Hey guys, just a quick update regarding my question: https://lemmy.ca/post/22882437
I did end up successfully riding from Oshawa to Vaughan and back over the weekend, using Finch as the bridge between Pickering and Scarborough.
For the most part, I'm really happy with my route choice. The total trip was just over 162 km, and some highlights included:
- The trans-Canada trail along Duffins Creek in Pickering was amazing.
- There's a long-ass hill on Old Finch, just west of the zoo, that almost killed me on the way back (my folding bike is NOT geared at all for climbing, and I burned off any glycogen reserves by that point).
- The Finch hydro corridor was nice... taking McNicoll before and after was not. Poor roads and aggressive drivers.
- The Duncan Creek trail is also stunning. I'd 100% do this trail again if I'm in the area.
- The cycling infrastructure in Vaughan was great... until it's not. There's a section of road along HWY 7 West of Centre St and east of the 400 that's just downright terrible. Where there is no bike lane, the roads are garbage and traffic is fast and aggressive. Where there is a separated bike lane, it was COVERED in rocks, metal, plastic, wire, and pretty much everything else you can imagine; the road, FYI, looked as if it was cleaned using a toothbrush. The raised cycling lanes west of the 400 were really, really nice.
Overall, a really great ride. I'm not sure if I'll attempt the same ride using Taunton/Steeles at some point, since aggressive motorists going far in excess of 80 km/h just doesn't sound like fun.
As a side note, my Varia radar clocked one guy going 126km/h...