McLean/Babcock Loop Recce May 9th 2026

 A bit ago was wandering Ride With GPs looking at Parham and Sharbot Lake areas kind of out of boredom. When I spotted a potential unmapped short loop. I say short loop as it is an issue that as they say Grinds My Gears.

 

 The issue is that so many gravel routes are 60km and up. Which sounds wonderful if your in the group that rides gravel long distance all the time. here is the thing ....contrary to popular belief not everyone desires too or more importantly is mentally and/or physically able to ride that far doing a gravel ride. I know a couple of people who would like shorter routes.

 

McLean/Babcock Loop Recce 

 

So  on the Saturday with the wrong bike headed up to do a recce ride of the potential loop. After looking at the map thought it would be 30k give or take.Though was leaning mentally towards 35km in distance. 

 

 The starting point would be the same spot where I also start the Arney Mtn ride at the little grass pul over at the Wagarville Rd and McLean Rd intersection.  And would follow the same gravel road to the turn off to Arney Mtn however would go straight instead of turning left.

 

 While it was rolling hills the entire loop there was no climb steep to fully make one regret their bike choices. In this case as mentioned in the beginning wrong bike which was the way more tech trail oriented Stylus. However combined with not knowing what was there in the loop and the idea of after doing the loop of going for a quick peak bag of Arney Mtn. I felt this was the best bike choice.

 

While I could write as best can from memory I will let the GoPro footage do more of what roughly saw while doing the recce. That is better than attempting to recall it all with a TBI and ADHD messed up memory.

 

 In the end the distance was under 35km and was 26.13km and was just under 3 hours with me taking my time and stopping a wee bit take a few photos of what the road looked like.Which helps with what it kind of looks like out there.

 

 So after getting back to the ute it was done and loop unofficially created . Say unofficially as most gravel riders I know wouldn't bother as they are part of the 80km and up is all that matters crowd. This I set out see if there was a shorter option for others who don;t for wahever reason desire to do longer. As they matter too and this is one way to help anyone who asks for this shorter gravel ride option.

 

 

If you like these adventures please support Team No Fixed Income

https://buymeacoffee.com/teamnofixedincomediaries

YouTube Channel,

Team No Fixed Income Diaries YouTube Chann

May 3rd 2026 Mont Rigaud Review- PR's

 As wrote earlier in the previous blog entry there was two PR's set on May 3rd during the first lift fuelles gravity enduro rides of the year. And that would do a seperate write up to show the improvements.

 

 

  Mont Rigaud Rocks and Trees Enduro Intervals May 3rd 2026

 The first being Yakima....

 The previous PR from 2025 2:03 at 22.8kmh with the 2026 May pr result being...

 

 

 

The second PR was on Jose Daible.....

The 2025 PR was 1:34 at 19.9 kmh with the 2026 May PR being.....

 

 This while a suprise does prove to me there is both benefits to strength training during winter aka off season. Though from perspective as both a maturer athlete aka age plus a wee bit of a coaches mind that you also can't force speed till it actually decides that the way your riding creates some level of flow to achieve a time PR.

 

 

Am thinking will be getting out some old school PR record keeping stated for this aka paper with pen and ruler to keep a record. And allow one to see the progression of improvements. This is the way.

 

If you like these adventures please support Team No Fixed Income

https://buymeacoffee.com/teamnofixedincomediaries

YouTube Channel,

Team No Fixed Income Diaries YouTube Chann

 

Mont Rigaud Rocks and Trees Enduro Intervals May 3rd 2026

 Got the call for the first road trip for a day of chairlift enduro runs. The first of 2026 for lift fuelled riding And would be the second time riding at Mont Rigaud. This time the decision was made to leave the hardtail and only bring Mistress Mk 3 The Starling

 

 

Mont Rigaud Oct 18th 2025 Review 

 This being the first lift gravity enduro day I wasn't looking to set any fast runs or anything. It was a day of getting back on the hill like I used to when ski racing. Remembering how the bike felt in that environment after winter and getting used to it again. So speed and seeking to go faster was not the focus. Just riding was.

 

 

Starling Mont Rigaud Rocks and Trees Enduro Intervals 

 

 This trip while did a few video's this time focused on what turned out to be the two best runs. I admit was lazy as didn't want to spend hours attempting to edit and decide what was best. Hey. one is allowed. So went checking the Strava gps data and then looked at the few runs recorded. Also while looking at the GPS data there was two surprises that wasn't expecting. I mean reality is this trip didn't aim for any speed or looking to go fast. It was all about getting a feel for it all.

 

 

 And the two surprises where that I PR'd two run on different trails near the end of the day. One trail being Jose Diable and Yakima. Well like any wise person will take it. 

 

 Yakima being the enduro run from last year which I did pr last year. I did it again this year on the first road trip at end of day. And took off 6 seconds at 24.0 kmh  Winning without trying.

 

 Then had the other surprise of setting a PR on Jose Diable, the one with the zigzagging log ride. So while am not a jumper definitely rode that on the PR setting run. a 1:13 at 25.6 kmh

 

 

The times are a brief over view  as the times from last year vs this year. And to do a better look will have to write it out with this vs last year. Which is better off a a separate blog entry. All in all even before the two PR surprises it was a good  first trip of the year. Which showed the strength training at the local Massenomics CTF was beneficial.

