SUMMERSTOWN, Ontario – In spite of the rain of the previous days, the trails at Summerstown Forest were in good enough shape to allow the Open Bike Ride to take place last Saturday morning.
For this first-time event, 15 mountain and fat bike enthusiast were present to discover the new features that have been added to the main fat bike trail. There are boulders to go over, jumps and holes to negotiate, all of which were added by volunteers in recent weeks. These “features” are not installed on the main trail itself, but as by-passes, for those who wish to try them out.
Event organizers Steve Sutherland and Joe McNamara were pleased with the turnout and anticipate that the word will get out among the bike community in Cornwall and beyond, and that there will be many more bikers coming to the Summerstown trails year-round. Many of the participants had never been on the new improved trail, and everyone liked it. Comments centered around “how great this will be to have this close to home,” and “this will make riding the Summerstown Trails a great experience year-round, and not just in winter.”
It is to be noted that this event took place (by coincidence!) on Global Fat Bike Day, which has been celebrated around the world for the past nine years. At the end of the event, swag, donated by event sponsor Total Cyclery and Sports of Cornwall, was drawn among the participants.
For those wishing to try the sport of fat biking, the Friends of the Summerstown Trails will have fat bikes to rent at the trailhead on weekends during the winter months. The trails are situated on Summerstown Rd., 1.6 km north of the 401, at exit 804.
