About

My goal is to bicycle along every road and bike path in the Ottawa/Outaouais region at least once. I have two big maps, one of Ottawa, the other of Gatineau, onto which I hi-lite each road I’ve travelled with pink hi-liner. It’s a great way to familiarise myself with the community in which I live and a fine way to stay fit. There are always wonderful discoveries to be shared, thus this blog.

Having visited all streets within a 45 minute ride from Centretown (and revisited as changes are made)  I’ve gotten to know the safe and not so safe roads to bike down. To encourage others within the region to capitalize on all the wonderful benefits of getting around town by bike I invite those who are looking for a route to send me two points of reference: a starting street intersection, and another representing the final destination. If the two are within an hour’s ride from each other (and most are) I will scout out the best route and describe it on this blog. The cross streets can be sent to me via the ‘Reply’ located at the end of this post, or by email.

I ride a Trek hybrid bike in the Spring as soon as the snow disappears, and continue to do so as late into the Fall as possible before the white stuff returns and conditions become too slippery. Then I switch to my winter bike with a studded front tire. On weekends I try stretching a ride out to 2 – 3 hours, usually Sunday morning when the roads are really quiet.

I’m not a Zip-Zip rider (super skinny tires, clip in shoes, really tight outfits, etc). I coined the term from the sound I hear as they fly past. God bless them, but I don’t go that fast. The estimated time Google Maps gives for bike trips are a pretty accurate indication of the speed I maintain. I also like to travel down gravel or dirt paths, something I would avoid with sleek tires.

I love biking.