I’ve been thinking a lot about the cost of operating a vehicle lately and when you add up the payments, insurance, parking, and repairs it’s an amazing amount per month. So, yesterday was the start of my bus adventures for commuting to work.

I needed to take the truck in to have the windshield replaced, so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to start riding. Armed with bus tickets and an app to find my rides I set out on the #57 Express from Southdale to downtown. Nice ride, not crowded, as fast or faster than driving and strangely relaxing. Perhaps it’s just the 1st time novelty.

Going home was equally good. The stop is a block from my office and the bus was exactly on time.

Today I’m on the #19, not an express but moving well. Oops, spoke too soon! We’re jammed up on Archibald with all those darn cars!

Giving up the truck and going to a one vehicle family will be a big change for me. Bussing in the winter seems like it will be OK, and way less expensive. From early spring to late fall I can be on the bike so that will be excellent. I think I’ll turn the mountain bike into more of a commuter bike with fenders and skinny tires and perhaps the reward for my new transportation style will be a new full suspension 29er.

At the Loveland Pass (11,000ft) we experienced snow and thankfully were not camping there. But, later in the day beside the Colorado
River near Arches National Park (~6,000ft) the overnight lows were in the 3° range.

Tonight at Bryce National Park the campground office has a sign requesting that you disconnect your waterline as the overnight low is expected to be -3°C.

Right now I’m by the cosy camp fire. Could be some snuggling for warmth later.

It’s OK to have a Hummer

The grocery store dedicates a whole aisle to energy bars.

We’ve crossed the Rockies, seen the Colorado National Monument and driven Scenic Route 128 along the Colorado River into Moab Utah. The scenery has been breath taking.

The most common phrase heard today was “Oh My!” followed by “Look at that!”.

Sleeping under the stars tonight.

The order might be a little jumbled as well as the upload is dependent on sporadic wi-fi availability. Hey, our campground doesn’t even have running water, unless you count the Colorado River.

Then the city created a dedicates lane on Assiniboine Ave. which caused a lot of controversy and in my opinion was a waste of money. Assiniboine was a low traffic street in the first place and bicycling on it was no problem.

Then one day a few weeks ago a bike lane shows up on St. Mary Ave.! Initially, this seems like a great thing, in fact just the day before I rode up the middle of two lanes of traffic and thought to my self “that was a little crazy”. And then there it was, my own dedicated lane, and for a day or two things were good.

Then things changed. St Mary has parking in the curb lane before 9am and lots of drivers cruise up the curb lane, encounter a parked car, and lane change with no regard to the bike lane or the bicyclist in the lane, that would be me! To top it off they frequently rounded the parked cars and then crossed over the bike lane again with no regard for the cyclist, to make a right hand turn onto a one way street.

I don’t think that bike lanes really help the cyclist all that much and I’d just as soon not have the false sense of security. Cycling on the road with cars, it’s always be ready for the unexpected.

Somebody has a birthday and we’re celebrating tonight.The BBQ is fired up and ready to go! Guests are on the way and a fabulous dinner awaits. Mmmm, the dessert will be some awesome frozen chocolate goodness.

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Somebody got an early birthday surprise, and from the looks of it in this photo, the “surprise” was worth it! Way to go Scott.

Happy Birthday Mandy, lots of love, Mom & Dad.

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