Bike Route Blockers

Big surprise, I’d never expect to see someone parked here!

Reported to EPS.

This was my attempt to snap a picture of a cop car that was parked in the bike lane at 110 St. and Jasper Ave. I was readjusting the camera settings when the officer got out of the car and demanded to know what my problem was.

I explained that he was parked in a cycling lane. He told me that he was waiting to catch a Hummer that had reportedly been tearing up and down Jasper. There were claims someone in the Hummer had a firearm, the officer said, adding he needed the hill beside the bike lane to hide his cruiser.

“Things aren’t always as they seem,” the officer said.

“I suppose not,” I replied. “And I’m all aginst Hummers.”

I brought my camera to take a picture of a MASSIVE pothole on the 102 St. bike route that runs through Oliver. When I got there, a city crew had already filled it!

They filled a few others, too. But be careful because they didn’t get all the way to 124 St. (I think they ran out of asphault filling the MASSIVE one.)

There's nothing like the smell of pavement in the morning..

Camels are no longer needed if you’re heading east in the contra-flow bike lane on 100 Ave. between 121 St. and 116 St. The winter sand that had been there has been swept up. Now you can steal glances at the lovely view of the river valley without worrying that you’ll lose control and crash.

Now, if only they could make it so you don’t have to stop and walk your bike accross the intersection of Victoria Park Road and 116 St. in order to rejoin traffic.

There’s always a risk in proclaiming that winter is over. The snow god is an angry god, and if too many of us switch to summer bikes and stop wearing long underwear too early, she will surely make us sorry. Still, the snow is melting quickly and it’s hard to deny spring is on the way. We’re reaching our destinations sooner, partly because we’re riding faster, and partly because we have less clothing to step into, lace up, or pull on when we go out the door.

Perhaps you’ve noticed more of us on the roads these past few winters. Not too long ago it seemed like I knew just about everyone who rode bikes year ’round in Edmonton, but that’s changing. Last winter I stopped at a light downtown and spotted a woman I didn’t recognize on a mountain bike at the other end of the intersection. I often approach strangers on bikes in the interest of promoting EBC, and I was about to in this instance when I noticed a sex toy mounted on her handlebars. The “business” end of the device was pointed skyward. I am ashamed to report that I was too scared to approach her, and I’ve never seen her nor the bike with the dildo since. She’s simply vanished among the thousands of us who are out there.

So what does it mean that more of us are riding in winter? It means we’re COOL, that’s what! This may bring mixed feelings for those of us — and I’m certainly on this list — who’ve never been anywhere even close to cool in our lives. Are we ready to see a winter cyclist in a Coke commercial? Can we handle it if TMZ get paparazzi video of Paris Hilton riding in a New York blizzard? I know it’s crazy but I think it’s coming.

Just like spring.

Almost time for your summer bike!

Maybe the owner of this motorbike was longing for the beautiful simplicity of cycling…

Spotted on April 19 near the Bicycle Bottleneck (88 Ave & 109 St).

…Or this one at least.

A guy in a Chevy Calvalier that was older than he was screamed at me while I was riding on a designated bike route near the Legislature on Tuesday afternoon. I caught him at a light where he screamed so loud that spittle shot from his lips. That’s when a government employee on his way home stepped out into traffic and told the driver that I was “following all safe driving laws” and that he should call police if he didn’t believe him.

I kid you not, it stopped the screaming guy in the Calvalier cold.

So thank you civil servant. And be careful out there friends — all that snow we just got is making drivers even crankier than usual.

Back in January I was running some errands in the area of 111 Ave and 127th street. An apartment building was being renovated and dirt and clay excavated next to the building had been dumped onto the bike lane in front of the apartment. It was rather considerate of them to place pylons to alert cyclists to the fact that one would need to swerve out into oncoming traffic (after crossing a very busy intersection) in order to avoid the obstacle.

Needless to say, I called the City and reported the obstacle…

The city has responded to the request for sand on the icy obstacle course that existed on the bike highway just west of Oliver Square. However, it’s still slippery in patches and it’s bumpy as hell all the way to 107 Ave. Things probably won’t improve unless the thaw later this week melts everything, or there’s more snow to cover the lumpy ice.

It's like riding on spackled stucco!