Grrr, chicory...

Roadside chicory is the enemy of the urban cyclist.  My shins sting like I've been whipped by Mr. Grey.  Doesn't the City crew own a weed-whacker? I swear that stuff reaches out to get me as I'm riding by. Plus, it nearly sent me flying when it tangled in my rear wheel and gears. I'm an organic girl, but really, I'm having to ride out into the road to avoid it, so it has become a danger to both myself and 4-wheelers.  Something must be done!

Hidden Trails and a Clear Mind

In the 20 minutes or so that it takes me to bike to work (faster on the roads than the nature trail), I have enjoyed an interesting new phenomenon. When you are biking, you have to think about the now.  Every rock, every turn, cars, hidden trailheads, wandering quail, pockets of loose gravel and barking dogs require absolute mindfulness. When I was driving my car, I used to think about all the things I had to do when I got to work.  When biking, I think about my immediate surroundings, the smells, the heat, the sound of my gears shifting.  It's a wonderful exercise in clearing my mind.  I arrive at work feeling content and energized.  What a gift.

Foiled...

Yesterday we biked downtown via the foreshore, and found that the annual tide had claimed about 50 feet of trail.  I knew we were in for it when I could see ahead of us a few ducks swimming on the trail.  About three inches of water and a few tiny fish, we rode through carefully (no front fender) and survived the trip with dry sneakers. We're still three weeks away from high water, so I think I'll have to change my route to work next week. Back to the up and down of Salmon Arm hoping that motorists are respectful and kind. Arg. I'll miss the birds, the tiny pink flowers, the sound of the waves, the smell of the wild roses, the beaver, the fuzzy ducklings, the stationary turtle and the herons taking off.  It will all be different when I return in late July.

More on bike commuting...

Here are a few more things I've learned while bike commuting...

9.  The dark stump at 3.5 km is not a bear.
10.  Never look directly at the puddle you wish to avoid.
11.  Ma and Pa Goose do not want me to stop to admire their babies.
12.  Joggers wearing earbuds should check over their shoulder now and then.
13.  In the face of sharp corners and large rocks, your bike will take care of you, you just have to trust it.

Helmet Hair

Did you know that when the bike helmet law came into effect in BC, female ridership fell by 30%?  Isn't that crazy?  We're just worried about helmet-head.  It is nasty, I won't argue that.  But that should have opened up some doors to invention instead of sending us scurrying for our cars again.  For instance, there should be a helmet with pin-curl options inside, so that you arrive at work, pull off your helmet and voila! Your hair is coiffed with beautiful waves.  It's a million dollar idea, I tell ya.  For now, I've succumbed to my stylist's constant request to cut my hair into layers and, gulp, bangs.  Must admit, though, a good shake-out after the helmet, some spray n' scrunch and I look pretty darn good.  Girls, helmet-head can be overcome.

Biking to Work

It's been nearly two weeks that I've been commuting to work by bicycle every day.  It's invigorating going all downhill through Upper Raven then Lower Raven, then onto the foreshore trail.  4km of almost flat, absolutely beautiful wilderness, birds singing and diving.  This might be something I do all summer instead of just during the "Pedal Power" exhibition.  About bike commuting in Salmon Arm, here are some things I've learned so far:
1.  Leave at 8:15am instead of 8:45am, less traffic downtown.
2.  A gel seat cover is an excellent Mother's Day gift.
3.  Instead of gearing down as you go up a hill, speed up before the hill.
4.  Don't wear earrings shaped like fishing lures.
5.  Don't change out of one's bicycle clothes in the office when 13 other people have a key to said office.
6.  Potholes hurt.
7.  Mondays are gruelling no matter what form of transportation you choose.
8.  No one really cares what my hair looks like.

I look forward to the next two weeks, and hope to see more people out using their pedal power.

Beat Nation

Another journey to Vancouver, and another trip to VAG.  Sometimes I'm looking at their collection for the fourth or fifth time, and it's not so exciting.  This last trip was to Beat Nation - contemporary First Nations art as it relates to the hip hop culture.  Oh so amazing.  I was thoroughly delighted to come across every single piece of unexpected brilliance, from the banana seat bicycles pimped out with beads and deer hide, to the 20 foot high spray painted Thunderbird tag, to the fancy dress that looked entirely traditional until you saw the little pattern of men holding AK-47s.  And the video art - I'm so glad my kids were with me.  In school they learn about Inuit seal hunts and Haida fish-curing techniques.  They don't learn that a terrible wrong was done and that it must be fixed.  The statements made by the First Nations artists in this show were full-on, accusatory, exhilarating and had a lasting effect on all of us.