Tour de Kingdom 2013
June 5th thru June 9th
Up to Five Days of Riding – Double Century Challenge
Check out our 2011 Slide Show here
The 2013 Tour de Kingdom offers one to five days of recreational and competitive cycling through one of most scenic areas of Vermont, the Northeast Kingdom - one of the very first geotourism areas in the world specially designated by National Geographic. The five day Tour also ventures into Northern New Hampshire and the Eastern Townships of Quebec.
The event is hosted by Indoor Recreation of Orleans County, the Kingdom Velo Group and White Mountain Velo, Technical support is offered by The Village Bike Shop in Derby, VT and the Littleton Bike Shop from Littleton, NH.
The Tour is a charity ride to support IROC’s Healthy Changes Initiative, a groundbreaking discount membership and exercise program for people suffering from diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as cancer patients and survivors and seniors age 65 and older. The Initiative is presently engaging hundreds of participants to manage, control and improve their conditions and take back control of their lives.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday offer guided tours hosted by the Kingdom Velo Group, White Mountain Velo, and veteran Kingdom Riders. Each day offers a shorter ride and a longer ride. Each of these days will have four guides to accommodate slower and faster groups of cyclists.
Saturday and Sunday shifts to our increasingly popular, Double Century Challenge, Gran Fondo style “timed event.” It will “Grind Your Gears.” On each of these weekend days, in addition to the Challenge, we offer fully supported routes of 25, 50, 80 and 100 miles for all ages and all skill levels.
During the period September 1st through December 31st, 2012 the registration fee is $50 per day or $200 for all five. And we have special discounts for Students 23 and under: $25 per day or $100 forall five days. These rates will increase in 2013. In order to assure adequate support, we will cap the number of riders at 400 per day on the weekend and 100 riders on the guided days.
All days start and end at IROC, 400 Quarry Road in Derby, Vermont, except for Thursday’s ride which starts and ends in Island Pond. TheTour de Kingdom is specifically designed to allow you, your partner, and your friends to tour some of the best countryside in the northeast, while staying at one lodging for the entire event. We offer the opportunity for different levels of cyclists to enjoy their days riding routes are comfortable for them and returning to enjoy dinner and evening activities together. Pick a single day to ride, a few days, or all five. Here’s what we have in store for you (in reverse order):
Sunday, June 9th – The Kingdom’s Legendary Lake Region: This course takes riders through the Kingdom’s legendary lake region. We offer four loops of differing lengths: 25, 50, 80, and 100 miles. These routes take riders through fields and forests and past farms and lakes, including Lake Seymour, Island Pond, Lake Willoughby and, of course, the Kingdom’s “Great Lake,” Lake Memphremagog. This day also offers a Gran Fondo style “timed event” on the Century loop starting at 7:30 am as well as shorter, untimed routes.
Saturday June 8th – The Western Hill Country: A day in the “Hill Country” is intended to challenge those riders who live for the climb, taking them through the Kingdom’s western “hill country,” over Lowell Mountain and up and down the flanks of Jay Peak and back. With just about 8,000 feet of vertical climb, this century route is designed to “grind your gears.” This is the first day of the Double Century Challenge, with the timed event starting at 7:30 am. Shorter routes are also available for those who enjoy a more recreational, less challenging experience.
Friday, June 7th -- Guided Ride Around Lake Memphremagog: In 2010 we added a great new ride and folks really loved it -- a guided tour around Lake Memphremagog with stops at Georgeville, Magog, The Abby, and Mansonville. This 80 mile route is a great way to “warm up” for the weekend. Or do it as a stand-alone day and forget the rest. But, you better bring your passport! It involves International Travel. We also offer a shorter ride up to Georgeville and back.
Thursday, June 6th -- Guided Moose Loop With A Twist: We added this day of riding in 2011, guided by White Mountain Velo. The day starts in Island Pond, and heads north to Norton and Canaan, tips its cap to a stretch in the Northwoods of New Hampshire (only appropriate) and then returns down the Connecticut River to Bloomfield and back to Island Pond. If you don’t see at least three meece (If it’s good for a Goose, it’s good for a Moose) during this ride, there’s something noisy about your bike!
Wednesday, June 5th -- Guided Ride through Orleans Central: OK, we couldn’t resist. While we were expanding the number of guided days of riding, we just had to add a ride through our most favorite roads in Orleans County: Down Routes 5 and 16 through Barton and Greensboro, over to Craftsbury, and up route 14 through Albany and Irasburg. There is certainly more spectacular scenery in the country. But to our senses, there is no road more subtly beautiful in all of Vermont than Route 14 heading north. Could be the scenery. Could be the knowledge that we are heading home. Either way, it’s a feast. And speaking of feasts; a big hit of the day is the stop at Willey’s Store for lunch on the way through Greensboro.
Register for any one or more of these days by clicking here
Custom Louis Garneau Shirts and Jackets: Our custom Louis Garneau Tour de Kingdom Jerseys and Jackets are now available in two styles. Order on line by clicking here, have your shirt or jacket waiting for you when you sign in, support IROC’s Healthy Changes Initiative with additional pledges, and ride in style with these great shirts and jackets. See Prizes.
