April 9-13: C'mon Spring Part 2

Submitted by RichieRich on

How's your week shaping up?
Watch out for gravel and early-morning ice out there.
Any tales of shock and awesome to share?

Forums: 

New Cross Bike - woohoo! Phlegm - blah!

Submitted by themacneils on

Been riding my new cross bike for the past 3 weeks now and I've been absolutely loving it!  I'll still use the MTB for winter for now becuase the salt, etc is so hard on the bike.  I just added clipless pedals this past weekend (1st time) - a buddy of mine set them up for me - but I didn't get to practice any over the weekend like I'd hoped because it was too busy.  Today is my first commute with them, and so far they feel great - we'll see if I notice any difference on the hills on the way home.

However, I was sick all last week with a nasty flu and so this morning's ride was marred with a lot of phlegm  and coughing and snorting and the like.   Yell

Those who "have" and those who "haven't yet"

Submitted by RichieRich on

... was how someone described falling over whilst clipped in. Even experienced people fall over for silly reasons when clipped in. I just don't recommend doing it at some lights downtown with lots of witnesses. My pride still hasn't recovered from the experience... and neither, I'm sure, has that old ladies ears after hearing my inappropriate language.

If you're new to clipless my suggestion is to set the spring very light so it's easy to get in and out... and spend 5mins practicing.

Yeah!

Submitted by themacneils on

Yeah you bet Mike!  I didn't know what I had been missing that's for sure.  Smile

BTW, glad you enjoyed the Dunkels, they're one of my all-time favourite beers!

getting crowded

Submitted by umgray on

Wow, gone are the days of a few of us commuting by bike in the morning. The paths are getting crowded and the bike cage is getting busy. This is a good thing.

Thumped

Submitted by RichieRich on

Yesterday eve, around ~6pm'ish approaching the Crowchild pedestrian bridge from the south going to Dalhousie Station I observed ahead of me a dog running around.  Fairly typical.  Then I noted a jogger having some words with some woman and conversation parts such as "dog" "running uncontrolled" etc etc...  Hmmm...They parted ways and a few seconds later I was approaching the same area.  The dog, who had been some distance away, started barking and charged at me teeth bared.  By this time I had already yelled and rang my bell, plus slowed down substantially.  Having been bitten there just a few months ago I wasn't taking any chances so stopped and kinda shook my foot at the dog (not intending to make contact).  Dog jumped back, raced around behind me, and made an unmistakable effort to lunge at my left calf.  When it was about 4" from making contact with it's teeth, and in self defence, I knocked the dog down.  Owner was obviously a bit upset, me more so.  Somehow I managed to remain relatively calm and didn't explode/yell or burst with swears.  In any case, I strongly advised the owner they need to maintain control of their animals on commonly used areas for the safety of everyone, and that I had every right to defend myself.  She got the point, and did apologize.  In retrospect it's almost odd that we departed one relatively good terms instead of each spewing forth anger and resentment.


I suppose some takeaways  here are that it's warming up so there are more MUP users, which include dog walkers, kids, runners, etc etc so not only do you have to be prepared for evasive action, but please also be considerate of others whom you may affect.  Also, making the effort to have an intelligent conversation goes a long way towards resolution and future awareness for each party.


Rant over.

Not a rant

Submitted by DarrenB on

That's not a rant, that is sound advice backed by well articulated personal experience. Thanks for sharing with us, and for representing cyclists well with a level head and reasonable attitude.  

off leash dogs

Submitted by umgray on

Its amazing that dog owners do NOT know that even in a dog park where a Pathway is located you must have a dog on leash if on the pathway. I actaully sidewalk chalk this on the pathway in Oakridge a few times a year. I would hate to kill somebody's little mutt because of the owners ignorance but it has been close a few times. Bylaws needs to become more vigilant on the dog owners in the off-leash areas where pathways are located. I guess a 311 call is in order.

Calgary pathway bylaws

Submitted by RichieRich on

located on first link here:  http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages/Bylaws-by-topic/Parks-pathways.aspx


More bike-oriented material starts ~page 9 to 11


Notes:


- does not specifically state what color lights to use (ie white in front, red in rear, in compliance with TSA)


- hard to find any easy-to-interpret verbage on dogs (48.1.i.iii)


Anyone have time to link the dog-specific bathway bylaw items please? 


