Here it is... the final week of the FreeWheels Project! I also passed the 300 km mark! In a way it doesn't feel like a lot... although, I didn't have any set goal when I started this project besides using the bike to commute to work and for recreation, it kinda feels like I've done more than I actually have. Don't get me wrong... every single kilometer was worked for and has been worth it! A quick visual on Google Maps to see how far 300 kilometers is shows me that I have rode the distance from my house in Kitchener to my hometown of Leamington, Ontario! Not too shabby!
Another really interesting stat about my accomplishments throughout the FreeWheels Project is how many kilometers I have saved on our Jeep (and ultimately, how many kilometers I have saved Karl from driving during the work week) simply from cycling to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The reason why I cycle to work only on Tuesdays and Thursdays (and not every day) is because we are a one-vehicle family. I work in Waterloo, and Karl does as well Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays. We're lucky enough to work only a few blocks away from each other so can carpool quite easily. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Karl works at a satellite office located in Cambridge (Galt), so would drive me to & pick me up from work in Waterloo which is in the opposite direction of Cambridge. All this extra travel to take me to work adds 40 kilometers a day to his commute and to our vehicle! 40 KILOMETERS! In total, I cycled to work twelve times, so... 12 x 40 = 480 kms saved. WOW! I need to Google Map that!
A little something weird this week was experiencing an issue with my "on-board computer." I caught it a few times not working at all. Absolute blank screen, Oh, No! No speed indication, no time display, but most importantly, it wasn't calculating my mileage! Eeks! Karl helped me make the minor adjustment that was causing the problem - the sensor on the spoke had turned itself around so was unable to communicate with the other sensor. I think I may have lost up to 10 kilometers only - nothing much to worry about. However, I will be keeping a closer watch on that little tab-sensor-thingy!
I was really happy the weather has been on my side this week to be able to commute to work on both of my commuting days, Tuesday and Today, as it IS the final week of the Project. I am LOVING this cooler weather! Call me crazy, but Fall is my favourite season, and WOW does it ever feel like Fall this week. I am not so crazy that I would want to see the leaves turning colours already... they need to wait at least another month to do that. (Hear me, leaves?!)
One obvious observation riding this week is the increased amount of car traffic on the roads! I thought it could get hectic through all these past weeks, but holy cow! My commute time has increased by 5 minutes from all the time I have had to wait to cross streets along the Iron Horse trail that aren't at lighted intersections (and that's most of them.) The worst have been Queen, Glasgow, and Park streets.
As this week winds down, I am looking forward to the group ride Ziggy's Cycle has organized with all the FreeWheels Project winners. It will be nice to see everyone and do the ride from Kitchener to Cambridge and back along the Walter Bean Trail. What a fantastic way to celebrate a great summer on the Cannondale Quick 4, and the Project coming to a completion! Although, I have every intention to keep the spirit of it going in my own life and keep cycling.
Thank you Ziggy's Cycle & Cannondale for EVERYTHING!! It's been a blast!
09 September, 2010
29 August, 2010
The Best Bike Shop Ever... Besides Ziggy's Cycle!
I'm a big fan of TreeHugger.com and try to keep up on their posts. I believe I have commented on their great bike blog in a previous post. It's been a few weeks since I've checked it out, but came across this post today that I thought was fun and interesting to share.
"Straight from Germany, the Best Bike Shop EVER!"
I suppose it could be the best bike shop outside of Canada because Ziggy's already holds that title in my books! But, wouldn't you know it... the owner of this shop in Germany is a Canadian! He has a unique way of showing off his goods - you just have to look and see for yourself!
There was also this post, "New Canadian Study Claims Helmet Laws Don't Affect Cycling Ridership Numbers" I happen to think that bicycle helmet laws DO have an effect on ridership - my husband is a perfect example of that! No matter how much I recommend he get a helmet AND wear it, he doesn't want to. Do I think it's unsafe to ride without a helmet - definitely, YES! I've had too many close calls in my life to not WANT to wear one for my own safety. But, I do think people should have the choice, even if they choose to be daft. Although, I do feel it would be a viable law for cyclists riding on city roads or highways to have to wear a helmet, it would still be hard to enforce.
"Straight from Germany, the Best Bike Shop EVER!"
