Winnipeg
“This is a low-stress ride that touches all four major parks – St. Vital, Assiniboine, Kildonan and Kilcona – and pretty much all corners of the city,” says Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, a cycling advocacy group in Manitoba’s capital city. The ride begins and ends at The Forks, one of the city’s most famous public spaces, and home to the Forks Market, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Winnipeg Railway Museum. Spot spirit carvings in Bois-des-esprits Park (at around the 12.5-km mark) en route to some trails along the Red River. Pass through the University of Manitoba campus, before heading north to Assiniboine Park – an ideal place for a pit stop and some polar bear watching at the Assiniboine Park Zoo. Loop out near the edge of town before heading back, via the Yellow Ribbon Greenway Trail, toward the core and up over the rail line – a great place to stop for a view the city. Ride around the edge of the Garden City neighbourhood before heading to Kildonan Park and hopping on another of the Red River’s riverside trails. “The path on the west side of the Red River is flood prone near the Redwood Bridge, so you may have to detour,” Cohoe advises. Cross to the other side of the river and head up and around to Kilcona Park, then back into the city. The last leg of the ride takes you through the heart of the city. Cibo, a waterfront restaurant with park and riverside views, is a good spot to enjoy a well-deserved end-of-ride meal.
RIDE STATS AND FACTS
Elevation gain: 643 m
Red and Assiniboine River crossings: 5
Canadian cyclocross championships held at The Forks: 2
Polar bears: 9