We’re right into summer now, a season that I typically ride a bit less often because I really don’t like the heat. The days have started shortening again already, too!
I did commute on the Hillborne on the 2nd, but it was pretty uneventful in terms of photography. The next day was Parkbagging, and the first park we met up at was Riley’s next to Nat Bailey Stadium. This was a pretty epic one – we rode from there to Riverfront park right along the Fraser, then to Riverview Park which was quite a ways west (and had no view of the river). Then we extended the evening by going to Milltown for a meal and a beer afterwards too. I think I got home around 11:30pm after a 5pm start. The patio at Milltown remains my favourite in the city – well, technically this is Richmond, but that’s pretty much a technicality.
When Saturday came along, which was the 5th, I chose the Stooge with a plan of riding up and down Burnaby Mountain trails and then looping over to Dageraad. Leaving the brewery, I decided I’d extend my ride home by going to the other side of the highway and riding the trails of Derby conservation area – and made the on-the-fly choice to try going through what I knew to be a barely-there trail along the lower section of the forest. I had also rode some low-traffic trails on Burnaby Mtn which were terribly overgrown, so I’m not sure what I was expecting.. needless to say it was a bit of a bushwhack.
The following day I just got out for a short ride to MEC in North Van to pick up some small stuff, and I ran across a group of about 15-20 millennials riding 80’s BMX bikes (one complete with ET in basket, nearest bike) and it looked like such a wholesome fun time. I would love to know more.
On the pup front, the dog park is dry and dusty now and Sunny did a bit of a face plant while fetching. Did not care. They are also starting to sleep closer and closer together; Sunny was game from the start, but Leia gives a lot of space, I think because she’s worried about resource guarding. She’s gradually becoming more and more comfortable with Sunny.
It also goes without saying that I’m enjoying the parade of flowers that continue.
Wednesday of this week was the Gastown Grand Prix, a crit race I always try to make it out to. I am not interested in racing generally but the energy of this event is always pretty fun. I always see a few friends as well as some wild bikes, too.
The next day was Parkbagging again – starting in Mt Pleasant with an especially big crew, including a group up from Seattle, we rolled out to Kits and then linked up with Matias Stridsland who I rode with afterwards for a while too. We ended up downtown and out until quite late, but I didn’t take many photos. Matias did make an IG reel of our ride though!
The next morning I had to bike 20 km to the site where my work was hosting a beach cleanup day; given the late night previous, I was running on fumes, but it was great to get out again on the Wombat. Dill pickle gose on the ride home because it was stinkin’ hot and this hit the spot.
Some summertime vibes. Meals that don’t require heating, and lots of time spent in the shade at Pandora Park. Sunny has a sun shirt because dogs with white fur can get skin cancer, and her summer coat is really thin too.
Below is from Sunday, July 13. It was stinkin’ hot out. I stopped by the crit races at Concord Pacific, poor racers in this heat; then headed to Kits beach area to sit in the shade. I heard live music as I was passing by Chinatown and thankfully went to investigate – it was a festival and there were many food trucks. I had some kebabs to sustain me.
Over the next week… temps were in the high 20’s, which is about as hot as I ride in. Managed a commute, and we also had a parkbagging ride for one of the regulars’ birthday where we hit up Johnny Rodgers and John Hendry (Trout Lake) because while they had already been checked off the list, they were both on poor weather and poor turnout days and deserved a proper crew.
On Friday I combined an errand out to the Fedex center in Burnaby with a pub gathering of some old BCIT classmates. This is the kind of thing the Twenty really shines for, as I locked it up out of sight for about 2.5 hours. Even though it doesn’t look valuable I still double-lock it when leaving unattended for longer periods.. I do have $2500 invested into it (half of that in the wheels alone).
The weekend included a combination of Shim’s crit race (around Johnathan Rodgers park) and Riley’s Rips, the latter held in the same neighbourhood so we could get some spectating in. The after-party was also held in the park. I saw a very cute sheltie and I WON these Fauna cages in the Riley’s raffle!!! Super stoked!
On the 24th there was a group ride organized by Stridsland, Boneshaker, and FoundintheMountains (aka Tay) and the turnout was huge! We rode in Stanley Park then ended at Chicken World near English Bay. I rode the Stooge so that I could get up to as many shenanigans as possible and it was a fun time.
A couple days later, on Saturday, it was the Vanbrewers summer BBQ – worth going to for the food alone, but the beer on tap is also at a higher level than many local breweries! Every year I make a pact with myself that I’ll go easy and leave early, and once again, I failed to do so. I blame the double IPA!
The next day, despite the hangover, I convinced myself to go for my monthly forest therapy ride in the Seymour valley. I felt crappy for the first while, but by the end I felt a whole bunch better.
Coming into the last couple days of the month now, I got to take the girls for a good Pacific Spirit Park walk while Aimée had a dentist appointment nearby, then ran an evening errand downtown on the Hillborne and lugged home a few tires, a whole MTB wheel, and a couple 4pks of beer.
On the final day of the month my buddy dave was riding the Burnabop XL route so I surprised him at the finish line with a little bottle of Fireball. I didn’t really have a plan for after, but decided while I was out to do a Dageraad loop, and taking a trail-heavy route to get there. On the way home I was treated to an especially beautiful sunset, which was shortly after 9pm at this point now.
Despite the heat throughout the month, I managed 536 km and 23 days on the bike – and thanks to the long days, I also spent a good amount of time in the park with the dogs too.
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