Cycling the Nation

GALLOPING GOOSE REGIONAL TRAIL (Victoria — Sooke)
From end to end, this 55-km-long trail will take you through urban, rural and semi-wilderness settings on southern Vancouver Island. The Galloping Goose, which is part of the Trans Canada Trail, is built upon abandoned rail beds and trestles and got its name from a noisy, gas-powered rail car that carried mail and passengers between Victoria and Sooke in the 1920s.

The trail starts in Victoria West at the Selkirk Trestle, a 300-m-long bridge spanning the beautiful Gorge Waterway.  From there you cycle through the urban settings of Colwood and Langford before hitting Metchosin, where you pass small farms surrounded by hills. After travelling through the coniferous forests of Sooke, you reach the famous Sooke Potholes, where you can cool off with a quick dip during the summer. From there, the trail follows the Sooke River to Leechtown, an abandoned mining village. The surroundings in this area are wilder than earlier in your journey — if you’re lucky, you may glimpse a deer in the bushes or a bald eagle soaring overhead.

During your ride, you may see a number of bicycling commuters travelling to their jobs in downtown Victoria. Hikers, horseback riders and inline skaters also use the Galloping Goose, so be prepared to share the trail! gallopinggoosetrail.com

Photo (above) Galloping Goose in Victoria

ICEFIELDS PARKWAY (Lake Louise — Jasper)
The Canadian Rockies feature one of the most magnificent mountain landscapes in the world.  What better way to see them than on two wheels?  The Icefields Parkway is 230 km of breathtaking vistas, from lush green valleys and soaring peaks — many of them topping 3,300 metres — to ancient glaciers and sparkling mountain lakes.

The highway parallels the Main Ranges of the Canadian Rockies and stretches from Lake Louise to the town of Jasper.  Cycling along the paved road, you pass through Sunwapta and Bow Passes, where wildflowers bloom in the sub-alpine meadows in the summer and herds of bighorn sheep traipse right up to the road in the spring and autumn. Another remarkable sight along the parkway is the Columbia Icefield, which at 325 sq km is the largest body of ice in the Rocky Mountains. As you cycle north toward Jasper, don’t forget to check out the Stutfield Glacier, which tumbles over 3,000 ft. of cliff face to form a striking pair of icefalls.

A trip of at least three or four days is ideal to fully experience the parkway, but not to worry: Hostels and campgrounds can be found at more than a dozen locations along the route. icefieldsparkway.ca

LESLIE ST. SPIT (Toronto)
“Urban wilderness” may sound like an oxymoron, but here it’s the perfect description. This man-made peninsula in Lake Ontario is just minutes from downtown Toronto and with 500 hectares of unfettered, peaceful nature, provides the perfect getaway for city folk accustomed to skyscrapers and rattling streetcars. Originally created as a landfill, the site also known as Tommy Thompson Park has become a haven for beavers, rabbits, red foxes, coyotes, turtles, blackbirds, owls and countless other wildlife.

As a cyclist you can choose from 10 bike trails that wind their way through the Spit. The 10-km main path begins at the park’s front gate on Leslie Street (where an art installation of eclectic sculptures can be seen) and loops around to the lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula. Pause here to snap photos of the city’s skyline under the gorgeous glow of the sunset. As you whiz over the well-maintained paths, keep an eye out for some of the 50 butterfly species and 400 plant species that call the area home.

It’s no wonder the pet-free, car-free park attracts about 250,000 visitors a year. Looking for a guided ride? The Toronto Bicycling Network leads a 35-km tour that rolls through the Spit every Saturday. friendsofthespit.ca

X-TREME BIKING
Looking for two-wheeled thrills on the East Coast?  The newly expanded Sugarloaf Mountain Bike Park in Restigouche County, N.B., offers the only lift service to mountain bikers in Atlantic Canada. With nine trails ranging from beginner to expert, visitors can challenge themselves on their own terms. Check out the Pump Track, where riders of all abilities try to circle the path without pedalling or braking. For the experienced rider there’s the Sugar Daddy, a jump trail featuring numerous tables, step-ups, step-downs and berms. sugarloafpark.ca