Despite the ridiculous myth that Canada is a frozen wasteland between September and June, our recent heat wave has brought people out in shorts and t-shirts. It also brought out our catrikes and we took our first trip of the (hopefully lengthy) season.
A posting or two back, I indicated that my goal for this year is to cycle a minimum of 300 kilometres in one season. If the rest of the year is anything like what we've been experiencing weather-wise, I am sure I will easily meet that goal.
One of the more unpleasant side-effects to the Gilenya I take daily for my MS is hip and leg pain and sometimes that pain is excruciating and disabling. One of my worries had been whether or not I would even be able to trike this year as activity sometimes brings relief...and sometimes activity makes the pain worse. Well, I am pleased to report that after this first jaunt around the neighbourhood, I haven't felt any worsening of any pain though I haven't felt any less of it either. No matter, the day was perfect and we had absolutely no reason to not head out for even a short trip.
I did 5.2 kilometres so, out of 300, that leaves me 294.8 kilometres to go until the snow flies once again at the end of this year.
There was one small sticky point that I feel I should mention here. Even though we didn't have nearly as much snow, or even as much winter overall, this year, the city still managed to generously sprinkle many layers of gravel all over the road. So, while the snow and ice are gone, the gravel remains in thick piles and streaks on the streets. We really need to have the street sweepers out. Those little tiny bits of gravel may not be too harmful in general, but some of those little stones have very sharp points on them any one of which can latch onto a tire and deflate it in short order. I still remember what happened last year. (yes, this is a link)
But, today's little trip went very well despite having to do a slalom sort of triking on some roads. What I spent a fair amount of time thinking about, though, wasn't just that it is a beautiful, perfect day but just how early in the year the warm-bordering-on-really-hot weather has moved in. Barely had I put our skis away for the season when we were back out on our trikes. Climate change, something I firmly believe in, has really made the weather unpredictable. It's also given me the chance to not take things for granted. So, my intention is to head out when the weather allows for it - just as long as I can do my 300+ kilometres then that'll be just fine.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
My goal is S.M.A.R.T.
I wrote yesterday about the definite end of winter, a process which continues this morning in the persistent drumming rain. I also mentioned the setting of goals and the five principles I employ in goal setting. They're the same 5 principles I used to teach when I was running a counselling practice so I am very familiar with them.
So, here is my catriking goal for this year. I will trike no fewer than 300 kilometres this season. Now, bear in mind that the catriking season is a lot longer than the x-c ski season so this goal should be an easy one to attain. However, in keeping with the S.M.A.R.T. principles, I'd thought I'd analyze my goal.
S.M.A.R.T. stands for "Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely" and the correct application of this acronym depends entirely on being perfectly honest with oneself. This process is often used for goals like weight loss or for quitting smoking but it can be used in any life goal. Sure it can. We start by asking questions and then giving HONEST answers.
S= Is my goal specific? Yes it is. I have set a specific goal of no fewer than 300 kilometres in a triking season. I can go higher but my dead minimum goal is 300 so let's just stick with that here.
M= Can my goal be measured? You bet it can! My catrike has a little speedometer which also includes a trip odometer and total odometer. This is a neat little device we got for our trikes from Mountain Equipment Co-op. A lot of cyclists use these little devices so they're not all that strange. I can and have used my trip odometer to keep a running total throughout the season. So, every trip I take I will include that information so you, my dear reader (all 4 of you), can also keep track.
A= Can I attain my goal? Well, that depends on things like the weather, the condition of my trike and my own health. The weather I can't control, especially as we are in the midst of climate change. Who knows how decent this season will be? However, I can still take advantage of those good days and, perhaps, go a little further. The fitness of my trike is a known quantity. We take such good care to maintain our trikes by checking them regularly, cleaning them, oiling the chain and doing many inspections before and after a trip that I have no concerns there. Remember that Adam and I both used to fly airplanes so we're used to this kind of mechanical awareness. As for my health, well, like the weather, I cannot predict how that will all go. However, I can take advantage of good days and also remember that the triking season, typically 9 months, is long enough that 300 kilometres shouldn't be that difficult.
R= Is my goal realistic? Sure it is. I'm not going to try and cycle 300 kilometres in a weekend. I am quite sure (at this point in time) that I can reach my goal.
T= Is this the right time to try? When I graduated from university, one of the remarks the dean had said during the ceremony was a quote from, yes, Yoda. "Do, or do not. There is no try." I have no clue how the weather, my trike or, more critically, my health will go. So, if I don't try this year, I may never have another chance. So, yes, this is as good a time as any.
Stay tuned, right?
So, here is my catriking goal for this year. I will trike no fewer than 300 kilometres this season. Now, bear in mind that the catriking season is a lot longer than the x-c ski season so this goal should be an easy one to attain. However, in keeping with the S.M.A.R.T. principles, I'd thought I'd analyze my goal.
