Johnny LeCanuck

XKCD Phone 3: just take my money already

This thing would have come in handy this weekend.

We Did It And We Have a RickShaw

Well sort of… We have definitely raised over $50,000.00 for the Segal Cancer Research Centre at the Jewish General Hospital. To be clear, 100% of that money is going to cancer research. All other expenses: rickshaw, inner tubes, Dagwoods Sandwiches and beers are paid for by us the riders and our sponsors. A very good feat for TeamKat indeed. We bested last years ride by $10,000.00. And of course we are still accepting donations.

So about the rickshaw… you would not believe how hard it has been to secure one of these puppies for the weekend. Two of the companies we called flat our refused to rent us one for the whole weekend due the distance we are covering: 250KM. I can understand some trepidation about seeing your equipment be loaned outside of your home turf, but that is why security deposits exists. To those guys, all I can say is shame on you. The ride to Conquer Cancer is a well established charity event with unbelievable technical and logistic support.

ricksahw So we stared looking into riskshaws we could buy outright. This was not as easy as one would think for such a cosmopolitan city like Montreal. For example we found a lot of stuff that “needed work”like this one in the picture. Or some that were basically just adult tricycles. Such as the one below. Although I will probably be going back there soon for another project I thinking of.

TrikenotRickshaw

So getting back to our quest. As time was running short and suppliers were backing out, some of the TeamKat members and supporters got involved and managed to secure a ride for the weekend. As my buddy PK would say, this one is:

“SAME SAME….. BUT DIFFERENT”.

Enter the Ted. Our good friend Ted managed to find this old sailing dinghy turned cargo bike with seat and dodger for a roof. I will admit it’s not exactly an aero bike like my Kuota, but a deal is a deal and a gentleman always honours his wagers. So here I am. Two days before the ride, with an amazing effort form TeamKat and all our sponsors and donors getting ready to literally push this boat downstream to Quebec City. My only consolation is that I will be carrying my own food and beer along the ride, conditions of the wager of course. And if things get really bad, I will just head for the nearest landing and sail this thing down the river using a Dagwoods t-shirt as a spinnaker.

GO TEAMKAT GO

RTCC Rickshaw UPDATE: Only $1600 To Go

Just wanted to give everyone an update as to the whole Rickshaw saga for this year’s Ride to Conquer Cancer. We have now raised just over $48,000 and I am now seriously worried about finding a rickshaw in time.

I honestly did not think it would happen and have been caught a little flat-footed. So I am now counting on all of you to help donate towards last the $1600.00 dollars and hopefully help out with the rickshaw rental or purchase.

Please reach out to us and let us know if you can help. Comments below or use the Twitter and Facebook links.

The Cancer Kicking RickShaw Dream Lives On

So one night this winter, I jokingly made a bet that if TeamKat was able to raise $50,000.00 for this year’s Ride to Conquer Cancer in support of the Jewish General Cancer Research Centre, I would make the ride on a rickshaw complete with a passenger and case of beer for them to enjoy. Well, I’m an idiot…

As of this morning, TeamKat has raised $41,423.32. A busy weekend rush has seen the team raise $3000 to take us within $8500. That means that with only 12 days to go I could see myself strapping the the red rocket to the back of one of these bad boys (see above) and spinning my ass up the Donnacona hills to la Vielle Ville.

I must admit, I am actually getting worried. Why:

It’s going to be f…ing hard
I DON’T have a rickshaw… And don’t know where to get one
Did I say it was going to be hard.
Blair and Ted want to sit in the back….
And It’s going to be fracking hard.

So if you hate Cancer as much as I do and you want to see me suffer… A LOT! Please give generously using this link.

And as I’m being such an idiot, I might as well go one more:

For $5000 you get to ride the whole way beer & sandwich’s included (Trevor you just volunteered to make the Dagwoods)
For $1000 You get to ride for one stage and slap your corporate logo on the rickshaw
For $500 You get to slap your corporate logo on the rickshaw
For $250 You just get slapped with a Dagwoods sub.

I am reading The Martian again… So yeah… That’s how

Source: xkcd: The Martian

ECOCAPSULE: Live on Mars Right Here on Earth

These look stunning and would be awesome anywhere in the Great White North.

Source: ECOCAPSULE | Dwelling with the spirit of freedom

Sperm Whale in the Deep Sea

This is a pretty amazing video of the sperm whale checking out a deep sea robotic sub. What is more impressive is the how the team of Super Nerds in the control room react when they first realize what it is.

