Day trip suggestions
- Thread starter brownelvis
- Start date
brownelvis
Well-known member
The loop to Bancroft, down to Kingston on the "Snow" roads through Frontenac, then along the lake via Picton ferry back to Newtonville and slabbed to TO. It's a FULL day, but if you are young ...
Thinking about it further, I would reverse it so you are not looking straight into the afternoon sun.
I usually detour to Bancroft on my way to Ottawa, might try that on the way back next time
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brownelvis
Well-known member
You can use the nexus only lane and skip the line. I've been held up at the fort erie border for 3 hours before, watching people zoom in and out of the nexus lanes the whole time
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Although you said that you would do between 6-8 hrs, there are some amazing roads north of Barrie that you could easily ride and be back home within your time limit. An easy route to plan would include Southwood Rd 13, Muskoka Rd 38, Mortimers Point Rd / Foreman Rd, Peninsula Rd/#632, Aspdin Rd#3, Hwy141, Brackenrig Rd and Windermere Rd. You could also by pass all these roads and head a bit further north or east than the roads mentioned above and check out some of these other ones I wrote about in a thread last year:
Hwy518 is a very nice technical road - the best parts are between Orville and Sprucedale. From one side to the other, this runs east/west and intersects Parry Sound and even crosses over to the east side of Hwy11 for some more good times. There are sections with fast sweepers, other parts wit twisty technical stuff and some dirty curves with frost heaves.
Tally-Ho / Swords Rd is a short ride between Hwy518 at Orville and Hwy141.
Ravenscliffe Rd is a great road intersecting Hwy518 at Sprucedale and runs all the way to/from Huntsville. There is a nice scenic pull off/ boat launch at Buck Lake.
McDougall/Hurdville Rd combo is a nice and hilly twisty stretch just northeast of Hwy518
Hwy520 is a nicely paved road from Hwy11 to Magnetewan with fast sweepers.
The Old Nippissing Trail is an amazing twisty, hilly run that changes between paved, chip-seal, hard packed gravel and hard packed sand. It runs north/south from around Commanda, through Magnetewan, and meets up with Hwy518 near Seguin Falls. The most passable section by streetbike is south of Magnetewan, but there is some awesome sections of non paved stuff in there. It was an old pioneer horse/carriage rd and is considered a heritage rd or something like that. It's very technical and of my favourites.
Intersecting Old Nipissing Trail is Orange Valley Rd leading to Broadbent Rd which are nice hard packed gravel roads with some nice twists.
Chetwynd Rd is a great run that links up with the Hwy518 on the east side of Hwy11
Further north and starting east from South River, is a road called Chemical Rd. If you don't mind a little hard packed dirt, then it leads to the Deadhorse Trail, which is a fun ride to the western edge of Algonquin and then works its way back to Sundridge or you can work your way further south to Chetwynd Rd. In some spots it's like a 2 track ATV trail at times, so you can touch the leaves of the trees as you ride past them. It can get a bit slippery when wet, but when it's dry, it's lots of fun!
The Bunny Trail north of McDougall is a piece of paved flat out fun.
Especially during the early part of the season (until July) be careful on some of those roads I mentioned and even moreso during your first time on them - some of them are less travelled, so they may have sand on them until somewhat late in the season. But they are still fun and technical even going slow.
Hwy518 is a very nice technical road - the best parts are between Orville and Sprucedale. From one side to the other, this runs east/west and intersects Parry Sound and even crosses over to the east side of Hwy11 for some more good times. There are sections with fast sweepers, other parts wit twisty technical stuff and some dirty curves with frost heaves.
Tally-Ho / Swords Rd is a short ride between Hwy518 at Orville and Hwy141.
Ravenscliffe Rd is a great road intersecting Hwy518 at Sprucedale and runs all the way to/from Huntsville. There is a nice scenic pull off/ boat launch at Buck Lake.
McDougall/Hurdville Rd combo is a nice and hilly twisty stretch just northeast of Hwy518
Hwy520 is a nicely paved road from Hwy11 to Magnetewan with fast sweepers.
