Travel
16
THE ACCIDENTAL THRU-HIKER: WALKING THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, Part Three
We met a lot of characters on the trail. Trail names like Rising Sun, ‘Graveyard Shift’, Marathon Man, Blueberry, Mr.Truth, Sagacious, McLovin’, Riki Tiki, Frog Fellow, Rodeo, Tenacious D, Forest Moistener, Slim Jim, Tom Sawyer, Forrest, Mav stuck in my head connected with images of gaunt hikers cold and hungry on the trail. We’d meet on trail, share intel, or simply pass by then read about who we … more
18
THE ACCIDENTAL THRU-HIKER: WALKING THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, Part Two
Day two of hiking gave us our first dose of rain. The idea of making camp in the rain temporarily removed my allergies to furry creatures. That second night was my first in an Appalachian Trail shelter. We shared the space with four humans and three dogs. Yes, three dogs. When I mention a backcountry shelter or show far away pictures of these cute little log lean-to’s, … more
16
THE ACCIDENTAL THRU HIKER: WALKING THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, Part One
Like most of our adventures, this one started with the question ‘So what do you want to do this winter?’. I had a rare 6 week window of nothing booked and Peter was itching for adventure. We live in two glorious locations: a vacation home in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah and the majestic Rocky Mountain town of Canmore, Alberta. It seemed irrational to leave either but we … more
23
Place of the Spirits: The Torngat Mountains
It feels like yesterday that the helicopter pulled up leaving us behind in the most isolated and remote area I had ever been to. Tower Mountain hovered to the south and the only sound were the mosquitos. Ranger Seals, a peculiar type of freshwater seal, popped in and out of Kangaleksurilek Lakes to the north. A polar bear meandered in the distance, too far away to cause any … more
16
Fun at the GranFondo Axel Merckx
I have to admit I was dreading the ride. After our 110 day/11,100km trip on bike around Canada for the Big Ride for Let’s Talk, all I wanted to do was not ride my bike. I was definitely dreading the 160km ride I agreed to approximately 12 days after our stint around this massive country. But a promise is a promise, and there was no way I was … more
6
The most EPIC last year…
First of all, I must apologize for neglecting this blog for so long. You see, I had good intentions. I planned on writing about the bike tour we did last July and only got half way through. Then, the plan was the write about the magical trip up to the Nunatsiavut Region of Northern Labrador Peter and I took last August. Our time with the Inuit community up … more
30
Summer Adventure Trilogy Part One: BC Bike Tour Part Four
It’s taken too long to get to part four of this summer adventure trilogy…part four of part one that is. I’ve been busy riding my bike of all things. No excuses, though, so here goes. Better late than never telling the tale at all. That same day we disembarked the plane, rode east from the airport past the rink I skated my last race on Winter Olympic … more
12
Summer Adventure Trilogy Part One: Bike Touring British Columbia Part Three
Rain, wind, sun and pie were on the plate for that first day on Highway 20 to Bella Coola. These things combined with copious amounts of climbing made for an ominous day balanced with sweet rewards. Pretty much everyone we met told us ‘it’s flat from here on out’ or even ‘it’s all downhill now’. A man at a lookout even said this to us when we could … more
26
Summer Adventure Trilogy: Bike Touring British Columbia Part Two
The ride down from the Mount Robson campground was a fun cruise compared to the water treading adventure on the way up. Trails were clear of overflow. It was hard to believe only three days earlier they were flooded out. Our goal was to leave the campground early to hit the Café next to the Visitor’s Center right at opening time. I know I’m on the road … more
22
Summer Adventure Trilogy: Bike Touring British Columbia Part One
I just lived the best summer of my life. Life after sport, that is. Being that it was the first one of this kind for me there’s nothing to compare it to. I suspect it will stay at the top of the list for some time. It was so busy there was no time to share the experience. Thus, this Summer Adventure Trilogy. Scrolling back to … more
