So long 2009....

So there is now a potential of a Carcross Reunion in 2014….so it gets me to thinking about the Dempster again. It was quite a trip, regardless of the disappointment. About a year and a half of energy, planning and anticipation gone with a lot of smoke….so yes, I was disappointed and feeling a bit bummed about the whole thing.


There are a whole lot of things that were right. Gear, food and bike for sure. I have mixed feelings about the BOB trailer. It is great for around town…trips to the grocery store and such but I think I would be more mobile without it and with a set of front panniers instead.


I would know what to expect this time too. I think my expectations on the distances I could achieve were a little high. I had read many blogs about guys doing the trip in 10 days or better but those guys are 25 years younger than me and most have far more touring experience than me too. In fact, for most of them, the Dempster was just a small part of an extended trip.

I would also do it before the Reunion instead of after. I was emotionally drained to begin the trip from the high of the Hippy School reunion and I think that also played a part.




If, and it is still an if, I do this in 5 years time, I will fly to Dawson and ask Doug to drive me to Tombstone and start riding from there. That would eliminate the 100 km of uphill I have already done. Maybe the goal with be the Arctic Circle instead of Inuvik…but I do have time to consider that.

I have done little since my return but gain some weight. I am so out of shape right now.



But it is New Years and time to turn the corner. Ski season is now here so I need to dig deep and start getting healthy again. A new year and some new goals. Starting with a bit of a deficit but no where to go but up.

Here's to 2010!

Year end list

It is the time of year when every music magazine shows off their top list. I am feeling a little out of touch.

I got my Rolling Stone magazine yesterday in the mail complete with multiple year and decade ending list. Top 50 songs of the year, top 50 albums of the decade, top 100 songs of the decade and so on…
When I had a look at the top 50, I realized that I could only recognise about 10% of the artist. Most of them I had never heard of. Sure I have heard of Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and the Kings of Leon but if I heard them on the radio, I wouldn’t be able to tell Gaga from googoo. There are lots of artist that I have never heard of….Gorillaz, OutKast, The Flaming Lips???
I am really that out of touch? I do have teen age boys but two of the three listen to what I listen too. So it got me to thinking….

There are a few artists who have been around forever and they still show up on the year end list. I am glad they still have an impact. Springsteen…U2. When it comes to top albums of the decade, I recognise a few more…Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Arcade Fire…
Most of the artist I listen to, I got tuned onto very early in their careers. I was hooked on Springsteen’s when “Greetings from Ashbury Park” came out….way before anyone had heard of Bruce. I loved U2’s rawness in “Boy”. Just listen to The Hip’s “Up to Here” and you will know what I mean.
My music tastes are still deep in the folk scene. Willie P Bennet, Cockburn, Neil (of course), Mitchell…etc.
I do keep my ear to the ground to catch new emerging artist. Folk Festival line ups, club listing are a good source but the best source is the good old CBC. Patrick Watson, the Great Lake Swimmers, Kathleen Edwards and Fiest are just a few artists that introductions came through CBC.
Lately, I am hooked on the sound of Karyn Ellis.

Her new album “Even though the Sky was Falling” is just a gem. This Toronto based indie artist has created a sound that is both new and sentimental. I love her quirky twist of word. Songs of love lost and longing memories. Joy and beauty. All this and a stunning voice too. (sort of Jane Siberryish…if that’s a word!)The surprise also comes with the soft cello, subtle singing horns. From “Be my Girl” to Motorcycle Ride”, this album is full of intimate tunes that pull at your heartstrings. Ordinary life gone better.


Check out the link and have a listen.
http://www.karynellis.com/

..ok...it can stop now....

This is the third "snow day" in a row. The roads are a mess and the highway closed.

Staying home with some red wine it the right thing to do.



Form this last Sunday....
To this Sunday...

Snow....Finally!

Snow….wonderful snow.
It has been a warm snowless fall but it has finally arrived!
This time last year we were already skiing for a few weeks. Snow today and the long range looks good.

We are volunteering at the Ontario Winter Games in January and well as skiing in the Muskoka Loppet the week later. A week after that is the Parry Sound Sounder….a beautiful up and down course.

Two weeks after that is the Canadian Ski Marathon in Montebello Quebec. There is quite the entourage from Muskoka making the trip. This is our third time going and we will be trying to ski 100 kilometres in two days this year.
But first, we needed the snow. It is tough to keep in shape between bike seasons and ski season. No excuses now! Especially with the season of Christmas upon us…too much eating, visiting and a few beers to work against staying in shape.

