[SPOT] Don River Blvd (East of Bathurst St on Sheppard Ave W.)

[Candy Man]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=5917400148448449160,43.756620,-79.432820&saddr=Sheppard+Ave+W+%4043.756620,+-79.432820&daddr=43.757271,-79.431099&mra=mi&mrsp=1,0&sz=17&sll=43.756651,-79.432075&sspn=0.006874,0.016243&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17

A hill I have known about since I was a kid, but have never skated. I drove there today to check it out and just as I remembered a steep curvy run that drops off the side of a bridge into the don valley. You could get some good speed, the pavement isnt amazing, but good enough although it gets a little choppy under the bridge.

There are options for taking a hairpin at the bottom into the parking lot (free parking) and there is also a gnarley steep paved path that goes downhill towards the parking lot too. There isnt any run off for the path, but its stupid steep (poop chute steep) so buttboarding or something must be done there.

There isnt much traffic on that road except for the few people that live on the street, but there are people who walk their dog and fitness types that run up and down the hill so you need to watch for them.

If anyone rides this post how it runs, I'm hoping to get out there again soon with a board.

[Navrick]

Can't wait to check this place out when the snow and salt disappears.

[justin]

how fast do you think it would be?

[Directive0]

I'm gonna guess over 9000, justin.

[justin]

dont you think my wheels will melt?

jeez im asking a question. the only comparison was to the shoot, but thats the path.

[bill]

dont you think my wheels will melt?

jeez im asking a question. the only comparison was to the shoot, but thats the path.

not if there made of pure bee's wax.

and if you wanna get there by bus i suggest taking the subway to young and sheppard and taking the bus west to bathurst. its not far from the young line

[thrasha]

yeah! i used to live right next to that road! i remember talking about this with you bren... glad you posted it.

we should hit it soon!!

[thrasha]

so i was randomly in the area today and decided to seize the opportunity! as predicted, this is a fun little road. not quite as steep as the chute though.. maybe comparable to the bottom half of the chute. i wish this road was longer cause the curves are fun. just when you start blazin', the hill ends. and while the pavement has a few bad spots, it's fine for the most part. the run-out is good too. just watch out when you're going over the little bridge (after you go underneath the Sheppard bridge), stay to the left side cause the transition on the right is pretty sketchy. also, i would LOVE to see someone bomb it from the top and try to make the corner into the parking lot, cause the way i see it, it's pretty much impossible without some mad footbraking.

if anybody is down for sessioning this some day, let me know. i couldn't go all out today because i was riding alone and i'm pretty sure that's a big faux-pas when it comes to safety! haha.

 

[paulc]

The path???  What about the path???  Did you check it out?

[thrasha]

The path???  What about the path???  Did you check it out?

what are you on about paul?

[paulc]

Look at the picture Bren posted.

To the South of Don River Boulevard is a path.  It looks like it might be interesting.

[thrasha]

oh! THAT. haha. yeah paul, good eye. i've actually been thinking about that path ever since i started skateboarding. i remember trying to go down it on rollerblades once and nearly killing myself. so YES, it is definitely very interesting.

here are my thoughts on the path: first of all, it is definitely poop chute steep. as i now realize, that's what bren was talking about in his original post. except it is less than half the width of the poop and has much gnarlier pavement (as bren also mentioned). if anybody attempts it, a huge pendy or two would be required to make the bottom corner. there is even a big sign at the top of the path that reads "STEEP ROAD - NO BIKING" hahaha. i went there again tonight and was reminded of just how crazy the path is. i plan on going back again soon to take photos that would lure some other skaters up here! i think it would be great to get some people out to this spot since we could hit both the road and the path! although the path is ridiculously gnar in my opinion... SUPER GNAR to be exact. in fact, i think that should be the new name for this spot. sterling was there and agreed that it totally deserves that name.

until i get a chance to take some photos to show off the road and path, here is a little teaser:

[McGoon]

This spot looks like fun!! I'm down for a session. Just make the call! How's tomorrow evening? The hairpin is a right hander?...

[justin]

Im down!

[thrasha]

sorry i didn't get back to you McGoon. other sessions got in the way. heh. we should organize a day to ride this for sure... do you work during the day? how about this friday? we can session this for a bit and then head over to the poop shoot!

how about you Bren? are you available to come skate this in the near future?