E-bikes Yes Or No: My Story So Far

Just over a year ago my family bought me a pedal assist e-bike. Yes we could have gone with a bike that was under $1000 from Walmart or Amazon. but instead we decided to shop local. My Dad and I both sought out advice and decided on the bike I have now.

Some of the advice we were given is: 

Buy from a store you trust and service’s what they sell. This allows repairs and warranty work. 

Do not buy a department store bike. 

Do not buy knock off batteries (buy the correct battery for the bike) they are a fire hazard. 

Do not leave a charging battery unattended. 

 Buying a cheaper bike might seem like a quick win but in the long run it will cost you in repairs (if you can find someone to fix it) or having to replace the bike sooner. 

I ride my bike almost every day. Some trips like going to the mall or my dentist I still use my non e-bike or Hamilton Bike Share. I have done a few rides that for me. would have been impossible on a non electric bike. I have been to Brantford Ontario (80 and 100 Km), Paris Ontario (120 Km). Oakville Ontario (95 Km) and even Malton Ontario (150 Km). 

After working out some initial bugs with the bike like breaking spokes (rebuild the rear wheel), a mistake I made when washing the bike and having to get the battery replaced. I have also had routine maintenance done on the bike like brake pads and cables checked and replaced. 

I have been able to participate in multiple rides a day, in different parts of the city and still do my day to day errands. Towards the end of the summer we purchased a extra battery that I will carry with me on really long rides or when I have a few rides in a day and just the need the comfort of a fresh battery at the end of the day. 

 

In 2021 (the last full year I rode my non ebike) I rode 2084.2 Km according to Strava. in 2023 (Not quite finished) 5,934 Km recorded on Strava (A time or 2 I forgot to press record) Just the other day a little over 1 year I reached 7000 Km on the bikes odometer

Slow Rolls - The Return

2020 was a year like many of us have never experienced before. I was hoping for a second year of group rides and outreach through Everyone Rides. I had joined the board of directors of Cycle Hamilton. It was a different Cycle Hamilton than I was originally used to, no monthly meetings and no social activities. Still we pedaled along. A question that I seemed to always get asked was when are group rides starting up. Our leadership was cautious and rightfully so. Through talking with our then Co-Chairs the idea and my own digging I came across the idea of Slow Rolls. A program I am a participant in restarted their weekly Sobi Rides, limited it to 5 people and we had a couple of different routes that were all ages and abilities and for the most part completely away from motorized traffic.
The rides were at a leisurely pace and we enjoyed the sights and sounds of the city and the waterfront. How do I bring this to Cycle Hamilton? Slow Rolls!!!

What is a Slow Roll?

• It is a group of people getting together to ride their bikes.
• Everyone is welcome.
• A ride in the city at a leisurely pace and for what it is.
• There is no sign-up or commitment.
• No one gets left behind or dropped.
• There is no humiliation or shaming.
• No one is left to find their own way home.
• And most importantly it is about building relationships.

There were times that it was discouraging because no one else showed up, but that was okay. I still got to ride my bike. There were times 1 person showed up and we had a great chat and got to know each other.

In 2022 I paused hosting the Slow Rolls as often to focus on Advocacy and studying and promoted other group rides and participated in a few that I hope to see back this year.

It is now 2023 a new season is in front of us. I usually do #30DaysOfBiking in April and thought what a great way to kick off April with a Slow Roll or 2 (2 in one day) In the future Cycle Hamilton will be doing more and we will be adding a twist of doing them in a couple of wards we usually don’t as Advocacy Rides. Looking at what works, doesn’t work and how we can get more people on bikes.

