BCBC In The Fall: Adventures with Riker

A few years ago I went to the trouble of defining what I saw as my unique roles in life - "adventurer" was one of them. When I went to school that part of me got sidelined quite a bit. Since another of my roles is "Father," I decided to combine the two. Riker and I had a little adventure a little over two month ago. He skipped school (with Jobina's consent) and we went up to the wildlands of Mennville where we stayed in the Dueck's cabin (Thanks Terry and Brian!). Interestingly, we got up there pretty late (it was dark) and it was raining. The trail was a little wet and when I tried to get my van down a "shortcut" to avoid some water I got stuck. Riker was so funny - when he realized we were stuck he actually screamed out "We're going to die!!" After calming him down we walked to Eric and Lindsey's to see about getting a little help but they weren't home. So we walked over to Walden and Eileens and not only did Walden get us out, but he kindly offered us his 4X4 truck to get out to the cabin. We were overwhelmed by his generosity and soon we we bouncing down the trail feeling much more confident. Riker was still thinking that we might meet our demise though when after bouncing down the trail for a few minutes we were stopped by trees that had fallen across the trail. So we got out in the rain and dragged those big trees out of the way. A few minutes later we reached the cabin in the dark and had a great time unloading and getting a fire started. Some highlights of that evening involved gathering birch bark in the dark, playing uno by candlelight, Riker reading me Bible stories, and triumphantly getting the fire going.
The next day we got up and Riker was in much better spirits. After breakfast we went exploring in the surrounding bush. This was probably the most fun Riker had - it was tough dragging him back to pack up. Here's me and the boy:


Riker found some "cool bones" in the forest. Here he is posing with them (with machete as well):

Some flowers growing beside the cabin:

Riker hacking branches of trees, deep in the forest:


But we wanted to get up to BCBC and help out in the remodelling of the kitchen so eventually we had to leave. BCBC is our family camp - I've been going there since I was 8 years old and it is kind of spiritual centering point for me. I'm rarely up there when it's fall, so the colors of the trees changing were quite awesome to behold. Here's a bald eagle we saw on the side of the Pine Dock road as we drove north:


I'm afraid I didn't do very much to help out (probably a total of 2 or 3 hours) but that was never the main intent anyway. Basically I just wanted to hang out up there with Riker and show him that it was important to serve. Here's a picture of Riker putting screws into the floor:


Later that day we went out to the overnight site on the point. During the summer we set up old canvas prospector tents there, but right now only the frames are visible:




Later after helping out some more, everyone left us and Riker and I moved into Robin's Nest (a cabin) and went to the firepit and had ourselves a great weiner roast:


The stars were out and the night was one of those eerily quiet ones - almost no wind. Very beautiful. That night Riker read to me more Bible stories (I get kind of choked up when I think about it - staying in a cabin at my camp overnight with my son - and him reading Bible stories to me - Wow I am blessed!) and we both slept well. The next day we took some pics around the camp and then headed for home:







It's funny, when I reflect on all the things I have done this year, this is probably at the top of my list. Spending time going on adventures with my son - that to me is time very well spent. I often have great intent, but am poor on follow through when it comes to such things. But this time it worked out and I am thankful. To keep myself accountable I told Trinity that her time is next. Hopefully we'll have a chance to do that before Christmas (or shortly afterward) . . .

The Nicest Hike In Canada

Well, I am back from our vacation. It was an interesting one - first we went to Jobina's 15 year high school reunion at Caronport, then we headed to Calgary to see family and then Jobina I split up. Not permanently mind you, but I went with my friend Mike to go on an outdoor adventure and she went and hung out with her family. I must say my wife is absolutely wonderful to allow me to 2 days in our precious family vacation to go and do something like this away from the rest of the family. It was very fun.

Mike and I left Calgary and I didn't know where we were going - we decided he was going to surprise me. All I knew is that we'd be hiking. Where we ended up going was Waterton National Park, one of Canada's best kept secrets. The little town of Waterton nestled into the park is absolutely picturesque, just visiting the town is enough to renew a weary soul. But the best was yet to come.

We arrived late in the afternoon to Waterton and then had a mediocre supper after which we explored the town. We noticed there was a rustic looking theater in the town and went to a late night showing of "Inception" which was very good and rather mind blowing. In front of us was an older couple and amazingly one of the couple's mothers. I can only imagine how seriously confused this poor granny was at the end of that movie!

