The Little Pear Tree That Could!

During my rides I've noticed a lot of apples falling off trees and littering the road. It can be interesting trying to dodge them all. But it also smells wonderful! The weather is getting cooler and fall is upon us. Which also means pear season! Nearly my entire life we have had a pear tree. Every year without fail it would produce so many pears we didn't know what to do with them all! I remember my parents trying to MacGyver a pear catching basket out of a pole and an old coffee tin to reach the pears at the very top. The tree is about 26 years old and still isn't a very big tree. But a few years ago during a bad storm it was hit by lightning and one of the main limbs fell off. After that our little tree didn't look very good and we were worried we might have to take the rest of it down. But nature is an amazing healer so, we left our little tree alone and waited. It tried to grow pears but they never got bigger than your thumb and theyd fall off really early in the season. However, not this year! This year our little pear tree is back in action! Loaded to the brim with healthy giant pears! We've been collecting them and happily smiling at our beautiful tree. I'm glad it made it through. It's a part of our family in more ways than one.

75% Done!

As of today I only have 47.2km left to go! I'm so excited to reach my ride goal! I'm really proud of my improvements this year with my rides. Last year my average daily ride was 7km or 8km but, this year I've been averaging 10km - 12km a day! I'm already thinking about my ride goal for next year if you can believe it. 250km anyone? Everyone in my house is very excited about my challenge this year including our cats! So, join Puff in celebrating 75% completion of my ride goal and wave your hands (or paws) in the air like you just don't care 😆🥳

Time for a Combo Post!

Yesterday I went out for a short ride after the rain cleared up. The road was still pretty wet so I ended up going slower than usual. Last thing I wanted was to take a spill and risk getting injured. So, it ended up being a cautious ride around the village. Today however was the complete opposite story! Sunny skies and very hot! But at least I didn't have to worry about slipping. Anyway my favourite part of today's ride was watching the big popcorn (cumulus) clouds drifting bye. The sky was full of them! I'm sure my Mom will enjoy watching them out the window at work. She's an avid cloud watcher! So, naturally I stopped to take some good cloud pics for her 😉. You probably thought clouds would be the subject of today's picture. But on Tuesday I received my 2025 GCC cycling jersey! Bask in its glory and know that it's thanks to you and the amazing SickKids hospital that I received this ❤. I also got my thank you card from Nori! You can check out her story and cancer journey on the GCC website homepage. She's a real fighter and I'm going to keep on pedaling for her and everyone else fighting cancer!

This One Goes Out to Mary!

On this mornings ride I hade to wear two layers because it's was very windy and a bit cold out. I guess fall is really on its way and summer is coming to a close. I'll miss the beautiful summer days but not the searing heat! I also had some Seagulls decide to join me on my ride and they flew right beside me! It's was so cool! 😆

I was also reading my fellow GCC rider and colleague Mary McNeill's page. I always love reading her posts! Today she posted about her ride being on hold for now because of her sciatica acting up. Then she very generously gave me a shout out! So, I want to shout out back to Mary! One of the most awesome people I have ever met! You can do it Mary!! Did you know she has raised $3000 so far this year for Sickkids? What an amazing impact she's made to help kid's fight cancer. I'll be thinking of you on my rides Mary! Enjoy today's pic of me and the amazing sky! And checkout Mary's page! https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/Riders/MaryMcNeill

Prepare for Take Off!

Today I went for a short 5km ride after the rain cleared up. There was a very nice cool breeze that made riding even more fun! When I learned to ride a bike I realized that cycling can sometimes feel like you're flying! When you're going down a big hill or slope and the wind is behind you. It feels like you might just take off! Maybe I'll have my own E.T moment by the end of my ride 😉. Enjoy this pic I took the other morning while out on a ride.

Halfway There: A Tale of 215km

Well it's official! I'm halfway through my ride challenge and only have 100km to go! I'm having so much fun doing the challenge again this year! I can't wait to see what my final kilometer total will be! I also wanted to thank everyone who has donated to SickKids in support of my ride. Thank you all so much for your generous donations large and small! I appreciate every dollar it really encourages me to keep riding. I'm always thinking of the kids battling cancer when they should be having fun playing instead! So I want to raise as much money as I can to help them in their fight! Let's kick cancer's butt!! Enjoy this pic of Mantis on the path!

It's Kick Cancer's Butt Day!

I have officially ridden 100km! Woo! And today is kick cancer's butt day! All donations will be matched today so, if you're thinking of donating do it today and double your impact! Every little bit helps in the fight against cancer and helps fund the important research to find cures and treatments. During my ride today I met a very nice lady who stopped to ask me about my bike. She told me she wanted to learn to ride a bike and I told her I just learned to ride a two years ago! We had a very nice chat and we both learned new things. Now she's going to give bike riding another go! I said I'd help her learn if she wanted. It's amazing to me that I didn't know how to ride a bike for so long and now I'm inspiring others to learn and enjoy bike riding! Also it finally rained today! Hallelujah! Hopefully this is the end of the drought!

Tour of the Little Libraries!

We have quite a few free little libraries around Richmond. So, today I brought some books to donate and went around to a few of them! The first one I stopped at had a very nice selection of books for all ages and a cute little fake jade plant! I left two books and happily collected the little plant someone had left there 😊. Next stop was a library that mostly had books for adults. So, I left a nice non-fiction book about birds and continued on my way. Those who know me will know that I love reading! When I was kid I would read a few 100 page chapter books everyday! I was really into the "Pixie Tricks" series back then and I was happy to see that they are still printing them and writing new ones. My reading tastes have changed over the years and I now mainly read Manga and graphic novels. There's just something mystical to me about a scene with know words. Just whatever is happening in the background. I find it calming. If you've never read manga and are interested I highly recommend a wonderful series called "Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou" by Hitoshi Ashinano. I love that series so much! It's one of those books you can really loose yourself in and feel like your in the world with the characters. Having access to books is a wonderful privilege we shouldn't take for granted. So pop into your local library and find a new adventure to enjoy. Maybe you'll even see me there 😉. Enjoy today's picture of the first little library I stopped at. It's very nicely made!

