Winter

Winter is here again…

Short days, long cold nights, and snow…

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


Oh, so much snow…


I can’t say I’m ever all that enthusiastic about the arrival of winter.


On the plus side the city did finally open the pathway behind the water treatment plant – so we can ride to my folks place almost entirely off the road.


I have winterized the Yuba with a pair of Schwalbe Ice Spikers. I’ve had good luck with the schwalbes – bot the Fat Franks that came on the Yuba and the Marthon Racers I kitted my getaround bike with this year (see review here: Schwalbe Marathon Race Review)


Hauled some groceries on Sunday…


With the kids…


Ran into Léo from the Saskatoon Cycle Club, out for a ride on a frosty, snowy Sunday afternoon!


Léo took a picture of the whole crew on the Yuba – groceries and all.

Usually if I’m hauling the kids I leave the bags behind – it gives Finnegan a more stable platform for his feet.

Looking forward to Ice Cycle 2011!

Portrait of a Family of Cyclists

Just posted it over on the art blog... might as well post it here too... (it involving bikes and all).


Family Portrait 2010, November 2010, Acrylic on MDF, 81x59cm

Frosty (and Foggy!)

Nipped out for a frosty-foggy ride to the Farmer's Market this morning.


REally wondering where all these cars are going to park once that empty lot is developed...?

It was slated to be developed as an "Ecovillage". Wonder if/when that's going to happen...?


Frosty wheel at the bike rack on campus when I hauled the kids there later for dance classes.


a rather tired looking Finnegan... late night (out at the Yevshan Ukranian Folk Ballet), early morning dance class...

Picking up the Kids

After Violin yesterday, the kids went over to Grandma and Grandpas for a sleep over. late thisafternoon I was wondering where the kids were at and why they hadn't phoned to say they were heading home. Went to phone my folks only to realize the phone wasn't working...


They'd been trying to phone for a couple hours and thought I wasn't there.... Them being full worn out, and thus too tired to walk home as originally planned, I had to nip over and pick them up....

Off to Violin in the Snow

Another bit of snow this last week... but I'm still determined not to start walking to violin lessons on Wednesday. Luckily by Wednesday most of the roads were clear of ice - but it was windy and cold!


Amanda happened to be home (off work to take yoga intructor workshops for two weeks) and was able to take pics of us as we set off.


All loaded up.

Too bad she wasn't around to get a pic of us returning with an additional $100 worth of groceries heaped on to the Yuba as well!


We took a slightly different route to get there (11th instead of 12th) so Finnegan could ride on the street as a few of the sidewalks had some ice on them.

Yuba: Good News/Bad News

The good news is my new go-getter bag and bread rack for the yuba arrived the other day!


Loaded up to head out to violin lessons. Running a bit late so Keira will ride on the back of the Yuba (with her runner bike strapped to the new front rack). It's mostly uphill to the lesson and she goes painfully slow...


Keira perched on the back of the Yuba.


Finnegan riding ahead and Keira's bike strapped to the rack.


Here it is loaded up with groceries and violins (our wednesday morning tradition is to go to violin lessons and pickup groceries on the way home.

The bonus go-getter bag will hopefully help with balancing loads - not that I've ever felt all that UNbalanced... and the rack will add a bit more carrying capacity.

The rack kind of weirds me out. it's attached to the head tube and so doesn't turn with the handlebars/front wheel. This is very stable, but looks really odd as I am used to front racks turning with the wheel/bars. So odd I've found it a bit unsettling at times! I'm sure I'll get used to it...

I ordered both of the new accessories from Vancouver Long Bikes, a Canadian dealer/distributor of Yuba goodness. Friendly and easy to deal with. I'd definitely order from them again... if ever I needed more mundo stuff...

The bad news is...


as I was getting ready to head out the kickstand broke off... well... not JUST the kickstand, but the kickstand AND the mounting bracket... mutter grumble... Not sure when I'm going to get that fixed... luckily I think I know a few people handy with welding equipment...