S.M.A.R.T. stands for "Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely" and the correct application of this acronym depends entirely on being perfectly honest with oneself. This process is often used for goals like weight loss or for quitting smoking but it can be used in any life goal. Sure it can. We start by asking questions and then giving HONEST answers.
S= Is my goal specific? Yes it is. I have set a specific goal of no fewer than 300 kilometres in a triking season. I can go higher but my dead minimum goal is 300 so let's just stick with that here.
M= Can my goal be measured? You bet it can! My catrike has a little speedometer which also includes a trip odometer and total odometer. This is a neat little device we got for our trikes from Mountain Equipment Co-op. A lot of cyclists use these little devices so they're not all that strange. I can and have used my trip odometer to keep a running total throughout the season. So, every trip I take I will include that information so you, my dear reader (all 4 of you), can also keep track.
A= Can I attain my goal? Well, that depends on things like the weather, the condition of my trike and my own health. The weather I can't control, especially as we are in the midst of climate change. Who knows how decent this season will be? However, I can still take advantage of those good days and, perhaps, go a little further. The fitness of my trike is a known quantity. We take such good care to maintain our trikes by checking them regularly, cleaning them, oiling the chain and doing many inspections before and after a trip that I have no concerns there. Remember that Adam and I both used to fly airplanes so we're used to this kind of mechanical awareness. As for my health, well, like the weather, I cannot predict how that will all go. However, I can take advantage of good days and also remember that the triking season, typically 9 months, is long enough that 300 kilometres shouldn't be that difficult.
R= Is my goal realistic? Sure it is. I'm not going to try and cycle 300 kilometres in a weekend. I am quite sure (at this point in time) that I can reach my goal.
T= Is this the right time to try? When I graduated from university, one of the remarks the dean had said during the ceremony was a quote from, yes, Yoda. "Do, or do not. There is no try." I have no clue how the weather, my trike or, more critically, my health will go. So, if I don't try this year, I may never have another chance. So, yes, this is as good a time as any.
Stay tuned, right?
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
What winter was that and setting S.M.A.R.T. goals?
Winter, such as it was (or wasn't) is done. It's a warm 13C...that's '+13C' and even the breezes no longer have that shredding icy chill to them.
I had hoped to supplement my Catriking diary with tales from our cross-country ski ventures...but there just wasn't anything to report.
We had a winter punctuated by a very warm January and only one or two so-called "cold snaps" that never seemed to go much beyond two or three days. Any snow we did get, and we did get some, was almost always followed by several hours of freezing rain. As any skier will tell you, freezing rain puts a swift and annoying end to any skiing plans. Freezing rain wrecks trails - it just does.
However, we did manage to get out a few times. Adam made 8 trips while I did a mere 5. The reason we didn't always head out together is partly from adapting to the new medication I'm taking for MS and partly because I just didn't want to. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I did not want to enjoy skiing along the disused rail line about 400 metres behind our house; it's just that seeing the feeble view of some snow but mostly ice just didn't really put me in the mood to head out.
Now, approaching the ides of March, and with temperatures forecast to touch +20C by this Sunday, my thoughts turn to catriking. As the catriking season is longer than the ski season, increasingly so over time I notice, I will have a lot of time to head out. That I am looking forward to doing.
As with each season, I normally set goals for myself in my hobbies. For instance, the winter of 2010-2011, I had set a ski goal of doing 100 kilometres in a season and wound up doing roughly 67 kilometres over a short and not-all-that-great season. I didn't set any ski goals for the winter of 2011-2012 because it just didn't look as though it would be a particularly snowy one...and, sadly, I was right.
The catriking season 2011, I had set a goal of triking 100 kilometres in one day but just couldn't do it. The progression of my MS, though still subtle, still made it impossible for me to trike more than about 55 kilometres in a day.
So, I now ask myself whether it is desirable or even necessary to set a specific catriking goal for me for 2012. What would be the point to setting any goal when I'm not always sure I will be mobile at all? Well, the answer to the first question is a definite "yes". It is necessary (for me anyway) to set some kind of goal. The trick, of course, would be to determine what that goal would be, whether it's a distance or time goal. I'm more inclined to try to set a distance goal so I'll see what I'm feeling once we free our beloved trikes from their winter-cave (aka garage). As for what the point is in setting goals, that, too, is important.
It's important to set goals so that we feel motivated to make them come to pass. Otherwise, we may find ourselves feeling poorly at the end and that isn't good for one's psychological or spiritual health. It's probably not good for one's physical health either. The setting of a goal ought to incorporate the 5 principles I use and used to teach.