I suppose it could be the best bike shop outside of Canada because Ziggy's already holds that title in my books! But, wouldn't you know it... the owner of this shop in Germany is a Canadian! He has a unique way of showing off his goods - you just have to look and see for yourself!
There was also this post, "New Canadian Study Claims Helmet Laws Don't Affect Cycling Ridership Numbers" I happen to think that bicycle helmet laws DO have an effect on ridership - my husband is a perfect example of that! No matter how much I recommend he get a helmet AND wear it, he doesn't want to. Do I think it's unsafe to ride without a helmet - definitely, YES! I've had too many close calls in my life to not WANT to wear one for my own safety. But, I do think people should have the choice, even if they choose to be daft. Although, I do feel it would be a viable law for cyclists riding on city roads or highways to have to wear a helmet, it would still be hard to enforce.
28 August, 2010
Time Flies...
Time certainly flies when you're having fun! I'm not sure where the summer is going...
Karl and I have recently been away on another vacation, and our last until next year. This time we headed North to his family's cottage located in Magnetawan. We took our Cannondale bikes with us, but unfortunately were not blessed with nice riding trails. Karl's mountain bike was a much better match for the gravel-dirt roads that surrounded us. We still managed to get out on a few rides though - it sure beat walking and getting pebbles stuck in our sandals like what usually happens! Besides, I would rather ride instead of walk if you give me a say! It's just more fun on two wheels! Haha!
I noticed while away that I received an email from Ziggy's Cycle about the FreeWheels Project coming to an end soon. I had to give my head a shake! Our end date is Sept. 10th, and it IS really coming fast! And, on a bit of a guilty note, I didn't realize it had been 2 full weeks since my last post!! *Shakes head again*
I've been thinking about all the things I am thankful and appreciative for in having spent my summer with the Cannondale Quick 4...
♥ I'm riding again! I don't know how I managed the past 8 years without a bicycle! HUGE Thanks again to Ziggy's Cycle and Cannondale bicycles for this incredible opportunity!
♥ It's the nicest, smoothest riding bike I have EVER had.
♥ I'm feeling more in touch with my community - seeing the sights less traveled by car & saying hello to other people on the trails.
♥ I'm doing something healthy for me & for the environment when I cycle to work or to run errands.
♥ It's given Karl and I a recreational activity that we enjoy doing together.
♥ I've been able to train our dog Ruby to run along with us, which is fantastic exercise for her.
♥ I look forward to seeking out new areas in the region (and beyond) to explore from the seat of the Q4. Life is an adventure, after all!
Another thing that I've come to discover is there really needs to be more commuting trails in the region. I've come to love taking the Iron Horse Trail, but it can be a little hairy at certain times of the day to get to it from where I live - I need to ride down a very busy Ottawa Street from Idlewood to connect with it. It would be SO nice to have a similar trail that runs from Kitchener to Waterloo that is more on the east side of the cities... perhaps along Weber or Margaret streets. Another possibility could be to pave a trail along the train tracks that run from Victoria to Uptown Waterloo. I've had so many people recommend I cycle along it on my commute to work - but after checking it out one day, it didn't look like the safest option. Don't get me wrong, I think K-W is already bike-friendly with many streets having a bike-lane, but like anything there is always room for improvement. I am quite happy to stick to the Iron Horse Trail... once I make my way over there. It's a gorgeous ride!
Karl and I have recently been away on another vacation, and our last until next year. This time we headed North to his family's cottage located in Magnetawan. We took our Cannondale bikes with us, but unfortunately were not blessed with nice riding trails. Karl's mountain bike was a much better match for the gravel-dirt roads that surrounded us. We still managed to get out on a few rides though - it sure beat walking and getting pebbles stuck in our sandals like what usually happens! Besides, I would rather ride instead of walk if you give me a say! It's just more fun on two wheels! Haha!
I noticed while away that I received an email from Ziggy's Cycle about the FreeWheels Project coming to an end soon. I had to give my head a shake! Our end date is Sept. 10th, and it IS really coming fast! And, on a bit of a guilty note, I didn't realize it had been 2 full weeks since my last post!! *Shakes head again*
I've been thinking about all the things I am thankful and appreciative for in having spent my summer with the Cannondale Quick 4...
