Big Guy Small Scooter

Merry Christmas

2009-12-16T16:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

It's been far too long since I've blogged - and I apologize. Sometimes the day-to-day action of teacher, family life, home repairman, guitar player, web site designer, pilates rookie, cyclist and watcher of the occasional TV show gets in the way of blogging.

I haven't scooted for the past couple of weeks because of the below zero temperatures and even snow for a couple of days. I had a small scare last year when I slid in the way to school so I've been a bit more careful this year. I've also had to drive my daughter to school at least 3 days a week so that certainly cuts into my opportunities to scoot.

I've also been way too bust so that when I have a free hour or so, there's a million other things to fill the void. Gotta change that in the new year!

I'm still toying with the possibility of getting a bigger scoot but possible travel plans next summer may stall my decision.

Happily, it's supposed to be rainy and wet for the holidays, rather than icy and cold, so I plan to get out at least a couple times over the holidays - and hope to blog as well!

So, I'm still here, still willing to blog if there's someone willing to read. Hope everyone has a great Christmas and a very happy new year!

Derby Reach and Return to Fort Langley

2009-10-12T22:36:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while.

The weather throughout September and into last week was unseasonably nice. Warm sunny days and mild evenings dominated the weather at a time when usually a moist, coolish blob of grey cloud skies are the norm. Unfortunately I have been busy with school, family and the the house that I haven’t had time to blog lately.

This weekend, however, I thought I’d get back into it.

This weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving (I’m thankful for smoked salmon, poutine, hockey, toques and having signs in two languages at the border and at airports) and all the family stuff (and stuffing) was done yesterday. That left today to go for a scoot.

I started off by getting ready for the weather. It was a chilly day so I layered up and wore my neck warmer for the first time in months.

I decided to head over the Golden Ears Bridge to Langley and stay local. The views off the bridge are amazing but I can’t stop while riding on it so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

The ride was was very enjoyable on the bridge and not very crowded. It’s a toll bridge so it cuts down on the traffic.

I went east along the river and eventually ended up at Derby Reach Regional Park.

Last time I was there was when I was starting out taking daytrips on my bicycle. I made several trips from Fort Langley (after crossing on the old Albion Ferry) and Derby Reach was one of them.

There were a few people there but it wasn’t overly crowded. I walked down to the beach which I find quite interesting because it’s so rocky but almost like a bulldozer pushed a bunch of rocks onto the shore.

I parked near the front of the park and got this shot.

There’s a trail that goes between there and Fort Langley which I think is about an hour hike. I didn’t take the trail but did take the very scenic ride along Allard Crescent and MacKinnon Road east to Fort Langley.

I wanted to see if, now that the Albion Ferry is history, there was still good business in this area that has been a busy tourist area for years. Happily, business was brisk although it was a little quieter than I remember. A couple of businesses had changed hands as well since last time I was there but there weren’t a bunch of empty storefronts. Time will tell.

I headed back west through Walnut Grove which is a busy area with malls and a gigantic movie theatre that looks like a spaceship. Then, back toward the bridge and home again.

It was a very enjoyable day and I realized that I have missed my regular rides these past few weeks. Gotta make the effort!

Hanging in There

2009-10-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

September's done. It's always one of the busiest months of teaching in the year. So I haven't really been anywhere exciting on the weekends except in front of a computer screen, tapping away lesson, online stuff, and other teacherly things.

Yes, I've been riding my scooter regularly to work and around town.

Yesterday, I intended to go back down to the States but woke up with a cold and thought I'd wait until I felt a bit better (and, most likely, wait until the sunshine is gone and we have six months of rain).

My plan? Hopefully next weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving) will give me an opportunity to take a ride.

I'll also have to take a ride into Vancouver to the Vespa store as my odometer is approaching 14,000 kilometres (8700 miles) and I like to tune up every 2000 kms.

So all is well, life is too damned busy, and I will do my best to get on my scooter in October!

Friendly USA - Trip to Bellingham on a New Route

2009-09-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

I had an amazing ride yesterday.

It wasn't so much the ride itself, it was the slight change of climate in the US when I went across the border.

Don't get me wrong, I find Americans can range from wonderfully angelic to cranky so and sos - much like Canadians - but yesterday was special.

First, though, I had decided to take a different border crossing because I can no longer take the Albion Ferry. The ferry service has ended permanently because the Golden Ears Bridge has opened. I used to take the Aldergrove crossing but now it makes more sense for me to take the Pacific Truck Crossing.

I left at 8 am on a rather grey morning and, after crossing the bridge, headed down 184th all the way down to Zero Avenue. I really like 184th because it is not a busy road and is quite scenic with all of the farms, horses, and generally rural environment.

At Zero Avenue, I turned towards the border, snuck into line and then found myself at the whim of the American border guard.

Things started out as expected - I got grilled a bit about why I was going to Bellingham for lunch (to shop) and who was I meeting there (no one) - but after he found out I was a teacher, he became quite friendly and chatty. He asked me a couple performance questions about my Vespa and was really positive. I took this as a good omen.

I rode into Blaine and then took Peace Portal Way which goes along the coast and then parallels the Interstate highway. It was a great route as there was very little traffic but enough interesting things to keep me going. This is diametrically opposed to the craziness on my last ride from Parksville to Nanaimo.

At one point, near Custer, as I was riding by, an old guy in a baseball hat stood up, grinned, and waved a peace sign at me. This is great, I thought! I then approached Ferndale where I was a bit confused finding the way. A guy in a truck pulled over while I was looking at my map and asked me if I needed help with my scooter. Awesome!

Ferndale was an interesting little town - not terrible scenic but some interesting stores on the Main Street - and then I worked my way to the Pacific Highway.

Unlike its moniker, the Pacific Highway is not a big expressway but simply a two lane road that was mostly empty, paralleled the I-5, and had interesting businesses and other sights as I went along.

A few minutes later and I was at the Bellis Fair Mall. I stopped into Target for some socks and some multi-coloured Goldfish crackers (we can't get them in Canada and my daughters call them Gay Pride Crackers because there is a rainbow of them...) and had a latté. I didn't like the look of the mall food so I decided to see what I could find on the way home.

I saw this top in a store and was struck by the slogan. I'll tell you, nobody in Canada goes around wearing an "I heart Stephen Harper" shirt - no one! Mind you Barack is cool, Harper is soooo not-cool. In fact, Canada probably hasn't had a cool prime minister since Trudeau. I envy you, USA!

Here's an intersting statue by the post office near the mall.

As I drove back on the Pacific Highway, I saw a sign for a casino on the Lummi Indian Reserve. A few minutes later and I was recklessly blowing my treasured US cash on slot machines. I went over my limit and lost $10 and then sheepishly left the building. Surprisingly, the casino allows smoking inside - possibly because it is on reserve land...

