Tag: cycling

fitness

Bike Lanes are Beautiful. Why Would People Want to Rip Them Out?

Diane Harper1 Comment

I rode about 14 km total in Toronto last week, most on bike lanes. The total distance was less than 10 km, since I rode much of the same route going to and from my destination. A good chunk was on Bloor, which was busy, with many more bikes parked at bike racks alongside the road. Bikes are efficient, so lots of people got where they were going, then parked to go shopping or work.

I love this image because it shows several ordinary commuter bikes parked at bike racks, plus people on bikes at the intersection ahead, and a person in an electric wheelchair using the bike lane. The lane itself is wide enough that people can pass safely, and it is physically separated from the road.

On that stretch of Bloor, I saw two ghost bikes, plus one on Dundas. For those who don’t know, a ghost bike is a memorial for a person killed by a person in a car or truck, while riding their bicycle. Three in the short distance I rode is a shockingly high number.

The ghost bike on Dundas Street

But the Ontario government is starting to rip out the bike lanes following a court case. They are knowingly putting the lives of citizens at greater risk. And yes, it is “knowingly”.

According to the CBC “Internal documents from the Transportation Ministry that were made public as part of a court challenge to Bill 212 — the legislation that gave the province sweeping control over municipal bike lanes — …include a report prepared by engineering and urban planning firm CIMA+, which said collisions for all road users could increase upwards of 54 per cent if bike lanes are removed, based on existing research.”

The irony of ripping out an excellent climate change mitigation measure and then being hit by a major storm last week is also not lost on me.

Protected bike lanes and safe sidewalks are essential public safety infrastructure, not luxury amenities.

Downtown Toronto multi-unit housing (whether condos or apartments) are being built with less and less parking, and more people are relying on transit, biking and walking. Removing bike lanes without looking at how people actually get around the city doesn’t make sense.

The proposed alternative of moving some bike lanes to side streets will add significant distance compared to the current route, with lots of turns and street crossings that don’t have signals. Why not move the cars to the side streets instead? They can navigate that extra distance more easily than a person taking a couple of kids to school or the library on a cargo bike. Or someone with panniers full of groceries.

Nine years ago, Premier Ford said felt safer in a bike lane. Now, people who aren’t brave enough to take on Toronto traffic will be forced to abandon cycling as a transportation option. I don’t live in Toronto, but I visit often and love riding around the city to explore or do errands. I have even blogged about it.

I’ll leave you with one last image from this report on the court decision. It was taken by Patrick Morrell of the CBC. Assuming each car has the average 1.5 people, compare the space for those 5 cars vs the fourteen cyclists.

Five vehicles take up two lanes of traffic. A third lane is dedicated to parked cars. To the right, fourteen people on bicycles are in less space than a single car lane.

cycling · fitness · swimming

Exploring Ottawa-Gatineau’s Newest Open Water Swim Spots

Diane HarperLeave a comment

The National Capital Commission has opened several swim spots that are proving very popular, helping turn Ottawa-Gatineau into much more enjoyable river cities. The first was the River House, which opened in 2023. I wrote a bit about it here, after my first visit. Last year, it opened another one on Dow’s Lake, and this summer we got spots at the Museum of History in Gatineau and one at the base of Kiweki Point, right where the Rideau Canal empties into the Ottawa River.

I hadn’t made it to Dow’s Lake last year, or visited the new spots this year, so last week I headed out by bike with my friend Florence so we could try them all before they closed for the season.

We didn’t swim long at any of the venues but it still took us almost four hours to complete the route.

The first image shows the location of each of the swim spots and the Econ shows our route to get there. Most of the way was on NCC bike paths.
Clockwise from top left: Diane jumps in at Dow’s lake, then at the Museum of History (with Parliament Hill in the background), Florence and Diane head in together below Kiweki Point (with the Museum of History and Alexandra Bridge in the background), and Florence and Diane at River House.

To finish off, we joined a couple of swim club mates for an easy loop around a small private lake. That took us to a little over 1800 M of swimming for the day.

Florence floats in the water as Diane collapses backwards off the dock on a lake surrounded by trees, with blue skies and fluffy clouds overhead.

Strava tells me that ride was my longest in 2026. In fact, it was about 26.5 km for the day (my phone died for the last bit). That makes it my longest ride since 2024.

My conclusions?

  • The new swim spots are great. In addition to clean water, plus some swim lanes and islands for floating on or jumping off, they all have decent bike parking, lots of chairs/benches with pleasant views, and places to get food and drink nearby.
  • Silly challenges like this are the best way to get me moving, especially with friends.
Nat’s reasons for riding
cycling · goals · Sat with Nat

Nat’s reasons for riding

natalieh (she/her)3 Comments

My post last week about how my 100 km ride did not go as planned generated a lot of discussion across my social media platforms. The conversation is ongoing!

I have marvelous friends who are supportive, encouraging and unapologetic when calling me out on being mean to myself. I’m very lucky.

There were several gems I have mined from those discussions. Today I am looking at a question my gym buddy Rob asked me.

Why did I want to ride 100 km?

The first answer that came to mind was that I wanted to test if I was ready to ride longer than 100 km.

I’m very comfortable completing the MS Bike Tour. The two days of 80 km supported every 20 km felt great. It’s a different challenge to ride continuously in 50 km blocks. I underestimated that gap and was disappointed.

The myth of linear progress

I wanted to complete a 100 km ride as part of a story of physical fitness that showed progress.

When my results were similar to the ones I had 12 years ago it felt like a set-back.

In chatting with my friends in Randonneurs Ontario they shared stories of struggling to have consistent times on a given distance.

We spoke about routes, conditions, health, training, age and injuries.

There are a lot of variables that affect how long it takes to complete a route. Only some of those are under my direct control.

Is that the real reason?

Rob invited me to push against the first answers to validate if that is really why I wanted to ride 100 km.

Hope

What I wanted out of the ride was some evidence that my longest distances are ahead of me.

Ten years ago I completed the People with AIDS Bike Tour from Toronto to Montreal. It was 600 km over 6 days. The longest distance on a given day was around 135 km.

2016 Me, in Montréal, embracing a volunteer at the finish line.

Between then and now I quit cycling in 2020 (during the pandemic) then re-started in 2023.

I’ve been inconsistent. Without a capstone event after the MS Bike Tour my distance peters off each year. I have not used the indoor trainer in the winter.

New goals

What I really want out of cycling is more adventures with Michel. We are getting ready to try some rail trails this fall. I got a trailer to bring our dog Lucy along.

Active living

My big picture goal is an active life that supports my physical and mental wellbeing. I really enjoy shorter jaunts and I want to extend that to longer rides.

Consistent Riding

There is no secret to going longer, faster and happier on a bike. It’s time in the saddle on a consistent basis.

Training for the PWA ride had specific milestones to meet in order to be allowed to ride. There were distances to hit, an average speed above 20 km/hr and a deadline for back to back 100 km days.

Unstructured fun

In the shoulder season my focus will be fucking around and finding out. I will try some wider tires and some rail trails. I will get on my bike 2-3 times a week in addition to my utility cycling.

Folks jumping with joy by the waterside.

Thank you

I wanted to wrap this up with a giant thank you to my friends and family. I never imagined my writing about being disappointed with my 100 km would illicit a tsunami of responses. Texts from Nova Scotia and British Columbia and every province in between!

Messages from folks showing they had read every word and could relate. Thank you for reading my posts and connecting over our shared experiences of try to keep these bodies doing all the things.

A coffee with ‘thank you’ dusted on the creamy froth in cinnamon.

The Future

I’m still thinking about my mid and long term cycling goals. I’ll be sure to let you know once I settle on them.

Whatever the future holds, I suspect it will include my dog!
With 4 weeks to go, Nat is kicking cycling and fundraising into high gear for the MS Bike Tour
cycling · Sat with Nat

With 4 weeks to go, Nat is kicking cycling and fundraising into high gear for the MS Bike Tour

natalieh (she/her)Leave a comment

I swore I wouldn’t repeat the pattern of a quick ramp up to the MS Bike Tour in 2026.

I retired May 1 and I was CERTAIN I would be riding all the time.

That didn’t happen for a bunch of reasons. As June winds down and July approaches my longest ride this year has been 30 km.

I really enjoy riding. It takes me a hour to warm up and then, then it feels like flying. But my speed needs to improve or I’ll be on the road way too long in the hot sun.

Yikes!

The plan today, get out early for 40 km and see how that feels. Then ride Monday, Wednesday, Friday next week. I’m thinking 10-20 km on rides during the week and go for 50 km July 5.

The next week do back to back rides to normalize riding on tired legs.

The MS Bike Tour is July 25 & 26. It’s roughly 85 km each day. I’m totally kicking myself for my procrastinating on riding.

My fundraising goal is $2,000. If you would like to help me reach that you can Donate here

Michel and I look happy and sweaty after a bicycle ride.

There are many people I know that live with MS. A bunch more have dear friends and family living with MS.

For reasons we do not fully understand, Canada has some of the highest rates of MS in the world. We also have amazing research happening that is helping my friends right now.

While I do have challenges riding as a fat, asthmatic athlete with some typical middle age injuries – my body does respond to training. I’m very lucky that a month is enough time to have a decent MS Bike Tour. Not everyone enjoys that kind of privilege.

So here’s to lots of miles & smiles.

Yes, ideally, I would have had a more gradual ramp up since April. But the second best time to start is now so, pitter-patter, let’s get at’r.

fitness

Moooo! Or, it herds so good!

Sam B1 Comment

On Saturday Sarah and I set out for our usual morning ride.  Another beautiful June day, another beautiful ride. Once again,  so many people out there.

I decided to wear my new Herd bike kit.

Who are the Herd?

“The Herd is one of the largest and most popular virtual cycling communities on Zwift, known for its welcoming, inclusive, and highly social environment. Founded as a grassroots group, it focuses on compassion, encouraging riders of all fitness levels, and its members frequently shout “MOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” in the in-game chat.”

You can read more about the Herd here.

I’ve been riding with the Herd on Zwift for awhile now. I love the Turtles ride on Saturdays. See The HERD of Thundering Turtles might just be the best behaved group ride on Zwift.

I usually start the week with their Monday Morning Coffee Crew ride.

Here’s the rearview of the kit.

What progress means as we age
aging · blogging · cycling · fitness · fun · nature

What progress means as we age

elan.paulson1 Comment

This year five friends and I tried to repeat a two-day cycling tour some of us had attempted a few years ago: the Guelph to Goderich rail trail, which is just short of about 150km of gravel path through scenic rural Ontario.

The first time, it was my first multi-day cycling tour ever, and I didn’t even own my own gear. We’d unknowingly scheduled the original ride during a derecho storm, so we made it most of the way until the rain, the cold, and the trail that had turned to a sandy stream made the ride not fun anymore. After getting 2/3rds to Goderich, we stopped at a brewery in a small town called Blyth and called it a day.

This time, the rain and the cold were back, fortunately only during the second day. But with the dramatic turn in weather from the first sunny day, so once again we found ourselves soaked, muddy, and at the brewery, warming up with a beverage and deciding to end the ride there.

Sun and shine and smiles on the first day….

In the car on the way home, I thought about what it means to progress in a sport or exercise activity. Typically, to me it has meant faster times, more goals, or better scores. Really, though, the goal posts are always moving as we age. The same journey gets harder over time, even with more experience and better gear. Not even considering an adjustment for age, we chose not to feel bad that we didn’t finish at Goderich but good that we got as far as we did. As my friend Lisa said with a smile, “I’m confident there weren’t many 60 year olds out doing as much as I did today.”

Lisa and me riding into town, soaked but happy. Photo by GA Koops.

Progress was being able to get the same thing done even after a few years of creaky bones, knee problems, more stiffness. Fun and accomplishment were our goals. As I enter mid-life, that kind of relative thinking gives me a new and better way to measure my own success, one that acknowledges what I can’t control and focuses on what I can (like chasing joy rather than results).

For long-time readers, this blog is itself a testament to this kind of context-based thinking about fitness and aging. As we write, over the yesrs, what is maturing along with our bodies is our sense of what progress means. We can give ourselves permission to move at a pace that reflects the time and space we’re in, rather than set ourselves up to fail with ever-higher expectations that don’t appreciate where we really are.

The Guelph to Goderich rail trail line is referred to fondly around here as the “G2G.” Now that we’ve made it as far as Blyth, twice, it’s now sort of a new tradition for us, our “G2B.” And if we can get even that far again in a few years, rain and/or shine, we’ll all be happy with that.

Gotta keep your strength up! Delicious pie and tarts at the end of Day 1.
Celebrating a birthday, a community, and a good cause with studio cycling
charity · cycling · fitness · fitness classes

Celebrating a birthday, a community, and a good cause with studio cycling

elan.paulsonLeave a comment

This past weekend I went back to the Lost Cycle studio for a workout.

I wrote about my trial with Lost Cycle previously, noting its inclusive vibe and sensory experience that left me (during a time of intense personal change) with an emotional as well as a physical workout.

Now I was back riding in the dark, this time for a private birthday party, and a pride-themed mental health fundraiser birthday party at that.

90s spin class playlist “ad” for our private event at Lost Cycle South

I know that @samanthabrennan hosts annual outdoor cycling rides for friends and family on her birthday. But I had never thought about how you could make your birthday party into a fundraiser for a national mental and wellness support organization, then have friends donate by reserving a seat on a studio stationary bike, then have that studio give you 50 minute of curated vintage 80s and 90s tunes, and (while you are sweating and singing) have your lovely exercise instructor wax eloquently about the importance of showing up and being loved and accepted by your community.

Oh, and then you get a popsicle or ice cream sandwich at the end.

There are many ways to celebrate and be celebrated on your birthday. If you are looking for an idea that outside the cake-hat-streamers-birthday box, then consider pulling together your favourite people and your favourite fun activity, then throw in some social responsibility and some frozen treats. It could be your best birthday yet.

In the studio after our birthday ride: tons of fun
Scouts and Sweeps in Group Fun
cycling · fitness · fun · holiday fitness · leadership

Scouts and Sweeps in Group Fun

elan.paulson2 Comments

In the Azores, on the volcanic island of Faial, 5 friends and I rented ebikes for what we thought would be a scenic and leisurely ride through part of the countryside.

But after a few hours, following stops for an ocean swim and a lunch, the wet and foggy weather started closing in. We had few route options and limited ebike battery life. The guy at the rental shop had warned us: use the pedal assist too much and we’d be pedalling our heavy ebikes home entirely on our own steam.

The team posing: we had cycle, rain, and swim gear all ready for this trip that day!
The team posing: we had cycle, rain, and swim gear all ready for this trip that day!

I am, by instinct, a middle-of-the-pack person. I’ve never been confident or experienced enough to lead a physical group adventure, though I’m not usually slow enough to need too much bringing along. Most of my athletic life has involved participating but mostly being accountable just to myself.

But after two years of riding with my local cycling club, I’d learned enough about how group rides work to provide some safety and support strategies. One person sets the direction and pace. They carry the authority and stress of being first. Another person holds the rear and watches for gaps. They make sure no one gets left behind and communicates trouble forward.

I didn’t know those roles had names until I talked to a friend who, as an avid hiker, described similar roles for groups on multi-day hikes: scouts and sweeps.

(In cycling, my ride leader explained, they are referred to as leads or, in motorcycling, points.)

I took a photo of the ride routes map at the store, and I’m glad I did because my Ride with GPS app wasn’t awesome.
I had just happened to take a photo of the ride routes map beforehand at the rental store, and I’m glad I did because my RidewithGPS app wasn’t awesome in the Faial backcountry.

I was so eager to ride that day, I ended up at the front. It turned out that my first day as a group cycling scout was somewhat stressful: the weather was not improving and the road on those volcanic hills seemed to head ever-upwards.

A break in the hills and the fog allowed me to snap a picture of the road and town ahead.
A break in the hills and the fog allowed me to snap a picture of the road and town ahead.

By the time we got to the exact opposite part of the island from where we started, we had to make a choice: follow the shorter mid-island route the bike store guy had suggested…or take the longer, traffic-busy road near the water. We had what the ebike community calls range anxiety: running out of juice before we run out of hills. Given the hilliness of Faial island we had already faced, we chose the latter.

There were other experienced riders in my group, so we rotated scouts and sweeps as we made our way towards Horta. By finally hitting some downhill and conserving our energy and our bikes’!), we ended up returning to the rental shop with time and battery to spare. Our apps told us we had made speeds of over 50km and reached an elevation of 330m, a gain of nearly 1000m overall. Not bad for recreational cyclists!

Lots a of elevation along with the weather made this recreational ride a good challenge, even on e-bikes.
Elevation and weather made this recreational ride a good challenge, even on e-bikes.
Route around Faial Island
Our final ride around the island and back to Horta….the long way.

