Cycling adventure in Toronto July 21,2013

                  
 It was an awesome day to cycle Toronto! Below is the plan of what I did, which some pictures and videos I did along the way. 35k trek. It went well, was prepared with water, sun tan lotion, digital camera. Met lots of great people along the way. Passed by a Triathalon at Ontario, families cycling on Martin Goodman Trail and people have fun playing volleyball at Ashbridge's Bay.

                                               Jim Pagiamtzis sharing cycling adventure on map   

     

Sheldon Lookout rock

                                                     

Jim Pagiamtzis at Sheldon's Lookout    

 

Video at Sheldon's Look out               

Jim Pagiamtzis at Sheldon's Lookout

Jim Pagiamtzis at Sheldons look: Video from Civilian

 Video from civilian

                                                     Jim Pagiamtzis at Ontario Place

                                             August 14th 11 Anniversay Summer Networking Bash
                                              Atlantis at Ontario Place
                                              Click here for more information                              

                                             

                                                              Ontario Place & Date stamp

                                                    

                                                                  Ashbridges Bay Part

                                                   Jim Pagiamtzis sharing at Ashbridge's Bay

                                             

                                                   Volley ball nets at AshBridges Bay

                                                

                                                         CN Tower from Martin Goodman Trail

                                                          

                                                   CN Tower in between two buildings

Cycling adventure on July 1st (Canada Day)

   It was an amazing morning to go cycling with A.J Parl on July 1st,2013. We started in Bloor and Bathurst area and went south down Bathurst Street toward Fleet Street and joined onto the Martin Goodman trail just south of that point.

 It was on overcast day and is was not busy along the route. We had great conversation regarding business, life and success. A.J Parl has had a personal success we were celebrating it has got into better shape in the last few months. He has completed the Becel Ride for Heart on June 6,2013 where he raised $4800 for a great cause.

 We made a way along the Martin Goodman trail and stopped to take pictures (see below), as we headed toward Etobicoke and Sheldon's Lookout. We got there and could see the Toronto skyline and strong current which was running that day. There were a few brave souls kayaking in the water that day. (they did have life jackets)

  Our journey did get challenging as we cycled uphill at the edge of High Park. No many of my friends had joined me on this trek. A.J Parl was up for the challenge!

  We made to the to Bloor Street at the edge of High Park and A.J Parl was very impressed with my cycling ability and had challenge me to do long and bigger route and join him on next year Becel event. I responded  "I am in for that!"  Continued along Bloor street all the way back to where we started and completed our 22km journey.

Moral of story: Go for a bike ride and you may end participating a big event!

                               A.J Parl  on the Boardwalk on Martin Goodman Trail near Ontario Place


                                   

                                       Jim Pagiamtzis give a thumbs up on Martin Goodman Trail
                                    

Journey to Ashbridge's Bay

It was marvelous Monday Aug 6th and I decided to cycle to Ashbridge's Bay. ( I had never been!). Started at Bloor and Manning at 1pm and weaved through the downtown core very quickly (hardly any traffic), even participated in an impromptu cycling group across Dundas. As I reached King and Peter there were young marketers handing out free plastic coke bottles (250 ml), even though I had water in my back have some extra liquid wouldn't hurt.

 Reached King street and headed east towards Coxwell, there were some great stores and cute dogs I saw along the way. Turned south and headed along Eastern avenue and crossed of the Don Valley Bridge and withing a few minutes I had reached the entrance of Ashbridge's Park. It was an amazing site to see so many people walking, cycling headed to the beach. 

The sun was glaring, and the atmosphere was amazing, as a neared the beach I got of my bike and tried to find a place to lock my bike, that took longer than I thought! 

As you will see from the pictures below, there was lots of volleyball nets, at least 60+.  Future Olympic champions I reasoned!

I joined a game in progress and had a great time serving, volleying and the occasional spike! The game finished quick and we had new  participants joins and we had a sensational game the  Good Guys vs Survivor Wanna Bee's.  We had a great game which was full of great hits, serves and strategic ace's. 

At the end of the game one of my team mates asked me "are you a professional?" I was responded " multi-sport athlete" We went to on win 2 sets to 0 and bragging rights.

On the way back I took the Martin Goodman Trail and was treated to some amazing sites from numerous film studios on either side to start of the Gardiner Expressway. The trail started on the south side and ends up heading north along side the Gardiner Expressway. There are some challenging turns and detours that made it for adventurous ride and patience was needed at time waiting for the lights to change as we neared the downtown core.  It was great to see the CN Tower, financial district and condominiums making for fantastic skyline of  our wonderful city.

As I reached the Harbourfront made a pitstop to see Captain Jack's boat and some of the boats that were sailing the waters of  lake ontario. I headed north on Bay street and back into the city and admiring the many great sites and sounds of Toronto.

Moral of story:  Check out parts of the city that you have never been to before, you may be surprised what you may see :)