MINDEMOYA—The annual Manitoulin Passage Ride will be taking place this weekend and once again this year it will draw well over 200 cyclists.
“This is the 11th year we will be holding the Manitoulin Passage Ride, and we have close to 240 riders taking part this year,” said Maja Mielonen, organizer of the event and a member of the Manitoulin Island Cycling Advocates (MICA).
The event will take place Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4. “The ride will start in South Baymouth at 11:15 am Saturday (with riders departing the Chi-Cheemaun) and travelling along Highway 6, then turning off to Highway 542. Riders will be able to take a short, medium or long route (ride) to Mindemoya.
“The ride will end in Mindemoya, with the first support station where riders can get water and food at my place (Maja’s Garden at 6152 Highway 542 (in Mindemoya),” said Ms. Mielonen.
There will be a live band providing music at the Mindemoya community centre later in the afternoon, with the bar to open at 4:30 pm and hosted by Manitoulin Brewing. Dinner, which is being prepared by Elliott’s Restaurant, will be served from 6-7 pm at the community centre. A dance with live music will follow until 9:30 pm Saturday evening.
On Sunday, June 4, riders will get started in Mindemoya at 9:30 am, with lunch in Tehkummah, courtesy of the Tehkummah Triangle club at the Tehkummah Community Hall. There will be live country music provided during the lunch.
Ms. Mielonen alerted both riders and drivers, “during the ride we are avoiding the Government Road, because the road conditions are poor, and it is all gravel. And with about 240 riders, Manitoulin will experience a lot of riders on Highway 542. If people have to catch the ferry on Sunday, we would strongly encourage them to take the Government Road on Sunday morning, because there will be so many riders on the highway until we get back to South Baymouth.
“We are offering a luggage shuttle to Mindemoya on Saturday (and through to Providence Bay after dinner), and back to South Baymouth on Sunday for all riders,” said Ms. Mielonen noting that camps, cottages and motels in the Mindemoya area are booked solid for the weekend.
Participants this year include riders from Quebec, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Ottawa, Toronto and the GTA, Sarnia, Windsor and Barrie. The first passage ride was held in 2011.
The passage ride benefits the local economy, said Ms. Mielonen. “It brings in roughly $100,000 in total with spending per person being about $300 each. And some people may come for two nights, and some will stay Friday night in Tobermory, driving their vehicles up and leaving it in Tobermory.”
