Greetings from Tofino!

Devinci and I (and touring partner Dave) have reached Tofino despite my fears we would never make it here in one piece. First there was the summit to contend with before getting to Port Alberni (described as a hump) which to a flatland loving cyclist was quite hard to make my way up. And of course then I had to overcome my fear of descents.

The road between Port Alberni and Tofino had been described by a couple people as something I'd driven and never ever cycle. Something about twisty winding narrow hilly roads with no shoulder. Locals that asked where we were going made wild hand gestures describing the road. Camping outside Port Alberni at Sproat Lake gave a taste of the road and I really didn't think I could hack the constant rollers with all the gear.

But it was so much easier going than expected (oh for say 30 glorious km of ignorant bliss) Great pavement, a paved shoulder, rolling but with gentle grades. Then I curse my way up a 3km long 10%-signed hill to a marked summit, and figure hey the hard part of the day is now over! I knew there was supposed to be some steeper grades but they were much shorter.

Traffic was fortunately light going being Mother's day and the semis were virtually non-existent. We were blessed with glorious sunshine. Then all of a sudden reality had to hit. Narrow winding highway next 12 km sign (seeming to coincide with a pick up in traffic) An 18% uphill followed by an 18% downhill. Winding, twisty with a rock cliff on one side and a concrete curb over a steep dropoff on the other. No choice but to take the lane but I'll be going really slow compared to the traffic out of descent fear. And its raining now too so braking is tricky.

But the challenges were well worth the rewarding views. I wish I could show you the amazing view of Kennedy Lake coming around one of the twisty descents but absolutely no place to stop!

More details later! Time to get out of the Internet cafe and enjoying Tofino. I'll leave you with a shot of me and the loaded rig at the bottom of the hill.

How to get two bikes home

For the non-straight armed inclined. And with weather much too nice to want to take transit instead of the bike for a single commute.

Day 1. The new bike is ready! Walk to the shop from work leaving the beater in the underground garage at work overnight (the garage is locked in the evening) and ride the new lime green bikey home. Yay for lime green bikeys.
Day 2. Ride Twenty to work (without its usual milk crate) Ride the beater home from work. Move Twenty to the end spot on the rack to reserve an easy spot to lock up the trailer the next day (since the weather is gorgeous, the racks are busy)
Day 3. Ride the new Kona to work with the trailer attached. Move Twenty to a new spot and lock the bike with attached trailer at the end. (running a cable through the trailer arm)

Then at the end of the day, make sure to get out of the garage before lock-up time (as getting everything up through the building would be a pain) The trailer is a bit small to hold a bike but it is definitely stable. Ride it home hoping not to look like a bike thief.

First brevet of the year

I was really excited about riding my first 200k brevet this year. I missed the first one on the schedule, my legs didn't feel ready for it, and I was still recovering from a nasty cough which I kept pushing through. But Sunday was going to be the Grand River brevet - a new route to me, and sounded lovely and scenic. Remembering my mistakes from the past I was determined to be organized and ready to go on the ride.

Of course typical advice of increasing long ride distance gradually is ignored, and also of not changing anything before a big event. In an effort to spare pain, I asked the friendly folks at Duke's how I could set up my bike to fit me better. They suggested moving the brake hoods higher, which made sense. I also tried changing the angle of my cleat on my foot that was causing me pain. To test out the cleat I took a short test spin around the Leslie Spit.

Hmm strange noises emanating from the front wheel. This does not sound good. A friend suggested it could be the bearings in the hub. I took the wheel off the bike and spun it around and it seemed really wonky. No good, I can't ride 200 km on this! What do I do, its Saturday night. Must steal wheel from new bike. (New bike?! Oh yeah I'm behind on blogging, but I'll write about my new Kona Dew Plus for commuting soon!) New bike however has disc brakes but I'm hoping the disc can just be ignored on my other bike. Some frustration dealing with two tight tires later and I have the tires swapped around. I put the Kona wheel on Devinci happy that the rims are exactly the same width, only to spin the wheel and discover the disc rubs the fork. The disc has six bolts in it. My multitool has a matching head to said bolts. What am I crazily doing to my beautiful new bicycle? Fortunately the little tool gives nowhere near enough torque to budge the disc bolts and I decide it is just a plain bad idea.

By this time its too late to likely find anyone awake who is riding the brevet tomorrow, but I send a pleading email to two of them asking if they have a spare 700c rim I can borrow. I'm pretty stubborn, and I really want to go on the ride. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous to boot. I consider the realistic possibilities, ride wonky wheel, ride the Kona, or skip the ride. I like my new bike, but 200 km in the country on it? Its pretty upright and the wind will slaughter me. If the wind doesn't do me in I'll certainly be cursing my way up the escarpment on a heavy bike.

