So, it was about a year ago that I started, after a 10-ish year hiatus, cycling to work again (aka re-cycling?)…and while I’m still not at the point of cycling around town for day-to-day living (I’m more of a walker) or hopping on a bike when travelling (aside from the occasional beach ride to get ice-cream), I have over the past few months collected a number of random thoughts and observations:

  1. Toronto is a busy, vibrant City…something one really notices when riding through the downtown core.
  2. Traffic is traffic…though I don’t seem to mind it as much when it’s bikes.
  3. On a cloudless morning, staring at the CN Tower profiled against a blue, blue sky when stopped at Lower Simcoe and Bremner is an amazing thing. Every. Single. Time.
  4. I think I’m going to be a fair-ish weather cycle commuter.
  5. It makes a HUGE difference when bike lanes are incorporated into construction detours and street shutdowns instead of being overlooked.
  6. Whereas I used to regularly double my best girl up Casa Loma hill in high gear on (what felt like) a cast iron bike, I now have a newfound respect for Archimedes and all those who contributed to the invention of gears.
  7. Singing out loud while riding lakeside along the Martin Goodman trail…not only acceptable, but encouraged…at least by me.
  8. Ghost bikes make me sad.
  9. Most drivers downtown are mindful and respectful (possibly because they too ride a bike at some point…it’s not an either/or thing)…but some of them could use a gentle reminder that stopping in bike lanes, even for only a short time, is not only dangerous, it’s illegal.
  10. Cycling to work…still lovin’ it!

Special PS for everyone at UHN – June is Bike Month…check out some of the upcoming activities.