Spring is just a few days away and with it comes milder and improved weather conditions for cycling. The weekly group rides though the winter have been on a "weather permitted" basis and I have been able to get out on a few of them through January and February.
Local Trail News
For those who haven't been around the Edgewater Bar/Derby Reach area in a while, some new sections of multi-use trail have been added. As many of you may know, last year a section of trail was added from 208th Street (half a block north of Allard Crescent) which takes you toward the river, through some farm land then comes back out to Allard. From Allard, another new section of this trail has been added this last Fall/Winter which runs along the north side of Allard Crescent then turns back toward the river and joins with the trail through the Edgewater Bar trails and then the rest of the trail to Fort Langley. I will try to get a route mapped as soon as possible, but have not ridden on the newest section which was still being worked on several weeks ago. Here is a description of the newest section which is a demonstration project of the larger Experience the Fraser project.
"Derby Reach Regional Park: Golden Ears Bridge to Derby Reach Regional Park Connector - the walking/cycling segment in Derby Reach Regional Park is under construction. A grant of $107,000 was received from the Trans Canada Trail Foundation for work in Langley outside the park. This is a partnership between Metro Vancouver and the Township of Langley."
These new sections are to be a part of this much larger project to create multi-use trails from Georgia Straight to Hope along the Fraser River. These new trail sections will now make our route even more "family friendly".
Group Ride Schedule Update
We will continue with the schedule as it is for the time being with some small changes. Because of my involvement in a new part time venture which will require me to attend training sessions on many Saturday mornings, I will likely not be able to lead or join in on many of the next several Saturday rides so I hope someone else will be able to step forward to lead them. I will not be able to lead tomorrow's (March 5) ride, but I have reserved March 12 at the regular 9:30 AM start for a bike ride. Weather permitting, I will be there on that day but other than that I will not be available for the next several weeks for Saturday morning group rides.
Route Map
As a reminder of the route we use for our Saturday group rides here is a map in case you can't find it elsewhere. Note that this map does not include the new trail sections. I will create a new route map at the first opportunity I have to ride the whole route again including the newest trail additions.
I will update the blog as this situation changes and hopefully by the time the warmer mid to late Spring weather arrives I will again be able to lead these and other group rides. I will also be looking into arranging other longer rides using different route for later in the Spring or Summer and certainly another Pitt Meadows, Central Valley Greenway and/or US bike ride are possibilities.
Ride On!
Showing posts with label update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label update. Show all posts
Friday, March 4, 2011
Monday, May 31, 2010
Summer's Coming
It has been a while since updating the blog due to a number of factors. First, I have personally been quite busy with work, my commitments as chair of our Langley committee of the VACC, team leader for my workplace Bike to Work Week team and life in general. We have been having pretty poor weather for our Saturday bike rides with only two or three good days to ride which has resulted in an understandably poor turnout. Even after my recovery from surgery which went into mid spring the weather was poor and I have only been able to ride on 3 Saturdays myself, only one day of which was sunny. I am ever optimistic that we will have good weather as we approach the summer and that we will have good turnouts as a result.
News
In local Valley VeloRider news, I are planning a little bit more promotion of these weekly rides which will include a poster and route map to be made available through the Fort Cyclery Bike Shop to hand out to those interested. In addition the rides will be promoted through the Langley VACC committee event calendar and other local media outlets. Be sure to let anyone interested know about our rides as well. Also, you can now join on our rides even if you don't currently have a bike as the Fort Cyclery now rents bikes at a very reasonable rate which includes a helmet. Check it out on their Rentals page. Since their Saturday hours are 9AM-5PM the shop will be open for the start of our rides. I have also received a request for ride information from Peter Sylvester for his church's mens group to participate in one of more rides. I have sent him the information he needs along with a link to the route.
Speaking of cycling, many of you may know that June is Bike Month and there are many cycling events planned for the month with Bike to Work Week being the first, starting today and going until June 6th. If you work at Trinity Western University and want to participate sign up at http://www.biketoworkmetrovan.ca/, look for Trinity Western University and join our Valley VeloRiders BTWW team. Log your trips daily which will enter you in the Bike-A-Day give away along with other prizes. Otherwise sign up for your workplace and join an existing team or create you own. Be sure to check out the many events during the month of June starting with Velopalooza via their Facebook link or the Velopalooza web site. Another site to check out is B.E.S.T. 's Bike Month website for other Bike Month news and events.
