URBAN TREKKER'S TREK #3

DENNIS' 1999 MS INVESTOR'S GROUP BIKE RIDE
               SUNDAY AUGUST  15, 1999
START/FINISH: BURNABY LAKE SPORTS PAVILION
WEATHER: RAIN - HARD AT TIMES
DISTANCE: LONG COURSE: 50 KM

    This is a brief trip description of my 50 KM ride on Sunday August 15, 1999 as a fund raiser for the MS Society. It is my one charity bike ride this year.
    This year's course is primarily the same as last year's - a start and finish at the Burnaby Lake Sports Pavilion just off Keningston and Sperling in central Burnaby.
    The course is all on payment and has no long major climbs and is split about 50/50 on side roads vs major arterials.
     If you want to avoid a longish climb back up the Barnet Highway it is recommended that you do trip in a clock wise direction which is the way it is being described here.
    I will also indicated some options in case you want to do a longer route.
    As it was raining hard when I did this trip this year I was more concerned about finishing as fast as I could and didn't take the time to record the km reading at the various junctions but for the most part the route is easy to follow.
    Heading north from the sports pavilion you quickly climb the overpass over the Lougheed Highway - keep to the left lane and then turn right onto Broadway - follow Broadway slightly uphill east to Duthie, turn left onto Duthie and follow Duthie north all the way to the Barnet Highway:
    Alternate: Duthie crosses the Adanac/Francis/Union bike route from downtown Vancouver a short distance from the Barnet Highway and again just before it reaches the Barnett Highway.
    Turn right onto the Barnet Highway - there is a wide highway shoulder so it shouldn't be a problem riding on this stretch of the route. You will follow the Barnet - downhill  pass Burnaby Marine Park - a great place to relax or refresh if not in a hurry - and later the Petro-Canada bulk plant before starting to turn into Port Moody - as you approach Port Moody - the end of Burrard Inlet and the original end of the CPR - you will need to make a left turn across the traffic onto Clarke St - this street is much safer than St John's St - the main drag in Port Moody - follow Clarke St up to the overpass, turn left and go into Rocky Point Park - another great place to stop and rest.
    Alternate: At Rocky Point Park - there is a seaside ride all the way around the head of the inlet to Ioco - you could do this and return along Ioco Rd to it's junction with Guildford Way and rejoin the ride description here.
    Leave Rocky Point Park on Murray street and follow it east to the main intersection of Ioco Road and Guildford Way - proceed up a short hill and then downhill slightly to Westwood Ave. - turn right onto Westwood and follow it across the busy Lougheed Highway and south until you come to Kingsway Ave. - turn left at the light and proceed east through parts of Port Coquitlam.
    Alternate: As you cross over the Coquitlam River you should notice the paved POCO Trail  paralleling the river on either side - for a longish extension you could ride the eastern trail and link up with my Coquitlam/Burke ride.
    You are travelling on little used weekend roads through the industrial part of Port Coquitlam until you come to Broadway - turn right and follow Broadway until you junction with the Mary Hill Bypass - turn right - there is a reasonably wide shoulder for most of this part of the ride and you will do some uphill before you reach the bridge over the Coquitlam River - caution here as it is narrow and then down to United Blvd - You will need to turn left onto United Blvd South -how you do this depends on your riding skills - either from the left hand lanes or use a crosswalk - once onto United Blvd - the ride becomes more enjoyable again - past all the furniture stores etc. until you come to King Edward - turn right and follow King Edward up to the Lougheed Highway - turn left either in traffic or use the crosswalks.
    You are now on the Lougheed Highway - the shoulder is wide but look out for glass and other debris - you will climb for a short distance to cross Burnette and Blue Mt. before descending a little to the lights at North Road and then Austin.
    Alternate: at Austin you could turn left onto Government which leads onto Winston - which the route meets at Brighton.
    Continue west on Lougheed until you come to Bell, turn right and follow Bell at short distance until you come to Beaverbrook - turn left and follow Beaverbrook until you come to Production way - turn left and follow Production Way to the Lougheed Highway where it changes it name to Brighton - continue south on Brighton and downhill to Winston - this is where the above alternate will merge - turn right and follow Winston up and down a couple of minor hills past the Phillips Ave. entrance to Burnaby Lake Regional Park until you once again and for the last time come to the Lougheed Highway - take the Kensington Ave. overpass and keep left and downhill back to the Sport Pavilion.
    I have twice done this route and while it is promoted as a 50 KM ride - I have on both occasions recorded it at 48.
    It has taken me 2 hr and 10 min of actual riding time to do this ride both times.


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