References:

Cycle Hamilton: https://www.cyclehamont.ca/
Everyone Rides Initiative: https://www.everyonerides.org/
Slow Rolls: https://www.hourdetroit.com/community/the-rapid-rise-of-slow-roll/
#30DaysOfBiking: https://30daysofbiking.com/

 

I joined Mastodon Mastodon

A BOY, HIS BIKE AND HIS BIG ADVENTURE

 A BOY, HIS BIKE AND HIS BIG ADVENTURE

The spring of 1979 I was finishing up grade 8, I spent a lot of my free time riding my bike both on my own and with my friends. I was teased quite a bit as a child because I have a hereditary problem called spina bifida and through this it caused my feet to turn out so walking and running were often difficult. But I could ride my bike for what seemed like hours and miles.

My favourite TV show at the time was ‘BJ And The Bear’ a comedic show about a truck driver and his chimpanzee named Bear. I still don’t know to this day if I liked the show because of the truck or the idea of having a pet monkey.

I would frequently go to the Burlington Mall with my parents and occasionally go on my own either by bus or bike. I inquired at the toy store about getting the Matchbox ‘BJ And The Bear’ truck and they said they didn’t have it but a store at Centre Mall in Hamilton did. I did what any other kid did when they wanted a toy I begged and pleaded with my parents to go to Centre Mall but something always came up.

The first week in May was sunny and warm and on Saturday morning I set out on my trusty 3 speed Supercycle. I was 13, had no clue about route planning and even though I had disappeared on my bike for hours at a time I had never ridden that far before. I headed out from my townhouse complex towards Northshore Blvd. past Joseph Brant Hospital (pondered if I wanted to continue). Then continued on Lakeshore Road. I stopped at the Canal Lift Bridge and thought to myself again to I really want to do this. I continued along Beach Bld. to Woodward Ave. I had made this trip with my Mom many times before in her car but this was a first for me on my bike. I got a little lost but I was determined. Most of the trip was on sidewalks because there weren’t any bike lanes then. Instead of heading to Barton I turned on Brampton and recognized the lumber store on Parkdale. I got my bearings and headed up to Barton then on to my destination.

I went into the mall and went to the toy store and purchased my ‘BJ And The Bear Truck’ and another one I can’t remember, then I stopped in at Big Boy’s and had some fries and gravy and a cold drink.

I took almost the exact same route home but this time I got stopped at the lift bridge for a ship heading into the Harbour. Which ended up making me late for supper. But I locked up my bike and went into the house to show off my purchases. And when it was discovered where I went on my adventure I was grounded for the next week only being allowed out for school, no bike riding after school. It did open a discussion to what my new boundaries were and unfortunately regular trips into Hamilton weren’t part of them. As a grad gift from grade 8 I got a new bike and I start regularly riding in the local Bike-a-thon after that. 

<a rel="me" href="https://mstdn.ca/@cycletherapyHam">Mastodon</a>

Ontario Bike Summit Presentation

Back In December 2020 I presented with the Everyone Rides Initiative at the Ontario Bike Summit. We were part of the Equity, Diversity AND Inclusion Ontario Examples Session. There have been a few updates since then I am no longer a interim board member of Cycle Hamilton I am a full fledged board member and it looks like I am going through the process of identifying a lesion under my tongue again. Below is my small part of the Everyone Rides Presentation.

Hi everyone, my name is Mark. I am an Everyone Rides Initiative rider and volunteer. I have also been a member of the Hamilton Bike Share board of directors since 2019. I have been a member of Cycle Hamilton for 4 years and this year I submitted my name to be a interim board member of Cycle Hamilton.

However, this is not where my cycling story begins. Just over 5 years ago I went through a cancer scare. Through this health scare and all the testing involved I was also diagnosed as diabetic, I was overweight and unhealthy. This was the point in time that I decided to quit smoking. This was not a simple realisation and is still not an easy task for me. At the time I smoked 75 cigarettes a day and had been smoking for 35 years. I struggled to quit smoking for 4 years, with help from CAMH, Public Health, Smokers Helpline and Good Shepherd’s - Steps to Health Program, I have now been smoke free for over 1 year. (round of applause and virtual high fives).