I have to show up to the ride as I'm the organizer! A fellow randonneur John is supposed to be picking me up at 6:30 a.m. for a ride to the start point, about 45 km away. I sigh, figure I'll need to take the Kona on the car, hand out the control cards to everyone, and then enjoy a pleasant 45 km ride back to my house.

3.5 hours of sleep later I'm completely dazed and groggy. I pull on bike clothes for the short ride plan. But I'm still really wishing I could do the ride and call up randonneur Mike. Do you have any spare 700c wheels? I ask wishfully. After he reminds me his recumbent uses 650 I'm like oh yeah... and then ask if his other recumbent could be ride-ready. 200 km on a recumbent when I haven't been riding one? Yeah it might spare my back, neck and hand pain, but it does use different leg muscles. Okay scratch that idea.

When John shows up I show him my wonky wheel, and for some reason it seems to be spinning just fine at the time. He thinks its probably okay to ride on. I pull its tire back off the Kona, and while I am frantically gathering last minute stuff (since I didn't plan to ride the brevet) John puts the tire onto not-so-wonky wheel.

In my non-caffeinated state we're driving along the Gardiner Expressway and I see a cyclist a couple of lanes over. I'm obviously confused. I have to ask John, that's a cyclist, on the Gardiner?!? Obviously someone with a suicide wish. I've seen some strange things with the increase in cyclists due to a weekend transit strike, but this was definitely the strangest.

13 riders are out on this lovely spring day, and I'm too busy handing out control cards and figuring out who I am supposed to collect forms from to look at anything on my bike. I haven't remounted the magnet for the computer after the wheel swap. Its 8 a.m and the pack takes off and I'm still adjusting the magnet. I know I'm too slow to stay with the pack for long but its always nice that first few kms of being in a group. I figure its not that important anyway (though its always helpful for navigation to know if you are at the right distance for your turn) and forget about it and get going with John who has waited for me.

As I start the ride I'm questioning the insanity behind wanting to ride 200 km on a questionable wheel, on very little sleep, with untested bike setup changes early in the season. When I definitely don't want to injure myself in any way because in less than 10 days from the brevet I'm going bike touring on Vancouver Island (yeah more blogging backlog!) The brevet is supposed to be a test ride for the trip, but on the trip I'll be more sane than riding 200 km in one day, and I'll be carrying a lot more stuff!

At some point towards Ancaster there's a sign marked 9% grade (downhill). Interesting because very few signs in southern Ontario mark the grade they just indicate trucks gear down. I've been obsessing about gradients after reading there will be 18% grades on the road between Port Alberni and Tofino. Not only steep grades apparently but narrow and winding at the same time, with a rock face on one side and a sharp dropoff on the other, and logging trucks on the road. And black bears. Not that I'm worrying or anything. Anyway said 9% hill seems really steep (so I'm really paranoid about 18!) and is quite twisty at the same time and I'm clutching the brakes really hard to make the tight turns and I have this feeling I'm going to fly over the handlebars. Not particularly confidence inspiring.

Some granny gear climbs and pretty scenery later (yeah what goes down must come up again!) and we're rolling into the first control at the 57k mark. The middle group of riders is just leaving the control. One of the riders that lives in the area warns about construction on Wilson street on the way back suggesting the sidewalk. I'm really not feeling up to 200 for the day, I'm already hurting and the coffee never woke me up. The bike is feeling pretty sluggish too and I'm not sure if its the wheel, the engine, or the damn headwind. Probably all of the above. Stubbornness kicks into gear and I start riding to the next control rather than turn back.

We ride along the Grand River and into the town of Caledonia, where I see no signs of any blockades, just a seemingly endless stretch of ugly strip malls. At least now the ride is relatively flat into the far point of the ride Cayuga.

I'm pretty sacked by the control at the 100k mark in Cayuga. Efficiency is totally lost on me at this point and I can't think clearly to organize the control steps of getting my card signed, peeing, eating and filling up on water. I'm sitting munching subs with Mike and John in the park, and at this point napping in the park and waiting for someone to finish the ride and come back for my tired body is sounding quite appealing. Why did I think riding 200k at a time is fun again? I think I have already decided this is the last randonneur ride I will ever go on. 10k jaunts on the beach bike path for me from now on.

The wind seems a bit too chilly for park napping so I figure if I can make it part of the way back it will make getting home a little easier. Fortunately as we turn the other direction, cha-ching! Tailwind! Tailwinds how I love thee. This made the whole idea so much more bearable.

