Steveston: Along the Arbutus Greenway and the Dike
The ride to Steveston is one of our favourite local rides, but it just got a whole lot better. Now, with the new Arbutus Greenway we can leave our place and to ride all the way to Steveston, 25 km away, almost all on designated bikeways, aside from a short section in Richmond. It’s been a while since our last ride there, and so we decided to make it into a day trip, which was also good preparation for our longer cycling trip starting the weekend after. Neil also enjoyed riding a long section of the Arbutus Greenway. The opening of this Greenway is one of the best things that…
Seattle: Post Election Weekend of Urban Cycling Exploration
It was a stressful week with the US elections taking over everything and everywhere. For some reason, not in my worst nightmares, did I ever think Donald Trump would become the next president. I followed the elections a little bit (because how could you not), and after the second debate I just decided that there was no way this bully was going to win. I guess I am still an optimist inside, but sometimes you just fall on your face. We still decided to go ahead with our plans to go to Seattle for the long weekend. So the atmosphere on the streets wouldn’t be as cheerful as we hoped, but…
Vancouver’s Secret Beach: Exploring Close to Home
With shoulder season stretching longer these days, and since anyway I won’t be doing much skiing this season, it’s time to look for some adventures close to home. After the cold spell last week and then the pouring rain afterwards, we finally got a break in the weather on Sunday, so we headed out for a walk along the beach. Or as I like to call it “Vancouver’s secret beach”. Not everyone is aware that there is a stretch of beach behind the rich people’s houses on Point Grey Road, only accessible by foot or boat. I actually first became aware of this beach a few years ago when our…
The Journey of Cherry on a Bike
We are once again in Granada, Nicaragua, where the idea of Cherry on a Bike first started. When you’re on a trip, especially a cycle tour, your mind often wanders. Although we tried to live in the moment as much as we could, thoughts about the future always came up. When we stopped in Granada where Gili’s aunt Peta and her husband Ben lived at that time, many of our conversations were on this topic. Since we both have a weakness for food, especially fruit, we first thought of a fruit drying business, with a baking component, my favourite hobby at the time. In a brainstorming session the name Cherry on a…
Amsterdam: “Every Day is a Critical Mass”
In my sweetest dreams I see a city where everyone cycles – everywhere. No matter if you’re old or young, on your way to work or to the pub – you ride. This is what I do in Vancouver, and so do many of my friends. But a recent brief visit to Amsterdam made me realize how far Vancouver, and most other North American cities, still have to go. A while ago, during one of the biggest June Critical Masses, where hundreds of cyclists take over the streets of Vancouver for one afternoon, we spoke to a group of cyclists from Holland who participated in a bike conference in Vancouver.…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Cycling & Cycle Touring, Metro Vancouver & North Shore, Trip Reports, Urban
Steveston: A Fall Ride Full of Treats
As fall arrives we need to think about more “close to the city” activities. The ride to Steveston is one of our favourite rides in the area, and it is especially appreciated during the shoulder seasons. The first weekend of fall this year seemed like a “stay in the city” kind of weekend, so we decided to ride to Steveston. We took the Ontario Bike Street to Marpole in south Vancouver. In Marpole we noticed many signs calling for “No Rezoning in Marpole”, it looked like a real battle. We connected with the elegant Cambie cycling (and Skytrain) bridge and crossed over to Richmond. Then a short ride down some side streets and we were on the dike trail that…
Last Few Days in Vancouver and Hasta la Vista
For more than six years we lived in our lovely apartment in the family housing on UBC Campus. We fell in love with the place the moment we passed through the doors. We quickly made it ours and felt right at home. But we always knew the day would come when we would have to move out. Last week this day indeed came. We had a few very busy weeks in Vancouver, starting with Gili’s graduation and visitors staying with us on and off for over a month. It was lots of fun and smartly we started selling our furniture early. Also the end date of my job at UBC…
More Explorations of Seattle and Nearby
In early December we headed to Seattle again. Not exactly a place of sunshine and warmth this time of year, but a city with many attractions and good food to offer. Tal, Gili’s brother, was assigned to work in Seattle for a few weeks. He visited us in Vancouver for a week and after his first week at work we went to visit him on his days off. We left Vancouver very late on Thursday, which was a good move border-wise: there were no line-ups whatsoever. Also the drive was smooth, although we both were struggling to stay awake by the end. We reached the deserted downtown, it didn’t seem…
Tel Aviv the Bike City
When I was in high school I used to cycle everywhere. It wasn’t the easiest thing to do in Tel Aviv, although this city is actually perfect for cycling: it’s flat, the distances are short, and the climate is convenient. However, riding my bike was always a battle between the parked cars (sometimes parked half or fully on the sidewalks), the dog shit and other obstacles such as human beings (I did not dare to ride on the road). Lately, every time I visit Tel Aviv I see an improvement in the biking field, and this time the biggest change was the shared bike system. It’s really cheap and convenient,…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Cycling & Cycle Touring, Metro Vancouver & North Shore, Trip Reports, Urban
Boundary Bay to Mud Bay: Cycling Along the Dike
Delta has crowned itself the “sunniest place in Metro Vancouver”, and it sure was sunny there on Sunday. It’s been a cool, gray and rainy spring in Vancouver, so we’ve been trying to soak up every last drop of sun that we can get. What could be better than a sunny bike ride along Boundary Bay? We started our trip at Centennial Beach in Delta, which was teeming with suntanning action, but not much swimming action. The gravel trail that connects Boundary Bay Regional Park and Mud Bay Park is scenic, flat, quiet and a joy to ride! It runs along a dyke, giving a good view all around, of…
