Bike Crashes

Well the past week here in Canada has been flooded with news about the incident in Toronto involving a bike courier and a high profile former politico. Had the driver in this altercation involved Joe or Jane Normal, there very likely would have been a single column in the local newspapers with a follow-up report of the victim's identity. The only people that likely would have cared would be those in the cycling community especially those that face these dangers everyday.

With this being as high profile a case as it is now this may lead to more change in the respect that cyclists should get in their commute. I am not placing any blame on either combatant in this case. The cyclist was drunk and his judgment was impaired enough to hang on to a vehicle. The driver, likely fearing for his life, though there was only one way to try to avoid the incident and that was to try to "shake" the cyclist. Unfortunately, it led to the worst consequence of all.

The need for more safe, direct and accessible routes for cycling commuters to take to their daily tasks is becoming necessary in North America. By forcing cyclists to take the "long way" on a commute that is already extended by the fact that they are cycling anyways, causes cyclists to make some of the decisions they make.

Why should I as a cyclist have to ride down a narrow piece of dirt single track on my ride to work? Why can't there be a path or lane dedicated for other users that allows me to more enjoy my ride. I am sure if drivers in the city had to drive 1 or 2 kms everyday on their way to / from work on a non-maintained piece of roadway their would be an uproar. They would not put up with having to detour one or two blocks out of their way. Cyclists have to do this everyday. The ones that don't do this are called aggressive by the drivers and thus face, being pushed or squeezed in the lane.

I think the unfortunate circumstances in T.O. earlier this week could have been avoided. With some political will from all levels of government and to stand-up and recognize the growing demand for better cycling infrastructure maybe one day we can all share the road and help to bring more sustainability to our cities.

Today is for the birds.

On one of my favorite sites that I follow daily, there is lots of talk about a lady who saw a Comorant on her commute in this morning. She is probably correct based on this site.

Then there was talk about pelicans, but I saw a Blue Heron, in flight this evening on my ride home. I cannot be sure as it was flying away from me, but the long graceful flaps of its wings and the greyish blue tinge of it feathers makes me think that it was one. I wish I had my proper camera as I was only able to capture this with my cell phone.

It is amaizing the things that I see on my bike. I take this as a privelege to be able to experience these sights and witness nature at her best.

Had I been in my metal, plastic and glass enclosure, I would not have witnessed that bird today. I would have missed the playful gophers along my route. The ducklings adventuring further from their mother everyday now. The deer off in the distance, grazing and seemingly oblivious to the noise of the city only a few hundred meters away.

What an awesome ride!

Road versus bike path

The picture above is taken at 5:45PM today. Look at that traffic going nowhere! Most of the vehicles are single occupants. Meanwhile on the right side of the frame is the single track that I ride on. Clear sailing for me! I did not pass many of these vehicles because of taking the picture and putting the camera away, but I was being productive. Oh sure, some of the drivers were on the phone making plans, getting shopping lists together or whatever they were doing SITTING, WAITING.
Meanwhile, I hopped back on my bike and pedaled up the single track. No stoppages and no impatience as I was moving right along making progress towards home. Okay some of the people beat me home, but they were probably frustrated at the commute home. How do I know, because I was usually frustrated by waiting in traffic.
There is a better way! One day maybe they will shut down one lane in each direction on this road and allow a full bike lane, as is being considered in Vancouver.