When at some point later when I'm just riding with Mike now he turns onto a road and I follow but don't check my route sheet. Hey you're going the wrong way I insist! We must be going south because we're going back into the wind again. I pull out my route sheet and squint at it going SOUTH 4 km to Haldibrook Road?!? They really want us to go south now? We were already on that road before, the start is to the north, is this some random distance adding loop? Because I really am all about efficiency at this point.

The scariest part was riding down the Hamilton escarpment into Dundas on Wilson Street. Super busy with fast moving traffic on a 2 lane road. They put a bike lane here (on a descent you could hit 70 kph on a bike) but I must admit its decently wide for a speedier descent, but its really cracked up pavement! The adjacent roadway is nice and smooth. I look over wanting to take the lane, and if I could maintain 60+ kph maybe I would (despite the fact the traffic is probably going over 80..) but if the road turns I really want to slow down on the descent so I just resign myself to going really slooowly down the cracked pavement. I don't see Mike at all until much later (he went for the take the lane plan)

I remember the warning from earlier about the construction and wonder where that is. Oh yeah there we go. Narrow pyloned lanes still descending. No way I want to ride sidewalk down a hill. At least I feel comfortable taking the lane here in that the pylons are narrow enough traffic will need to slow down. But what scares me is random construction debris that I can't see going too fast. And of course at one point there it is a messy pile of uneven gravel in the middle of the freakin lane.

Add in a few aggressive drivers passing too closely on descents and I'm just kinda in shellshock mode when we roll into the Tim Hortons in Dundas. (the third control point) Between the shellshock and knowing we are in a valley that we must now climb out of again the idea of quitting here seems awfully appealing. But I've gone 155 km, what's 50 more?

Fortunately I found the climb out of Dundas to be gentle. It was gradual enough, and just put the bike into the granny gear and spun up. I think one hill I stopped for a breather partway up but then got back on the bike again. I'm glad I got the small chainring figured out better, I had troubles shifting with it before so I would always try to avoid it. My knees are much happier with the new plan of actually making use of the triple.

I couldn't quite figure out why on the ride the saddle felt like I was sitting on a rock or something. Aha the moving of the brake hoods... a more upright riding position kindly puts less weight on my hands, but then the weight must get moved to my behind. Ouch. Add in a liberal dose of back pain and that's really why I found it hard to keep a decent pace going. (recumbents are looking more attractive all the time, especially the added bonus of aerodynamics to thwart my nemesis the wind)

At some point John has finished and calls to find out where we are since he offers to wait to give me a ride home! What a saint! This spurs me on to get back faster. Add in smooth roads, a tailwind, and the fact that busy Britannia road at dusk is not very much fun, and I'm finally pedalling at a decent pace. Mike seems shocked I can go that fast and there's some mumbling about training so I can keep that up all the time. (the word training really kills the fun in biking for me)

I finish the brevet in 12:35. Already thoughts of my first 300 are entering my head. How quickly I forget my "last randonneur ride" mutterings.

The best part of the ride were the lovely scenic views. Scary descents and tough to grunt up hills usually have rewarding results. I'm sure I'll feel the same about the tough climbs I'm dreading on the Vancouver Island trip. I'm really excited about touring and being able to go at a relaxed pace. No time limits, lots of time to stop and take pictures, eat, enjoy the scenery. Fortunately my touring partner Dave both likes to take lots of gear (a hope of keeping up on the hills!) and really knows what he's doing having crossed the country bike camping before.

PS The wonky wheel was not just my imagination, apparently the cones were pitted. But its all fixed up and ready to roll now thanks to Sherri at Community Bicycle Network.

Signs of Spring

I'm having a little trouble telling that its actually supposed to be spring here as we're off to a pretty chilly start. But there's always some telltale signs:

• Changing tires: bye bye inefficient knobby tire, hello speedy slick tire. Or so I thought I'd get a spring burst of speed. But no, the beater is feeling as clunky as ever. Now that the salt appears to have vanished I can hunt down the city bike version 2.
  
• The long way home: variety in routes is always good but the winter really only had two well-cleared choices. Now I can take the peaceful and relaxing bike path route with a car-free bridge across the Don (yay nobody gunning for the expressway onramps)
  
  
• The sudden reappearance of toy bicycles: if the pedals are merely for decoration, and cannot be used to propel the vehicle forward, its not a bicycle. I find it a source of amusement to pedal past the e-bikes. (for those unfamiliar, these electric-motor bikes have special regulations allowing people to ride them without a license or insurance, but are speed limited to 32 km/h, and are allowed to use bike lanes and paths) Not so amusing is when the owners lock one of these to a bike rack crosswise. Fortunately in the photo below its not actually locked to the rack, so there is still enough clearance for bicycle parking.
  