I am now a regular member of Steps to Health, they offer numerous programs including one called Energized. They meet twice a week for 16 weeks -- one day is nutrition and cooking and the other day is physical activity. It is here that I was introduced to bike share and group rides. Steps to Health has access to a Group Ride Pass from the Everyone Rides Initiative, this allows them to sign out bikes and go on rides with people who are learning to integrate physical activity into their lives.

Riding with a group and quitting smoking helped raise my confidence level and I started getting more involved in the cycling community in Hamilton, I went to Cycle Hamilton meetings and other group rides throughout the city. It was at one of the Cycle Hamilton meetings that I first met Theron and I signed up then and there to be a volunteer with the Everyone Rides Initiative. Through the ERI I got the awesome opportunity to do outreach in the community and with partner organizations. One of these programs was the Good Shepherd Annual Picnic, we had a fun day in Gage Park with the bikes, trikes and BBQ. It is fulfilling to be on the other side of giving and to be assisting others on bikes and encouraging them to ride.

My involvement with Steps to Health has benefited me in so many ways including building my self-confidence which has led to me pursuing opportunities to give back like being an ERI Card Delivery Volunteer, an ERI Connector and being asked to join the Hamilton Bike Share Board of Directors. This year I also applied to be Cycle Hamilton’s interim board member and was accepted!

(pause)

There have been many group rides, discussions and miles that have gotten me to this point and I am thankful to all the friends, family and cyclists along the way for their encouragement and kick-in-the-pants when I needed it.

Be safe, be seen and pedal on. 

It All Started With A Fire

Sometimes you hear 'It started with a fire' and people are talking about a desire deep inside of them for me it was a actual fire read on:  Facebook Memories can be a good thing or a bad thing; it depends on how you choose to look at them. On December 6, 2016 (4 years ago today). I had a live changing moment. Here is the post I made to Facebook ‘Please pray for everyone in my household we had a fire today. Everyone is OK thankfully’ My then landlady and I were fine but because of the fire we were temporarily homeless, the power and gas were turned off in the house because of the fire and my tiny bachelor apartment was devastated almost all of my personal belongings were laying in a heap in the backyard.

We went to stay with a mutual friend Kathy. I made daily trips on my bike back to the house to check the mail and ultimately check on progress of where the restoration company was with the restoration and repair of the house.

I didn’t realize it then but some major changes were about to take place in my life. Even though I don’t like change. I didn't recognize it at the time but the relationship between that land lady and myself was toxic and abusive and so much of my life revolved around her needs both physical and emotional. I adjusted all my appointments, If I ended up with a medical appointment, quit smoking group appointment, or was away on a ride too long I was made to feel guilty. So much of our time revolved around tv shows and watching them in the afternoon.

Through staying at Kathys she encouraged me to join Breathe Easy, a stop smoking group put on by Good Shepherds Steps to Health Program. And she saw some of the things that were going on between myself and my landlady before I did and encouraged me to move forward. I remember the day I had been cigarette free for about a month and stopped in to see the landlady she was back in the house, soon as I left all I could think about was having a cigarette. I did cave that day and journelled it, and made a realization then and there I could not go back. I talked to Kathy, another friend and my dad about not going back and they were all supportive.

Just after the fire my Dad suggested I look into local cycling groups. This was where I first discovered Cycle Hamilton. I became a member and bought a T-Shirt as a reward for being 1 month smoke free. I participated in my first group ride out to Dundas and back, became more active on Twitter as ‘SharpieGuy’ well because I was always chewing on a Sharpie instead of smoking a cigarette (whatever it took not to smoke). 

In the last four years I had so many firsts (Or firsts as a non-smoker) First time going to Festival of Friends to watch a band, first act of civic activism (lining Queen Street in winter) first time going to a restaurant without standing out in the cold or the rain for a cigarette, first group ride, first hockey game where I sat through the entire game, sitting through root canal without feeling out of breath or that I needed to cough. The health benefits have been pretty great as well, better blood pressure, better sleep, lower cholesterol and finally lower A1C. My first time actively taking part in an election, through the Cycle Hamilton's Municipal Election Ward Rides. My first 50 Km day\ride with James from Whitby when he rode through Hamilton to Coney Island, My first Gregs Ride which was also my second 50 Km in the saddle day. 

