9 minute read
Biking
Take on the great clothing challenge Cycling to work
By Jim Clarke Illustration: William Jessup
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Care to order some nice, aged cheddar with that whine? The time is ripe to forget the excuses and take the bike by the handlebars. Thereʼs no need to be a car potato if you reside within a reasonable distance from your workplace.
Iʼm an executive with a federal government agency who feels compelled to don the pinstripes during working hours. Does wearing a suit have to put the kibosh on twowheeled freedom? No way. I manage to cycle to work about fours days a week from April to November. You donʼt have to be Superman or Wonder Woman to hang up that well-dressed excuse in favour of pedal power. Youʼll be glad you did. Make the most of your time I live in Gatineau and work in downtown Ottawa, so my commute is a comfortable 10 kilometres each way. I fi nd that riding a bike can often save me time. Anyone who lives in Gatineau and works in Ottawa knows all about traffi c. Gatineau has a lot going for it, but urban transportation planning isnʼt prominent in its tourism brochure. I can bike to work in the same time, or faster, than I can drive to work. Exercise and get where you’re going Saving time is great, but itʼs not my primary motivation. I inherited from my mother a love for exercise on a daily basis. Biking to work both ways gives me my fi x when Iʼd be loafi ng in my car otherwise (and probably cursing). When I arrive home at the end of the day, my exercise is over, instead of just starting. So, those biking days buy me an extra half-hour playtime with my young son. How good is that?
Energize your day
It is no secret that exercise creates energy. When I ride the roads and paths in the fresh morning air, Iʼm ready to tackle even the biggest problems. I arrive at my desk with less stress, clear lungs and pistons pumping. And remember, bikes have gears that allow you to work as much or as little as you want. Cycling to work neednʼt be an endurance race – you have the option to take it easy without any guilt.
Contribute to cleaner air
If enough people cycled to work, the local contribution to smog cessation during the summer would be noticeable. Itʼs simply counter-intuitive to create pollution that forces us to stay indoors because the air is so bad. Break the pollution cycle with your cycle. Reduce stress Itʼs downright peaceful to watch the sun rise and ducks play on my route alongside the Gatineau River. Eliminating oneself from the Worldʼs Slowest Car Race on Highway 50 is some hardship. You can start your day with less stress and a fresh perspective. And during the return trip at the end of the day, the stress from those eight hours of work is literally in your rearview mirror. Speaking of which… a good mirror helps reduce stress by showing you traffi c approaching from behind – no surprises!
How to cycle to work and wear a suit every day
MOST OF US ARE aware of why we should cycle to work, but the “how” part can be more elusive. How can you bike to work and still look like Harry Rosenʼs best customer? Here are a few tips on getting started: 1. Scout out places in advance to lock your bike during working hours. Many progressive workplaces provide bike cages for their employees to encourage cycling to work. If your employer doesnʼt have a locking facility, ask for one. If you get fired for asking, it wasnʼt a good place to work anyway. 2. Find out if your workplace has shower facilities. If not, donʼt use this as another lame excuse to avoid riding. In most weather, toweling down and deodorant are an effective combination. And, have a good chat with your body and sign a mutual agreement to avoid sweating. Besides, most sweating occurs on the way home when temperatures are higher – go jump in your neighbourʼs pool. 3. Find a place to change at work if you donʼt have a closed-in office. Bathroom stalls work just fine. If you do have the luxury of a closed-in office, check out the visibility that nearby office workers have when your lights are on; you donʼt want to see yourself toweling down on the Internet. 4. Itʼs Sunday night, and youʼre winding down from a fun weekend. Drag the ironing board in front of the TV and iron five shirts (guys) or five outfits (girls) while you watch Americaʼs Funniest Videos.
5. On Monday, take the car or bus to work and bring three suits and the five ironed shirts (guys) or your five outfits (girls) with you. This can be a bit of a haul if you are bussing, but lots of people do it. Alternatively, some people take fresh clothes in each day by carefully rolling them up in their saddlebags – it works nicely for some womenʼs outfits and most menʼs “working casual” attire. Harry Rosen would probably advise you donʼt roll up his suits. 6. On Monday night, pack a knapsack or your saddlebags with seven items: tie, belt, socks, the easy-to-forget underwear, cell phone, patch kit and bike pump. (Women will vary this list slightly according to their needs.) Biking with a backpack causes heat build-up and sore shoulders. Saddlebags make cycling way more fun. The cell phone can be handy for calling work in the morning or home in the evening if you have a flat tire. No, donʼt use this prospect as another excuse to give cycling a pass; cars and buses get flat tires, too. Besides, studies show youʼll only get a flat if you donʼt pack a cell phone.
