Cranksgiving Ride — A Tribute to Dr. Darren Markland

This Thanksgiving weekend, we invite you to join us for a special Cranksgiving Ride (Thanksgiving + Bike Cranks = Cranksgiving) in memory of Dr. Darren Markland — a beloved ICU physician, cyclist, community builder, and founder of Coffee Outside.

Darren touched countless lives through his work in health care and his passion for cycling. From mountain bike races to Friday morning coffee meetups, he brought people together, creating connections that will carry on long after him. This ride is both a celebration of his life and a chance for us to come together as a community to ride, remember, and give thanks.

Event Details

• Date: Sunday, October 12
• Start Time: Meet at 11am, we will leave by 11:30. Allow 1.5-2 hours.
• Location: Meet at Coronation Park near TWOSE, ending at Ezio Farone Park.
• Who Can Join: Everyone is welcome! Riders of all levels, families, and friends.

What is a Cranksgiving Ride?

Cranksgiving is a community ride with a purpose. For this special tribute edition, we’ll combine the fun and camaraderie of a group ride with an opportunity to honour Darren’s legacy of generosity and care.

Bring your bike, your friends, and (if you wish) a donation for the Bissell Centre. We will stop along the way to drop donations off. They are currently most in need of personal care items, including feminine hygiene products, diapers, razors, shampoo, and toilet paper.

Together, we’ll ride through the city, celebrate fall, and finish with a chance to share stories and coffee in Darren’s memory.

What to Expect

• A welcoming, inclusive ride for cyclists of all levels
• Opportunities to donate to the Bissell Centre
• A chance to remember Darren and reflect on the impact he had on our city
• Warm fall vibes, gratitude, and plenty of community spirit

Route

We will roughly follow this route. We will be pn paved trails the whole way.

If you arrive late, please join us along the way, and feel free to leave early if you need to!