It also led to a couple of awesome years with the Everyone Rides Initiative and being on the Hamilton Bike Share Board of Directors. And now being a Board Member of Cycle Hamilton and to think it all started with a fire.

 

Hello My Poor Neglected Blog

I am sorry to have neglected you but we have been in a pandemic and the world seemed to stop for a little while.

 

Just over 5 years ago I went through a mouth cancer scare. I had a biospy from a dental surgeon and he wanted to operate, removing a few teeth and part of my jaw because in his words it was pre-cancerous. This was the point in time I decided to quit smoking. I also got in contact with a family doctor and filled him in on what was happening and between him and my dentist we would monitor it. With connecting with my family doctor he send me for some blood work and it came back that I had high blood sugar. I was now a diabetic though it would be a few more months before any one of my doctors would actually say the word ‘diabetic’. Remember I am still working on quitting smoking. At the time I smoked 75 cigarettes a day and had been smoking for 35 years.

 

I struggled with quitting smoking for 4 years. With the help of CAMH, Public Health, Smokers Helpline and Good Shepherds - Steps to Health Program I have now been smoke free for a little over year. But that was only the one battle I faced. I also had to get my blood sugar under control. My A1C at one time was over 20 and my daily blood readings were about 13. The reason for reflecting today was because a Facebook memory came up that I was happy with a 8.4. So I checked my blood sugar when I saw this and it was 6.4 (much better).

 

I guess it’s time to tie al this to cycling now. A few years before I had the cancer scare I was briefly hospitalized for cellulitis in my leg and weighed in at 350 pounds. I saw 2 doctors for this as a out-patient and 1 was a cardiologist and we worked on a small plan to help me lose weight. This included cycling. I started out small going just around the block a couple of times a day, then further and further. By the time I was diagnosed with diabetes I was going for 20 mile rides a couple of times a week.

 

There were a lot of challenges along the way to where we are today. For years I lived in a house that I took care of my landlady and adjusted all my appointments around her life. If I ended up with a specialist appointment that interfered with her life or I was a way on a ride for too long I was made to feel guilty about it. A fire in my bachelor apartment in said house, where I lost practically everything. A nice friend of ours took us in and I ended up staying with her for almost 2 years when she passed away. The one constant was riding my bike.

 

Last year I enjoyed my summer as a Everyone Rides Connector and then was asked if I would be interested in being on the board of Hamilton Bike Share. This year I applied to be a interim board member of Cycle Hamilton and was accepted. There have been group rides, discussions and miles that have gotten to this point and I am thankful to all the friends, family, doctors and cyclists along the way for the encouragement and kick in the pants that have allowed me to get to this point.

 

Be Safe, Be Seen and Peddle On

Why 2019 Was The Best Year Of My Life Part 2

As I mentioned I was and am a volunteer/connector for Everyone Rides and through that I had opportunity to meet with and interact with a few neighbourhood associations. Having moved myself last winter this gave me a great chance to connect with a few of my neighbours and talk about the neighbourhood and of course cycling. This opportunity also led to me being part of the board of HBSI.

I also really like taking part in Gregs Ride which is hosted by Share The Road Cycling Coalition. And was looking forward to doing the longest ride I had done. ut because of a small injury I just did the the 10km route which led to a couple of great conversations and connecting people with Dundas Rides and Cycle Hamilton.

In October I had my diabetes check up. My A1C was up a little and this alarmed me a little. My nurse practioner and I came up with a plan that involved a new medication. I had all the most common side effects almost immediately. And found the best way to deal with them was to power through and go for a ride.

