Active Transportation-South End Version

Yesterday Winnipeg's Active Transportation Committe took themselves to the southern part of the city for a meeting at a church on Ste. Anne's Rd.
I'm not sure if it was the 'remote' location or the wet weather - we haven't had rain for so long we don't know what to do when it happens-but it was poorly attended. The number of presenters probably outnumbered the attendees.
I was glad to see that the sidewalk along Dunkirk is going to become a mixed-use pathway. Dunkirk has sharrows, but the speed limit is so high on that stretch of road that I don't ride there; I go down St Mary's instead.

We were driving as I had a number of far flung errands to run at lunch time but this is the only bike we saw at the event.

However, as Altona is over 100 kilometers from Winnipeg, I am very impressed!.

Secure Parking

Often if the Geek and I go somewhere together and we can't find a bike rack or a convenient post, we will simply lock the bikes together. With Eselin's rear wheel locked, and the two bikes cabled together, it would take a very strong and determined person to make off with them.

It's Been a Year!

I started this blog on Earth day last year; it's amazing how quickly time flies.

There have been a few firsts-riding my bike in the winter. It was something I always wanted to do as a kid, but wasn't allowed. It could be my dad was worried the bikes would get lost if we had a big snow. Or being little and erratic in a child-like way, he was worried about accidents. I don't know.

And I have very much enjoyed Eselin. I'd forgotten how much fun an upright bike could be.

Best of all is the online community I have discovered. So many people in so many places with such similar ideas. I never would have guessed such a world existed.

I have been enjoying myself immensely.

Happy Earth Day everyone.

Quite An Assortment

This fellow, who was advertising on Kijiji has quite an assortment. Nothing quite suited, and I wasn't willing to pay the price he was asking, considering the amount of work required on the little beasties.

A Few Small Degrees

Eselin came equipped with a Sella Royale saddle. I'm not sure if it was supposed to make her look more comfortable or more friendly but I found that saddle put my legs to sleep if I rode for more than 40 minutes. Wretched thing.
Last fall, when we were in Toronto, I bought a Brooks saddle. I have never been one to follow trends, but I am glad I made an exception here. Well, that and the Harry Potter books.
A number of people have written posts on how comfortable leather saddles are, so I will not continue on that theme, but it is true that it is a much more comfortable ride.
The Geek installed the new saddle last fall, but I used that bike only a couple of times after that, so it needed a bit of adjustment this spring. Since the Brooks isn't as 'puffy' as the Royale, the seat was raised about 3/4 of an inch and because I always felt as if I was always sliding off the nose, the Geek adjusted it by one 'tick'. I am now sitting even further behind the pedals and have noticed a huge increase in speed.
Who would have thought such small adjustments would make such a difference?

I'm Not Keen on Horizontal Hills

The wind was in my face the whole ride home and made it seem as tho' I was standing still when it was gusting at its strongest. Riding Rabbit today didn't help. Eselin has the authority of weight to stand up to the wind-at least 20 pounds more authority than Rabbit does. (Rabbit, for that same reason, is easier to lift in and out of the truck when the truck needs to go to the garage for repairs; but I digress.)
It's like those stories you heard as a kid, 'I walked 10 miles to school and it was up hill both ways."

I don't know what I looked like, but I felt like this....

(Thank you to The Camilleon for the great picture).

Active Transportation

The city of Winnipeg held an open house to discuss the Jubilee/Hay section of the Active Transportation initiative.
I found it peculiar that there would be no bicycle parking at a session for Active Transportation, but found the racks inside, of all places. I guess they take secure parking seriously. What a refreshing change!

Despite my pictures showing almost empty rooms, there was a very good turn out.

Perhaps everyone, at this moment, is over looking at the Rapid Transit displays rather than those for bicycle routes.

The committee is always receptive to comments and suggestions from the neighbouring communities.
The Jubilee/Hay section is of particular interest to me as it is part of my work commute. I hope the Jubilee Underpass choke-point problem can be solved; it is due to be studied next year. Until then, I will continue to ride that stretch on the sidewalk.

Riding to the Lumber Yard

I admire anyone who would ride to Rona, in the seriously traffic congested area around Polo Park.And they are such cheerful, spring-like bikes that compliment the colour of the bike rack. Cute, cute, cute.

A Whole Lot Better Than Cancer Sticks

I was reading a post written by Anna in her blog. I have not yet succeeded in borrowing the picture from her site but it is an inner tube dispenser is made from an old cigarette machine. Isn't that cool?

The site is in German, but the Geek tells me there are 520 of these machines world wide with the highest concentration in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I am so impressed! And inner tubes are a whole lot better than what used to come out of those machines!