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
Yes, it spells the word 'SMART'. As that is how we like to perceive ourselves to be it would certainly make sense to keep these 5 principles in mind. I will do so and then write more about this
-Peace
I had hoped to supplement my Catriking diary with tales from our cross-country ski ventures...but there just wasn't anything to report.
We had a winter punctuated by a very warm January and only one or two so-called "cold snaps" that never seemed to go much beyond two or three days. Any snow we did get, and we did get some, was almost always followed by several hours of freezing rain. As any skier will tell you, freezing rain puts a swift and annoying end to any skiing plans. Freezing rain wrecks trails - it just does.
However, we did manage to get out a few times. Adam made 8 trips while I did a mere 5. The reason we didn't always head out together is partly from adapting to the new medication I'm taking for MS and partly because I just didn't want to. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I did not want to enjoy skiing along the disused rail line about 400 metres behind our house; it's just that seeing the feeble view of some snow but mostly ice just didn't really put me in the mood to head out.
Now, approaching the ides of March, and with temperatures forecast to touch +20C by this Sunday, my thoughts turn to catriking. As the catriking season is longer than the ski season, increasingly so over time I notice, I will have a lot of time to head out. That I am looking forward to doing.
As with each season, I normally set goals for myself in my hobbies. For instance, the winter of 2010-2011, I had set a ski goal of doing 100 kilometres in a season and wound up doing roughly 67 kilometres over a short and not-all-that-great season. I didn't set any ski goals for the winter of 2011-2012 because it just didn't look as though it would be a particularly snowy one...and, sadly, I was right.
The catriking season 2011, I had set a goal of triking 100 kilometres in one day but just couldn't do it. The progression of my MS, though still subtle, still made it impossible for me to trike more than about 55 kilometres in a day.
So, I now ask myself whether it is desirable or even necessary to set a specific catriking goal for me for 2012. What would be the point to setting any goal when I'm not always sure I will be mobile at all? Well, the answer to the first question is a definite "yes". It is necessary (for me anyway) to set some kind of goal. The trick, of course, would be to determine what that goal would be, whether it's a distance or time goal. I'm more inclined to try to set a distance goal so I'll see what I'm feeling once we free our beloved trikes from their winter-cave (aka garage). As for what the point is in setting goals, that, too, is important.
It's important to set goals so that we feel motivated to make them come to pass. Otherwise, we may find ourselves feeling poorly at the end and that isn't good for one's psychological or spiritual health. It's probably not good for one's physical health either. The setting of a goal ought to incorporate the 5 principles I use and used to teach.
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
Yes, it spells the word 'SMART'. As that is how we like to perceive ourselves to be it would certainly make sense to keep these 5 principles in mind. I will do so and then write more about this
-Peace
Monday, December 26, 2011
A book review...
I know this isn't really to do with catriking per se. I haven't written much because I haven't really done much catriking. With there now being at least some snow on the ground, x-c ski season may actually start up soon(ish).
I started a new MS medication this past October. Unlike the weekly injection of Avonex, the new medication I'm taking, Gilenya, is a capsule I take once a day. Like Avonex, Gilenya suppresses the immune system so that I don't get nearly as many relapses nor are they likely to be quite so awful.
However, Gilenya really suppresses the immune system and with this being flu season, I decided to sequester myself for the first few months until we had a better idea of how I would adapt to the new medicine. So far so good.
I have also had some time to do some reading and that is the focus of this blog entry. If I can't get out and trike or ski, I might as well read.
The book in question is called "How to Be Sick" and it was written by Toni Bernhard. The details aren't so important but that the book is an absolutely fantastic read. It outlines the Buddhist approach to living with chronic illness. As a practicing Buddhist with a chronic illness, one of my friends loaned me this book and bade me read it over the holidays. I'm a little better than half-way through the book and I cannot put it down for long. Bernhard's experiences living with a chronic illness so completely speak to me and the confusing miasma of feelings and experiences that I felt she had written this book for my eyes only.
After a well deserved vacation to Paris with her husband, Bernhard contracted some weird illness that just did not go away. The disease, as yet to be diagnosed though that's not to say no one tried, has left her perpetually exhausted to the point where she can hardly get out bed some days. Even on a good day, it's anyone's guess how much she can do. A former law professor who had to quit her job because she was just too sick to go on even at a reduced pace, Bernhard's book aptly describes the struggles she faced when dealing with the (US) health care system, health insurance providers and her own suffering as her sense of who she was became systematically chipped away. The book goes into much more detail and I won't elaborate here. Suffice it to say that I cannot adequately express how this book is such a tremendous help for me. If anyone who may read this ever gets the chance to read the book, I would strongly encourage one to do so. The lessons in there are as useful for anyone who has, lives with, takes care of or even knows someone with a chronic illness.
I still make the best of each day, even if the side-effects of Gilenya (weakness and general fatigue) don't always cooperate but it sure is nice to know I am not alone.
