The Rouge Valley Conservation Centre’s 19th annual Ride for the Rouge will take place on Sat. May 12, 2012.

(Updated April 6, 2013): The 2013 Ride will roll on Sat. May 11, 2013. Registration has begun!

(Updated April 6, 2013): One of the lesser known online shopping sites for bicycles and cycling accessories is Light in the Box. I like the look of their 11 or 16 function multi-tools: like a Swiss Army knife for bike repair. Also check for their daily deals, linked from their home page.

Cycling in the Rouge Valley in Toronto

“Ride for the Rouge” is an annual fund-raising event in the Rouge River valley. They offer four choices:

Bicycle a 25 Km route Bicycle a 50 Km route Bicycle for 75 Km by following both the above routes Take a hike! 5 Km or so, with a nature interpreter (if you don’t speak “Nature”, ha ha…sorry, I’m back on track)

While both bicycle routes include parts of the parks, the maps indicate that they include city and suburban streets, too.

The Rouge River is in Scarborough, the eastern section of Toronto. The start/end point is the “Rouge Valley Conservation Centre located at 1749 Meadowvale Road” (north of Highway 401 and north of Sheppard Ave.; the Toronto Zoo is on the west side of Meadowvale, but the RVCC is on the east side).

Fitness, Fund-Raising and Food via Bicycle

There’s a clear fitness side to this event: you’re going to bicycle on sometimes rolling roads for anywhere between 25 and 75 Km. Or you can hike in the park.

The Rouge Valley Conservation Centre includes a pledge form on their site; your friends and relatives can support the cause and earn a tax deductible receipt by donating $25 or more. Their form mentions “prize giveaways”, so as a cycling participant you have an additional incentive to chat up your friends.

They promise “BBQ lunch and entertainment”. That’s both an incentive and also an idea for the time they expect you to return to base.

The RVCC is very serious about participants wearing certified bicycle helmets, following traffic laws, and generally keeping themselves safe during this event.

How to Register for the 2012 “Ride for the Rouge” Cycling Event

The RVCC web page has the details on how to register for the “Ride for the Rouge”. Allow me to point out:

Scroll down for the big blue online registration button…the “online” deadline is Friday May 11.

Beside this button is on online pledge button.

The right margin includes the same buttons, plus links to their bicycle route maps. (Hint: print and take along if you like the extra security of knowing where you are supposed to go).

A pledge form is also available through a link in the right margin.

You can spend as little as $10 for an individual hike, through $20 for each member of a corporate cycling team or $40 for a family.

You will need to sign a waiver; this is pretty standard for participants in almost all athletic events.

For those who wait for the last minute: you can sign up at 9am.

They like cash or cheque, so don’t expect to use a plastic card.

This photo has me in a bicycle helmet…but I admit that it was not taken during any RVCC “Ride for the Rouge” event.

Rolling By the Rouge River: Cycling in Toronto

The annual “Ride for the Rouge” is a fun event for Toronto cyclists. It covers some scenic terrain, supports the valuable work of the Rouge Valley Conservation Centre; and is a great excuse for cycling in Toronto.

(Disclaimer: DeHaan Services has no relationship to the organizer, who does not reimburse me for writing this article).