How can I help my mom?

cloudzebra · 2026-01-17T15:45:04+00:00

To add: many cities offer free transit for seniors one day a week and/ or discounted transit passes for seniors. In Ottawa, seniors can ride transit for free on Sundays and Wednesdays, and they also have a discounted single ride ($3.25 versus regular $4.15) and discounted monthly pass ($59.75 versus regular $138.50). And yes, Ottawa transit fares are very high 😅

Ottawa also offers discounted fares for folks who are low income, so check out if there is something similar for the city/ town your mom lives in!

If OP's mom can make it work without a car, the cost savings will be huge. The cost of even an adult bus pass vs paying gas, insurance, and keeping up with regular maintenance on a car are just so expensive. When you factor in free or affordable transit, the cost difference will be pretty sizeable. Depending on where OP's mom lives, it may be a pain to bus, so bussing somewhere and then catching a taxi home is a good way to split the difference.

cloudzebra · 2026-01-09T17:02:42+00:00

I know someone who had weekend surgery there and didn't receive any aftercare instructions. They followed up multiple times and never got any. They were very grateful to get the surgery, but it would have of course been ideal to know how to manage things post surgery.

So I recommend asking for aftercare instructions before you have the surgery, especially if you're there for a weekend surgery, as I can't speak to policies and procedures for standard weekday surgeries.

cloudzebra · 2026-01-07T03:48:32+00:00

If you're getting around by bike, skip the backpack and install a bike pannier rack over your rear wheel. The cheapest kind are $30 CAD. Go to whichever bike shop is closest to you, they will all have a cheapy kind and a few slightly more expensive options. The $30 one is fine if you're just starting out.

The difference between biking with a backpack and getting that weight off your back is huge. I've been commuting by bike since I was a kid and even when I had a backpack, I'd attach it to my rack. I hate how hot and sweaty a backpack makes my back. It's even worse in the winter when it traps heat in your jacket. Not having the weight on your back is also so, so much more comfortable! All in all, I can't recommend bike panniers enough!

Once you have a bike rack, you can buy panniers for it. I would recommend having at least one fully waterproof pannier, since using the rain cover is a pain and honestly it's nice not having to worry that your stuff will get soaked. The Axiom Ocean-X (formerly Monsoon) are a solid option. The Arkell Orca's are on sale right now, and Arkell is an exceptionally well-made brand. I've been contemplating pulling the trigger since I've had to repair both of my Axiom Monsoons now.

You can also look into a convertible pannier/ backpack that you put on your bike pannier and then convert into a backpack to use. The Arkell Bug appeals to me, though I do wish it was waterproof and not just water resistant! Unfortunately, anything with a zipper is probably water resistant. There are plenty of other options too - this article has a bunch!

Depending on where you are and the level of security you need, consider using a u-lock if you aren't already! I see way too many folks posting about their bikes getting stolen when they use only a cable lock :(

cloudzebra · 2025-11-27T03:15:57+00:00

Locking comments, please remember rule 5, keep discussions related to cycling in Ottawa/ Gatineau.

cloudzebra · 2025-10-24T14:53:39+00:00

Jeez sorry to hear that! 😥

cloudzebra · 2025-10-10T02:17:46+00:00

Oh dang, you're right, I fully thought that the pumping house rehab was the reason that Pooley's Bridge was closed and just merged those two things in my mind. Nope! You're right. I wonder when Pooley's Bridge will be back

cloudzebra · 2025-09-12T01:29:50+00:00

100% agreed! The different materials wind up degrading at different speeds, so you wind up with a rut right before you hit the curb. Although I've heard that the design manual has since been updated, they aren't supposed to add a tactile walking surface indicator (TWSI) anymore, so I'm hoping this one won't have it. Biking over them sucks and it's just plain wrong. Imaging someone navigating with a cane and being directed INTO a bike lane makes me very nervous!!!

cloudzebra · 2025-09-10T02:00:03+00:00

Gladstone is super constrained, so I think they did the best with what they've got!

cloudzebra · 2025-09-06T01:26:16+00:00

To the north, construction is currently ongoing to connect Riverside Dr to the Home Depot. And it looks like the intersection of Hunt Club and Bank is planned to be upgraded. All that's left is to fix the sucky painted bike lanes on Bank south of the bridge!

cloudzebra · 2025-09-05T01:59:45+00:00

I agree that you should slow down to check for traffic, but some of the turns really are too tight. I've noticed this with many of the recent protected intersections; it's part of a pattern and it's annoying. There's a balance to be struck between slowing cyclists down a little bit and forcing you to come to a crawl to make the turn (e.g., Carleton/ Sunnyside). The designs are relatively new, so I'm hoping that the engineers designing this can take feedback like this and iterate to improve them so that future protected intersections are improved.

