tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89932283387899866832024-03-08T02:22:12.258-08:00SpokesmamaFamily biking in VancouverLisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.comBlogger1588125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-75052503519429842662023-01-02T16:41:00.003-08:002023-01-02T16:41:47.064-08:00#CarFreeFamily2022: How Much Does It Cost?<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;">It's that time again: that time where I look back through my email receipts, Compass card records, & Modo account to see what the four of us spent on transportation for the year. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">2022 wasn't all that different from 2020 & 2021, transportation-wise: we used no taxis, no ridesharing, no car rentals, & only a couple trips on the water. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">We got around by bike & on foot the vast majority of the time, which are practically free. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">I have started using Mobi again a bit to commute to work, but that's covered by my employer so I don't count it below</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.4px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.4px;">Before I get down to brass tacks, on the topic of what I count or don't count: I don't include bike purchases (we bought a used tandem this year!) or new helmets because we would likely own them anyway, whether we were using them for transportation or not. I'm not including things like umbrellas, rain coats, or shoes, because though they are definitely part of what makes walking & biking doable for transportation, we would need to own those even if we drove everywhere. Things like extra food to fuel all the active travel is also not included, since I doubt we'd eat any less if we were exercising less.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvNsnsitQ_i4oF4eFVgbZDC7kfrcvd0fpBH0QCNzDTToOVqrEJVFZG1d_7PdzSw2_z_1Dm_Jtb_fJ3i3J5Ck3Jda7EtR-O3q1EaXHmPCpyiES7Gco4wLToL831X1tzr8xnHy3Wv6z8TzAA-cCb_2fur88ARDd0CLrqA0UTuMAXABVSHD7OZ9IdXLboA/s3072/PXL_20220402_204321422.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="a woman stands with a walker in front of a Modo minivan with a girl sitting in the back seat. the sliding door & side door of the van are open, it's parked in a hospital parking lot" border="0" data-original-height="2056" data-original-width="3072" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvNsnsitQ_i4oF4eFVgbZDC7kfrcvd0fpBH0QCNzDTToOVqrEJVFZG1d_7PdzSw2_z_1Dm_Jtb_fJ3i3J5Ck3Jda7EtR-O3q1EaXHmPCpyiES7Gco4wLToL831X1tzr8xnHy3Wv6z8TzAA-cCb_2fur88ARDd0CLrqA0UTuMAXABVSHD7OZ9IdXLboA/w400-h268/PXL_20220402_204321422.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Modo home after my hip replacement surgery</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Driving</span></span></h3><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On paper, 2022 wasn't all that different from the previous year, but personally it was another slightly unusual one. Partly because we're still not doing everything that we did before COVID (mainly travel & family visits, when we tended to use Modo), but also because I got myself a shiny new hip in April! </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We spent a little more on Modo in the spring to go on walks when I was still quite limited in my mobility, & bored with walking around the exact same few blocks near home. We also spent a little more on Modos to get to & from various kid appointments in the unusually cold & wet fall & winter months near the end of the year. Despite driving about 50% more often than is typical for us--17 trips in 2022--it only cost a total of <b>$528.52</b>.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.4px;">By the way, this Modo cost includes gas, insurance, maintenance, parking, membership fees, usage costs--everything. It's really so much cheaper than owning a car if you don't need to drive it daily. It's also much nicer to know how much access to a vehicle will cost you: since maintenance, gas, insurance, & most of the time even parking are included, there are no surprise bills for repairs or maintenance.<i><b> If you're wondering what Modo costs, you can use their <a href="https://modo.coop/trip-calculator" target="_blank">trip calculator here on their website to see what a trip would cost</a>. Just choose the type of vehicle, the time you want to use it, & how far you're planning to go. </b></i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span>Total cost to drive: </span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;">$528.52</span></span></span></i></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCpAZyUqX15K3cYzAfy5JHAaZvY46eAp23uGzXEf5zya_BuEpbW2S7LmfEMCJlNNMAH7VpE0DzBM1mzAw7qMVOD1KVYDVF4hoR9d2ZfLpARrfidUpBLtn2ne4C33Wq3ldUb5zkHD5KSmv9NQljZSo3wMFCPU70UkaiNI4CySVUu4WTcE1xDIDr9_HQA/s3264/PXL_20221219_233028591.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="a woman stands next to her bike in the snow" border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="3264" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCpAZyUqX15K3cYzAfy5JHAaZvY46eAp23uGzXEf5zya_BuEpbW2S7LmfEMCJlNNMAH7VpE0DzBM1mzAw7qMVOD1KVYDVF4hoR9d2ZfLpARrfidUpBLtn2ne4C33Wq3ldUb5zkHD5KSmv9NQljZSo3wMFCPU70UkaiNI4CySVUu4WTcE1xDIDr9_HQA/w400-h225/PXL_20221219_233028591.jpg" title="A little #VikingBiking in December" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">#VikingBiking for after school pickup in December</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><h3><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cycling</span></span></h3></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2022 saw no huge purchases on bike gear, other than a new pair of tires for my Tern GSD. We replaced front & rear brake pads & a chain, plus paying our local bike shop to have the studded winter tires taken off in late winter & put on again in late fall. All that came to <b>$499.64</b>.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">Electricity costs are a bit harder to calculate, because it's only a few cents each time we charge our bikes. I'd say we spent about </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">$10</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"> on electricity charging my Tern GSD & Oliver's Tern Vektron. I estimate about 60 full charges of the 900Wh of batteries in the roughly 5000km I rode. Oliver rides much less than me, as he's been working from home 99% of the time, so I doubt he needed a full charge more than once a month.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.4px;"><i>Total cost to run our bikes: $509.64</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq43YQTqKfTS0lzHSzSk1HeQil_KjLeLaO--bdEQueKHJQ7Uw_13Q7ERVDKM_7nr_s4zHR_UYjRnquZn1SZAQerWPk6mUG-ETsl8wc7O-PDqpUvgznmEianiYhhUj8kVSxbOm4jJtES3RAeTWqrIXtQNm9js98PHMck-qAOAa40wZL-cjsXTtIRYkT2A/s3264/PXL_20220701_194017466.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="3264" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq43YQTqKfTS0lzHSzSk1HeQil_KjLeLaO--bdEQueKHJQ7Uw_13Q7ERVDKM_7nr_s4zHR_UYjRnquZn1SZAQerWPk6mUG-ETsl8wc7O-PDqpUvgznmEianiYhhUj8kVSxbOm4jJtES3RAeTWqrIXtQNm9js98PHMck-qAOAa40wZL-cjsXTtIRYkT2A/w400-h225/PXL_20220701_194017466.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Aquabus tour of False Creek for Canada Day</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span><h3><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.4px;">Ferries</span></span></span></h3></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;">On Canada Day, my friend Donna, Bronte & I played tourist in our own town for the day & got Aquabus passes so we could flit around False Creek by boat for the day. That cost us a grand total of <b>$30</b>. We didn't manage to do any camping trips this year, sadly, but we did do one short daytrip to Bowen, which cost B & I a grand total of </span><b style="font-size: 15.4px;">$16.75</b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;">These two trips were recreational, & we likely would still have taken both even if we were diehard car people, but bringing a vehicle to Bowen Island would have cost us about $32 more in ferry fares alone.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: 15.4px;"><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.4px;"><i>Total cost of boat travel: $46.75</i></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Transit</span></span></h3><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We took transit more this year than 2021, but a lot of my trips were paid by my employer (I have a Compass card that I can use to travel to & from work). Another thing that cut down on transit costs is here in BC, kids under 13 travel free. Between all four of us, our transit costs were only <b>$17.15</b>, which is about six one-way trips.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Total cost for transit: $17.15</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.4px;">And, that's it for all the categories of transportation, so... *drum roll please*</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.4px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">The total transportation costs for our car-free family of four in 2022 was $</span>1,102.06.</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is 7.5% less than we spent last year & about nine times less than the average person spends on owning a car. Keeping our transportation costs this low by not owning a car is one of the biggest factors in how we can afford to live in such an expensive city as Vancouver. It isn't always fun to cycle or walk in the rainy weather, but I do love how much exercise just gets built into my life without having to think about it. & on those days where it's just too cold or too icy or too wet (not actually that often) or too far to bike where we need to go, we can always drive a Modo.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, how about you? What did you spend on transportation last year? Do you total it up annually? What are the upsides & downsides of how you get around? What do you do to save costs on transportation?</span></div></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">If you're curious about our past transportation costs, you can check out my posts on the breakdown for <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2019/01/carfreefamily-how-much-does-it-cost.html" style="color: #00b0dd;" target="_blank">2018</a>, <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2020/01/carfreefamily-2019-how-much-does-it-cost.html" style="color: #00b0dd;">2019</a>, <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2021/01/carfreefamily-2020-how-much-does-it-cost.html" target="_blank">2020</a>, & <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2022/03/carfreefamily-2021-how-much-does-it-cost.html" target="_blank">2021 here</a>.</i><br />
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</div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-58900159918407176952022-07-16T22:27:00.002-07:002022-07-16T22:27:58.980-07:00Hiking through Disability with Modo<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWDtGtbhqgE1oiBQpsjHh1hTP9_BekaLEHbzEjbeHqEm2EL8LCVxwu2Hc4-s6_PlmqcRcy3igcDZ_Mwt0VG9y4ZNqfO0vaDs1VOcuTyqlJSLyksWuA-x6hCyLlBN2Ymks5oj3CAJmnDAUCYm1E0L2NJ8jGKna5KKlLYhStMJDmZ26iu-yj8KVyQjb1g/s4032/PXL_20220716_203348308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="two children & a woman stand on large rocks in front of a Modo carshare vehicle in a parking lot surrounded by tall trees in Lighthouse Park" border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWDtGtbhqgE1oiBQpsjHh1hTP9_BekaLEHbzEjbeHqEm2EL8LCVxwu2Hc4-s6_PlmqcRcy3igcDZ_Mwt0VG9y4ZNqfO0vaDs1VOcuTyqlJSLyksWuA-x6hCyLlBN2Ymks5oj3CAJmnDAUCYm1E0L2NJ8jGKna5KKlLYhStMJDmZ26iu-yj8KVyQjb1g/w640-h360/PXL_20220716_203348308.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Today we decided on a whim to grab a <a href="https://modo.coop/" target="_blank">Modo </a>& go to Whytecliff Park, to see what we could see at the still fairly low low tide. The weather forecast looked great--cool, overcast, 10% chance of rain. Maybe the park wouldn't be too too busy, since it didn't really seem like beach weather? When I left the house to go pick up the Modo that is just a few blocks from home, it had started raining. Guess we got lucky & were that 10% today? (sad trombone noises)<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8WLPNGEIiBgeoUlty0ZBjZoRc1Uq0NnubnfXQZt_XiXaCwmZuKbIK8bme1H7FUNdsqfPoY1NewgixXuUxzlgyLvXZhdRg3QSJne9QPM1IGBOyLpbNMfmstmd9RIni5Jvl4i87ObTPJMFFxutabPZsnCp-Phelai0wvErMXoZGlZAupfkGfPqnqFxpg/s4032/PXL_20220716_204043916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="a girl touches a slice of a large yellow cedar tree & looks up at a sign with information about the 1400 year old tree" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8WLPNGEIiBgeoUlty0ZBjZoRc1Uq0NnubnfXQZt_XiXaCwmZuKbIK8bme1H7FUNdsqfPoY1NewgixXuUxzlgyLvXZhdRg3QSJne9QPM1IGBOyLpbNMfmstmd9RIni5Jvl4i87ObTPJMFFxutabPZsnCp-Phelai0wvErMXoZGlZAupfkGfPqnqFxpg/w180-h320/PXL_20220716_204043916.jpg" width="180" /></a>The short walk to get the car was still quite pleasant, as the rain was really light & I realized, hey! Here's another new thing post-hip surgery. It'd been ages since I'd just gone for a walk in the rain with an umbrella. When I used a cane before my surgery, It always felt way too awkward to also carry an umbrella, so on the extremely rare occasion I walked anywhere & it was raining, I'd just use a raincoat with a hood. <br /><br />Once I drove the car back to the house, we decided to shift plans to a hike in Lighthouse Park, so if it continued raining, we'd at least be under the trees for a lot of it. When we arrived at the park, we were trying to figure out when we last visited. I realized as we were setting off on the hike that the last time was almost exactly three years ago. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMX9t5_KfYqgQ8a81YvV0RaIat7xnBUdJwCAe8-5XItch_wMJ70zgUwHqpsCmqCWV2R9Iwgzj3J0pR3tfo6SFwc-JeScg1GxXyePjf-82pTA89uvzZCvjYvTdFrlapmXzAyahukY-G7KuZBGcu-UHOAF36DvQxM42tKadT796WdahRMu5FOX5tlhgE8Q/s4032/PXL_20220716_205533496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="a man & two children walk down stairs on a trail toward a rocky shoreline in Lighthouse Park" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMX9t5_KfYqgQ8a81YvV0RaIat7xnBUdJwCAe8-5XItch_wMJ70zgUwHqpsCmqCWV2R9Iwgzj3J0pR3tfo6SFwc-JeScg1GxXyePjf-82pTA89uvzZCvjYvTdFrlapmXzAyahukY-G7KuZBGcu-UHOAF36DvQxM42tKadT796WdahRMu5FOX5tlhgE8Q/w180-h320/PXL_20220716_205533496.jpg" width="180" /></a>How did I know it was almost exactly three years ago that we were in Lighthouse Park? Well, that experience was what convinced me to apply for a <a href="https://www.sparc.bc.ca/parking-permits/" target="_blank">SPARC disabled parking pass</a>. Three years ago, we walked down the main trail--if you haven't been there, Beacon Lane is really more of a road, though it's closed to cars--then scrambled down to the East Beach. I remember that I was already nearly DONE by that point from the pain of my hip osteoarthritis. From about 800m of walking down a hill. But we still had to get back up to the car. I was so tired & in a lot of pain by the time we got back up to the car in the parking lot. </div><div><br />When we got through West Van near Park Royal, bridge traffic was moving pretty slow, as usual, so we decided to stop at White Spot & wait it out while we had dinner. We ended up driving around & around in the mall lot, getting slightly lost because some of the exits were closed due to construction. We couldn't find any parking near the restaurant. It was incredibly frustrating: I think it took us 15 minutes to find somewhere to park the car & then we had to walk a a few hundred metres to get to the restaurant. After having sat in the car for a bit post hike, my hips were pretty stiff & painful, so this relatively short distance was really awful. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OmFEyi0uxlZTWLC68HHPee7Ma_9z1BdxsJ4VsapoyGvugxOJ_L58V1GeH_I6gNhuuFFi395iaUsoufiIS75CI9Y4Go_RAj1i3Jqm00mm-vSPJINzXdsJgAF2wnZgUl9yWsjIHJJ7I9WGp1EsX01eKEMTm7RzO1Sem0NG2vSmDDApJTmRbr9pn7TRUA/s4032/PXL_20220716_211740144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="the view of the gun emplacement looking west from above East Beach in Lighthouse Park" border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OmFEyi0uxlZTWLC68HHPee7Ma_9z1BdxsJ4VsapoyGvugxOJ_L58V1GeH_I6gNhuuFFi395iaUsoufiIS75CI9Y4Go_RAj1i3Jqm00mm-vSPJINzXdsJgAF2wnZgUl9yWsjIHJJ7I9WGp1EsX01eKEMTm7RzO1Sem0NG2vSmDDApJTmRbr9pn7TRUA/w320-h180/PXL_20220716_211740144.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0buj7tORZA_QobWg94XkTRCbfdqPTM-a960dwl54L-6enOc9i_8qGqC3yDbaoqwMmisCfejETFJvp1dhMhlm76PE92dS6c5M5mhGbKIjwbDvB6A7draz3ikYdwueBjtdnPjE9s7Pq_f7CV1vkbUHSQkxxTs72iO-roLJsfTLDU5mElindIOgH5-EUlg/s4032/PXL_20220716_213911980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="a man, a woman & two children stand inside the graffiti covered old gun emplacement in Lighthouse Park looking out over the ocean" border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0buj7tORZA_QobWg94XkTRCbfdqPTM-a960dwl54L-6enOc9i_8qGqC3yDbaoqwMmisCfejETFJvp1dhMhlm76PE92dS6c5M5mhGbKIjwbDvB6A7draz3ikYdwueBjtdnPjE9s7Pq_f7CV1vkbUHSQkxxTs72iO-roLJsfTLDU5mElindIOgH5-EUlg/w320-h180/PXL_20220716_213911980.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />When I got home, I looked up the SPARC website & looked at the requirements for applying for a pass. I printed off the form, made an appointment with my doctor so she could sign it, then sent it off with the fee & my pass arrived in the mail soon after. SPARC passes are not tied to the license plate of the car, only to the person who has the pass, so we used them with Modo cars when we were parking anywhere with a big lot. It made my life a lot easier to have a wider space to park in too, so I could swing my door fully open & lever myself out of the car & get my cane or Nordic poles out. In the early days after my hip replacement surgery, I needed that space to get on my crutches too. </div><div><br />About a month ago, I got a letter in the mail, letting me know it was time to renew my SPARC pass, as it would expire at the end of July this year. That was about two months after my hip replacement surgery, when I was getting to the point where I was starting to feel downright able-bodied. It's funny, because four months ago, I was making a mental note to reapply for my SPARC pass later this summer. Then, poof! I got the call for a hip replacement surgery date on a cancellation in three days, & my life changed.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6u7psXaiipDHG0wJM8v76QOa3nUBuVy2hnN4B5SPrP6YDYHQckxnhocA58sdWll_g03WiwMZTek-XyDd9vIkqDWlWps8cLA0NIxIPrBQrdfHL3hSL2tCsQBJs_FbPScv89n2udrQpw-nQ1FZD3ZntYlf8vrIFJPZbPv0jE9B2-ZX5CR0gKpe3UcgEQw/s4032/PXL_20220716_220923289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="a girl walks along a wooded trail, using Nordic poles" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6u7psXaiipDHG0wJM8v76QOa3nUBuVy2hnN4B5SPrP6YDYHQckxnhocA58sdWll_g03WiwMZTek-XyDd9vIkqDWlWps8cLA0NIxIPrBQrdfHL3hSL2tCsQBJs_FbPScv89n2udrQpw-nQ1FZD3ZntYlf8vrIFJPZbPv0jE9B2-ZX5CR0gKpe3UcgEQw/w180-h320/PXL_20220716_220923289.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />Not that surgery was an instantaneous fix for my hip issues--recovery felt slow at times & I've definitely done a lot of work to get here since my hip replacement. It's been about 15 weeks now since my surgery & I'm still adjusting to what my body can do on a weekly basis. Today when we packed up all our things to go on this short hike, I brought my Nordic poles to help me with stability on the rockier & steeper bits of the trails. However, once I got down to the water with them, I realized that they were more hassle than help, so I let Bronte use them on the way back up. </div><div><br />It is so incredibly satisfying to really feel the progress like this. For weeks after surgery, I was walking up stairs with only my left leg, pulling my right leg up behind me each step. Then I started walking up alternating legs, but it was still painful to take those steps with my right maybe a month ago.</div><div><br />But today I did a 2km hike with about 100m of elevation gain with no pain at all. It felt so good to be able to just enjoy the forest; I was grinning all the way up the hill back to the Modo car. It's really funny how these two Lighthouse Park visits bookended my SPARC pass so perfectly. </div><div><br /></div><div>I cannot wait to do more hiking this summer!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ReHkEPJ9RaA" width="320" youtube-src-id="ReHkEPJ9RaA"></iframe></div><br /><div><br />
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</div></div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-18231295014029351692022-07-05T19:16:00.007-07:002022-07-05T20:10:13.176-07:00Family Biking @ WTQ Night - Our Community BikesI'm doing an <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-spokesmama-at-wtq-tickets-295025809137" target="_blank">informal talk about family biking for WTQ Night at Our Community Bikes</a> on Wednesday, July 6 at 7:30-8:00pm. I put together a few images & resources I wanted to share in case people were curious about what family biking setups can look like. There are many other options out there, but here's a selection of the common ones you'll find here in Vancouver, as well as a few great low-cost options.<div><div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">My Family Biking Evolution</h2></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdZsAWXOHlAwqq0De1PZqUQtPjiSzF_7EvOBo5xMtcIsuRvfjhTpcK2m4CQpJPVJYEfDpBBvTWDXqcRzB26bq3YZu_pge1l4SHV8VtivGFEXRxYgsRP-cESRAcf4ADIGKRIKaQOO7vsuUtbvNUPzKSaC4AxNlqiqDu9cIF8NpWubXJGnDdMlvkihLTA/s2592/IMG223.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdZsAWXOHlAwqq0De1PZqUQtPjiSzF_7EvOBo5xMtcIsuRvfjhTpcK2m4CQpJPVJYEfDpBBvTWDXqcRzB26bq3YZu_pge1l4SHV8VtivGFEXRxYgsRP-cESRAcf4ADIGKRIKaQOO7vsuUtbvNUPzKSaC4AxNlqiqDu9cIF8NpWubXJGnDdMlvkihLTA/w300-h400/IMG223.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">2011: Started family biking with my then</div><div style="text-align: center;">10-year-old hybrid bike & a MEC trailer </div><div style="text-align: center;">when my first child was nine months old</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-K_vI5lvEA5MCay7GDX-6WkB8DLp0mOxrBk9NH73iPP4-vtPsH6XMmzFzyxL76e3emLFsPchmPAPD7oBL-Ir17Dv48TnJjarblZPswR40L7xiO3wB_SyfgbOnehjJklZOPV4iPeeNirLYmB7Xa69VxyBkHywzNXvh_ods28l6kcmZ4s-nkn6PMRLxJg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-K_vI5lvEA5MCay7GDX-6WkB8DLp0mOxrBk9NH73iPP4-vtPsH6XMmzFzyxL76e3emLFsPchmPAPD7oBL-Ir17Dv48TnJjarblZPswR40L7xiO3wB_SyfgbOnehjJklZOPV4iPeeNirLYmB7Xa69VxyBkHywzNXvh_ods28l6kcmZ4s-nkn6PMRLxJg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">2012: iBert front seat with first kid at 20 months</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOlgrMxLjMQH5F52hF2W3Bunm1V5r4FBDhzb2a8WkzmsI7HvuRw2PO2QFBp189lXsbC38XWepZ6Ea0POtmYQYehOJ65Bh0hOOdB5Lvk9xji0nyIZBpDZgS7XHTyAR-UbOAA4fTZvbPkAglToZjaHBeABRUB1YUtfKLvVP0SHb5ElugVINrFQgHqMOfxA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOlgrMxLjMQH5F52hF2W3Bunm1V5r4FBDhzb2a8WkzmsI7HvuRw2PO2QFBp189lXsbC38XWepZ6Ea0POtmYQYehOJ65Bh0hOOdB5Lvk9xji0nyIZBpDZgS7XHTyAR-UbOAA4fTZvbPkAglToZjaHBeABRUB1YUtfKLvVP0SHb5ElugVINrFQgHqMOfxA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">2013: used Trailabike with oldest kid at age 3.5</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXNDkPGW60qrIO9_xC3ODthWbI5p4bmvXeycMZ3815Zx5y-iB3EOT-L2pSIGfExDtAViCV507EplvfEAb1N5sUe_XCWoytdzXULkcxJpTQQuXnZQ8O_FHpiCKmaQS-Br6GXyqUQ0TYWg_bvYhBi4mdsDsgvAU5q1OBwHClNp4o1KKEpP6YtU5GqyRBtw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXNDkPGW60qrIO9_xC3ODthWbI5p4bmvXeycMZ3815Zx5y-iB3EOT-L2pSIGfExDtAViCV507EplvfEAb1N5sUe_XCWoytdzXULkcxJpTQQuXnZQ8O_FHpiCKmaQS-Br6GXyqUQ0TYWg_bvYhBi4mdsDsgvAU5q1OBwHClNp4o1KKEpP6YtU5GqyRBtw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">2014: new Yuba Mundo longtail cargo bike with two child seats, <br />kids are 3.5years & 9 months</span><br style="text-align: left;" /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEwwuT5icwa1f6-uqT1UXi9EQsBXMn6-AaWJ6lrYh9uqh3FtItXc2cl5PnLpPL6R12vmWnp7IS2DNDNOKag_O_hG6_Mv_DBKLzKy_hTcUmfz6d-x8LxheGY9eoKCM-LIm3FuLTTn9uWBcc6Ov0DUnEtxARQehaCDMTYcmnkLJ1udgB01MrAo-TFJ2iTQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEwwuT5icwa1f6-uqT1UXi9EQsBXMn6-AaWJ6lrYh9uqh3FtItXc2cl5PnLpPL6R12vmWnp7IS2DNDNOKag_O_hG6_Mv_DBKLzKy_hTcUmfz6d-x8LxheGY9eoKCM-LIm3FuLTTn9uWBcc6Ov0DUnEtxARQehaCDMTYcmnkLJ1udgB01MrAo-TFJ2iTQ=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">2016: used Bakfiets Long, kids are 3 & 6 here</span><br style="text-align: left;" /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSErrGbyH2DtcR4m9HRVXtyhEjY5vwaZgjrseMVJI2gKRPSJ694hWUCCFZ5UnycZjMjmnuTfjhH7-qzPZ6NcmabGoXmAj4Zthj_jv0ni4nUQ10ksmsWwO-eKPHUaxZxVvWtuzijsLHn2amRfwjnBhK7GJnP3GMXKbQBW9F2H9l7uFrIl2MoJbsOEfYw/s3165/20220227_161530.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="3165" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSErrGbyH2DtcR4m9HRVXtyhEjY5vwaZgjrseMVJI2gKRPSJ694hWUCCFZ5UnycZjMjmnuTfjhH7-qzPZ6NcmabGoXmAj4Zthj_jv0ni4nUQ10ksmsWwO-eKPHUaxZxVvWtuzijsLHn2amRfwjnBhK7GJnP3GMXKbQBW9F2H9l7uFrIl2MoJbsOEfYw/w400-h231/20220227_161530.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2019: got a Tern GSD S10 e-cargobike when kids were 6 & 9. <br />It still carries them daily at almost 9 & 12 years old.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2O18Vi2gFRBsF-xeQ7mfzOxGgEO3zj_fsFjcbnY1__s4iF3d44XvD-fQcRwMyJ0kVnLM0X0Owy5TXCctz7c8Hnuju6Whmfl_m-gNf0ygaxZcPkTTH_LN_eMyJq7gK5Cob9P-FTDnOAvhVCsiwnF9B3E5MWgOzkldDkEk0xAu0LewOggMsMvqYxw0jsA/s4032/PXL_20220529_223214406%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2O18Vi2gFRBsF-xeQ7mfzOxGgEO3zj_fsFjcbnY1__s4iF3d44XvD-fQcRwMyJ0kVnLM0X0Owy5TXCctz7c8Hnuju6Whmfl_m-gNf0ygaxZcPkTTH_LN_eMyJq7gK5Cob9P-FTDnOAvhVCsiwnF9B3E5MWgOzkldDkEk0xAu0LewOggMsMvqYxw0jsA/w400-h225/PXL_20220529_223214406%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2022: got a used Bike Friday Family Traveller Tandem so either<br />kid (almost 9 & 12) can ride on the back </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Other Kid Hauling Ideas</h2> </div><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdptksYayyuJyWesgkGeZqdWTi7rkZUJonw6_OnVTl33c4SvhpbjitRWV7Wptipr8GLTAkvXger2rZR5y1kDg_Cd72eTgazoo9WXhK2x14K2h0VHSeWVB3WMYlBUwpCUi89qmgP12uI1x0AtpGfu2Guc3-YXl6QIr0KS_JwT-eZfxxXM2UmEfTPjK0Zw/s5312/20160530_182550.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdptksYayyuJyWesgkGeZqdWTi7rkZUJonw6_OnVTl33c4SvhpbjitRWV7Wptipr8GLTAkvXger2rZR5y1kDg_Cd72eTgazoo9WXhK2x14K2h0VHSeWVB3WMYlBUwpCUi89qmgP12uI1x0AtpGfu2Guc3-YXl6QIr0KS_JwT-eZfxxXM2UmEfTPjK0Zw/w400-h225/20160530_182550.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Front & rear child seat are usually easy to find used, <br />can do DIY rear rack options for age 4+ like above <br />saddle strapped to rack, stem & small bars on seat post, <br />with BMX pegs for kid feet<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtiI_7vs0HZ0wlVJBsRX7-XhEJ5HEAXecnf9oXU_DBBAD69TIRtc5V85HQgcpt65KaoNoOUez92jBAx6ZzwkoIHsM5t7hpuK0U0HhESaoZNyTms3Hxdl5jqBHHKmnt8EgpDKYmmK_5kBkY0li_BSVh9RW54t6ib1FMSDbAnF4S84BtmghjUSu3pVudsw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1602" data-original-width="2268" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtiI_7vs0HZ0wlVJBsRX7-XhEJ5HEAXecnf9oXU_DBBAD69TIRtc5V85HQgcpt65KaoNoOUez92jBAx6ZzwkoIHsM5t7hpuK0U0HhESaoZNyTms3Hxdl5jqBHHKmnt8EgpDKYmmK_5kBkY0li_BSVh9RW54t6ib1FMSDbAnF4S84BtmghjUSu3pVudsw=w400-h283" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>Tow cables (red TowWhee on right) or</div><div>DIY option with 2 used tubes looped together (left)</div><div><br style="text-align: left;" /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyrdE5NeeFVdrVUhVc_hxVBKCAuUYXqp-YgSthcJbRE0A5XjbJTh8ZbsodA0MYeVM5zklVpMlnAny1r0EDSme0o7qTc8nvMfdvPKtQo4yeMKA7MJSoijNJ3yuiVgBE3pdZD8og_PAgwGtG435lQAly1BOZUq18_VQZtYMk9gp0KSd0BhVe-ZTUfCK0A/s3209/20210528_145345.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="3209" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyrdE5NeeFVdrVUhVc_hxVBKCAuUYXqp-YgSthcJbRE0A5XjbJTh8ZbsodA0MYeVM5zklVpMlnAny1r0EDSme0o7qTc8nvMfdvPKtQo4yeMKA7MJSoijNJ3yuiVgBE3pdZD8og_PAgwGtG435lQAly1BOZUq18_VQZtYMk9gp0KSd0BhVe-ZTUfCK0A/w400-h280/20210528_145345.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Bag & Drag" to tow a kid's bike when they get tired. <br />The child can fit on the rear rack seat too, mine tend to sit sidesaddle.<br /><b>Note: They can NOT ride on their own bike in a bag & drag.</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Resources</h2></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9t3tT4wp5RjgwF0v0Gw5c45h1oGYhZOFrVUil3vSyxn4SqCGBLTHyRmZX2xtHuXXZo1jO_SH90OOXyPM9czR7sFO0gUhJxgriyGbfEdDYWNAHn15D_mc4EWI0NS-iS5Z1wMkgJdIWpQHl7aflxpEkfzmWRM45W_nXNRIa8vnRblc8fRb8k3fVIwYvQ/s5312/20160529_104022.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9t3tT4wp5RjgwF0v0Gw5c45h1oGYhZOFrVUil3vSyxn4SqCGBLTHyRmZX2xtHuXXZo1jO_SH90OOXyPM9czR7sFO0gUhJxgriyGbfEdDYWNAHn15D_mc4EWI0NS-iS5Z1wMkgJdIWpQHl7aflxpEkfzmWRM45W_nXNRIa8vnRblc8fRb8k3fVIwYvQ/s320/20160529_104022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/yvrfamilybiking/" target="_blank">Vancouver Family Biking Facebook Group</a> crowdsource info, buy & sell gear, meet other families<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://letsgobiking.net/" target="_blank">Let's Go Biking</a> recreational ride ideas & maps</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://thismombikes.net/" target="_blank">This Mom Bikes</a> Calgary-based all about family biking</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.twowheelingtots.com/" target="_blank">Two Wheeling Tots</a> US-based reviews of family biking gear </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://bikehub.ca/helpful-information-about-cycling-in-metro-vancouver" target="_blank">HUB Cycling Resources Page</a> All about cycling in Metro Vancouver</div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq0ji73dnNw" target="_blank">HUB Cycling with Children Webinar</a> recording of July 2021 webinar on Youtube</div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://project529.com/garage" target="_blank">Project 529</a> Register your bike to recover it if stolen</div><div><br /></div><div><br />
