Week #1 – Sept 2nd – Sept 8th – Panama Flats & Skirtin’ Interurban

Welcome to the second season of our Gravel Edition! We’re starting off heading north into Saanich, passing through the Panama Flats and connectors, into Lyritz and then beyond. Many may already be familiar with a version of these routings, but for some they’ll be a new treat, and for all they’re a great way to warm up the gravel legs!

These are longer segments, but a reminder they’re not timed. Part of the trick will be simply following the course!

Segment 1A Name: Goose to Layritz – connecting the dusts
Deets: 5.84km, 45m elevation gain.
This is an new segment, QOM & KOM are irrelevant!
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/37662506

Here’s a lovely set of connectors, starting just off the Goose across Interurban, unfortunately you cross Interurban again (be very careful at this crossing!), but once you get into the Panama Flats it’s pretty quiet again. There’s a short jaunt up Wilkinson as well, but worth it for that descent into Quick’s Bottom (where there’s another little extension option, but left it off for this.) We end up at Lyritz Park, where there are many different directions you head off in!

In this case, however, just keep going straight onto the gravel road to get to the next segment. 😉

Segment 1B Name: Fat Tire Interurban Bypass
Deets: 2.77km, 52m elevation gain.
This is an new segment, QOM & KOM are irrelevant!
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/37662581

We’re keeping it rolling north, headed to the Interurban/West Saanich intersection. We continue through Layritz/PISE along the main trail there (the Dogwalkers trail is quite fun, although unsanctioned!), and we end with a stretch on pavement. It may seem like a bit of an awkward spot to stop the segment, but will make more sense next week!

Suggested Routing

Getting to the start is pretty easy, simply head out on the Goose, it’s just a few minutes from the Switch Bridge! When finishing 1B, if you know your way around, there are a bunch of options, or you can simply take Interurban back into town, or it might be more fun to double-back in the same way you came out! (This route works both ways!)

Happy riding!! 🚵‍♀️

Extra Tip: Strava for some dumb reason doesn’t let you save Segments as Routes. But here’s a website where you can enter the segment, and download the GPX file so you can ride it as a route: https://www.doogal.co.uk/SegmentExplorer (Thanks Spencer for the tip!!) Also, if you’re ever trying to find out when you rode a specific road, Find That Ride is an amazing website: https://www.findthatride.com/activitymap

Week #2 – Sept 9th – Sept 15th – Executive Action!

It’s the second week already! If you were wondering where we were headed….it’s Hartland! AKA ‘The Dump’! Well, not quite this week..

Our first segment will probably be the easiest of the series, just a short jaunt on a gravel roadway. The second is pretty short, but it’s a solid climb, and the start of a common trail to get into Hartland. AND – it’s our first challenge/timed segment!! It’s go time! 🔥

Segment 2A Name: Off Goward Gravel to Prospect
Deets: 1.84km, 26m elevation gain.
This is an existing segment, QOM & KOM are irrelevant!
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/17775754

This one is easy as a Sunday morning! It picks up where the second segment last week concludes (sweet, you can ride those segments again!) Says 26m elevation but that’s pretty suspect… It’s a slight uphill, but only a few meters.

When finished, head left on Prospect Lake Rd, and continue to Meadowbrook which takes us to…

Segment 2B Name: Executive First Climb
Deets: 0.45km, 34m elevation gain.
This is an existing segment, QOM is Eva Poidevin with a 1:53 & KOM is Marc-André Fortier with a 1:21!
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/4587949

🔥🔥🔥 TIMED / CHALLENGE SEGMENT! This means the times count – if this matters to you! 🔥🔥🔥

It’s a short one, starts with a good kick and carries on, then levels out for the second half. I think the elevation is off on this one too, definitely feels like more than 34m anyway!

It’s pretty interesting to see the range of dates on the leaderboard, let’s see if someone in our group can set some new top times – good luck!!

Suggested Routing

As mentioned, simply ride the segments from last week, how convenient is that! It’s just a short jaunt down Prospect Lake Road to get to Meadowbrook, and 2B begins at the end of that where you see the road go up. 😬

When finished, feel free to explore some of the trails, and keep going up into Hartland, or double back. If looking for a shorter adventure, you can pop over to Killarney Lake, although be mindful a few of the trails over there are no-bike, but it’s a pretty spot!