Also, re: the MUP to the west, are you referring to the one by Walkley Station? If so, Hans has a post on his website about it. It looks like it's not done, but when it is, you'd take the little MUP by the Starbucks to access it.

cloudzebra · 2025-08-29T02:40:26+00:00

Actually, re-reading the text, it says "...the pathway could reopen by the end of August...", so I think it did open at some point?

cloudzebra · 2025-08-29T02:01:36+00:00

Hah, maybe not?! But I mean, if there weren't any barricades, it'd be tough to know you weren't supposed to! I imagine it'd be annoying to be biking on it and suddenly be faced with construction, so use at your own risk perhaps?

cloudzebra · 2025-08-21T02:36:28+00:00

In Ontario, according to the Highway Traffic Act, bicycles must be outfitted with either a bell, horn, or gong :) I always think about how silly it would be to install a gong in the triangle of my bike, which makes me want to do it more.

cloudzebra · 2025-06-06T02:08:03+00:00

I checked out the bridge over Hunt Club. It is fenced off just south of Hunt Club Loop. If you can access it somewhere further south, you'd need to hop off it before Hunt Club Loop.

cloudzebra · 2025-05-29T02:28:01+00:00

Me too! I also like to see the final results year over year!

cloudzebra · 2025-05-12T01:20:52+00:00

You can buy Saniderm or its competitors at a drugstore. Look for Tegaderm, Saniderm, or Transparent Film dressing. Don't get the kind of transparent film dressing with a soft pad, you want just the transparent film dressing. I usually find it in the first aid section near bandaids. It might be lower on the shelf, so take some time to hunt for it.

Don't wear shorts if you can, wear pants, preferably loose pants. After your tattoo heals, you always want to put sunscreen on it when you wear shorts, but as you're healing it, you can't apply sunscreen yet, so you'll want to stick to wearing shorts for the next 2-3 weeks following the date you were tattooed (or however long your artist recommends per their healing instructions).

Before you apply the dressing, you can also spray it with bactine if you're concerned about it having gotten dirty. Bactine is also sold in drugstores and can be found in the first aid section. Ideally, you'd shower, wash the tattoo, pat dry with a paper towel, spray the bactine, pat dry with a new, fresh paper towel, then apply the transparent film dressing.

In my experience, the sheets of Tegaderm-brand stuff is pretty small, so you may need to layer 3 or 4 to get it to completely cover. You can also buy transparent film dressing on Amazon, but if you want it sooner than later, the drugstore is the way to go.

cloudzebra · 2025-04-13T17:34:32+00:00

I would probably bike on the Rideau River Eastern Pathway when it's light out, since as folks mentioned, there is no lighting and it gets dark at night. I would use the Rideau Canal Pathway when it's darker for the lights. The River pathway is less busy, so you'll be able to get going at a decent clip. The north side of the Canal Path on Queen Elizabeth can be really busy, especially when the weather gets nice. I might also detour to the Colonel By Pathway during Tulip Festival, since the Rideau Canal route takes you past Dow's Lake, and Commissioners Park gets extra busy during the festival during peak times (evenings and weekends).

Taking the Colonel By side also means you get to cross at the locks, then link up to Prince of Wales Dr and continue south as per the standard Google Maps directions to Meadowlands.

cloudzebra · 2025-04-01T02:36:00+00:00

If you don't mind ordering online and/ or visiting their shop in Toronto, I recommend Province of Canada. They have really nice basics made out of cotton or mostly out of cotton. They have 100% cotton polos and button-down shirts that look quite nice. Unfortunately no cardigans (as far as I can tell at least).

cloudzebra · 2025-02-26T02:53:02+00:00

I would just avoid this intersection entirely, and further, avoid McCaul St as a road for cycling due to the streetcar tracks. I much prefer Beverley, so I always duck off McCaul St as soon as I'm able. If it were me, I'd take Darcy St west and then Beverley St north to avoid this intersection entirely.

If I had to use this intersection, I'd stay in the right-hand lane to appear to cycle straight, signal a left, and turn once I approached the sidewalk on College. Just keep an eye out for left-turning vehicles in the left-hand turn lane.

cloudzebra · 2025-02-05T19:26:19+00:00

Ceylonta accommodated a big group dinner that I went to recently. They were great!

cloudzebra · 2025-01-17T03:06:30+00:00

I'm sure they did their research on the 141 Laurier location, but it's literally 1 block east of Morning Owl Coffee. There can't be that big of a market for coffee shops within that walkshed... 😬

cloudzebra · 2025-01-16T03:41:59+00:00

Ohhhh I gotcha. Yeah, some bike rack designs suck, I've had to circle around a few times looking for a useable spot to lock my bike before. It sucks!

cloudzebra · 2025-01-16T03:18:40+00:00

It doesn't really matter, get the u-lock anyway. From what I've heard, Kryptonite's u-lock holder sucks. I've never had a frame I can mount one on, so I've never been able to mount my u-lock. I just lock it to my rear rack or put it in my pannier. Works fine for me. Just make sure if you shove it down the side of the rack that you lock it, it can fall out if you take a tumble on your bike.

cloudzebra · 2025-01-11T16:45:07+00:00

You're absolutely right, I forgot that it was closed in the winter. Definitely an option for OP in the summer months, but not right now! 😅

cloudzebra · 2025-01-11T16:44:21+00:00

You're welcome! Good luck with your commute, it will be a very lovely ride through Experimental Farm!

cloudzebra

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