As is starting to become a tradition, I took the final Monday before the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour off and went out for a long ride with my friend Earl. And is also sadly becoming a tradition, we had a long day fighting some stiff winds.

We picked a Saturday OBC route that takes a long ride out through the countryside through Carp, Pakenham, Waba and Stewartville before returning via Arnprior, Galetta, Dirleton, Dunrobin, and South March.

Definite highlights of the trip:

• the Bread Pudding Muffin at Alice’s Village Cafe in Carp – genius!
• the Maple Butter Tart at the Pakenham General Store
• the quiet roads and gentle rollers from Pakeham to Stewartville and beyond
• the waterfall at the Galetta Generating Station
• turning the last corner on the way home and finally getting out of the wind

Unfortunately, the battery on my Garmin ran out so I didn’t capture the track from Dunrobin to home via 6th Line and March Valley Road. A quick route plot on a map indicated this added another 23.6km, plus a nice training climb on Thomas Dolan (Earl may disagree, especially in the 30 degree weather).

I think I am tentatively ready for the weekend. Bring on the good weather.