"cycling vancouver" Tagged Posts |
Cycling on the Seawall in Stanley Park. Photo credit: Tourism Vancouver / Coast Mountain Photography
One of the best ways to see Vancouver is from the seat of a bike. Vancouver is a very bike-friendly city with kilometers of dedicated cycling paths and lanes. As a long-time Vancouver resident and cyclist, here are some of my favourite local bike routes. You can ride beside the ocean, through the forest or explore one of Vancouver’s unique neighbourhoods.
Photo: Flickr Baudman
There are so many wonderful reasons to live and work in Vancouver. One of my favourites is the ability to bike year-round! Of course, summer riding reigns supreme. However, with storm season officially upon us, a whole new dimension has been added to the morning bike commute. Not for the faint of heart, torrential rain and gusty winds on the downtown bike lanes tend to separate the weak from the strong. Rain during rush hour certainly brings some challenges, but for those who enjoy a good dose of nature, it also offers up unexpected thrills and delights; the sound of wind whistling through your bike helmet, rain pelting your face, and slippery corners testing your balance!
Pitt River Regional Greenway Photo: Rob Weiss
Enjoying the solitude and silence, I cycled at a leisurely, relaxing pace along Metro Vancouver’s Pitt River Regional Greenway. Recently completed, the first phase of the trail stretches 10 km along the Fraser and Pitt River dykes from Harris Landing to Ferry Slip Road. As I pedalled, the noise of the city echoed around me, however, alone on the trail I felt somewhat removed from the often frantic pace of city life. As I began to unwind I became more in tune with the sounds of nature; birds calling, wind whistling through the trees and water lapping at the rocks. What a treat to have the trail to myself!
Arbutus Greenway Photo: Rob Weiss
Proud. Pride with a capital P! Simply stated, as I cycled along the Arbutus Greenway, Vancouver’s newest shared recreational path, I felt a deep sense of pride. After only a few spins of the wheel, it became crystal clear to me; this route is more than a paved, car-free shared access Greenway; it is a vibrant, community space. Connecting our beloved Kitsilano neighbourhood to Marpole, the trail is several kilometres of terrific and I felt extremely proud of the community effort involved to bring this vision to reality!
Lunch Break while cycling False Creek Photo: Rob Weiss
Last week I took to the waters to explore False Creek from the cockpit of my kayak. As I paddled along I couldn’t help but notice the level of activity on the seawall as cyclists of all shapes and sizes pedalled their way along this protected, dedicated bike path. I thought it would be interesting to return to the area, retrace the route on my bicycle and check out the views from a cyclist’s lens.
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Cycling False Creek – Endless Activities and Spectacular Views
Image courtesy of ItzaFineDay | Flickr.com
Despite all the hills, Vancouver is one of the best places to ride a bike due to its ever-increasing number of bikes lanes and bike trails (Seymour Demonstration Forest, anyone?). So it makes sense that there would be an almost month-long celebration of all things cycling taking place in the city this June.
Velopalooza is a very unique festival because instead of making it a one-day affair, the event stretches from June 10 – 26 and consists of themed bike rides. Join one or join them all, but have fun doing it!
There are over 40 rides scheduled for the 16 days of the event, so we’ve pulled out a few of the most unique and interesting rides to help spark your interest…
Continue reading:
Vancouver Bike Festival Rides Again this June