Lastly, if you want to have a say and participate in cycling issues, infrastructure and advocacy in Langley come to our monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of the month 7-9PM at Langley Civic Centre in the Murray Creek meeting room. More information is available at the VACC main web site an the Langley committee link.
Lets ride.!!
News
In local Valley VeloRider news, I are planning a little bit more promotion of these weekly rides which will include a poster and route map to be made available through the Fort Cyclery Bike Shop to hand out to those interested. In addition the rides will be promoted through the Langley VACC committee event calendar and other local media outlets. Be sure to let anyone interested know about our rides as well. Also, you can now join on our rides even if you don't currently have a bike as the Fort Cyclery now rents bikes at a very reasonable rate which includes a helmet. Check it out on their Rentals page. Since their Saturday hours are 9AM-5PM the shop will be open for the start of our rides. I have also received a request for ride information from Peter Sylvester for his church's mens group to participate in one of more rides. I have sent him the information he needs along with a link to the route.
Speaking of cycling, many of you may know that June is Bike Month and there are many cycling events planned for the month with Bike to Work Week being the first, starting today and going until June 6th. If you work at Trinity Western University and want to participate sign up at http://www.biketoworkmetrovan.ca/, look for Trinity Western University and join our Valley VeloRiders BTWW team. Log your trips daily which will enter you in the Bike-A-Day give away along with other prizes. Otherwise sign up for your workplace and join an existing team or create you own. Be sure to check out the many events during the month of June starting with Velopalooza via their Facebook link or the Velopalooza web site. Another site to check out is B.E.S.T. 's Bike Month website for other Bike Month news and events.
Lastly, if you want to have a say and participate in cycling issues, infrastructure and advocacy in Langley come to our monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of the month 7-9PM at Langley Civic Centre in the Murray Creek meeting room. More information is available at the VACC main web site an the Langley committee link.
Lets ride.!!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Upcoming Events
Now that spring is well underway and summer is right around the corner there are many cycling events coming up in the Metro Vancouver area in the next few months. June is Bike Month throughout Canada and there are many events scheduled around this theme for the month of June. A full list of upcoming Bike Month events is available at http://www.bikemonth.ca/events.html.
Here is a list of a few other cycling related events going on throughout the next month.
Golden Ears Bridge Completion Celebration Sunday, June 14, 2009
This long awaited and much debated crossing to Pitt Meadows/Male Ridge is finally here. The bridge is scheduled to open to traffic on June 16, but Translink has schedule a pedestrian only bridge opening party on the bridge deck itself on Sunday June 14. This bridge is also important to cyclists as several groups including the VACC lobbied hard to have safe cycling lanes included in the planning which is extended to the roads and approaches to the bridge as well. The VACC will also be joining the party to hand our maps and other cycling materials. Car parking with shuttles as well a cycling valet service will be provided to participants. Secure bicycle valet services are provided by The Bicycle Valet. More information is available at Translink's website.
Langley side Parking and Shuttle Service - Bike Valet Map
Promotional PDF Brochure
Central Valley Greenway Opening
The Central Valley Greenway is a 25 kilometer route from Science World in Vancouver to Westminster Quay in New Westminster. This bike path route has been in the planning and construction phase for a few years now and is scheduled to be completed this month. An opening day ride is planned for June 27th and would be a great opportunity to enjoy a wonderful new cycling oriented route through the Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster.
More information about the greenway is available here.
"Canada Day 142" Populaire
From the BC Randonneurs Cycling Club Web site:
Start/end: Fort Langley Lions Hall, 23022 88th Ave (at Glover)
BC Randonneurs Cycling Club Canada Day ride 142km covering
scenic Fraser Valley back roads. $20 entry.Snacks.
Everyone welcome! Roger & Ali Holt 604-946-8438, aliholt@telus.net.
www.randonneurs.bc.ca
MEC Great Rides
MEC and the VACC have teamed up to organize "Great Rides" from July to October this year. From the VACC Great Rides web page:
"MEC Great Rides are circular routes taking in beautiful country lanes, vibrant city centres and fun local festivals. The rides range from 25km to 50km along quiet roads and dedicated bike routes (some of the rides will have the choice of longer or shorter routes) and are a family-friendly way to get out on your bike this summer.
