Places to tour/ride with an 11-year old

I'm thinking of taking the older daughter on a combined car camping/riding trip this summer, duration around 5-7 days.

She's 11 years old, quite fit and athletic, but not a regular or endurance rider. She's game for climbs, but realistically doesn't have the power for it, so I think we are looking at fairly flat or mild grades (not endless climbing). Likely two hours max at a time. Equipment-wise, she is set up with a light, near-20 lb XC bike, I'll bring my 'cross bike (or drop bar mtb).

I'd prefer to set up camp and then do road or easy gravel/XC rides from there. But basing out of a hotel is a possibility.

Do you guys have any recommendations? Some candidates are the Kettle Valley Trail in the Okanagan and Galloping Goose on Vancouver Island. Also willing to venture down to Washington state. Good scenery, lakes to jump into along the way, and food pit stops are a plus.

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

dude, hornby. we rode there (rode to ferries, ferry to sidney, rode to vic, bus to fanny bay, ferry plus ride over denman to hornby - if you want to ride/ferry the whole thing go to hsb, take the ferry to nanaimo and after a few twists and turns you can get on the old island highway just north of town) last summer with a 2 yr old, so you should be able to do it no problem. on island there are trails EVERYWHERE, beaches, campsites, etc. lots to see and do plus a great range of mtb riding, everything from gentle xc to more tech xc and a bit of free ride. singletrack for miles and miles and when you are done, pedal down to the beach and go for a swim.

Hmmmm…. drop bars.

KVR is pretty sandy. You're looking at a tough ride with anything less than a 2" tire. I take kids on it every year, and the 15 year olds struggle with it. Something squishy with a massive padded seat is what you want there.

Hornby/Denman is a good choice. Also the Sunshine Coast.

Or you could set up out of a holiday rental in the Okanagan (Penticton has better green/blue trails, and some awesome XC shuttle rides), and do a little of the KVR and a little singletrack. But I think I'd want a mountain bike over a cross bike at any of those spots.

Hornby/Denman is a great suggestion.

The Goose from Victoria to Sooke is no problem on a cross bike and there are lots of lakes and rivers to check out en route. But it is more of an A to B trip. Going north via Lochside Trail is good too, and the surrounding roads are much flatter.

I wouldn't choose this area for camping, but you could potentially have a great time staying somewhere like Metchosin or Central Saanich, mixing in a bunch of road riding and hiking/beachcombing at CRD parks. http://www.crd.bc.ca/parks/map.htm

Thanks for the suggestions. Conditions on KVR are noted. Goose on the Island sounds promising as a point-to-point.

To be honest, I'd prefer to do a point-to-point tour with hotel/motel stops just for the sense of accomplishment ("I rode from X to Y"), but that might be over her head at this age.

I could bring my boat anchor drop bar MTB instead of the 'cross bike, which would be more than enough for any trails my daughter could handle. However, I would like to stick to only the easiest and non-technical of trails (fire roads/MUTs), and make this more of a touring/road ride.

Will look into Hornby/Denman Island, and Sunshine Coast too. Keep the suggestions coming.

What about the riding in places like Whistler and Pemberton? You could go up that way and take the Duffy Lake Road and come out at Cache Creek or Lilloet and then do some riding there and then in Hope/Chilliwack/Abbotsford.

http://ieee.uwaterloo.ca/~praetzel/BC-trip2/DuffyLakeLoop_map.jpg

What about the riding in places like Whistler and Pemberton? You could go up that way and take the Duffy Lake Road and come out at Cache Creek or Lilloet and then do some riding there and then in Hope/Chilliwack/Abbotsford.

http://ieee.uwaterloo.ca/~praetzel/BC-trip2/DuffyLakeLoop_map.jpg

Thanks. Isn't it uber-hillacious up around Pemberton?

Actually, that could work as an alternative if I take the kid up for a week of horse riding lessons/trail rides. She would be too pooped to ride, but I could get in a few hours of road riding while she rides horses.

riding on the ssc rocks; touring on the ssc sucks