RTW 2020, Covid Edition

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

My original plan for Round The World 2020 was to make it a supported event open to more people. I wanted to get coffee shops and a local brewery on board. If I could involve the BBCo in some way that would be great. I hoped to solicit the assistance of local friends while showing local riders roads they’d never seen. I wanted to evolve what we accomplished in 2019 and create something special.

Then Covid19 came along and shoved a stick in our spokes.

That said, I’ve crashed before, dusted myself off and got back on the bike for many more happy miles. This was simply another obstacle to overcome, a triumph in the waiting.

In July I started talking publicly about hosting RTW, adding out of town friends to the list of local Club riders and last year’s crew. I did, however, qualify the invitation by saying it was all still a proposal, just an idea, nothing for certain. As July turned to August to early September, I had to make a decision.

Personally, I have been very cautious all summer, riding with just three others. The logistics of hosting a safe and responsible event would be large and cumbersome; a task I wasn’t keen to undertake. The contentious relationship between locals and tourists all summer came to mind. While not a decision I wanted to make, one must always lead by example. I would cancel any sort of public event and simply head out for a group ride with those three gentlemen I’d ridden with this year.

At 5:02am, Monday, September 28, 2020, Bevin, Jude, Luc and I rolled out of the Mary St. parking lot for what would turn out to be a 14hr, 297km clockwise circumnavigation of The County. A day like no other, something special.

Riding the Cressy Loop in the dark 63kms to Luc’s house, he and Brenda treated us to hot coffee, locally made date squares, shots of local maple syrup, Kind bars and water. Back on the bikes, we hit Gravelly Bay Rd and a further 30+kms of dirt, gravel, mud, rocks and double-track goodness. Knowing the 65kms from Luc’s to Bloomfield would take longer than two bottles of water could support, local cyclist, Timothy, agreed to let us stash a jug of water along his driveway. Thanks Timothy, we needed that!

At kilometre 130 we pulled into The Bloomfield Bicycle Co. Dear friends Kt and Rick greeted us with broad smiles under the masks, single-serving packets of chamois cream and a replacement seat-post collar for my bike, Irene. The post had been slipping all morning, causing me quite a bit of left knee pain that lingered all day, especially on the climbs.

After the BBCo, we rolled down the street to Jason and Susanne’s home. The day before I had dropped off Gatorade, orange slices, PB&J sandwiches, butter tarts, granola bars and potato chips. Eating in the back yard while the family dog, Cash, looked on ravenously, we filled our bottles and got ready for the next section.

Riding the Millennium Trail to The Loyalist Parkway, Lake Ontario remained on our left shoulder as we enjoyed Stinson Block and Partridge Hollow to the town of Consecon. There, Kat at the Counter Coffee & Kitchen happily prepared four iced-Americanos while filling out water bottles.

Back on the Millennium Trail heading north towards Carrying Place, we added a section of rail-trail that lead to the Murray Canal. Surprisingly, this was the first time any of us local boys had ever ridden that bit. Great idea, Bevin!

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The least glamorous of out stops, Rossmore was next. Although last year the pizza was a welcome treat, this year I could have done without it. Sitting in the parking lot, we were anxious to get going. Marsh Rd was next…

Admiring the stunning southbound view from atop the hill, we descended the bumpy gravel road to the marsh in Marsh Rd. To our happy amazement, the massive puddles we’d ridden through a month ago were all but gone. We rode easily across the dry mud to the other side, forgoing any need of the lube, brushes and rags I’d left hidden in the bushes the day before.

Fighting the southwest headwinds that had been building all day long, we finally enjoyed a bit of a tail-wind along the smooth pavement of County Rd 14 to Demorestville.

At Demorestville Cafe and Convenience, I enjoyed a cold Coke while my compatriots devoured ice-cream. As Bevin sat there eating a huge vanilla cone, the owner’s daughter walked up and simply handed him a tiny, ginger kitten to hold. It was really rather touching…something special.

Leaving Demorestville, it was time for a lap around Big Island, my knee by now really slowing me down on any of the little climbs and rollers. Riding the best piece of pavement in The County–Cty Rd 15–we made a slight detour to my sweetheart’s family farm. There, water and freshly baked cookies welcomed us. Thanks Amanda!

Green Point to Picton, last push, we got this boys. While I was fading, Jude was still feeling strong after 275kms. So strong, in fact, that with Bevin’s lead-out, Jude took the KOM he’d been chasing for several years. Way to go Jude!!!

As the sun set a magnificent blend of purple and orange, we rolled into Picton. Cheers and elbow-bumps, we congratulated each other on a job well done. All in all, 297kms in 11:23 over just under 14hrs.

A quick change of clothes in the parking lot, Jude zipping home for a shower, we descended upon the 555 Brewery for beer, pizza, laughter and more of the camaraderie we four had enjoyed all day long.

There were cafes and breweries, bike shops and maple syrup shots. We enjoyed the hospitality of friends while exploring new roads. Kittens, one unfortunate partridge and two laps around the Orenda Ring. Friendships were made while others were deepened.

Thinking it impossible to put together the event I wanted, Round The World 2020, Covid Edition, turned out to be much more than that. It was something special.