Celebration Stations around the route will provide food, drink and encouragement to keep you going and there will be fun things to see as you go. We want to make the event days as worry-free as possible for riders, so we will be providing mechanical support at the Celebration Stations, plus mobile mechanical support should you have difficulties en route (or need a ride back to the start for whatever reason...) In addition, on the ride day you will get a goody bag with safety equipment from MEC and other cool SWAG, a Great Rides route book, bike valet parking and more...plus a whole day of fun and exploration."
There will be 4 scheduled rides, one each month from July through October as follows:
Sunday July 12th - Countryside, Caribbean music and the Golden Ears Bridge. Bike over the brand new bridge between Maple Ridge and Langley. Have fun at the Caribbean music festival in Maple Ridge and explore the quiet lanes of Langley.
Saturday August 15th - Pitt Meadows - Farms, bees and biking the Fraser River Dikes. Taste local honey, or see a bee beard at the honey festival. Bike by farmland surrounded by mountains and along the dikes beside the Fraser and Pitt Rivers.
Sunday September 27th - Port Coquitlam - Bike the Rivers and Trails Festival. Music, rivers, trails and festivities. Enjoy the September weather on your bike along the PoCo Trail.
Sunday October 4th - The Bikennale! A combination bike ride and cultural event, ride between monumental sculptures, music and performance events. Explore the bike paths from Stanley Park to Jericho Beach and beyond to UBC and Queen Elizabeth Park.
Register for one or more of the rides at the VACC Great Rides registration page. There is a cost to these rides as they are partially supported rides with refreshments and mechanical support at the various community stations. See the VACC Great Rides web site for more information.
Velo-City: Vancouver & the bicycle revolution June 4 to September 7, 2009
Vancouver Museum, 1100 Chestnut Street
Vancouver's human-powered revolution that's changing the way people experience and relate to the city, their neighborhoods, and to their own bodies. 604-736-4431,
http://www.museumofvancouver.ca/exhibition.php?id=6
Valley VeloRiders Group Ride
We also have a Valley VeloRiders Group Ride scheduled for Saturday June the 20th (Corrected Date) and participants are invited to my home at the end of the ride for lunch and fellowship. Here are the ride details.
Ride Type: Leisure-Medium
Meet: Reimer Student Centre Cafeteria
Time: 8:00 (We leave no later than 8:30 AM)
Duration: 3-4 hours depending on stops
Planned Route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/VVR-Golden-Ears-Bridge-Route
Distance: 57 km
This is a new route that will not have been ridden by anyone yet as it takes us over the Golden Ears Bridge which will be opening to traffic on June 16th. Because parts of the route around the bridge are not yet mapped we will have to play things by ear a bit as the roads and approaches are so new. We will also be starting earlier this morning than previous rides.
The ride will take us around Pitt Meadows following the Fraser and Alouette Rivers along the dyke road. As this ride could incorporate riding on some non-paved bike paths, bikes with skinny road tires are not recommended. Mountain bikes or hybrid bikes would be best for this ride. The route is mostly flat with a 1.2 km climb near the beginning and a longer less steep climb into Forest Hills.
I would like to also invite anyone joining on the ride to stop at my home on the way back for lunch and refreshments before riding the last 4 km to TWU. Please RSVP if you are wanting to stop for lunch at my place so that we know how many people to prepare for.
Richard.
Here is a list of a few other cycling related events going on throughout the next month.
Golden Ears Bridge Completion Celebration Sunday, June 14, 2009
This long awaited and much debated crossing to Pitt Meadows/Male Ridge is finally here. The bridge is scheduled to open to traffic on June 16, but Translink has schedule a pedestrian only bridge opening party on the bridge deck itself on Sunday June 14. This bridge is also important to cyclists as several groups including the VACC lobbied hard to have safe cycling lanes included in the planning which is extended to the roads and approaches to the bridge as well. The VACC will also be joining the party to hand our maps and other cycling materials. Car parking with shuttles as well a cycling valet service will be provided to participants. Secure bicycle valet services are provided by The Bicycle Valet. More information is available at Translink's website.