On the way back (or there) there are a few connectors you can try out, I’d recommend going up Goward and hitting the ‘Mountain Road’ trail that connects Excelsior to Quayle: https://www.strava.com/segments/35844222

Happy riding!! 🚵‍♀️

Extra Tip: Strava for some dumb reason doesn’t let you save Segments as Routes. But here’s a website where you can enter the segment, and download the GPX file so you can ride it as a route: https://www.doogal.co.uk/SegmentExplorer (Thanks Spencer for the tip!!) Also, if you’re ever trying to find out when you rode a specific road, Find That Ride is an amazing website: https://www.findthatride.com/activitymap

Week #3 – Sept 16th – Sept 22nd – There’s Gravel in Royal Oak and Upper Cordova?!

This week we’ve got some fun routing through Broadmead that takes us out towards Elk Lake! Much more fun than just cruising Lochside. There’s also a bit more road this week unfortunately, but I think it’s worth it!

Reminder these are non-timed/challenge segments, but there is a BONUS segment this week! Complete it for an additional 15pts! Also, check the Suggested Routing on the site, there’s a suggested jaunt on the road to connect 3A & 3B, and some options once you’re done the segments.

Segment 3A Name: Donwood the Unclimbable to Rithet’s
Deets: 1.51km, 24m elevation gain.
This is a new segment, QOM & KOM are irrelevant!
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/37792219

There’s a little turn-off on Lochside for Donwood Park, and if you don’t know where you’re going afterwards, you’ve probably regretted it! I’ve seen people clean the climb, but the vast majority of us walk the steep portion beside the stairs. It’s a lot nicer after that however, weaving through some really neat trails towards Rithet’s Bog. (Note: Rithet’s is an unsactioned trail, no bikes!)

Segment 3B Name: Royal Oak Death March Gravel Climb
Deets: 1.36km, 74m elevation gain.
This is a new segment, QOM & KOM are irrelevant!
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/37792234

This one will be new to a lot of people! We start off in the Royal Oak Cemetery, and basically keep to the right on all turns, climbing upwards – when you get near the top, you’ll find a pathway taking you into the woods. Follow it, and then you end up on a fire road. Make a right, and about 5m to the right there’s another singletrack path – follow that up to the very top of Grant Park, where there’s a big building which is the Wesley Reservoir – nicely done!! This isn’t a particularly steep climb, but it’s a long steady one! 💪💪

BONUS Segment 3C Name: Upper Cordova Cut-throughs
Deets: 3.15km, 12m elevation gain.
This is a new segment, QOM & KOM are irrelevant!
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/37792258

The bonus segment carries on from where 3B ends, just around the building on the north side. This starts with a fairly technical descent (you may want to hike a few spots!) and there’s a few twists, but basically keep heading downwards the singletrack. You’ll probably go over one final ‘steep’ drop (it’s about a foot high), and then the trail becomes pretty reasonable after that. Make sure you take the trail to the right that leads to Wesley Ct. (There’s another trail exit further down, but it connects to a driveway, and the owner doesn’t like people!!)

After that, there are a bunch of really neat cut-throughs leading to Claremont Park (and School), and then you’ll end up on Del Monte – you’ll take this all the way to the end! Once there, there’s a fantastic viewpoint! Carry on along the pathway, and you’ll end up on Cordova Bay Rd. Once again, check out the Routing on the site for suggestions on where to go from there!

This is a BONUS SEGMENT! All who complete it also get an additional 15 Bonus Points. Cha-ching!

Suggested Routing

This week is a bit more complicated, but hopefully you all find yourself some neat new routing options!

When you finish 3A, you’re on Shadywood Dr. Take a right there, then left on Carolwood, and continue on to Royal Oak Dr. Make a left there, to the lights, then right at the lights, the next left, and that takes you to the Royal Oak Cemetery where 3B begins! Easy! 😊

If you want to call it a ride after 3B, and skip the BONUS segment, you can cruise down Wesley, and from there you have a few options to drop down to Lochside. You can also make a left on Haliburton, and that’ll take you to the southern end of Elk Lake (and take those trails back into town).

It’s worth noting there’s an alternative way up 3B as well – if you stick to the western/lower side of the cemetery, you end up on the fire road, and can take that up. Note that it gets REALLY mucky in the winter, so generally recommend the 3B routing.

