swo-man Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Has anyone gone from Glencoe to St. Thomas? It's something I like to try with all this nice snow. Is there a lot of road running and is the trail well marked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkiDooStu Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 This has to be the first time in many years that those trails are even close to open. I'm actually surprised that the clubs take the time to stake it out every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swo-man Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 Ya, I know what you're saying. Hopefully, they'll have a nice long season this year to reward their efforts. I should have been more specific in my orginal post. I'm wondering about the trail south of highway 2 to Dutton where the Glencoe and St. Thomas trails meet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkiDooStu Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Closest I got to Glencoe was at the junction near Watford. I've heard the trails aren't too bad. Might as well check it out, but if you are trailering anyway, i'd just head north to strathroy or komoka/mount brydges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndySKS Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I have been assured by a member of the Glencoe Club that the connector link is there however it is road travel for section because of lack of landowner permission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swo-man Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 Thanks IndySKS. Hopefully someone on here has done this run this year and can chime in on whether it's doable without too much scraping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formulaz Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I was planning on doing this run this sunday. I will let you know, unless you beat me to it Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angus Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 i have done this run a couple of times this year. the trail is not marked down the HWY, but just follow everyone's marks in the ditch's. it's not that bad at all & there is enough snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swo-man Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 Thanks guys, sounds good. Mark, looks like you'll be beating me to it so make sure you report back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formulaz Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I will do. Angus....How long of a ride is it from dutton to glencoe? Thanks Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angus Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I will do. Angus....How long of a ride is it from dutton to glencoe? Thanks Mark never realy timed it. i'm guessing 1/2 hr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formulaz Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Well, yesterday we made the long trip from Port Burwell to Strathroy, via Dutton. Trails were in excellent shape with great coverage. The trip to dutton through the St Thomas area was great and the railbed was in surprisingly good shape. My only complaint was the trip from Chalmers Rd north in the glencoe area, the road section was HUGE. It seem to take forever, although for the most part you could ride in the ditch or in the fields. If we had any less snow it would be a carbide killer. Once north of the road section the glencoe trails were great and groomed to perfection. pretty well all the way from glencoe to strathroy the trails were perfect. We turned around in Strathroy at 4pm and made it back home around 7:30pm. It was a long enjoyable day. 370KM total from home. Thanks to the Aylmer, St Thomas, Glencoe and Strathroy clubs for great trails, we didnt really come across any bad sections of trail, well marked and groomed great. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swo-man Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 Thanks for the update Mark. This new snow should help. I'm planning doing a loop from Strathroy to Glencoe through St. Thomas, Aylmer up through Woodstock and back through St. Marys to Strathroy. Never sledded down by lake erie so I want to do it while they have all this snow. Swo-man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formulaz Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 We were trying to do that same loop. The hard part is trying to figure out how long its gonna take. The loop from Aylmer around back to woodstock and st marys looks like it could be a long ride. When are you planning on doing that loop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swo-man Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 We plan on going Friday. A guy over on hardcore sledder that did a similiar route over 2 days but didn't take the most direct route. His did 450 miles so I'm figuring around 300 miles. How far was it from Port Burwell to Strathroy? Do you know if there's a good place to eat in Turkey Point that is accessible by sled? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Turkey Point hotel should be open at the beach front. Follow the trail down to the beach road and the hotel is on your right hand side. That ride would be a very long one strathroy via Lake Erie area- Turkey Point back to Strathroy. You would have to ride from Turkey point up to Norwich and then make your way up to St Mary's over to Lucan then catch the trail to Strathroy. It would be at least 300 miles. Trails are not like St Mary's area north, lots of road crossings and twisting trails, few straight aways like Strathroy area trails so start early and give yourself the day for sure. Did Turkey Point to Mount Forest one year and it was 10 hours of steady riding with one stop for lunch and the trails were in good shape with no 50kph riding either. Have fun wish I could go with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formulaz Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Strathroy to port burwell is about 180KM each way. From Port burwell to tillsonburg norwich st marys then to strathroy looks much farther. I really dont think its do-able in 1 day. we rode 9hrs straight and did 370KM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Mark, where did you stop for fuel along the way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 300 miles in one day is a marathon ride and I don't think you'd be obeying the speed limit either. I have actually done 300 miles in one day before way up north on fast open trails and it is a longer day than you would think it would be and ride safely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkiDooStu Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Headed out from the clubhouse in kerwood towards glencoe tonight. First time the winter has been good enough for me to go down those trails in my time snowmobiling. I made it almost to glencoe but turned around at a closed trail sign that some idiots had blown through (ripped red tape). Apparently I could have continued down a side road and got onto the trail again, but it was night time and i didn't feel like going face first into a culvert (didnt know the area) Very impressed by these trails. Hopefully Joe Bastardi from accuweather.com is correct and that we will see cooler weather in the next 30 years and I can do some more exploring of these trails! Went back to the clubhouse to listen to a bunch of dudes brag about their drinkin/sledding stories. Morons... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angus Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Headed out from the clubhouse in kerwood towards glencoe tonight. First time the winter has been good enough for me to go down those trails in my time snowmobiling. I made it almost to glencoe but turned around at a closed trail sign that some idiots had blown through (ripped red tape). Apparently I could have continued down a side road and got onto the trail again, but it was night time and i didn't feel like going face first into a culvert (didnt know the area)Very impressed by these trails. Hopefully Joe Bastardi from accuweather.com is correct and that we will see cooler weather in the next 30 years and I can do some more exploring of these trails! Went back to the clubhouse to listen to a bunch of dudes brag about their drinkin/sledding stories. Morons... ya you could have continued down the road & around the corner and the trail pick's back up again. it's not bad at all. i think they have that section closed off due to logging. there's always some bone head that feels the need to break through the tape. i take my hat off to these guys for all there hard work! trails are in great shape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formulaz Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 We left home full and rode 100KM to Dutton and filled up. Rode to Strathroy and filled up again, we could have probably made it back to Dutton again, but it was late in the day and thought we better be safe than sorry. We fill up the last time in Dutton again. I suppose you could fill in Glencoe it appears to be close to the trail. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swo-man Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 You guys had me concerned but we decided to give it a go anyways and we were able to do the loop. It took us 12 hours and our total distance was 509 km. We left Strathroy on Friday morning at 8:30 with gas stops in Fingal (11:15 AM), Langton (2 PM) and St. Marys (6PM). The weather was almost perfect with a lot of fresh snow on the trails. The fresh snow also helped with the road running as there are quite few places where the trail uses road bridges. Overall the trails were great and anyone who thinks southern Ontario doesn’t have any hills needs check the St. Thomas and Aylmer trails along Lake Erie. Awesome trails and at times you’d swear you were up north. The trail from highway 2 to Dutton is now staked. The only part that might be confusing is when you are south of highway 2 heading towards Dutton. Where the trail comes to highway 76 and there is no sign or arrow (unless I missed it). Anyways, turn right and follow the road across the bridge and you will see the trail on your left immediately after you cross the bridge. A long but very enjoyable trip. We didn’t get to Turkey Point so I guess we’ll have to do it again! Swo-man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formulaz Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Did you stop for meals too? Was that 12 hrs of riding or total? Congrats on the trip, I have been dying to do that loop but it just never works out. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swo-man Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 Sorry, been offline for a few days. We stopped for lunch, no supper break though. We eventually ended up at the Swiss Chalet at the east end of Tillsonburg. We also made a short stop at the St. Marys club house. Looks like we were lucky to do it when we did, pretty sad now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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