I made great time as I headed north and, when I was back on Peace Portal Way, I stopped at yet another mall, the Birch Bay Centre. It's pretty new as there are lots of vacancies. I was looking for a place to eat (Bob's Beer and Burgers?) when I spied a Jack In the Box. Now we don't have Jack In the Box in my part of Canada so I was pretty excited. I had a chicken club on sourdough bread which was quite good (although I must admit I have a weakness for processed cheese slices) and curly fries (which tasted OK but were really greasy).

I upgraded to a medium drink which was the size of a large in most restaurants. No problem, I stuck the drink in my handy dandy drink holder, thinking I could sip away while I waited in the border line up.

A few minutes later I was in the line. Unfortunately, just before it was my turn to go to the booth, my drink holder came unstuck and I had to hold the drink in one hand as I approached the booth. The Canadian guard was a bit cranky, too, which seemed strange but I stuffed my now empty cup in my jacket and headed off back home.

All in all it was a great trip - nice people, good feeling and another great route.

Sunshine Coast and Island Scooter Ride (Part 3)

2009-08-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

Here's the last entry about my Sunshine Coast / Vancouver Island trip.

Comox - Nanaimo
Distance: 120 km
Time: Two and a half hours

I proceeded to the Powell River ferry terminal where I had a nice chat with a couple of motorcycle riders, one with a very comfortable, very big Harley and one with a very serious looking BMW complete with a built in GPS!

After getting on the ferry, I grabbed breakfast and then relaxed as the ferry took the 80 minute crossing to Comox.

Photo: http://www.milebymile.com/hwy_item_images/photo_CA_BC_19a_12621_1753.jpg

I left the ferry and headed along Highway 19A - the old coastal highway, also known as the old island highway or the Oceanside route. I was an excellent ride. The highway was not very busy, was very scenic, and actually went right by the ocean at many points.

This huge prop in Union Bay made a nice still life with my scooter.

I stopped in Fanny Bay while a scallop truck went to drop nets into the water.

Qualicum Beach was very nice and I was tempted to stop there for the day, not just get some gas.

I got into Parksville, a popular retirement city, and the wonderful Oceanside Route ran out! I had to join up with Highway 19 for 27 km until Nanaimo. The speed limit was 90 km while many cars and big trucks zoomed by. There wasn't really much scenery and I ended up in the breakdown lane most of the time.

It was during this harrowing time that I decided it would be silly to attempt to ride from Nanaimo to Victoria. The only way I can figure out how to get from Nanaimo to Victoria is Highway 1. Another couple hours of riding in the breakdown lane while traffic screamed by me was not my idea of fun.

At Nanaimo I headed to Departure Bay and took the ferry to Horseshoe Bay.

Horseshoe Bay - Maple Ridge Distance: 70 km Time: 2 hours

I was able to take Marine Drive again without having to go on the freeway - phew!

This time, I was not in a hurry so I was able to stop several times to take photos.

Not only were the views amazing, but there were incredible houses along the way. Definitely million dollar views.

Some vistas forced me to park in any scrap of dirt that was available, others I could only appreciate as I went by on my Vespa.

A great detour was Lighthouse Park. I stopped there and wandered around a few of the trails. The trail markers clearly showed the names of the trails but not the distances - how was I supposed to know how long the trail was? I finally went back to the parking lot and sheepishly noticed the stack of map guides at the entrance to the trails.

I saw this great view of Lions Gate Bridge as I approached West Vancouver.

I stopped in for a visit in West Vancouver at my brother-in-law's house. He has a spectacular view of Lions Gate Bridge as well.

I continued onto Maple Ridge, feeling that I had had another satisfying adventure on the scooter but still happy to return to my own bed. Now, to talk to my wife about that treehouse I want to build...

Sunshine Coast and Island Scooter Ride (Part 2)

2009-08-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

Powell River

Powell River is a larger community of around 13,000 (thanks Google) and has things like malls, Starbucks, and other important indicators of civilization. I popped in to the Tourist Information for a map and brochure, got a bottle of wine from the liquor store and headed to my accommodation.

The Boxwood Cottages are two very nice cottages, I'm sure, with kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc. I, however, had booked the Treehouse.

At $50, it met the requirements for price and also for adventure.

It is an actual treehouse - the steps up are boards nailed onto logs and, once the door is open, there's a bed, a night table with a coffee maker and that's it. The bathroom is an outhouse across the lawn and the shower is underneath the treehouse - open to nature - although there's a curtain to partly shield you from curious onlookers.

Would my wife like it? Absolutely not. But for me, on a scooter adventure, it was ideal!

There were numerous seating areas around - a table and chair, an outdoor couch, another table - and I decided that instead of eating out, I'd bring something in.

On the advice of my hosts (Anthony and Diane) I went for a ride through the historic site of Powell River. It was interesting as the size of the houses increased as they got closer to the pulp mill.

I then headed back towards town, stopping at Willingdon Beach because I heard music!

The week long Blackberry Festival was taking place and there were families, food, and a live band. I hung around for an hour and then hopped on my Vespa, grabbed some Thai food, and went back to the Treehouse.

I had a very enjoyable dinner, as well as a few glasses of wine, as I sat under the trees thinking that it had been a very pleasant day indeed!

The next morning, I woke up in the Treehouse after a very restful night's sleep. I did wake up a few times in the night, but the sound of the creek below lulled me back to sleep.

Less restful was the funky outdoor shower. The curtain didn't hide much but that was OK as it was early and no one was around. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the temperature of the water above 'really cold' so it was a brisk shower, reminiscent of some Youth Hostel showers when I backpacked through Europe.

I was ready with time to spare so, naturally, I went to Starbucks and grabbed a latté which fit nicely in my drink holder as I headed of towards the ferry, leaving Powell River behind.

Sunshine Coast and Island Scooter Ride (Part 1)

2009-08-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

Finally, a scooter trip!

The plan was to go to Horseshoe Bay, and up the Sunshine Coast to stay in Powell River for a night. The next day I planned to go to Comox on Vancouver Island and then to either Nanaimo or Victoria to take a ferry back to the mainland.

Because of the length of each entry (and all the pretty pictures) I've split up the trip into three parts. Here's part 1.

Maple Ridge - Horseshoe Bay
Distance: 77km
Time: 2 hours

Although I have made through a number of renos this summer relatively unscathed, I've managed to injure myself while holidaying - my knee when attempting a cannonball in 4 and a half feet of water ("Don't jump, Dad, don't jump!") and slicing off the top half of my nail and a bit of nail bed with a utility knife while attempting to jury rig a pannier to my scooter. Despite these minor injuries, I headed off today for my circle tour of the coast and island.

The first leg on my route was to go to Vancouver and continue on to Horseshoe Bay where I would catch the ferry for the Sunshine Coast - Langdale. I wanted to get to get the 9:40 ferry so I left around 7 AM thinking that I would have lots of time.

The ride to Vancouver was uneventful except for the numerous construction projects on the way. I figured I was OK as I crossed the Lions Gate Bridge at 8:40.

I love going over the bridge - it's so high up and the view from the scooter is truly spectacular.

