In 2021 I attended the event as a spectator and sponsor but promised myself to participate in the 2022 edition and with my busy schedule I could not. So here I am after the 2023 edition.
About La flatland à Annie
What is Flatland? It’s a fundraiser for Primrose Donkey Sanctuary on May 27th. It’s an epic ride in Eastern Ontario while leaving from Rigaud.
It’s riding on beautiful gravel roads that are freshly leveled or well-traveled. It’s riding through the County of Prescott Russell and East Hawkesbury while admiring the beautiful countryside.
It’s riding between the fields with the wind in your face rather than riding a hilly landscape. It’s forging friendships with gravel grinders! It’s drinking a cold one with a smile on your face while chatting with new friends.
My experience
We received the information about the map and the schedule a few days before and it was really precise which I like because you are well aware of what is coming for you.
Upon my arrival I was welcomed with a goodies bag filled with 2 coupons (beer and food), gel bars and bars from one of their sponsors. Coffee was served by the people of Big Red Gravel run and few booths were there like our friend Bruno velo who offered to rent gravel bikes.
The start for the longer distance (140 km) was at 8:30 and there were a lot of smiling faces and a great cheer up meeting. My start (80 km)was at 9:30 and there were a lot of people attending which was awesome.
Right from the start I could feel that this ride would be a fast paced one and it did not disappoint. Since we started in the city of Rigaud we needed to hit roads with more traffic and sadly some cyclists occupied the full lane without caring about automobile drivers. I must admit that at some point I got scared that some cyclist might be hit by a car but at the end everything went well and changed when we hit the first gravel section.
The percentage of gravel and the roads we rode was perfect and the type (a mix of packed and loose gravel with a splash of tarmac).
Everybody with whom I rode was respectful and were riding in the peloton with big smiles on their faces. We even stopped from time to time if something occurred in our group.
Feed zones
For our ride length, there were 2 possible feed zones. The first one was organized by the event and it was simply perfect. A mix of water,sodas and electrolytes drinks were available and different types of food also. A special mention to the date squares that tasted like heaven. The second feed zone was for a small market but with the small amount of kilometers we had left to do, nobody in my group stopped.
The arrival
The party had already started when I arrived but you could feel the good vibe right away. A great wrap with salad was served and in my case I took a non alcoholic beer from Sober carpenter. Tents, tables and chairs were available to sit and enjoy our meal and talk about our ride all together.
I could not stay for long but a raffle of a Cannondale bike was done and few prizes were given away. Again this year we provided goodies for their raffle.
In conclusion
I must admit that I really enjoyed the whole experience of this event. The great organization, the map and the location was absolutely perfect. It is for sure that they can count me in for next year. It is absolutely necessary to add this event in your calendar.
You can have more information about La Flatland à Annie here:
