Dec 3/25 - Millbrook Valley Trails hike

 On a brisk overcast wintery day we met at the Millbrook Mill Pond for a hike on the linear 3.0 km Baxter Creek Trail & the 1.4 km Grand Trunk pathway. The Baxter Creek trail starts at the edge of the woods on the SE corner of the pond park. The trail had a cover of hard-packed snow as it winds it's way thru deciduous & cedar woods, wetlands & beside the creek eventually crossing the 4th Line to The Grand Trunk pathway that leads to the 1865 GTR bridge. On our return we walked around the small pond to the path on the eastern side of the fishing pond thru the parking lot & across the 4th Line to the Baxter Creek Trail & a return to Millbrook for lunch at Moody's. In the wetland areas there are many boardwalks & 2 bridges over the creek. We recommend walking thru the parking lot to access the trails south of the 4th Liner rather than the continuation of the Baxter Creek trail

 Peter Hamley, Barry Diceman,George Post, Frank Marett, Dave Messervey, Gordon Powell

                                                                      Baxter Creek

Railway bridge over Baxter Creek

Wed Nov 19/25 - Sylvan Glen Ganaraska Trail Hike

 We met John Ambler at the Sylvan Glen Conservation Area on Sylvan Glen Rd off of Dale Rd. The Ganaraska Trail starts over the bridge on the other side of the Ganaraska R from the conservation parking lot. This a well maintained trail with benches, boardwalks & bridges on private property but maintained by Ganaraska Trail volunteers. The trails pssses thru a forest of huge cedar trees as you wind your way down to the river & eventually passes thru a meadowlike area. After walking this section we walked on the conservation trail which is along the south side of the river & is not as well maintained with difficult gullies to cross. A few of us then drove to Richardson's Lookout which is west of Garden Hill off Cty Rd 9 that has panoramic views of the Oakridge Moraine & south towards Lake Ontario where we could see the Wesleyville stack.  

                                      Richardson's Lookout view south towards Lake Ontario 

  Richardson's Lookout - view north towards the Oakridge Moraine

                  From the left: Blake Frazer, Geoge Post, Barry Diceman, Pete MacLoghlin

                                        Ganaraska River with our shadows on the shoreline

                                

Hikers on a Ganaraska Trail bridge

October 29/25 - Barry's ride from Beavermeade

 On a sunny but cool fall day Barry led 8 cyclists on a 26 km rolling ride thru Otonabee Twp. From Beavermeade we cycled east on Ashburnham Dr across Landsdowne St, over Hgw 7 & on to Crowley Line past 100 Acres Brewery, across Assumption Rd to Base Line which has a few challenging hill climbs as we cycled east across Keene Rd then beside Pinecrest Golf Club to a drumlin with the steepest climb before reaching Drummond Line where after a break we continued cycling east to a private bush lane which took us north to the TCT & a return ride to Beavermeade.  

                                                Arndt & Barry on Assumption Line

                                                  Base Line at Crowley Line

Dale approaching Drummond Line

Oct 15/25 - Ride from the Airport

 Barry led us on a 45 km ride thru the rolling Cavan-Monaghan countryside. It was cold, cloudy & breezy when we arrived at the airport but it did warm up when the sun came out to highlight the fall colours. From the airport parking lot we cycled on Mervin Line to Airport Rd over Cavan Creek to Bartlett Rd & south to Whitfield Rd for a short ride down to Whitfield Landing on the Otonabee R before returning to Atchison Rd for a ride to the 6th Line & Hyw 28 & a short ride south on a paved shoulder past Baxter Creek Golf Club to Cedar Valley Rd then west to Hutchison Dr & north to Larmer Rd, west for a short but steep hill climb, followed by a 6 km ride over Hgw 115 to Tapley 1/4 Line & north to Syer Line for a ride west  to Cty Rd 10 then up & over Hgw 115 to continue west on Syer Line across Hgw 28 to Whitfield Rd to Bartlett Rd, Airport Rd & a return to the airport terminal for lunch at The Good Baker YPQ restaurant  

                                           Otonabee R @ Whitfield Landing

                           Peter Hamley on the Larmer Rd hill climb from Hutchison Dr

 Cty Rd 10 at Syer Line

October 8 -Lang to Hastings on TCT

 On a cool but gorgeous fall day Barry led us on a ride of 42 km on the TCT from the soccer fields in Lang to the Hastings swing bridge & back. We cycled out of Lang on Allendale Rd to Nelson Rd & south to the PHTCT. The trail winds thru farmlands, drumlins, woodlots & wetlands until it reaches the Trent R. where it overlooks the water before crossing the river on the swing bridge. After the ride we had lunch at Muddy's Pit BBQ in Keene, a classic roadhouse.

                                                  TCT at Settlers Line

                                                      TCT at Birdsall Line

                                              Trent R swing bridge at Hastings

Dave Messervey at Birdsall Station with the Cty Rd 2 underpass behind him

Sept 3 - Barry's ride from Omemee

Barry led us a new longer route thru the City of Kawartha Lakes eastern countryside, 55 km vs 40 km. From Omemee we cycled on the TCT to Reaboro but instead of continuing on the TCT we cycled north on Settlers Rd (paved), west on Slanted Rd (paved) to Post Rd (paved) & north across Cty Rd 17 past the red barn to Cheese Factory Rd (paved) east to Height's Rd for a short ride north to Kings Wharf Rd (paved )& a 6 km ride east across Cty Rd 7 to Centreline Rd (Cty Rd 10) (paved) for a ride south thru Amish farmlands across Cty Rd 17 to St Lukes Rd (paved) & east to Downeyville on Cty Rd 7, From there we had 2 options, shorter south on Cty Rd 7 into Omemee or as we did continuing east on St Lukes Rd to Esker Rd (gravel) for a long ride south across Tracey's Hill Rd to Beaver Rd (gravel ) & a short ride east to Sibley Ave, south to the TCT for a return to Omemee & a picnic lunch in Riverside Pk. Starting on St Lukes Rd the route passes thru rolling countryside & combined with a strong winds & length made for a challenging ride especially on regular bikes! This is another lovely route mainly on paved roads that could possibly be combined with the TCT into 2 rides, one from Omemee & another from Reaboro.

Beaver Rd

                                    

Post Rd

Dan's sunrise photo of the red barn on Post Rd 

August 28/25 - Barry's Ride thru Cambray

On an ideal day for cycling Barry led us on this 47.5 km ride thru the western part of The City of Kawartha Lakes countryside. From the parking area on Ken Reid Rd we cycled west up to Angeline St then south to Thunderbridge Rd for a ride west across Hgw 35 to Cty Rd 18 & north to Cambray, west  thru Cambray on Cambray Rd continuing west on The Glen Rd Rd to Cty Rd 6, north to Cty Rd 9 (Woodville Rd), east to Cambray Rd south then east thru Cambray, to Cty Rd 21(Killarney Bay Rd), north to Chamber's Rd, east to Cty Rd 34 & south into Cameron for a short jog north on Hgw 35 to Long Beach Rd & east to the Victoria Rail Trail for a return to Ken Reid Pk & a picnic lunch overlooking Sturgeon Lk. This a lovely ride on paved roads up & down the occasional gentle rollers.  

                                                                          Cambray

                                                                     Cambray Rd

Chamber's Rd at Cty Rd 21