Exposed

Now that the weather has improved (I guess that now, we go from complaining that it was too cold to it's too hot), I've been spending more time on my road bike, exploring Ottawa and its environs. I'm mostly sticking to my regular routes that take me south of the city, through small towns and villages, though I've also been riding around the north end of the city, too.

Since the start of May, I have logged more than 300 kilometres on my road bike over five rides. I'm further ahead, this year, than I was at this time, last year, and I'm feeling pretty good about that. My goal for this cycling season is to complete a ride that is more than 100 kms in length. I'm looking to possibly ride to Oxford Mills and back.

Stay tuned.

On Saturday, I decided to head out on the road before the heat made cycling unbearable. I plotted a ride from my home, in Barrhaven, to the Aylmer marina, on the Québec side of the Ottawa River. According to my Garmin Connect app, the most-direct route would be almost 58 kms, round-trip. This bike ride would be my second-longest, after the CN Cycle for CHEO, on May 1.

Much of the ride to Aylmer was uneventful. I was familiar with most of the route to Gatineau. When my company had an office on St-Raymond, I would sometimes cycle to work, crossing at the Champlain Bridge. From there, it was a very short pedal to my office.

But on this ride, I looped under the Champlain Bridge and rode westward along the northern shore of the Ottawa River. The path—the Outaouais leg of the Route Verte series of pathways—winds its way between the river and Boulevard de Lucerne, and passes the Deschênes Rapids and various other lookouts. I've never cycled this way before.

By the time I reached the Aylmer marina, I could already feel the 30°C heat and it was going to only get hotter. I got off my bike to stretch, eat part of a Clif Bar, and drink some cool water.

I'm really glad I used the hydration backpack that DW bought last year. It holds two litres of water and has a tube that is easily accessible. You gently bite on a valve and suck the water out. Before the ride, I filled half the reservoir with ice and topped it off with water, which stayed cool throughout the journey.

I really needed that water. I felt so exposed under that hot sun.

On the ride home, I noticed that many more cyclists were on the Route Verte: serious cyclists in groups; recreational cyclists; runners; families, both walking and cycling. Everybody was taking advantage of the beautiful day and were respecting the rules of sharing the path.

I saw her while riding along a straight stretch of the path. Even from more than a couple of hundred metres, I could see that something was amiss. A young woman, in her mid-to-late 20s, riding toward me.

She was wearing a bikini top, looking to get a start on her summer tan. I certainly didn't question her choice of cycling outfit, even though the path was bumpy in several spots and I would have chosen more support. But it was absolutely none of my business to comment on what somebody chooses to wear.

Isn't that right, Béatrice-Desloges Catholic High School?

From more than 100 metres away, I could tell that the bikini top had shifted. It was no longer covering this young woman's breasts. And I was cycling straight toward her.

(Side note to all of my women readers: if your breasts pop out of whatever you're wearing to cover them, do you not notice?)

What was the proper etiquette? How do you inform someone who is riding toward you that she is, perhaps, showing more than she had intended? I only had a couple of seconds, at most, to convey a message. I had to think of what to say. Also, because I was in Québec, did I communicate in French?

I chose to speak in English. As we got within about 20 or so metres from one another, I waved with my left hand to get the young woman's attention. I then spread my fingers and placed my hand on my own chest. With fewer than 10 metres to go, I said, "You're exposed."

One of her own hands went to her chest, and she let out a surprised, "Oh!" as we passed one another.

I didn't stop, didn't look back. Message delivered.

I do have a question for the two riders who passed me, who were still visible, who had also passed this woman. At the point where they passed her and she was between me and them, I could already see that she had popped out of her bikini top. Why didn't they let her know?

I guess my Dad mode had kicked in. If she had been one of my daughters, I'd want her to know.

The rest of my ride, though hot, was uneventful.

I ride again this evening, weather permitting.