♥ I'm riding again! I don't know how I managed the past 8 years without a bicycle! HUGE Thanks again to Ziggy's Cycle and Cannondale bicycles for this incredible opportunity!
♥ It's the nicest, smoothest riding bike I have EVER had.
♥ I'm feeling more in touch with my community - seeing the sights less traveled by car & saying hello to other people on the trails.
♥ I'm doing something healthy for me & for the environment when I cycle to work or to run errands.
♥ It's given Karl and I a recreational activity that we enjoy doing together.
♥ I've been able to train our dog Ruby to run along with us, which is fantastic exercise for her.
♥ I look forward to seeking out new areas in the region (and beyond) to explore from the seat of the Q4. Life is an adventure, after all!
Another thing that I've come to discover is there really needs to be more commuting trails in the region. I've come to love taking the Iron Horse Trail, but it can be a little hairy at certain times of the day to get to it from where I live - I need to ride down a very busy Ottawa Street from Idlewood to connect with it. It would be SO nice to have a similar trail that runs from Kitchener to Waterloo that is more on the east side of the cities... perhaps along Weber or Margaret streets. Another possibility could be to pave a trail along the train tracks that run from Victoria to Uptown Waterloo. I've had so many people recommend I cycle along it on my commute to work - but after checking it out one day, it didn't look like the safest option. Don't get me wrong, I think K-W is already bike-friendly with many streets having a bike-lane, but like anything there is always room for improvement. I am quite happy to stick to the Iron Horse Trail... once I make my way over there. It's a gorgeous ride!
09 August, 2010
Keep On Trying T'il You Reach Higher Ground!
Ok, so this past week has been a little crazy around our house. We've been battling FLEAS! Not the dude who plays bass for the Red Hot Chili Peppers (although, I WISH!), but those annoying tiny ankle-biters that just. Won't. DIE!
After coming home from our trip to B.C., we discovered within a couple of days that our 2 cats, Morley and Jasper, had fleas. We did have some liquid-drops treatment left over from last summer (they seem to pick them up every year!), so promptly administered them to their backs, vacuumed the entire house, laundered any and all blankets or clothing they had been making a bed out of and hoped for the best!
A week goes by and we are only in a worse situation - they seem to be migrating to Ruby and in greater numbers! We woke up this past Tuesday morning to find she was completely covered in welts - an obvious allergic reaction to flea bites. That morning was HECTIC as Karl attempts to locate a pharmacy open at 6:30 am. We eventually get to one by 8:00 am and give Ruby some comfort with Benadryl. Although, Tuesday is my bike-to-work day... and by the time we were able to head to work, I didn't have near enough time to make it on time. *Tears* :(
Come Thursday, Ruby's skin has become completely covered in a rash (after it appeared to be getting better Wednesday), so we made plans to take her to the Vet first thing that morning. Turns out she was having an allergic reaction to the medication we received from the Vet a week earlier and cost $100 - they were happy to credit it back, but now prescribed Prednisone. There goes my second bike-to-work day. *Tears again* :(
So, it's been an unfortunate week for riding... but the good news is that Ruby is doing very well, and the fleas are definitely under control around here thanks to the additional treatments given to us for the cats by our Vet. Rubester hasn't had much energy since starting her pills last Thursday so we've just been taking her on short walks instead of bike rides/runs... but I know she is missing them as much as we are!
Here's to another week! Here's to Higher Ground! (Originally a Stevie Wonder tune, covered by Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Also, in case you are not familiar with TreeHugger.com, I'll "show + tell" this with you - Ride Your Bike! Lot's of bike-friendly information - it's mostly USA-centered, but still a lot of useful and interesting ideas! Then there's this invention from right here in Canada! A Bottle Opener for Bikes! Uh, I'll take TWO... for pop... ya, POP! ;)
After coming home from our trip to B.C., we discovered within a couple of days that our 2 cats, Morley and Jasper, had fleas. We did have some liquid-drops treatment left over from last summer (they seem to pick them up every year!), so promptly administered them to their backs, vacuumed the entire house, laundered any and all blankets or clothing they had been making a bed out of and hoped for the best!