 

Dogs on Pathway

Submitted by dailybiker on

I have copied in the relevant text from http://www.calgary.ca/CA/city-clerks/Documents/Legislative-services/Bylaws/23M2006-ResponsiblePetOwnership.pdf


 


In my opinion, people have the right to the pathway....dogs do not.  Note that the bylaw below is very restrictive, but never enforced.  When dogs endanger your personal safety, a person needs to take the appropriate action and not be concerned about the dog or the owner of the dog who obviously are not concerned about the safety of anyone else.


 


Dogs Permitted on Pathways
(4) Notwithstanding subsection 15(1) or 15(2), the Owner of a dog may allow such dog to pass along or across a Pathway, including a Pathway that runs through an area designated as an off-Leash area, only if such dog:
(a) is secured by a Leash of no greater length than two (2) metres;
(b) remains on the right hand side of the Pathway at all times unless moving around other Pathway users; and
(c) remains under the Owner’s control at all times ensuring that the dog does not interfere with or obstruct any other Pathway user.
UNCERTIFIED COPY
BYLAW NUMBER 23M2006
Page 11 of 33
Dogs Shall Not Obstruct Pathway
(5) Notwithstanding subsection 15(4)(a), in an off-Leash area that has been designated by the Director, Parks pursuant to subsection 48(1)(i)(iii) of Bylaw 20M2003, the Parks and Pathways Bylaw, as an area where dogs are not required to be Leashed on Pathways, every Owner of a dog shall ensure that such dog does not sit or stand on a Pathway or otherwise obstruct or interfere with users of the Pathway.

Sign

Submitted by jondub on

Last night I had to weave slowly through a crowd of unleased dogs on the pathway. I pointed out to the owner that she was standing right under a sign saying that dogs must be on leash on the pathway and received a load of abuse. So my vote goes for 'don't care'.

On leash can be bad too

Submitted by dmulligan on

My favourite are the dog owners with those super long invisible retractable leashes.  Especially when they let their dogs bound into the bushes across the path not paying attention to who may get caught in their snare.

I agree, not a rant

Submitted by gyrospanner on

My beef over the last couple of days is with ignorant people that refuse to move when I ding my bell before passing. 


And I mean cyclists riding in pairs and pedestrians.  Gimme Pass! - Move De!  Now that's a rant, Jamaicaan Style...


Soooo, anyways, I end up riding around them on the grass.


PMO


 


 

First commute this week

Submitted by seacloud on

I've been spending some time at home getting some projects done this week and only had my first commute today (by bike, of course). Beautiful morning today, but packed some extra bits in case of a wet return trip this evening. I did find the pathways strangely quiet today, even considering I was passing the CBC building at about 6:05. I saw a total of 3 runners and 1 cyclist on my ride, which is odd for such a nice morning. Two of the runners were running on the left side of the pathway so I overtook them on their right, which doesn't feel 'right'! I did call out first and was thanked for having done so.

While I haven't been riding in to work the last couple of days, I did get a couple of nice rides in on the Easter weekend, including a nice group ride out towards Cochrane on Saturday, returning to the car in the blowing snow-flurry!

Bleagh!

Submitted by pinkrobe on

That was NOT cool.  I swear I get less wet stepping in to the shower.  Shoulda used fenders...  I'm going to be forced to have Bailey's and hot chocolate in an effort to warm up...

"Bailed" out?

Submitted by RichieRich on

not enough effort, I would suggest at least 2 Bailey's... hmmmmm

Up here near Nosehill my front driveway is about 20cm deep now.  Seriously.  Roads filled with deep heavy wet snow... don't think it prudent to bike tomorrow unfortunately although it sure might be fun??