I had decided to take Marine Drive all the way to Horseshoe Bay to avoid going on the freeway. As the name suggests, the route goes along the water, snaking around houses, stone fences, trees, and shoreline. It was a very scenic ride but it took a bit longer than I thought, so there was no time for photos.

I arrived in the village of Horseshoe Bay at 9:15 but I couldn't get to the ferries - I was supposed to double back on the freeway four kilometres and then turn around. I really didn't want to go on the freeway and it's also all uphill out of Horseshoe Bay so I started on the freeway but luckily spied a place where the cement barriers separating the freeway lanes had a break. I hopped this break and then a curb and found myself zooming towards the ferries - but without a ticket!

I flagged down a ferry flag person and he radioed his boss:

Flagperson: I've got a scooter here who needs a ticket but doesn't want to go on the freeway.
Boss: How'd he get there?
Flagperson: He hopped the curbs down by the chute.
Boss: He can hop a curb but he can't go on the freeway?

I then went down to the terminal and bought a ticket there. But then I had to do the exact same thing and hop the barrier again to get back in the line up!

By this time it was 9:30 and I lined up with the other motorcyclists until the ferry left a few minutes later.

Langdale - Earl's Cove
Distance: 88 km
Time: 2 hours

From Langdale, I took the Sunshine Coast Highway 101 north.

It's a fairly nice highway but would have been better if it spent more time right near the water. It's also only two lanes so I had to pull off fairly often, particularly until I figured out to let all the ferry traffic leave first.

At Red Roofs, about half way, I stopped in to visit my nephew and nieces. My niece, Charlotte, had her birthday the following day so I wanted to surprise her with my visit and a little something. I also had a quick lunch and a wonderful view of the ocean.

My sister-in-law takes her kids there every summer to their family cabin and they spend most of the summer holidays up there. Nice!

After lunch I sped north to Earl's Cove, about another hour, on the highway. It was better as there was little traffic. I fuelled up about 20 km from the ferry, not wanting a repeat of the White Rock fiasco!

I got to the terminal in good time and had a chance to sit in the sun before I made the 50 minute voyage to Saltery Bay.

Saltery Bay - Powell River
Distance 50 km
Time: 40 minutes

Upon arriving at Saltery Bay, I headed off, jacketless, pulling off the road until the ferry traffic passed.

After that, it was a delgihtful ride on the 101. I stopped a few times for photos as the weather was fine and I wasn't on a strict schedule. It was a lot less stressful as, when there were cars behind me, the breakdown lane was a good width.

It wasn't far and I was in Powell River.

More about Powell River next blog entry.

Icefield Parkway Cycling Trip

2009-08-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

I was excited as this was the week of our summer cycling trip. We have gone to many different places, mostly in the Rockies, during the past several summers and this year was a repeat ride - the Icefield Parkway that goes by the Columbia Icefields. It is a 230 km ride each way for a total of 460 km (285 miles). Satellite image link.

We headed out from Maple Ridge on August 1st - holiday weekend. The 9 hour trip from home to Jasper was fairly uneventful. We did pass some areas which had quite a lot of smoke and haze, reminders that there were several fires still burning in the province.

The main campground in Jasper was full but we managed to pitch our tent in the overflow lot and bedded down for the night, hopeful of good weather in the morning. The bottle of whisky that we had purchased after dinner provided a couple wee drams that helped to encourage sleep.

We awoke around 6:30 and broke camp, ending up at a restaurant for bacon and eggs at 7:30. The previous night we had decided to bring one vehicle with us - something we called a "supported ride" - as the weather forecast had some iffy days ahead. It would turn out to be a very smart choice.

We were on the road by 8:00, a tad late, but I felt good from my riding in Victoria and things progressed nicely. It was cool still when we left and rolling - which means hilly but not insanely steep. I had rigged up a solar charger for my ipod which worked very well so I had good tunes and a variety of podcasts while I rode. Traffic was also quite good.

We stopped several times for water breaks and, after about 70 kms, came to Sunwapta Lodge, a place which had accommodations and, more importantly, a cafeteria. We had lunch there and a quick rest and then set out for the last 10 or 20 km for the campground at Jonas Creek.

We had gone about 80 km that day and I had driven for the last 20 km. A supported ride gives everyone the opportunity to take a break - like it or not - but I was quite happy to have an easy end to the day.

Jonas Creek is a fairly basic campground - an outhouse and a water station - so we all set up camp and then dipped our sore parts in the creek. After a bit of a rest, we all hopped into the vehicle and headed back to the Sunwapta Lodge for a dinner of chicken burgers. Very civilized!

Back at the campground, we were pretty tired and I think I headed to the tent around 9 o'clock.

The next morning, we were up at 6 and on the road by 7. It was another sunny day which definitely helped as there were a few bigger hills. The terrain steadily climbed until we arrived at the Icefield Centre. The centre is where tours leave for the Columbia Glacier but you can see the glacier quite well from the cafeteria. We had a less than exciting brunch at ridiculously expensive prices - captive audience, I guess.

The whole bike ride is in a National Park. It was a little disheartening to see that all of the food operators in the park supplied most things - ketchup, butter, jam, vinegar, etc - in little packages. In this time of environmental awareness, you'd think that Canada's National Parks would set an example.

After brunch we headed out of the Icefield Centre, heading south on the parkway. We ended up our destination sometime later at Saskatchewan River Crossing. Finally, a motel!

The Crossing Resort is really just a basic motel - and one that is in need of a bit of maintenance. The girls at the front desk, however, were very hospitable and friendly - but had some bad news - the weather forecast called for rain for the next five days. We decided, after several beer that evening, to check the weather the next morning and make a decision at that time.

When 6 AM rolled around, I was tired, but actually felt pretty good. We met outside the rooms and looked up to a grey, grey sky. Not a patch of blue was evident. We looked over to Bow Summit - our climb for the day - and it was shrouded in cloud. There were even rumours that there was snow forecast for the summit. We then looked towards Lake Louise and it was clear that it was raining. The forecast continued to predict 5 days of rain.

We decided that the trip was all about having a good time - and slogging through the wet was not our idea of that. We had all ridden the parkway before (in good weather) and decided that it was a better idea to pack it in. Waiting out a day or even two is one thing - five days? Forget it!

We carefully disassembled the bikes, threw our bags in the back. recycled the empty bottle of scotch that the four of us had imbibed during that past three nights, and headed back home.

Thanks to Chuck McCafferty (unframed) and Keith Rajala (framed) for their photos of the trip.

Hot, Hot, Hot Cycle to Victoria

2009-07-31T22:19:00.000-07:00

Up here on the West Coast of Canada, we are just coming to the end of a heat wave - something not seen around here very often at all.

Over the past few days, the temperature at Vancouver Airport reached 34.4° C. (94°F.), and inland, 36°C. (97°F.) and, further inland, over 40°C. (104°F.). Come on, this is Canada.

