I am absolutely sick about what happened in Vancouver following the Canucks game seven loss to the Bruins. I went to bed after the second period knowing the game was not going to end well for “Canada’s team”. Having lived in Vancouver for 21 years, including during the 1994 Stanley Cup riot, I knew there was going to be trouble on the street. I didn’t realize how bad it was going to be until I turned on the TV yesterday morning and saw the degree of damage done.

What really struck me while I was watching the news reports was the number of people that were standing around watching all of this unfold. There were people on the street who weren’t taking part in the rampage but were clearly encouraging those who were destroying property and committing acts of violence. Others instead of clearing the area took the time to pose for photos in front of the carnage. There were also “citizen journalists” taking pictures and uploading them to social media sites and sharing them with news organizations and the police.

Many people who consider themselves true Vancouverites have rightly decried the violence. They said that the actions of a few shouldn’t taint the city as a whole and that is true. I feel there needs to be some deeper soul searching done about why hooligans continue to ruin public celebrations. Sadly, the list of public events tainted by mob scenes is a long one: Seafest, 1994 Stanley Cup, First Night, the Guns N’ Roses concert, the riot the first Saturday of the Olympics, a gay bashing after the UFC event, and so on. Then there’s the annual fireworks competition that brings vandalism, violence and the use of the West End as a giant outdoor toilet for the bridge and tunnel crowd. What is it about public events in the city that brings out this element?

To their credit, the good citizens of Vancouver rallied on Facebook Thursday morning and came out in large numbers to help with the clean up. Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr have also become a rallying point to identify those responsible and to organize a positive event to help put some shine back on the jewel. But once again, sadly some of the people commenting have been using racist and homophobic slurs almost taking away from the good and turning it into a social media lynch mob.

If you haven’t had a chance to read it, I highly recommend Gary Mason’s Globe and Mail column Busting myths of Vancouver’s destructive Stanley Cup riot.

Photo credit: Mark Donovan

I’m not totally hardcore when it comes to cycling, if it’s raining hard or cold I’ll probably take public transit. But when the weather is like it is right now, getting around Vancouver on a bike is probably one of the best ways to go.

I sold my car almost a year and a half ago. Since then public transit and biking have been my main forms of transportation. Honestly there have only been a few days where I have wished that I still had it but the feeling soon passes.

I managed to ride my bike to work a couple of times during the Olympics, but honestly, it was cold, wet and not much fun. I’m not totally hardcore when it comes to cycling, if it’s raining hard or cold I’ll probably take public transit. But when the weather is like it is right now, getting around Vancouver on a bike is probably one of the best ways to go.

Vancouver has an awesome bike network. Except for the first five or six blocks, my entire ride to work is on designate bikeways. I’ll be honest, the ride to work isn’t an easy one. Even though there is only one hill, it is pretty much a steady climb the entire way. I’m not complaining, in a few weeks it won’t be a challenge any more. Not to mention it’s a pretty fun ride home.

One of the great things the city did last year was to trial some changes to the Burrard Bridge. Mayor Gregor Robertson took some heat over it. The weekend they were making the changes there was some gridlock but that quickly subsided. There were some merchant protests and where it made sense the city made changes. The apocalypse that was predicted never came to pass. My only complaint has been about pedestrians still using the east side of the bridge, even though it is clearly marked in the signs above they should use the west side. But that’s Vancouver for you, lots of people feel the rules don’t apply to them.

To the City’s credit they aren’t stopping there. They are undertaking a 10-year cycling master plan and they are exploring was to create separated bike lanes to help keep cyclists safe.

Bike to Work Week this year is May 31 to June 6. I know not every company is set up to make it easy for their employees to ride to work. I’m fortunate in that I have access to shower facilities and a bike rack to lock my bike up to. If you have the chance to join in give it a try. If you aren’t sure on what route to take, UBC has created an amazing route planner. It gives you lots of options including shortest path, restricted slope and even least amount of traffic pollution.

Vancouver is a great place to ride. Give it a try, you might like it.

One of the big events that happens every year is the Celebration of Lights fireworks. I’m fortunate enough to be able to watch from my apartment so I don’t have to join the half million or so people who head down to the beach to see it. The fireworks are always great but it’s always disappointing to see the trash left all over the place after.

Thursday morning a group of volunteers was criticized by striking city workers for cleaning up the garbage left on the beach after the fireworks. I really think this was out of line. One company’s employees volunteered their own time and other civic minded people went down rolled up their sleeves and pitched in.

I don’t know enough about the issues involved in the strike to a side in the dispute. The one thing I think is in poor taste is criticizing citizens for taking pride in their city and going out and picking up garbage.

I left work at 2 to make the drive home. It wasn’t too bad except my windshield washer fluid probably isn’t winter grade and it doesn’t help the blades had been frozen for 3 days.

But it wasn’t that bad getting home. I took it nice and slow, let anyone who wanted in front of me and was thankful that the great driver behind me left lots of space between us.

Home safe and sound tonight and I’ll have to book mark this entry to remember the day I really wished that we had rain.