Cycling through the peaceful countryside... of downtown Toronto

One of Toronto's best features is the Don Valley, through which the modest Don River flows from the north to empty into Lake Ontario. For whatever reason, either because of difficulty of development or due to a spasm of actual urban planning, a delightful system of woodsy parks snakes down the valley all the way from Eglinton Avenue to the lake. All is not perfect... the parks turn into crowded pigstys on the weekend, and a six-lane freeway (the Don Valley Parkway) runs through the valley as well, but the parks collectively form a 10km bikepath towards downtown that would be the envy of Vancouver. I've been enjoying a daily bicycle commute ever since the beginning of "bicycle season" (ie the six months of the year when it's above freezing), and it's been a wonderful respite from the grim and mechanical ordeal that my commute normally is.

The mist rises from the dewy lawns in the morning, and the air is alive with the sound of birds. At many points the trail is actually a disused road, and the trees close in to provide an almost countryside setting. I've seen deer, armies of squirrels, and even a little bunny rabbit scampering comically in front of me this morning. It's a delightful way to begin and end the day.

Of course, the office tower in which I work is in the downtown core of one of the largest cities in North America, so it's not all bunny rabbits and daffodils: the last few kilometers of my ride consist of exhilarating (and sometimes sphincter-clenchingly crowded and dangerous) urban combat on King Street, or "Suicide Alley" as I half-jokingly call it.

Hyperbole aside, it's not quite as bad as I make out. There are plenty of cyclists on the road, and the presense of streetcars actually slows down traffic. I've been doing some reading on safe riding practices in heavy traffic, and learned a few things. For one, cyclists often act as though they have an inferiority complex regarding cars; they are deeply afraid of being hit from behind by a car (which is actually very rare), and convinced that they do not have the right to slow motorists down or inconvenience them in any way, even for a moment (which, if you think about it, is bullshit... cyclists have a right to travel too!) As a result, you'll see cyclists cower as far from the moving traffic as possible out of fear and exaggerated respect, and actually making themselves LESS safe in the process: vulnerable to getting doored by a parked car (many people have died this way), getting wiped out by sewer gratings or gutter junk, or getting clipped by a motorist who takes your lane position as an invitation to pass even when it really isn't safe. I've been guilty of this behaviour, but have vowed to stop it... from now on I'm "taking a lane" whenever necessary for my safety.

But there's lots more to learn, so I've decided to take the CAN-BIKE 2 course starting in June. This is the serious road commuter course, and the prerequisite is that you are already experienced riding in traffic. I expect that I will be told that I have been doing everything wrong and am lucky to still be alive, but I'm looking forward to it.