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</div></div></div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-14523334498887165512022-05-03T19:59:00.001-07:002022-05-05T09:31:07.202-07:00Where to Buy a Cargo Bike in Vancouver<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Jm6eOLJGd0/W0-tCiiNiTI/AAAAAAABuE8/EYGtmKytQFIV3RO7omWK3fTz-w_KJipcwCKgBGAs/s1600/20180424_123011.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Jm6eOLJGd0/W0-tCiiNiTI/AAAAAAABuE8/EYGtmKytQFIV3RO7omWK3fTz-w_KJipcwCKgBGAs/s320/20180424_123011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cargo bike party outside Velo Star Cafe!</td></tr></tbody></table>If you're looking to buy a cargo bike in Vancouver, the options are getting better & better. More shops are starting to stock cargobikes & it's getting easier to test ride them, though you may end up going to a few different shops to test ride a range. Quite a few brands of cargo bike, like our Bakfiets, aren't even sold here in brick & mortar stores--your only option is buying online.<div><br /></div><div>A note about buying a bike online without a local dealer: you may save some money this way, or be able to get a specific bike that you want, but if you ever have warranty issues, it can be a major pain to get them addressed without a local shop that's invested in helping you out. Depending on the bike--& more so with lower end electric assist bikes--you may also have difficulty finding a shop who will work on the bike or can get parts in for you. I highly recommend buying a bike from a shop located near home so that you can easily bring it in for service.<br /><br />Until we get a great family & cargo biking shop (like <a href="http://familycyclery.com/" target="_blank">Seattle's G&O Cyclery</a>) here in Vancouver, you'll have to pound the pavement a bit. <br /><br />In the interests of making that easier for you, I've updated my list of bike shops that sell cargo bikes here in Vancouver. There are increasing numbers of cargo bike retailers now, which is fantastic--so many more companies are offering different styles & price points as well. Here's what I have found & what brands they sell, alphabetically.<br /></div><div><br /><b><a href="http://www.citecycles.com/" target="_blank">Cit-E-Cycles</a> </b>3466 West Broadway Vancouver 604-734-2717<br /><i>Riese & Mueller Load & Packster; Tern GSD & HSD; Cube Cargo; Moustache Lundi.</i><br />Cit-E has multiple locations in the Lower Mainland, so call if you're looking for a specific model--they may have it in stock at another shop.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://dream-cycle.com/" target="_blank">Dream Cycle</a></b> 1010 Commercial Drive Vancouver 604-253-3737<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Soma Tradesman </i></span><i>(cycle truck, not really a kid hauler)</i><span style="background-color: white;"><i>; Surly Big Dummy (wait list til 2023)</i><br /></span>Dream focuses on building custom bikes from the frame up. They have a Soma Tradesman in the shop as of May 4 2022 to test ride, but call ahead if you want a test ride in case it's sold.<div><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://www.jvbike.com/" target="_blank">JV Bike</a></b> 929 Expo Boulevard 604-694-2453</div><div><i style="background-color: white;">Tern GSD</i></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">JV is an all-round shop that sells a variety of bikes & ebikes, with just the Tern GSD cargobike. They generally have a Tern GSD available for a test ride, but best to call ahead to check.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b><a href="http://www.mac-tallacycles.com/" target="_blank">Mac Talla Cycles</a> </b>2626 East Hastings Vancouver 604-707-0822<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Bullitt; Kona Ute</i><br /></span>Mac Talla tries to have floor models available for test rides, but with supply chain issues they can't always keep them in stock. Call ahead to ask!<br /><br /><b><a href="https://radpowerbikes.ca/pages/vancouver-store" target="_blank">Rad Power Bikes</a></b> 3296 E 29th Avenue Vancouver 1-800-939-0310<br /><i>Radwagon</i><br />Note that you can test ride bikes at this location, but they are currently not offering ebike purchases from the Vancouver retail store. All ebike purchases must be made online.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://reckless.ca/" target="_blank">Reckless Bike Stores</a></b> 110 Davie Street Vancouver 604-648-2600<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Babboe City</i><i>; Benno eBoost; Tern GSD</i><i>; Urban Arrow</i></span></div><div>Reckless has two locations, they generally have one of each available for test rides but it's best to call ahead so they can schedule some time for your questions.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://sidesaddlebikes.com/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Sidesaddle Bikes</a><b> </b>3469 Commercial Street 604-428-2453<br /><i><span style="background-color: white;">Yuba Boda Boda; Bike Friday Haul-A-Day & Ever-E-Day; </span></i><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Bombtrack Munro Cargo (cycle truck, not really a kid hauler)</i></span></div><div>Andrea opened Sidesaddle specifically as a women-friendly shop & I <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2015/06/sidesaddle-new-women-focused-east-van.html" target="_blank">posted about the shop</a> not long after they opened. You can drop in to look at the bikes, but if you're looking at test riding & buying a cargo bike, it's best to call ahead so they can set aside time to answer all your questions. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://velolifestyle.com/" target="_blank">Velo Lifestyle</a></b> 1350 Nanaimo Street 604-216-0111</div><div><i>Muli; Creme; Veloe; Triobike; Black Iron Horse.</i></div><div>This shop is the latest addition to my list, only opened their Vancouver location about a year ago. They specialize in European brands, mainly front loaders & several models of trikes.</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://velostarcafe.com/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Velo Star Cafe</a> 3195 Heather Street Vancouver 604-376-8223<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Due to supply chain issues, it's been hard for Clint to get cargobikes in, but he occasionally has or knows of used ones on sale.</i><br /></span><b style="background-color: white;"><span>VeloStar is where we go for service on <i>all </i>our bikes--the mechanics here really know & love cargo bikes & we've always had gread service there.</span><br /></b><br /><br />That about wraps up my updates to the list. Please let me know if you know of other cargo bike selling shops in the city that I've missed!<br /><br /><i>Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way to list these bike shops & have no affiliation with them, other than being friends with Clint & Kat from VeloStar. The above information is correct as of the writing of this post & opinions above are my own, as always.</i><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif"><b>Follow <i>Spokesmama</i> here too:</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L2j4OaL-lKc/URXmIYrij9I/AAAAAAAANM4/pqKhGW1xj2g/s1600/rss.png" width="" /></a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/spokesmama" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Ik9dLkXHJM/URXmAysuHmI/AAAAAAAANMg/Uh-LXZdp01k/s1600/twitter.png" width="" /></a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/spokesmama" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oat7pPwMz-I/URXljCIw-LI/AAAAAAAANMI/5ygalJHBTrI/s1600/facebook.png" width="" /></a> <a href="https://plus.google.com/104032174087882312830/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3EZGulqEQrg/URXmAY5q0rI/AAAAAAAANMQ/fijTC2SVkhQ/s1600/google+.png" width="" /></a> <a href="http://instagram.com/spokesmama" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VrGEjlwzBFQ/URXmAb6H8XI/AAAAAAAANMU/d9-ICOKIHvc/s1600/instagram.png" width="" /></a> <a href="http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lisacorriveau" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mIhR-f-7kZE/URXmAQtXCSI/AAAAAAAANMY/8p53udmr4ro/s1600/linkedin.png" width="" /></a> <a href="http://pinterest.com/spokesmama/#" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q98BY_BVGV0/URXmA7l1okI/AAAAAAAANMc/ystHbc_EilI/s1600/pinterest.png" width="" /></a></div>
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</div></div></div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-26194170953812258052022-03-27T14:27:00.002-07:002022-03-27T14:30:40.131-07:00Delivering Girl Guide Cookies (& Relive Review)<div class="embedly-responsive" style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 78.2227%; position: relative;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="embedly-embed" frameborder="0" height="801" scrolling="no" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https://www.relive.cc/view/vevYox58KJ6/widget?r=embed-site&url=https://www.relive.cc/view/vevYox58KJ6?r=embed-site&image=https://www.relive.cc/view/vevYox58KJ6/png?x-ref=embed-site&key=f1631a41cb254ca5b035dc5747a5bd75&type=text/html&schema=relive" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" width="1024"></iframe></div>
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& a quick review...<div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8IIxYTrQpqKi5eZDcpDaIisF5xE24fWCLYoe4StutN_oV3X8EzPNaYvarOMbkmYd9D7TCW6JpsQODk7w6KMp5-_srduhskhDaMlyEr6-0ZvcFlW1jkS7p35diJrKLuLF_5lvhFE01iPe4dYrTikf4uBnrsmXf9qW3b4Ynj4xAY0-HqLeCAMPgaoBzA/s4080/image-20fa98a6-5b4d-4a79-9c86-a00393f0089b.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8IIxYTrQpqKi5eZDcpDaIisF5xE24fWCLYoe4StutN_oV3X8EzPNaYvarOMbkmYd9D7TCW6JpsQODk7w6KMp5-_srduhskhDaMlyEr6-0ZvcFlW1jkS7p35diJrKLuLF_5lvhFE01iPe4dYrTikf4uBnrsmXf9qW3b4Ynj4xAY0-HqLeCAMPgaoBzA/s320/image-20fa98a6-5b4d-4a79-9c86-a00393f0089b.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relive missed out on many cute pics<br />like this one of B on our way out</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I saw a Relive video on a FB group recently & liked the data visualization & the way it integrates photos into the video, so I downloaded the app & tried it out for this ride. </div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, although I took 20 photos in the app along our way, it only included the three I took with my camera outside the app. I couldn't find a way (with the free version, anyway) to edit the video I'd created, or anywhere along the process where I could have added more photos. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I tried to view the video in the app on my phone, it immediately crashed every time. I managed to see it by logging in on the website. But this was also a hassle, because the app had allowed me to create a video without setting up a password, but the website doesn't allow for setting up passwords, so I had to go back & forth from the app to the website. <br /><br />So, I'm not terribly impressed & unlikely to pay for an app that is this unstable. I may try again later if I can figure out why it's crashing, but maybe it's another of those apps that doesn't work well with Android. I wondered if I included too many pics, but the person whose Relive video I saw included far more than I did, plus video, if I remember correctly.<div><br /></div><div><i>Have you used Relive? What was your experience like? Do you have another data visualization app like this that you use for documenting bike rides?</i></div><div><br /><div>
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</div></div></div></div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-55799843687614367252022-03-20T16:14:00.001-07:002022-03-20T16:15:57.212-07:00#CarFreeFamily 2021: How Much Does it Cost?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here we are in March 2022 & I still haven't actually calculated our transportation totals for last year. Heh. This was still not what I'd consider a "normal" year for us, as we have continued to stay home more than usual due to COVID, but it's also been two years of pandemic, so what even is normal anymore? ANYWAY, on with the numbers...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS94UPoOnijaVvO1mPcTLuBLCegR_D_fl3hlD9PZntBwfEFDuRtuTlN5Hoa7Qa-gd3GUB85AAv50KIhqVL7muB9J2jtlHfKEqt-wuL8bK0FtvJtgOFjA_MpS7sOHVsnGAlcCosHWUsaNwYkFX2oprXxn-Wd8A1AJq3hWrSlu0Z6zVc6AddJ4GEHtnESA=s2516" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2516" data-original-width="1887" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS94UPoOnijaVvO1mPcTLuBLCegR_D_fl3hlD9PZntBwfEFDuRtuTlN5Hoa7Qa-gd3GUB85AAv50KIhqVL7muB9J2jtlHfKEqt-wuL8bK0FtvJtgOFjA_MpS7sOHVsnGAlcCosHWUsaNwYkFX2oprXxn-Wd8A1AJq3hWrSlu0Z6zVc6AddJ4GEHtnESA=w240-h320" title="Taking my ecargobike to the shop on my other cargobike" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking my ecargobike to the shop<br />on my other cargobike</td></tr></tbody></table>Again, like 2020, we used no taxis, no ridesharing, no car rentals, & only a single trip for me on a ferry. We decided not to renew our <a href="https://www.mobibikes.ca/en/community-pass">Mobi Community passes</a>, as we weren't using them enough. We got around by bike the vast majority of the time which is practically free.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>The main transportation expense for our household was bike maintenance. We had a bit of work done on the Bakfiets, a part replaced on my 21-year-old Diamondback, a cassette, front chain ring & chain replacement on my Tern GSD, plus a flat fix & some brake pad replacements, as well as having the studded tires put on for me. Though I know how to do some of my own bike maintenance, I rarely do anything myself except oiling the chain--it's just so much quicker & easier to pay someone else to do it. Total cost for 2021 was <b>$619.12</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our next biggest expense was Modo bookings for the rare occasions we needed to drive. That averaged out to about once a month, interestingly, ten of eleven bookings were trucks or vans this year. We used pickups to <a href="https://twitter.com/spokesmama/status/1388972888691146755" target="_blank">take large items to the recycling centre, or pick up things like a yard of compost soil</a>, & <a href="https://twitter.com/spokesmama/status/1403164479878176769" target="_blank">a friend's broken cargo bike</a>, & we went on a few daytrips hauling all of our bikes in the back, to Hope to bike the Othello Tunnels & <a href="https://twitter.com/spokesmama/status/1433273467089022978" target="_blank">up to the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve Trail</a> in the summer. Four trips were <a href="https://twitter.com/spokesmama/status/1443279363533774849" target="_blank">driving a friend to some appointments</a> using the Modo accessibility van. <i>Click on the previous links to see Twitter threads & lots of photos of our Modo excursions.