March 3, 2015 - to 10 Mile Point

It was a beautiful spring morning, although a little cool until we got going. But not sufficiently cold for David B. to don his long pants!

We assembled at Mile Zero from across the city. The sun was shining, the daffodils were in full bloom and the wind at our backs - at least at the beginning. What more could we ask for? The consensus was to follow the coast and tackle the hills on Beach Drive through Oak Bay and Uplands before dropping down into Cadboro Bay. Some stopped for coffee at Olive Olio's while others tackled the 10 Mile Point Loop before joining the others back at Olive Olio's.

While sitting outside in the sunshine enjoying a coffee, the conversation was eclectic as per usual - suggested moment of silence to recognize the murder of Boris Nemtsov, to the use of STP when selling a car with engine problems back in the day in Winterpeg, and everything in between.

Norm L. got all excited when a Citröen 2CV drove past Olive Olio's.

Please do not share this blog post with friends in RoC who don't want to hear or see that we are in mid-daffodil season!!

Cattle Point with Mt Baker in the background

Who is this cool dude?

Jim in Winterpeg??

This and that

Thanks to John C. for forwarding this image from a Twitter account - amazing what is possible! To read the map, you will have to stand on your head! To read the story go to click here. 

and from a previous coffee conversation, Jim has forwarded this link to a Ted Talk about the benefits of playing a musical instrument. To see the video go here

The last ride for February 2015 - 27th February

Nine riders headed north from Michell's Farm in damp cold conditions. Notably, the pack included Dave N. recently recovered from hip replacement.  After a couple of stops to add more clothing - especially gloves - we rode along Willingdon Road along the south side of the airport then up Mills Road to Melinda's for coffee.  At one end of the table, conversation cantered vaccines, Roundup, the nefarious role of Monsanto, all the way to the mundane - reminiscing on the once a week bath when growing up in the UK.  Meanwhile the other end discussed residual family matters arising from executing a deceased's will.

The benefits of the ride were somewhat off-set by the consumption of a calorie or two.

There was plenty of water in the ditches and some on the bike path from the heavy overnight rain.  Several riders commented that it was interesting to do this ride in reverse and see the sights from a different perspective.  We were generally dry throughout the ride, but glad to get back to the vehicles before the rain started again. At least there was no snow and the trail was ice-free.

To check the ride stats, click here, courtesy of Jim.

PS - Norm L & Tom A reminisced on the communal bath after a high school rugby game.

Trifecta Bike Ride

The combined Peloton group left Fol Epi together in a massive whirl of dust and picked up a few more riders at the 4 mile Switch Bridge. At Matticks, 2 riders stopped for coffee, 3 riders went on to Dooley Road, while 7 riders continued to Sidney to cover 56 km. or so round trip. We were pleased that David A. from the Peloton Injured Reserve List joined us for coffee in SIdney harbour. The sun came out, a bit of minor tire trouble, possibly the first or at least a rare Peleton use of a CO2 tire inflator. Norm T headed for the bike shop at the end of the ride and procured a new "Armadillo" rear tire. 

Topics of conversation were varied, nothing unusual there - the former premier of Alberta not being charged for theft, the issues around Bill C 51, dentists who charge twice for the same procedure, and Cy's outstanding 50 year old speeding ticket south of the border. The intellectual to the frivolous. 

NB** Russ Hayes bike shop is under renovation and all parts and accessories are 15 % off, probably for another week or more.

Friday February 20, 2015

Good ride from Hatley Gardens to My Chosen Cafe,  but today’s stats are messed up as the Garmin was not turned back on after coffee stop at My Chosen Cafe until the the bike shop on Sooke Road where Rusty had his flat a couple of weeks ago.  Oh, and BTW Rusty had another one today in the exact same spot, right outside the same bike shop. 

Seems Rusty is determined to beat all comers in the “most flats” category in 2015. However, Rusty and Jim (and Jack too) now have brand new supposed  "puncture proof" tires so maybe someone else can move to the top of the ladder.  

