April 2025 Newsbrief

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The Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society April 2025,  Volume 43, Issue #4

Hub and Spoke Directors Report by Rhonda Ryan

Spring is finally in the air, at least in British Columbia, with blossoms opening up and spring flowers in bloom. It’s also time to get your bikes tuned up, and get back out on the roads or trails for some serious cycling.

Our first event of the season was the Palm Springs Double Hub & Spoke led by Danielle Amerongen and co-leader Audrey Sonnenberg, March 16-23. This is referred to as a Double Hub & Spoke since there were two different Hubs. The first Hub was in Indio the most populous city in the Coachella Valley which started as a railroad town and was formally referred to as the “Hub of the Valley”. The city is now known as the City of Festivals and because of the numerous cultural events and in particular the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

The group cycled past the historic LaQuinta Resort, a luxury resort once known as Hollywood’s playground, and along paved, clean bike paths enjoying beautiful desert landscapes, PGA golf courses designed by golfing greats, Greg Norman, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, Lake Cahuilla and fragrant lemon groves.

What was most amazing was the pristine landscapes, dry and wet, that were meticulously manicured in a valley that boasts the most efficient water conservation in the country.

They also cycled into the historical downtown area of Indio to view the colourful murals and visited a date farm to enjoy sampling the many date related products including date milkshakes.

The second Hub was in Palm Springs, a desert resort community also in the Coachella Valley known for luxury resorts, mid century architecture, recreational activities and spectacular mountain views. Palm Springs is surrounded by the San Bernardino Mountains to the north, Santa Rosa Mountains in the south, San Jacinto Mountains west and Little San Bernardino Mountains in the east. The group cycled around Palm Springs and saw former homes of famous movie legends.

Check out the full trip report on the CCCTS website.

New Vancouver Hub & Spoke – Registration starts April 7.

The popular Vancouver Hub & Spoke is back August 11 – 14 and will be headquartered on the picturesque University of British Columbia campus. There will be up to 5 different rides to choose from each day from 50 up to 100 km on urban streets using designated bike routes where possible. The rides will include:

  • Riding around numerous waterfront routes in Vancouver including Stanley Park and enjoying refreshments at the famous Granville Island Market.
  • Experiencing views from the Lions Gate Bridge on the way to the North Shore, Lonsdale Quay and return via the SeaBus and downtown Vancouver.
  • Viewing the large selection of public art and tour the oldest sector of Vancouver, Strathcona and Chinatown.
  • Visiting Richmond’s heritage community of Steveston and the bike route along the dikes.
  • Riding bike routes to the neighbouring area of Burnaby

Additional Hub and Spokes this spring are:

  • Cantons-de-l’Est – Eastern Townships of Quebec – May 18 – 23
  • Saturna Island – Part of BC’s Gulf Islands – May 27- 31
  • Puget Sound – Washington State Kitsap Peninsula and Seattle area – Spots available – June 8 -14 and June 22 – 28
  • Comox Valley – Vancouver Island – June 16 – 20

Do you have an idea for a Hub & Spoke? Please contact the H&S Director at ccctshubspokedirector@gmail.com and we will be more than happy to help you make your Hub and Spoke idea a reality.

 

 

Ask Richard: Bike Tech Talk

I received an interesting question and comment from a member who is also a ride manager (someone with privileges to post and modify routes).

Question: Dear Richard, I was recently sent some information from RideWithGPS (RWGPS) on a contest they are running in April to see what bike clubs can add the most members using the RWGPS. We are considered a large club so we would be in the competition among large clubs who add new users. I think it would be a good idea to encourage our members to sign up for free membership and try out the app. That is how I started and now I find the app to be very useful in establishing routes for our chapter.

Answer: That is a great idea. As you know, CCCTS has a Club Membership for which we pay a fee every year to give privileges to each of our members. In particular we can all download and get turn-by-turn spoken directions on our cell phones for every route in the CCCTS database. Spring rides will be an ideal time for members, new and old, to try it out.

How to get started:

  • Go to your Apple or Google App Store and download the RideWithGPS app to your smart phone.
  • Sign up for a free membership on the app.
  • Using your computer or tablet or phone, click on the link HERE to automatically add your name to the CCCTS club membership on RWGPS. You do not have to sign in or do anything else with this link. (If you want to check that it worked just send me an email and I can check for you).

You can browse on the RWGPS website for general instructions on how to use the app and also check out the primer we have on our web site HERE. You may have to log in to the site to see this information.

Thanks for reading! Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. I will respond as quickly as possible and may also use your question as part of a later column.