The year finsihed off with a small victory with a couple of the yellow vests being banned from the City Hall Forecourt. My Strava numbers were down a little bit over 2018 but my activity in the community is way up. I took part in 2 different cycling studies and was asked for a ancedotal story retaining to air quality. Most importantly I finished the year with good news from the diabetic clinic. My A1C and cholesterol were the lowest they have been in 5 years.

The biggest lessons for me were mostly practical and putting in to practise ‘Seek first to understandthen try to be understood.’ So many people through the last year have helped me with this life lesson. Growth and learning as a person doesn’t end as a adult it just keeps going and I am glad it does. Sure I didn’t get to cover the distancees on my bike or the milestones I wanted to but somethings and most people are woth the detours in life.

Why 2019 Was the Best Year Of My Life Part 1

Seems all of the young people on social media do a why last year was the best year of my life. And while I usually go through life kicking and screaming with as much resistance to change as possible last year was a awesome year.

The year started off kind of discouraging medically and coming off of the high and lows of moving again, and getting turned own for the Cycling Committee. But I didn’t let that stop me. I was asked to join a gaming clan something I thought at my age would be next to impossible but there was something else stirring in me. In March that stirring was set into motion when I signed up to be a volunteer/connector with Everyone Rides Initiative. At first I thought this was just going to be helping out with group rides but it turned out to be so much more with outreaches and working with partner organizations.

In April at the Annual Meeting I strengthened my commitment to Cycle Hamilton and asked to be invovled with volunteering which I still want to do more hint hint I am pretty good at stuffing envelopes).

The people I have met through Cycle Hamilton and Everyone Rides Initiative are amazing. I have learned so much about safer cycling, cycling infrastructure and advocacy that I could have never learned on my own.

In June, a call went out for allies for the annual Pride Celebrations, but I had already committed to the Pride Ride from Carter Park to Gage Park The ride was uneventful and was learning expereince for me as I got to learn that a lot of parents didn’t think the bike lanes were safe for their children. I found out a artist that I grew up listening to was performing and mentioned that I would like to see her toa cycling friend Jamieand her reply was “Who?” Seems Carole Pope was a little before her time. Which turned into a joke about my age. When we arrived at Gage Park I wondered around was just settling in to listen to one of the performers when I caught a couple of yellow vests walking across the park. I tried to stay in between them and the celebration. When I got to where the trouble was I saw people harrassing and fighting with people.

On that day I was changed. I had never really given how my religious beliefs and thoughts harmed my relationship building with others. I took a stand on that day to be an ally and a friend. This started my education of listening to people both over coffee and online and just being present.

The next group ride was the Pride Rally Ride from Powell Park to City Hall. I promoted this through my facebook page. One of my friends from religious circles made a hurtful, hateful response that I didn’t notice until I got home because I went for a longer ride before the group ride. I was shaken and didn’t know how to react at first. I reached out to another friend actually my oldest friend and asked for advice, we got together for coffee and discussed it. He also agreed to keep a eye on my facebook and alert me with a text or call if something like that happened again. After responding with ‘no one who should be made to feel ashamed for who they love’ I put them on a time out for 30 days and unfollowed them. I apologized to anyone who may have seen the post and that it was allowed to stay up as long as it did.
I made a decision to stand against hate and take my place standing for Peace, Love, Acceptance, Inclusion and Diversity and this is how I spent my Saturdays. It’s not always easy and there has been a little bit of violence and a few superhero types that think they can swoop in say a few words then go about their lives. It has helped strengthen and build community.

I reconnected with my sister who lives in another province and we went for a ride and talked about cycling, infrastructure family and my niece Piper. I reconnected with Piper over text messages and we haven’t talked near as much as I would like but that is ok. She knows I love and support her and that I am there if she ever needs talk.

Stay tuned for part 2. 

Dundas Cycle Path Opening

Today started out kinda rough for me. The new medication I am on is playing havoc with the way I feel but I pressed on. I woke up at 5:30 had my coffee and got ready to ride out to Dundas for the opening of the Cycle Path along Governors Road. I took one of my favourite routes out to MacMaster which is the Waterfront Trail from Bayfront to Princess Point. This really is a very scenic ride with the sun coming up behind you and the beautiful fall colours. I got the added bonus of watching rowers out practicing.