Langley side Parking and Shuttle Service - Bike Valet Map
Promotional PDF Brochure
Central Valley Greenway Opening
The Central Valley Greenway is a 25 kilometer route from Science World in Vancouver to Westminster Quay in New Westminster. This bike path route has been in the planning and construction phase for a few years now and is scheduled to be completed this month. An opening day ride is planned for June 27th and would be a great opportunity to enjoy a wonderful new cycling oriented route through the Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster.
More information about the greenway is available here.
"Canada Day 142" Populaire
From the BC Randonneurs Cycling Club Web site:
This year's route is 142 km long to celebrate Canada's 142th birthday. (Route available later - here's the 2008 route.) The start & finish location is at the Fort Langley Lions Seniors Hall on the corner of Glover Road and 88th (entrance to parking off 88th). There will be 3 controls along the route and each will have water, fruit and some type of sweet (cookies and/or cake). The route offers a mix of terrain and mostly quiet country roads taking you from scenic Fort Langley through Matsqui and quaint Clayburn, across Sumas Prairie, up Sumas Mountain, through Veddar Crossing, returning across Sumas Prairie, through Huntington, Aldergrove and back to Fort Langley.
Wednesday, July 1, start time between 8-9am Start/end: Fort Langley Lions Hall, 23022 88th Ave (at Glover)
BC Randonneurs Cycling Club Canada Day ride 142km covering
scenic Fraser Valley back roads. $20 entry.Snacks.
Everyone welcome! Roger & Ali Holt 604-946-8438, aliholt@telus.net.
www.randonneurs.bc.ca
MEC Great Rides
MEC and the VACC have teamed up to organize "Great Rides" from July to October this year. From the VACC Great Rides web page:
"MEC Great Rides are circular routes taking in beautiful country lanes, vibrant city centres and fun local festivals. The rides range from 25km to 50km along quiet roads and dedicated bike routes (some of the rides will have the choice of longer or shorter routes) and are a family-friendly way to get out on your bike this summer.
Celebration Stations around the route will provide food, drink and encouragement to keep you going and there will be fun things to see as you go. We want to make the event days as worry-free as possible for riders, so we will be providing mechanical support at the Celebration Stations, plus mobile mechanical support should you have difficulties en route (or need a ride back to the start for whatever reason...) In addition, on the ride day you will get a goody bag with safety equipment from MEC and other cool SWAG, a Great Rides route book, bike valet parking and more...plus a whole day of fun and exploration."
There will be 4 scheduled rides, one each month from July through October as follows:
Sunday July 12th - Countryside, Caribbean music and the Golden Ears Bridge. Bike over the brand new bridge between Maple Ridge and Langley. Have fun at the Caribbean music festival in Maple Ridge and explore the quiet lanes of Langley.
Saturday August 15th - Pitt Meadows - Farms, bees and biking the Fraser River Dikes. Taste local honey, or see a bee beard at the honey festival. Bike by farmland surrounded by mountains and along the dikes beside the Fraser and Pitt Rivers.
Sunday September 27th - Port Coquitlam - Bike the Rivers and Trails Festival. Music, rivers, trails and festivities. Enjoy the September weather on your bike along the PoCo Trail.
Sunday October 4th - The Bikennale! A combination bike ride and cultural event, ride between monumental sculptures, music and performance events. Explore the bike paths from Stanley Park to Jericho Beach and beyond to UBC and Queen Elizabeth Park.
Register for one or more of the rides at the VACC Great Rides registration page. There is a cost to these rides as they are partially supported rides with refreshments and mechanical support at the various community stations. See the VACC Great Rides web site for more information.
Velo-City: Vancouver & the bicycle revolution June 4 to September 7, 2009
Vancouver Museum, 1100 Chestnut Street
Vancouver's human-powered revolution that's changing the way people experience and relate to the city, their neighborhoods, and to their own bodies. 604-736-4431,
http://www.museumofvancouver.ca/exhibition.php?id=6
Valley VeloRiders Group Ride
We also have a Valley VeloRiders Group Ride scheduled for Saturday June the 20th (Corrected Date) and participants are invited to my home at the end of the ride for lunch and fellowship. Here are the ride details.
