Sun, May 6 2007 - Cambridge to Paris Bike Ride (View Original Event Details)
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Cambridge to Paris Bike Ride, Sunday, May 6, 2007
Sunday, May 6th, was a spectacularly sunny day, but one that was not too hot. It was another perfect day for cycling. While it took some effort to get ten people and ten bicycles out to the start of the trial in Cambridge on a Sunday morning, all the effort was worth it. Everyone had a great time, even Min ;) The ride got started at about 11:30 a.m., much to everyone’s delight.
A big thank-you goes out to both Jason and James for agreeing to drive people and their bikes to the event. Jason secured the use of his family’s big truck, which was able to transport four riders and four bikes to and from the rail trail. James S transported two people and two bikes to and from the trail with a very elegant-looking Honda Accord. My bright red Ford Focus transported three people and three bikes to the trail, though I lost precious minutes getting out of Toronto due to a brain cramp that interfered with my ability to find Tara’s residence. I thought I knew where it was, but when I got there, the numbers of the buildings did not seem to match. And, of course, Tara’s was the one phone number that I had not brought with me.Irene P got to the trail on her own with her bike. In the end, there were ten riders in all, a nice size of group for the ride that ensued.
What is lovely about rail trails such as this one is that they allow for both excellent biking and excellent conversation. The trails are generally quite level. One can ride side-by-side with someone else and, without all the noise pollution of the city, very pleasant and meaningful conversations can ensue. The rhythm of pedaling seems to encourage the rhythm of talking and conversing. The body rides to a point in the distance while the mind travels outwards from the self, looking for a point of contact with one’s riding companion. Some of us rode more slowly than others, but everyone found a rhythm and a comfortable pace, I think. And James S, who is an amazing cyclist, performed what I have defined as the “sweeping function”: he would speed forward to the front of the pack, then turn around and speed back the other way to the back of the pack. This not only gave James S. the speedy ride he was wanting to have, but it allowed the rest of us to travel at various paces, knowing that, if a tire should blow or a wheel wobble off, James S would soon be coming to our rescue. Thanks James!
On the way to Paris, we rode through what at times appeared to be a wonderful tunnel of trees, trees with leaves beginning to emerge from formerly barren branches, such that the sun was permitted to land softly on our faces, arms and legs. We glided along a finely pebbled trail, catching satisfying glimpses of the rippling Grand River to the West. We stopped at an impressive lookout point to appreciate the scenery. Take a look at the photographs once they are posted, and you will see what I mean..
When we arrived in Paris, those who had never been there before were pleased with the discovery of a picturesque, artsy little town. We traveled from the rail trail into the centre of town, and, after strapping our bicycles together around a pole, as if leaving them lost in some endless collective embrace, we all headed inside the Café de Paris for some lunch. I directed us all to the patio at the back of the café, where we sat at tables overlooking the Grand River. The sunshine came and went. The food was good and tasty, according to those who expressed an opinion. While it got a little chilly on that patio, chivalrous Jim O did offer his bright blue raincoat to a shivering Tania, who later made the same raincoat into a slightly risky fashion statement. Is there anything under that lovely rain-coat, one momentarily, shockingly, felt like asking…until a saner, more rational and less devilish thought-process returned. She needed to preserve what body heat she had and could generate, and the raincoat facilitated this process. While Tania modeled Jim O’s bright blue rain-coat, David Block, not wanting to be out-done, exhibited his usual photogenic self by donning a lovely blue bonnet that caught the eye in a “special” way, even triggering the suggestion that David ought to give up his career in computer repairs for a career selling “blue bonnet baking powder”. Ever heard the expression, “he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing”? Well, that expression came to mind as I studied and appreciated the nuances of a bonneted David Block.
After a fine lunch next to the rippling Grand River, we all sunned ourselves back into a state of warmth, standing next to bicycles still caught in their collective embrace. Well…almost all of us. Min and David headed off to the local hardware store to see if they could buy a wrench with which to raise Min’s bike seat. A wrench was purchased, and David, ever the man of precision, raised the seat millimeter by millimeter until it perfectly fit the dimensions of Min, or the expectations of Min’s imagination. She was so grateful for the perfectly adjusted bicycle seat that she left David in the dust on the way back to Cambridge! Naughty Min. But David, nonetheless, basked in the heroism that was his alone. The rest of us, non-heroes all, had stood and watched while he had brought the smile back to Min’s face.
Bertha and Tania were strong, steady cyclists both there and back. But I suspect that Bertha’s eagerness to get to Paris had something to do with her expectation of a fine cup of tea upon arriving at the Café de Paris. And Tania’s resiliency on the way back to Cambridge, later, had, I do believe, something to do with her craving for a Dairy Queen Blizzard.
While we did 43 km in all (aside from James who, through being the “sweep”, likely did 50-60 km easily), it seemed as though Tania and Bertha could have gone farther, perhaps 70-75 km. In fact, everyone seemed capable of going farther on such a sunny and pleasant afternoon.
Upon returning to the parking lot on the edge of Cambridge, I felt a bit sad that it was over so soon. We loaded up the bicycles and, to end this pleasant outing on a strong note, headed to Dairy Queen for some ice cream. It was well deserved and delectable—Tania most certainly had her Blizzard—after the satisfying exertions of an afternoon-long ride.
Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Erik Sonstenes at photos@torontooutdoorclub.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.