Canada's Capital Tour

This ride is a fixed-base or semi-fixed-base ride, please read the ride description for more details.

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW

This ride will be based in Ottawa Ontario Canada.   As Canada’s Capital, Ottawa is a hub for culture and history, as the home to seven national museums that recount the tales of the country’s colourful past.  There are dinosaur skeletons at the Canadian Museum of Nature; armoured vehicles at the Canadian War Museum; a collection of totem poles at the Canadian Museum of History; Canadian and Indigenous Galleries at the National Gallery of Canada  present a new way to view the country’s cultural riches; a hands on approach to discovery is available at the Canada Science and Technology Museum; the Canadian Agriculture and Food Museum offers a working farm in the heart of the city; and you can fly over Ottawa in a vintage biplane at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.

Other tourist highlights include Parliament Hill (our equivalent to the US Capitol Building), the Governor General’s Residence (the Governor General exercises the powers of the head of state on behalf of Queen Elizabeth), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Musical Ride Centre, and the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO world heritage site.  The locks are still operated today much as they were when the canal first opened in 1832.  Our rides each day will generally take us along at least a small portion of the canal.

Best of all, Ottawa is a cyclist’s paradise with roughly 500 miles of bike paths in the area.  Dedicated bike paths and bike lanes are available in many otherwise congested areas.  The biggest challenge is watching out for the pedestrians!

RIDE RATING:  The ride is rated as 1B.  Typical rides will be around 40 miles in length with less than 1000’ of elevation gain.  Options will also be available for shorter ride or longer ride.  Depending on the optional rides chosen, the trip could become a 2B.  One ride will involve going into the Gatineau Hills which will involve a total elevation gain of ~3000’. All grades will be less than 8%, and no climbs are longer than 1.5 miles in length.

WEATHER:  Typical day-time highs in late August are in the mid 70’s, although 10 degrees warmer or cooler is not unusual.  Overnight lows tend to be in the mid 50’s.  Rain is to be expected with average August rainfall of about three inches.

LODGING:  We will be staying at the Cartier Place Suite Hotels (http://www.suitedreams.com/), a short walk from the major tourist attractions including Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal.  All rooms come with a kitchen area.

LOGISTICS:  The tour commences at happy hour on Saturday, August 24, 2019 and ends with checkout on Sunday, September 1, 2019.  If travelling by car, the most convenient border crossing points are probably the Thousand Islands Bridge which connects Ontario Highway 137 with Interstate 81; Interstate 87 north of Plattsburgh, New York which connects with Quebec Highway 15; or Interstate 89 north of Burlington, Vermont which connects with Quebec Highway 133. Ottawa (YOW) can also be reached by air.  There are direct flights from Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York City (LaGuardia and Newark), Philadelphia, and Washington (Dulles and Reagan).  On your return flight, you can preclear US Customs and Immigration in Ottawa.  Our hotel is about a $30 Cdn taxi ride from the airport.

Bike rentals are available from Cyco’s ($99 Cdn plus 13% in taxes for a road bike with carbon fiber front forks, steel frame and Shimano 105 components) (http://www.cycosport.ca/pricing/) or RentABike ($160 Cdn plus 13% in taxes for a carbon road bike) (http://www.rentabike.ca/#pathhome).

COST AND ADMINISTRATION:  Estimated cost is $1,150 based on an exchange rate of $1.00 US = $1.20 Cdn.  Included in the price are eight nights accommodation double occupancy, two group dinners, daily social hours, maps, cue sheets and GPX files.  Parking is available in the hotel for $28.25 Canadian per day (includes taxes).  All bikes will be stored in a secure room adjacent to the underground parking garage.

A $550 deposit is required at the time of signing up for the trip. The final payment of $600 is due by May 1, 2019. A solo supplement charge of $450 will be charged for anyone not wanting to share a room.  It is also due by May 1, 2019. Depending on currency exchange rates there may be an adjustment in the amount of the final payment and the solo supplement.

SINGLES AND SOLO POLICY:  Singles and solos are welcome!  It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until May 1, 2019 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC fee and payment processing fee) or pay the $450 solo supplement and stay on the ride.  If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary.  The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride.  Solo supplement payments need to be sent to the BAC office by May 1, 2019. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check.  They should be mailed to:  Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.

CANCELLATION POLICY:  The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fee is not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled.  Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped.  The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations.  If the cancelling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time.  If the cancelling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed.  If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the cancelling roommate may also be liable for the single supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour.  BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY:  Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support.  Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles.   All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour.  We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from Ride Leader.  While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and clean-up.  Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour.  Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you may have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

SIGN-UP:  To submit a request to join this ride use the "links" displayed above this Ride Description.  When you are accepted, the Ride Leader will move you from the Waitlist to the Pending List.  At this time you will receive an email notification to login to the BAC website to sign the release of liability form and pay the non-refundable BAC ride registration fee and the initial tour deposit of $550 by credit card.  As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List.  To contact the Ride Leader, "click" the name at the top of this Ride Description.