Montreal, je t'aime

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

ATTENTION:   As of March 17, 2019, we have a total of 7 riders on this trip.  The budget for the trip has been changed to the following:  All riders will pay the initial deposit of $577 and the BAC fee.  That initial deposit will be used by the leader to secure hotel rooms.  There will be no second payment.  All riders will pay their remaining hotel costs directly to the hotel, pay for their happy hour beverages directly and their group dinner or other meal costs directly.   The leader and co-leader will stay at their residences, which are about 15 min away, to avoid having leader costs attributed to the group.  The leader would welcome more riders.  If you are interested, please contact John Gradwell to determine if hotel has availability.

OVERVIEW
This tour is designed to be a 10-day cultural and gastronomic cycling experience in French Canada. The ride is fixed base which means you can relax knowing you don't have to repack each morning.   We stay at the Château Vaudreuil, a luxury inn situated in extensive grounds at the confluence of the St. Laurent and Outaouais rivers just off the western tip of the Island of Montreal (Chateau Vaudreuil, 21700 Trans-Canada Hwy, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec).  From this point we can cycle into the countryside mostly alongside rivers, and canals and occasionally ride on rolling hills. On one day we will cycle to downtown Montreal, the largest French city in North America, founded in 1642, a historical experience for all to enjoy. On this day we use a combination of rural roads and cycling paths along canals ending in the busy streets of Vieux (Old) Montreal. There are no grades above 8% and no long or frequent climbs. 

This ride was held in 2018 and received very good reviews (For further information you may refer to the Tripper Report at this link:  

 https://www.bicycleadventureclub.org/html/rides/?action=viewTripper&rideid=1291).  The leader has organized three trips previously, in New Zealand (2015) England and Wales (2016), and England and Scotland (2017). The distances and elevations on those occasions were challenging! This tour is designed to be far more relaxing and is an excellent tour for new BAC members. Furthermore it will enable me to showcase my home province.

RIDE RATING   The average daily elevation is 300m (1000ft). The ride with the maximum elevation is 600m (2000ft). There is only one day that exceeds the BAC rating. On this occasion the grades are moderate, there are none above 8%, and the distance is the average for this tour, that being 80km (50miles). Most rides will be close to waterways, on cyce paths or rural roads. The road surfaces are average which means that there will be some very smooth and others that are a little rough; the traffic density is moderate. On only one day will we encounter a fair amount of traffic as we will cycle along waterfront and by an ancient ship canal ending in the busy streets of Vieux (old) Montréal.  Route information on all days will be provided in kilometres in the form of cue sheets and GPS downloads.

WEATHER  The average day-time temperature for September is 20 degrees C (69F) with a night time temp of 10 degrees C (50F). There is always the possibility of rain showers.

LODGING & MEALS  This is a fixed-base ride. You will stay at a luxury hotel situated on the Lac des Deux Montagnes. The dining facilities are excellent and there is an indoor pool and an outdoor patio overlooking the waterfront. During the weekends there is a musical combo for dancing, next to the bar.

Couples will have a king-sized bed and two persons sharing a room will each have a queen or double bed. All rooms have been upgraded during 2018-2019.

We will meet each day during Happy Hour in the hotel bar to share our experiences prior to enjoying a variety of local delighful meals. The first and last evening meals will be in the hotel. On other evenings you will experience some of the best that Quebec has to offer including Sugaring Off with traditional live music and dancing. Normally riders will use their own cars to drive to restaurants. If the number of seats is not sufficient for everyone one or more minivans will be rented. Riders will purchase their own beverages as that cost is not included in the cost of this trip.  An extensive buffet breakfast is provided every morning. Nine evening meals are included in the tour cost.  Dinner on the one day off is not included.  (Having one day off was a strong suggestion from the 2018 group). Energy bars and fruit will be provided for a lunch snack and recommendations provided for those who would like to stop “en route” for a midday meal. 

LOGISTICS  All rides will start and end at the hotel. The first meeting will take place on the evening of 7th September 2019 with a meal together in the hotel. The tour will end at breakfast time on the 17th September. Persons arriving by plane will land at Pierre Elliot Trudeau (Montréal) airport which is only 23km (14miles) from the hotel. Taxis available at the airport are mostly SUVs so transporting bikes should not be a problem. The cost is between $60 and $70CDN. Anyone who anticipates having a problem should let me (John Gradwell) know. I can make arrangements to meet you with my pickup truck. Those arriving by car will take the Trans-Canada Highway, Route 40.  If anyone prefers to rent a bike, rather than bringing their own, I can provide the name of a bike shop that was successfully used in 2018. Keep in mind that it may not be exactly to the standards of your own personal bike. Tandem bikes can be accommodated. There is no provision for E-bikes. We feel they are unnecessary on this tour as most routes are flat. There will be no sag wagon. Anyone who is unable to take care of their own mechanical problem will need to wait until the tour leaders have completed the day's ride before they can be assisted.

COST & ADMINISTRATION  The amount paid by riders ($2077 US and $50 US BAC fee) includes dinners (except for dinner on the day off), breakfasts, but not drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and personal expenses. Note that fruit and energy bars will be provided for lunch but riders who are used to a larger lunch should budget accordingly and will cover the cost of their lunches individually.  A deposit of $577 is required on acceptance to the tour and the balanceof $1500 to be paid May 1, 2019.  Please consider that the rate between the Canadian and the US dollar varies daily, but currently the Canadian dollar is valued at approximately 75 cents US.   Please do not register unless you are certain of going!

SINGLES & SOLOS POLICY  Singles are certainly welcome.  However, it will be necessary for the two people to talk together before final acceptance to ensure they are compatible.  There is no provision for a solo supplement.

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 June 30th to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will receive a full refund (minus the BAC fee and payment processing fee). The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride.

CANCELLATION POLICY  The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fee are 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. 

Ride Participant Responsibility  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. do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. 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 $577 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.