A week goes by and we are only in a worse situation - they seem to be migrating to Ruby and in greater numbers! We woke up this past Tuesday morning to find she was completely covered in welts - an obvious allergic reaction to flea bites. That morning was HECTIC as Karl attempts to locate a pharmacy open at 6:30 am. We eventually get to one by 8:00 am and give Ruby some comfort with Benadryl. Although, Tuesday is my bike-to-work day... and by the time we were able to head to work, I didn't have near enough time to make it on time. *Tears* :(
Come Thursday, Ruby's skin has become completely covered in a rash (after it appeared to be getting better Wednesday), so we made plans to take her to the Vet first thing that morning. Turns out she was having an allergic reaction to the medication we received from the Vet a week earlier and cost $100 - they were happy to credit it back, but now prescribed Prednisone. There goes my second bike-to-work day. *Tears again* :(
So, it's been an unfortunate week for riding... but the good news is that Ruby is doing very well, and the fleas are definitely under control around here thanks to the additional treatments given to us for the cats by our Vet. Rubester hasn't had much energy since starting her pills last Thursday so we've just been taking her on short walks instead of bike rides/runs... but I know she is missing them as much as we are!
Here's to another week! Here's to Higher Ground! (Originally a Stevie Wonder tune, covered by Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Also, in case you are not familiar with TreeHugger.com, I'll "show + tell" this with you - Ride Your Bike! Lot's of bike-friendly information - it's mostly USA-centered, but still a lot of useful and interesting ideas! Then there's this invention from right here in Canada! A Bottle Opener for Bikes! Uh, I'll take TWO... for pop... ya, POP! ;)
02 August, 2010
Ease On Down The Road...
My mail goal when I applied for the FreeWheel's Project, and especially after I was selected to participate, was to not only enjoy the fun and freedom of a bicycle again (after not having one for 8 years), but also to use the Q4 to commute to work.
My husband, Karl, and I share one vehicle... although, it wasn't always that way. After long-distance dating for about a year, Karl moved here from Toronto. We each had a vehicle, and quickly learned we didn't much like having two vehicles (the cost, not to mention the waste environmentally.) But because Karl still had his job in Toronto, he needed to commute a couple of times a week - his employer allowed him to telecommute the other 3 days, which was way better than having to drive all 5! Once Karl was able to land a job here in K-W, we couldn't get rid of the 2nd vehicle soon enough. It's been almost 5 years since that day.
We're lucky enough now to only work about a kilometer apart from each other in Uptown Waterloo, with the exception of Tuesdays + Thursdays when Karl works in Cambridge (Galt.) Our regular routine for those days are for Karl to drive me to work in Waterloo, only to have to turn around, "retrace his steps" down Bridgeport and the Expressway, and then make the drive from Uptown Waterloo to downtown Galt. It adds an additional 20-25 minutes on his commute time, and about the same in kilometers.
Fast forward to me being selected as a FreeWheels Project participant, I knew I had to give commuting by bicycle a try. I committed to peddling to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and save Karl the extra time in the morning as well as helping us save the extra gas and mileage on our vehicle. I get extra exercise + save time/money = WIN!
We live along the Stanley Park and Idlewood border in the south-east part of Kitchener and commute to the King + University area in Waterloo. My trip is between 11-12 kilometers one-way, depending on which route I take - I've discovered a few. The most recent (which I started this past week) is to bike down Ottawa to the Iron Horse Trail trailhead. I've avoided taking that almost obvious route since I started cycling to work because I thought it would take me longer in both time and distance to first get all the way over the the trail, then take it all the way to Uptown Waterloo. I'm glad I decided to give it a try last Tuesday - it is a bit longer in distance, but definitely takes no more time for me to get door-to-door - 35 minutes, give or take.
So, it's safe to say that I finally found a route that I can stick with! Even though cycling down Ottawa is a tad frightening, especially between River Rd. and Weber, I know once I am on the Iron Horse it's clear sailing! Such a nice way to travel to and from work! The trail is an easy ride (fully paved and no hills!), is mostly shaded by trees (nice and cool!), and no worry about wasting time sitting at traffic lights or cars whizzing past. Way. Too. Close!
With the fun and ease of biking the IH trail, this song came to mind...
