One summer of grocery shopping on my bike

Because of our Trail System, I can honestly say that this has been one of the best summers of my life. Some days on my way home as I pass through Sunset Point along beautiful Georgian Bay and head through the woods, I feel just like a young boy on my first bike. Kids swim alongside the trail in the Pretty River, boys are out fishing and people are walking along the paths from neighbourhood to neighbourhood. I’ve often stopped along my rides to have a chat with someone I know who is also out. It’s very laid back.

Along the way, I have logged over 2,500 kilometres on my bike, which means I am out in the fresh air exercising and not driving a car burning fossil fuels, which makes this a big win – win scenario.

To put that 2,500 klm in other terms, @ $1.45 per litre of gasoline, we saved about $325.00 over the summer but that wasn’t really the point. More importantly, by cycling all summer, the total amount of carbon dioxide I did not release into the environment was 427,500 grams. A Subaru Outback emits roughly 171 grams per kilometre and I’m at the point in my life that I think there are far too many cars on the roads and that people depend far too much on them.

Like I said, little towns like San Gimignano and Cortona in Italy were inspirational. No cars in the centre of town, just locals catching up and having coffee with friends. Markets were always within a fifteen minute walk.  Creating a town which is bike forward thinking is something I can get behind.

That said, trying to navigate through the center of our town is less than ideal and could use some significant development. There’s really no safe alternative route for cyclists within Collingwood other than the loop trails. Sure, there are bike lanes on Ontario Street but they vanish when you reach Saint Marie Street and yes, there are bike lanes on Sixth Street but it’s a narrow trail and no matter how experienced a bike rider you are, leaves you in almost direct contact with vehicles also using the road at greater speeds. Even for someone like me, Sixth Street is not a comfortable experience and once you hit Hurontario, there’s nowhere to go. The trail ends. That has to be developed through to the park towards and through the park between the YMCA and the Arena. That’s an obvious extension.

Some reference on my carbon savings: One ton of carbon dioxide contains 22730 moles of CO2 or 1,000,000 grams / 44.0g/mole. My savings of 427,500 grams by riding my bike is roughly a half ton of carbon dioxide.

So, from me to the Town of Collingwood Trails Committee – Well Done. You should be proud of providing our residents with such an under-appreciated network of trails through our Town.

After this post was published, Collingwood Today interviewed me. You can read that article here: Collingwood Today