My ride home

Submitted by gyrospanner on

OK Blame the Weather on Me!!  I took some pictures of some crocuses (crocusii?) earlier this week, and when I rode home you couldn't see any of them as they were covered in 2" of snow!  Here is the chronicle of my ride -


 


1) Leave downtown fairly early (4 o'clockish)


2) Go by Eau Claire and notice that "Hey! my feet are starting to get wet!"  Oh how I wished that I thought of bringing my nylon shoe covers!


3) Riding by Renfrew Chrysler I noticed that it was getting really squishy in my shoes and my butt was completely soaked!  Shoulda put my fender on, 'cuz I really hate that wet butt, wet butt-crack feeling.


4) At the intersection of Memorial and Kensington - anybody who rides NW knows the risks associated with the big puddle that forms there.  I got a cold-cold tidal wave from a big truck that only hit me from the waist down.  I consider myself lucky today!!


5) Got to Edworthy Park and realized that my butt was starting to get really cold.  And the full- fingered gloves were soaked through.  Damn!  I have waterproof over-mitts, but not today!


6) More great news from Edworthy (about half way home) - my friggin' cassette is starting to ice up.  No use going for the 13T, 15T or 17 T which means slow going.  I eventually stopped and used my knife to dig the ice out of the gears & I was good to go.


7) After that, it was more or less smooth sailing from there, but I realized that my butt wasn't cold anymore, but mt hands and feet sure were!  Nothing that a hot shower couldn't fix!


 


I went to Market Mall with my wife after supper, and given the amount of snow that has fallen, I dunno' about riding tomorrow...


 


 


 

Tsunami'd

Submitted by Julie Gregg on

Is Tsunami'd a verb when you get hit with one? I rode home about 5:45, really heavy snow at that time, I too had a truck swoosh thru' the giant puddle just as I was at that spot. The wave took my breath away, big gasp! Peeled the clothes off as soon as I stepped thru the back door and stepped into the shower. Just about to head out now for work, hope it's not a too frozen rutty type pathway.

That puddle was crazy

Submitted by winterrider on

I've never driven or ridden through there with the puddle that deep before. It so happens I finished all my riding by 12:30 yesterday (I did ride 2k through the first 10 minutes of the rain though), and last night I was out shopping for new cycling shoes as my strap broke on Wednesday.

I drove through that puddle on Memorial at about 6, and as there was a cyclist oncoming I slowed down to make sure I didn't hit him. I think I just slowed enough (to about 5 or 10kph), but I was still sending spray up over the railing just onto the edge of the path at the start of the puddle, and about halfway through the puddle I started to get concerned.

It was about a foot deep, and just around the bend was a car pulled over with steam billowing out of the engine block. Not a good sign :(

Gladly I made it out without the engine complaining and was on my way, but my heart goes out to anyone who got hit with a wall of water there, it was crazy deep, and not overly apparent to traffic until you're just about in it. I had advance warning as the car in front of me slowed, but otherwise from further back it looked like roadway with all the snow flying around.

Learned the hardway

Submitted by NWnewbie on

Yesterday was my first trip through that section of Memorial on a really wet day - and an eye opener for sure. I got hammered by spray off four consecutive vehicles, all of it landing on my head. Took me a minute catch my breath and figure out which way was which, but I managed to stay upright which surprised me.


Off to buy rain gear this weekend - carrying the extra 20lbs of absorbed water weight was unpleasant...and darn cold.

I hate wet snow

Submitted by habernac on

Haven't been that cold in quite some time. I was ok except for the crappy mtn bike gloves I wore. Hands were cold and wet within minutes. And, of course, to to top it off, some car nails a big pile of slush and soaks me. At least I was close to home. Taking a day off the bike today.

Sucked it up

Submitted by RichieRich on

Up in Citadel this morning I shovelled about 20cm depth snow from sidewalk paths, and driveway... but it had stopped snowing about 11pm and enough cars had passed to leave a good path to ride on.  Our trees/shrubs were either bowed over or completely invisible.  Slapped the studded wheels back onto the commuter and sucked it up.  Just bad up on Nosehill, by Ranchlands there was about 1/4 the snow we had, but it sure was wet with water spraying everywhere.  By Memorial the MUPS were 99% clear.  Should be fine this evening...  Glad I rode - better than hitting the gym!

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