<< to Waterloo half
Here we are at the starting point of my commute. My office building is to the very
far right of the photo. This is a nice downhill along Queen Street, across Duke Street
to reach King Street; what an aristocratic neighbourhood!
On Duke Street, we look back to see my new apartment building. I will be living just
to the left of the centre, if I remember correctly.
The view along King Street, the main throughfare connecting Kitchener and Waterloo,
looks rather empty doesn't it? Maybe most people leave work at 16:00 or 16:30, but I
would have thought with so many bankers and lawyers in the area, more people would be
working late.
I usually coast downhill on the approach to Victoria Park, but today I got stuck behind a
bus and had to breathe what I assume were diesel fumes. Blech! The bus terminal is just
out of sight, around the corner on the left. It serves as a stop for both local service
and long distance Greyhound buses.
On the right is the Canada Post building. I swear, everytime I ride past during the day, at
least half the building must be out on the sidewalk for a smoke break! Of course, when I go
home, everybody there is long gone.
Arrrgghhh!! They've started construction right where I enter the park. I'll need to
find a new route around ...
One of the lakes in Victoria Park has houses looking over it. That must be a great view.
I wonder if the honking of the geese would be annoying though? In the morning when I come
in to work, the park is filled with the noise of birds singing, geese honking and ducks
snoring.
OK, I haven't actually heard the ducks snore, but I see them sitting on the water bank with
their heads tucked in under their wings. The geese seem to get up considerably earlier to
look for food (and to hiss at passersby like me).
After leaving the park, I cross a small bridge. I think it used to be part of a railroad
runoff. You can see some rails just to the left of the bridge. I cross three bridges on
the way to and from work and I'm always worried about being knocked into the water by a
pedestrian. For some reason, most pedestrians allow cyclists very little room to go past.
I guess they forget we aren't as stable as they are, and weave a lttle from side to side.
Sigh. More construction. They are digging up one of the roads I need to cross. Now
that the weather is dry, riding through dirt isn't so bad, but I'm still glad I have
fenders. I find less rocks in my shoes now that I have them.
I'm now glad that I didn't go with skinnier tires for higher efficiency/less rolling
friction. The higher volume of air gives a cushier ride and the lower air pressure
and wider foot print make it easier to ride over dirt, gravel and grass.
This is the only tunnel section that I pass through. I enjoy it and wish it were longer
because its one of the few times I can hear the zziiiippppp noise my bike makes. Usually
I can only hear the wind and the occasional creak of the fenders.
I always wondered why this part of the ride smelled so bad until one day I stopped
and read this sign. I always thought that the odour was from an incinerator or
manufacturing process in a factory close to the path, or maybe from rotting vegetation
in the standing water.
The future site of the "Bauer Lofts" is very close to the southern edge of Uptown
Waterloo. As far as I know, the existing factory building isn't actually going to
be living space though. They are converting that to commercial/office use. The
living space will all be constructed from scratch. I'm not sure I would call that
a loft personally, more "loft-style" if anything.
Closeup of the sales building showing that there are still some units available.
Waterloo seems to be some kind of beer brewing centre. Here I pass the back of a small
brewery; yet another aromatic part of the ride.
Now I've reached what I would consider to be the downtown core of Waterloo, near
Waterloo Town Square. The new building under construction is for KPMG but there is
other space available. Our office is considering moving here next year. Fewer other
law firms to provide referrals, but closer to the technology companies.
Once we are past Town Square, I pass the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery (the shadowed
building on the right) and reach the Perimeter Institute.
It looks as though the sun completely dazzled my poor camera phone; that's not a black
UFO in the sky... I had completely forgotten how high the sun is in the sky even by
7 p.m. The sun doesn't set until about 8 p.m. and its only April! Ottawa and Vancouver
are farther north than Kitchener-Waterloo so they have even more extended sunlight
hours during the summer.
To continue with the Waterloo half of my commute, see
here.
