Theo and The Golden Horseshoe Route

Words by Theo Verdecchia, Photos by McKenzie Lloyd-Smith

This past week, I finally had the chance to take a test run on a 1,600-kilometer bikepacking loop that I created, dubbed “The Golden Horseshoe.” After a few years of smaller scouting trips and many, many hours on Ride With GPS, it was time to try to go out and do the whole thing in one shot. My goals with the trip were to ride it at a race pace, scout all the sections I had yet to see, and document the ride properly to share the route with as many people as possible.

Two filmmakers I know through the bike world, Tanner Jackson and Marcel North-Gallant, approached me to take on the project a few months back, and I couldn’t think of a better team to pull it off. Both avid cyclists and very talented artists, they were the perfect duo to direct the film. Accompanied by DOP D’arcy Way and assistant/photographer McKenzie Lloyd-Smith, our team of five rolled out from Brockton Cyclery in downtown Toronto at 6 a.m. on Monday, October 7th. The crew were very hands off, only making themselves known to me a few times a day. Through a combination of voice notes, phone calls, and carefully executed shots, we were able to capture some really cool visuals and special moments of the ride. I’m excited to share the results in a few months.

The route itself is designed to be a race loop, up there with the most challenging events on the bikepacking circuit. It’s a beautiful combination of gravel, singletrack, ATV/snowmobile trail, with a healthy amount of hike-a-bike. It’s a medley of my favourite kind of riding. It’s challenging, remote, technical, and staggeringly beautiful. It covers a huge area, and in doing so, riders will experience stark contrasts between landscapes. From escarpment views in farm country to beautiful lakeside gravel roads through Muskoka and the Kawarthas to rugged ATV trails through the Ottawa Valley, the route showcases the best of Ontario’s off-road cycling.

What really stands out about this route is how remote it gets. There are several sections over 150 kilometers without any opportunities for resupply, some as long as 230 kilometers. It takes you deep into the Ontario backcountry, where few will ever get the chance to travel. The feeling of being in these far-out places is amplified by the fact that the ride starts and ends in Toronto, making it all the more satisfying to pedal yourself way out into the bush. I think people are going to be really surprised at what we have here and start to realize Ontario is a world class destination for bikepacking. I plan on holding the inaugural grand depart in fall of 2025, and I’m also planning to release a shorter, slightly easier, more accessible version of the route for touring.

As for my ride itself, I had an amazing time. At times, it was tricky to balance the scouting and the “racing,” as we were working with a limited time frame. This meant I didn’t always have time to find detours, reroutes, or more suitable paths, so a few more small scouting trips are in order before the route is finally ready to go. All in all, I’m very happy with the course. It’s epic, beautiful, and really, really challenging.

Theo is still working on the route, and we’ll be sure to share more when it’s ready. Until then, you can follow Theo on Instagram.

Further Reading

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Plan

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ROUTE

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