Whilst passing time prior to the start, Tom & James asked Doug if he thought we should pay for the parking at a CRD lot.  Doug thought not, but amused us with a tale of getting a rather odd handwritten note when he parked at Michell's on Tuesday. Norm T also confessed to getting one of these tickets which he claims to have paid in full..... I wonder…

For incomplete ride details, you can go here.

https://connect.garmin.com/activity/701983348

RoC - eat your heart out! February 17, 2015

Looking east from Sidney towards Mt. Baker

This is one of those days when Islanders love to tease their friends and family in the Rest of Canada. While much of the country is under several metres of snow, we are out on our bikes, some of us [David B & Norm L.] are in shorts! Coffee was at Georgia Coffee - where a fellow cyclist was occupying the only outside table. Fortunately, he was very generous individual and offered the table to the Peloton. As it turned out he was from the same town in Scotland as Norm L - they were seen to have a wee "blether". A welcome visitor for coffee was David A who is on the injury list for a few weeks. David has been "signed up" [volunteered???] to provide an "escort" when undertaking another section of the Tour de Victoria.

A bike ride in today's weather is good for the soul! Especially when we can share with fellow Canadians just how good it is. The overall feeling of joy was such that riders didn't mind when one of their members cycled through horse manure creating a gentle "spray" in his wake. Whether at the coffee break, or along the way the usual array of world and local problems were solved - how to deal with IS, or solve the chaos in Ukraine, for example. The one problem we didn't solve was the name of an Australian native plant, 15 letters beginning with H! Sorry James.

Jim showed up the rest of us by starting from the Blue Bridge and cycling up to Lochside Park to join up with the rest of the Peloton. Form Lochside, we rode to Sidney, and return, except Jim rode back to the Blue Bridge - go here if you want all the details.

Life is tough!

Meanwhile 7  riders did about 36 km from Michells Farm to hilly Lands End Road/ Chalet Road, coffee at Deep Cove Market on W. Saanich Rd, back via Patricia Bay, E Saanich Road (some took Lochside), etc back to Michells. Beautiful sunshine, especially in the backyard of the coffee shop. No hits, no runs, no errors as they say in baseball. Winter riding doesn't get much better than this!  

Friday the 13th - February 2015

Eleven of us departed Mile Zero promptly at 9:30 under clearing skies.  Rusty claimed to be delayed by a flat tire discovered in his garage that morning - but it did not hinder his riding.  I think he now leads this years flat tire chart!  Four of us stopped at Caddy Bay with various excuses about dog walking and urgent errands, thereby missing the hills on Ten Mile Point.  

For ride details go here

Spring in the air? February 10, 2015

Given the amount of rain in recent weeks, the ride today was on a paved surface. Starting at Mitchel's Farm, James, Tom and Norm L. headed north on the Lochside Trail, crossing the Pat Bay Highway at Beacon. Today, we went counter-clockwise around YYJ - the biggest decision was where to stop for coffee with the decision being to try The Spitfire. We gave it a positive review - service was good, we had a window table looking out over the airport.

The topics of conversation covered the spectrum - the crossing of the floor in Ottawa [ a poisoned chalice for the Liberals], the movies at the Victoria Film Festival, tipping etiquette, removing moss from cars!

There may be moss on the car but NOT on the bike!!

Meanwhile, 9 riders met at Foi Epi with some joining along the way. We did the 55 km or so round trip to My Chosen Cafe in approx. 2 hr: 30 min riding time. No incidents were recorded. The trails were remarkably good considering all the rain, there were only a few puddles and a little mud overall. Much better than last spring it seems. The sun came out and all was right with the world! Some talk over coffee and cinnamon buns about the summer tours coming up - Tour de Victoria in Aug. and some rides in the Okanagan in July. Someone may want to take the lead in organizing a Victoria Peleton team to participate. There was also mention  of the benefits of Mexican vacations it would appear.  Special mention to Ian with the latest fashion in panniers/ saddle bags to carry spare parts.

Where are are the bikes?

and for the details of the ride go here

Brave? Stupid? Or both Brave & Stupid? February 3, 2015

The day was overcast with some light rain, or Scotch Mist according to some as 7 brave or stupid riders assembled at Fol Epi [Ken W was joining us on the Goose]. There was some of talk of heading home rather than doing a ride, but that was deemed unacceptable! After waiting for a short time to see if Norm T and others would join us, the Peloton headed to Royal Roads without incident, except for picking up Ken W along the way.