Anyway, my wife and I decided a couple of months ago to take the ferry to Vancouver Island and cycle from where the ferry docks (Schwartz Bay) to Victoria (a total of 33 km) and then stay in Victoria a couple nights and then head back. We have done this for years with the girls but being 16 and 19 with jobs, etc., we ended up on our own this year (and no, they didn't have a wild party and burn down the house).

We started at the ferry. There was a summer special on so for the two of us and our bikes it was only a total of $22. It's about an hour and a half ferry ride and the BC ferries are quite comfortable.

We rode the first 10 km and then stopped at McDonalds for lunch. Not particularly healthy but good prices and the restaurant is right on the route.

The route, incidentally, is called the Lochside Trail and it's part of a bigger bike path called the Galloping Goose. It's a quiet route on either dedicated bike zones or quiet streets.

We progressed through Sidney and then the different Saanich areas (North, Central and South).

We crossed the Blenkinsop Trestle which has a great view of the marsh and also includes a statue of old farmer Roy Hawes who must have lived there at some time.

The bike route brought us right into Victoria and we made the ride through downtown to the B and B. We stayed at a place called Heathergate House which we found on the net.

It was a wonderful place to stay with friendly hosts, a clean and nicely decorated room, an amazing breakfast both mornings, and the piece de resistance, the garden where a water feature bubbled while we sat in the shade, escaping the heat and cooling down after our ride.

We then headed to our traditional first night dinner, the Old Spaghetti Factory. Good food, cool drinks, friendly service and inexpensive prices had made this a tradition for the past few years.

We were tired as we headed back, past the inner harbour, and ended up back at the room, with a couple glasses of chilled rosé before trying to sleep for the night.

In the morning, after a breakfast of bacon and homemade scones, we walked over to the Royal BC Museum to see the latest exhibit, Treasures from the British Museum. It was an excellent exhibit, one well worth seeing, which covered artifacts ranging from Ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, China, India, and more. My only complaint was that I had seen most of these objects for free when I was in London!

After some shopping downtown, we went to the Beacon Hill Park area of the city, first for a coffee at Moka House, then for a picnic lunch in the park.

It was very hot so we walked fairly slowly, pausing in the shade when necessary.

We slowly made our way back to the B and B and had a sort of siesta in their wonderfully cool garden.

At around 7 we ended up in the Heron Rock Bistro, not far from the B and B, and had a wonderful dinner.

The service was friendly but French - meaning it took us a good two hours to eat - and I loved it! Compared to the previous night where there was a move 'em in, move em out, atmosphere, the bistro was wonderfully relaxed about the meal.

We started with an appy dish of paté, olive and prosciutto followed by NY Angus steak salad for my wife and bouillabaisse for me.

Both were incredible! A fruit crumble with a double espresso finished off the meal. We then waddled back to the B and B and rested before our return trip.

We had a good ride back to the ferry with no incidents. Had a great chat with a father and adult daughter who were also cycling. He was from Indiana and she now lived in Washington, D.C. We had an interesting discussion about crime as Vancouver has had some unusual gangland shootings during the past few months and Washington is only safe, according to the daughter, in the tourist area (the NW section). Nice folks.

We finally arrived back at the ferry terminal and hopped on the ferry. A good end to a hot but satisfying mini-holiday.

Link to Galloping Goose info

Fire!

2009-07-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

Although this happened almost a week ago, it's taken me awhile to blog about the West Kelowna fires as I've been really busy this past week.

Last weekend, my eldest daughter and her boyfriend went up to the boyfriend's parents' vacation home in West Kelowna.

Kelowna is in a part of Canada called the Okanagan which is renown for its lakes, hot temperatures, and slow paced holiday lifestyle.

Saturday afternoon, I got the call that the boyfriend's Jeep had a coolant leak and needed a new radiator. Luckily, the shop had one in stock and would finish it the next day.

A couple of hours later, we learned of the beginning of the West Kelowna fire. It started in a place called Glen Rosa. As the afternoon progressed to evening, I monitored the fire. First 1000, then 2000, then 3000 people were evacuated and more were put on alert. The fire grew to almost 100 hectares but was still about 6 km from the vacation home.

At around 10 o'clock, there reports on Twitter of a new fire in Rose Valley - which was only a couple of kilometres from my daughter. I was getting nervous. We talked with my daughter, the boyfriend, his dad and each other until about midnight. The evacuation alert was growing but still did not affect them. I told my daughter to pack her suitcase,. leave the door unlocked and make sure she woke if someone came. As she didn't sleep all night, that wasn't a problem.

As things developed, I came to some conclusions. First, Twitter was an excellent source for the fire. By simply searching #kelownafire, I was able to get up-to-the-minute reports, links, and maps from many different people. Finally, a really useful application of Twitter!

Second, Kelowna radio (AM 1130) on the web was also a very good source of information. Although their website could have been better organized, the radio reports were frequent and current.

Finally, I concluded that Global TV was brutal. The news was old, the map of the affected area was laughable tiny and lacking in detail, the information was often inaccurate, and they played the same video clips over and over and over.

On Sunday morning, I reassembled the Firewatch Control Centre (TV, laptop, desktop, phones). Our first scrap of information from our daughter was that she was on evacuation alert now!

We encouraged them to set out for the repair shop and wait out the repairs in safety but, when they phoned, the shop said that they had the wrong kind of radiator and that it wouldn't be ready until Tuesday.

At that point, we decided t go on a rescue mission and pick them up!

Six and a half hours later and we got them from a shopping mall in Kelowna proper. The photos from today's blog were all taken at that time. Five and a half hours later, we were home.

A few days later and the fires are mostly under control and most of the 10,000 evacuees are back home. Three houses were destroyed by the fires - it could have been so much worse.

And when the boyfriend's dad flew up to pick up the Jeep yesterday, after about 10 minutes on the road, the axle broke!

I'm sure glad we went up and rescued 'em!

From "Free RIde" to "Running on Empty"

2009-07-17T19:46:00.001-07:00

Wednesday started off as a way to take advantage of a couple of things that will no longer be around. It turned into something quite a bit different, as things turned out.

I first decided to go to the beach for lunch - White Rock beach. I had gone there previously, taking the Albion ferry, but on Wednesday I thought I'd take the newly completed Golden Ears Bridge.

Wednesday was an excellent day to take the bridge as it was the last day that it was free. Starting on Thursday, a toll is to be applied ranging from $1.40 for a motorcycle that's registered all the way up to $3.90 for a car that is not registered. I scooted up this new structure happily (and freely) and crossed into Surrey in no time.

From there I headed down to White Rock. I arrived there and parked the scoot ($2 for an hour) and wandered around, in search of lunch. I didn't want a really greasy fish and chips lunch (although I absolutely love fish and chips) and settled on a place called the Kahuna restaurant.

I ordered a bowl of clam chowder ($3.50) which was excellent. The lady who ran the place, a German, asked if I'd like some fries as she was just eating them as they were leftovers. The fries were super - and the price was certainly right!

After that, I walked on the beach.

I saw this person flying a kit - seemed like a good idea.

After, I saw this girl - I like how she was isolated on the beach.

