Tuesday 2 August 2016

I Am A Cycling Enthusiast


I never thought it would happen to me…………..but is has and I’m OK with it.  Oh, you’ll never catch me in my padded Lycra shorts without leisure shorts over top and I’m not yet clacking about in clip in shoes, but I am thoroughly enjoying the sport of cycling.

It started this spring when Terry and I finally purchased hybrid road bikes like we had been talking about for quite a few years.  We have more time now and with Terry’s recent knee surgery it was the sport of choice while he gets back to full form.

We started with a couple of trips to Lonsdale Quay, peddling around the Seawall and eventually all the way to Ambleside.  Next thing you know, I was participating with friends in the “Ride Don’t Hide” fundraiser for Mental Health.  The choice was the 20km route or the 60km route.  I wondered at first, which I should do, but quickly chose the 60; easy-peasy………riding 20k is kind of like going for a 20 minute hike.

Now we are planning weekends and holidays to involve biking.  We did the Galloping Goose Trail on Vancouver Island on the Canada Day weekend and are going to do a ride in Seattle when we head down there this weekend for a Mariners game.  We are also planning to do some cycling on our Croatia trip coming up in September.

In mid July I decided to try cycling to work for the first time.  It is 20km and takes me about an hour.  I did my first trip on a day I didn’t start work until 9am so I could cushion in some margin of error.  What a great route and all was fine so now I’m set.  I’ve done it twice more, leaving at 5:30am for my 7am shift and I’m able to shower there thanks to the handy facilities in our lab restroom.

Today was my third time and I really enjoy it.  I find I’m challenging myself to power up some short hills, to try to keep up with an old guy in front of me and sometimes a young guy (fat chance!).  I race to make green lights downtown, watching the pedestrian crossing countdown;…….5, 4, 3, 2……..I can make it!  As I pedal down Adanac trail through the middle of Vancouver, the third most populous city in Canada, without a care in the world as far as car traffic goes, I find myself very appreciative of this wonderful, overpriced city that we live in and for the downtown bike lanes complements of “Mayor Moonbeam”.  There were a few exhaust fumes on Dunsmuir on my way home and plenty of noise as I crossed the Second Narrows Bridge but once I hit Dollarton, it’s the home stretch and the big city is behind me.  The nice painted bicycles along the road remind to to keep safely to the right.  I always aim for that right tire on the picture.  I don't "live on the left edge" as some others I notice, who would?


I feel like a kid again as I ride my bike and I am simply delighted to be a cycling enthusiast!