A Surprise Bike Path!

Today I finally rode to the very end of one of my favourite paths! It goes around the retention pond I like to visit everyday. You're probably wondering why I've never ridden to the end in the 2 years I've been riding this path. Well that's because it comes out onto the busiest street in Richmond! When I was a kid Perth street use to be a relatively quiet street. It always had four lanes and I use to wonder why that was. But, now it needs to be six lanes for the amount of traffic that's on it! Also side note Perth street is not the main street in Richmond. The main street is McBean Street! Anyway back to the path story! So, everytime I would get to the end of the path and see all the cars whipping by (not going 50km/h) I would get freaked out and say to myself "Nope! Not getting runover today". However, this morning it was very quiet so I decided to be brave and venture onto the street! Where I discovered there is a designated bike path! (It's actually just the shoulder of the road with bike path paint on it but I'll take it!) With that new found knowledge and lack of speeding cars I went for it! And I survived! One day I'll feel more comfortable riding in amongst traffic but until then it's the small victories that count 😊 Enjoy today's picture of the stunning Jock River! It's very low due to drought but still very pretty.

Thistles are Important!

Today I stopped to take pictures of some very beautiful thistles. Because the other day while out riding with my mom (my resident ornithologist) we saw some Goldfinches flying in and out of a big group of thistles. To which my mom said Goldfinches love to use thistles for nesting material! I did some research this morning and apparently this is because they nest later in the year at the same time the thistles are blooming (mid July - August). Also they like to use the fluffy down of the thistles to build their nests. They also eat the seeds of the thislte as they're rich in oil which is both nutritious for them and gives them energy. Now you know! (In my best Bill Nye voice). So that's why it's very important to let wildflowers grow on the roadside and in and along ditches. Because there are many birds (a specially songbirds) that like to nest and live in those plants Goldfinches and Red Wing Blackbirds to name a few. So, enjoy my pic of the drought resistant thistle and enjoy nature today!

Dry River Blues (I bet that's a country song 😅)

On today's ride I noticed that part of the Jock river is almost all dried up. I haven't seen the river dry up like that in a very long time. When I was kid my mom and I use to walk up the river in the summer from our house to my Grandma's house! It's a really cool experience to be able to walk on a river when it's just bedrock and no water. But it's also concerning because it means we're in a drought. So, enjoy my pic of the Jock River in it's dry state. Hopefully this drought doesn't last much longer.

The Haze is Mostly Gone!

The air quality warning was finally lifted in my area so it was my first ride without having to worry about smoke from the wildfires. There is still a very light haze but not like on the weekend. My heart goes out to anyone across the country directly affected by the wildfires. I know it's a specially bad in BC and Manitoba. I hope everyone stays safe and that the fires die down soon. Also a reminder that we are experiencing a drought so be mindful of your water consumption. All that to say I enjoyed the fresh air and am looking forward to my ride tomorrow. Enjoy this picture I took at my favourite pond of the sunrise!

Enjoy Nature Today!

Today's ride was full of wildlife! I took a new route which had an abandoned half built seniors condo on it. Seniors may not have been able to live their but the murder of crows and their raven leader have moved in. There was also a group of pigeons living there alongside the crows. After that I encountered three beautiful bunnies doing their best to blend into the grass. They were so cute with their bright white tails! Next I went to visit the duck family I met on yesterday's ride. I'm happy to report that all seven ducklings and their mom are thriving in the pond! Those ducklings are the cutest thing I've seen all week 😍. Just when I thought the adorable creature parade was over I rode past a house with a very staunch protector. There on the front lawn protecting its terf was a very angry black and white pom pom (pomeranian). I'm sorry it was very hard to take it seriously those dogs are all fluff! It wasn't very intimidating but kudos to the dog for doing its job 😅. Anyway enjoy today's pic of me that I stopped to take in the Virginia Creeper jungle!

Calico Cats, Bunny's & The Big Orange Ball

Sunday morning is my favourite time to ride. Most of the world is still asleep and you can hear the amazing sounds of nature all around you. It's a magical time for me no cars, very few people, and no human made noise. It's like you're watching the the world slowly wake up. I just love it so much! You know what else I love? Calico cats (or just cats in general) I encountered a very beautiful female Calico during my ride who was out for her own little morning stroll. She reminded me of my own beautiful calico cat Zipper who was a boy I might add! Male Calico's are very rare like one in a million rare less than 0.33% of calico's are male. We use to call him a Unicorn because of his rarity 🤭. I also saw a few very cute rabbits hopping about! Another thing I love about morning rides is seeing the bunny's! It's very hazy from the fires out west and it makes the sun look even more orange! Really reminds you that it's a giant ball of plasma and gas. Anyway enjoy today's picture of Mantis parked in front of a pond full of ducks!

Year 2 LET'S GO!!

I've just completed my first ride of GCC 2025 and my second year doing the challenge! It was a short ride but very eventful! As you'll see in my picture I caught a family of Cormorants hanging out with a Grey Heron at a local retention pond! It's one of my favourite paths to ride through because there's always lots of beautiful birds hanging out there. Before I forget I'd like to wish all the GCC riders a fantastic and safe ride this year! Let's raise more money than ever for cancer research and help kick cancer's butt!