Cycle Therapy

Blooming Bike FunDarren MarrGVCC PresidentAfew issues ago, I discussed the potentialof staging a community ride inVictoria where for one day, bicycleswould have the run of city streets withouthaving to contend with vehicle traffic.On Saturday, May 28, that potential wasrealized with the advent of the inauguralTour de Victoria featuring local Tour deFrance competitor Ryder Hesjedal.The event consisted ofthree rides, a 140 km ride, a 90km ride (both around GreaterVictoria) and a 4.1 km familyride (around Beacon Hill Park).Despite a few logistical hiccupswith traffic managementthe event was a success, attracting1,200 participants across the three rides.The scene was repeated two weeks laterat the Saanich Cycling Festival on June 19.About 250 riders took part in the secondShelbourne Community Ride, followinga 4.1 km police-escorted loop around theMount Tolmie neighbourhood. The rideattracted a large number of families, manywanting to ride the Shelbourne and McKenziecorridors withoutinterference fromautomobile traffic.It is quite pleasingto know thatthere are people inour community whowant to raise theprofile of cyclingthrough these kindsof events. Kudos to Seamus McGrath andhis Tour de Victoria team for organizing anepic event which I’m sure will become a fixturein this city much like the Times Colonist10K and the Royal Victoria Marathon.Congratulations also to Judy Brownoff andher team from the District of Saanich forputting together another successful ShelbourneCommunity Ride. It is events likethis is a greattime to bea cyclist inVictoria!Kudos tothe Tour deVictoria teamfor organizingan epic eventthese which will encourage more peoplein the community to get out and ride andfurther cement Victoria’s reputation as the“Cycling Capital of Canada.”One suggestion I would liketo offer is a shorter, perhaps40km route established for riderswho are not yet ready fora 90km+ adventure but havegrown beyond a 4km loop. Sucha ride will be able to attractfamilies, mainstream commuters,transportation cyclists andthe bike culture community,all which make up the bulk ofthe cycling population in Greater Victoria.There is no doubt that they will be attractedto an opportunity to cycle on the road freefrom traffic.As I’ve alluded to in previouscolumns, communities suchas Portland Oregon have beensuccessful with staging midrangecommunity rides whichbring out cyclists from all cornersand help demonstrate that“cycling is for everyone”. Casein point: Portland’s ProvidenceBridge Pedal is a 50km circuit attracts over18,000 riders of all abilities. Some comeout wearing costumes, some have decoratedbikes. As a prime example of fosteringencouragement of cycling, Bridge Pedal iswidely regarded as the catalyst that spurredPortland into becoming “America’s mostbicycle-friendly city”.Establish this kind of ride in Victoriaand I’ll bet at leastas many people whoparticipated in theTour de Victoria,if not more, willparticipate.On anotherfront, it’s greatto hear that theconcept of the bicyclefestival has been revivedby various communitygroups. Since ourstaging of Velo Victoriain 2009, theGVCC has alwaysendorsed the ideaof a festival to celebratethe cyclingcommunity, complete with children’s activities,bike games, bike trials, bike demonstrations,and bike-related entertainmentsuch as bicycle dance troupes.a largerfestival...woulddemonstratejust how funcycling culturecan beSuccessful bike festivals inNorth America include Portland’sPedalpalooza and Edmonton’sBikeology. Whilethe GVCC was enthusiasticin establishing a similar venturein Victoria, we foundthat staging a bike festivalrequires more work than anyone organization can handle.Kudos should go to MECBikefest, the Thrifty Foods Family Bike Festivaland the Saanich Cycling Festival forreviving the bike festival concept this year.While they certainly filled the void left byVelo Victoria, providing three festivals withina one month period appears excessive.Perhaps in the future the parties involvedwith all three events could be convinced tocome together to form one large festivalsimilar to those in Portland and Edmonton.This way, there would be a singular focuson a larger, more comprehensive festivalwhich would attract all demographics ofour cycling community and demonstrate towould-be cyclists just how fun cycling culturecan be. Vancouver certainly blazed apath with Velopalooza last year and there’sno reason we can’t duplicate that effort herein Victoria; the GVCC would be a willingparticipant in the effort.With the increased proliferation of bikerides, bike festivals, bike theatre and otherbike fun events in our community in thepast few years, this is a great time to be acyclist in Victoria!~DarrenValdinei “Cabelo” CalventoCycle Therapy Summer 2011 3