After that we "camped" in Mike's van and the next morning he surprised me by taking me down to the docks. Our hike, he explained, would start with a boat ride to trailhead. We boarded the Miss Waterton with many other hikers and went for a short 15 minute boat ride while we were briefed by a slightly serious and mostly humorous boat guy about the perils of bear avoidance, outdoor biffies, and dehydration. We would be deposited shortly before 10 and the last boat pick up was at 5. Don't miss it, he said, unless you want to spend a night in the mountains with the bears.

The Crypt Lake Trail was about 17 km round trip which doesn't sound that bad (it didn't sound that bad to me) but there is about a 700m elevation gain. That's over 2300 feet! For a prairie boy this is fairly incredible to contemplate but mercifully I didn't know these figures when we started.

This trail is considered by many to be the nicest hike in Canada and I can see why. After you get out of the treeline, every time you look up you are met with an incredible view. Here are some of the highlights:

-Waiting for the Miss Waterton ($18 for a ride there and back) to take us down the lake to the trailhead:



-About 2 km in, viewing Upper Waterton Lake from above.



-Almost there: Climbing a fixed ladder up to the rock tunnel. The tunnel is a naturally occurring tunnel that the park service has enlarged to help larger hikers get through. Most people have to take their pack off but I squeezed my way through it OK.



-Here's a good shot of Mike traversing a scree field. On our way down I basically ran down this stretch as I was so overjoyed to not be going up anymore! My knees paid for that run a few kilometers later.


Some beautiful wildflowers along the way. I enjoyed seeing many different species of flowers that we never see in Manitoba:


On some of the sketchier areas near the rock tunnel, there are fixed steel cables to hold onto so you don't fall to your death. I dared Mike to grab one and lean out and over the precipice - which of course he did immediately. Don't tell his wife!


-Here was our destination: beautiful Crypt Lake. This hidden and stunning lake has crystal blue water teaming with fish. Not too swimmable though as the water is absolutely frigid! Yes, that is snow at the base and I enjoyed making (and throwing) a snowball in the middle of summer. An interesting fact is that the far end of the lake is actually in Montana - you can cross the American border without any hassles at all up here. We stayed up for about half 45 minutes and enjoyed the view as we ate our lunch.


It took pretty much all day to go up and come down but we reached the trailhead with 5 minutes to spare before the boat arrived to pick us up. My knees were shot and my blisters had blisters but I was elated. My first real mountain hike! I decided after this experience that day hikes are good, multi-day hikes are bad. I loved moving quickly and lightly. The Crypt Lake Hike is apparently one of three major hikes in the park and I plan to return and do the other two as soon as I can (after I get in shape)!

Flying Hovercraft

Rudy Heeman is an inventive museum mechanic who threw this flying hovercraft together in his free time. I have always loved hovercraft, I so much want one of these!

New Bike Giddiness

"When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments. Here was a machine of precision and balance for the convenience of man. And (unlike subsequent inventions for man's convenience) the more he used it, the fitter his body became. Here, for once, was a product of man's brain that was entirely beneficial to those who used it, and of no harm or irritation to others. Progress should have stopped when man invented the bicycle."
~Elizabeth West, Hovel in the Hills



Saturday was a beautiful day as my loving in-laws dropped off my beautiful new bike to me. I am so thankful to my friend Mike for picking up the bike for me in Airdrie and my in-laws for bringing it here from Alberta (thanks guys!). I have been looking for a new bike for over 2 years so as you could imagine it was a very good day! It's a new custom built Jamis Dragon Team. I bought it from a former bike mechanic who builds custom bikes for people. I saw the ad on kijiji and it sounded like everything I was looking for: a steel hardtail (hard to find these days) with very decent components. Ironically because my weekend was so busy I haven't had any time yet to ride it yet, but that will change today. Anyone want to go for a little pedal?

For any bike geeks out there, here's the specs:

- 2007 Jamis Dragon Team frame made of Reynold's 853 Cromoly.
- Shimano XTR (M952) shifters and derailleurs.
- XTR crank set (M960) with 175mm arm length and Shimano (M959) pedals.
- Avid Juicy Carbon disc brakes with 160mm rotors.
- FSA carbon handle bars with ODI Ruffian grips.
- Thomson seatpost with Selle Italia XO saddle.
- Mavic 717 rims with Shimano XT center lock hubs.
- DT Swiss 6 bolt center lock adapters.
- Maxxis Crossmark Tires.
- Race Face Deus 110mm stem.
- Chris King Headset (Black).
- Manitou Platinum R7 100mm travel front fork.

I really like the red flame paint job, it makes me smile everytime I look at it . . .

