East and West

Sunglasses are mandatory.

These days.

My new cycling commute is sweet.

I ride towards the sun in the morning and into the sunset in the evening.
The blocks of climbs on the final stretches steer me to the mountains and the trees. 
I am grateful for the beauty all around me.

The commute to work is down to 45 minutes. Like those in a car. I drink coffee along the way.

At stop lights.

I divide the ride into three sections.

The Esplanade roll into the sunrise. The Second Narrows grunt. And finally the residential bliss bicycle route.

Directional signage helped me find my way. Thanks to the Bike HUB (aka Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition) for dialing it all in.

Usually I’m hungry homeward bound. Often I smell barbeques, garlic and other wonderful dinner creations.

Has my mouth watering and my belly barking.

Each day I notice something different.

A community garden, a boulevard artistic creation, a neighbourhood book exchange and many innovative traffic calming circles.

North and south and east and west.

Commuter Woes

I’m double fisted this morning.

It’s my fifth day.

The bed is made before dawn. The first ferry wake tingles my brain cells.

I’m up. Scrambling to remember everything.

There’s an order to the chaos: computer, etc., purse essentials, comfortable walking shoes and the ones that look good to wear, extra layers, lunch and the phone.

I’m out the door.

Coffee cup first. Refills second.

As I approach the dock Mr. Unknown is there. He’s there every morning. Even before the ferry fits its slip he beckons its call.

Like a happy dog that sees his owner coming home.

We climb the stairs to sit.

The time passes fast. Last week we had dolphins starboard side.

The skies seem luminous as the sun breaths.

Our call is made and we’re port side top deck.

The off ramp down and then the race is on.

A hurry-up and wait until the Express bus arrives.

I ramble on with another commuter. He tells me yesterday he drove. Was seated at Starbucks by 7:05 a.m.

We’re approaching that time and our bus hasn’t come.

I’m thinking I should activate a pedometer out of curiosity to see just how far I walk each day.

By the time I’ve arrived to school I’ve clocked a 1.5 hour commute. Ferry, bus, Canada Line then a three-block walk.

I’ve read the bus and ferry schedules, finally. I aim for the busy, early bus to ensure I catch the 5:50 p.m. ferry home. I bolt right after class at 4 p.m.

Lucky for me both ways on the bus I get a seat.

The backpack weighs heavy as I wait. With a sigh of relief when I see the bus I strike up a conversation with a lady standing next to me.

I’ve calculated two hours home. Roughly 3.5 hours a day.

Then she lays it on me. A part-time teacher, living on the Sunshine Coast her commute is 5.5 hours. She gets up at 4am and is home by 7pm.

I shut up.

So much for my commuter woes.

Note: I've recently re-located to Bowen Island as it was the only available moorage I could find. School is at Broadway and Ash in Vancouver near False Creek.