Richard Tobin

CCCTS RideWithGPS Administrator

rstobin20@gmail.com

Tours

  • 2025 Maritimes Camping Tour
    Status: 1 slots are available.
    Dates: Mon, 7 Jul 2025 ‐‐ Wed, 23 Jul 2025

    Charlottetown, PEI to Sidney, NS.
    Riding the backroads of Prince Edward Island, Northumberland Strait of Nova Scotia and the Cabot Trail of Cape Breton Island.

  • 2025 Improved Ultimate Vietnam Tour
    Status: 6 slots are available.
    Dates: Mon, 3 Nov 2025 ‐‐ Thu, 27 Nov 2025

    The Ultimate Vietnam tour will be a smorgasbord of cultural and historical delights, and at the end you’ll feel that perhaps you might better understand this sliver of a country just south of mighty China. Cycle in both the north and the south of Vietnam with a flight in between.

  • 2025 Albania UNESCO Tour
    Status: Ride is full, wait list only.
    Dates: Fri, 29 Aug 2025 ‐‐ Thu, 11 Sep 2025

    Albania…one of the least developed countries in Europe with much to offer!

  • 2025 Walking the Camino Primitivo, the Original Camino de Santiago
    Status: Registration closed
    Dates: Tue, 22 Apr 2025 ‐‐ Wed, 7 May 2025

    Come and walk the Camino Primitivo in Spain with CCCTS! While not the easiest Camino, it is a beautiful route of 235 km with time and space for contemplation and great views. At Santiago de Compostela, you will present your credencial to receive your official certificate of completion, the Compostela .

  • 2025-Oregon Scenic Bikeways – CANCELLED
    Status: Registration closed
    Dates: Thu, 4 Sep 2025 ‐‐ Thu, 18 Sep 2025

    This 15-day tour will take us along the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway from Portland south to Eugene then carry on to Cottage Grove and the Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway. Next, we will cycle the Historic Columbia River Highway 30 and Historic Highway State Trail  along the Columbia River Gorge. The Waterfall Corridor in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is home to dozens of magical waterfalls. Don’t miss this one!

  • 2025 Northern and Central Thailand
    Status: 9 slots are available.
    Dates: Tue, 18 Nov 2025 ‐‐ Thu, 11 Dec 2025

    This is a Thailand bike tour for the ages from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. We trace the routes shaped by Siamese kingdom builders over millennia and delve deep into the diverse cultural fabric of modern Thailand, from small hill tribe villages in the northern highlands to the skyscrapers of Bangkok. Over 24 exhilarating days, we leave no stone unturned as we discover the rich heritage and natural beauty of the “Land of Smiles”. 

  • 2025 Slovenia Tour – on the Sunny Side of the Alps
    Status: 9 slots are available.
    Dates: Sun, 11 May 2025 ‐‐ Sun, 25 May 2025

    Slovenia offers stunning scenery for cyclists, with lush landscapes, picturesque villages, and breathtaking mountain views.  Slovenians are a friendly people – and very proud of their country, its long history, its natural beauty, the fine wines, their unique cuisine.
    The tour begins in Croatia (Zagreb) and travels to the lovely, small country of Slovenia. Tour destinations include Slovenia’s capital city of Ljubljana, Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, and the seaside port of Piran. Enjoy lovely and unique hotels and accommodations, including the underground rooms on a wine estate (windows on the ceiling), beautiful alpine and coastal scenery, visiting and passing through vineyards. Spring is such a beautiful time to be cycling in Europe, not only before the busy season, with new babies being born in the fields, lamb, goats, calves. Storks are nesting, trees are in blossom!

  • Reduced price!! 2025 Hokkaido North Island Adventure
    Status: Ride is full, wait list only.
    Dates: Mon, 25 Aug 2025 ‐‐ Sun, 7 Sep 2025

    REDUCED PRICE!! This AWESOME tour will be the last word in cycling the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Travel traditional trade routes and country roads through The Volcanic Mountain range of Daisetsuzan National Park “translated from Japanese as the Playground of the Gods” to the Pacific Ocean and the Japan Sea. This tour features Farm experiences, Ainu Villages, Cultural interaction and local community support.  Don’t miss out!

  • 2025 Tour of BC’s Discovery Islands and the Sunshine Coast
    Status: Ride is full, wait list only.
    Dates: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 ‐‐ Sun, 28 Sep 2025

    British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast is one of Canada’s most beautiful destinations for a bicycle tour, offering stunning coastal scenery, charming towns, and lush forests. The combination of coastal beauty and charming communities promises to make this traditional bike tour a memorable experience.