Ant Ingenuity

Ants are my heroes!

Camp Morton Yurts Review

Camp Morton Yurts, Manitoba Review (and suggestions)

This past weekend my family did something new: instead of our usual tent camping at the wilderness area of Camp Morton Provincial Park we accepted the invitation of the illustrious Howe's (a very cool families in our church) and went "yurting" instead. Yurts are modern outdoor tent structures based on the refined designs used for centuries by Mongolian nomads.


Let me just say, for someone who is mostly a wilderness camper staying in a campground (even in yurt) seemed in principle to be a betrayal of my camping philosophy. My philosophy can be summed up like this:

1. Be as far away from other campers/people/civilization as possible.
2. As much as possible, carry all your own gear, be self propelled.
3. Travel light and simply.


All of my philosophy had to be thrown out the window. Instead I tentatively tried what Manitoba parks calls "comfort camping." What does this mean? Basically, you are coddled. Instead of a tent you get a large 16 foot diameter yurt complete with rustic bunk bed, table/chairs, futon, armoir, and coat tree. Not only this, but the yurt has lights, yes that's right, ELECTRICITY. You have dimmable lights, power sockets, a fan, and (I kid you not) an electric heater. A large transparent (and openable) dome in the ceiling lets you see the stars or sky at all times. Outside your door you have a nice covered deck and kitchen area which is great for cooking (no cooking in the yurt). There is also an outside light there. In front of your deck you have your own firepit, a picnic table, and you own personal wagon for transporting your stuff from the car to your site. It was so cushy that it was overwhelming. And I'm ashamed to say that we did, ahem, use the heater when it got a bit cool in the evening. Yes we did and I enjoyed it's toasty warmness. Here's a few pics:

Skylight dome and top of bunk bed


Front of yurt and deck.

Jobina cooking in her al frescoe outdoor kitchen area.

The lakeview from inside yurt #2 , looking out.

For a family, this kind of camping is just way to ideal. It's so easy. During a short rainstorm we just hung out in the yurt and when we got hungry we went outside onto our deck and cooked our hotdogs on our stove (which we'd brought ourselves). The yurt was so esthetically pleasing - round rooms feel better for the soul somehow - that I usually didn't want to leave. Of course I did as Camp Morton Provincial Park has lots to offer: trails, swimming (our yurt had a nice lakeview), the gardens, etc. Definitely more then enough for a young family for one weekend. We had the Howe's over at our yurt for campfires in the evening and had a blast. Also, since the yurts are brand new at the park this year we were presented with a cheezy T-shirt to mark the occasion. Sweet unexpected additional value! Also, unlike some campgrounds (yes, I'm talking about you Bird's Hill and Ambrose), firewood is free and plentiful.

Will and Keith testing the waters (literally).

Do I recommend the yurts at Camp Morton? Absolutely. If you are a family with 2 or 3 young kids it is easy and enjoyable to enjoy the park. The extra money required ($47 for a yurt per night as compared to $15 for a campsite) is so worth it. Trust me, you won't be dissapointed. I'd also go as couple looking for some time away. Unless absolute privacy is your highest ideal, you could have a very nice and relaxing weekend for two for under $100 (plus food and gas of course). Very cheap for what you get. We will be going back.

Suggestions: If you are booking online, I'd try for yurt #2 first. It has in my opinion the nicest blend of privacy, view, and a bit of a bigger deck as it has a nice wheelchair accessible ramp that my son enjoyed biking down. Yurt #2 is also close to a water source which was nice. My second choice would be Yurt #1, my third choice Yurt #3, and my 4th choice Yurt #8. Yurts 1-3 and 6-8 are kind of grouped together, something to keep in mind if you come as a group. If you have lots of kids in your group and you want to hang out as much as possible with others in your group, keeping them constantly within line of sight, choose yurts 6-8 as you there is little foilage between them. There is also a nice (but tricky) path to the beach just south of them. Bikes are not essential but are nice to help you get around quickly. If you have any questions about the yurts, feel free to post them in the comments below!

Bike To Work Day

Hey everyone, just a reminder that this Friday is the official Bike To Work Day here in Winnipeg. Personally I love biking but I know that not everyone spends alot of time on their bicycle. But hey, maybe it would be fun to try it again? Why not dust off that old 10 speed, mountain bike, or 80's BMX and do some pedaling?

