My friend Dave and I went for a long bike ride on Saturday. I started from Edworthy Park and met him at the weir. From there, we proceeded east along Western Headworks Canal to Lake Chestermere. The complete round trip was 94 kilometers (58 miles) and took about six hours, with some stops along the way. The weather was better than expected. The forecasted high temperature was only 22C (72F) but it actually rose to 27C (81F).
Although bike was enjoyable from an exercise point of view, I would not recommend it to others because there is not much to see along the bike path. Riding along from Edworthy Park to the weir is fun and interesting because there are many people along the path and it follows along the scenic Bow River. However, once we passed the weir and went across Deerfoot Trail, the scenery was not interesting. We followed the path along the irrigation canal through the industrial part of the city and then into the countryside. The path itself is very good. Because it is a long ride to Lake Chestermere, there were not many people riding along the path. For those that want an excellent path for exercise, it is great because it is a flat, wide and paved. And for those who want to enjoy the scenery while biking, there are better paths.
Once we arrived at Lake Chestermere, Dave rested while I explored a bit. There is not much near where the canal enters the lake. It is just an opportunity to rest before turning around and heading back to the city.
A great resource for those who enjoy biking is the Calgary Pathway and Bikeway Map - 2006. The map can be purchase online for two dollars. If this link is broken in future years, try going to the City of Calgary website and then finding the online store. From there, search for paper maps. For the pathway and bike map, according to the website, you can contact Harold Pinel by email or by phone at 403.974.3108.
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