I did have some camera problems as this was my daughter's camera (my old camera) and had junk on the lens. I photoshopped what I could...

After my walk, I headed east on my Vespa. I passed a gas station in White Rock on 16th but thought I was fine until the next station. My low fuel light then went on. I'll be fine, I thought, there'll be lots of gas stations in Langley. I was on a fairly major street and I kept looking up and down the street whenever I came to a light or stop sign. Nothing. No stores, gas stations - just farms and houses. I ended up riding 60 minutes and about 45 kilometres until I came to a gas station. I filled up and my Vespa took 5.7 litres - which seems way less than the 8.6 litres it's supposed to hold. This seems rather odd to me - did I really have another 3 litres to spare? After an hour with the low fuel light on?

I finally made it to my in-laws in Abbotsford, there to borrow my father-in-law's truck. A couple of neighbours wondered if he'd traded his truck for a Vespa and his tenant congratulated him on starting a new motorcycle game!

My Baby's Alright!

2009-06-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

I wanted to wait a few days to be sure – but my baby is definitely in great shape now.

My last entry detailed how, for the past few weeks, when I’ve been starting from a standstill, it feels like my Vespa has been slipping or riding rough. I was worried that something was seriously wrong.

I arrived at Vespa Vancouver bright and early at the crack of 10 last Saturday morning. I had a great chat with Bob, the owner, and we talked about a variety of subjects from upgrading to a bigger scoot to electric bikes to fundraising.

He was setting up for an open house event so I dropped off my scoot and wandered off to Granville Island.

I spent a good part of the day wandering around Kits, enjoying a day of doing nothing for a change. Two lattés and an order of sushi later, about 3 pm, I headed back to Vancouver Vespa.

There was quite a party going on when I got there! The little store was packed with people looking at different scooters and electric bikes and noshing on packs of chips and soft drinks.

I made my way to the front counter and, while I was waiting, a guy walked up to me and said, “Hey, Big Guy, Small Scooter!”

It was a very odd feeling, being recognized for my blog. I’m often recognized around Maple Ridge because I’ve taught so long there but not in Vancouver and not for my blog. It was kinda cool!

It was Bob from Bobskoot. We had a nice conversation about, once again, a variety of topics. Although I love my scooter, I do not have connection to the scooter culture that he has. He told me about all these people he had seen at the open house and, although I had a vague notion who they were, it was obvious that, in the scooter culture, I don’t get out much. A very nice guy, though, and I may try to get a bit more involved during the summer. We’ll see.

Of course, the point of this entry is my scoot.

The mechanic gave it a clean bill of health. After checking all the mechanical parts, doing the maintenance, and giving it a test ride, my baby was feelin’ good. It was $130 – the usual service fee – and I was back on the road again.

Now that I’ve got almost 12,000 km on it, I wonder, if I service it regularly (about every 2000 km) and make sure all the fluids are up and try not to ride it too, too hard, will I et another 12,000 kms? 30,000? What’s the life expectancy of a 50cc scoot anyway?

I guess time will tell….

My Baby's Hurtin'

2009-06-08T17:50:00.001-07:00

The last time I went into Vancouver, I hit quite a bit of traffic on the way so it was a bit stop and go. That's fine, I thought.

But since that time, I've noticed that the Vespa is not performing as well. That is definitely not fine, especially as it is coming up to prime riding season.

When I accelerate from a standstill, the motor seems to pull or slip for a couple of seconds and then seems to almost click into place and accelerates smoothly. It doesn't happen at any other time, just when I am accelerating from a stop.

It seems a bit worse when either the Vespa or the weather is hot. Worse uphill, too.

I've reduced my riding but certainly haven't stopped. I don't think it is getting any worse and I rely on using it.

I have an appointment with Vespa Vancouver on the 20th. Hopefully it will continue to ride OK and not get any worse. Or anything major.

Goin' State-Side

2009-05-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

It was a perfect day for a ride - brilliant sunshine, warm temperatures and I had a little time to blow. So I decided to go state-side.

I went the usual way, taking the Albion Ferry and chatted with this guy who had an amazing looking bike. He built it himself with a little help from friends. It's hard to see but the drive belt is on the outside just behind is left foot. That would be a disaster for me. He has a 1700 cc engine and incorporates shell casings for a lot of the end pieces (like the handlebars and the shifter).

I eventually got onto 216th, thinking it was a small quiet road. It was small but not quiet. Oh well.

I've always enjoyed going into the US. I find that when you cross a border or take a ferry, even if you're not going that far, the simple passage through something official like a border crossing makes it feel that you're really away from home. And there are differences, most of them subtle, but they are there.

For example, in the US:
- the roads are better
-there's way more flags (still can't get used to that)
-the food portions are bigger
-every thing's way cheaper - especially with the Canadian dollar at almost 90¢
-there's different candy bars like Payday (you can find Pay Day bars in Canada if you look hard but they're always stale - I can go to any gas station in Washington state and they are always fresh) and Milk Duds and a whole bunch of brands we don't have
-you can't get Smarties in the US (not those wafer rolls, but really Smarties that are like MandMs but way better)
-you can get rainbow goldfish crackers - what my girls call Gay Pride Goldfish
-wine is dirt cheap - a bottle of the same wine can easily be twice as much in Canada
-people have a slight accent (which I find incredibly weird - a person from Prince George (way up north in BC) has the same accent as me but a person 90 minutes south of me definitely has an accent

I could ramble on for days as there are so many differences but there are even more similarities making a visit to the US very comfortable.

Except for the border crossing. It always feels like I'm being grilled about something. This time it was on my scoot asking how fast it went and could it go on "the Guide" and what did I mean, I took the smaller roads. I must have passed, however, and was soon on my way.

In Lynden, I went by the back of this small airfield. I loved how it was right beside the road - although a plane was taxiing, I would have loved to see some plane take off right over my head! I was going to stop in Lynden for breakfast but, by the time I got there, it was 11 and I thought I'd

Taking Hannegan Avenue from Lynden, I rode the 16 miles or so to Bellingham, or Bellis Fair Mall, to be exact. I had last been there about a year ago and found the mall quiet but beginning to recover. This time, thanks to the strong Canadian buck, the mall was pretty busy. There were a few empty stores and the Daiso store that I enjoyed so much last time was vacant. I had a lunch of clam strips and clam chowder and then shopped a bit at Target.

Although I didn't take any photos at the mall, I did take this one a few black away from the mall. It was a bit incongruous, having a field of flowers so close to a megamall.

The ride back to the border was uneventful although extremely pleasant. At the border, I declared some socks, a pair of shorts and a $6 bottle of wine. The customs officer, like big sister, said, "That $6 bottle of wine will cost you $8 in taxes if I send you inside. Remember that for next time." Yes, Ma'am, I thought. I love Canada.

Going back to what I said earlier, I love going away somewhere because it's exciting but I also love the coming home part. Whether it's crossing the border, arriving on the ferry, or landing at the airport, coming home is just wonderful!

