Old Nipissing Road - Dual Sport/Adventure/Touring Ride - Saturday, May 9th | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Old Nipissing Road - Dual Sport/Adventure/Touring Ride - Saturday, May 9th

I started searching ODSC and discovered this thread: http://www.odsc.on.ca/.xenforo/index.php?threads/anybody-up-for-a-3-day-tour.20117/page-6

Which indicates the Nipissing Trail North of Magnetewan is not at all big bike friendly, and early in the season is barely even small bike friendly due to the water/mud: http://s596.photobucket.com/user/taylorjohn/slideshow/North Bay trip

The Nipissing Rd website indicates the following about the route north of Magnetewan:

"For the next 2 km the Nipissing Road is impassable, except by foot or bike. Plans are underway to have this part of the road returned to a condition to allow for hiking or Mountain Bikes. If driving, take the road right for 1.5 km and then the first road left, which again has no number. After 2 km you will rejoin the original alignment at the abandoned hamlet of
sigpost.gif
Rye."

Not the most descriptive, but I'm assuming they're referring to a detour via Miller Road.
 
There are definitely few spots we'll have to avoid. Looks like starting in Rosseau makes no sense so we'll probably pick it up from 518. I couldn't find any good maps so we'll have to use intuition at times. At the same time, I'm not overly worried. At least we'll get to know the area.

We can still stop at Rosseau and fill up. Some guys will be on bikes with short range I guess.
 
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The Nipissing Rd website indicates the following about the route north of Magnetewan:

"For the next 2 km the Nipissing Road is impassable, except by foot or bike. Plans are underway to have this part of the road returned to a condition to allow for hiking or Mountain Bikes. If driving, take the road right for 1.5 km and then the first road left, which again has no number. After 2 km you will rejoin the original alignment at the abandoned hamlet of
sigpost.gif
Rye."

Not the most descriptive, but I'm assuming they're referring to a detour via Miller Road.

I believe it's referring to here at Bummers' Roost:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.816391,-79.6266621,15z

This ride sounds interesting but I'm a little nervous after seeing the pics and videos in the ODSC thread that was linked.
 
Is this ride still on for next weekend, and if so, does anyone else have Friday May 8th off as I do and wants to head North early?

I've found a few hotels in the Parry Sound area for ~ $50/night, so does anyone want to split a room with two double beds and head up a day early and explore some of the roads of the area, then meet up with the rest of the group at a much more civilized time (like 10am) on Saturday morning?

Even if no one else is into it, I might head up on Friday leaving at noon or so... back road ride and get to Parry Sound, then meet you guys on Saturday when you get there.
 
Right now the weather is calling for high 20's and sun! Mike it will be a great for you on Friday night to pitch a tent.

edit: checked my backroads map and it has all the minor backroads marked out showing what are considered hiking trails vs roadways. I'll bring it with me.

It seems this is what we can attempt of Old Nipissing Rd: https://goo.gl/maps/zRMql

And this might be a fun ride from Screaming Heads in Midlothian up north to the Magnetewan River: https://goo.gl/maps/LMDaC
 
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I'm so looking forward to this. The route looks awesome, going to be a great day. :D
 
Right now the weather is calling for high 20's and sun! Mike it will be a great for you on Friday night to pitch a tent.

edit: checked my backroads map and it has all the minor backroads marked out showing what are considered hiking trails vs roadways. I'll bring it with me.

It seems this is what we can attempt of Old Nipissing Rd: https://goo.gl/maps/zRMql

And this might be a fun ride from Screaming Heads in Midlothian up north to the Magnetewan River: https://goo.gl/maps/LMDaC

I'm watching the weather closely -- for Parry Sound. It is still alternating between raining/thudershowers/cloudy/sunny.

My idea is to do the pavement run you did last weekend on Friday, and when I get back to to Rosseau area I'll start looking for a place to pitch the tent... as long as the forecast is favourable. If the rain seems inevitable but nothing serious, then I might still get a room in Parry Sound or wherever I can find a cheap room.

Under what circumstances will you guys cancel the ride? I'd hate to stay up there Friday night just to get a message on Saturday saying that no one is coming; but if the weather is terrible, that would be understandable. Will you guys ride light rain, or is the trip contingent on a sunny day?

Anyway, I am not going to book anything or commit to anything until closer to the date.
 
I'm watching the weather closely -- for Parry Sound. It is still alternating between raining/thudershowers/cloudy/sunny.

My idea is to do the pavement run you did last weekend on Friday, and when I get back to to Rosseau area I'll start looking for a place to pitch the tent... as long as the forecast is favourable. If the rain seems inevitable but nothing serious, then I might still get a room in Parry Sound or wherever I can find a cheap room.

Under what circumstances will you guys cancel the ride? I'd hate to stay up there Friday night just to get a message on Saturday saying that no one is coming; but if the weather is terrible, that would be understandable. Will you guys ride light rain, or is the trip contingent on a sunny day?

Anyway, I am not going to book anything or commit to anything until closer to the date.


I will be coming no matter what the forecast predicts, barring torrential downpours.
 
I will ride off road in light rain as long as it's not mud - my almost done Anakee 3 tires would have almost no grip. Even in the rain, the gravel roads and especially the section of Old Nipissing Trail should be fine between the 518 and Magnetewan. If the rain is coming down harder, I will still ride, just on pavement (good time to check out some new roads).
 
I don't mind rain too much, as long as it's not a full on downpour. I'm still on full street tires, can't bring myself to ditch them just yet as they're almost new. Selection of off-roadish tires is somewhat slim for the versys lol
At this point, it looks to me like the greatest chance for rain is towards late afternoon or evening. Hopefully the bike gods will smile upon us.
 
BTW, Shane, since you already mapped out the route (thanks!) I guess I won't be sending you the link... Was gonna get on that today but it seems pointless now.

The only thing is the part after Commanda:

From the store follow Hwy. 522 east, and after less than 1 km turn left onto an unpaved road-the Alsace Road. At 5 km from Hwy. 522 route swings east away from an abandoned Nipissing Road to pursue a concession road, to Wolf Lake. There is a public beach here, but few other services. After another 1/2 km turn left at Wolf Lake and continue 3 km to Hwy. 534. Turn right and follow the highway around a steep mountain and past modern rural residences into the road's final village.

Do you guys think this part is not worth it? Or hard to pass?


Are we also certain we can't start in Rosseau? It states that Nipissing Rd. becomes unpassable but heading towards Orville should be doable.


Leave Rosseau along Hwy. 141 north. After 1 km or so, just past a small municipal cemetery on the left, you will come to an intersection with an unnumbered gravel road. This is the starting point of the Nipissing Road and the site of a village called ASHDOWN.
Turn right onto the gravel road and drive north for 1 km to a fork. Take the left branch, called MacAuley road. (The original Nipissing Road followed the right branch, but it soon degenerates into a bush trail that is suitable only for hikers, mountain bikes, 4 wheel drives or winter snowmobiles.)
Follow the left branch 10 km to Orrville, keeping right at the two intersections you encounter on the way. This takes you over the Turtle Lake road, and on to Star Lake Road.




I added the beginning and end to Shane's route while skipping the part south of 518 which we probably can't get to unless we double back.

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/45.2...0x4d299f717ac9a3f5:0xd27e4f12025bbf92!1m0!3e0


Let me know what you guys think.
 
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