Ride Type: Leisure-Medium
Meet: Reimer Student Centre Cafeteria
Time: 8:00 (We leave no later than 8:30 AM)
Duration: 3-4 hours depending on stops
Planned Route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/VVR-Golden-Ears-Bridge-Route
Distance: 57 km
This is a new route that will not have been ridden by anyone yet as it takes us over the Golden Ears Bridge which will be opening to traffic on June 16th. Because parts of the route around the bridge are not yet mapped we will have to play things by ear a bit as the roads and approaches are so new. We will also be starting earlier this morning than previous rides.
The ride will take us around Pitt Meadows following the Fraser and Alouette Rivers along the dyke road. As this ride could incorporate riding on some non-paved bike paths, bikes with skinny road tires are not recommended. Mountain bikes or hybrid bikes would be best for this ride. The route is mostly flat with a 1.2 km climb near the beginning and a longer less steep climb into Forest Hills.
I would like to also invite anyone joining on the ride to stop at my home on the way back for lunch and refreshments before riding the last 4 km to TWU. Please RSVP if you are wanting to stop for lunch at my place so that we know how many people to prepare for.
Richard.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Group Ride Rescheduled
The group ride originaly scheduled for this coming Saturday (March 14) has has been rescheduled for Saturday April 4. This was because of the weather that still has us in the grips of winter and the coming weekend is predicted to be cold and wet which makes for a much less enjoyable ride. If we get good weath in April we may be able to schedule another ride in April, later in the month.
Richard.
Richard.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Valley VeloRiders Lunch Meeting
Hi all,
We we are now almost through February and the weather is starting to warm up, so it is time to start thinking about sceduling a few rides pretty soon. To start things off I would like to schedule an informal meeting over lunch in the TWU Reimer Student Centre cafeteria on Friday, Feb. 27 between 12-1 PM for those who can attend. I know that some are off campus or away and won't be able to attend,but as I stated it will be an informal meeting to find from as many as possible to just bounce around some ideas for the group such as:
Group ride starting points
Types and locations of group rides - For example would there be an interest in group rides on Vancouver Island or to Lynden, etc.
Seek volunteers for maintaining group ride FaceBook Group, Web Blog, calendar and leading rides.
Also I will bring a laptop to the lunch meeting to demonstrate the various online tools I have set up for the group.
Please let me know if you can attend this meeting. I will probably schedule another meeting the day of our first ride. (1-2 hours prior to the ride for example). This announcement will be posted in the Facebook Group, the web blog and added to our group Calendar.
Richard
We we are now almost through February and the weather is starting to warm up, so it is time to start thinking about sceduling a few rides pretty soon. To start things off I would like to schedule an informal meeting over lunch in the TWU Reimer Student Centre cafeteria on Friday, Feb. 27 between 12-1 PM for those who can attend. I know that some are off campus or away and won't be able to attend,but as I stated it will be an informal meeting to find from as many as possible to just bounce around some ideas for the group such as:
Group ride starting points
Types and locations of group rides - For example would there be an interest in group rides on Vancouver Island or to Lynden, etc.
Seek volunteers for maintaining group ride FaceBook Group, Web Blog, calendar and leading rides.
Also I will bring a laptop to the lunch meeting to demonstrate the various online tools I have set up for the group.
Please let me know if you can attend this meeting. I will probably schedule another meeting the day of our first ride. (1-2 hours prior to the ride for example). This announcement will be posted in the Facebook Group, the web blog and added to our group Calendar.
Richard
Friday, January 23, 2009
Valley VeloRiders update
Hi all,
Though I have not had much more to tell everyone about the new cycling group, that doesn't mean that things have been standing still. I have been fairly busy behind the scenes and felt it was time to provide everyone with an update of what has been accomplished so far. As of today I have nearly finished a number of things and though they are not complete, things are well on their way. Without further delay, here is a list of what has been accomplished up to this point:
1. A Facebook Group (Valley Velo-Riders) has been created and some basic content has been added. As an aside I have asked the Facebook support staff to rename this group to Valley VeloRiders to be in line with the domain name. Hyphens aren't normally recommended for domain names which I registered after creating the group.