Thank you, Ms. Bernhard
I started a new MS medication this past October. Unlike the weekly injection of Avonex, the new medication I'm taking, Gilenya, is a capsule I take once a day. Like Avonex, Gilenya suppresses the immune system so that I don't get nearly as many relapses nor are they likely to be quite so awful.
However, Gilenya really suppresses the immune system and with this being flu season, I decided to sequester myself for the first few months until we had a better idea of how I would adapt to the new medicine. So far so good.
I have also had some time to do some reading and that is the focus of this blog entry. If I can't get out and trike or ski, I might as well read.
The book in question is called "How to Be Sick" and it was written by Toni Bernhard. The details aren't so important but that the book is an absolutely fantastic read. It outlines the Buddhist approach to living with chronic illness. As a practicing Buddhist with a chronic illness, one of my friends loaned me this book and bade me read it over the holidays. I'm a little better than half-way through the book and I cannot put it down for long. Bernhard's experiences living with a chronic illness so completely speak to me and the confusing miasma of feelings and experiences that I felt she had written this book for my eyes only.
After a well deserved vacation to Paris with her husband, Bernhard contracted some weird illness that just did not go away. The disease, as yet to be diagnosed though that's not to say no one tried, has left her perpetually exhausted to the point where she can hardly get out bed some days. Even on a good day, it's anyone's guess how much she can do. A former law professor who had to quit her job because she was just too sick to go on even at a reduced pace, Bernhard's book aptly describes the struggles she faced when dealing with the (US) health care system, health insurance providers and her own suffering as her sense of who she was became systematically chipped away. The book goes into much more detail and I won't elaborate here. Suffice it to say that I cannot adequately express how this book is such a tremendous help for me. If anyone who may read this ever gets the chance to read the book, I would strongly encourage one to do so. The lessons in there are as useful for anyone who has, lives with, takes care of or even knows someone with a chronic illness.
I still make the best of each day, even if the side-effects of Gilenya (weakness and general fatigue) don't always cooperate but it sure is nice to know I am not alone.
Thank you, Ms. Bernhard
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
This is Autumn?
Indeed, I have been conspicuously absent from writing this blog as much because of laziness as because it's been really nice outside. In fact, as of this writing, we haven't been out once - but twice. Considering that, at this time of year, the weather can be cold, soggy, windy and just plain miserable, the fact that we can still keep our windows open for a good chunk of the evening is a bonus.
Yes, I know it's forecast to change. Change is inevitable so I should just take advantage of the beautiful weather while we have it. It's supposed to be a very chilly +10C for a high this Saturday...October 1st...but that's to be expected.
Anyway...
We actually went out and did the greenbelt run. Adam took his mountain bike as his 2006 Catrike Speed sits too low to the ground to even try and negotiate the grassy, gravel festooned pathway. My 2009 Catrike Trail, on the other hand, had no trouble travelling along.
The route we took was identical to the one we took last February when we decided to go skiing in the very-new greenbelt pathway. This time, however, the pathway has been developed further...all the way to the corner of Ramsayville Road and just shy of highway 417. As the day was nothing less than absolutely perfect, we decided to pack a picnic lunch and make a morning of it.
From our house to the end of the pathway it's about 15 kilometres, so a round trip would be the distance equivalent to the usual Alcatel-Lucent-Sunday-Bike-Day-Thingy. Yet it wasn't just distance that would have to be considered but the fact that we weren't travelling on asphalted pathways. From the starting point, just off Albion Road, the pathway consists mostly of grasses and other native foliage. That's not to say no one cuts the damnable stuff, just that it provides enough drag to make the going a little on the slow side. Of course, about 800 metres (it felt like 80 kilometres) into the pathway and everything changes to stone dust which isn't as grim as it may sound. My tires got a good grip on the stony surface and I had no trouble at all whatsoever negotiating any turns or making it up the many small hills that characterize this trail system. Of course, Adam had less than no problems making it along on his bicycle but he has the advantage of being much stronger than I could ever hope to be. Plus, he's done this trip a few times already and so knows the pathway itself.
The trip was a wonderful one on a picture perfect day. I was out there with the man I love with all my heart and soul and life was just as glorious as it could ever be...until we found ourselves back on Albion Road heading back.
There, we traded the drag of the thickets of grass, weeds and other detritus for the frost-heave festooned butt numbing but asphalted Albion Road. Once back on paved (?) road, neither of us had any problems building up speed. Luckily there weren't too many other vehicles on the road either so having to share the already narrow strip with a bunch of likely harried drivers speeding along in massive dump trucks wasn't too grim. It did take some "slalom" maneuvers to avoid some of the nastier cracks, ruts and other spine battering splits in the road but as we were both pedalling very quickly, it didn't take us too long to get off Albion and back onto some of the quieter streets close to home.
