Sunday, December 11, 2016

so far this winter

I haven't been blogging much this year, but now that winter has hit in full force, I have a few photos and thoughts.

This first photo, of Ravine Drive, was taken towards the end of November, the morning after our first real snowfall. It's a bit hard to see, but there were more bike tire tracks than car tire tracks in the fresh snow. 



And on the 100th Avenue shared pathway, the bike tracks mixed with the foot prints show that lots of people were getting to their destination without the aid of cars.

I took these photos when the temperatures were still mild -- in the single digits or low teens. 

Since then, things have changed. Every day last week the temperature was around minus 20 C, with wind chills of -26 to -30 C. 

I continued to ride, although I did park closer in -- in Crestwood instead of Glenwood, which cuts about 2 km off my ride.

With several layers on my body and legs, a balaclava, my lined winter helmet and a warm scarf on top, and two layers of wool socks in my bulky winter boots, I was warm enough, and as always, so happy to be riding instead of driving.  I haven't stopped for photos, but maybe this week I'll try to do that.



We have moved our ESL school to a new location, a little farther away than before, so I've been taking a different route -- along 102 Avenue. Once again I am astonished at the number of stop signs and the long red light on this designated bike route. Is it a deliberate plot to discourage people from cycling? Who knows?

I have noticed that this year there seem to be more winter cyclists than ever. Maybe the mild start to winter made people more interested in continuing to ride? Whatever the reason, it is noteworthy, and we can only hope that the city will notice and respond by maintaining bike routes properly and creating more bike infrastructure.

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