10 years! – Thank You for Riding with Us
Ride the Highlands has been making motorcycle magic for 10 years. Located in a wildly-rugged and beautiful part of Ontario, with roads like ribbons, sweeping through valleys and cutting through rock, it’s a no-brainer why Ontario’s Highlands is meant for motorcycles. Each year we are blown away by the awesome motorcycle community that has claimed Ride the Highlands as their favourite riding destination.
Now that we are officially into our 10th riding season, let’s take a look back to see where it all started and how it’s going.
Psst… there are some exciting details in this blog, so make sure you read to the end so you don’t miss anything.
Routes
Ride the Highlands was created by riders for riders. Every route created, has been ridden and reviewed by motorcycle riders to ensure that you are riding the very best. When Ride the Highlands began, it featured only four main routes and a list of Top 10 Roads. Over the last 10 years, we have seen Ride the Highlands evolve to now include the original four main routes, two additional themed routes, five local rides, an everchanging list of Top 10 Roads (because the region just has that many epic roads to ride), and new this year, the Pick-Axe adventure loop.
We know it’s cliché to say we have something for everyone, but we kind of do.
We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Ride the Highlands routes, and what new adventures we can create for you.
Motorcycle Friendly Businesses
What makes Ride the Highlands stand out, other than the incredible twisty roads, are the amazing people and businesses who welcome you to the region each season. Our motorcycle-friendly businesses go above and beyond to ensure you have a great time, and your motorcycle is well taken care of. Each year we have been fortunate to add additional motorcycle-friendly businesses to Ride the Highlands; places where you can fuel up on coffee, fill your saddlebag with locally crafted brews, eat an assortment of delicious food along the routes, as well as get a good night’s sleep to recharge for your next day’s ride.
Souvenirs
We’ve said it again and again, but we are so grateful for you, our riders. Over the years, we’ve shown our appreciation and thanked riders for making Ontario’s Highlands their motorcycle destination by handing out free souvenirs at select Ride the Highlands motorcycle-friendly businesses. From handcrafted kickstand pads to railroad spikes and patches, riders have been traversing the region to collect each one. This year, Ride the Highlands is excited to release the limited-edition, 10th Anniversary Ride the Highlands patch for you to collect.
Ride the Highlands Motorcycle Community
Ride the Highlands likes to be social, and we have come to learn that so do our riders. After years of having a Facebook and Instagram page, we came to realize that our riding community also needed their own space to share Ride the Highlands journeys and trip planning. Last season we created our Ride the Highlands Official Riders Forum on Facebook and we are amazed by how it has grown to over 2,500 members sharing and providing input.
Let’s Celebrate Ride the Highlands
This year, we would like you to help us celebrate this 10-year milestone. Ride the Highlands has recently launched our 10th Anniversary Photo Contest, which will be running until Oct. 10, 2023. Snap a photo of your Ride the Highlands adventure, and upload it for a chance to win great prizes.
What a ride it has been over the last 10 years! We have loved hearing your motorcycle stories and seeing your photos by tagging us and using #ridethehighlands. Keep it up! This year, while riding through Ontario’s Highlands, be sure to tilt your helmet to your fellow riders for supporting and choosing Ride the Highlands as their motorcycle destination. It is all of you, plus our amazing businesses and Road Builders (past and present), who have made Ride the Highlands what it is today.
Let’s Ride!