Peterborough to Guelph? (crosspost)

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I'm thinking of riding from Ottawa down to southern Ontario and do some touring closer to home. I'll be visiting friends in Guelph and Owen Sound, then on to parts of the province I've never been to along the Huron and Erie shores. I really have no desire to cycle across Toronto's sprawl, so if anyone has some advice on the best routes north of the city from Peterborogh to Guelph, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

:) I'll try and take a shot at this. By the way that's a hell of a ride! For sure stay off of hwy. #7 north of Toronto(even though it takes you straight to Guelph). From Guelph to Owen Sound, Stay off of hwy. #6., the speed and the trucks will give you "No Quarter". But there are lot's of side roads going north.
The best thing I think you should do, is to locate favourite cycling routes for each individual area. The only place I know of online is bikejournal.com, from main menu click on routes to see what's there for each area. Also try local cycling club websites for posted routes. I'm not aware of a Guelph cycling club,
some members of our Waterloo Cycling Club are from Guelph. Map Quest will show alternate roads for each area, but the risk is are they cycling freindly?
The most traffic conjested part of your journey is going to be as you get closer to Toronto and then to Guelph. North of Guelph is farm country and quite nice,
although there will be rolling hills.Any way good luck, ride safe.

Just an update to my experience. In summary, I rode from Ottawa to Guelph via Toronto, then Windsor to Niagara Falls along the shores of Lake Erie. I took my Bike Friday, which was handy because I took the train back from Niagara. I ended up going through Toronto after all -- I realized after getting to Port Perry that it would be more comfortable going through the metropolis even with all the traffic because the roads were better.

I started out on rural roads out of Ottawa via Franktown road to Perth
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1382/1270964244_378d51d3a4_b.jpg

Cycling on Highway 7 is suicide (I had to do it for a few kms) but parallel to it just to the south is the TransCanada trail which is runs along an abandoned railway. I took this all the way to Tweed. It was rough but really peaceful.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1024/1270103907_8cc3a309b9_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1357/1270105421_da54457b94_b.jpg

For the first time touring, I took a GPS with me. It was really handy and reassuring, and took a lot of guesswork from navigation. It allowed me to appreciate the scenery rather than worrying about where I was going.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1262/1270982742_49aec43f80_b.jpg

Some sights along the way:
The big twonie in Campbellford:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1411/1270968522_3e96555eeb_b.jpg

An eagle's nest on a hydro pole:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1252/1270983590_4d0d9ac99a_b.jpg

This was a secluded sweet spot to free-camp in, pointed out by a local:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1290/1270107757_e15c6645c1_b.jpg

Millbrook:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1148/1270125379_9c9b4daeb1_b.jpg

First sight of the CN Tower:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1021/1270970352_de0678efa6_b.jpg

And leaving it:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1419/1270985114_9af2f19d40_b.jpg

As far south on the mainland that you can bike on legally:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1288/1270974636_f91ba66076_b.jpg

You can break the rules and cycle the 1 km pedestrian path to the point, but being a good Canadian, I didn't:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1339/1270115143_234df9777b_b.jpg

I took a ferry down to Pelee Island as well and rode around the island. I witnessed a water snake catching a fish:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1364/1270973140_73094f4ebe_b.jpg

A message to sppeders, perhaps?
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1302/1270116567_11e77e250e_b.jpg

I saw these guys on the Welland Canal as I was cycling along the towpaths:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1012/1270118613_2d3c62cb4d_b.jpg

End of the journey:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1227/1270981554_74626ae91f_b.jpg

Very nice. I enjoyed your pictures.

Especially nice to have a thread here that isn't someone complaining about the CCA.

Just an update to my experience. In summary, I rode from Ottawa to Guelph via Toronto, then Windsor to Niagara Falls along the shores of Lake Erie. I took my Bike Friday, which was handy because I took the train back from Niagara. I ended up going through Toronto after all -- I realized after getting to Port Perry that it would be more comfortable going through the metropolis even with all the traffic because the roads were better.

I started out on rural roads out of Ottawa via Franktown road to Perth
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1382/1270964244_378d51d3a4_b.jpg

Cycling on Highway 7 is suicide (I had to do it for a few kms) but parallel to it just to the south is the TransCanada trail which is runs along an abandoned railway. I took this all the way to Tweed. It was rough but really peaceful.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1024/1270103907_8cc3a309b9_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1357/1270105421_da54457b94_b.jpg

For the first time touring, I took a GPS with me. It was really handy and reassuring, and took a lot of guesswork from navigation. It allowed me to appreciate the scenery rather than worrying about where I was going.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1262/1270982742_49aec43f80_b.jpg

Some sights along the way:
The big twonie in Campbellford:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1411/1270968522_3e96555eeb_b.jpg

An eagle's nest on a hydro pole:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1252/1270983590_4d0d9ac99a_b.jpg

This was a secluded sweet spot to free-camp in, pointed out by a local:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1290/1270107757_e15c6645c1_b.jpg

Millbrook:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1148/1270125379_9c9b4daeb1_b.jpg

First sight of the CN Tower:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1021/1270970352_de0678efa6_b.jpg

And leaving it:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1419/1270985114_9af2f19d40_b.jpg

As far south on the mainland that you can bike on legally:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1288/1270974636_f91ba66076_b.jpg

You can break the rules and cycle the 1 km pedestrian path to the point, but being a good Canadian, I didn't:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1339/1270115143_234df9777b_b.jpg

I took a ferry down to Pelee Island as well and rode around the island. I witnessed a water snake catching a fish:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1364/1270973140_73094f4ebe_b.jpg

A message to sppeders, perhaps?
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1302/1270116567_11e77e250e_b.jpg

I saw these guys on the Welland Canal as I was cycling along the towpaths:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1012/1270118613_2d3c62cb4d_b.jpg

End of the journey:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1227/1270981554_74626ae91f_b.jpg
nice ride...I'm hoping to do something similar when my wife finally retires..

BTW, were you up around Collingwood/Wasaga Beach a few days ago?...that bike looks very familiar

nice ride...I'm hoping to do something similar when my wife finally retires..

BTW, were you up around Collingwood/Wasaga Beach a few days ago?...that bike looks very familiar

I've been back in Ottawa for a while now, so it must have been my evil twin :)

If you were to do a similar ride, I would suggest taking sturdy hybrids. Ontario's highways are really crappy for cycling, but the network of interconnected trails (http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/) is just amazing. The Bike Friday performed surprisingly well on those dirt trails and I managed a respectable 20 kph average despite dodging rocks. Some trails require a permit to use, but I couldn't find anywhere to buy it along the way and never met a soul while I was using the trails.

Yojimbo: Yeah, I thought this board could use something other than incestuous politics. I'd like to suggest that more people post some of their riding experiences with pictures to spice things up.