Quit Complaining – You’re the problem!

Next time you’re in the car heaving a big sigh as you hear the latest traffic report, perhaps you should remember that you are the traffic. Not convinced there’s a better way? Have a look here

Le Depart

This is a fun video with a few of the regulars from Toronto critical mass rides.

Spiraling

Spiraling who used to be “You Were Spiraling” back when Sage and I discovered them on the now defunct mp3.com back in 1999 have come out with a new album which, as usual, was worth the several year wait. The new album can be purchased at spiraling.net. Meanwhile, as there doesn’t seem to be anything off the new album up, why not check out one of their older tunes?

Change in the Air?

Something tells me this is going to be a changeful year. Signs seem to be all over. Gas prices are rising faster than ever, food riots are happening due to fuel costs and food crops’ being used as biofuel. On the positive side I am hearing more talk from the mainstream on the subject of cycling infrastructure in Toronto. There were even more ‘mainstream’ folks at critical mass – folks with kids, ‘professionals’, and many from the 50+ crowd.

Sure, maybe it is naiive but I really feel as if we are reaching a major decision point in the next little bit. Optimist that I am I am hoping for good things.

Anyone else getting this sense?

Home Again

For the moment anyway. I’m savouring nthe moments trying to stretch the hours until this evening when I fly back to Quebec for a few more weeks. Still it’s been a great trip.

I had a 7AM flight out of Jean Lesage on Friday morning but almost didn’t make it as idiot that I was I set the alarm clock for 4:00 PM. Fortunately I woke up at 4:30 which was enough time to pack and get ready. As I took off I noticed that the ground appeared to be still quite covered in snow. About an hour later as we approached Toronto, my heart warmed to see not only a lack of snow but a bunch of green as the trees were budding. When I got off the plane it was clear I had taken off in February and landed somewhere half past May. The only disappointing thing is that I saw that while Critical Mass was due to happen at 6:30 PM and the dark clouds were gathering in the west.

Taking the subway home after spending a while out of town is one of the great pleasures of returning. In fact, I don’t really feel like I’m back when I land at Pearson (which for all intents and purposes could be any other North American airport) I’ve really arrived with the express bus arrives at Kipling Station. While I don’t know any of the others on the subway, it still feels like I’m seeing familiar faces. The further east I travel the busier while the voice announcing the stations says “you’re getting closer…Almost home!” I was surprised as the bus took me home from the subway station, to find that a few businesses had not only closed but re-opened already with different names.

The original plan for Friday was to hang out at home for a bit and then ride to a friend’s house with Paul before heading over to Critical Mass. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t look that great and Paul was a bit nervous about riding his new bike. So instead we all took the bus and I left later for Critical Mass by myself.

As it turns out the weather for Critical Mass was incredible with lots of sun and a breeze. The ride over was particularly lovely with and even the drivers didn’t seem quite as obnoxious as usual. It made me really think about how so often the way we perceive the world is simply a reflection of our internal mood. Go out in a bad mood and it seems like everyone else is in a bad mood as well. In my case, though, I was in the best of moods and it seemed to me that the others I was sharing the road with were in the same state.

Critical Mass was enjoyable as usual. This time there were a ton of kids. I’m hoping to see more and more kids out there as parents realize the short term benefit – they and their kids can ride the streets of Toronto in relative safety. The long term benefit, in my opinion, though, is that the more people who realize what cycling is like on Toronto streets when it is safe, the more people will demand or at least support the addition of safe cycling infrastructure..

One downside of Critical Mass in the past has been the fact that there have been a few confrontations between drivers and cyclists in which the cyclists, aware the fact that they were now in temporary majority, were hostile towards drivers. In other cases, streetcars were blocked on the roads as well which, in my opinion, is counter to the message that I’m hoping we’re giving: “let’s support sustainable transport”. A few hours before this month’s Critical Mass, though, Joe of the BikingToronto blog sent a message out to all of the folks (well over 150) that had indicated they’d attend in the facebook event with a friendly reminder to be polite to motorists and keep things clear for the streetcars. And really, aside from a few grumpy drivers it seemed like that was heeded and perhaps I’m imagining it but I feel like I heard more supportive car horns and even a few from streetcars and buses. Still, every once in a while it is nice to stop in an intersection and enjoy the power that being in a large group of cyclists gives.

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Critical Mass ended with a ride at sunset to the top of the parking garage in Kensington Market where everyone relaxed and chatted for a bit before heading off on their separate ways. I called Sage and had her call an order in to Gandhi Roti for what she and Paul wanted and headed down there to pick it up. When I got there I ran in to another cyclist coming out and we talked a bit about Critical Mass and the sad state of cycling infrastructure in Toronto. We both agreed that a stronger mayor was needed to push the cause – unlike our current mayor who was elected with many promises for cyclists but has yet to make good on any of them. In a bit of foreshadowing, he mentioned that he had kind of hoped that the TTC strike had happened, admitting that it would not be a good thing but at the same time might serve to get more people out on their bikes who could later support the addition of cycling resources.

