walking

RE: Banning E-bikes from Regional Trails

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After having a myocardial infarction (heart attack) in 2002 at age 65yrs, Victoria's foremost heart specialist told me I needed more cardio exercise.
"Get your heart rate up to 120bpm for twenty minutes at least twice a week," were Dr. Mildenberger's definitive instructions. For the next five years my wife and I walked every trail on southern Vancouver Island and some as far as the Cowichan Valley and Nanaimo Area.

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When the Vancouver Island section of Great Trail opened in 2017, we felt it incumbent upon us to be one of the first to walk it. My wife (76) and I did this walk June 27, 2017 and walked the three kilimetres up to the Goldstream Suspension Bridge and back. What a marvelous piece of engineering it is. We have since walked the trail to the bridge and back an additional two times.

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I cycled fairly regularly up to the age of 40yrs then took a 30year hiatus, taking up the activity again at age 70yrs in 2007. I now claim to be an expert on all southern Vancouver Island trails having cycled them all -- some repeatedly -- over the past 11 years.

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This walk gave me a good overview of the trail and its challenging topography and I knew it was too much trail for me to cycle -- even on my fine, Norco XFR hardtail. This is when I got the idea to rent an electric-assist bicycle (e-bike) from Oak Bay Bikes (OBB) in Langford. I cycled the 4km from OBB to Humpback Reservoir trailhead then another 4km up the Great Trail to Wolf Hill rest station. This included accomplishing the ride up "Seven-minute Hill" on Niagara Main service road. Electric-assist bikes are also useful for seniors to complete longer rides in excess of 25km.

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I would like to cycle the entire length of the Great Trail to Sooke Lake Road but will need an e-bike to do this. I recently read in the newspaper others want to ban e-bikes from regional trails.
Why?
There is in fact no such thing as an "electric bicycle". They are not like golf carts. There are no buttons to push which make them go. Either you pedal or you don't go. The correct terminology for these marvelous inventions is "electric-assist bicycles".

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Now, at age 81 years, my mind is willing but my body is weak(er). I still ride my Norco and also ride Victoria City U-bikes on level terrain. I ride the latter mainly to support the local entrepreneur's efforts to get more people out of their cars and onto bicycles.

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Therefore, I beseech you to continue to allow electric-assist bicycles to be used on regional trails. This in the interest of encouraging and facilitating older residents who may have given up on cycling as a way to improve their health to continue on this marvelous invention designed primarily for those who want and need them. Electric-assist bikes won't go over 20 miles per hour under motor power alone.

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Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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Yours aye, Bill

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P.S. It is my wish in future discussions regarding electric-assist bicycles on regional trails, you and your staff use the correct terminology: "electric-assist bicycles".

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ADDENDUM TO ALL-OF-THE-ABOVE
To my way of thinking it's just another stupid law by stupid bureaucrats -- if it is enacted. Kill every business venture for no particular reason other than they can. Who's going to buy a $4000 e-Bike that can't be ridden on a local trail?

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Just like the City of Victoria Ubike venture. We're the only jurisdiction on the planet to require a helmet of which there's not one left on any U-bicycle in the city. So much for that business investment.

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I could go on but will spare you. This is something you can check while in the civilized nation of France. No helmets required and share-bikes everywhere.

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Public bike rental was pioneered in La Rochelle in the 1970s. Now, public bike share schemes appear in towns and cities the world over.

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Labels: crd, cycled

 
Today we drove 265km (165miles) from Victoria BC to Campbell River BC to see Elk Falls in all its glory.

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Grandson, Amos came with me which worked out good as I had no idea what all the tits and knobs in the 2018 Toyota RAV4 SUV were for.

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It was dark when I mounted the beast at Budget Car Rentals on Harriet Road at 7:15 a.m. Saturday morning. I had the wherewithal to carry a flashlight with me so when the attendant left me sitting in the dark with the engine running -- I was on my own.

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With the help of my flashlight, I found the headlights and dimmer switch and the wipers (did I say it was pouring rain?).

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After loading my camera gear from my car into the SUV, I headed to Amos's where we departed at 7:30 a.m. for Campbell River

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Labels: walked

Walked 3800m loop up thru University of Victoria and back over Mt. Tolmie to home

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Just took an hour

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Lots of spring buds coming out on plants and trees

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Saw electric unicycle going up the Mt. Tolmie trail as I was coming down

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Got blood work done at 1310hrs in the hood

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Labels: tolmie, walked