Bits and Pieces 200 and a perfect end to the 2013 season

Ride report by Kathy Brouse:

Warning: If you were unable to get out on your bike yesterday due to family commitments, work or sickness, reading this ride report will hurt.

Liz drove out from Auburn on Friday night to join us on the Bits and Pieces and what a great ride we all had- Brian, Liz, Jerzy, Stan, Bob M and newcomer David P. It was a beautiful fall day and the colours of the trees, while not quite at their peak, were gorgeous. As the name suggests, the Bits and Pieces is made up of bits from the best of a number of TO routes. Starting in Mississauga the route makes its way west to Bell School Line, north on 6th Line Nassagaweya, west to Georgetown and north to Holton’s Bakery in Erin at 80 km. The four of us in the group at that time stopped for delicious apple fritters and coffee before heading north and west across the Hillsborough Hills to Wellington 29, and looping south and east to the Trail Eatery in Campbellville. As our group of four headed out back to the start, Bob and Stan pulled in, David had dropped behind. The sky was blue, the weather was perfect and the last leg of the ride was fantastic. Brian lost his car key on route and phoned his wife to meet him at the truck with the extra set of keys. Shari was of course overjoyed to lend support and drive from Oshawa with the spare key and join us for dinner at Montana’s after the ride. The beer and wings was a perfect finish to a great day on the bike. The rest of the meal was a bit disappointing, but that’s another story. Picture a plate of nachos and cheese so rock hard and cold that a special drill is required to break up the pieces. At least Brian and Liz didn’t have to pay and Liz said she would pick up a Happier meal on the way home.

So that’s it folks. The official end of the 2013 Toronto chapter rides. It’s been a great season, I’ve had a blast; riding my favourite routes with good friends and finally completing a 1200 km brevet. I will miss my cycling buddies and hearing the crazy stories and adventures. Can’t wait to hear about Vaune’s adventure in California at Furnace Creek 580 next week, good luck Vaune, we’re rooting for ya, and Liz’s adventures on the Taste of Carolina 1200 in two weeks. Go girls go, you make us proud!! Try to make it out on a cold and snowy evening to the awards dinner in February because it is always great to reconnect and see everyone (looking so clean and fresh in their non-cycling gear!) Dream good dreams, make big plans, stay safe on the road and see you out in 2014!

Added comments from Liz Overduin:

You would never know that you were off the bike this season for 6 weeks with a broken arm Kathy – you looked great and rode strong! Congrats on an amazing season.
We did this ride in 9 hours and 45 minutes. That is considered a “sub-ten”, something I have never done. It is actually something I had hoped never to do. Kathy told me not to say that because it would confuse the Toronto Randonneurs. But for me, if you do a 200 in less than 10 hours, you have not stopped enough to have fun. However, it was a very fun ride, with the sights and smells of Fall as well as the camaraderie for those of us lucky enough to find time for yet one more 200 km brevet. Brian, a Champion of Granite Anvil, gave us some tips and a few secrets on how to get a good overall brevet time without a fast cycling speed average.
I was happy that we could go out together to eat afterwards – although it was a first for me to pick up one nacho chip and have the whole meal lift off the plate!
The Awards Dinner and Bike Show will be here in no time – until then, enjoy life in the Winter ways, watch movies, spend time catching up on all the things you put off so you could ride your bike.

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