Ski Marathon 2008
Bring it on!

Santa Claus Parade '75

The Santa Claus Parade was last weekend in Toronto….that brought back a story of my youth…
Back in High School, I know this guy named John Eareaux. His dad worked for Eatons and back then, Eatons ran the Santa Clause Parade.
We were lucky enough to be chosen to be in the parade…as upside down clowns!
I was pretty excited about this….we even got the clown costumes ahead of time and spent Friday night running around the neighbourhood all dressed up.
Saturday morning I was at the dairy working for Dad. One of the machines seemed to be plugged…so…I foolishly pulled out the safety cap and stuck my hand up the machine to see what was stuck….the next thing I knew…the end of my finger was cut off!
Of course it was pretty busy at the dairy and Dad didn't have time to drive me to the hospital right away. John Derry (actual name) was loading his truck for deliveries to the west end so Dad had him drop me off at the Hospital on his way out the Lakeshore.
Four hours later (I will spare you the details), I was all bandaged up and ready to go. I had lost about 1/2 an inch of my middle finger…while somewhat traumatic, not such a big deal.
When I told the doctor that I was going to be an upside down clown the next day in the Santa Claus parade….he told me that was not advisable.

I had to explain to him that the upside down clowns don't really walk on their hands.

Neil and Gord

You see…it was Neil birthday and Gord was playing in Orillia.
Now Neil is a big big fan of Mr Lightfoot. The first song he ever played on a guitar was “Early Morning Rain". He had seen Lightfoot numerous times over the past 30 years but a home town show would be special. Especially since it was on his 55 birthday. Gord is turning 71 later this week.
Neil’s wife Barb wrote Gord and expressed Neil’s love of his music and hoped that Gord would wish him a happy birthday during the show.
The show was great and the band was tight. Gord’s voice has loss some depth but he interacted with the audience and seemed to be really enjoying himself.
At the end of the show, we all went up to the stage in hopes that Gord would come out and say hello. There were about 20 people lined up in front of the stage but I said to Neil…”he is an old guy….he is not going to come out on the stage and bend over to talk to people…he is going to come out the side door”. We positioned ourselves beside this door and sure enough….out came Gord.
Neil and Gord meet and Neil introduce himself and mention the letter that Barb had sent.
“Oh…your Neil!” said Gord with a smile on his face. He had meant to mention Neil’s birthday during the concert but had forgotten. They had a good chat…Neil got his autograph and presented Gord with a copy of his CD.
I don’t think Neil’s feet are touching the ground just yet.

Small World but wouldn't want to paint it.

I move to the Carcross Community School in '77.

Here is a story from the "small world but I wouldn't want to paint it' file.

When I first arrived at Carcross, I lived in the big building for a bit and then in the Yellow house with Duck and Lee. At the end of the summer, I took a little tour outside. I took the train to Skayway (the raod wasn't built) and the ferry down the coast to Prince Rupert. I continued on to Prince George and eventually returned to Carcross the second week on September. All the students had arrived and I moved up to the cabin on the hill with Lavel, Janis Clark, Dirk, Anne Nicholson, Carol Ruhnke and, I think, Mark Witt.

Janis Clark, Stanleigh Cole and Carol Ruhnke at the Carcross desert.

Carol and I were comparing notes one night and found out that our grandparents use to live next store to each other in Guelph Ontario. In fact, Carol's dad and my uncle Mark were best friends growing up! Both our grandparents were professors at University of Guelph. Small world! Then it turned out that Janis Clark's grandfather was also a professor at Guelph and he lived around the corner.

Facebook?

I am not sure if I really get Facebook.

When I first got asked to be someone's "friend", I thought it a bit weird. You see, we are friends and I see him at work almost everyday so why would he want to talk to me through a program? So I said to him…"I don't do Facebook".

I was a hold out for a long time but curiosity crept in. So, eventually, I do do Facebook….but with criteria. It seems if you let someone be your Facebook friend, it opens up a whole other group of people who will be asking to be your friend….so I have lots of people on my "want to be friend" list that I have not responded to. I don't mean to be rude but it looks like a never ending thing. I am just not interested in have 330 friends.

That can be awkward but if I see you at work or if Facebook is the only means for our relationship….well, I am just not interested. Some of these "Friends" request are from people that I know nothing of besides their name or place of work so why would I want to enter into some sort of Social network with them. Does that sound elitist…I hope not….they are all fine people, I'm sure, but I just don't see the point.

