By Kelly Bullock
Temperatures have been reaching bone-chilling lows this winter, but that hasn’t stopped some Ottawa-area mountain bikers from trying to get permission to use the icy surface of the Rideau Canal.
MTBKanata, an internet-based mountain biking group, organizes winter races to encourage people to stay active in the off-season. The group hopes to convince the NCC to allow future races on the canal.
“There’s definitely a sadness that comes with the end of season and nobody wants to put their bike away,” says Cathy Weaver, a member of MTBKanata and organizer of the winter races. “We don’t ride unless we have a reason to ride. The races are a reason for people to stay riding.”
Weaver says she trains during the week to prepare for the races, which can prove to be quite challenging. The races are often held on snowy biking trails making navigating a bicycle difficult.
“Riding in the snow is hard work,” says Weaver. “It’s like riding in the mud.”
For a change of pace, the last race Weaver organized took place on a one-kilometre ice track at Bruce Pit in Nepean. Bikers without winter tires drilled screws and bottle caps into their tires to get the traction they needed for the race.
“Riding on ice with spiked tires is quite smooth and easy. It’s much like riding on the road,” said Weaver. “Everybody who participated in the ice race loved it and they would love to ride down the canal.”
Though the bikers are eager to ride down the world’s longest skating rink, current NCC bylaws are blocking their way.
“If you look into our bylaw it says bikes are allowed on NCC land in designated areas such as the recreational pathway network that we have,” said Marie-Eve Letourneau, a spokesperson for the NCC. “For public safety reasons we don’t encourage biking on the canal.”
Letourneau says more than one million people take to the Rideau Canal each year and one day in Winterlude alone can see as many as 40,000 to 50,000 people on the skate-way.
Weaver says biking on the canal shouldn’t be a concern for the NCC. “There’s a lot of things on the canal that we see as more dangerous than biking. People are pulling sleds and trucks are driving up and down it,” she says.
Caitlyn Kealey, a Centretown resident and member of MTBKanata, says she would love the chance to bike on the canal.
“I think it would be awesome. It’s too bad they won’t let us on,” says Kealey. “Poor Cathy had to shovel for hours to do the ice racing when the canal is already shovelled.”
Kealey wouldn’t be riding her bike this winter if it weren’t for the winter races. “The salt on the road is really bad for your bike. If you care about your bike you don’t ride where the salt can corrode your parts.”
Opening the canal to bikers would allow Kealey to fulfill her passion for biking without having to travel to the outskirts of Ottawa each winter, or risking problems with her bike.
Letourneau says the NCC is willing to consider bike events on the canal for Winterlude.
“We’re very open to any suggestions and we’ll see what we can come up with,” said Letourneau. “We’ve been able in the past to find a solution.”
For now, the group will continue to offer its winter races on biking trails and events will be posted at MTBKanata.com. According to Weaver, the site has over 950 registered members and 200 active members.
Eric Twers, co-founder of the site, welcomes new members. “It’s called MTBKanata but it’s people from all over. Don’t worry about your age or your equipment, just show up. You have to say hi and that’s about it.”
The next winter race will be held in Nepean on Feb. 14.