My trip odometer malfunctioned at some point during the venture. Adam fixed it (loose magnet) but it did result in an incorrect total trip. Adam assures me that the round trip was 30 kilometres even though my trip odometer read 22.8km. "Take the credit," he shrugged...so I did.
Yes, I know it's forecast to change. Change is inevitable so I should just take advantage of the beautiful weather while we have it. It's supposed to be a very chilly +10C for a high this Saturday...October 1st...but that's to be expected.
Anyway...
We actually went out and did the greenbelt run. Adam took his mountain bike as his 2006 Catrike Speed sits too low to the ground to even try and negotiate the grassy, gravel festooned pathway. My 2009 Catrike Trail, on the other hand, had no trouble travelling along.
The route we took was identical to the one we took last February when we decided to go skiing in the very-new greenbelt pathway. This time, however, the pathway has been developed further...all the way to the corner of Ramsayville Road and just shy of highway 417. As the day was nothing less than absolutely perfect, we decided to pack a picnic lunch and make a morning of it.
From our house to the end of the pathway it's about 15 kilometres, so a round trip would be the distance equivalent to the usual Alcatel-Lucent-Sunday-Bike-Day-Thingy. Yet it wasn't just distance that would have to be considered but the fact that we weren't travelling on asphalted pathways. From the starting point, just off Albion Road, the pathway consists mostly of grasses and other native foliage. That's not to say no one cuts the damnable stuff, just that it provides enough drag to make the going a little on the slow side. Of course, about 800 metres (it felt like 80 kilometres) into the pathway and everything changes to stone dust which isn't as grim as it may sound. My tires got a good grip on the stony surface and I had no trouble at all whatsoever negotiating any turns or making it up the many small hills that characterize this trail system. Of course, Adam had less than no problems making it along on his bicycle but he has the advantage of being much stronger than I could ever hope to be. Plus, he's done this trip a few times already and so knows the pathway itself.
The trip was a wonderful one on a picture perfect day. I was out there with the man I love with all my heart and soul and life was just as glorious as it could ever be...until we found ourselves back on Albion Road heading back.
There, we traded the drag of the thickets of grass, weeds and other detritus for the frost-heave festooned butt numbing but asphalted Albion Road. Once back on paved (?) road, neither of us had any problems building up speed. Luckily there weren't too many other vehicles on the road either so having to share the already narrow strip with a bunch of likely harried drivers speeding along in massive dump trucks wasn't too grim. It did take some "slalom" maneuvers to avoid some of the nastier cracks, ruts and other spine battering splits in the road but as we were both pedalling very quickly, it didn't take us too long to get off Albion and back onto some of the quieter streets close to home.
My trip odometer malfunctioned at some point during the venture. Adam fixed it (loose magnet) but it did result in an incorrect total trip. Adam assures me that the round trip was 30 kilometres even though my trip odometer read 22.8km. "Take the credit," he shrugged...so I did.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
The Experiment...Part 3
Once back home, showered, fed and with our cycles and trailer safely put away, it only remained to work out what we learned about cycle camping. We had only been gone overnight but we did learn a few things.
Mostly, what we learned is that no matter how disciplined you are about packing, you will wind up bringing too much with you. For us, the tent seemed to be bigger in its stuff sack than either of us recalls. The other thing we learned is that no matter how tightly you compress pillows to fit into an army-issued stuff sack, it'll still take up way too much space in whatever trailer or pannier you have. Using sweaters or towels as pillows won't do it either as a horribly stiff and sore neck will be the result. Yes it will.
The other thing we learned is that as much as camping is touted as eco-friendly and a great way to get "back to nature" almost no public campsites are set up that way. Most campsites are just not easily accessible by any other means except a car. We managed to get to the one here in Ottawa simply because we can both easily cycle 40 or 50 kilometres. Adam probably always will though it's not so certain for me. The Ottawa Municipal Campground is precisely 37.7 kilometres from our place and following the bike paths as we did. It would be really nice if there were other municipal campgrounds within the city but I, for one, am grateful that we have even one.
One thing we were able to confirm about cycle camping is that, overall, it is a lot less expensive than many other vacations of this type. Another type of camping trip we have taken is canoe camping at Lac La Peche in Gatineau Park but that still requires one to drive to the launch site first and absorb all the associated costs of gasoline usage to get up there. Yet, this one overnight trip only cost us $71.73 in total.
So, would we do it again? Well, no, because other than this particular campsite, there really isn't any other place to go. I am physically limited to about 50-80 kilometres and I just don't think there are any other campsites within that range. Plus, unless we can seriously cut down even further on what we bring, that we won't be doing any more cycle camping.
It was a fun experiment and we really enjoyed the experience but I think that, next year when we go camping, we'll go back to renting a car and heading back to a place like Sandbanks. In the interim, it's day trips galore and, with there being about 2 to 2 1/2 months left of the cycling season, there's lots more to see and do this year.