The Old Nippissing Trail is an amazing twisty, hilly run that changes between paved, chip-seal, hard packed gravel and hard packed sand. It runs north/south from around Commanda, through Magnetewan, and meets up with Hwy518 near Seguin Falls. The most passable section by streetbike is south of Magnetewan, but there is some awesome sections of non paved stuff in there. It was an old pioneer horse/carriage rd and is considered a heritage rd or something like that. It's very technical and of my favourites.
Intersecting Old Nipissing Trail is Orange Valley Rd leading to Broadbent Rd which are nice hard packed gravel roads with some nice twists.
Chetwynd Rd is a great run that links up with the Hwy518 on the east side of Hwy11
Further north and starting east from South River, is a road called Chemical Rd. If you don't mind a little hard packed dirt, then it leads to the Deadhorse Trail, which is a fun ride to the western edge of Algonquin and then works its way back to Sundridge or you can work your way further south to Chetwynd Rd. In some spots it's like a 2 track ATV trail at times, so you can touch the leaves of the trees as you ride past them. It can get a bit slippery when wet, but when it's dry, it's lots of fun!
The Bunny Trail north of McDougall is a piece of paved flat out fun.
Especially during the early part of the season (until July) be careful on some of those roads I mentioned and even moreso during your first time on them - some of them are less travelled, so they may have sand on them until somewhat late in the season. But they are still fun and technical even going slow.
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A whole slew of other roads exist east of Hwy11 especially as you move further east. Very close to Huntsville and just south of Algonquin park you will find:
For some Huntsville backroads, #9, #10, #2, are all just east and south of Huntsville and make for a good loop
Hwy35 South of Dorset, this road is excellent with awesome super smooth pavement - a very scenic ride with fast sweepers and some amazing scenery.
Kushog Lake Rd - Lot's of twists, hills and a few blind corners thrown in for good measure - very close to Carnarvon off Hwy35.
Harburn Rd #19 to #14 as a loop off Hwy118 - can get quite technical in some parts lots of great twisty, hilly bits.
Kenisis Lake Rd and Watts Trail - Kenisis Lake Rd is an out 'n back, but adding in Watts Trail (which loops around a lake) makes it a very technical run. There can be sand on Watts Trail very late in the season since it has little traffic, but it's one of the most twisty roads I have been on in Ontario.
North of Peterborough area up towards Algonquin you can ride:
Hwy507 - runs north/south between Buckhorn and Gooderham - very fast sweepers and decent pavement
Glamorgan Rd aka Buckhorn Rd #3 - connects nicely with the Hwy507 between the Hwy503 and the Hwy118
Hwy118 - nice smooth curves and rolling scenery, with a sweet section around Loon Lake
Essonville Line #4 - a good route to connect between #118 just east of Loon Lake and Wilberforce with nice pavement and some nice twisty bits
Elephant Lake Rd / Peterson Rd - if this road is clean you won't be disappointed. Runs between Maynooth and Harcourt
Hwy60 - a slow meandering run through Algonquin Park. Nice scenery. A great place to stop for a break between the great roads on either side of the park.
There are also some nice roads up near Barry's Bay and south/east, including Old Barry's Bay Road, Siberia/Kartuzy Road, Opeongo Road, Hwy's #512 and #515
Further south and east towards Calabogie you find Hwy's #511, #508, #509, Buckshot Lake Rd and much more - all excellent roads much further east and usually coming from Toronto this turns into a 1000km day of frost heaved fun.
Ride safe and enjoy!
For some Huntsville backroads, #9, #10, #2, are all just east and south of Huntsville and make for a good loop
Hwy35 South of Dorset, this road is excellent with awesome super smooth pavement - a very scenic ride with fast sweepers and some amazing scenery.
Kushog Lake Rd - Lot's of twists, hills and a few blind corners thrown in for good measure - very close to Carnarvon off Hwy35.
Harburn Rd #19 to #14 as a loop off Hwy118 - can get quite technical in some parts lots of great twisty, hilly bits.
Kenisis Lake Rd and Watts Trail - Kenisis Lake Rd is an out 'n back, but adding in Watts Trail (which loops around a lake) makes it a very technical run. There can be sand on Watts Trail very late in the season since it has little traffic, but it's one of the most twisty roads I have been on in Ontario.
