Pitt Meadows - Saturday August 15th 2009

Route Length: 12 to 20km

This ride event is now over. However, you can still bike the route anytime!

Download a PDF version of the route booklet.

Farms, bees and biking the Fraser River dikes. Taste local honey, or see a bee beard at the honey festival. Bike by farmland surrounded by mountains and along the dikes beside the Fraser and Pitt Rivers.

Nestled between the Pitt River and the Fraser River and backed by the Golden Ears mountains, Pitt Meadows is home to one of the prettiest bike routes around the Metro Vancouver area. Dozens of farms, specializing in blueberries, raspberries and other produce, are scattered along the route.

This important agricultural area is also great for cycling. Almost all the route is off-road, on the flat, well-maintained dike paths, and if you get tired, there is a nice bike path halfway around the dike that will take you back to the starting point in central Pitt Meadows.

Great Ride Features

Honeyland

On the day of the big bike event – the Pitt Meadows Great Ride – local honey producer Honeyland Canada hosts the Bees & Blueberry Festival. Come see a bee beard, try different flavours of honey and blueberry ice cream. Watch as skydivers in bee costumes act out the mating dance of the bee high above the festival! 

Refreshment Stations

Celebration Stations along the route will provide food, drink and encouragement to keep you going. To make the event as worry-free as possible for riders, we'll be providing bike mechanic support at the start/finish point and at the Festival, plus mobile mechanical support should you have difficulties en route (or need a ride back to the start for whatever reason).

The Details

The Great Ride Route

Click on the map image for a full-page view

Cost
Register online for $15 per adult (those 16 years of age and under ride free). Online registration closes Friday, Aug. 14 at 5pm. You can also register on the day for $20 per ride. Registration and check-in on the day opens at 10am and closes at 12:30pm.

All proceeds from the ride go towards improving conditions for cycling in the Greater Vancouver area.

For your registration you will receive:

• a goody bag with equipment from MEC and other cool swag
• a route booklet
• free entry into the Bees & Blueberry Festival
• free refreshments and information along the route
• free bike checks from bike mechanics
• mobile bike mechanic support
• bike valet parking
• ... plus a whole day of fun and exploration!

Start point
The start point for this ride is at the Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Visitor Info Centre (12492 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows). Map

Registration times

Registration will open at 10:00am and close at 12:30pm. Return to your registration point to pick up your bag of swag (see above) and to get your map booklet stamped to show you have completed the ride. End-of-ride stamp stations and swag bag give-outs will close at 4pm.

Getting there

By public transit: From downtown Vancouver, take the #160 Poco Station bus to Coquitlam Central Station; from there, catch the #701 Maple Ridge East bus to Pitt Meadows Station (Southbound Harris Road at West Coast Express). The starting point is a very short bike ride from there. Buses are bike-rack-equipped (2 bikes per bus); total journey is approximately one hour. Check the TransLink website for detailed schedules.

By carpool: Need a ride? Can you provide a ride? Log on to the Jack Bell Ride-Share website for carpooling options. Or post a callout on our facebook page.

Parking
Parking is available at the mall near the Visitor Info Centre.

We are proud to have Tourism Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows, Honeyland Canada, Maple Ridge Cycles, Whole Foods, Norco, Savi Water, and KVOS as sponsors of the Pitt Meadows Great Ride: