Stop and Go

Although I crossed the Burrard Bridge yesterday, the experience on the bus can't be the same as riding your own bike across the bridge. So, today I took the plunge and travelled the long way around town to show my support.

I travelled the bridge around 4:45pm and did not see any traffic on the ends of the bridge. What I saw were cyclists enjoying the new lane and pedestrians walking on the correct side. I found the experience a good one. Most importantly, I felt safe travelling the bridge.

The most dangerous part of my trip happened when a police officer asked me "Where are you going?" just before I crossed the first traffic light as I headed East after the Burrard Bridge. I was travelling pretty fast and had to slow down to answer him while the light turned to amber from green. I responded "Straight." and was not sure if he wanted me to stop or not so I was crawling across the light and but then said it was okay. I am wondering where he thought I would be going.

Burrard Bridge here I come!

It's great to see that the city of Vancouver is promoting alternative modes of transportation.
Tomorrow the Burrard Bridge's western curb lane become a bike lane for cyclists crossing toward Kitsilano, while the eastern sidewalk will be reserved for cyclists heading downtown. Cyclists and pedestrians will no longer be forced to share the bridge's sidewalk thus making it safer for pedestrians and cyclist. I will be taking this route tomorrow to see what it's like.

How many bicycles in Vancouver?

Yesterday I wrote about people working in Vancouver. Today, I was feeling really good and just worked away on some projects that I wanted to get done by next week.

I think I have found my joy of biking again since biking uphill is getting easier. I found a good Vancouver site called ebikes.ca which educates on a form of vehicle that merges a regular bicycle with an electric motor. Just imagine how many hills you could conquer with an ebike! I was also wondering how many people bike in Vancouver at 6am and although I did not find the answer, I did find this great video by Katie Melua called Nine Million Bicycles.

Constructing Vancouver

I decided to try a new route today with my bike and found myself on the Grandview Viaduct. I found it dangerous, especially when you turn on to Clark Drive and head south, because there are a lot of big rigs (trucks). Nonetheless, I saw a vibrant Vancouver with lots of people working outdoors including a crew repaving a sidewalk (Clark Dr. and 20th) , a couple of workers painting a new home (Inverness St. and 29th) and a lot of other construction along the way.

Almost there...

So the week is almost over and I have biked 2 out of 4 days from home to work. I have tried different routes and still searching for the ideal route going to work and going home. In the process, I have discovered a few different streets that are bike friendly, including Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec. The good thing about biking at 6am in the morning is that there is not a lot of traffic which makes it safer on major streets.

2009 Car Free Vancouver Day

Car Free Vancouver Day put on street parties at four areas in the city. I attended the Main Street event near my home and volunteered at the Commercial Drive event with barricades. Both of these events were well attended and it seemed that everyone was having a good time.

Scoring Big

I am really excited that the city officials are exploring how Vancouver can implement a bike sharing program. My family and I went to the seawall near Science World where Bixi has demonstration bicycles this weekend. Each bike station includes a pay station, bike docks, and bikes, and is equipped with solar panels that power the station. I tried one of the bikes and it was easy to ride. It was also very comfortable and the seat could be adjusted with breeze. Although the ride was smooth, the bike only has 3 speeds so I think its limited in range. Otherwise it was a pleasant experience. I also found out that these bikes are made in Quebec and if the city goes ahead with a bike sharing program they will be creating some Canadian manufacturing jobs. The demonstration ends tomorrow.

We also attended The Official Canadian Street Hockey Tournament, Play On! Vancouver, which took place nearby on Abbot Street near GM Place. It was lots of fun to watch. I even caught a glimpse of CBC news anchor Ian Hanomansing reporting his results at the tournament.

Feeling like a Giant Rock

Almost a week ago, I posted I was looking for a bike and received a quick response from a friend. She told me she had two bikes and thought one was perfect for me. I went over to her house, tried it out and found the bike was just the right size for me. I now a Giant "Rock" model bike and hope that I'll be able to commute to work on it starting next week.

Are you part of the plan?

I visited BePartofthePlan.ca and filled out the online questionaire. I selected my transport priorities for the region, then my preferred existing funding options, and lastly ranked the future funding options that should be used. The consultation for Translink 10-Year Plan closes on June 30 and I wanted my voice to be heard. I hope Vancouverites express their interest in maintaining and improving a vibrant public transportation system.

Let's ride this heat out!

It's bike month and I have officially started to look for a new bike. I hope to get a bike that works well, was built to be fast, fits me well and is not expensive. Free would be even better. I am looking for inspiration and was thinking of visiting the Velo-City exhibit: Vancouver & the Bicycle Revolution at the Museum of Vancouver.

Vancouver’s human-powered revolution that's changing the way people experience and relate to the city, their neighborhoods, and to their own bodies.

The show opened today and runs until September 7, 2009. I enjoy taking the Translink because it allows me to read however I would like to be more physically active while doing mu part for the environment.