Just published by our tourism board:
http://insidevancouver.ca/2010/03/25/sce...ine-light-rail/

I managed to convince them that they needed several articles with a cyclist's perspective. So I'll be doing some in the future. I put the link here because it is for anyone visiting Vancouver and seeing some wonderful stuff by bike, including the cafes along the way.

Unfortunately I don't get paid for this. But I love sharing things about our area by bike. So much to see! A few hrs. later, actually got a response from Melbourne, Australia cyclist who's coming to visit our city this summer.

Well done, Orchid! Have you thought of setting up and leading a cycling tour yourself? Or, perhaps, having the article and a further guide in print with complimentary maps or routes at Tourist Information desks in your town?
http://www.holidayuk.co.uk/cycling/index.htm

Orchid, I think it is wonderful that you want to share your passion with others. Great job.

orchid, you are such a good writer. Seems like beginning your blog has opened the flood gates of writing for you.

And with regards to cycling, you make it sound so easy and fun!

I'm thinking there might be some cycle related job for you... Maybe you'd like to work at a bike store. Perhaps not the salary you might be looking for, but with all your knowledge, boy would you be a blessing to the owners and customers.

Thx for the ideas:

Well, to work in a bike shop, one would need to be mechanically inclined simply because it helps alot to answer questions on components, swapping them, etc. In addition to knowing how serve needs of both genders from a cycling perspective.

I admit: I still haven't changed a flat tire..I still feel all thumbs.and alot of experienced women cyclists do this...solo quite well and fast. Kind of stupid, my hang-ups.

Leading bike tours/rides- Um, well so far only local. Would need to become more bike mechanically inclined when other people get a flat tire to help them and more importantly, would need to ramp up on my wayfinding/geospatial skills.

Has blogging opened up certain things for me? I am not sure but things do feel abit different now compared to 5 months ago. When making a blog public and designing a blog for someone else's firm (not one's own), does require a different mindset, which is good for me. A person cannot be introspective. Blogging to help market someone else's biz, opens up doors in terms of networking with more like-minded people in a larger geographic region. People who have known me for last few years, might see a 'different', additional side of me through my written words.

Also many personal acquaintances in the cycling world, had no idea until recently with the blog publishing, about the type of jobs I had /did in the past. They just saw me as a cyclist, a woman and as someone else's partner. Maybe they still do, that's ok. But now they know, I do have a voice on other non-cycling stuff.

A cycling blog for a generic cycling planning firm means interfacing more with men than I normally do within the library profession which is female dominant (80% for latter profession, professional associations have done surveys on membership demographics in past few decades).

Just 1 day before the above travel article that I wrote, was published, I was approached by a family on bikes who were cycling and visiting city from Portland, Oregon.

It was probaby because I was dressed in cycling gear that seemed logical to ask me for guidance on some decent cycling routes. It was raining off and on. So this family was experienced in cycling! They had their 13-15 yr. old son along, also enthusiastically on bike. Based on the bike routes that they showed me that they had already done in Vancouver, it was impressive. I ended up giving them my new city bike map. It normally costs money.

I'm confident, they will pass along that map to other cyclists-friends that they know back home. Usually experienced cyclists value and share cycling-route info. amongst themselves for trip-planning. They bike at home, vacation-bike in the Northwest Pacific Coast and in Netherlands.

I just received a thank-you email from her today upon their return back to Portland.

Coincidentally she has the same first name as myself (now it is a boomer generation common woman's name of the times). The bakery cafe that I met them, is by coincidence one of the eating places I mention in the cycling-travel article.

Yes, life can have occasional incredible coincidences. Real gems!

I don't think I really believe in coincidences...But I do believe in things happening for a reason. Maybe it's the way the Universe is edging you toward your new occupation...(one map at a time?) or just simply extending the joy you get already from the cycling world. For whatever reason, I love reading about this!

The nudges the Universe gives is a given to me.Its is a sense of wonder when events show the connections..I sometimes feel humour is running along side day to day happenings.Also there seems to be a pattern..life is quiet then a few things occur one after the other..

I totally agree, MA. I've had a lot of those nudges this weekend. Some humorous, some just darn right fun. Amazing.