Hey all. I'm considering my first enduro/dual sport bike (blue plate). 27 years of on road riding but my only off road experience was at the Trail Tours experience in the Ganaraska where I wiped out pretty bad. I'm wondering how much in the way of EASY/BEGINNER trails there are in the Peterborough area. I'm talking gravel/dirt roads, unassumed roads, dual track stuff that would be safe to ride solo. I have a wonky work schedule so I'm not often available for group riding. I'd be looking for scenery and nature as opposed to technical riding. I'm the type who would when in doubt paddle out vs throttle out. Is there any point to this type of riding and would there be options in my area? I don't want to have to load up into a trailer every time I want to ride.
Hi Morrissey, Have a look at the RIDE THE HIGHLANDS loops, most other than call my mom are pretty ridable solo. There is lots to explore off of these routes also. I am also sure that there are some riders in the Peterborough area that have wonky schedules also that you can get out with. They will also likely be able to turn you onto some more local loops that might also be shorter. Try posting on the ONTARIO DUAL SPORT CLUB face book page. Might get a greater response there. Get a bike you can easily manage with the plan to upgrade in a couple of years to the bike you want to ride. Also spend the money on good gear that is going to protect you. The questions isn't if I am going to fall , its when and how often. Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions.
We both have similar riding history and interests. I use OsmAnd application on my android phone for navigation with route parameters set to "Prefer unpaved roads". Set a destination and the app will try to navigate to your destination on unpaved roads. It will take you to places you never been to even in your own neighbourhood. The app allows you to record and import gpx tracks. The free version allows five map downloads so you don't need data connection while riding. Hope this helps. Cheers!
@Piotr M. Thank you for turning me onto the OSMAND app. The prefer unpaved roads is a game changer for route planning.