I was passed by quite a few people riding bikes on my way out to Dundas a few I know, a few I didn’t. One of the people was the former Co-Chair of Cycle Hamilton
Kate and someone that helped push me over the edge to get involved and volunteer my time and expereince to the cycling community in Hamilton. We talked a bit about upcoming projects while we rode out to the event. When I was growing up Governors Road was not someplace that would be considered cycling friendly (I know I rode on it almost 40 years ago.)
Then hills got the better of me and Kate went off ahead and I continued on (Also when did Dundas get all those hills I certainly don’t remember them being there) Remember I ride far I don’t ride fast (thanks @RideJamesRide for the saying we need T-Shirts)

After the group ride and before the opening remarks I had a chance to talk with Kate and get caught up a little. In my way of thanking her for her dedication, encouragement, and inspiration I blamed her for the awesome summer. I know it should have been more of a Thank You but with out her words of encouragement and inspiration over the last year or so of my new found involvment with Cycle Hamilton and the call out for volunteers at the AGM. I really think I might have taken a different path and not be as involved as I am today with Everyone Rides Initiative, Cycle Hamilton, Smart Commute Hamilton @STRCycling or cycling in general in the Hamilton Area. Now there are new mentors, inspirations and fellow riders that are there to push, encourage, teach and care about the cycling community in the greater Hamilton Area. Oh almost forgot. The ride home was along part of new favourite area the Hamilton-Brantford Rail Trail. The fall colours in the mid morning sunlight is spectacular and is well worth the detour.

Leaving a Cyclist 1 Metre When Passing

I read this article one morning https://genderpolicyreport.umn.edu/bicycles-gender-and-risk/ and while it speaks about women not getting 3 feet or 1 metre when being passed by a motor vehicle. I can't speak to this as I am a guy but I have heard numerous stories about it happening to women in Hamilton and elsewhere.

A major barrier to cycling is feeling safe. Motorists have a legal obligation to give 1 full metre when passing any cyclist and is one of the few instances when they may cross the centre median line. Cyclists should be 1 metre away from the curb and may take up the full lane this gives them some maneuverability to avoid obstacles and obstructions in their path. One of the things most cycling courses teach is to ride in a straight line and be predictable.
Always use your hand signals and while it may be tempting to cut into the curb around park cars or bump outs don't do this as you are no longer being predictable and you can lose your visibility to other road users.
Cyclists do not have to give a metre when passing vehicles but must obey the rules of the road and it is advised to pull in a little to the right when being passed. When passing parked cars you want to be able to avoid someone opening their vehicle door so use your own discretion.
There are many online resources that can help cyclists learn including
@canbikecanada your local cycle advocacy group @CycleHamilton and @Everyone_Rides_ offers mentoring.

September 22 2019. I took part in #GregsRide hosted by
@STRCycling and thanks to Jamie and David I now have my third picture of me riding a bike that you can see my face. Though I didn't get to ride the 80 km like I wanted to I did get to ride the 10 km and meet some interesting people.

It was also a great way to catch up and connect with people that you don't always get to see in your travels. Not everyone that rides in #GregsRide is an advocate but we all ride our bikes. Thanks Share The Road for all you do including bringing all of us together for a ride.

