Club History

2001 The Earl of Sussex in the Market was the starting and ending point for most of the Wheelers rides. The club grew in popularity with many new people coming out.

2002 Regular weekly rides from the Westboro Royal Oak attracted many out and John Large was usually there to lead the way: “If there is more than one person its a group ride.” John and Nadia also hosted a fantastic weekend at Pine Lodge in Norway Bay. A dozen of us trekked out there and had a fantastic ride around the Shawville area followed by a swim in the Ottawa River and a beach party. John, Chris and Paul were the only ones able to ride the next morning – they went to a pub. The Tour des Ponts was a success as usual. This was also the year the club started wearing the new jerseys featuring the TV Factory logo of Chris’s company. The best looking club in town.

2003 A transition year for the club. A core group of 15 riders met weekly for the Monday night rides at a really great little pub on Parkdale. They served the best salsa I ever tasted. Weekend rides saw upwards of 30 on occasion, although there were not many events held. This year also saw the formalization of an executive group to manage the club. Members continued to race in all the local events, and provincially. Although sadly this was also the year that the more serious racers decided to leave the Wheelers and form their own team. Fernando hosted a bar-b-que and swim at his house following a ride around the Smiths Falls area. Nadia hosted a ride from Norway Bay. The day of the Tour des Ponts was freakin’ cold and we saw rain and hail during the ride. But even so, about 60 people took part. Nut bars. The season ended with many Wheelers travelling to Hamilton to watch the World Cycling Championships. Fernando, being the suave guy that he is had a beer with Eddy Merckx (!) and hung out with the family of George Hincapie. He also managed to pass himself off as a pro and was able to ride the course. Must be because he can speak Italian.

2004 The Wheelers expanded further. New sponsors Cyclelogik and The Empire Grill brought new benefits to the members, and the members bring new excitement to others in the Ottawa cycling community. 2004 saw the first Spring version of the Tour des Ponts – the STP – and many new members join up. Monday rides which were supposed to be a recovery ride were well attended, until Gary started hammering us into the ground :-) . Fernando continued his annual bar-b-que and ride around the Smiths Falls area. A sunny warm September day proved perfect for 25 Wheelers who met at the Empire Grill for the Sponsor’s ride. The biggest step forward was the inclusion of the Wheelers with the regular Saturday morning rides from Cyclelogik. These rides were very popular and brought lots of attention to members wearing the black and white stars. The fall Tour des Ponts was very successful: 70 people took part. The sunny, warm nearly windless October Sunday must have been why. On the racing side, many members took part in the local NRC and Asticou events, and Bryan Gormley again punished himself in the Fall Cyclocross series wearing the colors. Rickman and others took part in some Quebec and Ontario provincial level events.

2005 Spring has been wet and cold. Its May 28 and only today will the first Wed. night ride go and tights won’t be needed. Wed. night rides start at The Cottage and a Kitchen – can’t wait for the salsa! The 2nd annual STP was a big success. Nearly 80 people took part. The day started wet and grey, and because the route went opposite the normal way, half of the first hour was on gravel roads. We all looked like those pictures from Paris-Roubaix – covered in dirt. Took an hour and a half to clean the bike the next day though. Now that it is summer things have heated up in the Ottawa Valley and the Wheelers keep going. The Saturday Cyclelogik rides are very popular. A big train of the black and white stars led the way to Kingston for the Rideau “Bakes” tour on a hot June weekend. Two weeks later Chris Mullington gave the Wheelers their first win of 2005 and his first win ever at the NRC. Congrats Chris – 28 years is a long time to wait for a win! The Wheelers summer continued with a bang! Fernando’s annual July Smiths Falls ride was a great success. Sunny and warm and great friends. John rode there from home, rode with us, then rode back home (nearly 300km!) training for Montreal-Quebec. Sadly the race finished sooner than expected for him with a crash midway. Bryan joined the injured ranks with a ripped achilles tendon. But new Wheeler Alistair gave the club another win at the NRC. The Fall season is always big for the Wheelers. The second annual Empire Grill ride was held the day before the Tour des Ponts. The Grill ride was warm and sunny. The TdP – well the weather forecast was good, right up until we left. Then suddenly it changed and we had rain and cold again. 50km riding in the rain. It ended after crossing into Quyon and 90 brave souls (the most ever) carried on. I think everybody rode faster to stay warm. Fun party at the end! til next year….

