I'm on the commute again. This time from Tucson to Port Moody BC, just a little ways outside Vancouver. So far its been good and its been bad. Number 1 the weather is terrible. Its been snowing and hailing lately and the temps have been way below average for Van, hovering around 5 degrees. I'm learning the riding here is questionable as well. For the most part I've only been able to find rides on insanely busy-traffic filled roads. There is next to no bike lanes and the whole time your looking over your shoulder waiting to get brushed by a car.
Scott Laliberte, the guy I'm living with says there are decent loops, and I'm waiting for him to show me the ropes around this place.
I started work as well. A few shifts a week a bike shop about 15kms away. Its a great little place, focusing on family bikes and a budding high end market. The English guy who just took over the place really has some good ideas. This being my 7th bike shop job I really like some of the things he's doing and hes really making it a community bike shop. Cheers. He's also given me free rein of the mechanic shop. Anything I need or feel should be done, are done.
The commute is insane though. To get to work, a mere 15km away there is a whopping 500m of climbing(1000m to get home). The pitches vary from 9%-16%. Its crazy. Combined with my 20lbs backpack it will either make me insanely strong or kill me.
( Not many houses have these on the mantel)
Over the past few years I've learned to adapt to new surroundings. I don't really find it intimidating coming to a new place with new people, which is a good skill to have I think. The problem that I worry about is that I might get too use to this moving around. I don't want to be that guy who leaves whenever I get board of somewhere. I have to settle down at some point.
Before I left Tucson, I was at Fairwheel bike shop to say some goodbyes and to get some mags. I noticed something up in the rafters that caught my eye. I asked one of the shop guys what it was all about. He kinda shrugged and didn't say much. I then asked another guy, who I saw at the race the week before and his eyes lit up.
"That's Gord Frasier's Tour De France Bike" (Gord is like the Tucson cycling celebrity, not bad for a Canuk)
Whoa I thought, and I admired its very euro flair. Of course the bike isn't made by Look but is a custom....something. the old Mavic with tubulars are so bad-ass. Hell, the whole bike is bad ass.
Although Gord didn't finish the Tours he entered, he apparently was in a couple top 10's with the big guns in the sprint. Pretty cool to see his whip hanging up.
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