I'm going to ride to work on my old 94 Specialized Hard Rock - effective and stylish. It's definitely slower then a road bike, but I'm not sure I'm ready to become a roadie at this point (though I have flirted with the notion as it makes sense living in the city). My overall commute will be about 30km (both ways) so if your commute is shorter . . . feel the shame! Seriously though, what better day to try a different way of getting to work. If you would commute to work how far would it be? Would you be willing to try biking it? Just curious . . .

Twilight Riding

Twilight: the time of day immediately following sunset; "he loved the twilight"; "they finished before the fall of night"

For the past two nights, about 20 minutes after sunset (while there is still just enough light to see your way) I have gone for a bike ride. Throwing on my old BCBC sweater and my helmet I grab my '94 Specialized Hard Rock and go for a ride around my neighborhood. There is enough light to still see where you are going but enough darkness that things feel magical and special. I have always enjoyed this time. You feel like you can ride forever. The first time I went I took a little river trail a few blocks away and it was pure bliss. Tight, twisting singletrack coaxed me to pedal faster and faster. I dutifully obeyed. Beautiful.

Last night it was a bit too wet for the river so I stuck to the roads and sidewalks. Again I pedaled hard, an old and worshipful tune from Mortal reverbrating through my head and I pedaled for all I was worth. In that moment I felt alive, at peace, and close to God. It was a time of pure joy.

I love my bike. I love it's heavy old school steel frame that seems so indestructible yet has enough give to soak up the bumps. It feels "lively," if steel can be that way. It was my first bike that I bought with my own money and it has outlasted its modern successor that I bought several years later. They don't make many steel framed bikes anymore and it's a shame.

It's time to buy a new bike but I already know that I'm not giving up my old one. I have too many memories and I'm way too emotionally attached. The only other thing I have been this attached to was my old Suzuki Sidekick, but even that is not in the same league. I can't say I ever felt close to God driving my Sidekick (the opposite actually!), but I have felt that many times on my old red bike. It makes me smile everytime I get on it.

Got A Bike?

To me, spring is about getting back on one's bike so to speak. I mean this literally and non-literally. I am getting so excited about biking again! Also spring is about getting back into exercise, discipline, and health after a long winter. To inspire you to get off your duff and get on a bike, here's a video I recently saw on neatorama:

Book Review: Holding Fast

Book Review: Holding Fast: The Untold Story of The Mount Hood Tragedy

I wasn't sure if I would make it through this book. After reading the first chapter or two I was struck by an incredibly strong desire not to continue reading! The book is all about a tragedy and as the story unfolded I began to feel a sense of dread about where it was going. Written by the wife of a climber who gets the news that her husband did not make it off the mountain, she writes honestly and openly enough that you feel right along with her. Usually a quick reader, I put the book down for a couple of weeks. This past weekend I picked it up again and forced myself to keep going with it. I was very glad I did.

Holding Fast is written by Karen James, the widow of a mountain climber Kelly James. The book is about the life of this amazing couple and the series of events that lead to a massive search and rescue effort on Mount Hood, looking for Kelly. What Karen and her children go through, the efforts of the searchers, and the response by family and friends make this a truly compelling story. Painful yes, but therapeutic as well. It is a book about letting go - on several levels. It would be difficult to not be inspired by the life of Kelly - he truly loved life but was not a prisoner to it. Like myself he found himself closest to God when outdoors. He is described as a man who loved hard, risked hard, and laughed hard - all traits I'd like to have more of. He seemed to have a good balance between fully enjoying this life and longing for the next.

Kelly's faith was a rock to his wife but she had to find her own faith in the aftermath of Kelly's death. The response by her friends and family and the powerful steps she took in the grieving process would be helpful for anyone going through grief (or wanting to know how to help those who are). How does one recover from terrible tragedy, when the thing you loved the most is taken from you? Karen seems to have found the answers to this painful question and the end result is hope for herself and those who read her story.

Most North American movies are the ones with happy endings, but if you read only such books, you are missing out on a major part of the human experience - overcoming suffering. I recommend this book to anyone interested in questions about life, suffering, faith, or anyone with a passion for the outdoors. Very readable, thought provoking, and real. 4 out of 5 ninja stars.

P.S. This was the first book I read through Thomas Nelson's free book review program for bloggers. Find out more about it here.

"Oh My!"

Those are the words I first used when I first saw this unusual video:



I'm not sure what is the most impressive; the sheer creativity to come up with the idea to do the stunt or the courage involved to actually do it. I really, really would have liked to see what happened in his first two attempts!