Photo By David Keogh

When I went to attend the Cycle Hamilton monthly meeting on March 25th, it was because I had been hankering to get more involved in the cycling community through volunteering. As luck would have it, Theron from the Everyone Rides Initiative (ERI) team was at the meeting to discuss the ERI program, and asked for volunteers for group rides. I jumped at the chance- I think I even waited a few days and then emailed Theron, to be a pest!
Soon enough, I found myself taking Can-Bike Level 4 training, a Canadian bike safety training program whose classes were sponsored by the ERI team. This course was spread over 2 days- the first day being theory and safety, then the second day being practical training, or learning how to ride bikes around the city safely. It was an optional course for me, but I got to put those skills to good use, when I joined the ERI team as a group ride volunteer and mentor.
My Group Rides
My first group ride with the ERI team was the Spring Roll Ride, to the Cycle Hamilton Annual Meeting. The Cannon Street bike lanes being shut down made it an interesting route. After the ride, I spend some time with Thea and Theron at different pop-up locations, learning more about Hamilton Bike Share and the Everyone Rides Initiative.
The next group ride I went on was the Pride Ride; which went from the Bike Rodeo at Carter Park to the Pride Celebration at Gage Park. I rode as a ride anchor for this ride, and got the chance to talk to a young man who was riding on the sidewalk as the ride went east, even though the majority of the ride was on the road in bike lanes. He said that his mom wouldn't let him ride in bike lanes, because they were dangerous- so we talked a bit about biking, specifically braking and shifting gears. This ride really increased my desire to mentor people on bike riding, safety, and route planning.
The next group ride the ERI team held was for the Pride Rally, and I rode with them from Powell Park to City Hall. We had just met with the Gibson and Landsdale Association (GALA) and wanted to include them, so the ride was held one of GALA’s neighbourhoods, which was a nice way to connect with community.
My time as an ERI Connector
Working with partner organizations, such as going to the 541 Eatery & Exchange to staff the ERI pop-up desk, was a big part of my summer. I had the chance to meet lots of people who, if it wasn’t for the ERI program and partner organizations, might not have gotten the chance to ride a bike. There are so many barriers to riding a bike, and the ERI program helps eliminate a majority of them.
We also met with neighbourhood associations at their community meetings, and talked about Bike Share and ERI- there were always passionate discussions about bikes, bike safety, and issues we want to fix in Hamilton.
Though rides are generally my favorite activity, getting out at events, meeting people, and sharing all we had to offer was also pretty awesome. The smile on someone's face when they learned they could get a $1 a month Pedal Pass, or a free Tandem membership through a partner organization, was the best part (OK, riding the 3-wheeled bike from the ERI office to Gage Park was pretty great as well).
I know that my summer as an ERI Community Connector was just the start of my involvement with the Everyone Rides Initiative, and Hamilton Bike Share.

Be Safe, Be Seen, And Pedal On

Working with Everyone Rides as a connector but us in contact with neighbourhood associations. One of the many discussions at one neighbourhood association meeting with  meeting yesterday was about bicycles on the sidewalk. Boy was I not expecting that. Riding on the sidewalk is prohibited for adults under the Highway Traffic Act and different municipality has there own rules. If a adult is riding on the sidewalk, you have to ask why. The most common reason is that the rider doesn't feel safe riding in the infrastructure or lack of. This falls on the City. If you feel you lack the confidence to safely ride on the road
@Everyone_Rides_, Cycle Hamilton and New Hope Bikes all have instruction and or resources that can help with this.

