With my cycling accident back on Labour Day weekend and the concussion recovery that has followed, I've had plenty of time to think about riding and the rides I've completed this year and what's to come in 2017. I still hope to get back on the bike soon, but it's looking more and more like … Continue reading Pondering time away from cycling and a first look at the Arkel Seatpacker 15
Tag: cycling
Rest and Recovery
Since my crash on my road bike 10 days ago, my physical activity has consisted of nothing more than evening walks at a slow pace. Recovering from a crash takes time (more so for me, now that I'm in the 50+ category). After my crash, I took a few days off work, not so … Continue reading Rest and Recovery
Ride 37 of 50 – Bikes, Beers and Breweries
There are many great charities out there and because I'm a cyclist, there's no shortage of charity bike rides throughout the riding season. I've done the Heart and Stroke Ride for Heart, and I've ridden to support KW Counselling, Share the Road and the Lung Association. This past weekend I took part in a ride … Continue reading Ride 37 of 50 – Bikes, Beers and Breweries
Ride 36 of 50 – Hot, humid and hilly
Let me start this post by stating that I am not a climber. Going uphill on my bike is hard work and my goal is simply to make it to the top. That said, I wanted to do a tour of a few of the bigger hills in my area by mapping out a route … Continue reading Ride 36 of 50 – Hot, humid and hilly
Ride 35 of 50 – Eager Beaver Gravel Race – 100km version
Ride 35 is in the books: The soon-to-be-classic Eager Beaver 2.0. This gravel grinder event, starting and finishing in Highlands Nordic near Collingwood, offered three distances: 50 km, 100 km (which I rode), and 100 miles. Dan from Substance Projects runs fantastic events and this was no exception. I was up way too early to … Continue reading Ride 35 of 50 – Eager Beaver Gravel Race – 100km version
Ride 34 of 50 – The Big 5-0 – Bicycalligraphy
There are many reasons people choose to go for a ride: exercise/fitness, fresh air, good company, race training, racing, exploring new locations, personal bests, Strava (to get kudos, or to attempt a KOM/QOM), test a new bike or new bike part... and many more. For my 50 rides in my 50th year, I've experienced many … Continue reading Ride 34 of 50 – The Big 5-0 – Bicycalligraphy
Ride 33 of 50 – Grundy Lake Provincial Park
Sometimes it's not about the ride; it's about the destination. Camping has been a big part of my summer vacations for as long as I can remember. I've been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to visit many of Ontario's fine Provincial Parks, and in recent years, I've explored the parks by bicycle. This … Continue reading Ride 33 of 50 – Grundy Lake Provincial Park
Ride 31 of 50 – Getting caught in the summer rain
I didn't expect to blog about this ride, but it became memorable in the last hour when we got soaked with heavy rain. I've previously blogged about the Waterloo Cycling Club Thursday rides here, and because theses rides start close to home (RIM Park), it's hard to make excuses to avoid them. The riders split … Continue reading Ride 31 of 50 – Getting caught in the summer rain
Ride #30 of 50 – Niagara Falls
Another ride on my wish list for 2016 was to ride along the trail in Niagara Falls. I've been there many times, but hadn't ridden the trail from Niagara-on-the-Lake before. So with the kiddo away for the weekend, J. and I decided to drive down to Niagara and check out the path. Along the way … Continue reading Ride #30 of 50 – Niagara Falls
Ride #29 – Waterloo to Oakville with two Escarpment Climbs
I've kept a detailed ride log ever since I got into "serious" cycling in 2002, and according to my records, my first 100 km ride was in 2006, for the Waterloo Cycling Club charity ride, when I rode 162 km on my old road bike. I've since covered that distance numerous times, with my ride … Continue reading Ride #29 – Waterloo to Oakville with two Escarpment Climbs