Hecla XC Ski Trip

Two weekends ago, I went on XC ski trip retreat with some friends up at Hecla. Dalen got us a waterfront (or more appropriately "ice-front") cabin up there and we spent just over three days skiing, hanging out, playing games, reading, and discussing life stuff. All in all it was time well spent and the whole weekend cost me less then $80 which included ski rentals from MEC, food, and my part of renting the cabin. Jobina always says I'm a better man when I get back from something like this and I think she's right.

Day 1 (Friday)

Dalen and I met in the city at my house. Usually when we do a trip together it is more rustic and weight/supply choices are very important. Not this time! Basically we could pack whatever we wanted - and we still had room in the car! Staying in a cabin with electricity and plumbing that you can actually drive right up to seemed so luxurious. I actually took a suitcase instead of a pack! Can't remember the last time I did that on an outdoor trip. After spending some time drooling over gear and clothes at MEC I rented some skis and we headed north. Along the way we discussed some intense theological ideas which is always good. As we got further north I realized I had forgotten my Park Pass. We decided to stop in Mennville at Stan and Luella Brandt's house to inquire if they had one (they did, thanks Amy for fetching it). We also stayed for coffee was which was cool (the hospitality of Mennville is always exceptional - thanks Brandts)!

By the time we made it to the island it was dark. We stopped at the new Hecla Oasis resort to get some trail maps and chatted with the front desk guy about the resort. It seems quite reasonable to stay there during the week - a mere $140 for your room. Then we went and found our cabin - very nice! Here's pic of the kitchen:

We were itching to go out skiing and it was then that I couldn't find my headlamp so we went skiing in the dark - a new experience! We got lost only once and eventually found our way to the the resort. We found a bench at the back of the resort and stopped for a rest and some fuel (chips and Eatmore bars). Watching the people inside the restaurant through the huge windows was entertaining - we made up stories about the people inside and their crazy lives. Then we skied back to the cabin. Along the way we both heard/saw something skulking in the trees along the trail but didn't say anything to each other until the next day - we didn't want the other person to freak out! We snacked heavily in the evening and stayed up late talking about relationships and other deep topics.

Day 2 (Saturday)

We slept in and when we woke up the weather was great and we saw some deer in our backyard:

I was excited to see two islands off in the distance: Punk and Little Punk. One of my adventure goals for the weekend was to set foot on Punk Island (and thereby cross it off my list of Lake Winnipeg islands to visit). We had two other guys joining us sometime after lunch but we were wanting to see if the ice could be skied across. I noticed lots of people ice fishing so we decided to ski out and talk to them (as well as test the snow cover on the ice). We skied on the ice (it wasn't too bad at all) out to a lady ice-fishing and had a great conversation with her (turns out her husband was the guy at the front desk of the resort). Both of them moved up to Hecla to retire and they now live here year round. What a great life! She told us we should ski out to one of the commercial fishermen out on the ice and ask the if they could show us what they do. We did and 15 minutes later got to see how they do their thing. Very interesting but feeling guilty, we headed back for lunch and found Dalen's brother Matt and his friend Alan waiting for us at the cabin. We caught up, had a great lunch, and then headed out on the groomed trails of Hecla. I'd guess we did about 15-17 km of intense skiing before making it back to the cabin for supper. Later in the evening my friends Jay and Dahlen came up and we played some board games in the evening. Then they went home (after delivering us some supplies to help us the next morning in our attempt to make it to Punk Island). Again we went too bed too late.

Day 3 (Sunday)
Woke up and the view of the islands was again pretty good. Here's a pic of us preparing to leave the safety of Hecla and venture across the ice:


The thing about these lake crossings is that all of a sudden a snowstorm or wind can result in a total whiteout while you're out on the ice - a very scary situation. Luckily we had my friend Terry's maps, compass, and GPS to help us find our way back if something should go wrong out there. Which was good as after about 10 minutes of skiing a whiteout made the islands impossible to see for half an hour! This is what it looks like when the snow begins to blow:


It's difficult to describe the feeling of skiing into a big white "nothing" and hoping that you are still going in the same direction as where you started. You don't want to miss your target! It's like being in very white, very cold desert. A little later we were all relieved to see the outline of first one and then both islands a kilometer or so away. Eventually we made it to land again. First we stopped at Little Punk and took pictures. Here's a nice pic of the coast:



Matthew saw a clearing up on the isle and with some amazing ski prowess managed to make his way up a very steep coastline - only to find an old cabin! Very cool. We checked it out (it was more shack then cabin) and then left.


