H!3DUE number 3

https://www.strava.com/routes/2804911701012634346​

Summary: 

• Approximate Distance: 40km
• Approximate Riding Time: 2 hours
• Area Covered: Lowertown, Rockliffe, Vanier (south-east), Ogilvie/Cyville/Pineview, edge of Mer Bleue (Secret Way segment), Sheffield/Industrial, Hospital hydro road, Alta Vista/Industrial (Little League to Link segment in reverse), Hurdman.

This route is so much fun. There's way too much going on here to do a turn by turn summary, so I'd suggest looking at this on the maps and asking questions about specific areas in the comments as needed. We rode this in July of 2019, so highly possible things have changed. I'm definitely riding this again in 2021 and will update accordingly.

One item we will highlight is that we travelled up a gravel road next to the US Ambassadors residence that after the fact we noticed had signage indicating that the road has no exit and no buses allowed. It does however eventually become Manor Avenue, and seems fair game.

Our route also followed a path between McKay Lake and The Pond in Rockliffe. There may be a no bikes sign posted there per comments from someone who did a re-ride (we'll double check and update this spring). Given the number of walkers there you may want to eliminate it regardless. 

We passed through Beechwood Cemetery. The path we took through has some nice gravel and it's a beautiful place. I did ask a groundskeeper when I was visiting a family member buried there and there's no problem passing through as long as you respect signage and ride at a reasonable pace. You obviously need to respect others who may be there by not making excess noise or disturbing a service. 

This route also takes in Grotte des Lourdes in Vanier. We suggest that you respectfully enjoy this urban treasure by getting off your bike if you want a closer look, not disturbing worshippers and behaving with respect particularly if you are with a group. 

Here is the post-ride summary we sent out after the ride: 

• Hidden Rockliffe forest  (Abe Pagoda segment)
• Roman Ruins in the Rockeries
• Rockliffe Pond and Beechwood Cemetery tour
• Visit to Grotte de Lourdes in Vanier
• Straight Outta East Vanier parks and recreation tour including secret boardwalk and PeeWee football cheerleading
• Secret entrance to gravel road behind Church on Ogilvie leading to Transitway trespass and 417 Pedestrian overpass (with optional elevator ride) (segment to follow)
• Old Gloucester pathway tour
• Urban farmland crop dusting and Mer Bleue Meadow loop (The Secret Way segment)
• Virgin pavement in the Industrial Park- first tracks while zig-zagging through the paving crews
• Hidden hydro-road finale
• 24 beers and 6 bags of Doritos

We had 9-10 people on this ride and it was really awesome. Particularly some of the little connectors through parks and other areas in places like Vanier that are just super alive with people on a summer night. 

The section between St. Laurent at Montreal Road and the Gloucester Centre is some of my best work, so take some time to really zoom in on Strava and take a close look at the maps. I was equally delighted with the section from the Transitway and into Mer Bleue.

On that note there is a segment called "Secret Way" I will eventually post that gets you into Mer Bleue from behind the Corbeil store on Innes, which I think I prefer to the route into Mer Bleue we took. Both options are pretty awesome though, so you can't lose either way.

Good to know that we rode this on a Wednesday evening in peak summer. Would also make for a nice Sunday morning activity, when the Industrial park on Sheffield is dead. 

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