Why the Bloor Bike Lane should stay

As a recently repatriated Torontonian, I have lots to learn about this ever changing city.

One thing that I love to do is explore places on two wheels. Faster than walking, cheaper than driving, more exercise than TTC. I bike as much as I can during the summer months.

One thing I know about cycling in Toronto is that it's not a matter of if you get hit by a car but when you get hit by a car.

So I was understandably a little nervous about hitting the roads of Toronto on by bike; what with danger lurking around every corner, in every streetcar track, and beside every parked car.

Luckily, I take bike lanes for the majority of my ride to and from work. I take the Bloor bike lane and the Shaw bike route.

Here is a comprehensive (but not exhaustive) list of why the Bloor bike lane is awesome:

1. Direct line to work on a convenient artery of the city
2. Exercise  (work off the winter weight)
3. Window shop local businesses (love a great deal)
4. Learn about the neighbourhoods (and the people that live there)
5. See what's happening in Christy Pitts (so far: baseball, protests, newscasts, festivals)
6. Decide where I will order takeout from based on which restaurant smells best
7. Be part of a biker gang (that knowing nod you give other cyclists when you make eye contact)
8. Start seeing familiar faces on bike route (Toronto love)
9. Appreciate good weather
10. Get to wear expensive rain pants and rain jacket on rainy days
11. Inspire drivers to ride their bikes (optimistic, I know)
12. Easy to go out shopping along Bloor (quick errands are more feasible)
13. Feel safer biking in this city 
14. Inspired to see more of this city
15. Interested in advocating for more bike lanes in this city

I read today that 'millennials' like myself are more likely to support the Bloor bike lane, but 'boomers' are more likely to dislike the bike lane (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/new-bike-lane-poll ) which I find unsuprising, because they are probably the ones in cars that speed by me during my commute. 

I hope that this ever-changing city continues to keep its sights on the future and opts to keep the bike lane. 

Signed, 

Bike Lane User Canadianlstan

I'm Back!!

Travels to commence April 17, leaving Canada and going to Australia!! More to come -

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy: An Introduction

The first place we stayed was at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. The fact that I was traveling with someone who used to work here was quite fortunate; I got the benefit of enjoying it as a tourist, as well as having someone who knew the place inside and out! He could rattle off statistics about Lewa for me, and ensured that I was well informed before I arrived. I'll do my best to provide a synopsis about Lewa (with some help from my friend Wikipedia!).

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is located in northern Kenya. Formed from a former Cattle ranch in 1995, it covers over 62,000 acres (250 km²).

The Conservancy is home to a wide variety of wildlife including the rare and endangered black rhino,Grevy's zebra, and marshbuck. It also includes the big five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and African buffalo). Lewa holds over 12% of Kenya’s black rhino population and the largest single population of Grevy’s zebras in the world (approximately 350 individuals).

The Conservancy is also home to the Northern Rangelands Trust, an innovative partnership with a number of communities to the north who have given their land for the preservation of wildlife. Lewa has its own education program that helps develop schools and students.

The forces behind this organization have been instrumental in developing highly effective conservation efforts throughout Kenya. If you're interested in learning more about Lewa Wildlife Conservancy or Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), please visit any of the links below.

http://www.lewa.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewa_Wildlife_Conservancy
http://www.nrt-kenya.org/