Today there was a guy -- maybe about my age and possibly equally weighed down with double panniers -- going up the Fortway Road hill at the same time as me. He rode on the sidewalk. I, goody-two-shoes that I am, always ride on the narrow, potholed, gravel-strewn road. Although he started out a good 10 meters ahead of me, by the crest of the first hill, I was right behind him, always an awkward situation. Well, that was the point where he decided to change to riding on the road. When he saw me, he took off as if a rabid dog was on his heels. Maybe he was embarrassed at being outdone on the climb by a runty middle-aged woman riding a refurbished mountain bike and laden with fully-stuffed panniers (there was a 15.6" laptop in one, along with a passel of books -- if he only knew!) If my tailbone had been in better shape, I might have tried to outpace him again, but I decided to pander to his ego and lag behind. Even so, by the middle of the second hill, I was pretty close behind. But then he turned off and I continued upward on my own.
This is the first time I've seen another cyclist on the Fortway Road hill. Bothered by the extreme number and severity of the potholes and the large amount of gravel, especially when riding downhill, I have wondered whether there is a better way to go. I studied the map, trying to figure out an alternate route, but finally concluded this is the best and most direct route to my destination. It is marked as a cycling route and traffic is fairly light, so it is not bad.
At lunchtime I went for my usual fast walk and was not entirely pleased to encounter a pro-life demonstration in progress at the Legislature. I'm all for free speech and am not generally in favour of abortion, but I cherish my time out at noon and didn't really want to weave my way through crowds of people sporting stupid T-shirts with slogans like, "Born to be Blessed" (really? What a selfless attitude!) and "Labour shortage? Stop abortions" (as if the babies who have been aborted would have been any more willing to work at Tim's for $10 an hour than anyone else. And is that a subtle dig at immigrants -- the very people I teach?) Then there were the grown men parading around in capes and furry hats. I dunno -- I really have to wonder whether opinions and practices will be swayed as a result of actions like this.
I know, I should be more tolerant. BUT -- after work, the crowds were still there, except now they had spilled out into the street I was riding on. There were people marching, police cars, buses and other vehicles, going about 5 km/hour, blocking almost the entire road. For a while I rode s-l-o-w-l-y along beside a police car with its lights flashing, until it occurred to me to ask the police officer if I could go around the procession.He gave me the all-clear, so I skirted the crowd and rode past in the left lane.
After that episode, I was thinking that I really need to get one of these helmet-mounted cameras, and that thought was confirmed when I hit the River Valley trail. Ahead of me, walking smack-dab on the centre line, was a pleasantly plump young woman, headphones in place and a simply dynamic butt-wiggle going on. I laughed aloud at that sight. Maybe she heard me laugh as I rode past her.
And then once I came out of the River Valley and crossed the 149 Street intersection, there was the young kid who not only rode across the intersection, going against traffic, but did a wheelie the whole way across. If I had a helmet camera, these funny sights would be recorded for posterity.
On Thursdays, after I get back to my car, I stop at the library to pick up any holds and return stuff. Another Amsterdam moment. I especially like the huge panniers on the one bike.
And from there, I go to Little Granddaughter's house to drop off and pick up her laundry.
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