October Brevet--Novelty rides are back in style!!!

This ride will be an updated version of Close to Car Free 2017 AGM route and the hope is that social, Audax-style groups will once again form and complete the ride together.

We intend to include more (yes, more) gravel and less riding in traffic. Since the ride has a lot of navigation and urban riding, two full-service controls with washrooms in North Vancouver and Belcara will aim to limit your need to stop outside of controls. The route passes many parks with washrooms as well.

September 25 Pre-Ride Update:

This route is not for the faint of heart. If your riding happy place involves long, flat straightaways on smooth pavement with minimal navigation, then you should probably opt for the social ride on the day of the AGM (and I hope you enjoyed the Flatlander!).

If, however, (you have a bike with low gears,  and tires 32mm or wider and) you harbour a deep passion for seeing stunning mountain, forest, ocean, and river views from the seat of a bicycle, along with the sounds, smells and sensations of rolling through the crisp autumn air punctuated by several short but steep climbs and descents on multiple surfaces, then we invite you to consider Close(r) to Car Free.

Unfortunately, some of the Car-Free sections of the proposed route are being dug up for subway, sewer, oil/gas pipe installation and erosion mitigation. Point Grey Road, Spanish Banks, 29th Avenue, Arbutus Greenway, Fiahwrman's Trail, Lakewood, Terry Fox Trail, and the Freeway Trail all had construction equipment and compromised riding situations--some of which necessitated "Car-Full" ride arounds.

The brevet starts at JJ Bean on Cambie and 18th in Vancouver and heads to the Seawall and UBC. Last time this was a "controlled start" and the entire group rode together and took pictures at the first two controls. This could be fun to do again!

The trails of Pacfic Spirit Park lead to the 29th Ave, the Arbutus Greenway, Seaside Bypass, Central Valley, Lakewood and Wall Street bike routes to the Second Narrows Bridge. 

A full service control with washrooms at Cates Park will allow riders to stock up with food and water while the noise and stress of Dollarton Highway highlights the serenity of the Car Free portions of this route.

Fisherman's Trail (at the end of Riverside Dr in North Vancouver) is a bit rocky (but rideable) to start and after crossing of the Seymour River there is a 100m hike-a-bike section around a washout of the canyon wall.

The reward for the indignity of walking one's bicycle (a tandem in the case of the pre-ride!) is 10km of glorious, Bicycle Quarterly-photoshoot-caliber gravel riding on the rest of Fisherman's Trail and the Spur 4 access road.

When you arrive at the singletrack Bear Island Bridge Trail to cross the river and access the fish hatchery, a steep downhill switchback may require some riders to briefly walk their bikes again (although we managed to ride it on the tandem ;-).

Keeping the hatchery's fence on the left allows riders to access the Old Growth Trail and leads to the information control just past the Rock Creek bridge. Enjoy the shimmering forest light and the mist rising off ferns as you weave through the trees on your way back to the paved (but still Car Free!) Seymour Valley Trailway.

After crossing the Iron Workers' the route passes under the bridge to access the Trans Canada Trail which will take riders around the back of Capitol Hill (the steep climb behind Capitol Hill is dry and very loose, even with half the tandem team sitting on the back tire we spun out. Walking might be prudent here). At the end of the trail, a brief jaunt on the other side of Hastings brings you to the Cliff Ave overpass and another section of trail to trim off some of the Barnet Higway.

In Port Moody, there is gas line work on the Terry Fox trail that we wanted to use to access Alderside and avoid Ioco. Riders will have to detour around the arena, turn onto Ioco and use Sentinel to access Alderside and resume Car Free riding.

In Belcara, two sections of trail have been added to shave off some car-adjacent climbing before descending to the second full service control (w/water and washrooms).

Then it's back onto Ioco and Guilford (sorry, it's getting late!) to access the Poco Trail at Ozada. The on/off street Poco Trail will take you to the Pitt River bridge where the way back to Braid Station is well-travelled in rando circles.

The Central Valley Greenway (unfortunately the Car-Free Freeway Trail from Cariboo Hill Road is closed thanks to Fortis BC work) takes riders back to 10th Avenue and most of the way back to the finish at Biercraft on Cambie. 

Suggested parking for those driving to the start is on Yukon Street  (one block east of Cambie--access it via 18th Ave) where non-resident parking is available.