Sat, Apr 18 2009 - Central Toronto Loop Ride via Don Valley, Humber River, and Waterfront Multi-Purpose Paths (50 km) (View Original Event Details)
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Today's ride proved to be a group exercise in finding our way to where we thought we were going, and then back home again, via a route that unfolded in the moment to serve our needs. We found our way from St. George and Bloor to Bayview Avenue via the lovely Rosedale Valley Road (it's lovely when one is going down-hill; a bit ugly when going uphill). We rode briefly along a busy Bayview until we got to Pottery Road, where we found our way onto the Don Valley Trail. One needs to be careful on the Bayview Road segment of this ride, as there is a steady stream of vehicles heading for the DVP, and one has to avoid getting in their way. We lost two riders when we got to the Don Valley multi-purpose pathway: one because her bike was not ready for the ordeal ahead, and the other because he had a last-minute change of plans. The rest of us--six in all-- made our way north on the Don Valley path. Unfortunately, as we progressed, the map of Toronto I was using to guide us began to disintegrate in front of our eyes, tearing into smaller and smaller pieces. I don't know whether the map was entirely to blame, but we ended up taking the path too far east. We went to Taylor Creek park rather than following Route 45 directly to Sunnybrook Park. And so we had to find our way back to the intended route from Taylor Creek Park. We succeeded. We headed west on Broadway, after making our way to Sunnybrook Park. And then, due to the fact that three of the six riders needed to return home by 5 p.m., we found our way south along a trail off of Marlee, just west of the Allen Road. While the total ride wasn't as long as we expected it to be, it was a pleasant day to be out riding, we discovered some new parts of the city (not to mention a new bike route or two), and we still had some of the day leftover for supper engagements and the like.
Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Erik Sonstenes at photos@torontooutdoorclub.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.