Easy Riders - Sep 14, 2021

Easy Riders' 5th social “easy ride”:

Meet at SCIENCE WORLD —   at the South side of the plaza in front of Science World at the head of False Creek, back from the bike lanes that parallel Quebec Street.
I am told that there is free parking available on Evans Ave for those who wish to drive to the rendezvous.

We will take the seawall along N side of False Creek, follow along the bike route north of English Bay to Stanley Park.

Two options in Stanley Park  (i) the Seawall - scene and gentle and worth doing

(ii)  on the segregated for bicycles roadway to Prospect Point. This involves a reasonably demanding climb. But the reward comes in the descent on the south side of the park.The climb is not super-demanding (some in our group have done repeats or triples) but it will be a grind for some. I suggest we allow those who want a NOT SO EASY RIDE to self identify and split off for Prospect Point  at the appropriate juncture. After the temporary parting of the ways we can plan to regather at a designated stop at an appointed point near the park exit. 

The Seawall circuit is  approximately 28 kms on pretty flat terrain. There are a couple of spots on the Seawall where dismounting and a very short spell of walking are required.  E-bikers are welcome

The circuit will probably take us a little over two hours. I have evaluated the threat of misbehaving (and wily) coyotes in the park and come to the view that the risk to us is minimal - and that we can guard ourselves with our bikes should a curious coyote appear (which is unlikely) 

 You can trace the route on the map at: https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/map-cycling-vancouver.pdf

If you are interested in participating in this ride, please email me by reply (at wynn@geog.ubc.ca) which will allow me to inform you if plans have to change.

Herewith the necessary stipulations: If you are joining this Easy Riders (or Not So Easy Riders  outing, please recognize that you do so voluntarily for recreational purposes.   It is your responsibility to ensure that your bike is in good running order and thoroughly roadworthy. You must wear an approved cycling helmet, ride in a safe manner and obey all road traffic signs and rules. We are the Easy Riders - we will try to maximize use of protected bike lanes, local street bikeways, and painted bike lanes on our routes but some use of Shared Use lanes may be necessary. Generally we will try to follow the city’s AAA (All Ages and Abilities) routes.  Inclines are unavoidable if riding any distance in Vancouver. Individuals should be careful not to over-exert themselves or ride beyond their comfort zones. We will have a designated route and accommodate those who need to dismount and walk or proceed slowly.

Our aim here is moderate, comfortable exercise, conviviality and enjoyment.

I have scheduled this with an eye on the weather forecast, which is promising (a high of 20 Celsius a light breeze, and minimal chance of rain). Of course things can change.
I will make an assessment of the situation and decide whether to proceed late afternoon Monday 13th and inform everyone of that decision by email by 8:00pm on the 13th. If you cannot / do not receive a message, feel free to phone me at 236-988-0800 before 8:30 pm that day or on Tuesday morning 8:30-9:00 am for clarification.

As always, partners are welcome to join in and feel free to recruit other emeriti.

Thank you. I hope to see many of you on the 14h — especially as this MAY be our last ride of the season.Thank you all for joining in and making this a fun and rewarding activity.

I hope we can have a longer season and a larger group of riders next year. 

Graeme