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIpFUyMmALofvFXRrao2SMNPm-qPCmvym5a48vZTt6FGoUqMHrADJiIh4vocwUqAJHCd-bl2Lnjpw4JgQP16UEi7cOpz0305dKz7oa3OkqXjV3mlVtDGaiX4tIZJZ4IB-XdrAWVbiPN0UL81ATOqdYRGJa0MM2R8ofkafUbvF589ZgxnIysVwW-k7o1A=s3216" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1808" data-original-width="3216" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIpFUyMmALofvFXRrao2SMNPm-qPCmvym5a48vZTt6FGoUqMHrADJiIh4vocwUqAJHCd-bl2Lnjpw4JgQP16UEi7cOpz0305dKz7oa3OkqXjV3mlVtDGaiX4tIZJZ4IB-XdrAWVbiPN0UL81ATOqdYRGJa0MM2R8ofkafUbvF589ZgxnIysVwW-k7o1A=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modo truck loaded up with our bikes to go to Hope</td></tr></tbody></table>I did drive a handful of other times for work, but those trips are paid for by my employer, so I don't count them here. Also when we got rid of a bunch of mattresses with a friend, she split the cost. Our grand total for these 11 trips was<b> $544.51</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I went on a bike camping trip to the Sunshine Coast in the summer last year, which cost a grand total of <b>$14</b> in ferry fare.</div><div><br /></div><div>Electricity costs are a bit harder to calculate, because it's only a few cents each time we charge our bikes about <b>$10</b> on electricity charging my Tern GSD & Oliver's Tern Vektron. I estimate about 60 full charges of the 900Wh of batteries in the roughly 5000km I rode. Oliver rides much less than me, as he's been working from home 99% of the time, so I doubt he needed a full charge more than once a month.</div><div><br /></div><div>Transit was the smallest percentage of the pie in our 2021 transportation budget. We took one transit trip in 2021, on the Seabus to a Brownies event with Bronte. She was free & I got a free ticket for the ride home, so I paid only one way,<b> $2.45</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw8dAXjy4U2RqTRZLJlSYkGf0Z3micmzSFEwbZ5TzUfFZOFQxWAdnEOBoPeD2VN7I0V6ja2uus3RLBkbWMPTOIhGyci_h7EI5Yd1Bueqo3WNfMjCMG3U0JBKd-DNq6uwvA8Z3Z5DoKMiw4iZjDroWnpkwFqIsOlet0NwN_1PlUWf9oujO29dPlfsAG4A=s3216" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1808" data-original-width="3216" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw8dAXjy4U2RqTRZLJlSYkGf0Z3micmzSFEwbZ5TzUfFZOFQxWAdnEOBoPeD2VN7I0V6ja2uus3RLBkbWMPTOIhGyci_h7EI5Yd1Bueqo3WNfMjCMG3U0JBKd-DNq6uwvA8Z3Z5DoKMiw4iZjDroWnpkwFqIsOlet0NwN_1PlUWf9oujO29dPlfsAG4A=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes biking can be chilly, but with the<br />right clothes, it's fine! </td></tr></tbody></table>Our transportation costs were about 15% higher than 2020, with a wee bit more local travel. 2018 was our last typical year without a pandemic, new jobs or injuries that limited our travel, with some trips in BC, Washington, & Oregon, including a few bike camping trips & visits to the Okanagan to see family there. 2018 transportation costs came out to more than triple what we spent this year. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>If you're curious about the numbers you can check out my posts on the breakdown for <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2019/01/carfreefamily-how-much-does-it-cost.html">2018 here</a>, <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2020/01/carfreefamily-2019-how-much-does-it-cost.html">2019 here</a>,<span style="background-color: white;"> & <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2021/01/carfreefamily-2020-how-much-does-it-cost.html" target="_blank">2020 here</a>.</span></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div></div><div>So, now, the moment you've been waiting for... the grand total transportation costs for our #CarFreeFamily of four in Vancouver in 2021 was...</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>$1,190.08 </b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1Id-5saWP7jmsRe25DsIH4eWxTSH8RSYcdrUTDmEcHWBa68eOWvmrGGxkaAXYSXgDpAqLEtectJgmjIZw_TxMVcmjsakuzVyHsvl0FkadV-jV59VBlxOQ0qDov_LX1zmtlI0-GMYsTtNehs4_LfrSaAJFWni_PpwpXvTXLffldB4N4HnaR4vXL4iF7g=s3968" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2232" data-original-width="3968" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1Id-5saWP7jmsRe25DsIH4eWxTSH8RSYcdrUTDmEcHWBa68eOWvmrGGxkaAXYSXgDpAqLEtectJgmjIZw_TxMVcmjsakuzVyHsvl0FkadV-jV59VBlxOQ0qDov_LX1zmtlI0-GMYsTtNehs4_LfrSaAJFWni_PpwpXvTXLffldB4N4HnaR4vXL4iF7g=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With friends at the Fancy Woman Bike Ride </td></tr></tbody></table>It's eight times less than the average British Columbian spends on owning one car in a year. Possibly even better than eight times less, given what gas prices are like these days. Just the insurance would be more, whether we drove it much or not. Being able to bike instead of drive most of the time & use Modo rather than owning a car makes such a huge difference to the affordability of living in Vancouver. </div><div><br /></div><div>The downsides--getting a bit wet or cold occasionally, dealing with shitty drivers--are outweighed by all the other upsides--built in exercise & fresh air, more social interactions (not to mention so many opportunities for two-wheeled hijinks like in the photo to the right), easier parking, near zero carbon produced, often faster. Still pretty happy to be a #CarFreeFamily. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, how about you? What did you spend on transportation last year? Do you total it up annually? What are the upsides & downsides of how you get around?</div>
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</div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-80887792145712010432022-03-19T19:13:00.002-07:002022-03-28T22:03:20.983-07:00Come Chat Family Biking with Me at Our Community Bikes WTQ Night<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfdtcFQLRmxBLjnQgYY0W7QhqcOQqZnvIGrJcdrVbk8fgfCZyDl8amJeq2sILgPpYDLC2OPCaDlHaSMI3qqmFX_D3lLfIgrwCeenyln4-K4sK5nxBG-j8sHlH1iU_MBywf5G55X7xp_NRfNNTHpl6a1NTW2BmAbMMC8eZVf5tHNoYUi85OipT_cM99FQ=s3968" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3968" data-original-width="2232" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfdtcFQLRmxBLjnQgYY0W7QhqcOQqZnvIGrJcdrVbk8fgfCZyDl8amJeq2sILgPpYDLC2OPCaDlHaSMI3qqmFX_D3lLfIgrwCeenyln4-K4sK5nxBG-j8sHlH1iU_MBywf5G55X7xp_NRfNNTHpl6a1NTW2BmAbMMC8eZVf5tHNoYUi85OipT_cM99FQ=s320" width="180" /></a></div><div><b>UPDATE: I'm having hip surgery & have had to cancel for April 6th! Hopefully we can reschedule at a later date! WTQ Night will still be happening without me though. </b></div><div><br /></div>First off, what is WTQ NIGHT?</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Twice a month Our Community Bikes opens their doors after hours to women, trans & queer identifying people to use the shop & have the chance to level up their mechanic skills. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our Community Bikes (OCB) always tries to be a welcoming place to all people & genders, these shop hours specifically welcome people who may have felt marginalized by the bike industry as a whole because of their gender or sexual orientation. </div><div><br /></div><div>WTQ nights are staffed by women & gender variant mechanics. OCB recognizes that bicycle shops & accessibility to mechanical knowledge is dominated by hetero cisgendered men. WTQ night hopes to make this knowledge more diffuse amongst marginalized communities through peer based education.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>WTQ happens on the first & third Wednesday each month from 6:30-9:30pm</b>. <b>OCB is at 2429 Main Street</b>, in Vancouver. Drop by the shop staffed by women & gender variant mechanics to ask your questions & address your mechanic needs. Or you can browse for used parts, have your bike assessed for service, purchase bikes & accessories, Do-It-Yourself stand rental.</div><div><br /></div><div><strike>I'll be hanging out at OCB on <b>April 6</b> & doing a quick talk about family biking from <b>6:30-7pm</b>. Come by with your questions on cycling with babies, toddlers, little & big kids! Because space is limited, please register in advance (it's free!) for <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-spokesmama-at-wtq-tickets-295025809137?aff=ebdsoporgprofile" target="_blank"><b>OCB WTQ Night on Evenbrite.</b></a></strike></div><div><br /></div>
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</div></div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-46465770596111626222022-03-05T18:14:00.001-08:002022-03-16T18:25:24.514-07:00Electric Bike vs. Car Comparison<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiO-4wKkE2x-B4brWdzSdUUSzs1tk8E-QzCYMHxbXE_xLRZ4Q_O6P2NEIWTGNP1LsExRYJ35u3794BdssMzN_4PiF6ynPVwi08nPaByFlYva6YSomGxPC_XStO2hqZl0wnIcfMR4q8aD_BHIZqmhiePLc-UBM-hyMtKHFOHICxGa9_W3uBlujzozRpHgA=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="a woman and two children on a cargobike, seen from above" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1151" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiO-4wKkE2x-B4brWdzSdUUSzs1tk8E-QzCYMHxbXE_xLRZ4Q_O6P2NEIWTGNP1LsExRYJ35u3794BdssMzN_4PiF6ynPVwi08nPaByFlYva6YSomGxPC_XStO2hqZl0wnIcfMR4q8aD_BHIZqmhiePLc-UBM-hyMtKHFOHICxGa9_W3uBlujzozRpHgA=w180-h320" width="180" /></a></div>(Adapted from my <a href="https://twitter.com/spokesmama/status/1499948532244967425" target="_blank"><b>Twitter thread March 4, 2022</b></a>)<div><br /></div><div>Since gas prices are a hot topic these days, I thought I'd do an electric bike vs. car comparison.</div><div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">To drop off & pick up my kids from school then back to work from home is about 12km a day. </p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"></p><ul><li>Ecargobike: ~3 cents electricity</li><li>Average Canadian vehicle: ~$2 gas</li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">For the whole school year:</p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"></p><ul><li>Ecargobike $5</li><li>Gas vehicle $360</li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I usually ride around 3000km in addition to school runs, so I estimate my ebike electricity costs for the year are around $12. If I were driving an average vehicle, those kms would cost me about $900.</p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">When you factor in maintenance & insurance costs, that's even more saved.</p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8juq9ITrLlREoNOcBFKfYml5rO46PGraxWMEoxJpBXoA6L4NGBv73mE0Tw7wdTrkgOtuSVXlhpDmf1wib__bUnSZm7ClIzYd9uxY9EFRG8ZDqPaxkV2zvNaruTblQ9A8cnNJeW1u-Q3kUwbLJWJoEDiwqjRM7CMg79brI1XAGvkYA6fBJVoVrPAJ_-w" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="a woman standing in front of a cargobike in the snow" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8juq9ITrLlREoNOcBFKfYml5rO46PGraxWMEoxJpBXoA6L4NGBv73mE0Tw7wdTrkgOtuSVXlhpDmf1wib__bUnSZm7ClIzYd9uxY9EFRG8ZDqPaxkV2zvNaruTblQ9A8cnNJeW1u-Q3kUwbLJWJoEDiwqjRM7CMg79brI1XAGvkYA6fBJVoVrPAJ_-w=w320-h180" width="320" /></a></div>My ecargobike insurance is only a few dollars per month on my home insurance, under $40/year. Maintenance is under $500. <p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Average car insurance is $1832 a year, maintenance of a newer car would be not much more than my bike, let's say $800.</p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Parking is another thing not to be underestimated. I never pay for bike parking. A lot of the places I shop & go to appointments have pay parking, so I'd likely spend $200-300 a year on that if I drove.</p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEissQ6jkBVYZKVFGy_tBq4W0Ax8v_AnDd04amMW_GQCcSAuZjQbgmgK5hYw2uyu_i38zhSTC_V3VFCy0oS9FEyDKryGBxY4ya0F-UsMFtZmKEXVtyFE7DR7rmDdee4IctotUD8X6a1CvszYXhzAycXijLqE0YcCzkE3pZE5TIkt4YXsmykiqFktOm0tKg=s1640" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="a fully loaded cargo bike parked in front of a Costco" border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEissQ6jkBVYZKVFGy_tBq4W0Ax8v_AnDd04amMW_GQCcSAuZjQbgmgK5hYw2uyu_i38zhSTC_V3VFCy0oS9FEyDKryGBxY4ya0F-UsMFtZmKEXVtyFE7DR7rmDdee4IctotUD8X6a1CvszYXhzAycXijLqE0YcCzkE3pZE5TIkt4YXsmykiqFktOm0tKg=w225-h320" width="225" /></a></div><div><br /></div>When the initial cost of a vehicle & depreciation are factored in, replacing one with a decent ecargobike looks even better. The average cost to own & operate a car in BC is $9500 a year.<p></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">People often ask what my Tern GSD cost, & they're surprised that I spent $7500 (that's including all the kid carrying accessories, bags, locks, a second battery, & tax) but that's less than the cost of <i>one year</i> owning & driving a gas vehicle!</p><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">So if you're looking for alternatives to high gas prices & expensive vehicles, you may want to look at how an ecargobike would work for you. </p><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Let me know if you have questions about how it works for Costco runs or in snow, or whatever. Leave a comment below, or ping me on <a href="https://twitter.com/spokesmama" target="_blank"><b>Twitter</b></a>!</p>
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</div></div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-47418084319398313682021-10-07T23:11:00.002-07:002021-10-07T23:11:45.649-07:00Webinar on e-bikes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eiv32T7MVk0/YV_gQIqNmtI/AAAAAAACk_E/hympmlOQr1c-9Fg7WOBFOlenooDYyt4MACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20211007_230715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Screenshot of Lisa Corriveau speaking in a webinar" border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eiv32T7MVk0/YV_gQIqNmtI/AAAAAAACk_E/hympmlOQr1c-9Fg7WOBFOlenooDYyt4MACLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/20211007_230715.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This past Wednesday, October 6, HUB Cycling put on a webinar: E-bikes: Harnessing their potential to get more people biking. About a hundred people attended the free webinar where panelists discussed how municipalities can benefit from creating conditions favourable to e-bikes, spoke about the North Shore's e-bike share roll out, & highlighted the importance of e-bikes in getting more people of all ages & abilities biking more often.<div><div><br /></div><div>Speakers were:</div><div><br /></div><div>Todd Litman, Executive Director, Victoria Transport Policy Institute and author of <i>New Mobilities: Smart Planning for Emerging Transportation Technologies</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Zachary Mathurin, North Shore Mobility Options Coordinator</div><div><br /></div><div>& me! Lisa Corriveau, bike blogger & e-bike advocate for people with mobility issues</div><div><br /></div><div>HUB recorded the hour long webinar, & if you'd like, you can <a href="https://youtu.be/TSQyrqhwIY0" target="_blank">watch the video here on their YouTube channel</a>.</div><div><br /></div>