Thanks to the Scouts and the Sweeps

Since our Faial ride, I’ve been thinking about the contributions that scout and sweep roles play in group activities. Not just the formal leaders who are trained and hired to lead groups on trails and tracks, but the regular folks who volunteer their expertise to help move groups of people along together. Scouts and sweeps aren’t just coaches on the sidelines. They are part of the group too, and their labour can be invisible until you’re the one doing it (or you are the one being helped).

Elan eating a sandwich
Me (Elan) on a scout break eating a Nutella sandwich.

This holiday group ride, which was longer and more difficult than anticipated, made me grateful to have had so many great scouts and sweeps in my life, taking care of me and the rest of the group when I didn’t even notice it. And this time out, I appreciated being able to serve my friend group in that same way.

Nat’s 3rd year providing SAG at a Flèche
Sat with Nat

Nat’s 3rd year providing SAG at a Flèche

natalieh (she/her)2 Comments

If all goes well by the time this post publishes, I will be driving from Orangeville to Schomberg . I have been awake since yesterday at 5 am. So tired.

A map showing the route from London to Coburg with 435 km distance and 2,888 meters of elevation.

I’m supporting my friends’ team Chamois & Shenanigans for the 24 hour Flèche event.

A green team badge shows 5 cyclists and an SUV labeled SAG WAGON.

It’s my third time providing Support And Gear (SAG) for this event. It is a rare team event in a sport, Randonneuring, that is usually about individual efforts and self sufficiency.

There are strict rules about the support I can provide. Only at controls, pre-set resupply points, can I provide food, mechanical and first aid.

I adore this group of athletes that I lovingly call “fools”. Fred, Jim, Marc, Michel and Mike appreciate the support and recognize how I contribute to the team’s success.

I also see my role as Social Media Strategist. I document and post their progress. This reassures loved ones that everything is going well. I refer to these posts as “proof of life”. Sometimes I am too focused on a quick turnaround and forget to take pictures. Oops!

I’m thrilled that this year there is also an all women’s team, Flèche Fatales. Brenda, Jessica, Lorelei and Natalia are receiving SAG from Corina and Maria.

The team badge for Flèche Fatales shows 4 cyclists bracketed by 2 cars.

The best part of the event is all teams arriving at the destination from a variety of starting points and routes. It’s really lovely to see old friends, enjoy great food and celebrate everyone’s accomplishments.

Volunteering is crucial to amateur athletics. If you get the chance, definitely help out events in your area. The athletes are so appreciative.

4 bicycles lined up against the exterior wall of a McDonalds before 6 am.
Revisiting the Rules of Cycling Rewritten (Throwback Friday)
cycling · fitness · fun · rules · tbt

Revisiting the Rules of Cycling Rewritten (Throwback Friday)

elan.paulson2 Comments

I went back to Sam’s Thursday post in the third week of April 2015 (11 years ago): The rules of cycling rewritten. It was composed of three linked posts and Phil Gaimon’s 3-minute video, New Rules of Cycling.

Sam’s two linked posts describe observations about some negative aspects of cycling she was seeing at the time, focusing on machismo and fussiness.

I found through the Wayback Machine the youth sport UK’s 27 rules for young cyclists, which emphasize respect, consctientiousness, and reality checks during training and races. The rules advise young cyclists to reject egotism and meanspiritesness and embrace competition while still seeing the bigger picture.

Finally, conplete with a makeshift outdoor office, a Cookie Monster mug, and his bike behind him, Gaimon shares general etiquette cycling rules that reject elitism and encourage safety and inclusion. And waving, as Sam notes in her OP.

If I had to boil it all down, the “new” cycling rules in 2015 were to Be Kind To Others and Be Kind To Yourself.

I think Sam’s post from eleven years ago is evergreen, not throwback. As a curious but hesitant road and gravel cyclist, I might not have even joined the sport of cycling a few years ago if I’d have known how gate-keepy it could be. I’m grateful for these posts because the culture of any sport is learned behaviour. As a novice, I only benefit from more seasoned riders who model and encourage unlearning the “old” rules that would have excluded me. Marc and Fred at the LCC lead in this way.

Longtime FIFI cyclists: have the “new rules” from over a decade ago become just “the rules” today? What’s changed, and what’s still the same in your cycling world?