  
• Lovely mounds of cigarette butts exposed by melting snow (I'll spare you the disgustingness of a photo)
  
• The return of road rage season. I had a glorious road rage free winter of cycling. Spring seems to signal to drivers the return of laying on the horn. Maybe its because I look like I'm having more fun on the road than they are. Fun, not allowed.
  
• The first wave of increased bicycle numbers. While this always warms my heart, I find the appearance of bicycles from all directions rather unnerving. To the fair-weather-only psycho-kamikazes, at least a vague adherence to the road rules would be considerate to other users.
  
• With the return of lots of bicycles, the bicycle thief returns from hibernation (or a winter spent nicking snow shovels, who knows) I've seen innumerable locked bicycles missing key parts lately. I was saddened one of them was the cheerful looking orange bike that I'd noticed the owner tuning up for spring not so long ago.
  
• The thought that biking 140km with a lung-hacking-up-cold is a sensible thing to do. Or rather the hopeful oh please get better because I'm really itching to enjoy the first non-winter-like weather of the year (13 degrees!) Wanna ride too?
  

First ride of spring!

Do not be fooled by the snow in the picture. Its a mere staging game by Old Man Winter to deceive you into thinking its not bike season yet. Do not be fooled by the balaclava. Its merely a fashion accessory, and not at all needed to keep my head and neck warm from the wicked wind and below freezing temperatures. Because it is spring! The air has changed, it has that spring smell about it. It could be that eau de neighbourhood cat pee soaked into my porch that I smell whenever I leave the house now.

Its been five long months since I've been on a ride over 50 km, and I had been itching to take my Devinci out, but paranoid of prime salty season. Sunday was the first randonneur ride of the year, and I was really excited about going on longer rides again. Saturday I decided to take Devinci out to test its roadworthiness. After going on a short 32k meander about Leslie Spit and the portlands (where I was dismayed to see the progress on the ugly new power plant that could have easily been avoided through much cheaper conservation measures) and some neighbourhood wandering, I concluded the bike was ready, but the engine, not so sure. I got myself pretty winded trying to play the chase other cyclists game, one was on a mountain bike that I could not catch, and I huffed my way up the Greenwood hill trying to keep up with a cyclist I was chatting with.

I was skeptical of doing the randonneur ride with a forecast high of -2C. Definitely not as nice as my Saturday meander in 5 degree sunshine. Sure I'll ride all winter long to work no matter what the temperature (the only days that stopped me were very slippery roads). I can be indoors in about 20 minutes sipping warm tea before the frostbite sets in to my thumbs going numb. (which happens at -15C not -2C anyway) And downtown is one big wind block. But this ride was in the country. Despite the feeling of seasonal out of shape-ness it felt so great to be spinning away on the nice bike. I had energy. I'm thinking ah I'll just ride out to the start of the ride (about 30-35km of suburban mess)

That idea went quickly by the wayside when I noticed there would be strong headwinds going uphill of course to the start, and I would have to leave before sunrise. I mailed the randonneur list asking if I could get a ride with someone leaving from downtown. A faint hope of course, as I assumed how many people are crazy enough to want to ride when its still freezing cold out?

The night before, time to make sure everything is ready. Of course being the first ride of the year there's always the question of finding gear put in unknown locations at the end of last season. I didn't even want to look at the Camelbak which I no doubt forgot to clean of Gator-goo. I located one spare tube (oddly covered in said Gator-goo), but no pump. With a group ride if I flatted someone would have a pump, but I still wasn't sure if I was riding some of the way to the start, or if I would be stranded on my own because I wasn't up for the ride.

I have three portable pumps. I locate pump 1 - Topeak Road Morph, the ideal pump because you can use it like a floor pump so its much easier to pump to high pressure. I test it and it lets all the air out of my tire. I puzzle over the head (pump head switches from Presta to Schrader always seem to spatially confuse me) and eventually conclude a part is missing (the little rubber bit). I repump the tire with the floor pump and locate pump 2 - stuffed in my pannier for commuting but long since neglected as I've been not needing it (knock on wood). Its missing a bit, but I dig in my pannier and find it, and test it out only to have the bits pop off onto the valve (apparently its missing the ring that holds everything in place). Well I do own a frame pump, where the @#$%^& is it? After walking around my house in a frenzied state several times I calm down and think the only place it could possibly be I haven't looked is (lift armchair) under the armchair. Aha. Success. Or so I think. In my effort to make sure this pump was actually working I manage to rip the valve stem on the tube, and I've flatted my tire.

