Spring Season False-Start, Halifax Ramblers sighting and HCC Activities

I've been way-layed! After a super-enjoyable initial ride last week, I threw out my back pretty significantly. In healthcare, this isn't a particularly rare injury --especially seeing as how the average weight of our patient populations is rising annually. So with a solid knot in the lower left portion of my back, and extending around that same side, I've been out of commission until today. 

And so --being woken up at 6:30am by my total ass-hat of an upstairs neighbour-- I decided to roll out of bed, have a quick bite to eat, and try to pound-out the Waverly-Loop once more. The morning was pretty chilly --about 2℃. With moderate headwinds, the ride didn't warm up much until I got away from the myriad of frozen lakes, ponds and harbours that dot the HRM. With my back holding it's own at the 30km mark, I steady increased my pace down Waverly on the way back home, and saw one of the first sure-fire signs of spring's arrival: the Halifax Ramblers were out in full-force heading outbound on Waverly Rd., I'm assuming just starting a 100km+ weekend ride. Bringing up the rear was the legend himself, Bob White; an incredible advocate for cycling safety and infrastructure improvement in HRM. Bob's also one of the kindest and funniest guys I know. While working together as Halifax Cycling Coalition (HCC) board members, I more than once shared a chuckle at a well-timed pun slung by White in the middle of sometimes dreary meetings. 

The HCC continues to be a hive full of busy-bees! After challenging Haligonians to participate in 30-days of actively commuting to work via bicycle, the HCC has now shifted focus on the ongoing debacle that is the on-again-off-again Hollis St. Bike lane. 

One thing I'm not sure I'm completely onside-with is an HCC focused NACTO street designing seminar on June 12. Although I'm totally down with diversifying on-street travel options, I feel as though not sharing the planning process of this event with an HRM walking or transit group puts a lot of pressure on a cycling advocacy group to promote transit and walking --which is a tad beyond the objectives of the HCC. 

I may be splitting hairs here. Tell me how you guys feel about this. Leave some comments, y'all!

First ride of the Season and the CMWC

Hey All!

With the onset of Spring comes the start of cycling season! After reading about other folks staking their claim to the Waverly, Sambro and even Peggy's Cove Loops, so did I decide to strike out and start my cycling season in earnest! I quickly found out that although my cycle-trainer did keep me in pretty good shape, having my lower wisdom teeth out in late March really slowed down my metabolism just prior to a crucial time to get revved back up for biking. 

Be that as it may, I prepped my bike for a ride today and struck out along the Waverly loop. The roads were actually in great shape for it, and despite a "beyond the wall" coolness from the end of Rocky Lake Rd onwards, the weather and temp were awesome!

The lake at the corner of Rocky Lake and Waverly.

 Despite the great ride, I have a couple nit-picky objections with a few things:

1) Despite the super-suave looking interior of Alderney Landing in Dartmouth... 

The door to actually get in the joint is kind of tucked away behind the building (opposite the train-tracks), and the side door --which was the only access site to the waiting area last summer-- is totally locked! A little confusing, and seedy for people who don't use the ferry very often.

Also, I've never been a fan of the on-boat bike racks they have there, and these new ones are no exception. Last year, I used to tuck my bike in between aisles with me and hold onto it during the harbour crossing, but on several occasions received harsh talkings-to while doing so. I've since given up the fight and stuck my bike in the loose-goosey bike-racks they have on board... but I still don't like it!

2) Something else that really bothers me is that the Historic Properties just North of the Halifax Ferry Terminal have really beef'ed up their any-cycling behaviour and are diligently turning cyclists away from the property. I asked one security guard, since he wouldn't let me in to get a post-ride coffee from TIBS, if he would watch my bike if I left it by the door. He refused, saying "Well I'll get in trouble if it's stolen while I'm looking after it." 

Well yeah, you're damn right you will. The point of me asking you to look after it is to ensure it doesn't get stolen. You are security after all. 

In the end, a construction worker offered to look after it while he was taking his break. I offered to pay for his next coffee when I got back, but he declined. Totally classy move, that! Unlike the official, paid security guy for the property. 

3) Lastly, surprise multi-use trail closure! I actually hadn't heard of this one, but be advised that the trail along Barrington is closed for an undetermined amount of time! It looks like they may be laying some pipe down under/adjacent to the trail. Not sure how long this will take.

In other, intercontinental news: my good friends at Jambi-Jambi have been covering the Cycle-Messenger World Championship in Australia! They've thrown together some great videos and posted a lot of pictures of the event here, here, and here. They also regularly post about their experiences cycle-courier'ing in Sydney. Definitely a blog to bookmark as part of your "state of cycling around the world" reading list!

In any case, put your heads down and power-through, Lovelies!