-Peace
Mostly, what we learned is that no matter how disciplined you are about packing, you will wind up bringing too much with you. For us, the tent seemed to be bigger in its stuff sack than either of us recalls. The other thing we learned is that no matter how tightly you compress pillows to fit into an army-issued stuff sack, it'll still take up way too much space in whatever trailer or pannier you have. Using sweaters or towels as pillows won't do it either as a horribly stiff and sore neck will be the result. Yes it will.
The other thing we learned is that as much as camping is touted as eco-friendly and a great way to get "back to nature" almost no public campsites are set up that way. Most campsites are just not easily accessible by any other means except a car. We managed to get to the one here in Ottawa simply because we can both easily cycle 40 or 50 kilometres. Adam probably always will though it's not so certain for me. The Ottawa Municipal Campground is precisely 37.7 kilometres from our place and following the bike paths as we did. It would be really nice if there were other municipal campgrounds within the city but I, for one, am grateful that we have even one.
One thing we were able to confirm about cycle camping is that, overall, it is a lot less expensive than many other vacations of this type. Another type of camping trip we have taken is canoe camping at Lac La Peche in Gatineau Park but that still requires one to drive to the launch site first and absorb all the associated costs of gasoline usage to get up there. Yet, this one overnight trip only cost us $71.73 in total.
So, would we do it again? Well, no, because other than this particular campsite, there really isn't any other place to go. I am physically limited to about 50-80 kilometres and I just don't think there are any other campsites within that range. Plus, unless we can seriously cut down even further on what we bring, that we won't be doing any more cycle camping.
It was a fun experiment and we really enjoyed the experience but I think that, next year when we go camping, we'll go back to renting a car and heading back to a place like Sandbanks. In the interim, it's day trips galore and, with there being about 2 to 2 1/2 months left of the cycling season, there's lots more to see and do this year.
-Peace
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The Experiment...Part 2
The area of the Ottawa Municipal Campground we stayed in is rather close to highway 417. Ontario has a series of multi-lane highways all of which are identified by three numbers and all of which start with the number '4'. I had been told years ago that this is to indicate that it's a high speed 4 lane highway but I, personally, think that it's to indicate the first of the three numbers of the average decibel reading of the slobberingly huge transport trucks that go screaming along at all hours. For us, this translated to having to bring ear plugs with us or else neither of us would get any sleep. Try sleeping right next to a rocket that's launching and you'll get some idea of what I mean.
Yet, while I was sure I wouldn't need ear plugs Adam knew he would so he was glad to have brought some. For my part, I was just SO bone weary that I didn't think I would have any problem falling asleep. I was pretty sure I'd get enough to get me through the night and remain conscious enough to trike home the next day - even without my beloved cuppa to jump start my day.
One of the truly wonderful features of my Catrike is its 27 gears. There is almost no place I cannot successfully negotiate. The last long climb up the hill on Corkstown Road to get to the campsite was done in absolute first gear. It did make for slow going but I wasn't reduced to this shuddering, sweat soaked ball of flesh. From our home in the south part of the city to the campsite, the predominant trend is uphill but it is all easily traversible in comfort on my Catrike. I could not say the same thing for Adam, however, as his was the arduous task of dragging 80 pounds of gear in a trailer and on his bicycle. Now, I'm not saying bicycles are pooey and Catrikes are hugely superior in all respects but what I am saying is that he had a hell of a time on this last hill.
Yet, we made it in both good time and in good spirits. The areas that were indicated as "serviced" (meaning equipped with electricity and water on each site) were on paved and very tidy one way roads. The signage was very good with one way roads clearly marked. The trees at those clusters were abundant and very very green. Providing lovely shade for those people who came camping in their fifth wheels or other motorized campers - and we saw quite a number of those behemoths - the serviced lots seemed to be very well taken care of.
Our site was in the unserviced area where there were no such amenities. That doesn't mean we had to dig our own latrines or wash in a nearby pond but it did mean we had to travel over hard crushed gravel roads as opposed to the smooth, freshly asphalted ones. We hadn't been allotted a specific site (there didn't seem to be any numbers on each site) so we just picked the one closest to the washroom. There were already a few other campers there but, other than that, the area was very quiet...
...until we noticed just how close we were to the 417. We were reminded of this fact by the sudden throaty growl of a transport truck using engine brakes to make as much noise as possible. Rush hour was on and so we were treated to an unending chorus of car noise as commuters drove home from downtown and west to Kanata. The noise varied only slightly in volume and somewhat more in pitch as some cars seem to produce higher levels of tire noise or had engines of varying health. The other feature of our campsite was the thick and black cloud of gnats that just seemed to follow us everywhere we went. Setting up the tent was a quick and painless venture as much because we were just bone weary as that we wanted to be able to get away from those blasted gnats...and maybe even find some buffer from the highway noise.
