** Note: On-line Registration closes 6 pm on Friday 6 June - no Day-Of registration!! **

A beginner-friendly century ride for those who want to try something a bit more challenging in the good company of experienced cyclists. Low traffic, bike lanes, some off-road routes that include gravel. Starting in a quieter section of Port Moody and finishing at Brewery Row. Queen Street Plaza (the start) does not have parking nor washrooms. Parking is three blocks away at the Moody Central Skytrain station ($3 pay by phone) or arrive on your bike or by transit. Near by coffee shops Kaffe and Outpost will be open for coffee and washrooms prior to the start. Sadly, Grit coffee will not  be open until 9:00.
The control will be at Maple Ridge Park on Fern Cresc (49.1 km on the way out, 74.0 km on the return) due to the need for passes to drive into Golden Ears Park. Riders will pass the control heading up and back from Golden Ears, but are only required to check in on the return from the turn around at Golden Ears Store.

Notes:

• The "Golden Ears Store" is the Gold Creek Campground ticket booth. Loop around the booth for the turn. There are washrooms and water near by in the campground.
• Where possible, riders are encouraged to use bike routes and trails rather than riding on the road
• Off-road sections will mean sharing with pedestrians and dogs; please be courteous, especially on narrow bridges.
• The Guilford bike lane runs through the middle of bus stops. If there is a bus, you may need to yield to bus passengers getting on and off. Please be patient.
• There is an angled RR track crossing at 113B and Maple Meadows Way in Pitt Meadows. Use caution, walk over if necessary. I tested this section last week and it is busy, but short and the drivers I encountered were courteous. You need to pull out into traffic to get the safest angle on the RR crossing, so indicate and shoulder check prior to pulling out.
• The route passes by Patch Brewing and ends at Moody Ales. Just sayin....

Get out of Vancouver and see the northeast - Poco trail and Allouette River dykes await with easy riding, gorgeous mountain views, and good beer.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Midsummer Populaire -- pre-ride report

Rode from home, 15 km to the Queen Street start, then my Garmin did not show the turn onto Moody St.  Huh?  Oops, I'd loaded the wrong route!  That fixed, I made it to Guildford and Ungless then rolled over a nail pack for a nail gun.  One of the nails went through my tire.  First flat in a while, grumble.  Fixed that, then got another flat a few hundred meters later.  Because the tube I'd put in had had a hole in it.  Sigh.

But that was the end of the issues.  It was a very nice ride!  I think folk will enjoy the course.  Be aware that there has been a fair bit of cycling infrastructure upgrading recently.  The Guildford Way bike lanes are now separated by bollards and curbs.  Watch for somewhat awkward ramps at bus stops.  There are side paths in a number of places along the route, you may use the roadway or the side path.  The route sheet indicates when the side path should be used.  At km 25 there is a side path to the gravel dyke road which is better--the roadway is mostly loose stone at that point.  There is also a new, paved side path through the woods for the first km of Fern Crescent, which I missed.  It looks nice, take it if you wish.

About a quarter of the route is unpaved, but the gravel sections are all smooth, packed gravel.  I was on 25 mm tires and had no problems.  The Pitt River Greenway and the east half of the Alouette River Dyke trail is slightly coarser and loose, so you may be happier on 28 mm if you have them.

Golden Ears Parkway has no shoulders.  I didn't have much traffic on a mid-week, mid-May day, but they all gave me a wide berth.

Similarly, not a lot of cyclists, walkers, dogs, and children out on the trails mid-week, but there were some.  There will be more on a June Saturday, so use caution and be courteous. ~~ Mike Hagen