2. A Gmail account has been created with an email address of ValleyVeloRiders@gmail.com. Gmail was chosen because it can provide us with some useful tools. Future email updates will come from this email address which will make it easier for you to create an inbox filter and provide some separation from my TWU staff email address. It will also provide continuity when I am not available or heaven forbid unable to continue to participate. It provides us with tools such as a Photo Gallery, a public Calendar for scheduling rides and access to a Blogger account which brings me to item...
3. A blog has been created for those without Facebook accounts. Essentially any information posted to the Facebook Group will be mirrored on the blog at least as much as is possible. It has also been set up with some basic content.
4. I have also registered a domain name which is 'valleyveloriders.org' which can provide us with future possibilities. Currently the domain name points to the blog to make it easier for people to remember and access. The blog address is http://www.valleyveloriders.org or http://valleyveloriders.org.
5. A bikely.com account has been created for mapping bike rides.
6. A 'My Cycling Log' group has been created for those who have this type of account for logging their cycling. I highly recommend this web site as a way to track your cycling and/or exercise for those interested. I will provide more details about this option later.
It may seem like there is a lot here but once everything is set up I will provide clear instructions on what is available and how to make use of these options for those interested. Each one of the items is completely optional with only the blog and the Facebook group being the important ones as this is where the actual ride plans and events will be posted and the calendar will have the schedule listed. I would recommend though that you add the address 'valleyveloriders@gmail.com' and 'valleyveloriders.org' be added to your 'Safe Senders' junk mail filters. This will allow you to make use of calendar event reminders and/or subscribe options available.
One of the next steps prior to organizing our first ride will be to schedule a meeting to discuss the group, its future as well as to seek out anyone willing to assist with the ride planning and communication through the Facebook Group and blog. This information is also posted on the blog and the Facebook Group.
Please feel free check out the Facebook group and the blog and provide any feedback or suggestions.
Though I have not had much more to tell everyone about the new cycling group, that doesn't mean that things have been standing still. I have been fairly busy behind the scenes and felt it was time to provide everyone with an update of what has been accomplished so far. As of today I have nearly finished a number of things and though they are not complete, things are well on their way. Without further delay, here is a list of what has been accomplished up to this point:
1. A Facebook Group (Valley Velo-Riders) has been created and some basic content has been added. As an aside I have asked the Facebook support staff to rename this group to Valley VeloRiders to be in line with the domain name. Hyphens aren't normally recommended for domain names which I registered after creating the group.
2. A Gmail account has been created with an email address of ValleyVeloRiders@gmail.com. Gmail was chosen because it can provide us with some useful tools. Future email updates will come from this email address which will make it easier for you to create an inbox filter and provide some separation from my TWU staff email address. It will also provide continuity when I am not available or heaven forbid unable to continue to participate. It provides us with tools such as a Photo Gallery, a public Calendar for scheduling rides and access to a Blogger account which brings me to item...
3. A blog has been created for those without Facebook accounts. Essentially any information posted to the Facebook Group will be mirrored on the blog at least as much as is possible. It has also been set up with some basic content.
4. I have also registered a domain name which is 'valleyveloriders.org' which can provide us with future possibilities. Currently the domain name points to the blog to make it easier for people to remember and access. The blog address is http://www.valleyveloriders.org or http://valleyveloriders.org.
5. A bikely.com account has been created for mapping bike rides.
6. A 'My Cycling Log' group has been created for those who have this type of account for logging their cycling. I highly recommend this web site as a way to track your cycling and/or exercise for those interested. I will provide more details about this option later.
It may seem like there is a lot here but once everything is set up I will provide clear instructions on what is available and how to make use of these options for those interested. Each one of the items is completely optional with only the blog and the Facebook group being the important ones as this is where the actual ride plans and events will be posted and the calendar will have the schedule listed. I would recommend though that you add the address 'valleyveloriders@gmail.com' and 'valleyveloriders.org' be added to your 'Safe Senders' junk mail filters. This will allow you to make use of calendar event reminders and/or subscribe options available.
One of the next steps prior to organizing our first ride will be to schedule a meeting to discuss the group, its future as well as to seek out anyone willing to assist with the ride planning and communication through the Facebook Group and blog. This information is also posted on the blog and the Facebook Group.
Please feel free check out the Facebook group and the blog and provide any feedback or suggestions.
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