Conversation over coffee revolved around the announcement of the retirement of the cuddly Minister of Foreign Affairs - there was consensus that the reason for the surprise announcement was to allow him to collect his lucrative pension sooner rather than later. That discussion was followed by Cy sharing some of his colourful past growing up in Edmonton. So colourful were the revelations that he might not be allowed to sit at the same table at future coffee breaks!!

The ride back into to town was in "emergent sunshine", in contrast to the very moist ride out of town. 

Those who "wimped out" missed a good ride!

Tour de Victoria time trial

Six hardy riders assembled at Western Speedway and were pouring over maps  and instructions by 9:15 AM. Jim was disappointed to discover he had 2 flat tires and could not repair both in time. He graciously stayed and offered to drive the route with us as a safety/ support vehicle on the narrow roads. This was awesome as we were in unfamiliar territory and it was comforting to see that big black SUV at regular intervals. Also Jim had a bike rack, extra water and encouraging words as we progressed this grueling route. We achieved just over 40 km.and 2hr. 11 min riding time. The hills are very tough and endless. Most of us felt we were pushing our upper limits to ride this route. Hard to find the motivation and  endurance to add 45 km. to that for the Tour's 85 km. category in August. Weather was sunny but cool and shaded on most of the route. Traffic was quite light and respectful for the most part. Norm had trouble with his chain several times and Bob had a leg cramp very near the end and rode the last few kms. in the support vehicle. Kudos to all the riders, especially to Tom who not only kept the pace but led it much of the ride. Extra thanks to Jim for the super support vehicle.

Check out the photo gallery below.

A Grunt-Free Ride

Norm T arrived for the start of the ride dressed as Johnny Cash - The Man in Black, although Ian did have to assist with a wardrobe malfunction!! Today's ride saw the entire Peloton cycle from Fol Epi to Mattick's where 5 riders stopped for tea and coffee, while the other 9 cycled on to Sidney. Over refreshments, there was discussion of the Aussie Open with no one approving of Sharapova's "grunt", how the world has changed for the better with the abolition of smoking on buses, aircraft and the movies! According to Ken Wo, there is less fog in Vancouver than when he was growing up when as a kid he played "fog seek". The ride to Sidney and back covered 56 km. 2:48 riding time. Av. speed 22.9 km/ hr., a brisk pace for all concerned. Nice turnout. The trail portion was in decent condition except for meeting some oncoming cyclists who insisted on riding side by side where there was only room for one bike each way to pass. We engaged them in a polite exchange of opinions regarding cycling etiquette and we were on our way with no incidents. A well deserved coffee break at The Georgia Cafe and Deli in Sidney. A hint of sunshine appeared and some wind on the return trip. The "F" word was not spoken or experienced. (flat tires). Great ride, great day.  

For details of the ride go to Jim's link

Rain or shine - January 23, 2015

Rain or Shine.....

Hans, David and Norm T. donned their rain bonnets and optimistically set out from Lochside in light rain. The light rain became steady rain and continued through the ride. We logged 35.5 kms. on a reverse route around the airport and back. The coffee stop at Melinda's was clearly the highlight. We had exhaustive discussion on tax cheating, Air BnB, interest rate drop and the economy, what is good for Canada, pharmacy errors and much more. No incidents except for very muddy bikes and riders. The trail was sloppy but in decent shape for this much rain. The 3 amigos managed to get the attached selfie at the end, despite being soaked.     ​

Feeling deflated! January 20, 2015

A motley crew of 7 arrived at Hatley Gardens, the majority having biked from home. We didn't get too far before Rusty had a flat on a 1 day old tube, right in front of the Outpost Bike Shop [warning this is a FarceBook page]near Luxton Fairgrounds. This is less than 100 yards from another flat Rusty had not long ago. He has lost the "no flat" crown for a while and indeed he will be asked to return his “Rusty Nail” award!. He ended up buying a new "puncture proof" tire and new tube from the shop.  The bike mechanic said his brakes needed adjusting and did that for him too.  The mechanic was asked if he could put his brakes "half on" to slow him down a bit but the request was declined. 

Doug's award this year should be a rear view mirror, as he left us at the lights by the bike shop not knowing Rusty had a flat and rode all the way to My Chosen Cafe before noticing we were not with him, and then having to ride almost all the way back. Doug probably had too much energy as he drove to the start point, and the only other one who did that was "the late Norm Tatlow" (who was actually on time).

