• Dates: Sun. May 26 to Sat. June 1, 2012   (10 rides)
• Tour leaders:    
  Nel Ahmed, tel (613) 592-2891 petronellaa@primus.ca
  Don Taylor, tel (613) 232-0875 dontaylor@magma.ca
• Participants:    Maximum 30; Participants must be current CCCTS members and will be selected on the basis of date of receipt of registration fee on the internet. Once the tour has been fully subscribed a waiting list will be established. If cancellations occur, individuals from the waiting list will be invited to join the tour based on their position on the waiting list.
• Costs:     Non-refundable registration fee of $35.00 to cover maps, photocopying, and incidental costs. Please register for this event using our online registration at  http://tinyurl.com/m9dw6g. All accommodation and meal costs are to be paid directly by the participant (see below).  Any surplus funds from the registration fee will be applied to costs for a group dinner to be held on Thursday May 30.
  Location: This is a seven day hub and spoke (H&S), with 5 days of cycling, based in Stratford, population 31000, home of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival. Located in central Southwestern Ontario, a seven hour drive south-west of Ottawa, Stratford is situated in rolling countryside and prime agricultural land. The area around Stratford was opened for settlement around 1830 and in 1832 the first building, the Shakespeare Hotel, was constructed on the banks of the Avon River.
  Planned rides cover adjoining municipalities in the Waterloo Region, first settled by Mennonites and other German speaking settlers after 1800. Routes also make short dips into Wellington, Oxford and Middlesex Counties, the latter skirting the edge of London, Ontario. These areas still exhibit strong cultural evidence of their initial settlement.

• Accommodation:  will be at the Festival Inn (www.festivalinnstratford.com) on the edge of Stratford from May 26 to June 1 (6 nights).  The rates are the same for all rooms : $115. + HST, based on double occupancy. We have set aside a block of 15 rooms in the “Courtyard” section of the inn : 12 of the rooms have two double beds and the other 3 have one queen bed. Remember to state, when booking, that you are part of the CCCTS cycling group.
  Individuals will be responsible for their own reservations. Reservations are required with one credit card only per room and full payment on arrival. Please make your own arrangements for room-mates and cost-sharing. Reservation cut-off date is March 15thth, 2013 but please book as soon as you get confirmation of acceptance on the H&S.
  Remember to take the opportunity to book a night at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival (http://www.tmsmail.us/dm?id=CF0CCFB2CF6C7C4C4F2DF2395A2E332E173C146DDC4D5333) but leave Thursday night (May 30th) free for the Group dinner!

• Transportation:   Participants will be expected to provide their own transportation to Stratford although we will endeavour to arrange car pooling for those travelling from Ottawa on the 26th, arriving late afternoon. The distance from Ottawa is about 580 kms (7 hours). The nearest airports to Stratford are located in Toronto or London.   Please let us know your travel plans and needs.

Description: Short and long rides will be offered on all days except the first and last, which will be travelling days. Daily cycling distances range between 52 and 94 kms.  There are some hills but generally the countryside is gently rolling.  This H&S is rated as intermediate. Your organizing committee of Nel Ahmed, Geoff Kennedy, Carole Laflamme, Don Taylor and Ed Weber exhorts you to come and join the fun, and experience some great Stratford and Waterloo County hospitality!

Hub and Spoke Itinerary:

Sunday, May 26th:
Travel to Stratford, arriving at the Festival Inn late afternoon.  After check-in and a look around, there will be  a Happy Hour before heading out for supper.

Monday, May 27th:
St. Mary’s Loop – (long 84 km., short 54 km.)  The route heads south from Stratford through farmland and across the Perth-Oxford county line before turning west to pass by the Wildwood Lake Conservation area near Harrington and then north and west into St. Marys.  This small town boasts a big personality and is nicknamed ‘The Stonetown’ because of the abundance of old limestone buildings. It is home to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.  The return route parallels the Thames river valley then heads east through Avonton and back to Stratford. The short route follows an abbreviated path to St. Marys and more direct trajectory to Avonton and Stratford.

Tuesday, May 28th:
Perth East & Wilmot Township –Amish & Mennonite Country (Long 82 km, short 61 km). Departing Stratford this route heads east along Perth Line 37. Shakespeare, a 2 km detour to the south is worth a visit. Turning north leads to Amulree and then east past Mennonite Corner and Ratzburg to Phillipsburg and Baden, home of Castle Mcbride National Historical Site. The whole area has a strong connection with its past and its German heritage. From Baden the route jogs a few more kms east to Petersburg and then south and west past Manheim, Shingletown and Wilmot Centre to arrive in New Hamburg on the Nith River which features the largest operating waterwheel in N. America.  Heading southwest, we pass through Tavistock, a German/Scottish community famous for its cheese production, fresh meats, sauerkraut and Annual World Crokinole Championship. From there, the route heads west to Harmony and then north to Stratford. The short route follows the same path to just west of Phillipsburg then heads south to New Hamburg, Tavistock and back to Stratford.

Wednesday May 29th:
West Perth Farm Country (Long 94 kms, short 62 kms).  Departing Stratford this route heads north and west to the Huron county boundary. The ride is mostly through rolling farmland and scattered hamlets. The largest town en route is Mitchell. The North branch of the Thames River flows through the town on its way south toward St. Marys and London. The short route follows the same path but cuts cross country avoiding the northern loop of the longer route that it joins again north of Mitchell. 

Thursday, May 30th:
The North Thames River Valley Route (Long 79 km, short 52 km). Starting from St. Marys the route heads west to Rannoch and south to Prospect Hill and on along the North Thames river valley as far as Fanshawe Lake. A short loop east to Evelyn and north to Cobble Hill then west to Thorndale brings us back to the river and north along the east side of the valley and eventually back to St. Marys. The short route follows the same path as far as CR 26 near Thorndale where it crosses the river and heads back north skipping the southern loop.

Friday, May 31st: 
St. Clements-Waterloo-Elora and the Kissing Bridge Trail (Long 78 km, short 56 km). This is prime German Mennonite tourist country more densely populated than prior rides. Terrain is variable with some hills, urban trails and views of the Grand River valley. The ride starts in St. Clements about 35 kms northeast of Stratford and heads east past Heidelburg and by the St. Jacobs farmers market site north of Waterloo to Conestoga via a maze of urban byways and paths. Turning north leads to Winterbourne and Zuber Corners near the covered Kissing Bridge over the Grand River and on to Inverhaugh and then Elora. This town was settled in the early 1800s mainly by Scottish pioneers who left their mark in finely crafted limestone houses. In the 1960s, craftspeople and artists took up residence in Elora and transformed the century-old buildings into shops and galleries full of character and charm. At the foot of Mill Street stands the Elora Mill, one of the few early Ontario five-storey grist mills still in existence. The Elora Gorge Park is one of the most scenic areas in Southern Ontario with its limestone cliffs descending 80 feet to the Grand and Irvine rivers.
From Elora we head back south to West Montrose and the Kissing Bridge Trail which leads west to Elmira , Wallenstein and Hawkesville  and our final turn south to St Clements. A modified route to St. Jacobs can be included to enjoy specialty foods, signature Mennonite quilts, unique clothing and gifts, and the Mennonite Story Centre.

Saturday, June 1st:
Departure  Day Check out of the Festival Inn and return home.