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</div></div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-83240932695154359282021-09-21T10:26:00.002-07:002022-03-19T19:19:45.649-07:00Chatting bikes on Sprocket Podcast<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCRLKHMI3vtEye5uLPGdSVlqLsaMZuhcpXXqMNvOl_E6A5iLPqCICedRWlWkPLIX7QjB73UEBXTRsyzLva49BEhKowVY4xNZO7nOtGfSWcfAY8Pvl-RK7APseQJpITBZJ5CPQpg4uE825ZjnWIMBVvYFPF3BPM8e4-AwnIfUl8ZSesMOmIRpXm4rTStg=s800" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="800" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCRLKHMI3vtEye5uLPGdSVlqLsaMZuhcpXXqMNvOl_E6A5iLPqCICedRWlWkPLIX7QjB73UEBXTRsyzLva49BEhKowVY4xNZO7nOtGfSWcfAY8Pvl-RK7APseQJpITBZJ5CPQpg4uE825ZjnWIMBVvYFPF3BPM8e4-AwnIfUl8ZSesMOmIRpXm4rTStg=w200-h150" width="200" /></a></div>I got together virtually with Joan & Guthrie to talk about biking with my kids, being a car-free family, volunteering with Cycling Without Age, plus teaching kids & adults as a cycling instructor for HUB. I got into how arthritis has impacted my cycling & the changes I've seen in infrastructure in Vancouver over many years on a bike.</div><div><br /></div>Listen <a href="https://sprocketpodcast.blubrry.com/e581-biking-in-vancouver-bc-with-spokesmama-lisa-corriveau/" target="_blank">to episode 581 of Sprocket Podcast here</a>. Check out their other interviews as well!<div><br />
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</div></div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-58638974637257250832021-01-09T14:39:00.000-08:002021-01-09T14:39:31.200-08:00#CarFreeFamily 2020: How Much Does it Cost?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Welp, that was... a year. Our transportation costs were lower than ever because we went nowhere & did nothing, basically. Oliver worked from home three quarters of the year, the HUB Cycling Ed spring & summer seasons were cancelled, & the fall was less work than usual, still thanks to COVID. We deliberated bike camping, but decided not to, & any other travel farther afield was right out. <div><br></div><div>This year was even easier to calculate than previous years: no taxis, no ridesharing, no car rentals, no ferries. We got around by bike the vast majority of the time which costs us virtually nothing.<br><div><br></div><div>Our biggest expense of the year was bike maintenance, mainly brake pads, a few replacement parts. A lot of it was my Tern GSD, because that's the workhorse in our fleet, but Oliver did have a little work done on his Brodie Romax in January. The kids' bikes & the rest of our bikes didn't need much, except replacing the kickstand on our Yuba Mundo. All told, bike maintenance was roughly $60 a month, $708.71.</div><div><br></div><div>I think I spent about $8 on electricity charging my Tern GSD. I really have no idea how often I charged it or how many complete charge cycles I did in 2020, but based on previous stats the last time my Tern dealer plugged it in, I estimate about 65 full charges of the 900Wh of batteries in the roughly 5000km I rode.</div><div><br></div><div>We both renewed our <a href="https://www.mobibikes.ca/en/community-pass">Mobi Community passes</a>, which cost $20 each. I only used Mobi for 16 one-way trips, & Oliver likely rode even fewer times than I did but the pass was still well worth the cost. It's really handy to have access to for one way trips to transit or when dropping off & picking up a bike from the shop. Total: $40. </div><div><br></div><div>I took two transit trips all year, one of which was paid by work, & the rest of the family didnt take transit at all. Grand total cost to me was $6.90. </div><div><br></div><div>We also drove very little, since most of our Modo trips tend to be for family birthdays & holiday dinners, & those were all cancelled. We usually rent a car to visit Oli's family in the Okanagan, but decided not to bring our potential germs to his elderly father this year. </div><div><br></div><div>Back in The Before Times we did a few Modo trips, then none at all until September, when we picked up a couch with a Modo cargo van. Then one outing to see Winterlights in December. I also made a booking for work, but again, this was paid by my employer so I don't count it toward our family's total. Modo costs for the year came to $273.63.</div><div><br></div><div>Interestingly, our transportation costs were not that much lower than 2019, but again, that wasn't a banner year for going anywhere either, with my broken ankle, & Oliver's new job. We spent roughly $650 more that year. 2018 was more of a typical year for us, with some travel in BC, Washington, & Oregon, including a few bike camping trips & visits to the Okanagan to see family there. 2018 came out to nearly four times what we spent this year. If you're curious about the numbers you can check out my posts on the breakdown for <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2019/01/carfreefamily-how-much-does-it-cost.html">2018 here</a>, & <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2020/01/carfreefamily-2019-how-much-does-it-cost.html">2019 here</a>.</div><div><br></div></div><div>So, now, the moment you've been waiting for... the grand total transportation costs for our #CarFreeFamily of four in Vancouver in 2020 was...</div><div><br></div><div>$1039.24. </div><div><br></div><div>It's eight or ten times less than we'd be spending if we owned a car. Just the insurance would be more, whether we drove it much or not. Reducing transportation costs by cycling rather than driving makes such a huge difference to the affordability of living in Vancouver. The other downsides--getting a bit wet or cold occasionally, dealing with shitty drivers--are outweighed by all the other upsides--built in exercise & fresh air, more social interactions, easier parking, near zero carbon produced, often faster. Still pretty happy to be a #CarFreeFamily. </div><div><br></div><div>So, how about you? What did you spend on transportation last year? Do you total it up annually? What are the upsides & downsides of how you get around?</div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-56633457457263477242020-11-28T16:25:00.001-08:002020-11-28T16:26:11.549-08:00Nov 29 People Protected Protest Ride in Stanley Park CANCELLED<div>CANCELLED! </div><div><br></div><div>Sorry, folks, the next People-Protected Protest Ride in Stanley Park will NOT take place on Sunday 29 November. Due to unfortunately high COVID numbers, we've made the call to postpone. </div><div><br></div><div>Hopefully, we will be able to have next next family-friendly ride soon, but in the meantime, here's something else you can do. Please write the Park Board about the safe cycling infrastructure you'd like to see in Stanley Park. </div><div><br></div><div>Let’s continue to show the Park Board that we want permanent protected bike lanes on Stanley Park Drive and Pipeline Road, in addition to the current access to the sea wall path. We also want the sea wall gates opened so that non-standard bikes and child trailers can get through. Let’s explore other ways to ensure the safety of sea wall users without excluding families and disabled cyclists from the sea wall path.</div><div><br></div><div>There is a form on the <a href="https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-park-board.aspx">Park Board website here</a>.</div><div><br></div><div>Look forward to seeing you all on bikes in the future!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-41311284914362894992020-10-14T08:15:00.002-07:002020-10-14T08:15:13.768-07:00People Protected Bike Ride on Stanley Park Drive 1pm October 18<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a95heqQUHD0/X4cV25NJ6TI/AAAAAAACS3c/LuvvgmnAJbAOJsjYf23jQ8GVlZqZBWMpACLcBGAsYHQ/s1254/ECAE399D-DC52-43CC-9BF5-06D3EDBA510F_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a95heqQUHD0/X4cV25NJ6TI/AAAAAAACS3c/LuvvgmnAJbAOJsjYf23jQ8GVlZqZBWMpACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/ECAE399D-DC52-43CC-9BF5-06D3EDBA510F_1_201_a.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Come for a People-Protected Bike Ride on Stanley Park Drive with us this Sunday, October 18, at 1.00 pm, meeting at Ceperley Car Park. Stronger, more confident cyclists will be riding on the outside of the right lane, protecting the children and less confident/vulnerable riders who benefited the most from the temporary separated lane that was inexplicably removed on 25 September, with Covid-19 cases at their peak in BC and reduced cyclist numbers after a week of forest fire smoke.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MDepQhBGeKE/X4cV83YRp4I/AAAAAAACS3g/zKAGGZOmO04KdRUolfi2OVW8-1zP6wR3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/6B9302BA-D10B-4E31-BB12-BD70E55689A8_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MDepQhBGeKE/X4cV83YRp4I/AAAAAAACS3g/zKAGGZOmO04KdRUolfi2OVW8-1zP6wR3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/6B9302BA-D10B-4E31-BB12-BD70E55689A8_1_201_a.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The Park Drive bike lane was removed alongside the reopening of the Park Board’s recreational and leisure facilities across Vancouver. However the removal of the protected lane closed a recreational facility used by tens of thousands of people of all ages and abilities. A better comparison is the City of Vancouver’s ongoing improvement and expansion of its Slow Streets program including the Beach Avenue Bikeway, the busiest bikeway in the city. And all this at a time when fewer people are driving to the park and there’s even less need for two lanes for drivers. <p></p><p>We’re campaigning to have the protected lane on Stanley Park Dr returned in Spring 2021 when Park Board commissioners will vote on a potential permanent Stanley Park Drive bike lane. There isn’t enough room for all the people who want to cycle on the seawall - we also need a bike lane on Stanley Park Drive to share the load, and a protected return route down Pipeline Road for people who want to cycle safely to the middle of the park or cut back before the hill.</p><p>Please keep at least 2 metres distance from other riders not in your household and bring a mask.</p>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-48464795972149097152020-09-02T09:58:00.007-07:002020-09-25T12:18:49.622-07:00Unofficial Beach Ave Bikefest Sept 27 2020<div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kkHPeypuE98/X0_O50WTOYI/AAAAAAACQuU/pGPjDdbLdTIusSxA0Mckoig_y-bxg3sSACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/BA%2BKids%2B6%2BJune%2B2020.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kkHPeypuE98/X0_O50WTOYI/AAAAAAACQuU/pGPjDdbLdTIusSxA0Mckoig_y-bxg3sSACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/BA%2BKids%2B6%2BJune%2B2020.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family rides on Beach Ave Bikeway<br />Photo: Lucy Maloney</td></tr></tbody></table>UPDATE!!</b></div><div><p dir="ltr">Looks like we need to reschedule the Unofficial Beach Ave Bikefest 2020 due to the air quality. [Sad trombone] We will try again in two weeks, Sunday, September 27th, 3-4pm again! 🤞 for good weather/air!</p></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Unofficial Beach Ave Bikefest 2020</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Choose a costume! Organise your cargo! Bring the family! Come on down to Vancouver’s most popular and scenic cycling destination for some healthy outdoor fun!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The inaugural unofficial Beach Avenue Bikefest will be taking place on Sunday <strike>13 </strike> 27 September between 3.00 and 4.00 pm rain or shine!</b></div><div><br /></div><div>This event will be Covid-19 compliant - there will be no gathering and no giveaways, just laughs from afar at costume-clad cyclists. All you have to do is choose a costume, and/or decorate your bike, and/or load up your trailer and ride up and down Beach Avenue. Don’t have a trailer? Just dress up and/or decorate your bike.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can post your own photo on Twitter using #BeachAveBikefest, pause for a photo on the grass triangle where Beach Ave and Pacific Street meet at Jervis Street when you can safely distance or just smile at one of the roving photographers.</div><div><br /></div><div>“Judging” will take place on Twitter at #BeachAveBikefest on Sunday evening or as soon as we can manage it. We will be awarding creativity and hilariousness of cyclist costumes, bike decorations, instruments played, and loads carried. Choose a theme! Make us laugh!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>And if you love riding on Beach Avenue Bikeway and in Stanley Park, fill out the <a href="https://shapeyourcity.ca/making-streets-for-people/survey_tools/survey" target="_blank">City of Vancouver survey on Making Streets for People</a> by September 7, sign the <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdkwKcyaqZKOqI1XXV52znM4M16M07GJzsJvDHb_iqEhkwLGw/viewform" target="_blank">HUB Cycling petition to Make #BeachAveBikeway Permanent</a> and fill out the Park Board survey on <a href="https://shapeyourcity.ca/stanley-park" target="_blank">Space for Cycling in Stanley Park </a>by September 13.</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Please note, this event is not associated with any organisation, we just think it might be a bit of safe, healthy fun in these dark times - participate at your own risk.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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</div>Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-14353380940928651762020-07-11T20:57:00.000-07:002020-07-11T20:57:50.870-07:00Upcoming Family Cycling WebinarsJoin me online in a webinar all about Family Cycling! I'm working with HUB Cycling to present an introduction to riding with your kids, from wee ones up to big ones. This FREE webinar will be held on three different dates in July & August. <a href="https://bikehub.ca/webinar-series" target="_blank">Register here, on the HUB Cycling website</a><br />
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-79107524525055408182020-05-26T15:00:00.000-07:002020-05-26T20:25:22.751-07:00Family Cycling Live Q&A for HUB Go By BIke Week <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YfHUE9KDSF8/Xs3dC6adxfI/AAAAAAACLJc/IcEIaI8MLEgKFqhR5Mr1gKMLdxV5XdIgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/19_BTN_CharlotteGrenson_5565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YfHUE9KDSF8/Xs3dC6adxfI/AAAAAAACLJc/IcEIaI8MLEgKFqhR5Mr1gKMLdxV5XdIgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/19_BTN_CharlotteGrenson_5565.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tuesday, May 26 I answered questions about family cycling live on Facebook as a part of the HUB Cycling Go By Bike Week. If you caught the livestream, or even if you missed it, I've collected some of the resources I mentioned here, all in one spot.<br />
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First off, the best place to start if you're cycling in Vancouver & the Lower Mainland, is the <a href="https://bikehub.ca/helpful-information-about-cycling-in-metro-vancouver" target="_blank">HUB Cycling resources page</a>. You'll find tips on route planning & maps, insurance & theft prevention, buying a bike, rules of the road & safety tips, cycling groups, issues & improvements, bike friendly businesses, plus data on cycling.<br />
