by David Peebles, Ravine Ride Coordinator
Enjoy park paths without the weekend crowds. The Ravine Rides are a series of relatively short rides at a moderate pace, generally taking 1–3 hours. The rides start at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays beginning May 5 and continuing into October. All start points are near subway stations, and the 10:30 start gives a full hour for travelling on the TTC with your bike. The routes avoid busy streets as much as possible. Optional coffee and sandwich stop after each ride. .
Here is the schedule for 2009, so far:
| May-05 | Etienne Brule Park | The Humber Yo-yo - A great way to warm up your cycling muscles after a long winter: a paved path with gentle grades along one of the nicest stretches of the Humber River. The route is almost totally car-free. | 20 km | |
| May-12 | St. George Subway | The Secret Circuit - The original - and shortest - ravine ride: a half-hidden downtown route with a minimum of street riding and enough hills to make sure you get a good cardio workout! Some unpaved paths. | 14 km | |
| May-19 | Kennedy Subway | East End Excursion - This ride has a bit of everything: ravines, a cemetery, two cannons, an industrial park, quiet residential streets, and a stairway. All but 100 m on pavement. | 22 km | |
| May-26 | St. George Subway | Cedarvale Prospecting - Cedarvale Park, and the Beltline extension. Some unpaved paths and street riding. $5 non-members fee waived. Helmets mandatory (as always). | 19 km | |
| Jun-02 | Etienne Brule Park | Humber and High Park - North along the Humber, then east to circle a pond, south through city streets and High Park to the lakeshore, then west back to the Humber. Two short unpaved sections. $5 non-members fee waived. Helmets mandatory (as always.) | 24 km | |
| Jun-09 | St. George Subway | Balfour and the Beltline - David Balfour Park, Moore Park, the Beltline, and Cedarvale Park. Some unpaved paths. $5 non-members fee waived. Helmets mandatory (as always.) | 19 km | |
| Jun-11 | Dufflet's, 2638 Yonge Street | Tour de Dufflet - A special Ravine Ride on a Thursday. Inspired by Dufflet's generous tour offer during Bike Month, the route visits three Dufflet locations. There is a $5 registration fee, which Dufflet donates to charity. Much of the route is on bike paths, but there is some street riding. Helmets mandatory (as always.) | 39 km | |
| Jun-16 | Kipling Subway | Bloordale and Mimico Creek - Explore the western edge of the city. A bit of street riding takes us to paths in two nice long ravines. One unpaved road. $5 non-members fee waived. Helmets mandatory (as always.) | 19 km | |
| Jun-23 | St. George Subway | Sunnybrook/Don Valley - Almost all of the route is paved. Some street riding, but two-thirds of the route is on bike paths and half is in ravines. Come and see the amazing half-elephants (or maybe they're giant molars!) | 26 km | |
| Jun-30 | Shoppers World, Danforth | Taylor, Martin, and Don - A water theme: the lakeshore, the Don River, and Taylor Creek. Paved paths with a few blocks of street riding. | 26 km | |
| Jul-07 | Oriole Park | Double Don - After some street riding, this route dips down into Hogg's Hollow to cross the west branch of the Don River, then climbs back up to follow Wilket Creek to the east branch. Includes some unpaved paths, a little bit of gravel, and the infamous Wilket Creek sand trap. | 27 km | |
| Jul-14 | Finch Subway | Perpendicular Lines: Finch to Kennedy - A one-way ride that takes a shortcut from Finch subway station to Kennedy station. | 23 km | |
| Jul-21 | Midland RT Station | Richard's Route - Explore parks and paths in the far northeast. Some street riding. | 22 km | |
| Jul-28 | Finch Subway | Parallel Lines: Finch to Union Station - A one-way ride the whole length of the Yonge line. Get full value for your subway token. Overall the route goes downhill. | 30 km | |
| Aug-04 | Old Mill Subway | Mimico Creek and the Humber v2.1 - Paved paths and only a few blocks of street riding. | 22 km | |
| Aug-11 | Kennedy Subway | Parallel Lines: Kennedy to Kipling - A one-way ride the whole length of the Bloor-Danforth line. Get full value for your subway token. | 35 km | |
| Aug-18 | St. George Subway | Heart of Toronto - Finish the summer with a ride linking ravines in the centre of the city. Some unpaved paths. | 28 km | |
| Aug-25 | Etienne Brule Park | Humber and High Park - North along the Humber, east through Smythe Park, south through city streets and High Park to the lakeshore, then west back to the Humber. Two short unpaved sections. | 24 km | |
| Sep-01 | St. George Subway | Balfour and the Beltline Plus - David Balfour Park, Moore Park, the Beltline, and the Beltline Extension. Some unpaved paths and street riding. | 25 km | |
| Sep-08 | Shoppers World, Danforth | P2P: Victoria Park to High Park - A one-way ride along the lakeshore with about a kilometre on unpaved paths. | 21 km | |
| Sep-15 | St. George Subway | Heart of Toronto - A heart-shaped ride linking ravines in the centre of the city. Some unpaved paths. | 28 km | |
| Sep-22 | Kennedy Subway | East End Excursion - This ride has a bit of everything: ravines, a cemetery, two cannons, an industrial park, quiet residential streets, and a stairway. All but 100 m on pavement. | 22 km | |
| Sep-29 | Etienne Brule Park | Humber and High Park - North along the Humber; east to the end of the Eglinton bikeway; around a pond; south through city streets, half-hidden lanes, and High Park to the lakeshore; then west back to the Humber. | 24 km | |
| Oct-06 | Shoppers World, Danforth | Taylor, Martin, and Don - A water theme: the lakeshore, the Don River, and Taylor Creek. Paved paths with a few blocks of street riding. | 26 km | |
| Oct-13 | St. George Subway | Hill and Vale - Cedarvale, the Beltline, and the long, long glide down Moore Park Ravine. Lots of unpaved paths. | 18 km | |
| Oct-20 | Old Mill Subway | Mimico Creek and the Humber v3.0 - Paved paths and only a few blocks of street riding. | 26 km | |
| Oct-27 | St. George Subway | Balfour and the Beltline Plus - Get the Halloween spirit by visiting two cemeteries. A lovely downtown ride with a few hills and some unpaved paths. | 24 km |