Day trip from TO waterfront to Hamilton
I'm planning on riding to Hamilton on my bike with a friend. We're going to start at the waterfront in downtown TO then snake our way west across the Lakeshore Trail all the way to Hamilton. I estimate the ride will take about 5 hours to do. Does anyone have any advice or helpful hints on what to look out for while riding the Lakeshore West trail? This would be greatly appreciated. It's both our first times doing a ride of this magnitude.
A lot of the trip will be on Lakeshore Road. It's not such a bad road as it has wide curb lanes or paved shoulders for most of its length, but it does mean you're mixing with car traffic and your view of the lake is obscured.
On the other side of Burlington you will hit the trail in Hamilton, which is a really satisfying way to enter the Hammer.
I suggest printing off the maps from the Waterfront Trail site: http://www.waterfronttrail.org/trail-s-2.html
Thanks herb,
Wish me luck tomorrow - it'll be a cold and crips day, but I know it'll be a fun ride! Also, thanks to Google Streetview - I can figure out where some of the more danerous areas for riding are. And thanks to GO transit too - the train ride back will be much appreciated!
Keep an eye on ditch points (different go stations) in case the ride turns out to be too much physically or the traffic is over your personal safety limits. (this is just assuming you aren't used to longer trips like this)
Also, wear layers. Tomorrow will be 13C and partly cloudy, which means you'll probably go in and out of stages where you're too warm or too cool.
I was aware of the ditch points - epscially aldershot station (since that's how far the GO train goes), but I am glad and proud to say I did not need them! My buddy and I made it all the way. It was a solid ride - a little slow (seven hours - but that's only cause my friend couldn't keep up). The problem with the path is that it's so discontinuous. It goes south towards the waterfont then back onto Lakeshore Road. They need something that goes all the way - continuous from TO to downtwon Hammy. Then, an experienced cyclist could probably do the seventy kilometres in about 3/4 hours. Also, segregated facilities - I don't even think they should call it a path, unless every portion of it has it's own paved surface for cyclists and peds. Next time I'm up for a long ride I'm going all the way to Niagra Falls!
That is a seriously commendable ride. I can't imagine spending seven hours in the saddle. Five is my personal upper limit.
Totally agree with you on all points made about the path itself. The good side though - it's a pre-mapped out route. Saves us the bother of trying to figure it out ourselves.
Hi - just so you know the Waterfront trail to Niagara Falls isn't waterfront or trail either - a lot of it I believe is along the North Service Road. Its really boring riding 50 km staring at a concrete wall next to a highway. If you want to get to Hamilton from Toronto quickly just keep on Lakeshore after the Humber bay bridge, its not too bad traffic-wise. Agreed, the WFT makes a lot of unnecessary dips and turns.
Unnecessary doesn't begin to describe it. This is a recreational trail with stop signs for driveways. Way to go Etobicrackhead and Mississaugaddict Traffic Planners. The functionality of bicycle facilities whether the imprint of your carcentric(tar)heels.
As for traffic conditions west of the Humber River, all I can offer is they are car centric. An asshat has clipped my back wheel while I was doing 35 kph WB at Marine Drive inside the island.
Returning through Burlington the church faithful had their runs at me through Oakville. THESE have no empathy for bicyclists. THESE direct bicyclists on to sidewalks when it is convenient for them, then complain about sidewalk bicyclists when this is "inconvenient".
Unnecessary doesn't begin to describe it. This is a recreational trail
with stop signs for driveways. Way to go Etobicrackhead and
Mississaugaddict Traffic Planners. The functionality of bicycle facilities
whether the imprint of your carcentric(tar)heels.
As for traffic conditions west of the Humber River, all I can offer is they
are car centric. An asshat has clipped my back wheel while I was doing 35
kph WB at Marine Drive inside the island.
Returning through Burlington the church faithful had their runs at me
through Oakville. THESE have no empathy for bicyclists. THESE direct
bicyclists on to sidewalks when it is convenient for them, then complain
about sidewalk bicyclists when this is "inconvenient".