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Saddle Up Sunday - Smell the Lilacs

When:
Sunday, May 19, 2024, 9:30 AM until 2:00 PM Eastern Time (US & Canada) (UTC-05:00)
Where:
Yarker Sports Field
43 Cutler Rd
Yarker, ON  K0K 3N0

Canada
Additional Info:
Ride Leader(s):
Marc Sandaluk
A Pace Group
 
Sarah Grant
B Pace Group (A Route)
 
Robert Tolley
B Pace Group (B Route)
 
Carole Russell
C Pace Group
647-530-2364 (c)
 
Melanie Strickland
D Pace Group
Category:
Saddle Up Sundays
Registration is required
Payment In Full In Advance Only
Capacity:
75
Available Slots:
14
No Fee
No Fee
No Fee
No Fee
No Fee













Group Riding Our numbers this week will be large! If we are strewn out along the road in small bunches, it will be difficult for vehicles to pass us. This may create a significant safety risk. Thus, be prepared to ride close together in modestly sized tight groups, and please, always follow the directives of the ride leader.

Registrants as of Saturday Evening

RWGPS Route Links

The Routes This week's annual "Smell the Lilacs" ride will take us into the farm country around Yarker and Camden East, and then over to the Holleford meteorite crater (Wikipedia article). This special ride was started by one of the founding members of our Club, Murray Dean. Scroll down to the bottom of this page to learn a bit about Murray and the roots of our Club. 

There will be two B pace groups this week - one that follows the A route (102 km), and the other that follows the B route (78 km).

Prior to Saturday, we did some route tweaking in order to pass by the best stretches of lilacs currently in bloom. Thus, you will need to redownload them if you downloaded them earlier in the week.

Car Pooling Please consider!

Tailgate Refreshments There is no restaurant at the finish this week. Thus, we suggest  that you stuff your tailgate party chair into the car, along with some post ride refreshments (a thermos of hot coffee, a beer cooler, some sandwiches?), and hang around and chat for a bit before heading back into town.
 
Safety/Ride Preparation
  • Safety Matters Please familiarize yourself with everything under the "Safety Matters" tab 
  • Lights Always use front and rear lights with daytime flashing modes
  • Group Riding Communicate your movements (including speed changes) and any obstacles
  • No Wheel Overlapping Just don't do it!
  • Passing Always on the left, and call it out (typically, “on your left”)  
  • Traffic Laws Obey them!
  • Things to Bring
    • cell phone (if available), with the app "what3words" installed
    • copy of the ride route (downloaded to a mobile device or printed)
    • spare tube, pump and tool kit
    • sufficient hydration and nutrition
    • health card and document showing address and emergency contact information
Lilacs Lore Click here to read "An Ode: A History of Lilacs in Canada".

 Some Lilacs Ride History Smell the Lilacs celebrates the contribution of a founding member of our Club, and a great cyclist, Murray Dean. As a young pioneer, he and two other Canadians, plus three Americans created and managed the first weather station in the Arctic following World War II. After two years, he returned home to Napanee and was offered a career in purchasing by his friend, Bruce McPherson, owner of the Gibbard furniture factory.

It was there where the bicycle became an important vehicle of Murray's life. Murray brought many into the sport, and together with others, including Tom Sylvester, and some cyclists from Queen's University, they formed the club which is now KVC. Originally a racing club incorporated in 1986, Murray fostered the spirit of group riding and training, and fun on every ride.

Murray competed in Masters events into his 80s. He passed away in 2004. Murray had two daughters, Heather and Mary-Anne. They have passed on to us his original lilacs ride route map and cue sheet, as well and some old photographs. They're copied below.