recent bicycle commutes - random shots

My bicycle commutes lately have been kind of ho-hum. That's bicycle commuter ho-hum, which translated into normal language means much more exciting and thrilling than commuting by car or public transit. It's just that I haven't seen any coyotes recently or tried any new routes, or anything like that.

Along the shared pathway, down into the River Valley, up out of the River Valley, up to 100 Avenue. But there are always the little highlights...

I'm enjoying the new hill climb, the trail behind the Royal Glenora pool and up into Ezio Faraone Park. It's steep and I like to go as fast as I can, which means I am always out of breath, but very happy, at the top. Then it's a sprint up the final stretch along the Railtown trail.

I miss Fortway Hill, as racing up that always made me feel very bad-ass (especially when I had a crowd of spectators), but I know it's safer to be out of traffic, and of course I don't miss the rough pavement and loose gravel.

Last Thursday I found out that my bicycle-commuting student often rides the same trail down from Faraone Park on her way to Kinsmen Rec Centre, so we rode together. She is pretty brave going down that twisty-turny hill. I use my brakes a lot, but she sailed on ahead. It was only my third or fourth time; maybe I will become more courageous as I get more accustomed to it.

That day I was parked in Callingwood, so again enjoyed the longer ride and crossing the Whitemud on my favourite Pink Bridge. I am tickled to death that they are paving the roads there, although I guess that in future I'll miss out on some bone-mass-building bouncing on potholes and crevices.
Oh well, there's a price to pay for everything.

 

This shot was from June 11 -- I had to stop and get a pic of this ring around the sun.

On June 12, the day I used this story in my afternoon ESL class, this caught my eye as I rode through Rio Terrace on my way back to the car:

From the news article:

Stop all the clocks,

Cut off the telephones.

Prevent the dogs from basking in the Rio sun.

Silence the pandeira, and with samba drum,

Bring on Croatia; 

Let the World Cup come.

With apologies to W. H. Auden, the procession towards the start of this World Cup has not resembled the feel-good fiesta many around the world had expected...

The lilacs on the shared pathway are breath-taking right now for their beauty and their scent. 

The roses are blooming, too.

Usually I like to take the 95th Avenue bike lane back from work, but when the flowers are in bloom this shared pathway is a taste of heaven not to be missed.

Another scene from the shared pathway -- unannounced construction. Surprise! There's a nice deep hole just past those barricades.  It's not so bad for cyclists heading east, because we can just ride on the road for that short stretch. But what about eastbound riders? And pedestrians? 

I have next week off work, so I'm hoping this is finished by the time I start back.