So every once in awhile you get those moments that make you think. This happened to me Monday May 27 at Bike Day. I was involved in a conversation with a Councillor who shall remain nameless. And the similarities in our ways of thinking just hit me. Through my own readings, ponderings and mostly listening to people around me, my thinking around cycling and cycling infrastructure has changed in the 3 years I have been actively trying to ride my bike safely.
Growing older (I refuse to say growing up because it hasn't happened yet) in the late 1970's my bicycle was my best friend. Because of a problem I was born with it made it difficult to be around other kids my age. But my trusty bike was always there and it helped build a few friendships, after having surgery that would change the way I stood and walked I was devastated to learn I would not be able to skate again. Like other kids I dreamed of being the next NHL star. My bike was there. When I had problems running after I took up swimming my bike was there for dry land conditioning. When I was 15 I had a very long dark period that included a couple of Hospitalizations for mental health issues. I found that music and cycling changed my mood and perspective on my life.
I got older in Burlington, before bike lanes and safe cycling infrastructure. So this got me thinking why the push for bike lanes now. Lets see if I can shed some light.
In 1999 there were 8,878,036 registered motor vehicles on the roads in Ontario. In 2017 there were 12,273,788 registered motor vehicles. That is a increase of 38% in less than 20 years. And I believe that though a lot of the laws surrounding motor vehicles haven’t really changed the way we view them and general enforcement has. We have become very motor vehicle centric.
It was just 3 and a half years ago that I stopped driving completely. And decided to walk or mostly right my bike again. Mostly for my health but as I grew as a cyclist or a person who rides a bike I learned of the other benefits. When I was driving I would even drive to the corner store for a bag of milk or a loaf of bread. In my younger days I was even one of those guys that would rev my engine and race on city streets. Interesting fact I had more accidents or crashes driving a car or pick-up than I ever had riding a bike. My wake up call to ride again was for my health. A cancer scare and a diabetes diagnosis will do that to a person. I don’t want to become a person that talks a bunch of cliches or facts. I have memories of friends that lost their lives just because they wanted to ride their bikes to and from school and I have been fortunate that I have not had a major cycling incident.
We need to make our streets safer and friendlier for all.
Sorry for the novel but I blame it on the bike 🚵‍♂️🚵‍♂️🚲
Published on Twitter May 30, 2019

What do bike lanes mean to me?
 With the recent discussion on allowing cars to park in the bike lanes during off peak hours. I thought I would give my thoughts on what #HamOnt's bike lanes mean to me.
I ride my bike daily. Having the bike lanes gives me a relatively safe network of bike lanes to get me around town and to appointments. Yes the frequency of vehicles stopped in the bike lanes is more than annoying. But what is even more annoying is that the deterrent for this is a fine of $30. If we want to truly encourage multi-modal travel than we should be making more continuous protected bike lanes especially around schools and parks. Not studying how to take away from what we have. I remember growing up the bike racks at the schools I attended were almost always full. As a aging adult the freedom bike lanes give me mean I don't have to ride during day light hours. If I have a sleepless night or my blood sugar is to high I can hop on my bike and peddle it out.

#CyclingMattersHamOnt a few years ago I got the wake up call to get healthier so I started cycling at first it was just a mile then 2 and so on. I was so dependent on the car I would drive everywhere including the corner store. I was overweight, out of shape, had mobility issues. Now I can ride 30+ miles from time to time and spend time on my bike almost every day and on rainy days I have healthier choices for doing things. I needed to clear my head a bit this morning and get blood work done. So instead of driving (which I can't do anymore by choice). I put on a ball cap and a rain coat and walked. Cycling has given me back the freedom of mobility. Yes I am a far way from being as mobile as I should be but it is a start.

Published On Twitter Oct 1 2018

Todays #GregsRide This was a absolutely grueling ride. It seemed like most of it was uphill but there was some downhill moments. The staff and volunteers from @STRCycling were all absolutely awesome.
A couple of times they saw me walking up a hill and drove by asking if I was all right and if I needed a ride, and the volunteers at the rest stop making sure you were properly fueled and ready to go even giving some pointers on the ride.
All in all it was a great ride for a great cause and I am so glad I did it.

Gregs Ride Originally Published on Twitter Sept 23, 2018

#CyclingMattersHamOnt #WorldSuicidePreventionDay I battle with depression almost constantly. Riding my Bike helps me to change my focus of what is bothering me to what is around me. In the spring there is nothing like riding the Waterfront trail to Princess Point. Seeing the Goslings and watching them grow. And all the new life that starts. Riding up the Escarpment Rail Trail or the Chedoke Radial Trail and looking at all the beautiful views of our beautiful city. Riding the Lakefront Trail and hearing the waves of Lake Ontario.
These are all things that help lift my spirits and change my focus. So #HamOnt why does cycling matter to you?

Originally  Published On Twitter on September 10, 2018