Back in Canada, I took 264th most of the way - the road I thought would be busy - and found it to be a relaxing ride with very little traffic. A relaxing end to a very nice ride!

Cell Phone Retrieval Over Lions Gate

2009-04-26T22:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I went to a 50th birthday party for a dear friend (Happy Birthday, Stew) and prior to the party, went shopping at the Park Royal Mall in West Vancouver. I found, to my dismay, that I had last my cell phone in the mall - mind you, it didn't stop me from having an excellent time at the party....

When I returned home, there was a message on the answering machine saying that the phone had been found. Today, I retrieved the phone. Unfortunately, my camera is with my daughter who is on a band trip so the photos for today are from a variety of sources.

It was a perfect day - sunny, slight breeze and I had lots of time. I left Maple Ridge, went through Pitt Meadows and crossed the old Pitt River Bridge - the new one is being built so my crossings on the old swing bridge are numbered. I then went through Coquitlam, Port Moody and onto the Barnet Highway. It's always shady on the Barnet but it wasn't that chilly today. I then headed up Hastings through Burnaby into Vancouver.

I went through downtown and then approached my favourite bridge, the Lions Gate. Built by the Guinness family (yes, that Guinness family) in 1938, it is a beautiful bridge and has breath-taking views of Burrard Inlet, especially when you are sitting on a scooter. I looked around when I had the opportunity and enjoyed the fantastic view.

After picking up my cell phone at the mall I headed back over the bridge. At the Vancouver end of the bridge, I took a detour through Stanley Park, a huge treed park connected to downtown Vancouver. There is still considerable damage to the park caused by a huge windstorm in 2006. It was a slow, shady ride through green trees beside windy beaches and it was very good for my well being.

The way home was fairly uneventful until, in Burnaby, on Hastings, a motorist decided to change lanes into me. Luckily, I was able to maneuver out of the way but I didn't even have a chance to honk my horn (although I was able to flip the bird a minute later).

An unfortunate moment, but I didn't let it interfere with the extremely enjoyable day.

Is Bigger Better?

2009-04-10T17:47:00.000-07:00

I spent part of the morning doing research on Motorcycle Driving Schools. Why? Because I am still trying to decide whether to go to a bigger scooter or to stay with my 50ccs. I went so far as to take my learner's at the end of last summer but have not taken the skills test or any course yet.

The skills test was going to be a no-brainer because you used to be able to take a 50cc scoot for the test but now you need one that is over 50ccs. So I haven't taken the test yet.

Now I'm looking at a Motorcycle course that would give me my skills test and help prepare me for the license test.

There are several advantages to getting my motorcycle's license...

more speed - no more pulling over to the side or having cars line up behind me as I go up a hill
distance - I could go a lot farther - Seattle would just be a rest stop
passengers - right now my girls are just too damned big to safely go anywhere on a 50cc scoot - especially since I'm a big guy
motorcycle course - probably wouldn't hurt to improve my skills
durability - I'm not sure how long my LX50 will last as I twist-all-the-way-and-go most of the time

However (there's always a however) there's some definite cons...

expense - it will cost more to buy one - new, maybe $6500 taxes incl. for an LX150, over $8000 for a GTS - and I could probably only get about $3000 for my LX50 (with 11,000 clicks).
insurance - I pay less than $500 a year for insurance - it would cost over $1000 just to go to a 150.
more speed - I am a very conservative rider with my current scoot because I have no choice - if I had more power, I would probably not stay in the right lane all the time (I certainly don't with my car) and that would put me at risk
challenge - despite the hassles, I really do like facing the challenge of taking my little scooter all over the place - including long distances
motorcycle course - there's another $750 cost that I don't fell I need right now with my current scoot

So there it is - I am stuck trying to decide between being Big Guy Small Scooter to being Big Guy Medium Scooter. What to do, what to do.....

Pacific Populaire

2009-04-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend was one of the best in recent memory. The sun was shining and it was actually around 20° C. today. What great scootering weather - but I didn't scoot at all.

Why not?

Two words - Pacific Populaire.

My friend, Stew (whose photos grace the blog entry today) asked me if I wanted to join him and a friend a few weeks ago. I said that I would probably go but actually waited until the last possible moment so I could check the weather forecast. As it turned out, the weather was perfect.

I drove into Vancouver with my bike on my carrier and parked at Stew's house. Stew and I were joined by his friend, Lana, who had come over the night before from Vancouver Island. After a quick cup of tea, we headed out on our bikes to the Pacific Populaire.

The event is put on by the BC randonneurs which is a long distance cycling group. This particular event was just for fun so it attracted everyone from the serious hard-core cyclist to, well, us. There was a choice between 25, 50 or 100 km so we went up the middle and chose 50 km.

When we arrived, there was a huge lineup for registration - obviously the good weather had brought out a lot of last minute participants. Luckily we had pre-registered so we didn't have to lineup for an hour.

There were so many people registering that the ride was delayed by half an hour. Then we were off!

As usual when I'm starting of on a long ride, I went to fast and did not find my own pace until about 5 km. After that I slowed down a bit and found a pack of cyclists at my own speed. The ride starts in Vancouver at a place called Riley Park and goes along streets that have dedicated bike lanes. We headed south and eventually crossed the bridge over the Fraser River and went by Vancouver Airport. We then ended up cycling in Richmond.

The Richmond part of the ride was very enjoyable as it was relatively flat and there wasn't too much traffic.

At around the 20 km mark, we stopped for a quick coffee at a coffee shop. It was a nice break as we watched the other cyclists whizz by but eventually the sweeper of the 50 km ride stopped by and we decided it was time to press on!

We made good time on the 5 km to the halfway mark and then got our control cards stamped.

Happily there was a nice variety of food including bananas, cookies and cakes.

We had a quick rest and then got back on the bikes as we didn't want to stay at the back of the pack....

I felt really good for the next several kilometres. We made good time as the roads were smooth and the headwind eventually dissipated. We continued on until we crossed the bridge back into Vancouver. Then began the hill back up to the start. Although I slowed a bit on the hills, I still made pretty good time.

Finally, we rode into Riley Park and received a pin to commemorate our ride. We finished the 50 km ride in 3 hours and 24 minutes but that included the 30 minute stop for coffee. After having a couple more cookies and a celebratory photo, we headed to another coffee shop for a quick latte. A very enjoyable ride, but I don't know if I'll be up to the 100 km next year!

White Rock Beach

2009-03-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a while but I really haven't had anything to say up until now. I've ridden my scooter to school and to a few appointments but the unseasonable crappy weather and the busy-ness of life has affected my blogging.

Today, however, I have a reason to blog!

I had finished my planning for the week, done a couple jobs around the house, and had some time left in the afternoon. It was a beautiful sunny day, although only a crisp 9° C. (whatever that is in Fahrenheit - maybe around 50°). I decided to see if I could make a round trip to White Rock beach in the two hours before dinner. It was, as it turned out, a bit of a challenge.