I can't tell you how many times I've flatted a tire while pumping them up the night before a ride, so I have to change it when I'm dead tired and wanting to sleep. Of course now the fact of having a pump has been somewhat negated by the fact I won't have a spare tube. With weak grip strength and a tight tire I struggle and struggle to get the tire both off and then after back onto the rim. Sigh.

I head to sleep still unsure about this cold weather riding idea. Oh well I'll leave it to fate. If I don't wake up in time I won't go. My alarm goes off and I'm wide awake. Hmm maybe I shouldn't go if I can't find a patch kit. Oh look I find it right away in the chaos. I had gotten a reply about a ride, but it was from halfway there, not downtown. Further still then I felt like pedalling, so the plan was to ride to Yonge Street and try to hop on the blue night bus. Cursed subway that doesn't open til 9 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Setting off in the dark, its brisk, but I figure it will feel much nicer after sunrise. Again with the fate, I figure if I can't take my bike on the bus I'll just turn around and head home.

As luck would have it as soon as I hit Yonge Street I can see a bus coming. As it pulls into the stop I see its too crowded to feel like not a schmuck for taking a bike on board. But oh what's that on the front of the bus? Yay its TTC's Rack It and Rocket!. I have no idea what I'm doing but I pull the rack down, and put my bike on top. Then try to figure out how the arm works. I pull it up and manage to catch it in the spokes of my wheel and the driver has to get off to help me out. Apparently pull it outwards first before up and over the wheel. Seems easy when you have done it once.

As the bus fills up to sardine-packed level I can no longer see the seat of my bike out the front window and that makes me nervous that this is not going to somehow go falling off the bus. But I was lucky the bus had the Racks because I would not been able to have gotten on it otherwise. Yonge is not on the route list, but it seems the TTC is adding the racks to all buses as they get new ones. Disembarking is a snap after I let the driver know I'm taking my bike off (so he doesn't drive over me!)

Once off the bus and away from the windbreak of downtown I feel the wind whipping through my mesh shoes. Booties are on my plan to buy list (for downpours!) but I don't have any yet. Plastic bags to the rescue!

A small but hearty group of 4 of us set out from Maple to head to Schomberg. I've never been to Schomberg before but it sounds quaint.


me, John, Tristan, invisible photographer Ken

We head north, directly into the wind. Its tough slogging but in good news I'm quickly warmed up! Which is good because I couldn't operate the drop bar brakes very easily with the thick lobster claws I use on my straight bar commuter, and took them off. I have vague memories of the hill coming up on Jane street as the one that made my head explode last year. See I had tried this very same ride last year, in warmer but still chilly conditions, and gotten a massive headache after the first climb that had me turned back.

But luckily with stronger legs this year the first hill didn't seem so bad, and then I went blazing up the second. Okay perhaps blazing wasn't the wisest idea as my energy petered out before the top, but hey still there was no walking on this first ride of spring. I had worries when I saw the huge descent into Schomberg (aha its in the marsh!) but the trip back up it was slow but doable.

The crosswinds over open fields heading west were worse almost to deal with than direct headwind (hmm could be noone to draft that way), and there was quite a bit of leaning involved to stay upright. I was feeling reasonably battered by the time we got to our lunch stop so I was concerned about making it back.

Here's a photo of us in Schomberg:


Oh but when we finally turned south again it was so glorious! There were uphills but the tailwind provided a lovely almost motor-like boost to make it up them. The sun was shining, the snow-laden scenery was gorgeous, and it was fun fun fun.

Total ride was 70k, and 80k for the day with getting to/from transit. (note to self: sitting in sweaty clothes on subway then going out again is cold cold cold) Looking forward to longer rides and the rest of the season. I think I'll be on my bike pretty much every spare moment of sunshine.

Thanks to Ken J for organizing the ride, advertising the ride as good biking weather, and taking all of these photos. You can see his complete set here.

Score another one for Old Man Winter.

I must have jinxed this winter by deciding who needs studded bike tires in downtown Toronto, we never get that much snow. This past weekend's big blizzard was just one more snowstorm on top of what seems like a neverending series. Over the years I've gotten less stubborn, and know when its best just to leave the bike at home and take transit instead. Of course days when its too bad out to bike are rarely pleasant transit days, with jampacked vehicles and delays-a-plenty. So I have this association with don't take transit unless you really feel you'll go sliding on your ass if you don't.

Tuesday night, a snowstorm started and about an hour into the downfall I had the most fun ride of the season. Just the joy of making tracks in fresh snow and the big flakes falling. Wednesday after some contemplation and visual inspection of the main roadways after an overnight heavy snowfall still continuing, I opted for transit. It was good because it gave me the excuse to walk the 6 km home after work (after most of the sidewalks were cleared), and I really enjoy long walks but rarely go for them with the bicycle so convenient.