The highway wrangling did eventually settle down as evening creeped closer to us but we did hope it would die down even further. Once again, earplugs are a must unless you are actually able to sleep through truck convoys and their engine brakes.
We did get a half way decent night's sleep as much I think from the romance of a campground setting as the simple fact that we were both just utterly exhausted from all that cycling, hauling and that last hill in particular. We both showered before crawling into our sleeping bags for what we hoped would be a good night's sleep - or at least a not-too-horrendously-awful night's sleep.
The next morning dawned sunny and deliciously cool. We are both early risers and so took advantage of the fact that no one else in the area was awake yet. So we got up, enjoyed a bit of breakfast and did some stretches for the trek home. Adam did a tai chi set while I did a few yoga poses knowing we would both be spending the next few hours cycling. This time, however, we would take a few more breaks on the way home. We left the campsite at 8:30 and revelled in the cool of early morning and the fact that much of our homeward trek would be downhill. It didn't take long for the cicadas to start their buzzing thus signalling to us both that the day was heating up quickly. We knew that some unstable weather was forecast for Ottawa but was not expected until later in the day so we weren't worried.
We stopped back at Britannia Park - in fact at the exact same picnic bench we had been not 24 hours earlier - and were immediately assailed by gnats. Our stop there would only be for a few minutes before riding away. We had passed a number of other cyclists on the path and assumed them to be commuters. It was only after about 9:15 that we noticed the character of the cyclists had shifted a bit from young/middle aged to older and likely retired people just out for their morning run/walk/cycle. Quite a number of people were out walking their dogs and I couldn't help but start humming, "Sa-tur-day...in the park...I think it was the fourth of Joo-ly-y-y-y..." The scene almost looked like that silly song.
We got to the end of the Ottawa River bike path right at the Bytown Museum and right at the base of the locks. That hill is a steep slope though, thankfully, not a long one. We got to the museum right at 10:00 and just in time to get an ice cream for us both. By then, the humidity was starting to creep up so we were glad to be only 15 kilometres from home. By our reckoning, and in the bright sunshine with only a few clouds, we would be home by around 11:30-ish.
We did get home by that time, noticed a few more clouds and thought little of it. We washed the bicycle, my trike and the now enptied trailer in the driveway. Because we packed up our tent in the morning, it was still only very slightly touched with the dampness of morning dew so we laid it out in our front yard to dry. The breeze sure felt nice and really helped to dry off our just rinsed cycles.
We looked up again and saw that one of the clouds had grown quite dark and ominous looking and, within a short while, the first spatters of rain had begun. We put the trailer and both cycles in the garage and had just brought the gear back inside the house when the pause in rain had ended and resumed anew...and this time, a little more briskly.
We got inside, noticed the rain had stopped once more and then we both hit the showers. Done there, it was time for a regular meal...and then we saw the skies darken again. This time, it was that really ominous looking dark that spells thunderstorm.
Lightning - just a few light sparks at first - and then a few quiet rumbles danced in the air. The rain began anew, lightened once more...and then all hell broke loose with sparks of lightning, loud crashing thunder and some of the nastiest wind gusts I had seen in awhile. The wind blew the rain sideways and our tree in the front was bending quite vigorously, its branches flustering and shaking as the winds from this thunderstorm beat against it.
It had been sunny, warm and VERY pleasant not an hour earlier. But, such is the nature of things. Everything changes - and sometimes suddenly too. No matter. We were both just grateful to have not been out there and trying to seek shelter from this storm.
Part 3 tomorrow
-Peace
Yet, while I was sure I wouldn't need ear plugs Adam knew he would so he was glad to have brought some. For my part, I was just SO bone weary that I didn't think I would have any problem falling asleep. I was pretty sure I'd get enough to get me through the night and remain conscious enough to trike home the next day - even without my beloved cuppa to jump start my day.
One of the truly wonderful features of my Catrike is its 27 gears. There is almost no place I cannot successfully negotiate. The last long climb up the hill on Corkstown Road to get to the campsite was done in absolute first gear. It did make for slow going but I wasn't reduced to this shuddering, sweat soaked ball of flesh. From our home in the south part of the city to the campsite, the predominant trend is uphill but it is all easily traversible in comfort on my Catrike. I could not say the same thing for Adam, however, as his was the arduous task of dragging 80 pounds of gear in a trailer and on his bicycle. Now, I'm not saying bicycles are pooey and Catrikes are hugely superior in all respects but what I am saying is that he had a hell of a time on this last hill.
