eBikes, totem poles and crows (Stanley Park ~ Canada)

 Late July

One of the things we will be purchasing once both of us have retired are a couple of eBikes and over the last few years we have rented them a number of time and have a good feel for the features we like. Hired eBikes for a ride around Stanley Park, and the various  cycelways of Vancouver city, and found one feature in an eBike we really don't like and that's the throttle. Say this as if you are pushing the bike and you accidentally tweak the throttle the bike will jump forward, triggering the throttle even more with the net result you are dumped on your are with the bike doing a wheelie in front of you - not fun as Sally found out whilst wheeling her bike on a busy footpath.

Apart from that unfortunate incident our day cycling was great. The main cycleway takes you round Stanely Park past various sites. First  sight was a small park with totem poles (which are unique to the north west coast of BC and lower Alaska and are dating from the 1920s to the 1980s).

Further round takes you past Lions Gate bridge,  various rock outcroppings and then to a small but v popular beach.

In New Zealand we have seagulls in town and Keas in the mountains that will raid your carefully packed lunch. In Canada they've got crows. This fellow managed to open the bag, pull out the plastic tub of grapes and peck his way inside.

Had a good tootle round the interior of the park (away from the crowds) and amongst the stands of massive redwood (I think) trees.  Though the signs warning cyclists about coyotes denning in the park was a bit worrying. 

Vancouver is  clearly a long way down the track of making the city cycle friendly there is a promenade pretty much all around the city where the bulk of it has cycle and pedestrian lanes, various roads that were once two way for traffic have been converted to one way for cars and the other lane has become a two way cycleway. Round the promenade are various, slightly odd, sculptures and buildings

This one is meant to inspire joy and laughter,  though does feel slightly creepy.

Next stop is the UK for four weeks catching up with family and friends.