Friday the forecast is for a big storm, but the morning looks so nice out I can't resist riding anyway. I generally ignore the forecast and worry about only the current direction of travel (I have left the bike in the garage at work before) By the time I leave work the snow is blowing but the accumulation isn't too bad yet - so I am confident I will not fall on my ass.

I pick the more arterial of my two normal route choices - Adelaide, a four lane one way street, over Queen - more bike friendly but a narrow zone to ride in between parked cars and streetcar tracks. I figure on Adelaide I can have my own lane. I'm taking the rightmost lane - hardly driveable by cars due to ice chunks from previous snowfalls. I am visible with two taillights and reflective vest. But yet drivers persist in trying to pass by only inches - straddling the two lanes. Did I mention they are all driving at bike speed to begin because of the conditions? (which is odd I don't find I have to slow down at all)

Its probably the "oh its a crazy person" factor so people are less respectful then they would be during better weather. Along the same lines a pedestrian at a light asks "Hi, how are you?" in that kind of voice where is sounds like he's trying to assess if I'm a sane human being or not. I'm like Great! How are you? And he mentions about riding safe.

Saturday I'm volunteering at the bike show. We've had snowfall all night and there's supposed to be a whole lot more during the show. It seems wrong somehow to not bike to the bike show... but yet once again after visual inspection of the main road, I decide its not worth it and the wickedly gusting wind just confirms my choice. From the transit I see only two cyclists - which is very unusual for downtown Toronto. One is rocking the bike back and forth a lot from side to side on a skinny-tired fixie (much better for cutting through the snow than my wide tires). The other is on a road that the plow just came up five minutes before (a luxury that would not be possible most of my route). The transit trip seems like a real pain compared to riding though, and when a fellow randonneur asks if I would like a drive home the answer is that would be great, thanks!

Today though I was itching to get back on the bike again. Sunshine helped immensely and it appeared that a single lane of most main roads were clear. I head out to a social event, monitoring the rearview mirror carefully so I could take the clear space while not enraging the bulls in the cages. On Bloor Street its just frustrating to be in that single lane of traffic, as it creeps along so slowly - but there's definitely no room to filter with the snow eating up extra space.

But I guess only one direction was the sunny side of the street. Coming back is significantly more challenging so I'm trying to tread carefully over packed snow and pick the barest lines while avoiding all the massive potholes that have appeared over this past winter. To my amazement I see dump trucks actually clearing the bike lanes on the Bloor viaduct (it seemed to take several weeks for them to do the same after previous storms). I'm also pretty much freezing my ass off as I dressed assuming near zero temps (being lulled into confusion by the lovely sunshine) when it was really -10C. (time to pedal harder!)

On Queen Street I'm cursing the locals that have plowed out parking lots into snow mountains in the middle of the road. I check for traffic and change lanes across the streetcar tracks to get by the mountains. A bit further along, in the rearview mirror I see a car approaching far too quickly and far too close. Its making me very nervous. I see a gap in the snow mountains but there's loose/stray packed snow there too. I cross the tracks too abruptly back towards the curb, hit the packed snow, and whoosh. I would never have crossed at that point if I hadn't felt threatened. The big key to not falling in winter crap on the road is to not ride in the crap on the road and use the bare space even if it inconveniences some motorists - most seem to respect that, and I always facilitate passing when its safe for me to do so.

I knew it had been far too long since I had been reminded that asphalt hurts. Actually I didn't impact the asphalt as much as my bike impacted my shin. And the asshole tailgating driver? He does appear to pull over up some distance ahead, but as soon as he sees me get up off the ground he takes off without so much as opening the door to ask if I'm alright.

Score another one for Old Man winter and one big shiny bruised bump for me. Forgive me if I keep asking but I would like an order of spring please!

Dear Winter

Dear Old Man Winter,
We've had some good times over the past season. The other weekend I went to Ottawa for the Winterlude festival, and enjoyed a skate on your world's biggest outdoor skating rink with about 100,000 other folks that had the same idea.

Now of course you had to subtly (or not so subtly) remind me that you, Winter, are more powerful than mere man-made plastic:

You may be able to break my skates, but you can't break my spirit.

