An Afternoon On The Elora Cataract Trailway
Although the weather on Saturday was pretty much perfect for spending a day on the water, Darrell and I decided it was equally perfect for hitting the trail with our bikes. I had been wanting to venture along the Elora Cataract Trailway for some time, so we headed into Elora, unloaded the bikes, and got some gravel under our tires.
The Elora Cataract Trailway is a 47km trail that follows an old CP railroad bed and runs from Elora to Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. It is owned by Grand River Conservation Authority and Credit Valley Conservation, connecting the two watersheds. The trail is well-maintained and well-used by hikers and cyclists, and runs through some beautiful countryside.
My plan for the ride was just to stretch my legs and get re-acquainted with my bike. It has been years since I consistently rode a bike, and several months since I last rode this bike. Even a short ride was likely to get my muscles screaming.
We set an easy pace heading out of Elora and into Fergus, a small stretch of trail. Along the way we passed a few people walking their dogs, and we were passed by others out for a more challenging ride on their bikes. As it often does these days, my attention drifted to the trees and shrubs along the trail, trying to identify each one in the brief glimpse I would get.
Once in Fergus, we realized that there was no actual trail to take us through town. Perhaps I should have looked at this map that I didn’t find until the next day. It took a few minutes longer than it should have, but we finally noticed the painted trail markings on the street and followed those through town. As often as I’ve driven through Fergus, I don’t think I’ve ever been on some of those roads.
When we rejoined the trail on the other side of town, I started looking for a place to take a break. We came across a nice bench set back in the trees and climbed off our bikes, had a rest, and drank some water. I noticed a little path on the other side of the trail and wondered if it lead to a geocache location. I’ve learned that many paths leading off of a trail will end at a geocache, but after checking my app, this particular one did not. At this point we had to decide where to head next. I now know that Darrell assumed we would be heading home – the smartest decision based of my severe lack of conditioning. However, I decided that I could make it to the Shand Dam at Belwood Lake before turning for home – apparently I was not thinking clearly.
We set out once again and I found myself checking out the collection of old bird houses that started to line the trail. Pink ones, green ones, different sizes and shapes – they were a neat little distraction. Yet, it wasn’t long before I started to wonder if I should really be aiming for the dam. Obviously, riding a bike for the first time in ages can be uncomfortable for certain parts of your anatomy. I was beginning to wish for an air-ride seat and padded shorts. Just as I was considering saying something to Darrell about turning back, we came across this:
“Don’t Stop Believing”
Really, I never would have expected to come across a sign like this. I had to laugh and decided I could keep on going. I kept pedaling and thought that nothing would top that sign for me on this trip, but I was wrong. As we approached another road crossing we saw police cars and Darrell yelled, “RIDE program!” We both laughed and then realized he was right. It struck me as funny that they were setup at the trail crossing, so all the trail users had to pass them when they weren’t busy checking on drivers. Whatever, the case, it was good to see the officers out there.
The trail began to curve and I knew we were approaching our destination. Good thing too, because my butt was killing me! When we straightened out I saw the dam and the water and was flushed with that wonderful feeling of accomplishment – I made it!
The Shand Dam.
I’ve spent so much time at Belwood Lake, yet I’d never been on top of the dam before. What a magnificent view of the Grand River valley!
So what if I saw this and instantly wished I was in the boat? I’m always going to wish to be on the water 🙂
After a rest at the picnic tables along the trail, we decided it was time to head back. Crossing back over the dam I got the first inkling that my body was unhappy with me. I knew I had pushed myself a little too far. The ride hadn’t gotten to Darrell, but he’s in much better shape than I am. A few minutes into the return trip I was feeling pretty miserable and Darrell started offering to ride ahead, get the truck, and come pick me up. While that may have been the best idea, I’m really quite a stubborn person. I declined his offer, put my head down, and focused on pedaling. When I’m hurting, and I know I still have a trek ahead of me, I actually end up pushing myself even harder. I picked up the pace, stopped looking at the scenery around me, and starting picking out goals along the trail – make it this far and then there’s only this much left. It worked.
The happy Sign Improvement Expert was at it again.
Before I knew it, we were on the final stretch and I was actually feeling pretty good. I even pushed it harder for the last little bit. Getting back to the truck I felt rather triumphant – I had just finished an approximately 18km round-trip for my first time back on the bike. The trail had been an awesome way to get around – not overly challenging, but a nice way to see the countryside. I can’t wait to get back out there again.
Being near water and not fishing proved a little too much to take, so Darrell and I ended our day by taking the dogs to some crappie ponds and catching a few fish. Unfortunately, my knees decided to start making their displeasure known at this point, and we called it quits so I could head home and ice them. I have yet to find anyone who spent their youth on horseback (as I did) that does not have bum knees when they get older.
The Elora Cataract Trailway is excellent trail for anyone looking to get out for the day. Pick a section, or the whole thing if you’re up to it, and have fun!
argosgirl
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