Harvest Hills Second Cup

What the heck?
I gave up coffee for lent. Is that the reason that three weeks after Easter, Second Cup permanently closed the Harvest Hills location. The closest good coffee house to my home and it frickin' closed.
Nothing against the staff over the past year, but I guess I saw it coming. The cafe went from being a mature staff, which remained on weekdays, but the evening and weekend staff were all very young. I know as most of them are my daughters’ age. The service was always good, but I think they did not get trained by the new management propoerly as many of thier fancy drinks were not satisfactorily up to par, IE. cool or even cold steamers and lattes.
I am not a fancy drink buyer. I buy coffee. Not caps, lattes, espressos et al. Just coffee please Small, Medium or Large, depending on my mood or need for a mood! Not Tall, Grande or Vente, bullshit Star*ucks, but that's another post.
Oh I like proper coffee, pure blends, Sumatra, La Minita, Fazenda, San Agustin and Columbian. But just give me coffee. Maybe that's the problem, I did not take my girls enough. The wife and kids like tea lattes, steamers, smoothies and chillers. The expensive high margin stuff. My regular medium "that'll be $2.05 sir", I guess just did not cut it.
The search is on for a new close coffee house, besides Star*ucks. If I did want Star*ucks there is one closer than the former Second Cup and another only two blocks beyond that 2nd Cup. I drove / rode past them all the time. Good Earth in Creekside. I tried that by bike on Sunday. I could do it, but I shall not risk my life even for a good cup of coffee. Maybe when the pathway connections are completed later this year?
Methinks I will be riding a lot further for my coffee than I planned for the summer. Joshua Tree on Edmonton Trail. That little place near Eau Claire, sorry I cannot remember your name, but it looks soo good, small intimate, quaint and quiet. Holy crap, I will be seeing my buds at Cafe Artigiano on 3rd Street. I may have to drive.
I can't WIN.

Why I ride.

Many people ask me why I ride. "It's so much easier to just jump in the car, you can be there in a shorter time.", they say. Other's comment; "You get all sweaty and it's dangerous." "It's too cold, its' too hot, it's too dusty, it's too wet." All of these excuses not to ride.
It really is no big deal. So when I say that it really is no big deal, you just plan around the bike. I do not leave at the last minute for errands or work or play. I do not race or ride excessively fast. I ride to enjoy the ride. Soon I will be posting pics of sights I see on my rides. Sights that I would likely not see if I was driving, in fact some I would not see for sure.
My last gas fill up was mid March. I only drive when the distance is too distant. It may not be too distant one way, but the return trip, I know would be a bitch.
One day, when we do not need all that this current house offers, we will move closer to our needs. We are close to our needs now, but we have two teenage kids whose needs somehow have become our needs.

For more reasons....
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090502.STLEAH02ART1349/TPStory/Entertainment

1000 KM

This is the mark where I surpassed my first 1000 KM. Freeport Dr N.E at about 6:50AM on April 8, 2009. Not a very pretty or memorable location to say the least.

I started biking to work at the beginning of August 2008.

My commute to work is 12 KM round trip.

I rode an average of 3 days per week into December and was forced to stop by the heavy snow. I could probably ride through the snow, but my route takes me along Country Hills Blved which is a busy arterial road in Calgary with traffic flowing at min. 70KM/hr. A bit too scary with snow, ice, frost mixed with drivers "that just want to get there," no matter what or who is in the way!

I rode a few nice days during the winter and was able to get back into full "daily" mode at the end of March.

As I type this, I realize that I may be closer to 10,000 Km in my lifetime as I consider all the riding I did as a kid. To school, to the store (for cigarattes for my folks, ha ha!!) to work, and the countless laps around my 1/3 mile "racetrack" (the street in front of the house I grew up in.)

So, time to change the title to 10K. Nah. My next 1K will arrive a lot sooner than it took me to attain that first 1K and who knows maybe I can put more mileage on my bike this year than my car.

