Hey there! Call me Ally. I was born and raised more or less in Toronto, and have spent the last 6 years of my adult life working and living here in the city... that is, when I am not travelling! I consider myself an avid cyclist, and I ride my bike everywhere in the city. But, it is also my preferred choice of transportation when I travel -- yes, that's right, I travel by bike and have completed a number of bike tours throughout the last 4 years.

2013: Crotia to Turkey (1700 km in 20 days)
2014: Outerbanks VA and NC (470 km in 5 days) and Finger Lakes (240 km in 3 days). Mountain biking trip in the Yukon Territory (non-touring, though!)
2015: Miami Keys through Alligator Alley (450 km in 5 days)
2016: South Island of NZ (1700 km in 27 days)
2017: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan (1579 km in 33 days), Eastern Europe (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Romania... 4765 km in 68 days)

That's actually how I got more involved with CouchSurfing. There is another platform called WarmShowers, which was made specifically for cycling tourists but effectively the same concept. One of my hosts there suggested I give CouchSurfing another shot on my most recent bike tour, and I fell in love with the community immediately!

I work as an engineer in the wastewater industry, a typical 9-5er, so I can usually only meet you after 5PM on weekdays, but weekends can be a bit more flexible. The more notice the better.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When I think back to my travels, and what I've enjoyed most, the answer is almost always the people. Sure, you can get a glimpse of the culture and history through museums, walking tours, or just exploring on your own, but there is nothing better than to befriend a local. For me, this has always been what I believe a better understanding of where I am visiting. I've had such amazing experiences, and I would love to be able to share and give back to anyone visiting Toronto!

Interests

I'm very active, so usually my evenings are booked up after work, but I would enjoy spending some time with you as a guest, if it can fit in your schedule! I own 7 bicycles (one for everyday of the week I guess) and cycling has been a passion in my life for the last 10 years. Of course, combining that with my never ending wanderlust it was natural to travel by bike. Outside of those interests, I am very passionate about my career as well. I work in water and wastewater treatment design, which is not always everybody's favourite topic to discuss, but it's such an important line of work and I enjoy its intersection with public health. As an engineer, I feel proud to be in this field.

• cycling
• rock climbing
• food
• mountain biking
• meeting new people

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A 4 month bike tour!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach how to go on your very own bike tour. It's such a beautiful way of travelling, and I think everyone can do it even if they think they can't.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Won't be travelling for a little while... but as a host, I hope to extend the WarmShowers culture and welcome my guests with a homecooked meal!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macao, Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, United States, Uzbekistan

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, United States