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A few related videos I've found useful:<br />
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<ul>
<li>A great video aimed at children on <a href="https://youtu.be/6RJ0VyFmeuw" target="_blank">checking your bike is safe to ride</a>. </li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/MVFuve-c4go" target="_blank">The Towel Method</a> (or Bedsheet Method) to support a child while they're learning to ride.</li>
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Last but not least is the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/yvrfamilybiking" target="_blank">Vancouver Family Biking Facebook group</a>. This is a closed group, so you'll need to request to join & be sure to acknowledge that you've read the group rules so you can become a member. It's a friendly little community with a couple thousand cycling parents who regularly share tips, gear, & help each other find bike, child seats, & advice on anything related to family cycling.</div>
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-11743052849393099122020-02-14T21:01:00.000-08:002020-07-11T21:01:43.169-07:00#Modo Love StoryI joined Modo in spring 2003. At the time, my main transportation was transit. I biked sometimes & walked a lot too. I thought it might be handy to have a car sometimes, but had no desire to drop tens of thousands of dollars to buy a good one, or deal with a cheap but unreliable beater. Modo was a great solution!<br />
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Suddenly having access to a whole fleet of cars was pretty exciting, as I'd never owned one. I'd never had my own vehicle waiting for me in my driveway 24/7, so the concept of making a booking online, then walking a few blocks to pick up a car wasn't a big deal for me. 17 years ago I wasn't thinking about reducing my carbon footprint as much as I do now, so I probably drove a bit more than I really needed to because it was such a novelty. Still, I rarely used the cars more than once a week.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PMBXiGwZVlM/XkaJpbYN94I/AAAAAAACEvU/0eScS-GmyxIRNdcLiQRzPx5ylwoDuIuFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/189164_6586531110_2561_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="500" height="211" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PMBXiGwZVlM/XkaJpbYN94I/AAAAAAACEvU/0eScS-GmyxIRNdcLiQRzPx5ylwoDuIuFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/189164_6586531110_2561_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Getting Hitched With Modo<br />
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In the fall of 2003, Oliver & I got married. We used a Modo car (our favourite one at the time: a little blue Volkswagen Beetle) to travel up to Squamish, where we hiked up to the Third Peak of the Stawamus Chief.<br />
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<b>To read the rest of the love story, <a href="https://modo.coop/blog/a-modo-love-story" target="_blank">head over here to Modo's website. </a></b><br />
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-46711698900258257332020-01-22T10:41:00.000-08:002020-01-22T10:41:38.005-08:00#Bike365 Challenge for 2020<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JuOL766VMkk/XiiV3GcFMPI/AAAAAAACD6I/2gcY2YMB5pA_Z6EkUAGMT_uNqmzdv_6jgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200122_103055_0000.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JuOL766VMkk/XiiV3GcFMPI/AAAAAAACD6I/2gcY2YMB5pA_Z6EkUAGMT_uNqmzdv_6jgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20200122_103055_0000.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Tern GSD on the False Creek Seawall </td></tr>
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A few days into the new year, I was inspired to start another year-long social media challenge. If you've been following me for long on Twitter or Instagram, you probably know I love me a good hashtag challenge. I did #365FeministSelfie in 2014, I have participated in #30DaysOfBiking the last few Aprils, I decided to write a blog post every single day, plus a few others I'm forgetting the names of.<br />
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The reasons for these are generally the same: challenge myself to stick with a thing, use social media for both moral support & obligation to "stay honest", promote the thing in a small way by showing how I do it.<br />
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The plan this year is to ride every day of 2020: #Bike365. This challenge is, well, actually not terribly challenging for me, in terms of the cycling. I already bike five or six days a week usually. The real challenge is more about consistently writing & photographing my cycling. Biking is to me what water is to fish, & I often take for granted the aspects of it that are really worth sharing.<br />
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So if you're interested in following along, or joining in by chronicling your daily rides, please do! I'm mainly sticking to Twitter, though I may post some of my days on Instagram if I manageto get good photos. I've started a thread where <a href="https://twitter.com/spokesmama/status/1214403123621421057?s=19" target="_blank">I'll collect my daily #Bike365 tweets here</a>, if you'd like to see.<br />
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P.S. You can still use the hashtag if you don't actually ride every single day of 2020--it's more about normalizing cycling for transportation than bike fundamentalism!<br />
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-17074745965225299382020-01-03T19:18:00.000-08:002020-01-03T19:18:06.932-08:00#CarFreeFamily 2019: How Much Does it Cost?<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZiwZy21v6g/Xg_0bsSM81I/AAAAAAACCY0/SIXnTwZIwaUac6mVBKGkONbxDnBqP3hbgCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/IMG_20191208_173058_750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="1600" height="229" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZiwZy21v6g/Xg_0bsSM81I/AAAAAAACCY0/SIXnTwZIwaUac6mVBKGkONbxDnBqP3hbgCKgBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20191208_173058_750.jpg" width="320" /></a>It's that time again... time to tot up what we spent on getting around in 2019. I decided to do a Twitter thread on this, so rather than reinventing the wheel, I'll borrow heavily from that & add in a little more context, since I've got a wee bit more space here.<br />
<br />
This year's transportation costs include:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Modo Car Co-op bookings</li>
<li>Poparide trips for Oliver</li>
<li>bike maintenance & parts for our fleet</li>
<li>Mobi bike share memberships</li>
<li>charging my Tern GSD e-cargobike</li>
</ul>
<br />
What I'm not including is:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>the Modo bookings made & paid for by my employer, HUB Cycling, for work as a cycling instructor</li>
<li>transit trips made two & from my work, because this is also covered by HUB</li>
<li>all the taxi rides I took because of my broken ankle, which were covered by Worksafe BC</li>
<li>the cost of buying my Tern GSD</li>
</ul>
<div>
I suppose I could include depreciation for the bike or something, but honestly, I don't know how long I'm going to use this bike or what I'd get for it if I sold it, etc, so it's really hard to calculate. The Tern GSD S10 cost about $7900 with all the passenger & cargo accessories I got, extra accessories, extra locks, &<b><i> $818 in taxes</i></b>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Carshare, Rideshare, & Bikeshare</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BkzUt6gY21I/Xg_9OODAofI/AAAAAAACCZA/lDMmYkOnqZ87eGd2OMXeSeWJSWvoev3VACKgBGAsYHg/s1600/IMG_20191219_204934_245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1600" height="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BkzUt6gY21I/Xg_9OODAofI/AAAAAAACCZA/lDMmYkOnqZ87eGd2OMXeSeWJSWvoev3VACKgBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20191219_204934_245.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Took a Modo car on a dark & rainy night to B's choir concert</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
We drove about as much as usual, 19 Modo Car Co-op bookings, a bit over 500km, but no rental cars, which is what we often use for out-of-town trips. Our Modo bills totalled <b>$708</b> for the year. So MUCH less than owning one!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>By the way, if you're interested in joining Modo, you can get a $50 driving credit if you sign up with the code SPOKESMAMA.</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Oliver took a couple of rideshare trips to the Okanagan via Poparide, one of which straddled New Year's, so I've only included one way. These came out to <b>$136</b>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Our Mobi memberships are also quite low cost--$20 each--because we qualify for their Community Pass program. More <a href="https://www.mobibikes.ca/en/community-pass" target="_blank">details on the Mobi site here</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Our Biking</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7IRF9YwYtm0/Xg_-YYg9DCI/AAAAAAACCZI/H6x05F_0qdMIC2BD6JFecBlFqHCfQPsBQCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/20191210_235237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7IRF9YwYtm0/Xg_-YYg9DCI/AAAAAAACCZI/H6x05F_0qdMIC2BD6JFecBlFqHCfQPsBQCKgBGAsYHg/s320/20191210_235237.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tern GSD on the Seawall </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I estimated that the cost to charge my Tern GSD e-bike was about $0.035 per KM, or $37 a year based on the past 5 months. I originally included $15 for this in the transportation costs. HOWEVER, I grossly overestimated this by multiplying the kWh by the time it takes to charge, which is wrong. So ignore what I tweeted, the total should be about six times less, or a bit over <b>$6 a year</b>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
2019 was a good year for bike maintenance too. We didn't have many flats or major issues with our bikes. Total: <b>$559</b>. Less than half 2018's total. Part of that may have been because the new Tern GSD hardly needed any work & it was my main ride for the last five months of the year.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, we did buy a few things like studded tires for two more bikes, so that bumps it up by <b>$140</b>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>P.S. If you are looking for a good bike mechanic, take your ride in to Clint at <a href="http://velostarcafe.com/" target="_blank">Velo Star Cafe</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<h3>
Transit </h3>
</div>
Transit cost us a measly $102 for the four of us. Other than my work trips, which I mentioned above, we just don't take the bus, Skytrain, or Seabus that much.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Some conclusions</h3>
<div>
A lot of our savings come from living in an area that has everything we need within walking or biking distance, plus pretty great transit & bike infrastructure. We really don't need to drive for 90-something percent of our trips. I realize it ain't the same in most of the rest of North America, but it doesn't have to stay like this. Also, I recognize that many people can't afford to buy good e-cargo bikes like mine--I couldn't either, to be honest, until I got a settlement from ICBC after I got hit by a car in October of 2018. Here are a few things, let's call them action items, that I push for in my advocacy work:</div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>We need rebates for e-bikes & to exempt them from tax so more people can can & will buy them. They're expensive, but research shows they do replace car trips, which can only be a good thing for so many reasons!</li>
<li>We need to expand frequent, fast transit & robust carsharing in other cities so more people have better choices than owning vehicles & driving all the time.</li>
<li>We need to build a well-connected all ages & abilities cycling network in all our cities to make it safer & more enjoyable for more people<i> including children </i>to cycle for transportation.</li>
<li>More employers need to incentivize transit & active travel to work like mine does!</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
The Total</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYsvG_Mt01E/XDfnqTCHRPI/AAAAAAAB1NI/y5rxpWWB9UUVFG4LpO5Jb7Mdn7qSVwQmgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/7707043724_7a503e4f5b_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYsvG_Mt01E/XDfnqTCHRPI/AAAAAAAB1NI/y5rxpWWB9UUVFG4LpO5Jb7Mdn7qSVwQmgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/7707043724_7a503e4f5b_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fdffc5; color: #555555; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: start;">Photo Credit: </span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/41819939@N00/7707043724/" style="color: #42d8ff; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">damiengabrielson.com</a><span style="background-color: #fdffc5; color: #555555; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: start;"> Flickr via </span><a href="http://compfight.com/" style="color: #42d8ff; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">Compfight</a><span style="background-color: #fdffc5; color: #555555; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: start;"> </span><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/" style="color: #42d8ff; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">cc</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Transportation-wise, 2019 was a bit of a weird year. Because of Oliver's new job & my broken ankle, we didn't go on any camping trips or travel anywhere as a family. 2018 was a more typical year, & we spent a bit over double this year's total, which you can <a href="http://www.spokesmama.com/2019/01/carfreefamily-how-much-does-it-cost.html" target="_blank">read all about here</a> if you're interested.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
