Exploro Numero 4: Hermano Don's Exploro Revolucion

www.strava.com/routes/2804911614444364008

Approximate Distance: 48km
Approximate Moving Time: 2:15
Area Covered: Loop of east Ottawa on city pathways, NCC trails

Exploro #4 was organized and led by our friend Don, who put together a really amazing 48km loop of the east end. We rode this in August of 2019. It's all inside the Greenbelt and features a ton of fun little connector pathways that allowed this route to be mostly traffic free and off-road. There's a fair amount of gravel and certainly quite a bit of pavement compared to some other rides, but the novelty factor of this ride is off the charts in my opinion. 

We started this ride at the abandoned outdoor bar on the canal and proceeded through Ottawa U onto the new O-Train bike expressway. This brought us onto the path system that starts near the Via station and then wound through Eastway Gardens and Cyrville, then to Mer Bleue, the Hornet's Nest, Green's Creek, back through Shefford Road to Dominion Brewery, then back to the pathway along the Riverfront, and back to downtown via Rockliffe. 

We did make a pit stop at Dominion Brewery for a beer on our way through, which was very refreshing on a summer night. Owing to the time of year we rode this the days are a little shorter, so we definitely needed lights for the ride home. At the end of our ride as we passed through Rockcliffe Park fireworks started to go off. There was no traffic at all on the road at that moment, so it really did feel like an amazing private show, with colourful explosions filling the horizon and the sky overhead. It's become one of my all-time favourite cycling memories. I don't think we can help recreate that particular outcome, but the route itself is definitely worth customizing to meet your needs. 

For the most part this route was rideable on a road bike with 28mm tires. The one notable exception to this was a very short section of unused rail tracks in the east end between the 417 and the section of the Prescott-Russell Trail that starts at Mer Bleue and Anderson area. They just haven't gotten around to tearing that section up yet, so it requires you to get off your bike and walk. It's also quite overgrown there for about 200-300m. There are certainly other ways to remove that section if you wish, which may make sense as it is not clear that there is designated public access to that area anyway, although there is most certainly a well used trail pre-existing there regardless.

As always, safety is paramount, so take the time to look at the route in detail, don't be in a rush and make sure your equipment, helmet, etc. are all good to go. 

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