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As a follow-up to my previous post, where I expressed my love of cycling and Hamilton, here's a self-portrait of me cycling in Hamilton last Saturday, August 21st.

A group of eight of us from Toronto caught a GO train to Burlington in the morning. From there, we rode down Brant St. into downtown Burlington and to Burlington's waterfront. Then on to the Burlington and Hamilton Beach Strips towards Confederation Park in Stoney Creek. After stopping for a delicious lunch at a lakeside restaurant, we carried on to the Stoney Creek Dairy where we re-fueled again. Awesome. And then up The mountain via Mount Albion Rd., which was closed to traffic when they opened the Red Hill Creek Expressway, so we had a fun and relaxing ride up the hill (only a short bit that's very steep!). What goes up, must come down....so we headed right back down the east end rail trail that leads right back into downtown Hamilton, where we split up to get dinner, catch GO buses home, etc.

A totally fantastic day. Hamilton rocks, especially for cycling. I'm already scheming a west end rail trail ride.

In this photo I'm cruising down the escarpment along the east end rail trail near the end of our ride. This was taken with my small point'n'shoot Canon Powershot SD800, which I sometiime carry when I don't want to lug my bigger SLR camera around.

More photos with captions are here.

...and I think squirrels are kind of fun too.

This photo was taken in Macnab St. pedestrian underpass that goes under the railway tracks in downtown Hamilton. I was meeting up with Jen at the Hamilton GO Centre last Friday after work and was a bit early so I went for a little walk around downtown. I hadn't been through this tunnel before, and I was pleasantly surprised by the really bright and cheerful mural here, so of course I took a few photos.

I grew up in Hamilton, and I appreciate it more and more every time I go back. It's a great city to do some cycling in too. Looking forward to going back very soon, with a bike.

August 13, 2010.

Looking into the window of the Toronto Free Gallery (currently the "Change" exhibit) during the New Bloor Festival on Saturday.

I was out for a walk after work on Tuesday by McGregor Park (near Lansdowne / Whytock / St. Helens) when I saw these guys riding by carrying a rug between the frames of their bicycles. I caught up to them as they turned onto Lansdowne and snapped a few photos.

I always like seeing people do creative, practical things with human power.

Jen and I were out for a walk in High Park to see the cherry tree blossoms. I think half of the city had the exact same idea, except that many people drove there, gridlocking the roads around the park.

It's so much easier to walk, cycle, or take the subway to the park. No getting stuck in traffic, searching endlessly for parking, or worrying about getting a parking ticket.

Parks are so much better when they're not full of idling cars, angry honking motorists, and smelly exhaust.

A bike locked up outside of The Crossways at Dundas and Bloor.

Another photo of my mom's trike.

My mom's tricycle, tearin' up the streets in their Hamilton neighbourhood.

I bought the "Street Racer" license plate for her in Palanga, Lithuania, on one of the final days of last year's European vacation.

Jen's Bike Friday is an adorable little red folding bike. Here it is in my parent's backyard after our ride to their place.

Similar to yesterday's photo, here's Jen riding up the Chedoke Rail Trail in Hamilton.