I first took the Albion Ferry to cross the river. I'm getting quite nostalgic about the Albion Ferry. The Golden Ears bridge will be opening downstream in June and so the free ferry will stop running at the end of July. The bridge will have a toll while the ferry doesn't and the bridge is really out of the way for me. People have always complained about the lineups at the ferry but if you're on two wheels, you go right up to the front! I'm hopeful that some private operator will take over the route....

My way to White Rock, a beach on the ocean, was a bit busy. I chose roads that were very well travelled and I ended up pulling over quite a bit. One place that I pulled over had this lovely, friendly sign greeting people from the road.

I arrived in White Rock and my mind was flooded with memories from my past. When I was small, my parents took us there quite frequently for holidays. It's funny, I lived in Vancouver but we hardly ever went to Vancouver beaches as a family - always to White Rock! I think it held a special place for my parents as they met there. The Cottage fish and chips restaurant has gone through many changes but was the favourite place for my family many years ago.

I parked my scoot near some motorcycles and I'm sure we were all illegally parked. Problem is, it's pay parking everywhere else and I knew I wasn't going to be there long.

I walked over the tracks to the beach. When I was a kid, I remember putting a bunchy of pennies on the track just before a train went by and collecting as many flattened pennies as I could find. Do kids still do that today? I don't know.

I spent a grand total of 15 minutes admiring the scenery. It was a busy place with lots of people milling around. As I sat at a picnic table I saw: on the other side or the table was a women and her baby; the bench next to me had two teenage girls chatting and laughing; on the beach in front of me, a biker guy sand girl were lying against a log smoking a joint. Interesting mix.

I headed back a different way which was much better. Going up 184th Street most of the way home, there was little traffic and not too many hills. There was a patch of construction where I had to go over gravel for half a kilometre but it was fine other than that.

Just before turning back to Fort Langley, I came across the almost completed Golden Ears bridge. It was quite the sight and quite the engineering feat.

Finally, I took the ferry back home, arriving just as my wife was serving up a warm stew for dinner. It was a good ride, one well worth blogging.

Buntzen Lake

2009-02-21T16:49:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful Saturday today - sunny and crisp - and I felt like going for a local scoot. The temperature was pretty good for a day in February - around 12° C. - but I didn't feel like a long trek.

After coffee at a relative's house in Port Coquitlam, I headed towards my destination, Buntzen Lake. Buntzen lake holds many warm summer memories with my side of the family as we often meet there near the end of summer and catch up on vacation highlights.

I turned off the Lougheed Highway and went up Ioco Road and then towards the community of Anmore. It was quite a steep climb up the hill and a fairly twisty road. On the map above, it's the red route. Parts of the road in Anmore were very rough and bumpy and I had to slow down considerably.

I went through Anmore (basically a residential area) and continued onto Buntzen Lake. At the entrance of the park was a sign that read "Caution - Extremely Slippery Road". At this point I thought, hmm, maybe the fact that I'm on a scooter means I'm a bit of risk taker in the first place so perhaps I will carefully try this road. Also, the temperature was warmish and the sun was out so I carefully went down the road.

I did notice a fair bit of snow on the sides of the road but there were no near death experiences on the road or, for that matter, during the entire ride.

I arrived at the lake to a beautiful vista. I snapped a few photos, noticing that the people that were there to have a picnic had the whole beach for themselves! I would have stayed longer but I smelled hot dogs cooking over a over a barbecue and realized I had missed lunch.

I went a different way back, through Belcarra and Ioco. The road was much better as were the opportunities for photos.

I first stopped in Ioco and took this picture looking at Burrard Inlet. It was very bright out at this point which is why the photo is a bit washed out. Still, I liked the sparkling water from this viewpoint.

On my way down the hill, I also saw this church/religious centre. I liked the look of this old house and how it was being used.

I ended up in Newport Village (where Ioco Road meets the Lougheed Highway) and had a latté and a prosciutto and bocconcini sandwich at an Italian café before heading home - feeling warm and content despite the crispness in the air.

Thawing Out

2009-01-19T21:46:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know, I’m Canadian and I should accept the cold.

But I spent the last 4 weeks or so with my scooter in the garage!

This is not normal weather for the West Coast - or the Wet Coast - of Canada.

Finally, the snow is starting to go. FIrst we had huge amounts of rain and some terrible flooding in the Fraser Valley. Then there was some sun and even a bit of warmth. For the past few days now, we’ve had a blanket of fog over the whole Lower Mainland for most of the day.

However, I did have the opportunity to ride to work a couple of days last week. I was pretty please how easily my scooter started after 4 - 5 weeks of cold weather. I usually ride year round so I hadn’t taken any special precautions for the cold. I had to start it about 5 times before it caught but was fine after that.

The second day I rode was a bit of a dumb move. It was cold and as I came to the first stopped sign and put down my feet, my shoes skittered on the black ice on the road. I was determined to ride, though, and carefully made my way to school. On the way home from school, I was shrouded in a blanket of fog but at least the ice was gone.

On the weekend I planned to go for a ride but the fog worked against me during the times that I was able to get away.

Big, dirty lumps of snow are still on the side of streets and piled up on lawns. Usually, when snow falls here, it’s washed away by the rain in a day or two. This is unusual to have such a cold snap. And the fog caused my Friday night bike patrol shift to be cancelled. Rats!

Oh, and count me in as one of those Canadians who's excited that Obama got elected!

Back in Black - well sort of...

2009-02-18T15:42:00.000-08:00

Well, maybe back in green and black....

So why, oh readers of the blogosphere, has this blog been so silent these past few weeks?

Well, not long after my last blog entry, I scooted off to school one morning. It was icy out but I thought, hey - I'm careful, I know what I'm doing, I'm experienced, and I'm Canadian so cold weather should be a snap for me.

I was wrong.

Yes, I know Steve Williams rides in minus 20° temperatures and has no problem. A few weeks ago, there I was, with the mercury at maybe -2°C. , on the way to school in the morning. Just before the turn for the school, I hit a nasty patch of black ice and slipped and slid for about 15 metres. Miraculously, I managed to somehow stay on the scoot and recover. Even better, another teacher from my school was right behind me and witnessed what he thought was some great riding. Thus ended Near Death Experience Number 48. (No, that's probably not an accurate count - I'm actually just guessing!)

Even though that day ended in a sunny ride home, I have to admit I was a bit shaken. Between that, more cold weather, and some school related reasons, I did not ride at all until yesterday.

Yesterday, I rode just to school and back. Nice ride, a bit cold but not icy. Some sun in the afternoon.

Then today, I decided to not only to go to school but I also had an appointment in New Westminster.

It was my first longish ride in a very long time - and the Vespa performed very well. What was more revealing was that I felt wonderful after I returned home. Yes, a little chilled but very positive. It's that elusive feeling that I have missed so much over the past while - sort of a excited contentment that seems to come out of nowhere. I know I've blogged about it before but I'm still amazed at the positive effects of scooter riding.

Now I'm looking forward to a bit more frequent rides - and some more regular blogging. Here's hoping.....