Having said that, I do have one friend on my facebook page that I haven't met. I have followed her blog for some time now and oddly, through one of those six degrees of separation thing, she came up as a potential friend. I asked and she said yes and I find her notes interesting and humorous.....so maybe that is the whole point!

I guess that if Facebook is the only way we are going to communicate, I would rather you just give me a call.

I do see some benefit. Most of my "Friend" are long distance Carcross people. The Carcross Community School has it's own site so I use Facebook to connect with that group. I also am a supporter of the Georgian Bay Coastal Trail group, The Peel River watershed and Cameron Helps group. I see this as a way to get the word out on a couple of things that are dear to me.

Halloween!

Back when I was growing up in Toronto, my Dad operated a Dairy Plant. Each Halloween he would fill half pints with Chocolate Milk Shake. He would bring them home and put them in the freezer.

Halloween night he would give out frozen mild shakes.
We would get tons of kids…easily over 100 each Halloween. The next day at school, every kid you knew had a milk shake in the lunch box.

One Halloween, my mother was not around to manage the door. Dad's knee was bothering him. When he ran out of milk shakes at the door, he called my brother to bring up some more from the downstairs fridge. John opened the fridge, filled the crate and brought another 50 half pints of milk shakes up to Dad. About an hour later, we got a call from the neighbour. She had opened the half pint container and discovered chili sauce…not milk shake!

It seems my mother was using half pint containers for her home made chili sauce too! Dad had given out 50 half pints of Mom's chili sauce.

Needless to say…Mother was not happy. Dad's response was…"next year we will have half as many kids and twice as many Mothers"

Dempster Images

There is a cool bike website called http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/ . All sorts of good bike stories and a good place to research a trip. I learned a whole lot about the Dempster from various riders from this site. This summer, a fellow named David Cambon rode an recumbent bike from Vancouver to Inuvik...epic journey for sure. Check out the site and his stellar images.


He did take a couple of shot at pretty well the same place I did so below is the comparsion....nice to see it without the smoke!
David's photo looking up towards the North Fork Pass above and mine below....

...and his looking up towards the Tombstone Mtns....

....and mine below....it is no wonder I got a lung infection.....

Thanksgiving

Saturday afternoon…sun is shining and the leaves are falling. It is one of those rare afternoons when I have the house to myself….so I am cooking. Neil is cranked on the stereo and there is a Sleeman in the glass. The leave will have to wait. (I have teenagers so why am I raking leaves anyway!)

This is my favorite time of year. The colours, the change in temperature and the promise of winter. It is also Thanksgiving time….the time of harvest and bounty and counting blessing.

There are lots of blessing to count. I know I am one of the lucky ones. A great family who all love each others company. True friends who are supportive, lend a laugh and keep us motivated. The Raithby’s all showed for Thanksgiving on Saturday. Sunday was a trip to Porcupine Ridge for the annual HoggieTurkey Trot. Dinner at Bracebridge Grandmas on Sunday with the Kitchener cousins and a Monday run with the MacKinnon’s and the Dawson’s. A stellar weekend all around.

I am also lucky to have my Yukon family…..some still living in the Yukon but others stretched across this country from Libby and Trudel on the left side to Constable and Annabelle Nic on the right....and tons more in between. I do appreciate all the support and kind words this summer after the Dempster dream went a bit south from both my northern and southern pals.

The lake will get rough every now and then. Always keep the good lifejackets close.
I had a friend of mine say…and I am paraphrasing…"I didn't know so and so a year ago and if I don’t know them a year from now…well, life goes on" I guess I am in that category as I haven't heard from her in a while. If you are the only one in a friendship who is making contact….you get to wonder how important that relationship really is… I do have friendship with some people that I don’t see for years but the reconnection is heartfelt and seamless. I sure felt this while reconnecting with some of my Yukon friends this summer.

Dempster revisited

While I have been home for a month or so and had time to think back on this summers adventure on the Dempster. I also have had a few emails from other riders who have tackled this ride.


I last saw Mary England, who I met at Tombstone Territorial Park, was at the North Fork Pass where we shared a cup of coffee in the clouds. She did complete the ride all the way to Inuvik. The smoke cleared with the rain but that was replaced with snow and strong winds on the Eagle Plain. Her last couple of days were spent fighting rain, headwind and mud….she was happy to finally get to Inuvik.