Along the lines of trying to break things, I'd appreciate if you'd leave my bicycle alone. Yes I know, it wasn't you, but silly humans, that thought pouring tonnes of destructive salt was a good way to make the roads safer to travel on. And salt-a-plenty we've been doing in this doozy of a Toronto winter you've thrown our way. The salt managed to seize up my rear brakes so well I took them in to the bike shop for some new ones. But I wasn't about to let you win twice with the front brakes. Fortunately I was able to remove them, clean and gob up some fresh grease on the posts, and presto magico working brakes (and no randomly leftover bits, an always disconcerting experience of crazy biker chick bike repair experimentation projects)

However, I have to suspect that my violent lurch into my saddle today did had something to do with you, dear Winter. Apparently the bitter cold weather can make an already suspect freehub function even worse. And yeah to us wimpy Torontonians I think -15C with -25C windchill counts as bitter.

But not bitter enough to take the smile out of my morning commute. You'll have to try really much harder for that one. Fortunately the Arctic chills seem to come along with clear skies and sunshine, and I thank you for that. To my neighbour that suggested "today is not a good day to be on your bicycle" I think I mentioned "What do you mean? Its a bee-yoo-tee-ful sunshiney day" I now appreciate however why I see some other cyclists wearing ski goggles when they ride. You did manage to rip the wind right through my useless winter cycling three fingered gloves on the way home though, but my commute is short enough that I could escape to warmer air before frozen became frostbitten.

Through icy roads and fierce wind and freezing rain and chilly temps and fresh falling snow and blizzards I've attempted to beat everything you've thrown my way. With a smile of the simplicity of the bicycle, the warmth created by the engine, and dreams of tea on the other side. You narrow the road space with mountains of plowed snow, but it just makes it that much easier to find space to occupy. The joys of cruising down the middle of a bustling city street bundled against the elements, knowing the onlookers have no idea why I'm smiling madly.

Occasionally when the snow piles deep and the four-wheeled boxes are sliding about at randomly I decide its not worth it and have to abandon the bike. But those are the fun days for giddily trundling with boots through the piles of snow, or grabbing the toboggan and making my way to Riverdale Park to fly my way into the Don Valley.

So yeah we've had some pretty good times. But you know, I'm about more than ready to say so long, farewell, adios, until next year... I know you are officially scheduled for the next three weeks. But I'm dreamin' of spring, and if you could just maybe uh step aside and make way? I'd really appreciate it.

Dreamin' of pansies in the milk crate on the Twenty, trading in the balaclava for hair blowin' in the wind, a skirt instead of wind pants, sandals instead of boots, bright blooming flowers, waffle cones, bikey traffic jams, good mood breezes, daylight long into the evening hours, fresh asparagus, deck lounging, barbequed portobello mushrooms, and of course crazy-long-bike-ride season vs. short-enough-to-avoid-frostbite-bike-ride season.

Yours truly,
Crazy Biker Chick

Winter Cycling in the News

(click for larger version)
Full text (sans lovely photo) here.

Catching up!

Did you miss me? I didn't intend to disappear for so long. Just haven't felt inspired to write. But always inspired to keep on riding.

What's new?

• I have a new homemade cargo trailer that my friend Mark helped me build. Its perfect for bulk kitty litter and cat food shopping. And garden supply buying in the spring! (okay so I may be dreamin' of spring about now) I'll post some construction photos later, but its a frame built of metal electrical conduit to hold a rubbermaid container. Here's the return from winter shopping, after carefully shovelling out a trailer width gap in the snowplow bank:
  
  
  Locking up for shopping is easy with a looped cable around the frame. Not so easy that bike racks are not generally dug out:
  
  
• With the really destructive salty season (so far I have had seized brake arms, and my new chain and cassette are looking very worse for wear) I'm waiting to spring for any new bikey purchases. I'm eying the Bacchetta Giro 26 first as my new randonneuring and touring bike, hopefully as soon as the salty season vanishes.
  
  Photo by Steeker, shamelessly ripped off from the The Lazy Randonneur
  
• What do you think of the new banners? I've put up some of my favourite bikey photos, and it randomizes so you'll get a new one each time.
  
• I have discovered new joys in winter riding. I like it when the crappy snow plowing job ends up creating new motorist-keep-out lanes like seen here on Richmond:
  
  
  
• Some winter cyclists are really adept at riding in slippery icy conditions. I am not one of them. I simply look ahead for what looks slippery and slalom my way through the clear spots. A good rearview mirror is a very helpful way to navigate the obstacle course. Almost always the ice pools up on the edges of the road - sometimes just in the gutters, but other times across the entire curb lane (note to city: are the no parking snow route signs just festive decorations?)
  
  I think often winter would have me bitching and moaning about what a crappy job the city did of clearing the snow. Not only are bike lanes non-existent, but on four lane roads several feet of the curb lane are snowy and parked cars are almost on top of streetcar tracks. But I've discovered something new...
  
