Around the City in an Afternoon (30km)

All leisure biking today. 30kms around the city. Picking us this and that. Eating food. Chilling on the beach. I'm losing desire for getting on the subway and heading off on a ride. It seems so regimented. I want to travel through the forest, roll in the dirt, get off the roads and away from scary SUVs.

I'm looking forward to travelling to Montreal. The structure and rules rules rules of this ride is really getting me down. I thought it would be more fun than it is. I just feel like a cash cow not a volunteer who's devoting her whole summer to this cause. I'm trying to keep it on the positive but I have my days where I just wish this thing was over.

Today's biking should lift my spirits so I'll blog again about it later.

Plateau lala

I skipped out on the training rides this weekend, I needed some quality me time off my bike, well at least from long distance biking.

Went out for a chilled ride out to Ashbridge's Bay and along Tommy Thomson Park on Friday. Probably a good 30km ride. I need to fix my odometre, or rather I need to remember to put my wheel back on the right way next time I change a flat :-)

I'm feeling somewhat demotivated about activity right now. A bit fatigued. I started reading Thrive Diet and trying to incorporate some of Brendan Brazier's ideas about eating raw foods. I tried it out for a few days. I think it's something I can definitely incorporate into my routine but I don't think I can go 100% raw. All that hemp stuff is brutally expensive. There's some great smoothie recipes in there, salad ideas and other stuff. I just can't justify buying 900g of hemp protein for $32 to make power bars though.

For now I'll stick with my Cherry Pie Larabars. They're a bit more reasonable and I know they taste good. Most power bars out there are so filled with crap: processed stuff, sugars, corn syrup, etc.

I'm blogging out of procrastination today, primarily. I need some motivation. Sigh.
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Wow! Hardcore conditioning is the way to go! I feel energized, revitalized. But still fatigued :-)
The donations are still coming in though which is awesome. It motivates me to train. I was starting to worry that I might not get to my goal (I need to collect $2000 by June 30th or I can't go on the Bike Rally). I remain optimistic.

Cycle Therapy are Rock Stars

I'm in a rush but I just wanted to rave and gush about the guys at Cycle Therapy: they are total stars!

Today I went in for a full hour's free bike fit (because I'm doing the Bike Rally) during which Mike (part owner) gave me some very practical advice, including many things I had never thought of as an inexperienced rider. As a result of him giving me a shorter stem, adjusting the height of my bike and suggesting shorter handlebars for my smaller shoulder frame, not only has my cadence improved but my wrists are not really sore anymore.

Not only are they offering all of us newbie biker's free bike fits, but apparently for the past 3 years, they've shut down their entire shop during the week of the Bike Rally to come on the ride and lend a hand with mechanical stuff. How awesome is that?!

I just wanted to take some time out to hype up their shop which is very funky. They have a great attitude about biking, very chilled and no pressure. You can find them at 1114 Queen Street East (2 blocks East of Pape, North Side) http://www.cycletherapy.ca/

Now, back on Betty for some more urban adventures this afternoon.

Toronto the Inept

(Warning: partial rant about Toronto's obnoxiousness

+ great Bike invention tidbit, may seem ranty)

When it comes to thinking 21st century, it seems to be a real challenge for Toronto government/public planners. Architecturally, this particularly with its row of massive ugly condos blocking the waterfront and subsequently any possibility of a sunny day penetrating the core of our city. It's just plain ugly, haphazard and completely lacking in artistic detail or imagination. Sure you have your cute and quaint neighbourhoods but they'll be gentrified soon no doubt. No planning is ever involved, just quickly put stuff up randomly here and there and hope a city eventually comes together.

This city has not really inspired a sense of community, more like cut-off local neighbourhoods. Really obnoxious weeklies NOW and EYE magazine attempt to sell local 'nabes' (that word is the most pretentious dribble, seriously) and sell Toronto on community = $500 shirts and other obnoxiously overpriced accessories (cause you bought it locally in the Distillery 'nabe' or the new-new Queen West artsy-smartsy I paid $500k for my loft neighbourhood). ARGH!

When will Toronto as a city ever create anything truly beautiful or useful for the general public? A friend of mine mailed me this great link for something called the Bike Tree. Imagine if you could actually park your bike in a secure place anywhere in the city and not have to stress out about it being stolen?

Imagine how many more people would bike in this city and not clog it up with SUVs built for 1? Imagine that this city actually became biker friendly and encouraged *SHOCK* people to get their asses out of those gas-guzzling polluters and engage in a little casual exercise to get from point A to point B? What a different city we would live in.

Anyways check this site out and let me know what you think:
http://www.biketree.com/