Friday, June 3

Montreal Bike Observation and Tim Horton's Little Secret

DFW Airport Bike Parking Facilities. Your Tax Dollars at Work
I was in Montreal again last week. I kept a careful eye out for bicycles and things bicycling there. Unlike last winter, there wasn't a lot that I had to see that was of note, at least until I got back to the DFW Metroplex, where I was struck by the DFW World Class bicycle parking facilities shown in the photo; taken adjacent to the DFW Airport "Long Term Parking" Entrance. I've concluded it would not be wise to ride my bike to the airport if I were flying. Even the best of locks would not resist a thief that knew he/she might have a week or more to collect the bike. Just forward of the bike, some of the chain link may be seen to have been cut away. FWIW, it is illegal to ride a bike along the main terminal road at DFW because there is a posted minimum speed that precludes it.

I was reminded of the dirty little secret of Tim Hortons while I was in Montreal, however. Their motto, associated mainly with their donuts is "always fresh." Well, once upon a time, that was how donuts really were at Tim's. Nowadays, the only "fresh" aspect to their donuts is that the donuts are freshly defrosted and are made by a Swiss company. The story may be found here or here, along with photos of their sign. Despite that, I was told by my co-travelers that their sandwiches are good all the same. Myself, I stick to Tim's coffee - grande, avec une creme.

Tim Hortons in St Sauveur Quebec - No Bike Rack in Evidence

4 comments:

GreenComotion said...

Good Ole' Timmy's! Even back in the 90s when I was in Canada, I liked their donuts only for a short time, but I did like their coffee. But they weren't cheap for a poor graduate student on a stipend.

I have to go read your story about the "swiss company" making Timmy's donuts now!

Have a good one!

Peace :)

RANTWICK said...

I heard about that, but like Chandra I'm not really about the donuts. Timmie's coffee, however, is a staggeringly integral part of most people's day. I can't believe how thoroughly they have monopolized the coffee market here.

Steve A said...

Rantwick does not exaggerate. The only Starbucks I saw in Montreal was in the International terminal. My theory is that there are secret reciprocal laws that make Timmy's illegal most places in the US in exchange for banning Starbucks from most places in Canada. The reason they have Timmy's in Ohio and New York is to keep up appearances which also explain the few Starbucks that appear in Canadian outposts. It's kind of like embassies and consulates.

Justine Valinotti said...

"The reason they have Timmy's in Ohio and New York is to keep up appearances which also explain the few Starbucks that appear in Canadian outposts. It's kind of like embassies and consulates."

Sacre bleu, Steve! Are you becoming a conspiracy theorist?

But I must concur with you on the absence of Starbuck's in Montreal. I haven't been there in a few years, but I can't recall having seen one there.

I know a guy who has a "beater" specifically to ride to long-term parking at JFK International. He's left it there for two or three weeks and found it untouched. Then again, it's a really ratty bike.

There's actually a bike path that parallels one of the main roads in JFK. It also connects, more or less, to the Greenway that parallels the Belt Parkway along the South Shore of Queens and Brooklyn.

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