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Do the Dozen Challenge – 12 County Trails Routes Highlight Lennox and Addington County

release by the Lennox & Addington Economic Development Department
Do the Dozen Challenge  ©  Lennox and Addington County
November 26, 2013 – When planning their cycling trips for the 2013 season, Ken and Cathy Hook were looking for a challenge. They found it in Lennox & Addington County.

Launched by the Lennox & Addington Economic Development Department, the ‘Do the Dozen Challenge’ rewards cyclists for completing each of the 12 of our County Trails routes. Unique checkpoint signage has been installed especially for the ‘Do the Dozen Challenge’. When locating these checkpoints and scanning the accompanying QR code with a smartphone, riders receive credit for completing that loop. By cycling each route and locating each of the 12 checkpoints the cyclists complete the challenge.

“It’s a great way to see the County,” says cyclist Ken Hook, who along with wife Cathy cycled more than 600 km to complete the challenge. “The diversity of Lennox & Addington was noticed along every trail, ranging from farmland to small communities to Canadian Shield. We enjoyed the strawberries along the ‘Newburgh’ trail, the smell of fresh cut hay along numerous routes and the beauty of Lake Ontario along the ‘Shoreline’ route. While on the Buckshot Lake trail in September we enjoyed the nutty smells of oaks, beech and maples.”

There are plenty of places for cyclists to stop when riding in L&A County. “We stopped at a winery in Adolphustown to taste the wine and made a purchase. Later down the road we bought apples from a roadside stand. Our backpack was getting heavy. We looked forward to stopping at many of the local restaurants along each route – this was definitely a highlight for us.”

The ‘Do the Dozen Challenge’ complements the L&A County Trails cycling network, a system of 12 looping routes consisting of 600 kilometres of paved roadway where cyclists never retrace your path, yet are able to end where they began. There is no time restriction on ‘doing the dozen’, so riders can take as long as they wish – days, weeks, months, or even years. Once they complete each of the twelve County Trails routes, their name will be forever etched onto our “Do the Dozen Challenge Virtual Cup”.

The Lennox & Addington County Trails include 12 looping routes consisting of 600 kilometres of paved roadway, offering a great variety of curves, rolling hills and breathtaking views. Along the way riders visit the charming communities that give L&A County its rich rural flavour. The L&A County Trails are found in the heart of beautiful Eastern Ontario. Only two hours east of Toronto between Kingston and Belleville, the routes stretch northward from the shore of Lake Ontario, offering an ideal getaway for anyone seeking a day-long or extended excursion. Some routes are more challenging than others but all are well-marked, easily accessible, and promise to be exciting.

The ‘Do the Dozen Challenge’ is promoted to cyclists by Lennox & Addington County at their ‘County Trails’ booth at the Toronto International Bicycle Show, online at www.countytrails.com and in cooperation with regional tourism organizations.





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