The Ottawa chapter of CCCTS invites you to join us on some of our favourite local rides and to see the thousands of tulips which are planted around the city, our annual thank you gift from the Royal Dutch Family who were sheltered in Ottawa during WWII.

Our Hub and Spoke will be based out of Kanata, where many of our members live.  From there we will ride along the Ottawa River, to Gatineau Park, to downtown Ottawa, to the Tulip Festival and to small towns like Pakenham, Carp, Almonte and Dunrobin where our local volunteers will introduce you to their favourite coffee shops, parks and scenic lookouts. 

Each participant is responsible for making their own hotel reservations.

The Hub and Spoke will be based out of the Comfort Inn, 222 Hearst Way, Kanata (613-592-2200).  Cost is $149 per room per night, breakfast included, plus tax.  A block of rooms is being held for CCCTS until April 11, 2024.  Once you are selected you will need to call the hotel to make your reservation – to get the group rate, mention the group block code 4772059 or CCCTS bicycle club.

If cancelling after April 11, one night accommodation will be charged to your credit card.

Although we recommend staying at the above-mentioned accommodation, where we will begin our rides and join together for happy hour and ride briefings, there are other options nearby, including higher end hotels such as the Best Western Glo (right next door to the Comfort Inn) and the Holiday Inn (2 kms away)

The daily rides will range from 60 km to 90 kms, with time to stop for coffee and/or picnic lunches and scenic views.   The rides will be primarily on paved peaceful rural roads or bike paths, with some hills along the way.  All rides will begin and end at our hotel in Kanata. We will divide into groups each day to accommodate different riding speeds and distances, each with a volunteer ride leader from the Ottawa chapter.

While we hope for sunny spring cycling weather, participants should come prepared for cooler temperatures and possible rain.

• The Cdn. $50 fee will cover the organizational costs and supplies, and some shared costs.

Accommodation, meals, bike rental, park admission costs, or individual expenses of participants.

Hub and Spoke Coordinator Fee (waived)

• Sunday May 12, 2024
  • 5:00 pm:  Meet and greet in Kanata (location TBD).  Happy hour snacks will be provided.
• Monday May 13 to Saturday, May 18
  • The following is a tentative list of rides, with approximate distances which are subject to change.  The order in which we do these rides, and our daily start times, will depend on the weather.

1. Tulip ride: following Ottawa’s network of paved bike paths, we will ride along the Ottawa River, past Parliament Hill and down the Rideau Canal to Commissioners Park, where over 300,000 tulips bloom alongside the Rideau Canal’s picturesque Dows Lake.  The longer ride will also include a visit to the new Ottawa River House, where you can have a bite to eat or swim in a closed-off part of the Ottawa River. 55 or 75 km
2. Gatineau Park: stretch out your climbing legs on the bicycle-only paved roads winding through the Gatineau hills.  Enjoy sprawling views over the Ottawa River from the famous Belvedere Champlain (Champlain lookout).  76 or 93 km.  There may also be another shorter ride option for those who do not wish to tackle the hills in Gatineau park
3. Pinhey’s Point: soak up some local history and stunning views of the Ottawa River with a ride to historical Pinhey’s Point with its 200 year old manor house and surrounding ruins.  Enjoy a picnic lunch on the grassy banks of the Ottawa River.  55 or 85 km
4. Carp and Pakenham:  cycle on quiet rural roads from Kanata to the popular village of Carp and, for a longer ride option, all the way to Pakenham for a picnic lunch at the Five Span Bridge Park on the banks of the Mississippi River.  53 or 89 km
5. Almonte, Ashton, and Appleton: join us for a favourite club ride, known to the locals as the Triple A, passing through these three small Eastern Ontario towns.  70 km
6. Ottawa River and Canal:  ride both sides of the scenic Ottawa River, with outstanding views of the back side of Parliament Hill.  For those participants continuing on for our Rideau Canal pannier trip, a stop at the first set of locks connecting the Ottawa River with the Rideau Canal will provide an excellent introduction to this next adventure.

Our last ride will be on May 18, and the Hub and Spoke will end that evening Participants should plan to depart on Sunday May 19, or stay for the Rideau Canal pannier trip.

Registration will be on the CCCTS website on the date shown. A computerized lottery system and waitlist will be utilized in the event that the ride is over-subscribed.  A $50 CAD payment is required at the time of registration. The lottery signup will run for a week, after which time the leaders will review the results.

The selection process will consider the following criteria in evaluating candidates:

• fitness and riding ability and experience required for the tour,
• a history of demonstrating safe riding practices,
• acceptable social behaviour.

The leader may interview riders or others who know them to verify their suitability for the tour.  The Hub and Spoke Coordinators will have the discretion to make the final decision on whether someone is accepted for a tour and may reject applicants after discussion with the Hub and Spoke Director.

Any residents of Ottawa interested in participating can apply if there are spots open after the lottery period.

The leader will notify registrants of their selection status. If the ride is not filled to capacity, registration will continue until the closing dates shown. Registration Fee payments are considered non-refundable in the event of cancellation. Wait listed cyclists who don't make it to the Ride's "Go List" are encouraged to remain on the waitlist; alternatively they may request a refund of their registration fee (minus the stipe fee).

Air Travel Emissions

A return flight from Vancouver to Ottawa is 8,700 km or more and will produce about 1.7 Tonnes of total emissions per person. For comparison, one year of driving a gasoline-powered car produces 2.0 tonnes of total emissions. For more information on the impact of those emissions on climate change and extreme weather events see. https://cccts.org/club-document/air-travel-emissions-from-cccts-tours