My husband, Karl, and I share one vehicle... although, it wasn't always that way. After long-distance dating for about a year, Karl moved here from Toronto. We each had a vehicle, and quickly learned we didn't much like having two vehicles (the cost, not to mention the waste environmentally.) But because Karl still had his job in Toronto, he needed to commute a couple of times a week - his employer allowed him to telecommute the other 3 days, which was way better than having to drive all 5! Once Karl was able to land a job here in K-W, we couldn't get rid of the 2nd vehicle soon enough. It's been almost 5 years since that day.
We're lucky enough now to only work about a kilometer apart from each other in Uptown Waterloo, with the exception of Tuesdays + Thursdays when Karl works in Cambridge (Galt.) Our regular routine for those days are for Karl to drive me to work in Waterloo, only to have to turn around, "retrace his steps" down Bridgeport and the Expressway, and then make the drive from Uptown Waterloo to downtown Galt. It adds an additional 20-25 minutes on his commute time, and about the same in kilometers.
Fast forward to me being selected as a FreeWheels Project participant, I knew I had to give commuting by bicycle a try. I committed to peddling to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and save Karl the extra time in the morning as well as helping us save the extra gas and mileage on our vehicle. I get extra exercise + save time/money = WIN!
We live along the Stanley Park and Idlewood border in the south-east part of Kitchener and commute to the King + University area in Waterloo. My trip is between 11-12 kilometers one-way, depending on which route I take - I've discovered a few. The most recent (which I started this past week) is to bike down Ottawa to the Iron Horse Trail trailhead. I've avoided taking that almost obvious route since I started cycling to work because I thought it would take me longer in both time and distance to first get all the way over the the trail, then take it all the way to Uptown Waterloo. I'm glad I decided to give it a try last Tuesday - it is a bit longer in distance, but definitely takes no more time for me to get door-to-door - 35 minutes, give or take.
So, it's safe to say that I finally found a route that I can stick with! Even though cycling down Ottawa is a tad frightening, especially between River Rd. and Weber, I know once I am on the Iron Horse it's clear sailing! Such a nice way to travel to and from work! The trail is an easy ride (fully paved and no hills!), is mostly shaded by trees (nice and cool!), and no worry about wasting time sitting at traffic lights or cars whizzing past. Way. Too. Close!
With the fun and ease of biking the IH trail, this song came to mind...
01 August, 2010
Time travel...
Where did the month of July go?! I feel like I have time-traveled into the future, landing squarely on August 1st!
The reason for not blogging in the past few weeks was because Karl and I, along with our dog Ruby, took a road-trip to Kelowna, B.C.! I wasn't able to blog about our plans prior to leaving because it was all a surprise for my Mother who lives there. She celebrated her 70th birthday on July 19th! We had been making plans for the road-trip since January, and trust me, it was difficult to keep our trip out there a secret all those months. My Mom is a pretty savvy lady - she's on Facebook, knows how to Skype, and follows this blog - so I really had to watch what I said and where I said it!
We departed on the evening of July 8th and returned home on July 25th. It's taken me the better part of this past week to get caught up on life (and emails) that took place over the time we were away. It's amazing how much stuff happens! But, this is all stuff many people know about anyway - that is if you are fortunate enough to have a job you are able to leave in order to enjoy some vacation time. I know how lucky I am... but I ought to be chatting more about bicycling... or rather, how much I missed it while I was away!
As sad as I was to have to leave the Q4 at home, it is something I agreed to as a participant of Ziggy's FreeWheels Project (ie. not take the bike out of the province.) We did take Karl's bike with us, mostly as a means to get Ruby out of the car for short runs at rest-stops along the way. Those long days of driving were hard on us, but probably moreso on the Rubester who is always full of energy! She's not one for playing fetch (which would have probably been more ideal energy-burner in this situation), but she is ALWAYS up for running with the bike! It paid off.
While traveling along Highway #1 through all the provinces between Ontario to British Columbia, Karl and I were both amazed at seeing how many cyclists there were. All the folks we saw appeared to be doing a cross-Canada ride with all the saddle bags and amount of items strapped to their two-wheeled horses. I'm kicking myself now for not taking one single picture of all the cyclists we saw... but, WOW, there were probably 40 or more! I can't imagine myself having the amount of energy or guts to do a ride like that. I certainly applaud them for doing it - for the myriad of reasons they are doing it for. Simply, INCREDIBLE!