I had some problems with my skis not wanting to go on that slowed us up so that eventually we were all pretty cold when we were ready to do the crossing to Punk. It wasn't a very long crossing, but the way the wind hit us it was extremely cold. It took about 15 minutes but it was very bad. The wind cuts you like a knife and we all started to lose feeling in our hands (again, not good). Here's some pics of two guys near the end of their crossing:



When we finally reached Punk we were thankfully out of the wind but all of us were quite cold, especially Alan. We had a potluck lunch out there and it was good but we didn't stay long as we didn't want to freeze. Amazing views from there!


We decided to go back to Hecla via a more direct route, hoping we could find a way up the coastline and connect with the trail system (taking us back to our cabin). The advantage of this was it was a shorter distance back to the main island (at least half a mile) but the disadvantage was not knowing if we would be stopped from getting into the tree cover by near vertical cliffs. Matt and Dalen headed out first (and were about 10 minutes ahead of us) and Alan and I came second. I was a bit concerned about Alan getting frostbite or hypothermia and we stopped several times. Alan came up with this neat memorization game which we used to help us keep our minds off disaster (and until our core temperatures warmed us up enough) which was fun. When we finally got to the coast of Hecla (about an hour later) we weren't in bad shape at all. Matt and Dalen had found a way up that mean we had to only take off our skis for one short climb and then we were on the main trail. When we got back, I finally realized how cold the wind had been on my face when I felt snow and ice in my beard!


Wow, XC skiing off the trails (and exploring islands) was extremely fun - way more interesting then just going down groomed trails! I so much want to do that kind of thing again. All in all another great outdoor adventure.

*Things I learned/was reminded of for XC ski exploration:

1. My new thin polyproplene base layer that my mom got be was completely awesome as a base layer. I didn't sweat once! Seriously, thin and synthetic is the way to go. Except for breaks (and the two nasty crossings) I wore my base layer and a waterproof shell and that was all I needed.
2. In my pack I had brought a heavy fleece in case I got cold. It was perfect when we stopped for lunch and I didn't want to get too cold.
3. When you stop to rest, sit on your pack. It keeps your rear from getting too cold.
4. Never wear cotton base layers. They call it "killer cotton" for a reason. The sweat you produce freezes and is stuck in the cotton (which doesn't wick moisture away) and can chill you quickly when you stop.
5. I need to get something to protect my face. Even a scarf would have helped - I was lucky that we only had to go into the wind for one short crossing, otherwise it might have been more serious.
6. GPS is like a security blanket, bring it along just in case you get lost, in a story, or want to change your plans.
7. Matt had this cool device that you "click" and it becomes a hot hand warmer. The best thing is that its reusable, you just boil it, wait for it to cool and then you use it again. I have no idea how it works but I really want to get a few.

Yurt Dreams

I stumbled upon this on eBay today and started dreaming:

Yurt for Sale.

Anyone want to buy it for/with me? We could put it on a nice piece of land somewhere and use it. We could also rent it out (especially if it was waterfront) and make back our money very fast. I know, I know, I'm dreaming but it it's a good deal (probably $2000 to ship to Canada) and it's brand new!

A yurt in the wilderness, what could be better?

Stumbling Onto A Paddler's Sacred Ground

Two Sunday's ago our little family went for a road trip. We decided to check out the North Kildonan part of the city (close to Riverbend, my workplace) and I wanted to show the family a small park overlooking the river called Bronx Park. After we all got out Riker rushed out to explore, followed by the girls and I came last. Jobina and Riker were looking intently at a monument. "Have you seen this?" said Jobina. On an earlier visit when I had discovered it, I had just briefly biked through it and hadn't noticed the monument at all. I was very surprised to see this (click to enlarge if you have trouble reading it):


I was shocked! This was the very location where one of most epic canoe trips ever taken was begun: Don and Dana Starkell's paddle to the amazon. From this very spot, the two men (plus another Dana's brother who eventually dropped out) canoed an astonishing 12,000 miles to the mouth of the Amazon river in Brazil. Along the way, these two guys from North Kildonan were arrested, shot at, taken for spies, and set upon by pirates. They lived through hurricanes, food poisoning, psychological distress, and near starvation. I've blogged about this book before (check out my review) and believe it to be one of the greatest adventure tales of all time (certainly the greatest paddling tale). It should be required reading for every Manitoban.

