Cycle Paths

Vancouver’s a city where you’re expected to have the right gear for whatever sporting activity you participate in. If you’re a cyclist, you’re supposed to have the look – the de rigueur gortex jacket, full coverage lycra cycling pants (or cycling shorts), the right shoes – cleats optional for mountain bikes, and oh so fashionable wraparound (e.g. Oakley) sunglasses. This informs the casual observer that you own a bicycle and might occasionally ride it.

I live on one of the designated cycle paths in Vancouver and after my daughter was born, seeing as going to the gym as often as I used to was not going to be in the cards, I bought a bicycle. Of course, it was six weeks before I actually finally rode it, but I have used it ever since. I admit up front that I don’t want to ride in the rain or the freezing cold or the dark – in part it’s because I don’t want to invest in all the gear. In part it’s because I do have a membership at the YWCA, and they have ample facilities to meet my fitness needs in the “it’s not fun to be outside anymore” season.

I love my bicycle, and in the two years I've owned it, I’ve been using it more and more for mundane things like picking up take out on the Drive (I managed to get from my place to Memphis Blues, pick up the platter I’d ordered, and get back in under 15 minutes – I can’t even drive there and back that fast).

But the thing I enjoy the most is Sunday morning rides around Stanley Park – it almost exactly 30km round trip from my front door, around the sea wall, and back.

On my ride yesterday, I noticed my back tire was kind of mushy just as I got to the tourist info area at Coal Harbour. I looked back and my tire was definitely low, so I stopped, pulled out the tire pump and … pssssshhtt! … goes the tire. Fortunately I had a spare innertube and patch kit (best $6 I've spent). I’ve never replaced one before, but it only took about 15 minutes, and replaced innertube securely in place and inflated, I decided to head home instead of around the sea wall.

Good thing too, because just as I was riding past Provence Marinaside in Yaletown, the back tire went flat again! This time I notice a puncture in the tire, and hear the air hissing out. Merde.

I walked the bike to the Stadium skytrain station and took the skytrain home.

But I still got a good workout!

This Sunday was probably my final ride for the season. I got a late start this year, but after getting the bicycle a spring “tune up” and installing the bike computer I got for Christmas, up to yesterday I managed to get about 335km in (thank you bike computer odometer).