  Just ride in the middle of the clear lane, wherever that happens to be. There's something kinda cool about just groovin' along with the rest of traffic on a main city street like Danforth or Adelaide. If the parked cars are too close to the streetcar tracks, just ride between the streetcar tracks. (for those not in Toronto, the streetcar lane also during non-rush hour is the only vehicle travel lane making public transit quite inefficient) In the summer, try riding between the streetcar tracks, even at the speed of traffic as an experiment. Pass by the next opportunity to make a left hand turn. Count 3,2,1... at that point all hell will start breaking loose with freaked out drivers. Winter is much nicer. Drivers generally won't question your right to take a curb lane that the snowbanks narrow too much to share safely. Never mind these same lanes aren't safe enough to share when they are clear either, but many drivers see that differently.
  
• I love winter cycling. The invigoration of the cold air on rosy cheeks and a nice hot tea when getting inside. The aforementioned extra space. The whee feeling making a track through freshly falling snow and catching big snowflakes with my tongue. The feeling of conquering the elements after battling stormy cold headwinds. The fact its much quicker to warm up a bike engine (me!) than a car engine on a extremely cold day. Not having to worry about being snowed in.
  
  But shhhh I'll still let you in on a little secret. After our third blizzard in a week and a half, some days of slip sliding around and the rare time I decide its not worth the risk of falling in front of two tonne weapons, I am dreaming of when it will be spring. Winter is the season of clunky winter bike with wind/slush pants, a couple layers, a safety vest for extra visibility, a scarf, balaclava, bulky gloves, and aa helmet sometimes with a bright rain cap on top to block the cold wind. Dreaming of riding the Twenty with fresh flowers in the milk crate, in a bright flowery skirt and tank top with bare legs and sandals, and the wind in my hair. Ah to ride along Queen street feeling free...
  

Random Numbers and Tired Relationships

After not feeling like blogging for a while, I seem to have a big backblog of things I wanted to blog. I'm a wee bit obsessive about numbers so here's some random ones:
2007 mileage so far: 6447 km
3413 km on the touring bike,
2844 km on the "beater" bike,
104 km on Raleigh Twenty (great for short rides on sunny days, picking up pansies and carting things like a big bowl of chili around in the milkcrate)
86 km on borrowed bikes.

I biked more kms in chilly March (533) than in August (448). Go figure. July was the best month with 1017, and February the lowest with 182 (I was hibernating from the deep freeze).

Commute to work: 12 km round trip (the direct way)
Commuting methods since starting my new job in late June:
96 days by bicycle
1 day by transit (made it easier to take a train for after work plans)
1 day telecommuting
0.25 days walking (the half a return trip with a flat and no spare)

Average one way time:
45 min by streetcar (based on a sample size of 1)
25 min by bike

TTC fare saved (based on 2.25/one way): $432
MSRP of a 2008 Kona Dew: $399

Random conversations with myself:
After coming back to my bike after an evening out: Damn, its still here. (a 17-year-old speckled mountain bike locked with a $50 lock.)

After getting cut off by a car gunning for a street parking spot, while trying to brake hard: Hmm with a new Dew I could definitely do an emergency stop in this amount of space, but ain't going to happen with my minimalist brake tuning on ker-clunky (do they stop the wheel? YES good. do they rub the wheel? NO good.) So I probably need to figure out where to go as the chances of this guy being fully into the parking spot in the split second before I crash into him are slim to none. I'll swerve over the streetcar track. (but was not certain what was behind me, always a bad idea)

After realizing my brakes no longer met my minimalist criteria: ARGH stoopid old cantilevers that adjust themselves a bazillion directions while trying to set the pads. Ah dreaming of modern brakes.

But thanks to Brad at the Bike Joint who cleaned thousands of kms of gunk out of the freehub, I can longer call the bike ker-clunky. No longer random slams into the seat in the middle of the intersection where I stall with an impatient road rager right behind me.

But somehow I am still not feeling the love. Maybe before it gets nasty we should stop seeing each other every day and just have a winter thing. It was only supposed to be a short summer fling where I would leave you in California. Somehow you followed me to Toronto and I got hooked.

Is it wrong for me to look around at others?

I think this post is now titled Help Crazy Biker Chick find a new commuter.

You must have it all. Cute, fun, sexy, and look great in a wicker basket. Zippy yet comfortable. Please be low maintenance, and use protection to keep me free from CTDs (chain transmitted diseases) and mud. Open to diversity, but partial to bright green Gliders and little red folders.

P.S. Don't tell Ker-Clunky about it but I've already been on a few trial dates.
Little red folders.

Recumbents - for touring and distance rides though, not the commuter.

P.P.S. For ogling some pretty fun looking rides check out our recent human-powered vehicle get together on the Leslie Spit.