Anyway, here I was, standing on sacred ground. I crept down to the rivers' edge and then I saw it; the "big sewerpipe that had served as our wharf." It was a magical moment. I couldn't help but imagine what it must have been like to be here on June 1st, 1980 watching the Starkell's push off into the current beginning their two year paddling odyssey. I'm so glad the city put up something to mark their accomplishment. It also reminded me of the power of an idea and how anyone can have an amazing adventure. I must never stop dreaming - or planning.



May Light increase!

A Haunting and Sad Moment

This happened a few days ago but I'm wasn't sure I should write about it until after I discussed it with Jobina. I told her about it the other night and she seemed to understand where I was coming from. Just to warn you this might be fairly illogical and you may strongly disagree, but its what I am honestly feeling. So anyway, here goes:

I was sitting on the couch the other day. . . OK, really I was just laying there. Trinity emerged from the bathroom and I overheard her talking with Jobina. Jobina was chastising her gently for taking her eye shadow (or mascara or something like that) from the bathroom and putting it on herself. Jobina told her that if she wanted to try it she would have to ask and she would help her next time.

Suddenly, I got this huge lump in my throat. My 3 year old daughter is experimenting with makeup. Yes, perhaps she is just playing with it right now, but the truth is she will almost certainly start to believe (just like most of the women I know) that she cannot really look pretty without makeup on. She will take this lie and it will become a part of her. You see my beautiful little girl is doomed. She will begin to question her God given beauty and specialness and think she has to add to it. If she is like most women she will get to the point where she does not even feel comfortable going out into public without makeup on. With no offense to Jobina, she will most likely at first see it modeled by her mother, then the media, then her friends, and by that time it will be too late. She will be a prisoner to a terrible belief - that she can't measure up without it. If she wants to be beautiful, if she wants to look "right," if she wants to get a good man - she has to put stuff on. The tragedy of this reality breaks my heart.

If you are a woman and reading this you may think I'm overreacting (and perhaps I am . . . a little bit). "It's just makeup!" you might say. But if you can't go out in public and be comfortable (and feel beautiful), isn't something wrong with that? Something profoundly sad? And shouldn't I be angry at something that holds sway over all the beautiful women in my life; my wife, my mother, my daughter? I am angry at it; it is a system that makes women feel like they can't just be naturally beautiful and I hate it. Thing thing is, what can you do? How can you try to teach/convince/reveal to a woman that these things aren't really necessary? How do you stop the tyranny from reaching another generation? How do you stop the cycle?

Trinity, if you are reading this someday I want you to know something: you are beautiful. Not because of your clothes, your makeup, your hairstyle, or how much skin you show. Those things do little to really alter your appearance anyway. You are beautiful just the way you are, because that is how God made you. This other stuff won't change that. If I have any wish for you in this world, it is that you will somehow escape the tyranny of the system that you have been born into (and perhaps all women are born into) that you are beautiful and special as is. Every day I see you, I marvel at your beauty and thank God for you. I love you honey,

-Dad

P.S. The painting is Norman Rockwell's "Girl At The Mirror."

A Fool's Errand: Part 4 (The Ride)

Well, I ended up biking by myself.

Jason, my good friend (the best man at my wedding actually) didn't show up. In fact he didn't even call. Instead he texted me to say "it didn't work out." Yup, so here I was attempting a ride of idiotic magnitude by myself. Needless to say I didn't sleep very well the night before. This was made worse by the fact that not one person a) wanted me to do it and b) thought I could do it. My own mother told me "please don't do this" and threatened to steal my bike. Honestly I was tempted not to do it. I had lots of great excuses. But in the end I think it was my sense of adventure (and my own stubbornness) that made me start. Here's a picture of me about to begin:

The first 7 km to Gimli wasn't bad except that there were no paved shoulders and cars kept passing rather close to me. You wince everytime they pass and it takes quite a bit of faith to not pull off the road when you can hear possible death approaching at 80-100 km/hour behind you. When I hit Gimli's paved shoulders I was overjoyed. Here's picture of the high school I went to (Gimli's my home town):


A little past Gimli, Jobina caught up to me. I found out later she was hoping I would "have gotten it out of my system" and come home with her. But I was feeling pretty good and told her I'd call her if I had any problems. I included this pic because Jobina thought she looked good in it (I agree):

Here's me reaching Sandy Hook and attempting to take a picture of myself:

In Sandy Hook I came across a sign saying "Free Stuff" so I stopped and looked through it. I picked up a book of Bible stories for the kids (which later turned out to be JW stories so I ended up carrying them to Winnipeg for nothing):

Here's Salty's, a famous drive in that I planned to eat from the moment I started planning this little bike ride. Unfortunately it was only 11:30 when I stopped in and I wasn't hungry yet:

Just past Winnpeg Beach I got a rude surprise. The beautiful paved shoulders ended! This I was not prepared for. It was Sunday and there was lots of traffic and I had expected the paved shoulders to go all the way to Winnipeg. Silly me. Unfortunately there was nothing else to do but risk riding the edge of the pavement again. This was scarier then you might think. Some cars pass you with only a foot or two of distance between you and them. Here's a picture of the road which seemed to go on forever . . .