 

 

 

 

If you like these adventures please support Team No Fixed Income

https://buymeacoffee.com/teamnofixedincomediaries

YouTube Channel,

Team No Fixed Income Diaries YouTube Chann

Harold Town High Points 111-114 April 26th 2026

 Got the call for an April 26th road tripto Harold Town trails near Peterborough. Last time was in Peterborough was July 25th 2005 for the Peterborough Half Iron Distance Duathlon. So this would be a ride this time not a race.

 

Apparently Harold Town trails are built on an old ski hill. Not exactly alot of elevation in fact believe less elevation than Batawa ski hill. However what matters is a new different place to ride. 

 

Harold Town = High Points 111-114 bagged 

 And reality of the trails is they all roughly come back near the same point which is the peak or high point of Harold Town. Which is also on the Peakbagger website as an Ontario high point or peak. Which would mean could and would tag the high point more than once. 

Harold Town Conservation Area High Point 

 

 

It should be observed that I was riding it with a meat engine hardtail while buddies Tim and Frank had eMTB's. So was a bit different as did more work then they did on paper however as proved it is less what the theoretical papers say.

 

 After 4 times tagging the high point and riding around it was approaching done for riding. A error through a rock garden section led to a dab which ended up full force foot on rock. And it hurt as there was enough force to show up in 24 hours with  bruise on sole of left foot.

 And it was time for me to take a breather to maybe see if wanted to ride a bit more after a bit of rest. And of course a Beaver Buzz. After some rest and seeing how felt it wad decided done for the day and head for home.

While did get injured that injury being seriously bruised left foot. It was good trip as got to ride somewhere new. And that is a good thing.

 

 

 

If you like these adventures please support Team No Fixed Income

https://buymeacoffee.com/teamnofixedincomediaries

YouTube Channel,

Team No Fixed Income Diaries YouTube Chann

 

Leeds And Grenville High Point Plus Two Bonus High Points- April 8th 2026

 It is getting sort of the end of winter though it wouldn't leave. And in my case there is only so much one can do waiting for weather to improve and trails to be open one can do. Before one has to do something.

 

 Well I had reached that point so after double checking the peak bagging app headed north to past Westport. Seeking 3 easier then most high points to get to. When I say easy I mean doesn't require lost of map reading and grunt work to get to the top.This was simple to access high points to get out and not be inside or do the same endlessly repeated rides had been doing.

 

 First up is the Leeds and Grenville County high point which would take a wee bit of effort. And it was a risk as there is still a wee bit of snow on the ground. To be brutally honest there was nothing to report of significance about the ride in and out. All it was was a unmaintained road with a wee bit of bike carry to achieve it.

 

High Point Bagging #108 Leeds and Grenville County High Point 

 

Once reached the high point it was back track to the Dirtbag Ute. With high point 108 in the bag loaded up and headed back to Westport with the idea too get two easy high points. And once back headed towards Foley Mtn area to seek somewhere ti park if possible. Say possible as if one seeks to park in the Conservation area for even 10 minutes it's like $10 or more. So if only there for 5 see if can avoid it. Found a spot and let's get the 2 bonus ones.

 

 First of the bonuses is from the Peakery high point website. Spy rock and that would make high point number 9 bagged. They claim it is a high point so will take it. That point tagged or bagged back out to Grady Rd to head to the Foley Mtn high point.

 

Bagging Spy Rock #109 and Foley Mtn #110 High Points 

 

 Bit of riding of Grady Rd and found the easiest accessed high point so far. Just off Grady Rd on the south side. Maybe 10-15 meters off the road on a slight high rop outcrop. This would be the Foley Myn high point according to Peakbagger. So very easy to bag for the #110 high points or Ontario "peaks" bagged.

 

 With that and being later in day it was back to the Dirtbag Ute for the long drove back to Kingston.Mission accomplished with 3 more high points bagged and more importantly getting out to do anything other than the same mind numbing endless loops of side streets and such.

  

 

 

 

 

If you like these adventures please support Team No Fixed Income

https://buymeacoffee.com/teamnofixedincomediaries

YouTube Channel,

Team No Fixed Income Diaries YouTube Chann

Griffith Gravel Routes

 Over winter while wandering through Intraweb looking at various mapping websites and such. Found a couple of more gravel rides in the Griffith area. While it isn't along the lines of the mtb adventures am currently seeking. Saving for future because maybe one day may mentally be in the mood for something like this.

 

Hyland Fling Gravel and Dirt 52.7km 

 

Griffith Highland Overnighter Route 

 

 

 Future adventures maybe down the road. For now just filed away t make it easier for the ADHD and TBI brain to find in future.

  

If you like these adventures please support Team No Fixed Income

https://buymeacoffee.com/teamnofixedincomediaries

YouTube Channel,

Team No Fixed Income Diaries YouTube Chann

Ontario Peak and High Point Bagging Resources.

 More for me to make it easier in future to recall especially the Ontario High Points web page. Links of the resources I so far use to find  peaks or high points in Ontario. Also to make it easier if anyone else asks to share.

 

 

 Peakbagger

 

Peakery 

 

Ontario High Points 

 

Leeds and Grenville High Point 

 

Note, these are only the starting resources to seeking out these spots for an adventure. One still requires maps and I will always advise to invest in paper maps from Back Roads Map Books of areas as they show way more then is online or in mapping apps. $20 a map is cheap insurance against a very bad adventure outcome. 

Also advise one should spend time looking at info on the area they are going to adventure in to and that includes Google Maps Satellite view if available street view. To at least get some idea of what is around. 

 

 

If you like these adventures please support Team No Fixed Income

https://buymeacoffee.com/teamnofixedincomediaries

YouTube Channel,

Team No Fixed Income Diaries YouTube Channel