Friday, May 3, 2013

at last...

Yesterday's commute to and from work was all a bicycle commute should be. It wasn't exactly warm, but very pleasant weather for riding, and I rode both ways through the River Valley. It was my first time riding up and down the hill on Fortway Drive and 107 Street since last December; it was definitely more pleasant with no snow and ice on the road! 

Gravel is all that remains of winter, and I'm sure that will soon be cleared away. The potholes and cracks in the pavement are another story -- I braked all the way as I went downhill, out of sheer terror that one of those bumps might unseat me.

A bunny crossed my path as I rode past the entrance to the Legislature Grounds.

The River Valley path was busy with pedestrians and cyclists, but it still beats riding in traffic, and the climbs provide just enough of a workout to make me feel that my commute isn't completely effortless.  

At lunch time I had to go to the computer shop in Oliver to get some stuff for Hubby. It's next to a sportswear shop, so I ducked in there and found a great deal on a Sugoi windbreaker in my signature pink colour -- this one is extremely lightweight and has removable sleeves (they hold on with magnets) to convert it to a vest. I wore it for the ride home, and it was just the right weight for a breezy 15 C day. Not sure how it'll be in the rain, but I have another jacket for that if I need it. My other windbreaker is too heavy for warmer days. 

I also got a pink and black thermal jacket, but haven't decide yet whether I'll keep it.

On my way back to work after my shopping trip, I saw a City of Edmonton employee (or so his shirt sleeve proclaimed) riding a bicycle. Not only was he wearing a helmet and a hi-vis fluorescent vest, but his bike was equipped with a front headlight that only a blind person could miss, it was so bright. I didn't get to see him ride on the road (he was on the Railtown path when I saw him) but I had to wonder whether he was doing a better job of obeying the traffic laws than the young women who had just passed me. She was riding a retro-style bike and had an ethnic-looking cross-body bag over her shoulder. No helmet, of course; hair hanging loose. She looked urban smart, to be sure. BUT -- she rode on the sidewalk, in the opposite direction of traffic. When the sidewalk ended abruptly, she didn't look for oncoming traffic, but blithely proceeded to ride onto the road, sort of down the middle. She then crossed the intersection on the wrong side and took a sharp right to swing around to the ramp admitting her to the Railtown path. From what I observed, she didn't look for cars at the intersection either. She's certainly not the only one, but it's a shame that cyclists like that give the rest of us a bad name. 

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