All right, now that I've made you read through my whole TED talk (<i>drum roll please</i>)... here is the total transportation costs for our family of four in 2019:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>$1691</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now I know some people might include the cost of buying my Tern GSD e-bike, but even if I had included that, the total would still be less than the average annual car costs in BC!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i><b>Now, your turn! What were your transportation costs for 2019? Including travel, all car costs like parking, maintenance, insurance, etc. I'd love to hear about it in the comments below...</b></i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-75537233447891727672019-12-03T08:00:00.000-08:002019-12-03T08:00:01.146-08:00Bike Security: Locking Up a Cargo Bike<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uR47VqW0dUY/XeRXdMwVD0I/AAAAAAACAXc/U-5w-SrCxwoVUwrdIB5J4VaIh9rdOW6pgCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/20170609_194726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uR47VqW0dUY/XeRXdMwVD0I/AAAAAAACAXc/U-5w-SrCxwoVUwrdIB5J4VaIh9rdOW6pgCKgBGAsYHg/s320/20170609_194726.jpg" width="320" /></a>Thousands of bikes are stolen every year in the city of Vancouver alone. As cargo bikes become more popular, thieves are learning that they are a valuable target. A question I see a lot in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/YVRFamilyBiking/" target="_blank">Vancouver Family Biking Facebook Group</a> is, "How do I lock up my cargo bike?" Once we've invested all that money in the bike, we really want to make sure it doesn't get stolen. Over the years, I've collected a number of tips from my own experience & various other sources, so I though I'd share them all together in one place here with you. While I talk about cargo bikes specifically, most of these tips are applicable to any bike that you want to keep out of the hands of thieves!<br />
<ol><br />
<li><b>Do not use a cable lock.</b> Please! Cable locks, particularly the ones thinner than your finger, are ridiculously easy to snip through with bolt cutters. Bike thieves often carry foldable bolt cutters around in a backpack. They can whip them out, unfold, snip your cable lock, & ride off in literally less than a minute. If you want to use a cable lock as a secondary lock, along with a sturdy U-lock or heavy chain, that's reasonable, but do not use a single cable lock as the only thing keeping your bike safe.</li>
<li><b>Use more than one lock. </b>I've heard a good guideline is to spend 10-20% of the value of your bike on locks. Note the plural. All locks are fallible, but if you only use one & a bike thief has the right tool to get through it, they can be riding off with your bike in under a minute. Depending on where I'm locking up & for how long, I use up to four locks of different <i>types</i>. I'm a big fan of frame locks for cargo bikes as a secondary lock, plus a chain to reach those awkward racks that are not very big bike friendly, & a U-lock for solid security. A noisy angle grinder can get through pretty much anything, but the quieter tools like bolt cutters, pneumatic jacks, & other prying devices tend to work on one type of lock, so if you have a few, it may make your bike just unattractive enough that the thief will walk on by. <b>More on the locks in this bike lock roundup post here</b>.</li>
<li><b>Secure your wheels & your frame. </b>Make sure with whatever combination of locks you use, one goes through each wheel & the frame of the cargo bike. Besides preventing the wheels from being stolen, this immobilizes the wheels, so the thief can't just defeat the lock that attaches to the rack & wheel the bike away, they'll have to carry it, which is not exactly easy with a heavy cargo bike.</li>
<li><b>Lock your bike to something immobile & check it first.</b> Bike racks are usually a good choice, but make sure the rack is properly bolted to the ground & there are no breaks or cuts in the loop that you attach to. This is a trick I've seen--some thieves cut through the triangle part of the rack so that the lock can be slipped through the gap & the unsuspecting bike owner's ride can be stolen later. If there's no bike rack, parking meters or poles may not be a good choice, as bikes can potentially be slipped up the pole & over--cargo bikes are heavy, but if there are two bike thieves, it's theoretically doable. Sign posts are sometimes just bolted into a base at the ground, & can be easily unbolted & slid out of the lock as well. </li>
<li><b>Lock up where the bike is visible</b>. If you're stopping at a cafe, or somewhere with windows to the outside, try to park your bike where you can keep an eye on it if possible. A place with a lot of other people around is generally good too, if you have a choice between a rack in an out of the way place & one near, say a cafe entrance or busy bus stop.</li>
<li><b>Store your bike out of sight</b>. Sound like I'm contradicting my last tip? What I mean is the places you're keeping your bike for longer periods of time, like all day at work, or overnight at home, particularly places that you keep it on a regular basis. Theoretically, this is where the more organized bike thieves are going to attack--they'll figure out that your valuable cargo bike is usually locked up for eight hours outside this office building weekdays, or generally sits in that back yard every night, then come back when they've got the tools to steal it. If your bike is in a shed or garage or even just in a less visible area of your yard, it's less likely to be spotted & targeted. </li>
<li><b>Don't leave any accessories on the bike</b>. I thought a cheap cargo strap wasn't a theft target, so I left one velcroed to the front rack of my cargo bike a month or so ago. Nope. It was gone the second day I had it on there. Not a huge loss, but it was a reminder that thieves will literally take anything that isn't bolted down. If you have a valuable saddle or child seat, consider adding an extra lock to secure it when you leave your bike behind.</li>
<li><b>Register your bike with <a href="https://project529.com/garage" target="_blank">Project 529</a> </b>(or whatever registry is well known in your area). In the event your bike is stolen, you have a much higher likelihood of recovering it if you've registered it. The Vancouver Police Department use Project 529 & if they come across your bike, they will be able to connect it to you with the sticker number or serial number immediately. </li>
</ol>
<br />
I hope these tips help you keep your cargo bike safe. Do you have any questions or tips to add? Leave them in the comments below!<br />
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-49555705158910374112019-11-30T16:10:00.000-08:002019-12-01T16:11:39.696-08:00Insider Tips for the Vancouver Christmas Market<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AcEA67blBk4/XeRUptmZcKI/AAAAAAACAXI/ThkDzsOrXtYstj9WYIS0U7DH0Kt_ji2jwCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/20191201_155925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AcEA67blBk4/XeRUptmZcKI/AAAAAAACAXI/ThkDzsOrXtYstj9WYIS0U7DH0Kt_ji2jwCKgBGAsYHg/s320/20191201_155925.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Browsing the realistic looking fruit soaps at the market</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This year is the 20th Anniversary of Vancouver's Christmas Market: can you believe it? The market is has returned to Jack Poole Plaza, bigger & better than ever with more than 80 huts of European sweets, treats, & treasures.<br />
<br />
We're pretty much veterans of the Market now, & have been going since the very first year, so I thought I'd share some of our "insider" tips to make your visit more fun!<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>When to go</b></h2>
Open daily from 11:30am to 9:30pm, (11:30am to 6pm an December 24), the Market really shines from dusk onward. Tuesdays adult admission is just $10 for the 10th Anniversary. If you want to save even more, it's only $8 if you head to the market by 2pm weekdays. Despite being outdoors, it's actually not bad to go in the rain because there are awnings at the huts, umbrellas over the tables in the food area, plus the Alpine Lounge & Wunderbar are also covered & heated.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N8tXCqfWfXs/XeRUptgrvvI/AAAAAAACAXI/uhGpUrOJjz4F6j93I7eTrBaYMunDRIOHgCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/20191201_160102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1201" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N8tXCqfWfXs/XeRUptgrvvI/AAAAAAACAXI/uhGpUrOJjz4F6j93I7eTrBaYMunDRIOHgCKgBGAsYHg/s320/20191201_160102.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bronte loves a good carousel ride</td></tr>
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<b>Special Events</b><br />
<br />
Kids Day December 1: Youth 12 & under get in by donation to Children’s Wish Foundation all day, Carousel rides are by donation, snap a photo with Holly & Jolly our gingerbread mascots or your favourite princesses from Enchanted Events Vancouver, & meet Santa Claus<br />
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<h2>
<b>What to do</b></h2>
<br />
Obviously, shopping! The Vancouver Christmas Market is a great place to browse for high quality & unique gifts, traditional German holiday decor, & a wide variety of handmade items. However, it's not just about the shopping. There are dozens of options for sweet treats, hot & cold drinks, alcoholic & non, plus some great lunch, dinner, & snack choices. Check out some of my favourites in <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_2094102358"></span>Eating My Way Through The Vancouver Christmas Market<span id="goog_2094102359"></span></a>.<br />
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Kids can get creative in the <i>free</i> Kinder Kraft Igloo, explore the market and win a prize by completing the Treasure Hunt, & of course there's always the classic carousel to ride on!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t-AL8rGJJa0/XeRUpuBStbI/AAAAAAACAXI/W2Zt9GxooFot__V12Tn_VWVut8HcoXIVACKgBGAsYHg/s1600/20191201_155830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t-AL8rGJJa0/XeRUpuBStbI/AAAAAAACAXI/W2Zt9GxooFot__V12Tn_VWVut8HcoXIVACKgBGAsYHg/s320/20191201_155830.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family selfie time!</td></tr>
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<h2>
<b>What to bring</b></h2>
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<br />
A fully charged phone or camera to be ready for All The Selfies. The market is decorated with Christmas trees everywhere, surrounds the iconic 2010 Olympic torch, & features a massive walk-in Christmas tree with over 36,000 lights.<br />
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Reusable shopping bags for the gorgeous tree decorations or other gift items you'll end up buying.<br />
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A plastic bag: if you want to keep your souvenir market mugs after you have some Glühwein, you'll want a way to get them home without dripping hot drink remnants into your other bag. Some soft packing material isn't a bad idea to get the ceramic mugs home safely if you're travelling by bike or bus, particularly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRItYKdLtAs/XeRUphqNTUI/AAAAAAACAXI/28SqmauVvoo_FLNuJpoJ56hEp8mddzePgCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/20191201_155959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1201" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRItYKdLtAs/XeRUphqNTUI/AAAAAAACAXI/28SqmauVvoo_FLNuJpoJ56hEp8mddzePgCKgBGAsYHg/s320/20191201_155959.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linny enjoyed the hot apple cider</td></tr>
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Warm clothes for wandering outside after dark. A hot mug of Glühwein or a snack in the heated Alpine Lounge tent will help, but you'll want to bundle up nonetheless.<br />
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<h2>
<b>How to get there</b></h2>
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<br />
Biking is a great way to get to the Market! It's located just off the Seaside Greenway & within a block of the Hornby/Burrard protected bike lane. There are some well lit bike racks & a Mobi station at the Shaw Tower right across the street from the Market entrance. The Market is also a short walk from the #19 bus on Pender street or Burrard Skytrain Station. There is cheap parking next door at the convention centre, $10 for the evening after 6pm.<br />
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-59659589826748226942019-11-20T12:05:00.000-08:002019-11-27T12:05:47.808-08:00Review: Hiplok Z Lok Security Tie<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P-0BVuX76QA/XHbnHllQ4PI/AAAAAAAB2o8/xSECRDmMLrEgUnQDeDnJoYdD0gDfRizbwCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20190226_154021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P-0BVuX76QA/XHbnHllQ4PI/AAAAAAAB2o8/xSECRDmMLrEgUnQDeDnJoYdD0gDfRizbwCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20190226_154021.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
First off: the <a href="https://www.hiplok.com/product/zlok1/" target="_blank">Hiplok Z</a> is NOT a lock that you should use to secure your bike when you leave it for any length of time out of your sight. They don't even really call it a lock, but a "security tie". It's designed as a secondary lock, or one you use when you only need the bare minimum of security to dissuade those opportunistic thieves who don't necessarily have bike lock cracking tools on them.<br />
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For the gram-counting roadie types out there, this is a great option, as it's very light, coming in at 20g. (yes, you read that correctly--less than an ounce) The Hiplok is also fairly short, so you may not be able to use it through your front wheel & frame--it doesn't fit around that space on our Yuba Mundo,<span style="background-color: white;"> but it does on my commuter. </span><span style="background-color: white;">However, because they're so small, the</span>se locks are extremely easy to pop in a pocket or a bag when you're on the go.<br />
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Think beyond cycling for a minute--yes, I do occasionally think of things other than bikes, it's surprising, I know--to some other ways you could use a little security for your stuff.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGpltTLJLoc/XHbnHvKRD3I/AAAAAAAB2o8/QG5QuoCclbQyd-ujY8BpWULXmBdSqD7wACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20190226_154007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGpltTLJLoc/XHbnHvKRD3I/AAAAAAAB2o8/QG5QuoCclbQyd-ujY8BpWULXmBdSqD7wACKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20190226_154007.jpg" width="240" /></a>We used one when we were camping on Newcastle Island last year to keep the infamously persistent raccoons out of our food cache box, since the little buggers have figured out how to knock sticks out of the hasp.<br />
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Hiplok can provide just a little more security to attach almost anything to a rack or railing--think snowboards, strollers, kayaks at the dock, kids scooters, or skateboards when they're not using them at the playground.<br />
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Back to biking, I use it to attach my helmet to my bike & to immobilize my rear wheel. Hiplok can help attach bikes onto car racks, as well as keeping other kids off your kid's bike at the playground.<br />
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You can pick these up at your local bike shop, like <a href="http://velostarcafe.com/" target="_blank">Velo Star Cafe</a>. $29 for a two-pack</div>
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<i>Disclaimer: I received two Hiplok security ties from VeloStar Cafe to review. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. The words & opinions are my own, as always! </i><br />
