With the month of June upon us, cycling season is in full swing and despite the rainy May that we had, the weather has been good to get out on the bike. On this first weekend in June, I was able to add two new rides to my nearly-complete “50 memorable rides in my 50th year” quest: Ride 47: 70 km of city trails in Kitchener-Waterloo, and Ride 48: 2017 Ride for Heart in Toronto.
According to Strava, May 11 (last Thursday) was Global Bike to Work Day(since it’s on Strava, it must be true). So I thought this would be a good day to ride to work (and back).
Last fall, I blogged about the lack of continuity of bike lanes in Kitchener-Waterloo. Specifically, the lack of safe crossings of the Conestoga Parkway. I realize these things take time and money to implement, and I hope that the cities and region are moving towards better connectivity for cyclists.
Last year, I was planning to complete 50 memorable rides in the year I turned 50. A crash in September put that on hold, so I extended my goal to 2017. I’d finished 2016 with 41 of my 50 rides completed, and this past week, I added two more rides in the GTA. Continue reading
Finally, after half a year, I joined a group ride. I started the weekend gravel grinder rides with the Waterloo Cycling Club about five years ago and these rides have been very popular in the fall, winter and spring. Last fall, I was able to find a good group of folks to lead these rides in my absence. This Family Day weekend, I was able to join for these gravel grinder rides for the first time since the spring of 2016.
There are many good charities out there and there are many good charity cycling events. Share the Road is no exception. If you’re reading this, then you’re either a cyclist or a cycling supporter (or both), and you likely have an awareness of the issues that cyclists face when we’re out on the road.
I’ve recently blogged about the lack of safe ways to cross the Conestoga Parkway by bicycle. This topic has got me thinking about how to get more people on bicycles. I’m ai fairly experience and confident cyclist and I’m going to ride my bike across the city regardless of bike lanes. I’m not afraid of riding on streets with traffic in the absence of bike lanes (as long as it’s not during rush hour). However, this barrier will prevent other people from riding bikes. People need to feel safe at all times during their ride, whether it’s a commute during rush hour or a Sunday afternoon ride. Continue reading
It’s been a couple of months since I’ve added to my quest for “50 memorable rides in my 50th year”. With my crash and recovery from a concussion, I’ve decided to extend my 50-in-50 into 2017, but I was able to have memorable ride #40 this past weekend. It was memorable for the sole reason that it was my first ride on a NEW BIKE! And I used the opportunity to ride urban paths and trails and scout out a couple of the Highway 85 crossings that I blogged about previously. Continue reading
I live in Kitchener-Waterloo in the northeast end of town and one of my biggest pet peeves about cycling infrastructure in this part of town is the lack of bike lanes or safe roads to cross Highway 85 to get across town. Continue reading