About 3 hours later, a surprise TTC strike was called. Overall, I think that it is a bad thing. Obviously the people hurt by this one will be the working poor – people for whom a cab ride to work might cost them that day’s wages. The people hurt most by this are not the ones who saw the potential of a strike and took the opportunity to go out and buy a $200-300 bike just in case, it hurt the people that are living paycheck to paycheck. I also feel for those people who didn’t know the strike was coming and were on the buses, streetcars, and subways that just stopped where they were at midnight and dumped people off. Good luck finding a ride home guys!

Yesterday I did a few errands including getting everything together for taxes. Unfortunately I was missing one piece of paper that I can’t seem to find. I may have to dig it up later or request it. The result is that I will have to file late this year – probably when I come back in another month though I’m going to turn the house upside down a bit today to see if I can find it. After I did that I headed out and did a bit of shopping for things I can’t get in Quebec including parathas, carrot pickles, and Hindi films. It will be nice to have some more familiarity when I return Quebec.

Last night Paul and I finally were able to take a ride out with his new bike. It is quite a bit bigger than his last one and actually is an adult frame. he was a little unsteady and nervous at first but after a few minutes riding on some of the off-road paths, he was doing great and began to understand how the gears worked. He was quite pleased to be able to cycle up a particularly big hill that he couldn’t even start to climb with his old bike.

This trip was such a good one that I booked another for the end of next month. At the same time, I booked another visit for Sage and Paul to Quebec. It was costing a bit more than I had originally planned but it has been really nice to see everyone for 6 of the last 21 days instead of just 3-4 days/month.

And so, in a few hours I’ll be packing up and getting ready to head back to the land of cold and snow. It’s about 5-10 degrees colder there than it is here and, if you can believe it, they are even predicting some wet snow for Wednesday and rain all week. While I really shouldn’t complain about the assignment – I really couldn’t ask for better, good money, a lovely city, and the opportunity to improve my French, this trip has made me realize that I truly am done travelling for a bit and am ready to live in my own city again.

Let’s have a family picnic there!

Just nobody talk about that uncle of ours who has smoked for 30 years. Seriously – who in the hell was the person who came up with this idea?

My nemesis

The weather has finally improved to the point where I can actually get out on my bike more than once a week. It hasn’t been warm for long enough that the bike storage room is open here and so I have to keep the bike folded up in the bagagerie which is a bit of a pain (but better than carrying it up to the third floor!). I’ve been cycling to work about 3 times/week now for the past few weeks and it feels quite good. I’m noticing my energy level going back up and along with that my caffeine consumption is reducing again. I just wish they had some decaf at work as I find that I am drinking coffee now as much for the bitterness as I am for the caffeine – more so at times.

Because the paths are still covered in snow I’m taking a modified version of my usual route home. As you can see for the most part it is a lovely and leisurely route. All of Père Lelièvre has a dedicated bike lane that is always free of cars, pretty well synchronized with the lights and mostly flat. The problem comes once I leave St. Roch. Looking at the elevation profile at bikely.com it appears that I have almost a 99 metre climb all in the space of about 500 metres. Absolutely brutal.

Only cycling as an adult in Toronto has made me soft. I’ve seen at least two people cycle the whole hill without apparent difficulty. I’m almost stopped after a little more than 1/3. The good thing is that there are some landmarks that I can use to push myself that little bit farther. I’m hoping by the time I leave here I will be able to manage the entire hill myself as well. I have to point out, though, that I do have a bit of a handicap – I carry both a large and heavy kryptonite chain lock, and a laptop on a 26 lb bike. Keep training the way I am, though, and I figure I’ll lose the weight of the laptop and lock combined.

In other cycling news – I’m heading back to Toronto Friday morning, having changed my flight to almost 12 hours earlier so that I could make Critical Mass. Maybe I’ll see some of you there.

Still Snowy

The weather has improved and even managed to get into the double digits lately which means I’m now out on the road happily cycling to/from work again. Well, happily except for the hills. I am still unable to complete the major ascents here.

Bike trails and lanes officially open on May first here. I was unsure what exactly that meant given that the major bike lane I take to work along Père Lelièvre is clear of snow already albeit a bit sandy in places. On Thursday afternoon I found out part of it when I saw three trucks in a row in the bike lane. No, not three trucks in a row like in Toronto. In this case the three trucks in the row were street cleaning vehicles whose entire purpose seemed to be to remove the sand from the bike lanes.

Still, in places there is quite a lot of snow to be found here though.

Hopefully, though, that, along with the snow in the dedicated bike paths, will soon be gone.

Want!

I know I could make one of these myself (the creator did, after all) but I’m not the most handy persno in the world. So I’m just going to have to wait until this is available for general consumption. I’ve definitely noticed a difference in driver attitudes depending on my level of visibility. The bright green shell I wear now helps a lot.

BBC – Newsbeat – Technology – Cycling jacket wins design award
(ht: Spacing Wire)

*Shudder*

As part of my job I routinely work on construction sites, and as such get workplace safety training with every new project (about every 6 months or so give or take). As a result, even though I don’t do any actual “construction”, I am in places where I am required to be (and am) very careful. Each training I go to I get the feeling that the WSIB and my clients take their job seriously. But I had no idea how seriously the WSIB took their duties until I saw these TV ads (we don’t own a TV so I don’t normally see ads). Seriously disturbing imagery ahead. I’m just saying.