Autumn Tweed Ride Snapshots

Last month I attended my first Tweed Ride. It was immensely enjoyable! I became acquainted with nattily dressed lads and ladies, and we shared a brisk ride along one of Edmonton's finest scenic routes.
Our meeting place was at the University of Alberta. Karen, Deborah and I decided to attend together. I had previously met a few people who were gathered at the square, but most of them were unfamiliar yet  friendly faces.

What is a tweed ride, you say? It's an urban bicycle ride with a sense of style. The idea of a "Tweed Run" originated in London,organized by an on-line cycling forum called "London Fixed Gear & Single Speed". The official tweed ride site  is a wealth of information on suitable clothing, grooming for men, and vintage cycling photos. Traditional British cycling attire is encouraged, as are vintage bicycles!
Flat caps and suits were worn by many gentlemen. The guys looked so stylish! The men were just as wonderfully attired as the ladies, it was great to witness so many stylish men.

It was delightful to see someone wearing plus the traditional plus four breeches and argyll socks! 

I apologize for the lack of photos. I felt bashful about taking photos and it was quite cold. And I didn't realize that I lacked photos of myself! Check Loop Frame Love for more photos taken by Deborah.
We set off towards Fort Edmonton Park, occasionally stopping for everyone to catch up. We encountered a group of runners, who chatted with us and asked us about our ride. One of the runners commented that we looked like we belonged in another era, which was a fitting compliment.

After a long stretch of switch-backs, we stopped to enjoy a gorgeous view of the North Saskatchewan River. Our river valley trail system is one of the jewels of Edmonton. 

I love the fitted coat and black Bern helmet that fine lady is wearing. And the bow tied gentleman looked effortlessly chic.

Deborah sported a cloche hat and this great coat. Although it was rather chilly outside, we eventually took of our outerwear because we were sweating from our cycling adventure, although gloves were kept  on our hands.

If you live in Edmonton, I encourage you to attend the next tweed ride in the Spring 2012. I assume there will be a facebook page created too. Tally ho, friends!

Princess Pashley Meets The Duchess

I planned to meet my sister at The Duchess Bakeshop on a dazzling Saturday afternoon. The weather motivated me to finally test-ride the newly established bike route that stretches along 106 street.

A large section of the bike route is still under construction. So far this section (near my home) has been blocked for about 6 weeks. Residents have taken advantage of the deserted street to set up their own basketball area. I've seen them hoop it up as I pass by their place with our dog:

I rode along the bike route from 61 Avenue to Saskatchewan Drive. I liked the new traffic signs, indicating proper use of the sharrow portions:

Sections of 106th street are only wide enough for one lane traffic. So as I leisurely rode along the sharrow, vehicles would overtake and pass me by driving in the opposing lane. I guess they don't want to wait for slow cyclists like me. Would motorists be more patient if I was a child/adolescent trying to navigate the sharrows, or would they try to pass kids, too?

Cars can still park beside some bike lanes. Again, cyclists need to watch parked cars in case the doors suddenly open. 

Signs also indicated where the designated bike lanes started too:

It's always fun to zoom along the High Level Bridge path! 

Sweaty helmet head aside, I arrived at my destination full of energy. And hungry,too!

If you live in Edmonton and haven't been there yet, I highly recommend a trip to Duchess. 

My favorite treats are the lavender madeleines:

(both photos from the Duchess Bakeshop)

We strolled down 124th street and stopped at High Street. Lots of boutiques and specialty shops are situated there. I love sitting on a bench and people-watching!

Vespucci Consignment Boutique is a fun place to browse for footwear, bags, and women's clothing. It's a lot bigger than it looks from the outside. Lots of quality items there to check out.

Soon enough it was time to head home. My initial ride along the new bike routes was very enjoyable. I'm confident that more people will take advantage of them. As an experienced cyclist, I probably wouldn't use it on a regular basis, because I am comfortable enough to ride wherever I want. But once the route is finished in my neighborhood, I might change my mind and use it more often. Time will tell!

Canada Cup à la Mud

No joke, we've been having a wet and mosquito-infested summer so far. Rain or shine, the show must go on for the Edmonton Canada Cup! Bruce took a few videos of the mudfest, which I've posted here. Luckily it didn't rain during the race itself but the trails were perilous in some sections. 

Many racers got off their bikes and walked through the more slippery parts of the race. The trails look easier to navigate on video:

Bruce followed Redbike racer Matt during part of the race, and almost hurt himself in the process:

Shantel pushes onward. Check out the mud on her legs!

In other news, we're getting bike lanes in my neighborhood!

New sidewalks,signage other construction is currently underway on 106 street. It;s been closed for a month, and judging by the amount of contruction I see every day, it won't be completed for another month.

I'll keep you up-dated on the progress! Our dog also likes the peace and tranquility of our normally traffic-heavy area.

Brompton Foldy Fun!

July 1st was a thoroughly enjoyable holiday for us. The weather was sunny and cool for an all-day foldy ride! We rode through some lovely & familiar neighborhoods in our way to DaCapo Caffe:

DaCapo customers were ready to spend some quality time on the patio:

As we were enjoying our coffees, the pink Brompton attracted admirers, both make and female. A few people accepted my invitation to take the Brompton for test-rides.

Some people simply admired the ease and speed of its foldability and portability. 

Our friend Lance rode over to the cafe on his wicked awesome Rocky Boroughs. I love its checked-out wheels!

The three of us rode to the Alberta Legislature grounds to watch the Canada Day Criterium road race. It's fairly dangerous to compete in a race like this one. There were hay bales strapped to poles in case a racer lost control of his/her bicycle:

We sat close to the road, which was great because it was more exciting and dangerous to be so close to the action.We cheered for everyone, but especially Redbike racers like Shantel!

Bruce looked very dashing:

We spent most of the day just watching the races. Isaac was competing in Kelowna that weekend, so it was great to have a bit of down-time together.

Hope your summer holidays are fun and mosquito-free!

Hello!

Hey! I know it's been almost two months since my last post. There are no excuses; we've been incredibly busy. I've taken a volunteer role at the track club, which has taken up a lot of my "down-time". June is also the outdoor racing season, so every weekend there is something happening.

Bicycle racing and track & field competitions are keeping this lady moving!

Of course, there is time for everything. A time to ride with a group:

And a time to ride solo:

Redbike has seat covers now. The best part? They are free! Just come over and ask for one!

I'm still cruising the aisles for new stuff. These Basil panniers always catch my eye:

Last year i really wanted this Basil "Shopping Memories" pannier. Somebody beat me to it though. It's in the shop again. I love its 100& canvas recycled material and the adorable print!

I plan to write a post every 3 weeks or so. Until then, keep riding!