I've been doing utility bike rides for last few days since returning home from vacation. After all, I need to fill a bare refrigerator and great excuse for farmers' market load-up on bike. Besides, our city had a freak snowfall 4 days ago and it became suddenly quite cold ..over a -25 degree C drop from summer shorts weather.

Prior I was cycling in Toronto daily for nearly 2 wks. All within town...the city has changed a lot: Waaaaay more cyclists compared to 12 yrs. ago when I relocated from the city. To a point where, it truly is now difficult to find a bike rack downtown during the day, that doesn't already have another bike or 2 locked up already. I seriously walked over 1 block in the financial/glitzy shopping downtown area before I could find a bike rack clear enough to lock up mine.

I rode around marvelling over the city's green tree canopy in the downtown core, in its park system, and on residential streets...how I'm so starved for trees after living in prairie city.