How a Langley ride to celebrate Canada Day began

When there was a ferry connecting Fort Langley and Maple Ridge across the Fraser River, Harold Bridge got on his bicycle and rode from his home in Port Coquitlam to the ferry to go riding in the area around the river community.

During a ride on Canada Day 1999, an idea came to Bridge, one of the first members of the BC Randonneurs Cycling Club, which is dedicated to long-distance cycling under the rules of the Audax Club Parisien in France.

Why not take a ride on the day that celebrates Canada’s birthday, and why not set the distance at one kilometer for every year the country has existed?

Twenty-five years later, a hundred cyclists are expected to turn out for the 2024 Canada Day Popular, with the longest route, 157 km, corresponding to the country’s 157th birthday.

One of the volunteer organizers, Eric Fergusson, always thinks about Bridge when preparations are underway.

“He really loved Fort Langley,” said Fergusson, who wrote an account of the event’s origins on the website www.randonneurs.bc.ca and sees it as something of a memorial to Bridge, who died in 2015 at the age of 87 died.

“It’s (a memorial) to me,” Fergusson said.

Fergusson said it was thought it would be a good distance for many recreational cyclists, including those not used to the normal distances of randonneur/marathon cycling (rides of 200-1200km).

A year later, on July 1, 2000, the first ever Canada Day Popular was hosted by Bridge, with approximately 70 riders covering 133 km.

Over the years, as the country has grown older, the distance has increased.

A second, less challenging route of 100 kilometers was introduced, and this year a third, of 50 km, is an option.

Last year about 400 riders took part.

This year, entries are limited to 450 entries, and a new location, Richard Bulpitt Park at 77A Ave between 209 and 211 St., has been chosen for the ride, which begins and ends in the park.

It starts at 8am with two “waves” of riders setting off for the 157km route at 8am and 8:15am, with the 100km starting at 8:30am and the 50km starting at 9am.

Participants must pre-register at https://www.randonneurs.bc.ca