Riding my bike

I have been looking for ways to reduce my carbon footprint before the words "carbon footprint" became popular.
We have always recycled. That was easy.
We have reduced for several years, with low-flow shower heads, always turning off unused lights / appliances when not in use, buying Energy Star rated appliances where possible and affordable. Attempting to buy goods with as little packaging as possible.
Reuse wherever possible, from buying reuseable bottles, and finding other uses for items when their original useful life is depleted.
I have a reel mower so use only my strength, or lack thereof, as energy to clip my lawn.
BUT, I own an older car, 1996 six cylinder 3.0 liter gasser and a newer model 3/4 ton 6.0 liter heavy gasser.
I "needed" these vehicles beacuase I live in the city and need to be able to get to work "efficiently and quickly." My wife needed the second vehicle to be at her disoposal. Pick-up the groceries, the kids, the shopping, everything. When the weekend comes we like to hook up the trailer and head to the country or the mountains and get away.
This dependence on the vehicles is insane. With the price of gasoline, paying to maintain the vehicles, and insurance. Then there are the soft costs. Our health of driving the truck or car. We go to the store to buy a bag of groceries or worse a small prescription or even worse a donut and coffee and take the truck! I drive to work, a distance of just uder 7KM in the car. It takes about 10 minutes on a good day, and most days, I must admit are good. When the days are not good though I have had commutes of 20 - 40 minutes!
Physically and mentally things had to change.
In the summer of 2008 I began riding my bike to work. It was difficult at first of course, not physicall but mentally. My route takes me down one of the busiest roads in my town, Country Hills Blvd. A four lane road divided by a median with traffic travelling at a maximum of 70KM/h. (Maximum! I think that should read minimum?) Then there's the hill. Yeah, its not the Alpe d'Huez, or even the Edmonton Trail / 14 th Street hills here in Calgary but with no sidewalk or pathway along the side of the road, I am riding with traffic along the curb lane. Since I probably top out at about 30KM/h on a flat track, I probably only go 5-7KM/h while riding up the hill. Its about 180 to 210 seconds of "keeping my cadence."
But all the sweat, the sleepy feeling at work, during that first couple of weeks, and the seemingly very early mornings have ben worth it. I rode my bike to work about four days per week. I had comittments with our company having satellite offices and places to be that I would not be able to get to in a timely manner without the vehicle. I rode through rain, hot sun, frosty mornings and evenings, bright blinding sun, wind, (how I hate the wind at my front, how I love the wind at my back!) snow, dust storms, lightning storms, ice crystals and anything that God threw at us during those five months.
My last ride in 08 was "the first big snow of the season." It was a Friday afternoon and traffic was backed up and would have been one of those 45 minute drives. I got on my bike and because the bike path near my office was covered in about 20 cm of snow I "hopped" onto the road. I followed the well travelled tire tracks weaving in and out of the 5km of vehicles backed up on the road to nowhere. Meanwhile I got home only five minutes later than my standard 20 minute commute time. I was extremely motivated and was ready to ride through the whole winter. But alas, that weekend was freezing and the snow was not cleared on the roads or the paths. It became a highly dangerous situation and I suffered for the next several months and took up driving to work again. Oh yeah I was able to ride on five of the nicer days we had during the winter, but it was so irregular that I started to lose my motivation for riding. Driving was easy again and I could handle the bad days of 20 minute commutes. It's not that bad, I thought.
Well this week the weather improved enough that out came the bike, (I need a name for it, any suggestions?) Now here I am fully motivated again. There is still ice, snow, gravel and debris all over my route, but with careful navigation I am fully back in the saddle. The best part too is the tires on my car need to be replaced and I will not have to worry about it till next fall. I filled up the car with gas on Sunday and should not have to fill it up again until June, likely.Yeah my wife still drives the truck and runs the errands and we will still be heading out of town. For the next nine months though I have become autoless for the majority of my needs.
So if you see me while on my way to work, the store, the coffee house or anywhere else please give me one meter clearance and let me have my space on the road. I have as much right to that space as anybody else. Also know that I am enjoying myself and although I may struggle up the hill or against the wind or be tired of a long distance ride or may be struggling with a load of bags or goods, I have made this choice and I this is the best thing I can be doing right now.

For LDK - I Work to Live! I Live to Bike! I Bike to Work!

So this is my blog....

This will be my spot to write down all the wisdom that I have.

End of Blog.

Yeah, I know it will not be much, but
When I run long distance,
When I drive long distance,
When I bike long distance,
When I _____ long distance...
When I do anything long distance, my mind wanders on the main task,
running,
driving,
blanking,
biking
all these random thoughtless musings and diatribes spill out of my mind.
I will come here to put these into this concrete form. What do I think about, other than SEX, not much, but stay tuned and see what I am thinking. I am male, so on days that I do not post, I probably have not thought of anything, REALLY. I am male and sometimes I am thinking about absolutely nothing! We'll see.