World Naked Bike Ride Toronto 2019

Bring your sunscreen and a bike and leave your clothes behind because the annual environmental protest is back in Toronto. The place to be is the war memorial at Coronation Park on Saturday, June 8, 2019 from about 10am on until the WNBR departure at 1pm and here are some pictures of the ride.

Flags and posters are up around the city

Their will be a body painter on site around 10am, available for commissions, as well as quite a few amateur painters using bodies as protest signs. Socialize in the park with the hundreds of riders that will take part in the event which will see a naked swarm of bicyclists taking over some of the busiest streets in downtown Toronto.

Stops along the way will include Queen's Park, Allan Gardens, Toronto City Hall and the Toronto Island's ferry terminal. The route also passes through the University of Toronto and Ryerson University while also traveling by some of the city's tourist hotspots like Trinity-Bellwoods Park, the Toronto Eaton Centre, Old City Hall and the Financial district.

Cheers and photos as the WNBR goes by

Public reaction is positive and everyone scrambles to get there cameras out as the bikes go by. Cries of "World Naked Bike Ride" alert people that the ride is coming.

Co-organizer by Gene Dare, photo at top, who spends a considerable amount of time to organize and spread word about the event, including putting up flags and posters throughout the city. Gene is always the first on site with his oversized glasses and Canadian hat and with the flag already mounted on his bicycle. Gene is always here hours before the first riders arrive and says that Bare Oaks nudist resort and the ladies from Oasis Aqualounge should be joining this year's outing once again.

Participants do not have to be nude, you can ride as bare as you dare and some people wear masks to protect their identities. This is a famous event that also takes part around the world so there will be news coverage and plenty of photographers snapping photos. Visitors also like to get photos taken with the naked riders, which most are happy to do.

The police have been providing an escort again over the last year or two and Gene has asked the mounted police to also lend a hand this year, which would be cool. The police drove up to check out the ride in Coronation Park and left after a quick scan. No mounted police or bicycle escort provided in 2019.

The purpose of the ride is to raise environmental awareness and to protest our dependence on oil in a manner that will draw maximum exposure to the cause, plus nudists. So join in, grab a camera or cheer the group as they pass by. The majority of the riders get to the ferry terminal where some end the ride, others go to the Islands (Hanlon Point clothing optional beach) and some return to Coronation Park.

The ride goes again next year on Saturday, June 13, 2020.

Ride to Conquer Cancer Toronto 2019

Thousands of bicyclists are here at the starting line in Exhibition Place for the 12th annual Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer. Opening ceremonies are underway and the race will start shortly.

The riders are giving up a warm spring weekend June 8-9 to travel over 200km in support of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - over $190 million before this ride! For 2019 the amount raised was $19.2 million.

From the ride's website; "Join thousands and choose how your epic impact will be made! Find your velocity with our classic route of two days and over 200 kilometres or take on the one-day Ride on the Saturday of event weekend. Looking for the ultimate cycling and fundraising challenge? Try The Hammer course. And if you want to raise vital funds for cancer research and care minus the bike and helmet, we have a Virtual Rider option for you!"

Mayor John Tory wearing his Raptors jacket helped with the opening remarks

Dundas West Fest 2019

It's suddenly street festival season and Dundas Street West brings their vibrant neighbourhood to life with the annual Dundas West Fest between Ossington Street to Landsdowne Avenue from June 7-8, 2019. Twelve blocks of vendors, bars and restaurants plus plenty of entertainment, enough to keep you busy for weeks - but remember you only have two days for the block party.

"Stroll along an old Toronto street that may just be at the most vibrant moment in its history. Dundas West Fest is the perhaps the city’s coolest neighbourhood festival and a unique cultural experience, with two major stages produced by two of the city’s most prominent independent music presenters and a total of five performance areas, Free music and music lessons, poetry readings, yoga classes, and visual art exhibits are all part of the Dundas West mix. It all starts after work on Friday, with our night market experience of patios galore, vendors, and lots of music. Saturday all day is for everyone, young and old and from all walks of life, with food, games, vendors, arts, music, dance and fanfare all the way until just before midnight."

Festival map

Potions & Elixirs in Dundas St Clarens Parkette

Amusement games

Kirkfield Lift Lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway

Two giant bathtubs, or caissons, move boats vertically up and down at Lock #36 north of Kirkfield, Ontario. Massive rams buried deep in the earth move one bathtub up 15 metres while at the same time the other bathtub goes down. There are two lift locks in the Trent-Severn; the Kirkfield one about two hours north-east of Toronto and the higher Peterborough Lift Lock #21.

Kirkfield Road passes right under the canal

Kirkfield in the fall

See more of the lock after the jump.

World Naked Bike Ride this Saturday

Update: See the 2019 ride on my post here

The weather in Toronto is warming up just in time for the annual WNBR Toronto on June 8, 2019. The two wheeled global environmental protest features a noticeable lack of clothes and quite a bit of bodypaint. "Just Show Up and Ride".

Riders will gather starting at 10am in Coronation Park (in the WWII memorial) just across from the Princes' Gates at Exhibition Place. People will doff their duds, socialize, decorate bodies and prepare for the 1pm start of the ride along some major streets in downtown Toronto, past a number of Tourist hot spots. You can find more info on my earlier blog post here.

Win Forks and Barrels #Toronto tickets

I have a couple sets of #ForksandBarrels 2019 weekend passes for some fans of "Good Food, Great Drinks and Wonderful People". Just send me an email (jmhcet@gmail.com) and I will pick some random lucky souls to win the tickets. Enjoy one of the best weekends in Toronto along the lakefront, try some great food, some outstanding beer, wine and spirits, games, musical performances and more.

