If the Centurion Canada video got you interested in joining in, it’s time to start training. This 80-kilometre route starts and ends in Meaford, and offers a lot of great scenery and a lot of climbing (and downhills, too!) Portions of this route are featured in the 50 and 100 mile events in Centurion Canada.

Starting in downtown Meaford, head east to Grey Road 7 (the lights at the east end of town), and turn right. And the hills begin. In the 30-kilometre stretch from Meaford to Eugenia along Grey Roads 7 and 13, you first climb the one kilometre hill out of town, drop and ascend more shorter, steeper climbs (as well as some false flats), and then after descending into the Beaver Valley and through Kimberley, you begin the long multi-stage climb up the other side again. By the time you hit Kimberley, you’ve earned your refreshment at the Beaver River Grill or the Flying Chestnut Kitchen.

(Now, there’s an idea – leave a car in Kimberley first time ’round, and you can end your ride here. Nothing wrong with easing into it!)

Up for the return route? After recharging, you can return to Meaford via the same stretch, or once you’ve gone through Kimberley on your return, continue on Grey Road 13 as it winds and dips along the Beaver Valley toward Thornbury. You’ll pass through the hamlet of Heathcote on the way, where the bakery will entice you with the smell of delicious treats, and soon thereafter you’ll arrive in Clarksburg, with its gallery-lined main street – then on past the old heritage homes into Thornbury. From here, it’s a mere 13 kilometres back to Meaford along the Georgian Trail, or if you haven’t filled your climbing quota, work your way west to Sideroad 33, and ascend one more good-sized hill before turning north on Meaford’s Third Line and following it back to the Highway and into town. Don’t miss the terrific view as the Third Line crests above Meaford.

Click on the map to get the route. If it doesn't work at first, try a second time, or paste http://bit.ly/nK1Mte into your browser.

Of course, you don’t have to be a “centurion” to enjoy the riding around Meaford. If you’re into an easier pace, the rolling hills around Meaford offer an endless variety of less strenuous rides. (Let the sights take your breath away instead!) And if you prefer something that’s definitely more leisurely than laborious, try out the Georgian Trail. The mostly flat rail-to-trail begins at Meaford Harbour and follows the old Northern Rail line along the curve of Georgian Bay to Collingwood, offering stops at Christie Beach, Lora Bay, Thornbury and Blue Mountain.

(If mountain biking’s your thing, you’ve definitely come to the right place. More on that soon.)

To begin exploring cycling routes in Meaford start at Jolley’s Alternative Wheels and checking out the database of rides.