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-11506415542241998432019-10-30T07:00:00.000-07:002019-11-01T20:32:33.441-07:00Three Money Saving Tips with Modo<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-of943x_8RzI/Xbz0lEwD7wI/AAAAAAAB-8g/L2VMkYSzwwQg_XBEK5CQ_xRoIZ8zbJanQCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/IMG_20191027_091110_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-of943x_8RzI/Xbz0lEwD7wI/AAAAAAAB-8g/L2VMkYSzwwQg_XBEK5CQ_xRoIZ8zbJanQCKgBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20191027_091110_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All buckled in & ready to go</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last weekend we got invited to a special event at a movie theatre in Surrey. It was almost 40km from home & nowhere near the Skytrain. I checked out how long it would take to get there by transit or cycling & neither of those options sounded that great, so I decided to book a Modo car. Here are three tips I use to save a little money when driving with Modo:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XpYaEjAeql0/Xbz4EgbAGQI/AAAAAAAB-80/7mQllnCA4oUKwi7v8oFRoxTPypH2Znk0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/34514031826_175c3390b6_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XpYaEjAeql0/Xbz4EgbAGQI/AAAAAAAB-80/7mQllnCA4oUKwi7v8oFRoxTPypH2Znk0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/34514031826_175c3390b6_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/34514031826/">wuestenigel</a> Flickr via <a href="http://compfight.com/">Compfight</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a></div>
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<h3>
Trip Stacking</h3>
<br />
Rather than doing just one thing with our Modo, I always try to see if there's an errand we can add in along the way to make our trip a little more efficient. This time, we hit up Ikea on our way home, since we needed to pick up something for our kitchen. The detour to Ikea added less than a kilometre to the trip, & only a couple extra hours of booking time, so it cost quite a bit less than booking another separate trip to just go to Ikea.<br />
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Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25955895@N03/48272427802/">Phillip Pessar</a> Flickr via <a href="http://compfight.com/">Compfight</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a></div>
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<h3>
Think Short, Not Fast</h3>
<br />
Another trick I use to save money with Modo is taking the most efficient route in terms of distance. I </div>
<div>
Google Mapped the route & looked at each of the three suggested routes, picking the one that is the fewest kilometres. For some of our regular trips, to see family in Coquitlam, for example, taking the highway might be two or three minutes faster, but it costs $3-4 more in kilometre charges for the round trip. So we pick the shorter route, not the faster one. Over a year, those little savings add up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T82AwciCTtU/Xbz0lCffYmI/AAAAAAAB-8g/Uw5uJmBp8s8EgtzuOn1u5MVnkgXR4ir5ACKgBGAsYHg/s1600/IMG_20191027_091120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T82AwciCTtU/Xbz0lCffYmI/AAAAAAAB-8g/Uw5uJmBp8s8EgtzuOn1u5MVnkgXR4ir5ACKgBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20191027_091120.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Kia Rondo can carry the four of us plus a small Ikea haul</td></tr>
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<h3>
Small is Beautiful</h3>
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<div>
The other thing we do to save a few dollars here & there is to pick the smallest, most efficient vehicle size for trip. The vast majority of the time, all we need is something that will seat the four of us--we don't need much cargo capacity to carry, say a couple of birthday presents to a family party in the suburbs. Even Ikea trips are very doable with the Daily Drives category of cars--we drove a Kia Rondo & bought a kitchen cabinet, as well as a handful of other things at Ikea & there was more than enough cargo space in the back hatch for our flat packs.<br />
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The other great thing about these three habits is they are more environmentally friendly too--driving fewer kilometres, making fewer trips, in smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles minimizes your carbon emissions.<br />
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-1316468261859782382019-09-08T09:58:00.001-07:002019-10-05T11:02:05.623-07:00Bike the Night 2019 with two kids & our Tern GSD S10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCwL2yqIYnE/XXU4fRbfbiI/AAAAAAAB9JE/wg8p95e6FZQVR3lfG7nEnbwjB1UqjOaCACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20190907_192957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCwL2yqIYnE/XXU4fRbfbiI/AAAAAAAB9JE/wg8p95e6FZQVR3lfG7nEnbwjB1UqjOaCACKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20190907_192957.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
This was our fourth year at <a href="https://bikehub.ca/bike-events/bike-the-night-the-biggest-party-on-two-wheels-is-back" target="_blank">HUB Cycling's annual open streets event, Bike the Night</a>. If you haven't heard of it, the nonprofit cycling organization plans a 10km route which is closed to motor vehicle traffic. There's a two hour event in the park ahead of the ride with music, lots of free samples, food trucks, free basic bike maintenance, & other goodies.<br />
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Bronte wanted to ride her own bike & Linny chose to come as a passenger on the back of our Tern GSD S10. We met up with some Vancouver Family Biking friends & rode together most of the route. Mostly with another family at our school, with six kids between us: three on our two cargo bikes, three kids on their own bikes. The other mom or I would have to stop occasionally for a kid's stuck derailleur, or to check on someone else along the route, or for one kid to stop to scratch under their helmet, then the other mom would zip off to try to keep up with the kids who were pedalling ahead.<br />
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This was easy for me with the Tern GSD, that thing is so much faster from a dead stop than me on the Bakfiets!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-olugO91r9Vs/XXU5KOJJ4mI/AAAAAAAB9JM/rKjfQ2qCSvUrdZWo3pEuGeoKOINm1U_LQCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20190907_190532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-olugO91r9Vs/XXU5KOJJ4mI/AAAAAAAB9JM/rKjfQ2qCSvUrdZWo3pEuGeoKOINm1U_LQCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20190907_190532.jpg" width="240" /></a>So not the most relaxing evening--is it ever really relaxing with six children between two parents?--but definitely enjoyable to have the streets just for us for an hour. Every year that we go, there are more children & more cargobikes on this ride. I like how the event has evolved over the years--my kids spent quite a bit of time at the Vancouver Aquarium booth, handling at their collection of specimens, puppets, & getting an airbrush octopus tattoo. There were many snacks to be had, with Clif Bar people roaming the event & handing out free bars from a Metrofiets cargobike.<br />
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Bike the Night allows families & slower riders to start the ride a bit early, so we all headed up out of Sunset Beach Park lined up on We definitely had a lot of fun. If your kids can stay up that late, or sleep on your family biking setup, it's well worth going next year!<br />
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I made a little Instagram story, saved to my profile, about<a href="https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3ODc2NjYzMDIzNDMzNTA4?igshid=5uhtbu33dq1e&story_media_id=2128179175096671728_238714079" target="_blank"> the whole experience</a>, if you'd like to head over there to watch the video. :)<br />
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993228338789986683.post-30875272403276230672019-08-15T12:04:00.001-07:002019-08-15T12:27:01.467-07:00Bikey T-shirts & More at Dark Cycle Clothing<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F4GavI2J7IU/XVWpMQAPEMI/AAAAAAAB8KM/QrW3dgx6WW0uolvCKW91SAIfRzz1d-EQQCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180705_121416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F4GavI2J7IU/XVWpMQAPEMI/AAAAAAAB8KM/QrW3dgx6WW0uolvCKW91SAIfRzz1d-EQQCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20180705_121416.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My <a href="https://darkcycleclothing.com/collections/womens-t-shirts/products/bear-on-a-bicycle-womens-t-shirt?rfsn=2990492.046118&variant=3814327876" target="_blank">Dark Cycle Grizzly tee</a></td></tr>
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If you've ever read anything on this blog, I'm sure you know that I love cycling & kind of have a bike t-shirt problem. I think N+1 applies to bikey tees because I can go for more than a week without having to do laundry & I'll still have clean bike t-shirts to wear. Heh.<br />
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However, most of my cycling themed shirts are from HUB Cycling, sort of a suggested work uniform (I use the term very loosely here). It's great to have a job where I can wear comfy clothes & not have to worry about conforming to business casual, or worse, wearing--ack--pantyhose! But, some of my work tshirts are, well, a bit logo-ey, even slightly dorky. So I'm always on the lookout for cycling themed shirts that feature cool art, or something that's just a little weird.<br />
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I was introduced to <a href="https://darkcycleclothing.com/?rfsn=2990492.046118&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=2990492.046118" target="_blank">Dark Cycle Clothing</a> by my friend Anny, who started up a group of riders called Team Mama Bear, in Seattle. This shirt that you see me wearing in the image on the right is their unofficial uniform, & she gave me one when we visited her last year. I love the drawing & can relate to this bear so much. DO NOT MESS WITH A MAMA BEAR, amirite, ladies?!?<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7cf9eUPeXe8/XVWkjcZ8mzI/AAAAAAAB8Jo/OCEed5o9jOEBOqFpzuN9ApEQLSM2ZOfIQCKgBGAs/s1600/20190507_092548-ANIMATION.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="854" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7cf9eUPeXe8/XVWkjcZ8mzI/AAAAAAAB8Jo/OCEed5o9jOEBOqFpzuN9ApEQLSM2ZOfIQCKgBGAs/s320/20190507_092548-ANIMATION.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids' <a href="https://darkcycleclothing.com/collections/kids-t-shirts-1?rfsn=2990492.046118&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=2990492.046118" target="_blank">Dark Cycles tees: tabby & axolotl</a>, front & back</td></tr>
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When I went to take a look at <a href="https://darkcycleclothing.com/?rfsn=2990492.046118&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=2990492.046118" target="_blank">Dark Cycle's website</a>, I was blown away by the huge variety of animals on bikes that you can get on a t-shirt or sticker. & not just your run-of-the-mill ordinary common animals, like cats & dogs & bears. They've got <i>OVER 75 different creatures on t-shirts</i>, including such things as pangolins, pelicans, & platypus.<br />
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Not too long ago, I entered an Instagram contest & won a sticker from Dark Cycles, so when I went to their site to claim my prize, I also bought shirts for the kids. I chose a <a href="https://darkcycleclothing.com/collections/kids-t-shirts-1?rfsn=2990492.046118&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=2990492.046118" target="_blank">tabby on a bike for Bronte & an axolotl on a bike</a> for Linnaeus.<br />
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The shirts arrived soon after, & they fit my skinny kids well. 5.5-year-old B is in a size 6, 8.5-year-old L is in a youth medium. The fabric is a cotton blend, super soft & the print is made with a lightweight ink, which means it's also nice & soft, not plasticky. Once the kids got them on, I noticed a little bonus: Dark Cycle prints their logo on the upper back of the t-shirt in reflective ink. Makes the kids just a wee bit more visible on warm summer nights. :)<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8zflxGn_HSQ/XVWmpXBby0I/AAAAAAAB8KA/euZYufIqb0UvU5hOiJaqRmWQpAATL4A3wCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20190506_170636_212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8zflxGn_HSQ/XVWmpXBby0I/AAAAAAAB8KA/euZYufIqb0UvU5hOiJaqRmWQpAATL4A3wCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20190506_170636_212.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://darkcycleclothing.com/products/vinyl-sticker?rfsn=2990492.046118&_pos=2&_sid=d1046998a&_ss=r" target="_blank">Unicorn on a bike sticker</a>!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Fast forward to this summer & I heard <a href="https://darkcycleclothing.com/?rfsn=2990492.046118&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=2990492.046118" target="_blank">Dark Cycle</a> was starting an affiliate program, so of course I signed up! So, if you're thinking about picking up a bikey t-shirt for back to school season or a gift or just for you, because you need to have a unicorn on a bike on your chest... if you use <a href="https://darkcycleclothing.com/?rfsn=2990492.046118&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=2990492.046118" target="_blank">my affiliate link</a>, I'll get a wee commission & you'll be helping to support my blog. Thanks!<br />
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If you don't need a t-shirt or a sticker, Dark Cycle also makes housewares like <a href="https://darkcycleclothing.com/collections/housewares?rfsn=2990492.046118&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=2990492.046118" target="_blank">hats, mugs, pillows, & trivets</a>. So you could geek out your entire home with weird animals on bikes on stuff!<br />
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If you really <i>do </i>need t-shirts, you could also consider their t-shirt subscription--the more months you sign up for with <a href="https://darkcycleclothing.com/collections/shirt-of-the-month-club?rfsn=2990492.046118&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=2990492.046118" target="_blank">Shirt of the Month Club</a>, the more you save.<br />
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<i>Disclaimer: As an affiliate for Dark Cycle Clothing, I receive a small commission if you make a purchase via my affiliate links in the above post. Thanks for supporting Spokesmama!</i><br />
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Lisa Corriveauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17528772139443165946noreply@blogger.com1