2006 Hopefully the Tour des Ponts is not starting a tradition of happening with crappy weather. Like the 2005 fall edition, this year’s spring edition happened in cool temperatures, wet roads and howling winds. And almost exactly like last year, once we crossed the Quyon ferry the conditions improved markedly. This year was also the first year for the 200km option… five riders started at Cyclelogik and met everybody else at The Cheshire Cat. A total of 25 people participated this spring, no doubt inspired by Peter’s words of encouragement. 2006 has brought many new members to the club and Wednesday rides are more popular than ever. And more Wheelers are racing this year too… who will get the first win?. mid summer and no wins for the boys or girls yet but not for lack of trying. John gave it a go at the hottest Preston St. in years. And he has also brought some young blood to the club and the NRC. Fernando’s pool party was great as usual and a number of Wheelers joined up with many Smith’s Falls locals for a great, if not overly sunny day. Bryan and Kevin made it a 210km epic by riding to the party, then joining the others. We watched Floyd win the tour, then learned a few days later about the dope.
August was hot and humid. So was the riding. The Project Echelon group rode 230km to Montreal…..amazing. Most of the people on the ride were new to cycling this summer! Then September arrived and the temperature dropped at least 20 degrees right away. Just in time for the first Calabogie Road Classic. John got 3rd and had some help from some other Wheelers. But it was his broken frame that was his secret weapon that day. The Tour des Ponts was, like the last four, made even harder than normal because of the bitchin wind blowin down the valley. A screaming head wind all the way to the mid way turn around then allowed for a screaming fast ride back to the Pub. Where the cold beer and hot friends made it all good.

In early December John and others helped to organize the return of the Biker Banquet. This was a special night to celebrate Gord Fraser’s retirement. 300 people came to Camp Fortune for a great night. And close to $8000 was raised for Project Echelon. Thanks Ottawa cycling.

2007 New year, new look. 2007 is looking to be a big year. We have our Echelon Project / Espoir team joining the infamous West of Quebec Wheelers. They are bringing with them youth, enthusiasm, ambition and a new look Wheelers’ Kit but they have no idea of the great club they have behind them in support.

An expanded Masters team is also working together this year. And the Wed. night ride group is looking better than ever.

It has become normal, that the Tour des Ponts rides are not only challenging and fun for the hard ride and the people who come out to enjoy it, but because of the rain, wind and cooler temperatures we arrange for the days. For the fifth ride in a row the Spring ride featured wind and rain. The Spring in general has been very cool compared to a normal Ottawa spring but that has not stopped the Wheelers from tearing up the roads. Wed. evening rides have been well attended because Dave has done a good job organizing them. And on the race front, not only are the Echelon boys doing well (Geoff got 2nd at the Tour of Lyn), but the masters are too. Pat got 3rd place at the Tour of Lyn which is the best finish of the year so far, but everybody else is riding well. Gary might have won if he hadn’t been DQ’d by the commies…. Summer is around the corner and looking good. A full contingent of Wheelers went to Preston St. No places, but good times before, after and during the race. Summer continued with regular weekly rides, and right into the fall with the classic Tour des Ponts closing the seaons

2008 A new tradition was started in Ottawa with the Roller Racing championships hosted by the Wheelers at the Elmdale Tavern. Huge crowds of riders and fans came out over 3 nights to celebrate the return of this highly sociable event. Fun was had by all and a return next year is already planned.

A hard winter with more snow than recent memory can recall meant a late spring and a alte start to the season. But the Wheelers are out. New black and red kits make us stand out as the sharpest dressed riders in town. And weekly rides are happening every Thursday night. The Spring Tour des Ponts was replaced by the first ever Mufferaw Joe Sportif. And in typical Wheelers fashion the gravel roads were made harder than expected due to the non-stop rain all day. But the route was great and about 40 people tried it out and also enjoyed the greatest post ride meal and buffet ever at the tavern in Quyon. Next year, more of the same.

Weather wise Spring was not great in 2008 – lots of rain and cool temps – but the Wheelers kept rolling. Even though many of the stalwarts suffered injuries that has put an early end to their season. Summer is looking nice though and a new tradition of Sunday morning long rides has begun.