On this year's biking

Biking in Australia

Well, between a municipal tax bill and delays in signing the new contract at work (and the associated retroactive increase, lump-sum payment) I don't think I will be able to afford to go to Oz in May or June which puts a damper on biking from Alice Springs to Darwin. However, as I have previously mentioned, there are other places to bike in Oz. Probably just as well as I have yet to make a start on reading up on Australia.

Biking in Newfoundland

I was reading one of the Library's copies of the Trans-Canada Trail guide to Newfoundland, mostly for background information, when I stumbled across a section about the bit between Deer Lake and Badger. It gives the scenery a definite thumb's up with the Topsails (a series of four bald mountains which it compares to Ayre's Rock). Caribou and moose sightings are described not just as "possible" but "probable". The downside is that the surface is rated "C" for most of the way and "D" for the last 20 km or so. In short, 100 kilometers of loose, rutted gravel, frequented by ATVs and pickups. If I were to attempt it, I would have to invest in wider tires. Possibly Continental Travel Contacts in 700x42! Just to give you an idea, Leonardo is currently fitted with 700x32 tires. (The second number is the width in millimeters.) Unfortunately, now is probably not the best time the bring up this possibility as Margo and Chris seem to be in the middle of a prolonged stretch of South American ripio and would probably enjoy the relatively bland Newfoundland asphalt! ;-)

Biking in Quebec

A few days ago, I signed up for the usual summer events put on by Vélo-Québec. I was embarrassed to discover that I had let my membership lapse. I also signed up another year as a card-carrying member of Vélo-Québec.

Also, there was a large snowstorm on Monday which dumped something like 30 cm of snow on Montreal (and 75 on North Hatley!). Someone at work asked me if I had biked in that morning! Evidently, my sign I hung the wall near my desk saying "No, I am not still biking to work. I am a devout, not a fanatical cyclist" isn't big enough!