Clearly, the plunging oil price was discussed over the coffee break, with gas at 96c/litre in many spots [79c in Edmonton]

Prepared by Norm T. & Jim

Rascals in our midst - January 20, 2015

There was no rain in the forecast, but it was certainly damp making for a cool ride! The timbers on the trestles were damp and slippery, and the hilly sections had ice melting pellets on the ground, although they didn't have much effect.

The ride out to Hatley Castle , the former home of the robber baron Dunsmuir was uneventful except that we picked up Ken W along the way. Conversation over coffee was "unfocused" jumping from the "adventures" of growing up in East Edmonton in the 50's and 60's i.e. the 1950's and 1960's, to uses for a garage other than storing a car to solving the current chaos in the  Levant. There was also a brief discussion of the movie Rising from the Ashes which was the subject of an email during the week. Doug M. drew our attention to the movie and that it is available on Netflix - for more details go to Worth a Look.

On the way back, the group divided into two, with Tom & David sticking to the Goose while Ken W. and Norm L., led by Cy took the the route less travelled via Portage Inlet, then following Colquitz Creek to Tilicum Mall, south to the Gorge, stopping at the Fred Dobbs statue of Camossung , crossing the Tillicum bridge then following Selkirk Ave. back to the Selkirk Trestle and Fol Epi.

No need to panic

Camossung by Dobbs

Peloton - coming and going January 16, 2015

Six riders left from Ogden Point heading east on Dallas Road with a nice SW wind assist, knowing we would pay on the way back. After the gruelling hills up to the scenic viewpoint we were pedaling past the Victoria Golf Club when a familiar looking whirling dervish rode by the other way at top speed. It was Rob H. We think he was watching for our approach from his house and then wheeled out to impress us with his speed and endurance. He turned around to join us and did just that, leading the charge through the tony Uplands. Just then another familiar figure pedaling quickly the other way, none other than The Godfather of the Peleton, Norm L himself! He had already been along the whole route earlier, had coffee at Olive Oloi's and was going home. We stopped for coffee in brilliant sunshine before summoning up the fortitude to tackle the head winds on the way back. No bolt cutters today. Just blissful Oak Bay, nicely sheltered from the wind of lesser suburbs.

Prepared by Norm T.

The perfect wet weather gear

While In Amsterdam, Mike B. took lots of bike related photos including this one.

One thing led to another, and I checked out Amsterdmize. That in turn took me to this - the perfect wet weather gear - perhaps something for Doug M. to investigate???

Prepared by Norm l., based on a tip from Mike B.

Are you a cyclist who breaks the law?

A researcher has launched a survey to discover why cyclists break the rules of the road.

Wesley Marshall, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Colorado Denver, thinks there's more to scofflaw cyclists than a bad attitude.

"People that are doing that type of behaviour aren't doing it in a car," said Marshall.

"So there may be differences in how we set up our transportation system — whether it's really meant for bikes or whether it really is meant for cars, and bikes have to meander their way through it."

The survey launched on Jan. 9 and has gathered more than 10,000 responses. Go ahead, check out the survey and see how you rate.

Marshall has admitted that he occasionally breaks the law as a cyclist, mainly for safety issues.

"If you're sitting at a red light and you're waiting at a queue with a bunch of cars and there's no cross traffic, it does feel safer to get ahead of those cars and establish myself in the lane as opposed to trying to compete with them," said Marshall.

According to Marshall, some states in the U.S. have created special laws as a result — in Idaho cyclists only need to slow down at stop signs, not come to a full stop, and cyclists can treat red lights as though they were stop signs.

Marshall suspects there may be a few factors that lead cyclists to behave badly on the road, including mimicking the behaviour of other cyclists.

"If you see people ahead of you breaking the law, you're more likely to go along with them," he said.

He's also interested in discovering why cyclists have a bad reputation compared to other commuters.

"Everybody is a criminal when it comes to the transportation system, but we don't consider someone who drives a little fast a criminal," said Marshall. "Are we singling out these cyclists more than we would a car driver?"

Prepared by NormL., based on a tip from Mark J.

