Bike Hike

Have you ever dodged Canada geese on your bike? It was a first for me, too, but it was a great way to kick off my time in Canada and I loved being able to get so close to so many of these giant birds (I forgot how huge a goose can be).

Those of you who have followed me around the world know that I’m game for most any kind of trek anywhere–I love exploring any place that’s new or different. Add a bike to the equation and I’m a happy man. Biking offers a more peaceful state of travel–I think it’s got something to do with feeling the air of a place on your face.

After jumping off my train from Windsor, I rented a bike and took to the elaborate bike trail system of Hamilton, Ontario. Right off, I was surprised by the abundant green spaces and the intricate network connecting high roads with low roads, dropping me on long lakeside rides and through the ivy-strewn campus of McMaster University.

Biking around a very normal Canadian city on a very normal summer evening reminded me of all the reasons I like Canada. The green goes on forever–even in a “city” like Hamilton, I always found myself next to a forest, a wild field, some lake or waterfall and perhaps best of all–the Royal Botanical Gardens.

So basically, that was my day yesterday: biking through suburban nature, smelling big fat roses, and dodging live poultry. As they say in Canada: not bad, eh?

P.S. No Canada geese were harmed in making this video.