I saw lots of these rural mailboxes out by the sides of the road:

By the way when you are drinking so much water (it was 31 degrees Celsius) you have to go to the bathroom alot. I became adept at spotting bush that was not too far off the road to use as my personal latrines. The worst injuries I had were cuts that I got in the bush trying to maintain some sort of modesty as I went pee!

Around 2:00pm I stopped at the Lily Pad restaurant in Petersfield for some lunch. Just before I discovered that one of my brake pads had been rubbing against my tire the whole time (doh)! So I did the logical thing and disconnected it. At the restaurant (below) I had the largest chicken quesidilla that I've ever seen. Delicious. In my sweaty/wide eyed state I think I freaked out my waitress a little bit when I stumbled through the door.

An hour later I stopped at my favorite resting stop: an old Anglican church/cemetery which had lots of shade. Here I called Jobina to let her know I was still alive. This seemed to please her:

Interestingly this church had a miniature of the church right beside it:


In Clandeboye I stopped in and bought Gatorade. The thing about Gatorade is that it only tastes good if you are working very, very hard. Let's just say that Gatorade was absolutely delicious:
On my way to Selkirk I was in a heat induced trance when suddenly I heard my name being called. At first I thought it was just the imaginary people in my head again ("Shoo imaginary people") but then I looked up and who did I see but my buddy Jason who had abandoned me. Apparently he was going camping! The irony of this situation was not lost on me but I couldn't be bitter with him because 1. he was my friend and 2. I was relieved to see someone I knew. He attempted to give me some excuses but I wasn't too hard on him (well, just a little). He offered me ice to put in my drinks but I didn't want to shock my system too much.


Here's the view as I approached Selkirk. It's hard to see but the paved shoulders begin here. I was so excited about this I started shouting. Imagine my dismay when they ended after about 50 meters. Noooooooo!


Taking the "perimeter" of Selkirk turned out to be exhausting work and I started to worry about sunstroke. When I got to Lower Fort Garry I saw a large ditch in front of the main site with shade in it and so I drove over and collapsed there:

Just after I had lay down I got a call from my good friend Jay on my cell and I invited him to come hang out for a bit while I rested (I wasn't going anywhere for awhile). It was nice to hang out with him, see his wedding pictures, and chat. Also, he was able to take some photos. Thanks for stopping by Jay!

In St. Andrews I saw a sign for some sort of heritage site and since I'm a sucker for heritage sites I took a little detour and found myself looking at the oldest stone church in Western Canada. Definitely worth going off the beaten track a little bit. This was one of my goals for this trip: to have the freedom to stop and explore at will. Here's some pics of it:


After St. Andrews two beautiful things happened. The wind (which had been against me since I started) switched and was now with me. Also, the paved shoulders began again. I reached the perimeter and called Jobina again. I think she was shocked I had made it so far and wasn't calling for a pick up:
Here's the view looking down on the #9 overpass overlooking the perimeter highway. I have always looked a the cloverleafs over the perimeter and thought it would be fun to bike down them. Today I got to!

I went west on the perimeter over the bridge and then down the cloverleaf hill (wheeee!) and south onto Henderson Highway. Here's me on the bridge looking over the mighty Red River:


Going through the city took me about an hour and half. I stopped at Turning Point on Talbot and then took Archibald to Fermor and then to St. Anne's. I really wanted to make it home before 8 so I could say goodnight to the kids before they went to sleep. Here's the view as I pulled up at 7:55 pm:

Jobina saw me and said something which she repeated several times that evening "I can't believe you did it!" I was thirsty, hungry, and a little sore but amazingly not in too bad of shape. Here's a picture of me kissing my bike goodnight and thanking it for getting me home:

Yup, so I did it. Amazing. I believe it was God, answering the prayers of my concerned family who got me through it. I think the key for me was just treating it like I was going for a bike ride, just a longer one. I stopped alot and explored along the way. One thing's for sure: If I can do it, anyone can!

Total Distance ridden: 111.84 km.
Time Taken: Just under 10 hours.