Ride 44 - Fan Tanstic?

Ride 44 - 11 November 2019
Distance 31.9km (Distance to date 1420.2km)
Time 2hrs 31mins (Time to date 108hrs 46mins)

A few weeks ago, I was discussing my challenge and progress with friend Blair. In talking about my challenge, I told him my self imposed rules; anything with a street sign and a name on the map is a road that must be ridden..............then Blair said with a grin 'so you'll have to ride down Fan Tan Alley?' Thanks Blair.

For those of you who aren't familiar, Fan Tan Alley is Canada's narrowest street and is a popular tourist destination in Victoria. A local claim to fame is that it was featured in Bird on a Wire featuring Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn!!!**

** I sat through 10mins worth of You Tube clips to link to and failed to find the scene. 10mins I'll never get back.

It's just under a meter wide and normally pretty busy with people and walking a bike would not cut it (especially after I nearly killed myself up Mt Doug to avoid doing that!!).

I figured getting there early. The tactic worked. I stumbled across a vacant alley. I got lucky; a couple were about to walk down the alley as I exited (to some quizzical looks!)

I'm sure this picture could get me fined!

This ride was on Remembrance Day. It felt a bit odd to be out cycling, so I was adamant I wanted to be finished by 11am and take some time to remember. This is the freedom so many paid a price for.

Dude Chilling

Orcas Fin or Wizards Hat?

Points of Interest.....

Sher's Bears (48.43189, -123.36871)

This huge mural of some bears at a creek was created by Jeff King. His website isn't so good (broken link!), but I did find this site which details some of his other murals. I LOVE this one, in Prince Rupert BC.

I thought I'd put in a shift painting a bathroom wall

If looks could kill

Comments

Ride 3 - What a corker!

Ride 3 - 10 March 2019 Distance 19.3 miles (Distance to Date 40.6 miles) Time 2:06 (Time to Date 4:43) So apparently green bikes are like buses! Having spent a nice morning with my family in Beacon Hill Park, the plan was simple. My wife would head home in the car and I'd jump on a green bike and bag some miles! Eventually found one! The assumption that I'd find a green bike easily near downtown Victoria was a bad one. We see the bikes all around town, but when you need one they're pretty hard to come by! The plan was to start at the park, so you'll see the first bit of my ride was just getting to the start line........ on reflection, riding east at the start would have been a much better idea! Imagine my frustration when a few minutes into the ride I came across this! That's right, FOUR! The ride itself was great. Weather was good, roads were flat and the route was a lot easier to make ground on than all the previou

Ride 37 - Conquered Mt Doug!!

Ride 37 - 14 October 2019 Distance 41.5km (Distance to date 1107.9km) Time 3hrs 14mins (Time to date 84hrs 58mins) Rich 1 - 0 Mt Doug!!! (2019). I conquered Mt Doug on a Green Bike, all the way to the top, no stopping!!! My hero xx I have history with Mt Doug. My 2018 challenge was to raise money for charity and I decided to do that by conquering Mt Doug. Scaling Mt Doug to the equivalent height of Mt Everest. Thats 60 ascents. I didn't manage 60, I should have trained! But I did manage to raise a wad of money for charity! I may be smiling here, but.............. Anyway, the reason for the story.....I was out doing this ride on Thanksgiving which I realized while riding was the anniversary of the Everest attempt. So the route became obvious, I was going to have to do Mt Doug. It was savage!! I do not have the power to force a green bike straight up the hill so I was reduced to zig zagging the whole way. But an ascent is an ascent. guess which

Ride 46 - Press in Tow

Ride 46 - 1 December 2019 Distance 33.9km (Distance to date 1,485.4 km) Time 2hrs 43mins (Time to date 114hrs 7mins) I was joined on this ride by a journalist from the Times Colonist !! Got to start somewhere Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of me and Roxanne exploring the east side of James Bay together, but I do have proof for the doubters........... https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/meet-the-cyclist-who-rode-every-victoria-street-often-twice-1.24039234 The stuff of nightmares Sadly the exploring was surprisingly bland, so not much to report. I was expecting this area to be a little treasure trove. Maybe I was just chatting too much Not as comfortable as it looks Points of Interest..... No points of interest

Victoria on a Bike

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