If you complete the BONUS segment, and want to head back in via Lochside, just cruise down Cordova Bay Rd. Alternatively, you can carry on towards Elk Lake. Alderley is right there, take it to the end, and you’re at Sayward, and can cross over to the north end of Elk Lake, and cruise around there to the main trail on the other side and then reconnect with the trails we rode in the first week. (Or other options like Caldicote!)

Piece together Week #1 with this, and you now have a pretty neat gravel loop! Try it in both directions as well!

FUN FACT: I was planning to make the steep and nasty trail leading up to the Del Monte viewpoint a Challenge segment, but it’s actually really loose and sandy, so you’ve been spared! 😂

Happy riding!! 🚵‍♀️

Extra Tip: Strava for some dumb reason doesn’t let you save Segments as Routes. But here’s a website where you can enter the segment, and download the GPX file so you can ride it as a route: https://www.doogal.co.uk/SegmentExplorer (Thanks Spencer for the tip!!) Also, if you’re ever trying to find out when you rode a specific road, Find That Ride is an amazing website: https://www.findthatride.com/activitymap

Week #4 – Sept 23rd – Sept 29th – A Hardy Climb in Hartland

We’re headed back to Hartland, and this week we’re going into the park! Our first segment is a longer version of the timed segment from a couple weeks ago, and the second segment, which is a Timed/Challenge segment, takes us up one of the lesser ridden climbs in Hartland (which the TS Crossfondo tends to love using!) The nice thing is that you can give it 100% on this, with very little chance of running into another person…and if you do, they’re most likely doing the same thing!

Segment 4A Name: Executive trail, up
Deets: 1.14km, 84m elevation gain.
This is an existing segment, QOM & KOM are irrelevant!
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/748383

We’re all familiar with the start of this one now! Let’s continue on…there are some steep bits, and a nice root in the middle of one of them…but ride or hike-a-bike, we shall persevere and get to Hartland!! The segment terminates conveniently at the Regional Trail.

Segment 4B Name: Not meant to be (NOTE: UPDATED!)
Deets: 0.40km, 58m elevation gain
This is an existing segment, QOM is Holly Henry with a 2:55, KOM is Carter Woods with a 2:15, Local Legend is Denes Purnhauser with 1 effort.
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/23044121

NOTE: SEGMENT CHANGED! (The one posted previously ended before the actual climb!)

Here we go – reminder this is a Timed/Challenge segment! It’s a left turn right on the Regional Trail after 4A to get to the start of this one, and head a ways down the Regional Trail until you cross Craigflower Creek – watch for sharp tire-eating stones!

From there, it’s go time! It’s steep and nasty, but short. It’ll be a challenging ride…or hike!

IMPORTANT: Make sure you ride up to the gate to trigger the end of the segment! I appears to end past the gate, but if you go to the gate, it should end the segment.

Suggested Routing

You’ll want to reference Week #2 for routing, the Week #1 segments lead up nicely as well!

Once you’re done, of course you can exit the way you came in, or continue down one of the trails – there’s one going to Eagle’s Lake Rd (here’s a segment: https://www.strava.com/segments/26005227 ), or Lakeridge Pl, but please avoid Westridge Pl (which is where the TS Crossfondo typically exits, also in the example link above, and is private property.) The Regional Trail continues down towards Munn as well, but apparently no one I know has ever ridden it. 🤣

From there you can head up Munn to Kallie’s Trail for a fun descent into Thetis (I suggest taking the trail to the right, much less technical than what we came up last year for the finale!) Or scoot down Munn a bit, and get the gravel portion of Highland Rd ( https://www.strava.com/segments/16604885 ) which also takes you to Thetis.

I noticed our own Markus K did a loop through here last year as part of a Segment Challenge ride, you could also copy this route if looking for a longer day on the bike: https://www.strava.com/activities/9934500862/overview

Happy riding!! 🚵‍♀️

Extra Tip: Strava for some dumb reason doesn’t let you save Segments as Routes. But here’s a website where you can enter the segment, and download the GPX file so you can ride it as a route: https://www.doogal.co.uk/SegmentExplorer (Thanks Spencer for the tip!!) Also, if you’re ever trying to find out when you rode a specific road, Find That Ride is an amazing website: https://www.findthatride.com/activitymap