Big Chute 200K Ride Report: July 6, 2003
Report by Phil Piltch, photos by Greg Amman, Saul Goldman, and Phil Piltch
Big Chute 200 - A Fine Outing
by Phil Piltch
The Big Chute 200, a new route in the Simcoe-Muskoka chapter's schedule, proved to be a lovely ride. Seven showed up to do the ride: Isabelle Sheardown (the organiser), Keith McEwen, Karen Scaife, Alan Thwaits, Martin Heath, myself, and non-member Saul Goldman, out for his first 200. With a touch of trepidation, I decided to bring my new Mariposa out for this ride and rode out to Eglinton and Keele to catch a ride up to the start with Alan.
Starting from a lakefront park at the foot of Tiffin in Barrie, we followed the very familiar route to Orillia along Ridge Road. The day was perfect; sunny but not too hot, with a light wind. Alan, Saul, Karen, Martin and I flew along while Isabelle and Keith took a more leisurely pace. It was just after passing Carthew Bay the only mishap occured, when Saul, who was riding to my left apparently thought we were turn at Eight Mile Point Rd and turned right and into me, then we both tumbled hard on the pavement. The statement "bad things happend to good bikes" came immediately to mind as I lay on the pavement.
At first it looked rather nasty with the new bike, with handlebars askew and cable hanger a kilter, but after quick re-adjustment of handlebars and front cable hanger, all looked okay, and neither the Mariposa nor I seemed any worse for it (although I now have some lovely road rash on my right leg and a bruised left thumb). With this little disaster out of the way the rest of ride went without further incident.
After a familiar run along Maplewood Parkway, we then turned north on 15th Line and then worked our way northward through Port Severn to the first control at Honey Harbour, on the shores of Georgian Bay.
The control was at the general store, which was a supermarket, snackbar and hunting/fishing supplies depot all in one. A handy spot for a quick break, water, snacks, and in my case, postcards and some peroxide and wetwipes to properly clean the road rash. About 15 or so minutes after we arrived, Keith and Isabelle rolled in. I spent a few minutes of futility looking for one of my cleat covers that seemed to have separated from the cleat (later in the ride I discovered part of the Look cleat had broken off, which is why the cover did not say on). Alan, Saul and Karen started off (in the wrong direction) while I continued looking for the missing cleat cover. I gave up the search and started off wiht Martin just as the other three zoomed past, this time in the right direction. I sped up to catch the others, but Martin could not keep up and was soon well back. Not far south of Honey Harbour, we then turn on to South Bay Rd, lovely winding and rolling. Much of the scenery reminded me of what I saw on the Falling Leaves 200 last year. Not far after crossing Hwy 400 we turn on to Upper Big Chute Rd.
It was at this point that thing got really scenic, and that we saw what for me was the highlight of the ride - a stop at Big Chute to see the Marine Railway. Rather than using a locks to float boat up or down, this link to on the Trent-Severn waterway uses a special carriage that travels on a set of rails up a steep incline. And as if on cue, not long after arriving, we saw it carrying a load of boats up from a lake below us to another beside us. Quite a show!
We then continued on to the next control in Coldwater, continuing south and west on Upper Big Chute Rd (and retracing some of the route we had done earlier). We had a nice break at Liam's General Store, which had lawn chair out in front (but only three, so one of us had to stand). It was not long after this control that we faced the only big hills on the route. First there was the climb going west on Moonstone Rd, past the village of Moonstore (what else?), then south on 7th Line, with a "kilt raising" downhill to Mt. St. Louis Rd, passing Mt. St. Louis-Moonstone ski hill. Then another long grind west on Mt. St. Louis. Near the crest of this hill we passed 5th Line and I recognised we were tracing some of the Georgian Triangle route. The scenery along Mt. St. Louis Rd to Hillsdale was very lovely. Another lovely stretch was along 3rd Line, going south from Horseshoe Valley Rd. Saul and Bev now have a condo at Horseshoe Valley ski centre and these hills were very familiar to Saul, having cycled them quite often. Soon enough we were heading south to Barrie and Alan, Saul and I arrived at the lakeshore park a few minutes before 5:30 pm. Karen was not far behind, and arrived a few minutes later.
Karen, who joined the club this year, felt quite good about completing her second 200, this time on her new Marinoni, and Saul completed his first 200 (perhaps he may join the club?). This is a wonderful route, and to paraphrase a radio advert "It's worth the drive to Barrie".