Snow ('s No) Scootering

2008-12-27T16:20:00.000-08:00

Well, as you can probably tell, it's been a white Christmas.

Those of you that aren't that familiar with Canada may think that the winter months bring several feet of snow for the duration once you cross the 49th parallel. Although that may be true in some parts of Canada, it certainly doesn't apply to the West Coast.

At least, not until this winter.

We've had loads of snow this month - over 60 cm (2 feet) and it stuck around for more than a week - usually in this neck of the woods, if it does snow, the rain washes everything away the next day. This has definitely turned out differently.

Needless to say, my scooter has been sitting in the garage, gathering dust, for the last month. I don't think I've had a longer down time where I haven't ridden. I haven't ridden my bicycle for a couple of weeks either - and that time was for shopping mall theft prevention for bike patrol.

Still, it's been a good Christmas - lots of time just kicking around at home which has been a very nice change. The dog, Guinness, has been enjoying himself although, unfortunately, he's discovered how to crack and eat from our bowl of holiday nuts.

Thanks to all the blog readers out there that have been checking in on my blog and leaving messages. Hope you all have a great New Year!

Looking forward to some scootering really soon....

Scooter Medicine

2008-12-02T22:17:00.000-08:00

I raised my head above the sea of report cards long enough today to go to the doctor in New Westminster for an appointment. I haven’t had the luxury of extra time to go for longer rides lately and, frankly, the west coast weather has been very wet coast lately.

I have been scooting to school regularly, however, and thought Id take advantage of the appointment to make a longer ride.

Luckily the rains held and I had a nice ride into New West, making good time with surprisingly few close calls on the Mary Hill Bypass. The weather was fairly nice, dry and I was wearing the correct number of layers. The 3/4 helmet with it generous face shield kept my head nice and warm.

I arrived a bit early for my appointment and had time for a latté at Blenz coffee, my favourite alternate chain to Starbucks. Yes, I know I'm Canadian, but I don't like Tim Horton's coffee at all!

I then strolled up to the doctor’s office and walked in, maybe 2 minutes early. The two receptionists looked up strangely as I strode over to their desk and announced my name (Why is it that this doctors' office has at least two receptionists for two doctors?). They looked at each other and then one of them said, “There’s no doctors here. They’ve left for the day.”

I stared at her for a few seconds and then showed her my appointment slip. She apologized - albeit half-heartedly - and then booked a new appointment.

At that point I stared at the large poster announcing that any missed appointments would incur a charge of $50. Remember, this is Canada, and we’re not used to paying money where health care is concerned.

I should have said, “Excuse me, but since you missed my appointment, I’d like a cheque for $50!” or something like that. Instead, I just growled.

But here’s the scooter thing. I left the office, got onto my scooter, and left New West. By the time I was by Riverview (I took the longer way back, avoiding the Mary Hill) all of my frustration and being ticked off dissipated into the wind.

I returned home feeling quite content - happy, in fact!

Still could have used the 50 bucks, though...

A grey palette paints the day

2008-11-11T22:27:00.000-08:00

When we lived in Scotland on my year long teacher exchange, so many days were grey but also beautiful. It looked like God had decided just to use a palette of greys, but still painted a masterpiece.

Yesterday, the rains stopped and, as I had some appointments in Vancouver, I rode out on my Vespa. It seemed that the Scottish palette of greys was in use again, with the occasional splash of fall colours.

Some dark clouds were brooding over Burke Mountain as I rode through Coquitlam. I had a hard time riding in traffic as I saw so many different cloud formations so I ended up pulling over several times.

One of the cloud formations had sun behind it and I was hard pressed to find a place to pull over. It amazes me that I seem to see so much more on the Vespa than when I’m in my car. I really try to take advantage of the many traffic lights on this route so I can rubberneck safely.

The traffic was fairly light as I headed onto the Barnet Highway. This photo of the sulphur piles in the Port Moody Arm of Burrard Inlet is OK - in reality the sulphur is such a deep and saturated yellow that it almost seems to pop out of its surroundings.

Further on up Barnet Highway, I pulled over and took a photo of the inlet looking west. The colours of the palette had definitely gone beyond grey at this point. Unfortunately, my camera kept shutting of at this point because the battery needed recharging.

I continued on into Vancouver with the sun providing some actual warmth. There were no near-death experiences and a bus driver actually honked to let me pull ahead!

In Vancouver, I stopped at the Kits Coffee Company and had an excellent latté and a Sicilian grilled sandwich. I had brought my laptop so managed to mark most of my students’ work that was done online.

My final stop before my last appointment was Granville Island. I never tire of the views from there. The public market is great there as well - I grabbed some sort of French sausage to supplement my dinner - and then walked out towards the water. Luckily, my camera had enough life in it to fire off a bunch of night photos - of which one or two were pretty good.

Unfortunately, at the end of my Vancouver time, I got a phone call that one of my good friend’s father had passed away. A tradition with this particular group of friends is to buy a nice bottle of Scotch and then spend some time with the person who has lost a parent. I stopped in at the fancy Cambie Street liquor store and bought a bottle of cask strength Laphroaig.

An hour and a bit later, I was at my friend’s house, toasting the memory of his father with a couple of wee drams. This “grey” end to the day, sort of a “pre-wake”, was actually a pretty comforting way to end off the day.

In My Own Backyard

2008-10-25T17:04:00.001-07:00

Today was a simple ride - I only had an hour or so before I had to drive my daughter to work and I took advantage of the sunny day to take a ride close to home.

Sometimes it's good to remember that big is not always better and a long or far ride is not necessary to have a good ride.

My 50ccs were just fine today, thank you very much. The fall colours, crisp but not too cold temperature, and my generally excellent mood made for a wonderful ride.

Only last week I had managed to fix my camera that I had inadvertently broken a while back. I went to this site and found that the steps actually worked well. Finally, back to taking photos with a decent camera!

I first stopped at the Webster's Corners United Church. It was built in 1912 and I've always been impressed by the look of this building. I can almost see the farmers of yesterday leaving the church as the service ends.

Next was the Bell Irving Fish Hatchery. I wanted to check this place out as I am taking my class here in a couple of weeks for a field trip. The tree leaves turning colour made an awesome site in the parking lot.

I wandered around the hatchery for a while and looked at the fish channels at some chums. On the way back to my Vespa, I took a few photos framing the shot with some rocks and a tree. It wasn't until I returned home that I realized that one of the shots had rays of light emanating from the left side. I was really happy with this one.

At this point, it was time to turn around and head back. I stopped in at Cliff Park and walked down the trail towards Kanaka Creek .I had gone to games at the field with my kids but I don't remember ever going on the trail. The trail came to a bridge where the creek water went rapidly by.

I also took this close up of the water. I liked how some of the water droplets caught the sun.

I walked back up the trail and then headed home. Even though my ride only took an hour or so, it was a good hour, certainly one well spent. I will have to ponder the bigger bike and the long distance travelling issues over the next little while. In the meantime, I will try to make the effort to see more of my own backyard.