Minnesing Trail
posted by: lyle
2006-02-25 | 15:16:43
Algonquin is Ontario's largest provincial park but the Minnesing Trail is the only part of the park where mountain biking is allowed.(The Old Railway Bike Trail doesn't count because riding it is not mountain biking.) Rob and I try to ride it once a year-it's an annual tradition you might say. Late summer is the best time to go as that is when the trails are the driest. You still get muddy but unlike springtime the trails are not rivers.
Two hours driving from Orillia and we are at Algonquin Park's West Gate. We purchase a $12 car pass and then we're on our way. The Minnesing Trail is about 23 km from the West Gate.
The parking lot contains a small cabin with a bulletin board updating trail conditions and only a handful of cars. It is never very busy. The Minnesing Trail consists of four loops with distances of 5, 10, 17 and 24 kilometres. We always ride the long loop.
On a previous trip we were returning from our ride and we saw a man wearing a team jersey, unloading a shiny new Specialized bike from his shiny new truck. He would have fit in well with the Hardwood Hills crowd (more people hanging out at the chalet with their $3000 bikes than out on the trails) but looked out of place here. As he took off for his ride, we noticed his wife and kids were sitting in the truck. I don't know what they were suppose to do for the next three hours. We found it amusing.
As we unpack our gear and get ready to head out, we strike up a conversation with an older couple who are on single-speed cruisers. They ask us about the trails as this is their first time here and we reply that they can probably handle the short loop as it is not too bad. Off they go, while we continue to get ready. About five minutes later they return, load up their car and leave without saying a word. As we begin our ride, we see that within 50m of the parking lot you are climbing steep pitches and rolling over really rocky terrain. I guess our memories were a little hazy. Rob and I laughed but we also felt bad for giving poor advice.
The ride is going well. The weather is great, our bikes and ourselves are covered in mud and we are on the home stretch which is easier riding than the first half. We come upon a cabin and are going to stop for a brief rest when four moose emerged from the forest-a bull, a cow and two calves. Rob and I can't believe our luck and being able to observe such large mammals at close range in their natural habitat. Then a head pops out of the cabin door and we realize there are a couple of other riders taking shelter from the wildlife. In retrospect, they were probably the smart ones, as the moose had younglings and could have perceived us as a threat. However, they did not react to our presence in any way and continued on their journey but not before Rob took some great photos with his disposable camera.
The Minnesing is not a trail that I would want to ride every week but it is something I look forward to doing every year. It is more of a fitness challenge than a technical one but I admit there are sections where I am off the the bike-some of it is very rocky. The best compliment I can probably give it, is that after I ride the Minnesing I always feel like I have accomplished something-and that isn't the case with most of the trails I ride.
Comments
Good review, totally hit the nail on the head several times. I also make the trek from Orillia once a year. Last fall I complained as there were several dozen large trees totally blocking trail. Also thought after 12 years of riding this trail it was time to re route ,around some of the worn out un ridable sections , i.e. the first 50 m of baby heads that the old couple gave up on. It is really a nice long loop to do in the early fall, but do to re sheduling of "lost in rocks" race to mid Oct. I may pass this years ride.
Nice site , just tripped accross it, also ride scouts valley, season pass at buckwallow, and do hydro cut 4 time a year to escape mother inlaws around the corner..
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