July 2020 Montreal Bicycle Club Historical Tour



A.T. Lane took three new members of the Montreal Bicycle Club's 2nd Historical Tour.  We all started at the Shaika Cafe and A.T. gave a brief overview of the bicycle's first arrival to Montreal.  We then headed out to the first stop, the M.A.A.A. Grounds following the directions given by original members.




A.T. described the Ordinaries vs Safeties race that occurred there in 1891, the Sarnia to Montreal relay race and the CWA meet of 1894.


We then went on the founding home of the MBC, marveling at the interior space provided by this modest house.




We continued on to the site of the Hill Climbing Contest won by Bertie Lane.


Even to this day, many MBC members are unable to keep up with this hill climbing wunderkind.

At the Lacrosse Grounds, a discussion broke out of what modern elements should be included in the Historical Photo.


Running short of time, we breezed past the MAAA building, the Montreal Gymnasium, the Boer War Monument, the Windsor Hotel and the Victoria Skating Rink.

Finally we came to what we had all been waiting for, the Queens Park Velodrome in Verdun!  Sadly, no historical plaque showed us its true location.




We then stopped for lunch by the Lachine rapids. On the way back home we paused at the Fleming Windmill in LaSalle and the Blue Bonnets race track in Montreal West.





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