Tag: #bicyclelife

How to cycle every day in April in Ontario

Posted sara m

How to cycle every day in April in Ontario The “30 days of biking” pledge is an international movement to ride every day in April, any distance, and then share your adventures online with the hashtag #30daysofbiking. It sounds easy enough! I am down to the last few days and am confident I am going to make it. I have been out every day, with some very short rides, some e-bike rides, some cruises, and some longer rides and decent workouts. All in all, the experience has been positive: it has made me more active, encouraged me to be outside in all weather, and I am feeling strong and ready to tackle the rest of the season. What was challenging? It was a challenge to go every day, especially when the weather was bad. I knew before starting that I […]

Cycling around Lake Rosseau:

Posted sara m

If you have half a day to spare, are up for spectacular scenery and challenging hills, and enjoy a charming town mid-route, then the Lake Rosseau Loop is for you. This is a route on our Georgian Bay – Muskoka 6-day trips, and has also featured in some of our custom tours. The route is about 65 kilometres and includes about 900 metres of climbing. It is a loop, so of course you can start wherever you like, but Port Carling is a good choice as it is well-serviced for any pre- and post-ride needs you may have. It has several great food and beverage choices, and you will have earned your lunch by the end of this ride! Stuff to know before heading out Start and finish in Port Carling, looping Lake Rosseau clockwise. Note that parking in Port […]

I BLINKED MY EYES AND SUMMER WAS OVER, BUT WHAT A RIDE IT WAS!

Posted sara m

I BLINKED MY EYES AND SUMMER WAS OVER, BUT WHAT A RIDE IT WAS! By Mathew Pettit Hey folks, Mathew here with his very own take on the SUMMER THAT WAS. I’m sure I can find a relatable audience with a few choice words here: very hot, very cold. Ups, downs. CONFUSION. But most importantly, biking. Biking? What? Aye! This has been the summer of BIKES.  For the past 8 weeks, I’ve been leading a tour of cyclists through the heart of ORILLIA, catching glimpses of the city that IS, but also WAS.  From the Mnjikaning Fish Weirs, a meeting place with historic and cultural significance dating back a certain 3000 years, to the newly renovated and beautiful Couchiching Craft Brewery. Two quite distinctly different meeting places, with different practices culturally and spiritually, albeit both meeting places nonetheless. The WAS, […]

A Healthy Dose of Fun with Private, Small Group Cycling Tours!

Posted sara m

A Healthy Dose of Fun with Private, Small Group Cycling Tours! This is the summer of the private, small group cycling tour. Move outdoors to enjoy the warm weather, spin your legs, see the sights and taste the local fare with a group of close friends. Building your own bike tour allows you to decide where you are going, when, and with whom. It keeps things fun, safe and healthy!  Add in some custom support such as luggage transfer and other services and the trip becomes relaxing, low-stress vacation for everyone. Where to ride? Ontario offers every type of cycling in every corner of the province. There are many great resources for some big picture planning, such as Cycle Simcoe, Ontario by Bike and the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. At Humdinger Bicycle Tours, we operate in Ontario’s loosely-defined “cottage country”, […]

Keep the legs spinning all winter, part 1: Give Zwift a chance!

Posted sara m

Zwift makes indoor riding suck less. A lot less. As a cyclist who disdains the trainer, I previously limited myself to one spin class per week and chose instead skiing, snowshoeing or running as winter activities – anything to get me outside and off the stationary bike. But last year, Mr. Humdinger and I decided to buy a smart trainer and try Zwift. And despite having been a confirmed skeptic known to openly eye-roll when Zwifters pontificated, I fell for the game almost instantly. I fell for the experience points, the sweat droplets, the ride-ons, the sprint and KOM/QOM challenges, the “close the gap” messages, and, I am more than a little embarrassed to say, I even fell for the garage. The garage is where you dress your avatar and buy new equipment. Of course, more kits and accessories are […]

Sunglasses in Haliburton Cycling Route

Posted sara m

Post pandemic planning continues… This week we are checking out the Sunglasses route in  Haliburton Highlands. It is so named for its shape, and it was developed for our Hills of Huntsville & Haliburton tour. A flattish section makes an appearance on our novice-oriented Pedal, Pints & Pubs tour. The route is 68 kilometres and has almost 600 metres of climbing. It starts in the town of Minden and makes a figure 8 that includes South Lake Road, Kashagawigamog Lake Road, Gelert Road, and Bethel Road, and a wee excursion down Deep Bay Road to add on the arm of the sunglasses- see mapmyride link at the bottom of this post. As with all of our routes, this one has great scenery, including a chance to view paddlers at the Minden Whitewater Preserve. Stuff to know before you go There […]

Considering a cycling tour in Ontario? Consider fully supported and guided!

Posted sara m

I have been an active tourism industry consumer essentially my whole life, starting in the 70s, bouncing around untethered in the very back of a fake-wood-paneled station wagon on Ontario’s Highway 401, with thousands of other eastbound families planning to spend March Break skiing in the mountains of Quebec or Vermont. Cycling tours started later, about 1992, when I went on a bike-packing trip to Denmark. It was a self-guided tour. We planned our trip around where we wanted to go in Denmark, not where the cycling would be best. I learned that Denmark is mostly, but not entirely, flat, and that the winds off the North Sea are, well, windy. Since then, I have had the joy of many cycling trips and tours, including road biking in the Netherlands and France; seeing Berlin on a cruiser bike on a […]