5 days of travel (through Canada) to B.C.; 6.5 days spent in Kelowna; 5 days of travel (through USA) back to Ontario = 9,242 kilometers round-trip! Here's some photos of fun stuff we saw along the way - enjoy!
The reason for not blogging in the past few weeks was because Karl and I, along with our dog Ruby, took a road-trip to Kelowna, B.C.! I wasn't able to blog about our plans prior to leaving because it was all a surprise for my Mother who lives there. She celebrated her 70th birthday on July 19th! We had been making plans for the road-trip since January, and trust me, it was difficult to keep our trip out there a secret all those months. My Mom is a pretty savvy lady - she's on Facebook, knows how to Skype, and follows this blog - so I really had to watch what I said and where I said it!
We departed on the evening of July 8th and returned home on July 25th. It's taken me the better part of this past week to get caught up on life (and emails) that took place over the time we were away. It's amazing how much stuff happens! But, this is all stuff many people know about anyway - that is if you are fortunate enough to have a job you are able to leave in order to enjoy some vacation time. I know how lucky I am... but I ought to be chatting more about bicycling... or rather, how much I missed it while I was away!
As sad as I was to have to leave the Q4 at home, it is something I agreed to as a participant of Ziggy's FreeWheels Project (ie. not take the bike out of the province.) We did take Karl's bike with us, mostly as a means to get Ruby out of the car for short runs at rest-stops along the way. Those long days of driving were hard on us, but probably moreso on the Rubester who is always full of energy! She's not one for playing fetch (which would have probably been more ideal energy-burner in this situation), but she is ALWAYS up for running with the bike! It paid off.
While traveling along Highway #1 through all the provinces between Ontario to British Columbia, Karl and I were both amazed at seeing how many cyclists there were. All the folks we saw appeared to be doing a cross-Canada ride with all the saddle bags and amount of items strapped to their two-wheeled horses. I'm kicking myself now for not taking one single picture of all the cyclists we saw... but, WOW, there were probably 40 or more! I can't imagine myself having the amount of energy or guts to do a ride like that. I certainly applaud them for doing it - for the myriad of reasons they are doing it for. Simply, INCREDIBLE!
5 days of travel (through Canada) to B.C.; 6.5 days spent in Kelowna; 5 days of travel (through USA) back to Ontario = 9,242 kilometers round-trip! Here's some photos of fun stuff we saw along the way - enjoy!
05 July, 2010
Walter Bean
(This entry didn't post the first time I attempted - ooops!)
Karl, Ruby and I continue to go on some great adventures in the Region! The other weekend we loaded up the bikes on our shiny new hitch and headed to the section of Walter Bean trail that runs along Blair road towards Galt. Beautiful treed area with lots of friendly users - walkers, joggers, and cyclists. We *nearly* caught a glimpse of deer, but we rode up on it just a little too late (according to a family of cyclists who had stopped along the trail.) Here's a few pictures to share of our enjoyable 5 km round trip bike ride.
It's really quite awesome to have a bike in my life again and being able to enjoy the freedom it brings! Cycling was always such a big part of my life from childhood through to becoming an adult - I'm can't quite understand how I managed to survive the past 8 years without one! In case I haven't said it lately or enough already... thanks to Ziggy's Cycle and Cannondale for this very special opportunity to get active once again on a bicycle and helping to allow me to explore the region in which I've grown to love since moving here in 2002. Will blog more soon.
Karl, Ruby and I continue to go on some great adventures in the Region! The other weekend we loaded up the bikes on our shiny new hitch and headed to the section of Walter Bean trail that runs along Blair road towards Galt. Beautiful treed area with lots of friendly users - walkers, joggers, and cyclists. We *nearly* caught a glimpse of deer, but we rode up on it just a little too late (according to a family of cyclists who had stopped along the trail.) Here's a few pictures to share of our enjoyable 5 km round trip bike ride.
It's really quite awesome to have a bike in my life again and being able to enjoy the freedom it brings! Cycling was always such a big part of my life from childhood through to becoming an adult - I'm can't quite understand how I managed to survive the past 8 years without one! In case I haven't said it lately or enough already... thanks to Ziggy's Cycle and Cannondale for this very special opportunity to get active once again on a bicycle and helping to allow me to explore the region in which I've grown to love since moving here in 2002. Will blog more soon.
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