Via Mitch the Spaceman.
Source National Geographic Rare Video Captures Sperm Whale in Deep Sea.

Commute Day ONE: Scouting Report

Today marked the official beginning of this year’s route to 100 commuting days. Despite the picture above, it was a very good ride in albeit a little cooler than I usually prefer. Top layer included: Merino wool base layer, cycling jersey and nylon cycling jacket. Bottom layer included: Cycle shorts, Merino wool XC Ski socks, and MEC Mercury tights. Extremities covered by XC ski gloves, tight skull-cap and GORE shoe covers. As I always say, there is no bad weather just bad clothing.

As with every year, I like to put out a Post Easter Lachine Bike Path scouting report. So here goes:

Lakeshore to 55th Ave in Lachine: All clear although a little sand / gravel at places.
55th to Fur Trade Museum: All clear, some wet / icy patches that are easily passable.
Fur Trade to Info Centre bridges: Large snow accumulation, must be walked across for anything narrower than 32mm tires.
First Ave to Dollard Bridge: The initial path is a mess but clears up nicely after the public toilet, mini soccer fields. Dollard bridge is wet / icy but passible.
Bridge to Bridge Sections: Some snow accumulation in the shaded first section and the rest is clear but as has large amount of twigs covering the path. Should be fine for 25mm and wider tires.
St-Gabriel Lock to Atwater market: Very clear and mostly dry.
Atwater Market to Wellington: Some snow accumulation on the south side paths and in the underpasses. easily passable.
Wellington to Peel: The North side path is still closed due to construction of the new condos. I made my way to Notre Dame and then up Peel at my earliest convenience. The City and Federal Parks commission needs to sort out this section ASAP as there are many new condos going up and cycling in this area in simply not safe.

So there you go, there is a rain forecast for the next two days and a warm weekend that should wash away and clear up whatever is left over. I therefore declare the commuting season open!

2014: Year of the JellyFish

The weather has been so warm this Christmas that the Rotters have been joking about doing one final JellyFish for a few a few days. On Boxing Day, Woody and I were talking to JubJub at his famous annual party and taunting each other to go out this weekend. So when I woke up this morning and the sun was shining, it didn’t really matter that the wind was blowing 30-40KPH easterly I was going out for a ride. ONE LAST LOOP! Took the bike off the trainer, put the saddle bag back on and made sure the Garmin was fully charged, this one was definitely going in the books and on Strava.

And let me just say that after the loop was done and I had 55KM done, I was ready to brag. Usually by this time of year, none of the paths would be open, the hard shoulders would all be snow banks and there would be so much sand and salt on the dry roads that the Shimano gear would commit Seppuku. But this year the roads where so nice and despite the wind, the car drivers had also remembered a few manners so when you got pushed into the middle of the road, there was some extra wiggle room.

The odd thing is that I was far from the only one out there, JubJub finally made it out and I even past more than a familiar runners like Etienne, Marc, and a neighbour from up the street. Despite then wind, more than a few braved the Abbott Hills and the l’Anse a L’Orme TT. The one thing that did seem to unite everyone was the clothing. I basically wore XC ski gear, with a nylon biking wind breaker and some boot covers. Last year, my cousin gave a skull-cap that is meant to be work under a helmet… Awesome buy! As were the knee-high compression socks for alpine skiing. The only I would have done differently is some lobster miss instead of running gloves… And that is only because on the wind. Of course most of the gear I own in MEC and it served me well. Right now they are having a huge clearance on cycle gear which always doubles up well and Xc ski gear so head on over and add to cart.

As the title says, this year has mostly been the year of the JellyFish (see above) a modified Rotters loop that usually turns out to be a pretty good 40KM time trial. A few windy bits, a couple of hills but when ridden with the Rotters on your wheel, it’s a few hours well spent at a decent heart rate. No insane distances this year and only one crazy imperial century though southern Maine. In fact only 6,300KM compared to last year’s 8,000KM, but at least 78 commuting days. Sure I have added in 800KM of running and few events this year like my second RTCC (RIP Kat & Greg), my first sprint triathlon with Edno, a sub two-hour half marathon with my sister and a couple of 10k’s under 50 minutes. It’s been a good year, the boys pushed me hard and they rib me about never letting up the front but I think most of them enjoy riding behind the tank. 😉