The Saga of the Bolt Cutter - January 13, 2015

After much discussion among 6 hale and hardy riders in Lochside Park it was agreed to try some new territory. “Just-in-time” NormT arrived at the Lockside Parking Lot at the designated start time and the "magnificent seven" set off at a moderate pace. We had a scenic ride across to Old West Saanich Road, etc. along Wallace Drive, through Brentwood Bay and finally to The Roost for coffee. Kudos to Arnie for sticking to his conviction not to ride on Wallace Drive even when under pressure from some quarters that the route "is completely” safe.   After a short phone call, he left the Peloton at the intersection of Wallace Drive and West Saanich Road to ride to a friend’s house for coffee. 

The scenic views to the north-east from the ridge after crossing East Saanich Road made the hill climbs well worthwhile.

At The Rooster, we dutifully secured our bikes to the picnic tables before heading inside for a great coffee and muffin break. Politics and oil were once again the topics of the day.  There was much speculation on what the final impact of declining price will have on Alberta.  Turning to local politics, the relative political inexperience of the new mayors of Victoria and Saanich provided much discussion and mirth.  Most agreed to take a wait and see approach before passing final judgement on these newcomers.

When it came time to "saddle up" again, a certain rider (who is often a bit tardy) could not unlock his fancy Wordlock contraption. Other Pelotoneers showed remarkable patience - after a 20 minute delay we secured a gigantic set of bolt cutters, chopped the cable lock off and proceeded back along E. Saanich Road on a more downhill trajectory.

The total official ride was about 35 km. but some hardy riders logged up to 80 km. in their pre and post rides.

Prepared by Norm T. & John C.

Another first - David in long pants!

The ride today [January 13, 2015] started at Mitchel’s Farm heading to the trail around YYJ. Normally, we go in a counter-clockwise direction, but today, we followed a clockwise direction.

Much to the consternation of all, David felt “bullied” into wearing track pants [non lycra] over his shorts to fit in with the rest of the Peloton. He claims still to be playing golf in shorts, but that is another tradition that may fall!

It was pleasant weather - cloudy with a light north wind, but it did feel damp, especially to the Prairie Boys. Typical of a Victoria winter.

The ride was undertaken at a moderate pace with the occasional stop. Coffee was at Melinda’s where you don’t pay if the staff don’t smile! Jack opted for the strudel rather than the heavy duty cinnamon bun claiming that the air in the pastry reduced the calories and sugar. Given Jack’s lead some others followed.

Coffee conversation was wide ranging, as usual. Members provided support to James in dealing with his piles, and assured him that it was normal for the male species to start planning their vacation packing less than 12 hours prior to departure. Unlike the opposite sex. Jack was dissuaded from even considering selling the Explorer since it would eliminate a cherished talking point. It was agreed that we all valued the mutual support we got from the group.

The ride back to Mitchel’s seemed shorter today after the therapy session.

Prepared by Norm L.

How we imagined James on Tuesday evening!

A Baker's Dozen - not the Dirty Dozen

Rusty was not with us at the Swan's Lunch when the awards were handed out, but he was not forgotten. Before the start of the ride, Rusty was presented with a Rusty Nail [no expense spared]. Why a rusty nail you ask? It has been claimed that Rusty has had the fewest flat tires in the Peloton last year, so we thought this might correct that imbalance.

Given the positive forecast it was not surprising that we had a good turn out today - 13 in all. Rob and Norm T. who had both recently returned from the Prairies were very appreciative of the Victoria winter weather.

The ride started at Fol Epi with Mattick's as the destination. With such a large Peloton, we stretched out over 500m. Much to everyone's delight, the trail was in good condition despite the recent rains. The CRD seems to be doing a good job of keeping bike trails in a good state of repair. There is ongoing maintenance taking place throughout winter - glad to see our taxes being put to good use!

Despite the ongoing volatility of the price of a barrel of oil, the focus of conversation was on the shootings, murder and hostage taking in Paris in recent days. There was also some light hearted analysis of the article on the longevity of Mamils, with the suggestion that we need to add yet another word to our lexicon Romamils. See the bottom of Worth a Read page. Another talking point was David's decision to show up the rest of the Peloton by wearing his shorts, and leaving his walking stick at home!

James and Norm L. had to eat some humble pie after the ride for failing to adequately notify other members of the Peloton of their intention to stop for a beer. Rumour has it that they will have to install a Bike Spike on future rides so that other riders can track their movements. They thank Bob, Jim and Cy for forming a search party.

The bike spike