Tier 2 Weekend Passes are Valid Friday, June 7 (1-11pm), Saturday, June 8 (11am-11pm), and Sunday, June 9 (11am-8pm); Single Entry Per Day. Includes Souvenir Cup and Free Water, Must be 19+, Don't Drink and Drive. The location is Ontario Place - West Island.

Drink sample tickets start at $2, food samples start at $4. 

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

Over 40 military aircraft are housed in a flying museum located at the Hamilton International Airport, although only a few of the planes can fly. From biplanes to jet fighters and world war two bombers. The facility is just off Highway 6 at 9280 Airport Road in Hamilton, open 9am-5pm, 7 days a week except for a few holidays, and the current adult price of admission is $15 (including tax).

Lancaster coming in from a flight

The static displays are quite extensive but the jewel of the museum is the restored and functional AVRO Lancaster bomber which can even be seen flying over Toronto every now and then. Flights can be purchased in the Lancaster along with a B-25 Mitchell a Fairey Firefly, a PBY Canso and a few others. Prices range from $100 in a DC-3 to $3,600 for a seat in the Lancaster.

Father's Day weekend - June 15-16, 2019 you can attend FLYFEST with many of the planes being flown during both days. Discounted rides will also be available on a first come, first served basis and helicopter rides will also be available. Please note that aircraft flight will be subject to weather. Adult tickets for entrance to the museum will cost $20 for this special event.

Several military vehicles are outside the museum and the vertical starfighter jet aircraft on display in front of the museum is in pieces inside the building being restored. Inside the museum is the static display aircraft and where they roll the Lancaster into when flights are finished. Outside on the right are a number of aircraft that fly, to the left is a large display of planes that cannot fly.

See more warplanes after the jump.

Stadium Super Trucks coming back to Honda Indy Toronto 2019

Robby Gordon's Stadium Super Trucks have been added to the on-track action at this years weekend of races in Exhibition Place. When these trucks jump, they really jump. It only takes a short time to set up the ramps along the track ahead of the races then the trucks barrel around the track, every now and then they go airborne and come crashing down to the pavement.

“Robby Gordon’s Stadium SUPER Trucks are a spectacular and popular feature that we are thrilled to add back on the schedule for the first time since 2016!” said Jeff Atkinson, Honda Indy Toronto President. “On and off track, this annual summer Toronto tradition has so much to experience for festival-goers of all ages. A variety of single-day and weekend ticket options and unique packages at varying price points help make the event accessible to all.”

You can also buy single day tickets for the 33rd annual Honda Indy Toronto starting May 30th. The race weekend is July 12-14, 2019. And Fan Friday is also back, courtesy of the Ontario Honda Dealers Association, where admission is free with a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish Canada.

"Ticket prices remain unchanged for the second year in a row to the Honda Indy Toronto. 2-Day Grandstand and General Admission are available now offering the best weekend value with access to the best seats. Pricing starts at $85 for 2-Day Grandstand seating, and 2-Day Weekend General Admission is $55. Single Day General Admission is $40 and $70 for reserved Single Day Grandstand seating. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult providing an exceptional family value."

Osgoode Hall peak bloom

I thought the cold, wet spring had cancelled the crab-apple blossoms in their idyllic setting at Osgoode Hall on Queen Street West, but no, they were just a little delayed and last week they went into peak bloom. The beautiful pink flowers are in the front courtyard of the historic property along the cobblestone path and visitors are taking advantage of the little piece of heaven and enjoying the beauty of the site.

The heritage building's front facade dates from 1860 and provides a great backdrop for the trees that have returned to life now that winter has ended.

Spring cleanup on the Don Valley Parkway

One of Toronto's main traffic arteries is closed for a quick wash and other assorted maintenance activities, much like how we clean out our garages after the snow melts. The two day closure was turned into one day because of that dreadful rain that we had on Saturday. The full closure from the Gardiner Expressway to Highway 401 is now only 29 hours, ending at 5am on Monday, May 27th.

Necessary pavement resurfacing work will have to be pushed from this occasion to another day, probably when stuff like the Blue Jays games, Doors Open and other such events will push the traffic into the city, slowly, very slowly due to closed highways and work on other arterial roads within Toronto. The average daily travel count on the DVP is an amazing 135,000 vehicles and they are almost always stopped in front of me.

Approximately 135,000 (weekday average) vehicles travel daily on the Don Valley Parkway.

The City says; "A full closure of the Don Valley Parkway, even for just one day, is an important and safe way that City road crews, engineers and other stakeholders, such as Toronto Hydro and Metrolinx, make improvements and keep the roadway in good repair. Traffic signal timing changes will be in effect to enhance traffic flow on nearby routes and mitigate traffic congestion associated with the expressway's closure."

Statistics on work completed during the one-day closure (numbers approximate):
• 5.5 "lane kilometres" of road resurfaced using 2,551 tonnes of asphalt
• 234 square metres of permanent pothole repairs completed using 59.4 tonnes of asphalt
• 1,535 metres of cracks filled
• 379 metres of guiderail repaired
• 153,507 metres of lines painted
• 160 kilometres of roadway swept
• 153.6 tonnes of debris removed
• 21 tonnes of litter collected
• 541 catch basins cleaned and flushed
• 11 culverts flushed
• 244 overhead signs, inspected, maintained or repaired
• Eight crash-cushion systems repaired
• 15 bridges inspected
• 260 street lights re-lamped, 46 street lights repaired, and one tall mastpole repaired
• 94 trees pruned