70km.   Click image for detailed map.

Preview the Etobicoke Creek Trail via the MCAC PHOTO ALBUM (66p PDF) — shows part of 1km trail section by Matheson, per above.

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