Martin Goodman Waterfront Trail To Somewhere

Sunday July 18, 2010 after the weather cleared up, Kate, myself & Steffonee rode down to the Martin-Goodman Trail and Harbourfront checking out the suntanning spots along the waterfront. The new one is at the foot of Jarvis street "SUGAR BEACH" right across the slip from Redpath Sugar and it is particularly appealing as they have shade umbrellas, Algonquin style wooden chairs and clean new sand; they even have a nice chrome water stand with fountain, a tap to wash the sand off your feet, or fill a dog bowl. All they need now are bathrooms.
We headed west to Ontario Place, with a stop to feed the ducks at Coronation Park and pics at the Inukshuk statue, and then back to Harbourfront and over to Parliament to the Pit stop at Dundas. Lots of rest stops and a leisurely ride.
Kate is getting used to her new recumbent bikeE cruiser on the bike trails. 10km.

Toronto Islands Ramble

We took the Hanlon's Point Ferry to the Island and checked the clothing optional beach at Hanlon's Point. So we continued on our ride to the Ward's Island Park near the Eastern Gap and toured around the cottages there. The weather was perfect for a ramble and lots of islanders were out in their yards giving us a wave or a friendly hello as we passed by.
We continued over to Algonquin Island to view the cottages there and stopped by the waters' edge for lunch (which we brought with us)! After lunch I decided to go and try to find my buddy who lives on a sailboat in the Toronto Island Marina (which islanders call the PPYC "Poor Peoples Yacht Club" as compared to the Rich Peoples Yacht Club I guess). We dodged the throngs of people coming off the Centre Island Ferry who were going to the Festival Of India on Centre Island. We visited him for a bit on his sailboat and then as the clouds started to roll in we headed back to the nude Beach. Heading back to the ferry for the trip back to civilization and along Queens Quay and up Sherbourne to home. Total for today 10km.

Ride To Warden Woods

Sunday July 11, 2010 Kate & I took off through the city south to pick up the Lower Don Trail at Cherry & Lakeshore. The ride was uneventfull till we reached Taylor Creek Park just off Don Mills Road. The weather had been sunny and not as humid as the last (how many days), but we could see darkening clouds moving in from the west that definately looked like rain. At the fork in the trail at the Charles Soriol Conservation area and Taylor Creek Park, there is a sculpture (kinda looks like half elephants) that was installed as a wetlands filtration project. The water was running out clear and cold.  Eastward through Taylor Creek Park we went watching the advancing rain clouds and the odd lightning bolt and rolling thunder. We finally reached Warden Woods Park and took the trail North to the end at Warden Ave and St. CLair Ave East. We then had the choice of either returning the way we had come or going down Warden. We took Warden down to the Danforth ( and got a very light sprinkle of rain as the clouds broke to reveal more sun) to Woodbine Ave, onto Gerrard and west to Coxwell where we ended up at Queen.
Since we did not stop for lunch it did not take much prodding to go into the Tulip Steak House for lunch (it was near 5pm). Kate had the fish & Chips and I had the chopped sirloin; and a couple of pitchers of ice water! Then we went west to Leslie and the required Pit Stop at Timmy's at Lakeshore before heading back west via the trail to Cherry and then back to the start at Allan Gardens.
Wow, what a great Sunday Cruiser Ride: 19km give or take.

2010 PRIDE Ride July 4

To miss all the hoo-hah happening in the village with Pride this year, we had a Pride Ride out to Edward's Gardens and return, on Sunday July 4. Not wanting to haul our bikes down the stairs to the bike path at Queen Street or at Riverdale Park; we took the shoulder of the road along Bayview Ave until we hit the entrance to a little used bike path that went north along to the Brickworks (an interesting place to visit someday). Continuing on the shoulder of Bayview till we reached the Lower Don Trail at Pottery Road. Then it was all bike paths north to Edward's Gardens at Leslie and Lawrence, stopping multiple times to rest in the shade as it was very hot.
Deciding not to take the trail back downtown we took Leslie instead to Eglington, then east on Eglinton to Don Mills and south past the Science Centre (another place to visit someday) to Leaside. West through Flemingdon Park to the Tim's pit stop for refreshments and cool AC! We then went west to Laird and south across the viaduct to Pape, and then west on Mortimer to Broadview to Danforth and then home.
All in all it was a better way to spend the day out, away from the one million plus maddening crowds, who were waiting for us when we returned to the village. 16km round trip.