Yet, we made it in both good time and in good spirits. The areas that were indicated as "serviced" (meaning equipped with electricity and water on each site) were on paved and very tidy one way roads. The signage was very good with one way roads clearly marked. The trees at those clusters were abundant and very very green. Providing lovely shade for those people who came camping in their fifth wheels or other motorized campers - and we saw quite a number of those behemoths - the serviced lots seemed to be very well taken care of.
Our site was in the unserviced area where there were no such amenities. That doesn't mean we had to dig our own latrines or wash in a nearby pond but it did mean we had to travel over hard crushed gravel roads as opposed to the smooth, freshly asphalted ones. We hadn't been allotted a specific site (there didn't seem to be any numbers on each site) so we just picked the one closest to the washroom. There were already a few other campers there but, other than that, the area was very quiet...
...until we noticed just how close we were to the 417. We were reminded of this fact by the sudden throaty growl of a transport truck using engine brakes to make as much noise as possible. Rush hour was on and so we were treated to an unending chorus of car noise as commuters drove home from downtown and west to Kanata. The noise varied only slightly in volume and somewhat more in pitch as some cars seem to produce higher levels of tire noise or had engines of varying health. The other feature of our campsite was the thick and black cloud of gnats that just seemed to follow us everywhere we went. Setting up the tent was a quick and painless venture as much because we were just bone weary as that we wanted to be able to get away from those blasted gnats...and maybe even find some buffer from the highway noise.
The highway wrangling did eventually settle down as evening creeped closer to us but we did hope it would die down even further. Once again, earplugs are a must unless you are actually able to sleep through truck convoys and their engine brakes.
We did get a half way decent night's sleep as much I think from the romance of a campground setting as the simple fact that we were both just utterly exhausted from all that cycling, hauling and that last hill in particular. We both showered before crawling into our sleeping bags for what we hoped would be a good night's sleep - or at least a not-too-horrendously-awful night's sleep.
The next morning dawned sunny and deliciously cool. We are both early risers and so took advantage of the fact that no one else in the area was awake yet. So we got up, enjoyed a bit of breakfast and did some stretches for the trek home. Adam did a tai chi set while I did a few yoga poses knowing we would both be spending the next few hours cycling. This time, however, we would take a few more breaks on the way home. We left the campsite at 8:30 and revelled in the cool of early morning and the fact that much of our homeward trek would be downhill. It didn't take long for the cicadas to start their buzzing thus signalling to us both that the day was heating up quickly. We knew that some unstable weather was forecast for Ottawa but was not expected until later in the day so we weren't worried.
We stopped back at Britannia Park - in fact at the exact same picnic bench we had been not 24 hours earlier - and were immediately assailed by gnats. Our stop there would only be for a few minutes before riding away. We had passed a number of other cyclists on the path and assumed them to be commuters. It was only after about 9:15 that we noticed the character of the cyclists had shifted a bit from young/middle aged to older and likely retired people just out for their morning run/walk/cycle. Quite a number of people were out walking their dogs and I couldn't help but start humming, "Sa-tur-day...in the park...I think it was the fourth of Joo-ly-y-y-y..." The scene almost looked like that silly song.
We got to the end of the Ottawa River bike path right at the Bytown Museum and right at the base of the locks. That hill is a steep slope though, thankfully, not a long one. We got to the museum right at 10:00 and just in time to get an ice cream for us both. By then, the humidity was starting to creep up so we were glad to be only 15 kilometres from home. By our reckoning, and in the bright sunshine with only a few clouds, we would be home by around 11:30-ish.
We did get home by that time, noticed a few more clouds and thought little of it. We washed the bicycle, my trike and the now enptied trailer in the driveway. Because we packed up our tent in the morning, it was still only very slightly touched with the dampness of morning dew so we laid it out in our front yard to dry. The breeze sure felt nice and really helped to dry off our just rinsed cycles.
We looked up again and saw that one of the clouds had grown quite dark and ominous looking and, within a short while, the first spatters of rain had begun. We put the trailer and both cycles in the garage and had just brought the gear back inside the house when the pause in rain had ended and resumed anew...and this time, a little more briskly.
We got inside, noticed the rain had stopped once more and then we both hit the showers. Done there, it was time for a regular meal...and then we saw the skies darken again. This time, it was that really ominous looking dark that spells thunderstorm.
Lightning - just a few light sparks at first - and then a few quiet rumbles danced in the air. The rain began anew, lightened once more...and then all hell broke loose with sparks of lightning, loud crashing thunder and some of the nastiest wind gusts I had seen in awhile. The wind blew the rain sideways and our tree in the front was bending quite vigorously, its branches flustering and shaking as the winds from this thunderstorm beat against it.
It had been sunny, warm and VERY pleasant not an hour earlier. But, such is the nature of things. Everything changes - and sometimes suddenly too. No matter. We were both just grateful to have not been out there and trying to seek shelter from this storm.
Part 3 tomorrow
-Peace
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