  • CANCELLED – 2025 Seattle and Eastside Suburbs Mini-Tour – Canceled due to Low Registration
    Status: Registration closed
    Dates: Sun, 28 Sep 2025 ‐‐ Sat, 4 Oct 2025

    A pannier ride exploring suburbs to the east of Seattle and several city neighborhoods too. We will have many fun stops, outings, and group meals.

  • 2025 Central Europe Tour
    Status: Ride is full, wait list only.
    Dates: Mon, 18 Aug 2025 ‐‐ Fri, 5 Sep 2025

    Cycle through the heart of Europe on this 18 day tour. Starting in Prague, we will ride through parts of the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and end in Budapest, Hungary. Our route meanders by castles, through rustic villages, and along waterways and winerys – as we enjoy the former territories of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Highlights include UNESCO heritage sites, national parks, and wine making regions.

  • UPDATE! 2025 The Sand Dunes of PEI and Cabot Trail Tour
    Status: 1 slots are available.
    Dates: Sat, 19 Jul 2025 ‐‐ Sat, 2 Aug 2025

    Come and explore PEI and Cape Breton N.S. as it should be experienced — by bicycle! The tour begins in PEI on routes that will have us cycling through a riot of colour: verdant pastures that stretch out to scarlet cliffs, which drop into azure waters, red sandstone cliffs, scenic fishing villages and towering sand dunes as we cycle the island from one side to the other. We then transfer to Badeck N.S. to cycle the Cabot Trail! One of the world’s most beautiful bicycle routes. The Cabot Trail winds through glorious valleys and hills, along an expansive coast as it traverses the Highlands. Pods of whales can be seen just off the coast, while bald eagles soar on the breezes.

  • 2025 Croatian Adriatic As it Used To Be
    Status: Ride is full, wait list only.
    Dates: Sun, 1 Jun 2025 ‐‐ Tue, 17 Jun 2025

    Come and cycle one of the most dramatic coastlines of the Mediterranean region. Enjoy the mountain vistas, coastal views, and medieval towns. This trip promises to be one you won’t want to miss.

Hub and Spokes

  • Quebec’s Cantons-de-l’Est Hub and Spoke 2025
    Status: 10 slots are available.
    Dates: Sun, 18 May 2025 ‐‐ Fri, 23 May 2025

    The National Capital Region chapter invites you to come to Quebec’s Cantons-de-l’Est (Eastern Townships) region for a week of cycling in the spring of 2025.

  • Comox Hub and Spoke 2025
    Status: Registration closed
    Dates: Mon, 16 Jun 2025 ‐‐ Fri, 20 Jun 2025

    Pedal the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island as well as Denman, Hornby and Quadra Islands

  • Saturna Island Hub & Spoke 2025
    Status: Ride is full, wait list only.
    Dates: Tue, 27 May 2025 ‐‐ Sat, 31 May 2025
  • Puget Sound Hub and Spoke June 8 2025
    Status: 16 slots are available.
    Dates: Sun, 8 Jun 2025 ‐‐ Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Puget Sound Hub and Spoke 2025
    Status: 11 slots are available.
    Dates: Sun, 22 Jun 2025 ‐‐ Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Palm Springs Hub and Spoke 2025
    Status: Completed

    Let’s get on that bike for some spring riding in Palm Springs, California. Join other CCCTS cyclists March 16-23, 2025 for great riding through Greater Palm Springs, a desert resort city surrounded by four gorgeous mountain ranges with plenty of bike lanes and coffee shops to explore. We will enjoy 5 days of riding near and around Indio while enjoying a comfortable stay in fully furnished rental homes. Then off to spend the last two nights exploring Palm Springs.

    Trip Reports

New Members

first_name last_name city province
Brenda Wilkinson Vancouver BC
Valerie McIntyre Stittsville ON
Patty Maloney Ottawa ON
Maureen Lanuke Edmonton AB
Cindy Benedictson Edmonton AB
James Cale Ottawa ON
Angie Emery Calgary AB
Danny Greig Chilliwack BC
Elaine Steedsman Sturgeon County AB
Joanne McLeod Vancouver BC
Cheri Chapman Surrey BC
Linda Smith Surrey BC
Arthur Bomke Vancouver BC

Published at least ten times a year by The Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society, a non – profit organization for retired people and others who enjoy recreational cycling. 

Items for the NEWSBRIEF must be received by the 28th of the month. The Editor reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity and suitability of publication. The views expressed in the “NEWSBRIEF” are not necessarily those of the CCCTS or the Editor.

Submissions for NEWSBRIEF should be emailed to alaird212@gmail.com