E-Motion-al Landscapes and the Art of Cycling

Cycling has been an essential part of my life for close to 45 years. Living in the mountains, I have a network of world class trails and roads within easy reach of my studio.  Occasionally I ride competitively but mostly I ride with friends for the sheer joy of it and as a means of achieving specific fitness goals; At this writing for example, I am one to two rides short of my goal of riding 5,500 kilometres this year. I view biking as ancillary to art and frequently capture glimpses of magnificent landscapes that later appear in my work.

Frigid temperatures, ice add to the complexities of my first fat tire bike race

In mid-January, three days of events, rides and races centered around fat tire biking took place right here in Jasper, one of the most picturesque national parks in Canada. I selected the easier 20 km option along with 10 other riders and fared  reasonably well despite a nagging headcold, frigid temperatures and some steep icy pitches that had me off the bike more than I was on. 

Group Rides - A way of starting over with cycling

I discovered group rides at a time when my lifelong cycling fixation was at low ebb. I was hopelessly behind in my understanding of new trends and technologies and more lamentably, I was riding alone all the time. Group rides became a way of starting over with cycling. I started riding with like minded people from beginners to pros even venturing out one evening with three professional riders from Team Rocky Mountain. Team building activities like group rides are for me an important departure from the solitude and isolation of studio life and have given me a new lease on the hard earned joys of life on Planet Bike.