Mark Ooms, from Whitehorse, and two friends attempted the highway in reverse. Two days before they started, one of his friends had a bit of an accident….the result, a sore knee, broken teeth and a bent bike. All got fixed and off they went. They drove to Dawson City and flew to Inuvik and started riding back. Unfortunately, the poor fellow knee flared out early in the trip and they had to abandon the ride at Fort MacPherson. I certainly can relate to their disappointment.



I go a note from Russ Krauss from Illinois. He drove his ’98 Prism all the way to Dawson City from Chicago in mid August to start his ride. He got to Inuvik a couple of weeks later after many sightings of grizzly bears and seeing the front end of the Porcupine Caribou herd migration….some 400-500 caribou.




Prior to the Dempster and back in Carcross, I met Dan Bar-Shay from Israel. He had just ridden up from Skagway Alaska and was riding back to Vancouver down the Cassier Highway. I beleive he told me he was in his 60's. Inspiration!

For me, the Dempster will have to wait. Looks like I picked the worst week to be riding given the smoke. I certainly will be checking out the fire ratings before I try this ride again. I am hoping the there will be another reunion in Carcross in 5 years time. All things being equal, I will continue where I left off…pre-reunion this time.

University Touring

Sam is all set and quite happy with Life at Trent….it is now Ellis’s time to prepare.
It is difficult to make that decision on “what you want to do when you grow up” when you are only 16. I still don’t know and I am 50!

While we want Ellis to pick a program that he will excel in, I also feel that the environment has a big impact…so we are looking at schools that fit those needs too. Ellis’s guidelines are….A little urban but not too big (so that rules out Toronto and York), not Northern (out goes Lakehead, Algoma and Nipissing)….so we are looking at mid-size campuses within a 4 hour drive from home and there are lots to choose from.

Raithby House University of Guelph

We went for a tour last weekend….not to pick the University but as an exposure tour to see what will be ahead and a couple of possibilities. Guelph was the first stop last Friday.
Being a former Guelphite…I do have my bias. This was also the University for my Grandfather (Raithby House) and my Mom and Dad. It is a beautiful campus full of open spaces, old trees and old architecture. Our tour guide was great! We looked at a few residence options, where the school of business take place and a few other buildings. We finished our tour with a cup of coffee at the Daily Grind with 1st year student and daughter of my pals Carol and Bob, Tessa Webb.

Tessa and Ellis at the famous painted Canon

We had a tour of Wilfred Laurier on Saturday. Homecoming weekend. I had never been to Laurier so this was new to me too. In truth, I found it a bit claustrophobic….lots of buildings and little green space. The tour guide didn’t have the strength that the Guelph girl did and half way through, Ellis had lost interest….and so had I.

In order to help Ellis choose (and to help us, help him), we decided to seek assistance through a counselling service called “Launch….Student Career Planning”. Virginia Graham doesn’t tell Ellis where he should go but through numerous test and questions, figures out Ellis’s strengths and interest and then tries to fit the school to those issues. His strength show in business and social sciences, so he is considering a number of options.

More work to do before a final decision but it make me want to go back to school.....don't think Linda will let me.....

Carcross Community

Reunion revisited

It has been a month and a bit since the reunion of the Carcross Community Education Centre that took place in Carcross, YT.
For those who don't know….Carcross was an community alternative high school. It was full of people from all across this land (and few Yanks too) all who shared a wish to do something out of the ordinary, had difficulty in there current school or work life or wished to explore Community living.

The Carcross area is one of those stunning and beautiful places. Four valleys meet bringing together rivers, lakes, mountains and even the worlds smallest desert.
I had forgotten how stunning it is…I won’t wait another ten years to return.

Emerald Lake

The Reunion sure was a buzz…and while I am fully lodged in the day to day of work life, I am bound and determine not to let that joyous occasion be moved to the back of my mind.
Being a student/worker at the "Hippy School" had a big impact in my life.

Year '77-'78

All I needed to learn to get through life, I learned at Carcross. I do find it hard to explain to non-Hippy school folks. While trying to describe the impact, the joy and all around experience, I usually get a nodding of heads and a dazed look in the eye….so either I am not being successful in my deliver or the reality is just too big to grasp. I think it is a bit of both as I am often lost for words trying to explain the impact.

Consequently, I decided not to try to explain it anymore.
There were a hundred odd souls who made the trip. We hiked, visited the old site, there were painting classes and even skeet shooting…(every hippy should know how to skeet shoot)….we had a wine tasting, slide shows and did a whole lot of laughing. And then we danced….nothing beats a good old Carcross dance.