7. Tuesday morning and good times are here. Have a good breakfast, put those biking shorts on, transplant your important papers from the briefcase to pre-packed saddlebags, and away you go. You are now on target to enjoy the exhilaration of waving at your car-bound neighbours as you pass them. Youʼre taking in copious cubic metres of sweet air, working those muscles, and saving the environment, all in one fell swoop. 8. Once you arrive at work, resist the temptation to throw your slightly moist biking clothes into the corner. I have learned they wonʼt dry even after eight hours when theyʼre left in a heap. Makeup and hair challenges might exist for women, but my wife has proven time and again that this too can be overcome. Cycling helmets arenʼt as hard on a hairstyle as you think, so everyone should wear one. 9. In about two weeks, repeat Steps 1-8. This assumes you wear each clothing item twice, which should allow you to remain safely under the international body odour limit.
Cycling to work can be done easily; lots of people do it. But realistically, it isnʼt for everybody. Some folks will be hamstrung by child and daycare arrangements, proximity problems, and personal health limitations. If you live farther than 25 kilometres from work and are not directly related to Hercules, you may not want to ride every day. There are some hardy souls who commute downtown from Kanata and Orleans, but thereʼs no shame in limiting longer treks to Fridays, because every ride is a good ride.
Some people wonʼt be able to bike to work for good reason. But, donʼt avoid it because youʼre afraid to take the Great Clothing Challenge. Fill the water bottle, slap it on the bike and go for it. Youʼll soon have your own list of reasons for pushing those pedals all over town. —Jim Clarke is Executive Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. When heʼs not riding his bike, heʼs chasing pucks and tennis balls, or swimming at his beloved cottage.
Spring is the time for puppy love
By Cathy Brown and Wanda Purton
YOUʼRE STANDING with eyes closed, face turned up towards the brilliant sun. Breathe deep and smell the musty grass peeking out from winterʼs opaque remains. You are exuberant with the thrill of being alive. Itʼs natural to want to share our contentment with someone. Who better than that eight-week-old puppy in the window youʼve been dreaming about?
K-9 Common Scents counsels many people seeking advice on how to adopt or purchase a puppy. There are many factors to consider. If youʼre an apartment-dweller whose idea of outdoor activity is a tour of the Byward Market, you should probably leave that blue-eyed husky on the farm. Or, if you enjoy plying the Ottawa Valley landscape in your hiking boots, perhaps that border collie is just right for you.
While deciding which breed is appropriate for your lifestyle and family, common sense is your best friend. The library and Internet contain lots of information about specific breeds and their attributes. Itʼs best to choose your pet with both eyes open, so letʼs suppose the day has come to pick your puppy. That adorable, little, pot-bellied cutie with the unconditional love is going to be your raison dʼetre for hitting Ottawaʼs outdoors – sometimes at 4 a.m.!
1. Letʼs start with what you need before you bring your new puppy home. Buy a crate. It provides your pet with a safe, secure, and happy place to be. You need to choose the correct size of crate with an area small enough that your puppy will not want to soil it. Check out local pet stores, and ask them to explain the benefits of each. 2. Use a crate pad or mattress to mimic the comfort and warmth of the puppyʼs mother. It gives you peace of mind when you put puppy to bed, too. If the puppy is soiling the crate repeatedly, the bedding may have to be removed. 3. Get a leash, collar, identification tag and microchip when your puppy has its shot. The collar should be removed at bedtime because collars and tags can get caught on crates. 4. If you have small children, keep their stuffed toys away from the puppy. Choose latex toys that are easier on the puppyʼs intestinal tract. Socks and shoes should be stored out of reach because nothing smells more appealing to your newest family member than you. 5. What about munchies? Talk to your vet about the most appropriate type of food for your puppyʼs needs. Some dog owners boast about microwaving their puppyʼs food, but watch out! Donʼt start something youʼre not prepared to continue for the next 15 years or so.
6. Enrol in a basic obedience course to increase the understanding between puppy and you. Socializing your puppy in the world is a must. K-9 Common Scents believes in introducing everything in your world to your puppy within the first six months of his life. When your pet associates food and comfort with your environment and interests, you can do anything together.
—Cathy Brown and Wanda Purton are professional dog trainers who offer a series of courses that focus primarily on scent work. They offer private and group consultations in both obedience and scent work. Check out their website at www.Findem.ca.
