and we're back!

Like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, back to avenge the wrongs, so is my Blog, well without the drama of a Bird rising from the ashes on a mission but otherwise identical.

Decided to come back put some thoughts down, perhaps only for myself or for reflection at a much later date - ah who knows. Maybe it's just the fact that I have a bit of cabin fever (although wish I was in a cabin in the middle of the wilderness) been primarily home-bound for the past 4 + weeks with a torn Calf muscle, about halfway through the expected full recovery - just gave up the walking stix, am now much more mobile. It was a workplace injury - but of course WorksafeBC (WCB) does not wish to cover it, so I am having to fight them. I understand this is just the way they work, deny first (even though they never received the Doctor's reports). Thankfully I have enough banked sick time that it is covering this for the moment - I will have to repay the employer if I can get a reversal of Worksafe's decision. Anyways healing...and predicted to have a full recovery, that's what is important.

Beginning planning and training for a escape to the woods with a friend this fall, unsure yet of the actual destination, maybe Mt Albert Edward in Strathcona Park here on the Island or maybe Garibaldi near Whistler and Pemberton? Perhaps somewhere else? Wherever it is I am sure it is going to be a blast. Been a long while since I have hiked in for a multiple day hike way off the beaten path. Have of course done many day hikes (3-8 hours), but really forgot how heavy a pack is until the last couple of days when I started a basic load on it. It's 36 pounds without food, water, fuel bottles, clothing and some other incidentals. I've only got about 7 weeks to train/gather/plan, kind of unusual for me as I am a planner and like lots of time to do this, but as long as the safety-health issues are covered it might be cool to go outside my comfort zone.

I am going to plan some serious day hikes around here with the pack - work out the bugs while exploring some new turf. MEC offers some refresher courses for free so will be attending some of them as well. Glad we have one locally. I wish REI was up here to, as they have a great selection too. Robinson's also has some great gear, and staff and are local.

I am looking forward to getting back into this, with a couple of places I want to see eventually or revisit again, places like NWT, Yukon, Northern BC, Jasper, Wells Gray, Waterton Lakes-Glacier....No shortage of places to see.

EOF - LC

2013 a different year

Ok honestly forgot about this Blog, ended up working on some others. So lets see the last entry was back in May of 2011, two and a half years back. Since then there has been a lot of change as you would expect. I mean life would be dull without it. No longer working with Telus, T.G! That place was killing me inside, took a lot of months to get well. Now working for the Municipal Government of Esquimalt. Big difference here, very positive people, warm environment, a place where they want you to become the best you can and help you to achieve it. I have been here for 1 Year on the 21st of this month. Wow.

House Reno's continue but almost there, have to get the final inspection by March 2014. Be nice to have it done and be able to take a break from it for a while. Kind of burnt out about reno'ing. The kitchen will need done but perhaps we can hold off for a while and pay our bills down first.

June of this year I started to focus on reducing my portion size, then in July/August I started working weights and the treadmill. I am down about 30 pounds, almost lost that gut of mine, saw a picture the other day, and it really surprised me how fat I had gotten. Still a ways to go, but heading in the right direction. I would like to work towards a hike in camping trip for next year. One of my goals.

The past 7 weeks I have been eating Vegan (only exception is cream in the morning coffee and little yogurt in my morning protein shake.). I have been enjoying trying new recipes and dishes. So far have no craving to return to eating as I was. Will this be permanent? I don't know, but I am enjoying it.

I have also installed an 80 pound heavy bag and a chin-up bar, and combined with weights, crunches, planks, curls etc...keeping me honest.  

We have had a brilliant summer and now midway into October and it is still 15 degrees, and the door is open in our lunch room. Wow!

More to come....

Time Flies.....

Really, I can't believe it. Middle of the year is almost here, June is just weeks away. It's been a real poor Winter/Spring and looks like the investment in the grow lights for the peppers and tomato's was a good call. It's finally warm enough at night to start moving them outside (Tomato's back in the driveway and peppers into the old greenhouse. ), although I am going to leave a heater out there just in case, as one night this week is supposed to get down to 6. Just crazy though, I don't remember another year here in Vic that has been like this, but you have to work with it not much choice eh? The Peppers (Bhut Naga Jolakia and Fatali) are about 2.5 feet now and have started to flower, so I have taken the Lights down and hoping they will get enough of what they need through the clouds. Pretty exciting to attempt to grow them, can't wait to try the fruit out. The seeds were planted at the beginning of March so we are at about 10 weeks or so.... 

Came across an article on Christopher McCandless (AKA "Alexander Supertramp"), not really sure where I began reading it, just one of the usual looking on the Net for one thing and end up going down the path on something else. This kind of story has always interested me with the likes of Richard Proenneke, Jack London, Les Stroud, Ray Mears and pretty much anyone else who tried to make a go of it, surviving alone in the wilderness.  As you would expect not all the stories end on a happy note, as not all such adventures do either. Christopher McCandless is such a story, unfortunately a really bad movie was made, loosely based on his story, Into the Wilderness Directed by Sean Penn, a much better peek into what happened and perhaps the naivety of putting yourself into the situation he did without preparation is better shown in Ron Lamothe's "The Call of the Wild".  It's kind of similar to the Tim Treadwell story, in a sense at least as far as not having the knowledge to know what the risks are and what you are getting into.  I mean don't get me wrong Treadwell did a lot of good things for kids, and wildlife, just think he underestimated his situation and paid the ultimate price for it. I would think though based on everything I had read and watched on him that it would not have detracted him at all even if he knew how his end would come.  I am not sure that the same could be said for McCandless, less than a 1/4 mile from where he ended his existence was a hand cranked basket to get across the river, the river that he thought prevented him from crossing.  Knowledge of the area or a good map would have saved him.

Don't know if it's the weather or age or just the fact I have not been out camping alone in so long, but I am finding I am getting more and more annoyed with fellow humans I meet everyday,

• between drivers running red lights,
• racing down streets not thinking of anyone else,
• people walking down the sidewalks bumping into each other (OK I mean me - pisses me off),
• The fact that there are so many that never think of others, only themselves (and think they are all that)
  
• News stories breaking always talking about some greedy sod (Person, Politician, or Corporation) hosing someone else over smile on their face,
• The abundance of animal abuse,
• even Government sanctioned actions like the Seal Hunt................

Maybe I just need a break, either that or I am turning into a Walter Matthau Grumpy Old Man character (well the first steps anyways... I'm not that old yet)