500km solo trip in Muskoka this weekend - need advice

M

mrefaat

Member
Hi, This is my first season riding, I've put 3000k on the bike but never done a full day trip and planning to do one this weekend.
I will be riding from Mississauga to Bracebridge, spend the night, and on Saturday do this loop:
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=4...pe&mrsp=2&sz=9&via=1,2,3&dirflg=h&vpsrc=6&z=9
It is probably 10-12 hours with stops.
My question, have you done a similar route? is my time assessment correct?
Anything you can advice will be great.

Thnx
Mo
 
I've done the roads on your whole route with the exception of Highway 60. Looks like a pretty good route to me.

In my experience, I usually finish a 8 hour route (estimated by google maps) in 6 hours but my speed is on average +20km/h over the limit and I dont take breaks that often.

I made a minor change to the map as a suggestion:

1) Between 518 and Huntsville, take Ravenscliffe
2) At Muskoka Lakes, take Foreman Rd

It adds on approx 20 mins to your route.

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=4...sp=7&sz=11&via=1,2,3,5,7&dirflg=h&vpsrc=6&z=9
 
Just did a similar ride today a little shorter 420 but still .... you'll love 118 if you get a chance drop down from dorset on 35 nice rd
 
Here's my revised route, most revisions are on the western part:

1) Take Ravenscliffe (edit, like previous post)
2) Do a lap around McDougall & Hurdville - it's awesome and empty!! I was there 2 weeks ago.
3) Take southwood rd (edit, added foreman rd to this as per previous post).

I did McDougall and southwood with pretty much that same route (except for foreman) when I went camping two weeks ago. It was pretty awesome and I did it solo, except for the camping part.
 
I'll take the full face helmet and proper protective gear, hope it is not an overkill.
I'll ride to bracebridge on Friday evening and do the loop on Saturday and come back Sunday .
Hope I can avoid the cottage traffic.
Are there back roads to bracebridge?
 
Pack rain gear even if they say it won't rain. I've got screwed once, never again.

Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk
 
Isn't Ravenscliffe ripped up right now? You might want to check on the status of that road and Elephant Lake Rd... Also Glamorgan Rd (Buckhorn Rd#3) and Essonville Line #4 are two great roads since you're in the area (west of Wilberforce). You could include those roads, and they will add very little time onto your entire day, but might be some of the best roads on the entire route (fun, fast sweepers).

Also the far west section of the 518 (west of Orville) is kinda boring so I would also suggest dropping down Swords Rd instead (which is just east of the 400) and then running east on the 141 to the 632/7 south (also called Peninsula Rd) which will take you back to the 118. They way you have it set up, you take some of the less interesting roads and some highway too.

Ride safe and hope the weather is on your side.
 
Strikes me a 500km loop is going to leave you with time on your hands if you are doing an entire weekend.

I'd leave early Sat an not bother with Friday traffic.

I'd add some of Shane's ideas to pad it out a bit. Riding very early in the morning on a trip is a treat and saves you the overnight. What part of the GTA are you leaving from?
 
i did a 650km solo loop a few weeks back through similar roads and it took me about 8 hours with 3 stops. i'm going again this weekend so maybe we'll cross paths
 
We got a bunch of bikes maybe 10-15 heading up to muskoka for a day ride from Barrie's Hooters around noon.
If you go Saturday then you could meet us there and ride with a big group?
 
shanekingsley said:
Isn't Ravenscliffe ripped up right now?
Click to expand...

Ravenscliffe is fine, I did it last weekend. There was a section that they just repaved so I guess thats what you're talking about.
 
Thanks everyone, that's very helpful and reassuring.I ll stick to the plan as I already booked the hotel in bracebridge and I would like to take it easy, I'm still a newbie.Do you know if google maps on the iPhone will help serve as a gps? Did anyone try it on these roads?Thinking it would be useful along with the 5 pages of printed directions
 
You're a noobie and want to ride Muskoka traffic on a Friday night .......urk.v :confused1:

You definitely want to plot a back road - are you legit on the 400 series???

What part of the GTA are you leaving from?

What time are you leaving??
 
Yes I have my g2, planning to leave 3pm from Mississauga.I ll probably take hwy10 (hurontario) to 89, to hwy 27 to barrie then 11 to bracebridge
 
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There are nicer routes north than that and you have time.
Up ninth line to Steeles, right to Winston Churchill, left up through Terra Cotta ( King St is a lovely little twisty ), over to Mississauga Road and then North to the Forks.
Hang a right at the end of Forks omn HWY 10 one road south to the Grange ( there is a middle lane for left hand turns - keep your eye peeled for it - easy to miss and it is the first left south of the Forks ) and left, another nice bit of twisty up and down ( do watch the cross streets for bozos in a hurry that time of day and then north on any of the paved ones ( Heart Lake is fine )
Get on to Beaver Valley Road at Eugenia Falls ( you can cut right at Flesherton if you get on to 10 ) for good ride north then cut over to Bracebridge further up. Just look for the Eugenia Falls sign a few KM out of town to the East out of Flesherton..
Might be willing to ride up as far as Eugenie - do love the burgers there :D
Lots of nice areas ( Terra Nova as well ) to take a leisurely ride up then cut over to the bottleneck that is around Barrie.

PM me around 2 pm - I usually escape to the Shed that time of day anyways and happy to show you the quieter routes out of the city.
I'm at Winston and 403

Have a look at the first map in the sticky above.

This section

Screenshot2011-08-18atAug18201132631AM.jpg


then cut east above Barrie.....far more civilized and relaxed route tho it will all be busy that time of day at least you'll have some fun roads....you could do that route in reverse on the way back Sunday. If you could bust loose at 2 pm - you'd have a much lower amount of traffic to deal with.

Bascially zig zag a bit up to Stayner then cut East across the top of Barrie . If you print that map out in several sections its good enough as a general guide
email me direct as an alternative macdoc@macdoc.com

If not have fun.....you've got lots of time to explore.
 
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When you're on Elephant lake, SLOW DOWN in the 50 zone. They throw loose gravel on the pavement there, probably to deter speeding motorcycles. But ya, when ever you see 50, slow it down, you don't want to hit that stuff mid turn. Also the 50km/hr turns you do need tot take slower then the other ones, they're sharper and on bridges. That would not be a good time to go for a swim and wash your bike at the same time
 
I was on 518 yesterday. It was amazing. Make sure you have at least 100 km worth of gas before you start on it. There is no gas stations between the start and finish of the road
 
Amazon said:
When you're on Elephant lake, SLOW DOWN in the 50 zone. They throw loose gravel on the pavement there, probably to deter speeding motorcycles. But ya, when ever you see 50, slow it down, you don't want to hit that stuff mid turn. Also the 50km/hr turns you do need tot take slower then the other ones, they're sharper and on bridges. That would not be a good time to go for a swim and wash your bike at the same time
Click to expand...

Good advice to watch out for gravel in the corners, but I dont believe that its purposely put there
 
Roger that.MacDoc, I ll ping you at 2pm.I ve done the forks before, but did not ride north of it.I'm at Winston and Derry We can ride to flesherton/Eugenia then I'll cut east to jump on 11 north of barrie
 
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