Hacker bike ride
Tall bike
Originally uploaded by sfllaw.
What do you do with a sunny, summery Sunday in Ottawa? Biking and barbequing, of course.
It's traditional to hold the Hacker Bike Ride right after the Ottawa Linux Symposium. The local cycling enthusiasts are, by and large, also pretty geeky so many of them join in on this event. We gathered in the park across from the conference centre. People were milling about, so I had time to rent a bicycle, and soon we were off.
This year, I chose to take the long route with everyone else. Richard, on his tall bike, led the way through the streets of Ottawa and on to the bike paths. We went over some very scenic hills, had two people fall off their bikes, and enjoyed ourselves immensely.
OCLUG
Originally uploaded by sfllaw.
I spent a lot of time riding quite dangerously, with camera in hand. The most challenging pictures were those taken over the shoulder, as I had to do that blind. A couple of them seemed to turn out. In the process of photographing things, I managed to get my wheels stuck in a rut. It sounded like someone falling over, which caused a few people to look around, but I managed to stay in control. This surprised me, as I haven't ridden a bike in about a year.
We finished one leg of our ride in Vincent Massey Park, where the local LUG was holding their annual picnic. I grabbed a hamburger, sat down on a blanket, and inhaled it. There's nothing like hot food after a good bike ride.
After lunch, we did a bit of exploring. That's how we found a cicada hiding under a picnic table. Then ostraya did nothing to prevent the penguin from viciously attacking me.
Terri blows bubbles
Originally uploaded by sfllaw.
There were more silly antics, including penguins on heads and bubble-blowing. But then it was time to pack up and leave. We helped the organizers stow the picnic things away before riding off to Hogs Back Falls. I climbed around on the slick rocks while other people ate their ice cream. We crossed the bridge and then we rode alongside the canal on our way back.
This allowed me to see the canoe innovation of brilliance. A canoe with a hitch up front and bicycle wheels mounted on back. I waved to these people and told them they were geniuses. I think they might have thought me a tad weird.
By the time we reached the park, it was starting to get late. I returned my bike and said goodbye to people, which was good because I had postcards to send. There's nothing like sending postcards hours before you leave a city.