CIRCLE WITH A DOT

#yegbike commute: quite comfortable temperature of +11°C with the slightest of easterly winds. Surfaces all good, a fair amount of joggers and dog walkers on the paths. Only a few other bikes, and light traffic which was well behaved.The songbirds are out in full voice this morning, and in Greisbach the ruby-winged blackbirds were singing, one of my favourites.Pretty good riding conditions overall, for today at least!#earworm ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’, as covered by the Communards.https://youtu.be/1RHBAd5YUR8

@johnefrancis @AmeliasBrain I’m very sorry, but I need to offer some geographical correction.After Saskatoon, one would drift through Prince Albert, and then to Cranberry Portage in Manitoba. From there, if they smashed through the narrow bits, they would end up in the Nelson River out to Hudson’s Bay.

@anyGould That’s a very steep and loose cliff up to the homes above. I seriously doubt any guests on the Edmonton Queen would be up to the climb.

@AmeliasBrain Working on it. Just have to talk the band into it.

#yegbike commute: fairly ideal temperature of 0°C with slight southwest breeze. Surfaces bare and dry, some gravel and branches on the lesser MUPS.Traffic light and medium annoying, a fair amount of people out and about - the joggers are increasing every day. Inner city medium boisterous.Love the dawn and the songbirds.Fairly ideal spring ride all the way around.#earworm ‘Still Alive’, Khrungabin

#yegbike commute: still cool at -4°C with the slightest of southwest breezes. Surfaces mostly bare and dry, some even cleared of gravel!Fairly ideal conditions, I can almost believe spring is here. All the birds seem to think so, chirping merrily in the morning, that and the sun are quite enjoyable.Traffic not so enjoyable, being medium weekday light and medium annoying.A fair amount of people out and about, a fair amount of other bike commuters. Inner city busy but subdued.No complaints.#earworm ‘Band On The Run’, Paul McCartney

#yegbike commute: a chilly -7°C morning with light southwest wind.Surfaces have crunchy ice/snow patches at many points, but maybe 75% bare pavement. Ordinary gravel tires did the job, but caution was required.Traffic quite light, a fair amount of people about, including other bike commuters.Plenty of birdsong, most welcome as was the dawn.A good but chilly ride.#earworm was a Sarah Harmer playlist. Don’t know why my brain chose that, but I didn’t mind at all.

#yegbike commute: even though the temperature is only -3°C, the medium gusty northwest winds make for a miserable, cold and grey ride. Some light snow barely covering the surfaces, with some crunchy ice/snow patches. Nothing the gravel bike with ordinary gravel tires couldn’t handle.Light traffic, not many people out and about.Such is life.Sad to say the #earworm is once again ‘In The bleak Midwinter’. Snow on snow on snow.Not as bad as other parts of the country, but not great for us either.

#yegbike commute: warmish at +9°C with slight southeasterly breeze - but seems to be all directions depending which way you are headed. Surfaces damp and spots of light rain. Unfortunately for me, the summer folder isn’t ideal for wet gravel and mud. But still made very good time.The pedestrian that crossed right in front of me, coming out of nowhere, was a duck!Traffic weekday light and not too annoying. Fair amount of people about, and other bike commuters are growing in number every day.Not a bad riding day, rain gear required.#earworm ‘Fool In The Rain’, Led Zeppelin.

@alfvaen Oh my goodness, what a learning and humbling experience your reply has given me.So not only is the song not actually by Shania Twain at all (a relief), centrifugal motion is the actual lyric!Thank you for pointing out my mistakes!

I've been saying this every year for the past few springs, but I think the ridership of cycles in the #yegbike scene is at critical mass of acceptance.But today I REALLY mean it - going home today down Grierson Hill and across the Tawatinå LRT Bridge by the Muttart - it looked like an European city! The numbers of bikes was astounding. So much so that on the Tawatinå bridge, it just naturally occurred that the bikes went on the central black MUP surfaces, while the pedestrians used the boardwalks on the sides.I was so impressed I wasn't even snarky about the fair-weather cyclists who don't know path etiquette.There you go.I hope that bike sales this season are at COVID levels - it sure looks like it.

#yegbike commute: pleasantly above zero at +3°C with slight southwest breeze. The summer folder went fast in those conditions, with very light Sunday traffic. Paths and sidewalks fairly empty.Of course the vehicles that were out were driving in weird ways - lots of U-turns and hesitations. Maybe everyone drives with GPS guidance now? There didn’t used to be such driving behaviour before.Anyway, a lovely day for a bike ride.#earworm is a blues song, but one I made up. Based on a mix of ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ and ‘The Thrill Is Gone’

#yegbike commute: chilly at -6°C with light southwest winds. Surfaces mostly bare, but enough crunchy ice sections made me not regret taking the winter beater with spiked tires. Maybe last ride for that bike this season? Anyway, not a bad ride.Traffic surprisingly light and well-behaved. Only a few people out and about, inner city medium active with only one sidewalk campfire.Can’t really complain.#earworm ‘I Wish They All Could Be Empowered Girls’ (working on an updated version of the Beach Boys song)

#yegbike commute: temperature just below zero -2°C with medium but gusty northeasterly winds. Some snow/mush overnight, but surfaces mostly just damp, with frosty sections. Spiked tires were not a bad idea, but not super icy - as yet. Some light snow, mostly melting on contact. Not as bad as I feared!Traffic medium light and medium annoying. A few dog walkers and joggers. Inner city quite empty.Not too bad for a mini winter last gasp.#earworm was unfortunately a 90’s-ish easy listening R&B song I made up. Fairly Corrine Bailey Ray in style.