Ride from Oshawa to Port Hope and Back via Waterfront Trail

This is a repeat of a previous ride along one of my favourite routes. Several people who wanted to attend the last one were unable to do so for various reasons, so I'm suggesting it again for them and anyone else who may wish to join.

The ride will start at 09:30 at Oshawa GO Station. I assume most attendees will take the GO train from Union Station, so the travel information I post here will be based on this assumption. Attendees taking GO Transit from other locations should consult the GO Transit website ( http://www.gotransit.ca/ ) for schedules and fares.

On weekends and holidays, the first Lakeshore East GO train with a connection from a Lakeshore West train departs Union Station at 08:13 and arrives in Oshawa at 09:08. Oshawa has a very small train station, so 22 minutes should give us plenty of time to find everyone and prepare. The fare for an adult single-ride GO Transit ticket from Union Station to Oshawa is $8.65.

We'll meet in front of the train station on the North side of the building (the side that faces the massive parking lot). There probably won't be many other bicyclists loitering around this area, so finding everyone should be easy.

From Oshawa GO Station, we'll ride East along Bloor Street West to the Joseph Kolodzie river trail. We'll ride the river trail South-East to its Waterfront Trail connection on Simcoe Street South, and then ride the official Waterfront Trail route to Port Hope. This is a very scenic route that I've travelled many times, and I know it well.

After about 40 kilometres from where we started, we will reach the rural community of Bond Head, which is part of Newcastle in Clarington. If anyone needs to end their ride early, this will be your last chance for about 60 kilometres. You can ride 40 kilometres back to Oshawa or spend $10.25 on a GO Transit ticket from Newcastle to Union Station. The GO bus would take you from Newcastle to Oshawa GO Station, and then you'd ride the train the rest of the way. All GO Transit buses have bicycle racks.

Bond Head is a very popular destination for road bicyclists because it's at the West end of the very scenic road that runs East to Port Hope. Unfortunately, there are no stores, restaurants, gas stations, or anywhere else to stop along this route. The ride from Bond Head to Port Hope is about 26 kilometres, and there are many amenities in Port Hope.

Our ride back will be the same as our ride out. After riding a total of about 100 kilometres, you can stop in Newcastle to take the GO bus, or continue 40 kilometres further to Oshawa GO Station. If anyone wants to bicycle back to Toronto, I can take you there on a 65 kilometre route.

Including breaks, this ride will probably take about 9 to 12 hours. Every day, the last GO bus of the night departs Newcastle at 22:30 (10:30 PM), and on Sundays, the last GO train of the night departs Oshawa at 23:41 (11:41 PM).

So, to summarize our itinerary:

0 kilometres: Oshawa GO Station.
6 kilometres: Waterfront Trail.
40 kilometres: Bond Head. Optional early end for anyone.
70 kilometres: Port Hope. Lunch!
100 kilometres: Bond Head. Optional end for anyone.
140 kilometres: Oshawa GO Station. End of ride.
205 kilometres: Toronto. Optional extension.

Unlike the ride from Toronto to Oshawa, this one doesn't contain any terrifying stretches of road. Clarington has a few short hills with rough surfaces where riders may need to dismount and walk, but everything else is suitable for narrow tires. Overall, with the exception of a couple monstrous hills from Bond Head to Port Hope, it's an easier ride.

Everyone is responsible for supplying their own bicycles, helmets, sunscreen, food, water, transit tickets/money, mobile telephones, insurance, et cetera. There will be a few places to fill up on water and purchase food along the way, so if you deplete your supplies, you'll have opportunities to replenish.

For this ride, it's very important that you make sure your bicycle is in excellent working condition. Keep in mind that there will be two 26 kilometre segments where there are no amenities, and GO Transit service does not extend to Port Hope. I'll have a pump and a patch kit with me, but you should seriously consider bringing a spare tube and consulting a professional bicycle mechanic beforehand.

If there are any questions, please feel free to ask.

-- A.J.