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48 Hours: Cycling in the Gatineaus

Gatineau Park itself is more than 36,000 hectares of outdoor fun.

Need an excuse for a road trip? Feeling disconnected from our Canadian political system? Here’s your solution: load up the gas guzzler with your cycling kit and set the GPS for Ottawa. Drive past the capital buildings with your windows down and the radio blaring “In love with the system” by The Forgotten Rebels (okay, so most of you will need to Google that one). Take one of the numerous bridges to Gatineau, Quebec and let the adventure begin.

Gatineau Park itself is more than 36,000 hectares of outdoor fun. The terrain is a mix of rolling forested hills with Canadian Shield rock, lakes and rivers. The local cycling scene includes roadies, cross-country racers and downhill dudes. Sadly, some of the best trails have been deemed illegal by the National Capital Commission. But there are still plenty of legit trails to keep you happy.

The city of Gatineau is just across the Ottawa River from, you guessed it, Ottawa. It’s home to a pile of government buildings and the Canadian Museum of Civilization. From Ottawa, it’s a short drive across into Hull/Gatineau. Mountain bikers have some options here. You can hit up the Camp Fortune fee area for a great 20 km cross-country route that has it all. The climbs are tough and the descents are thrilling. The daily fee is a mere $5. Chances are you’ve spent more on a coffee or designer sport snacks. Camp Fortune hosts a downhill and a cross-country race series, as well as a kids’ camp complete with pump track. Alternately, you can ride the Gatineau’s ‘free’ trails. Keep in mind though, parking lots are generally not free and getting caught on some of the fun, but non-legal trails can also get expensive. The best of the legal stuff is probably still the O’Brien Trail. From the O’Brien parking lot, you ride by the beach and continue on Trail 36 until you hit Trail 50. At that point, you can go either direction to add more distance. A simple out and back can get you into the range of more than 20 km.

Camp Fortune is the place of choice for the local downhill crowd. This is the real deal with lift access, body armor, full-face helmets and nasty trails. The Skyline Chair Lift operates from June until October on weekends and Wednesday evenings from 5 p.m. until dusk and a lift pass costs $30. The downhill trails range from fairly easy to the very difficult. Thank goodness for public health care.

Perhaps the most spectacular part of the Gatineaus is the scenic road riding. This place is often teeming with team kits and expensive road bikes, but there’s also a fair number of recreational riders, so nobody needs to feel intimidated. Without question, this is a taste of road cycling in the foothills of France. Sunday mornings are best for the skinny tires as the roads are closed to motor vehicles. You can ride alone, with a friend, or coordinate the outfits and look like you are doing a team training ride. Given the lack of cars, you can actually ride in a peloton as opposed to the single pacelines that are required on most road rides.

Getting there:

Road Riding РThe official Gatineau Park Visitors Centre is a good place to start a road ride. Once in Hull, take the Alexandre-Tach̩ to the left and stop at the centre. You can ride a paved path to the Gatineau Parkway and create your own loop.

Mountain Biking – From Hull, take Hwy 5 north to Old Chelsea (exit #12) turning left on Old Chelsea Rd. There are numerous places to park depending upon your chosen activity. Follow the signs to the O’Brien parking area or Camp Fortune. Maps are available at the Visitor Centre, on-line, or in area bike shops in Ontario or Quebec.

Where to stay:

Ottawa and Gatineau are loaded with hotels and camping spots. Inside the park, there are three campgrounds and the Wakefield Mill Inn that offers more up-scale options.

Where to eat:

Since you’re so close to Ottawa, there are many food options here, but the local cuisine on the Quebec side can’t be missed. For breakfast, Barbe (122 rue Eddy) is a good choice. They offer all the standard fare in a neighbourhood atmosphere. For a true Acadian experience, poutine is a must. Vite Vite Patates (61 rue Wellington) offers poutine and a bunch of other fresh food options in a casual atmosphere and with good prices. For fine dining, Le Tartuffe (133 rue Notre-Dame-de-l’ile) is just behind the Museum of Civilization. Freelance writers aren’t paid enough to eat here but the view through the window is fantastic. Make a reservation and don’t mention my name.

Malcolm Howe (A.K.A. Rider Mel) spends most of his time travelling around North America researching trails for his mountain biking guidebooks. He has the scars and a list of injuries to prove it.