Cycling from Montreal to Kingston, Ontario: Need Advice

Triathlon Forum
1

I know there are some K-towners on this site, plenty of montrealers also.

I’ll like to make the trip in the coming months. Have some friends attending Queens so i go there enough anyways plus i think it’d be a nice challenge. Google maps says the highway route is about 260km. Probably will take me 7-10 hours depending on lunch, pacing etc.

I’d like to avoid cycling along the highway as much as humanly possible mainly because of safety and i have no idea which sections have paved shoulders (i’d be doing this on road tires on a tri-bike). Any possible route suggestions or tips on selecting a route?

Any other tips on supplies, nutrition, or lessons learned would be really helpful from people who have done some cyclo-touring. The best part will be cycling home after a weekend of drinking!

Cheers

2

Here is a website with a suggested Toronto to Montreal route:
(it goes through Kingston)

http://www.hedney.com/waterfront.htm.

3

Since I’m directionally challenged, I’ll let someone else post a route.

But, from east of Cardinal through to Brockville, HWY 2 is perfectly fine to ride - some paved shoulders, not much though. Traffic isn’t TOO horrible.

From Brockville to KTown, (depending on what time of day and what day) I bike on the 1000 Island Parkway. Goes along the St. Lawrence River - scenic, not overly hilly, can be windy.
Once in Gananoque, you go back onto Hwy 2 and it takes you into downtown - close to Queens.
You can continue from Brockville to Kingston on Hwy 2 but it can get very busy and can be narrow in some spots.

If you’re going through on a weekday or a Saturday, feel free to stop by and top up your water bottles or for a p break at the store. Cranks Bicycle Shoppe, 122 King Street West (you go right past us if you are on Hwy 2 as Hwy 2 turns into King Street once you hit town)

Tamara

4

I rode Kingston to Mtl in 1985. Back then I took highway 2, cut across to Ile Perrot (can’t remember the route but I think Highway 2 turns into a Provincial route on the Quebec side) to Ste Anne de Bellevue and took Lakeshore to Lachine to the Lachine Canal to downtown Montreal.

5

Bring a bike lock. Nothing like being 85 miles into a 150 mile ride, stopping to use a bathroom and purchase more food/drink, and returning to find your ride has been lifted. Leaving you in bike shoes, with no bike, 85 miles from any assemblence of a way to get home.