The FORTRESS of SOLITUDE

Look up...look waaaaaay up.

Greetings once again, Gentle Readers. The weekend that was went a little something like this...

I decided early on in the weekend that I wanted to accomplish two things: #1 - spend as little money as possible, and #2 - get as much homework done as possible. One of these things did get done and one did not. I can't say which, but I can tell you I went out of this weekend with as much money as I went in with...
Since my homework was obviously not going to get done (what else is new), I decided to have a "Me" weekend, which really only differentiates itself from a "Me" day or a "Me" week in that it takes place on a weekend. Friday and Saturday were both chill evenings, both fun.
Sunday, T and I had decided that bikes are splendiferous things that are meant to be ridden. In keeping, we planned to head out to Scarborough Bluffs. (Well, I decided that's where we should go because I'd never been.) Then we discovered that the Scarborough Bluffs are just short of airplane travelling distance, but concluded that regardless, it would be fun to ride out there. A subway was relatively close to the bluffs (!) so we could always take that route home.
We started the journey around 12:30 on Sunday and headed across the Bloor Viaduct, then up Broadview until it split off down into the ravine. Then we were on the most beautiful bike trail that stretched for at least 2 or 3 kilometers, probably more. There were other bikers, but you really didn't run into that many people. We did have a somewhat close encounter with a pair of deer, which was a surprise in downtown Toronto.
As we finished the bike trail, we headed up some street and hit St. Clair West, which was the street we were aiming for. As we turned left onto St. Clair, I started to get a sinking feeling as several uphill sections sprawled out ahead of us. :s
It turned out that it wasn't that bad and we eventually hit Birchwood (I think) and turned south, heading into Bluff territory. The amount of cars towing boats increased dramatically. As we got to the top of a huge drop, we pondered whether or not to actually lock up our bikes and walk it. I couldn't resist the temptation of going headlong into a ditch at 50 kmh, so I started down. As I got closer and closer to the bottom and closer and closer to losing control of my bike, I skidded to a stop. We hit the end of the hill and the rain that had been forecast earlier began to fall. It wasn't that wet but it got to a point where we had to look for cover in the middle of a huge parking lot. As we headed under the doorway of a small concrete structure, the marina-going public began to run for their lives, heading to their cars and speeding off back up the hill.
The rain stopped and started, never really gaining any significant strength so we decided to head off towards the really dramatic looking cliffs past the marina. As we turned onto the road to take us there, the heavens opened up in one of the most severe rainstorms I've ever been caught in. The thunder began booming insistently and I told T that I didn't really feel comfortable near the water with no cover, riding a hulking piece of metal. Sure, the tires probably meant that we'd both be fine, but the trip went from really cool to really lame in a nano-second for me.
What we hadn't anticipated was the climb back up the hill towards civilization. Trudging along in the torrential downpour, I realized that the Bluffs (or at least the hill to the Bluffs) was more a car-thing than a bike-thing, or even a foot-thing. Still, there was no turning back and as the warm rain soaked through to the more nether of my nether-regions, I realized that it wasn't so bad. We certainly got an obscene amount of exercise...and water soaked clothing. All the food and drink we'd brought was for naught, but it was Big Brother night, so I'm sure it would get used up eventually if not immediately. The cache of watermelon cubes I'd so carefully sliced did come in handy back at home...
We got back to the Danforth (like the most ghetto of ghetto ends of the Danforth) and headed towards Victoria Park subway station. Eventually we found it and that's when the day took on a seedy, underbelly-of-society tone as T and I both got on the subway with our bikes, our painted-on-soaking-wet clothes and our backpacks dripping everywhere. I stood and he sat but both of us were done with the world, especially T. As we headed into Donlands station, I realized we'd hit the rush hour of Taste of the Danforth. Since it was raining, the subway station was full of families and children, all slightly soaked, ready to enter onto this train with two wet blankets.
I can't remember what station it was after that that we pulled into, but this young guy with a bike, who was soaked too, happened to be standing at the spot our door opened at. I gave him a look and he decided to park his bike in the next subway car over...
Got home finally, took the hottest, soapiest shower ever and thought back on the events of day. I realized the first two-thirds of the trip was quite fun and quite strenuous (in a good way). Once we hit the Bluffs though, the entire thing fell to pieces and I didn't really even get to see anything that I wanted to see. I didn't take any pictures once there because of the pouring rain - I think I actually got a picture of me moments before God flushed his toilet, still looking happy but tired. All in all, a good outing. I shall listen to CP24 more closely next time.

UPDATE: Some piccies for ya...



Categories: Outings