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!