Snowed Under

Over the weekend, Toronto got hit by the largest snowstorm in recent memory. This made for difficult travel, but peaceful roads and smiling people. (the ones out braving the weather anyway!) The roads were quiet with light slow moving traffic on them - imagine if that could be everyday! Public transit vehicles were delayed, cycling involved slip sliding through the snow, cars were getting stuck. Bicycles locked up overnight were buried under snowdrifts. The best way today was taking to your own two feet and exploring your local neighbourhood.

Children were being pulled in sleighs, and I saw someone happily getting about town on cross country skis. I had to walk for half an hour on normally bicycle-heavy Queen Street before spotting one brave cyclist to photograph for this article, pulling into the 7-11.

While having fun on foot, I was hoping the roads would be ploughed for cycling to work Monday morning. I fear there may only be one lane on roads like Queen Street to share for streetcars, cars, and bicycles after seeing this:

While I appreciate people clearing the sidewalk for pedestrians, and while I understand with this much snow there is not much place to put it, building a mountain this tall in the curb lane is going to take forever to melt away.

Pedestrians all had big grins on their faces, like kids getting play in the snow again. And like a kid playing in the snow again, I took to the best place to enjoy a snowstorm in Toronto: a toboggan on the hill from Broadview into the Don Valley.

Let us know if you braved the big snowstorm on bicycle!