The reunion was a wonderful experience. It was so great to re-connect with folks I haven't seen for a while, connect with students from different year and meet their kids too. Even though we all were there at different times, the experiences were similar so there is a connection within various years.
I spent the week leading up to the Reunion with Mike and Donna at the Carcross Cut-off. It was just like going home. It was great to hang out with Trudel, the Carol and Bob and Stan…the Rushants and Godson Geoff. Made new friends with the Rushant and MacMillian kids, Darcy and the Growlers.

After the Dempster, I had further opportunity to visit with Hunter in Dawson, Cath and Libby at Fox lake and had a great trip to Skayway with Mike and Donna followed by a 100 mile meal at the Rushants in Carcross.

Fox Lake Sunset

The three and a half weeks passed so fast. I am still smiling when I think of it and am hoping we can all get together again before too long. Ten years is too long between reunions. The Chilkoot is calling so I am thinking in the summer of 2011 to return for a hiking trip.

TIIF

Had the opportunity to go to the Toronto International Film Fest this past weekend with Russ…what a rush.
Saw 5 films (not movies…apparently, Film Festival people don’t call them movies) in 24 hours. Some winners and a couple of not that great.

Russ and I went to 990 Bistro on Bay for a little swing ding with the movie crowds on Thursday night. Wine, beer and snacks then off to Roy Thomson Hall for the Gala opening of a Norwegian film entitled MAX MANUS.

I must admit that I know very little about Norway except that it is located beside Sweden….other than that, I am coming up with nothing....I don't event think they have a hockey team...just a ski team. Anyway….Norway was occupied by the Nazis during the Second World War and this is a true story about Max Manus and his group of resistance fighters. This movie is such a hit in Norway that one quarter of the population has seen the film….Imagine that for a Canadian film. It didn’t disappoint….on the good list.

On Saturday, we saw 4 more films. It started with COOKING WITH STELLA. I really wanted to like this film…directed by Dilip Mehta (who came to the opening) and staring Canadians Don McKellar and Lisa Ray. Multiple stories lines with little strength in each. Beautiful images of India couldn’t carry the film…

Second we saw the John Keats period film BRIGHT STAR. This film was getting a lot of buzz and tells the story of Keats and his love Franny Brawn. Beautifully filmed period piece that would have benefited with about 30 minutes of film left on the cutting room floor.

Our third film of the day was BROKEN EMBRACES. Even Penelope Cruise couldn’t fix this.

Our last film was the Gala presentation of YOUNG VICTORIA. A beautiful period film telling the tale of Queen Victoria…the early days…a story of politics and pressure and of the love that developed between the young Victoria and Prince Albert (Rupert Friend). Emily Blunt is fabulous as the young queen. Oddly enough…directed by a French Canadian. A must see film.

All in all, it was a great way to spend a weekend. Lots of films and a few free wine and cheese parties to boot.

It has been a rush......

The Yukon summer was great trip but it has been a wonderful year all along peppered with many great memories.
It started with turning the big 50 in January and hasn’t slowed down.

The ski Marathon in Quebec with the MacKinnons and the Espys, Pam and Sheryl, the father and son annual weekend in May in Algonquin Park, front row centre for Neil Young in Kingston with brother Johnny, riding 200 km in the Ride to Conquer Cancer with Vicki and the Kman, Manitoulin biking…..more biking and camping leading up to the Yukon and the Hippy School Reunion and capped off with the annual family trip to Killbear Provincial Park on beautiful Georgian Bay.

The fall looks pretty busy too. Off to the Toronto International Film Fest this weekend with Russ to smooze with the stars. We even got tickets! No, we are not actors....just characters. Lots of good stuff coming in the near future.

I do think, however, that I am going to scale it back a bit. I did take on a bit too much this year and I think I am due to be a passenger for a few months. The boys weekend at the Harris cottage is coming at the end on October and that is one weekend that all I have to do is show up.

PS...Forgot to include sneeking backstage to meet Brent Butt at Massey Hall.

Yukon summer just a dream now....

Well I am back at work.

The "Summer of Dave" is all over.

Welcome to my blog.

I have enjoyed writing for Axiom over the past few months so I thought I would continue and see where it takes me. A little bit about how the year has been and, of course, a look forward to what is coming up.

I promise to be direct, honest and tell a few tall tails too.

Living the life of Raithby