North of Peterborough area up towards Algonquin you can ride:
Hwy507 - runs north/south between Buckhorn and Gooderham - very fast sweepers and decent pavement
Glamorgan Rd aka Buckhorn Rd #3 - connects nicely with the Hwy507 between the Hwy503 and the Hwy118
Hwy118 - nice smooth curves and rolling scenery, with a sweet section around Loon Lake
Essonville Line #4 - a good route to connect between #118 just east of Loon Lake and Wilberforce with nice pavement and some nice twisty bits
Elephant Lake Rd / Peterson Rd - if this road is clean you won't be disappointed. Runs between Maynooth and Harcourt
Hwy60 - a slow meandering run through Algonquin Park. Nice scenery. A great place to stop for a break between the great roads on either side of the park.
There are also some nice roads up near Barry's Bay and south/east, including Old Barry's Bay Road, Siberia/Kartuzy Road, Opeongo Road, Hwy's #512 and #515
Further south and east towards Calabogie you find Hwy's #511, #508, #509, Buckshot Lake Rd and much more - all excellent roads much further east and usually coming from Toronto this turns into a 1000km day of frost heaved fun.
Ride safe and enjoy!
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cknowles
Well-known member
[Humour] If you go off the beaten path you'll find the QEW isn't exactly representative of the roads in the area.
[/Humour]Since I live in the Hammer, I ride the Niagara region a lot and Lake Erie coastline from Fort Erie to Long point.
Some lovely places to ride.
Go with Shane Kingsley he's got it nailed for roads around here lol
Nexus
You'll spend the better part of a day once you get the appointment.
You fill in the info online and set up an account.
Then you set an appointment time and head down to Fort Erie for the appointment (there may be other places but it had the earliest available ) ....it takes maybe two hours between waiting, interviews, fingerprinting, iris scanning.
Then you wait to get the card in the mail.
The good part is you breeze through even at the airport flying to the states and there is some advantages in security checks ( special lines ).
The down side is only you can use the card so unless everyone in the car or in the bike group has a card there is no advantage.
So for the solo rider it's big time advantageous. Also coming back into Canada.
It takes a while to get to the Nexus Line at Lewiston and Buffalo but there is a Nexus only at Niagara Falls.
You'll spend the better part of a day once you get the appointment.
You fill in the info online and set up an account.
Then you set an appointment time and head down to Fort Erie for the appointment (there may be other places but it had the earliest available ) ....it takes maybe two hours between waiting, interviews, fingerprinting, iris scanning.
Then you wait to get the card in the mail.
The good part is you breeze through even at the airport flying to the states and there is some advantages in security checks ( special lines ).
The down side is only you can use the card so unless everyone in the car or in the bike group has a card there is no advantage.
So for the solo rider it's big time advantageous. Also coming back into Canada.
It takes a while to get to the Nexus Line at Lewiston and Buffalo but there is a Nexus only at Niagara Falls.
I curse you Shane Kingsley. Every time I read one of your posts I have to get out my Ontario backroads mapbook and my highliter and post-it notes. We still haven't got through eastern Ontario yet on the bigmap. How do you cover so much ground?
P.S. thanks from all of us.
P.S. thanks from all of us.
brownelvis
Well-known member
this is exactly the kind of info I was looking for, thanks a ton!
BimmerMike
Well-known member
I used to use the Nexus bridge in Niagara Falls all the time in my cage.....took longer to get my coffee at home in the drive thru than go into the US. Other advantage is you can prefill out a sheet for all the stuff you are importing ( no vehicles of course ) and when you drive back into Ont across this bridge there is a drop box for the sheet and they bill your credit card.
Also helps that the US shipping service I use is right at the US side of the bridge.
I have driven down...gone into the US..picked up my stuff and been back into Ontario in less than 20 mins...legally!
Whirlpool bridge is between Lewiston and the Rainbow bridge
I rarely get out to ride (except for commuting), because I'm usually busy on the weekends, so when I do get a chance to explore, I try to start before sunrise, finish after sunset and ride all day long with stops only for gas and very short breaks at nice scenic spots along the way. I usually pack my own lunch and snacks and prefer to ride with a hydration knapsack so I can drink water while I'm riding. I often ride alone or usually ride with only one or two other riders so we can keep moving. I like doing 1000km/day and my bike is very well suited for it.
Done and good idea. I totally updated and added Google Map links for every road listed above and much more. It's all in the sticky in this section of the forum.
