Drive-by Weekend Update....

The weekend was one filled with highs and lows. Here's the Coles Notes version.

Back Pain...back?- A bit of a setback on the pain front. Last Friday while doing my leg workout, I tore part of my right glute....that's right, I tore my ass! At the time it wasn't that bad, so I continued with the workout and even struggled through my planned run. A few hour later it started to become a bit painful and by Saturday morning it had become so uncomfortable that I was limping. Over the course of the day all that limping caused me some pretty serious back pain that even my miracle stretch couldn't fix. I was pissed! Just when I thought all this was behind me here it comes again. I had to take meds on both Saturday and Sunday and skip my hill run, but I'm happy to say that things are on the mend and this morning I'm "back" to my pain free life....thank god.

CC 2008- Gerry and I got together last Friday night to discuss (...amongst other things) CC 2008. Since last years trip, we have both developed a love of the low maint routes and so this years trip had to include some of the "black lines". This year we also wanted to visit somewhere new to us, explore new lakes and experience a different part of the park. After we batted around a few different possibilities, we decided on the route and I will post it later today. I'm very excited as this is a trip I have wanted to do for a LONG time....HINT Access point 11 :)

Minor Hockey Season Almost Over- Jacob's Minor Tyke team finished the preliminary playoffs tied for first in the league and yesterday we played the heavily favoured "green team" in the first of our 3 game mini-series to determine the A champion. Well to say they destroyed us would be putting it mildly. At the end of the second it was tied 1:1, but our guys ran out of gas in the third and we ended up losing 10-1....OUCH! We play them again Tuesday and I will update with results. PS I hate that green team

Hit and Run- With all the euphoria over my lack of back pain I forgot to mention that my van was hit last weekend. After Jacob's game we came out to find a BIG dent in the corner of the bumper and by dent I mean the whole corner crushed in. It didn't bug me that much, after all it's just a thing, but the thought that it may have been someone I know is eating away at me.

Hallelujah..my back pain is healed!

I have had back pain for so long that I stopped looking to cure it a long time ago. Over the past 3 years I have been to 3 doctors, 2 Chiropractors, acupuncture, massage, stretching, yoga ( ...I could do this all day) and countless x-rays, but the best they could do was to treat the symptoms. I wanted to treat the problem, but no one (including me) knew what the problem was, so I eventually stopped looking and went with what did work...medication.

Through trial and error I found a dosage of anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants that allowed me to continue training, but it still didn't prevent the pain. Even on my best days there was still a dull ache and my worst were spent crippled over or sitting in a chair.

Everything changed recently and long story short...

I am at the gym and my "gym friend" Paul asks me why I missed the workouts the previous week. I have known Paul for over 5 years, but only through the gym, so our conversations rarely stray from exercise. Anyway, I tell him I hurt my back again and that's why I wasn't there. "You should have come to my clinic" he responds. "What clinic?" I say. Well it turns out my good buddy Paul is a Kinesiologist and just happens to own the second largest sports injury clinic in the country! Who knew? ...not me obviously. I always figured he was tailor...always the snappy dresser that Paul!

Anyway....he then asks me to show him where the pain is and I do. He tells me it's my "Tensor Fascia Latae Muscle" and that it's common among runners to have it get very tight and cause back pain. Better yet, he then says "It's easy to fix". He then shows me a single stretch that hold for 30 seconds for each hip. PRESTO my back pain is GONE!!!! Gone people! It was as though the hand of god had just performed a miracle. I couldn't believe it! I thanked him up and down and then went about my workout, half expecting the pain to come back as was always the case with my other stretches.

That was four days ago!!! I have not has one bit of pain...nothing for 4 days and better yet, no medication. NONE. Each morning I go to bed expecting to wake with pain, but it's gone and I'm starting to believe it's gone for good. Over the past 4 days I have trained hard and still no pain. Just to put this in perspective, over the past 3 years I have only gone without meds 5 days total.

Just had to share the great news!

GSI Outdoor Dualist

Another find from Backpacker magazines 2008 Gear review. I love this set and it's only $44 at MEC, so it fits the budget and will be perfect for CC2008 and for Lauren and I. Check it out....

GSI Outdoor Dualist

"GSI Outdoors created the intelligent Ultralight Dualist Cook System to solve the problems of previous minimilast cook sets. A folding handle locks while cooking and secures the whole set when you're on the trail. A Lexan lid has a built in strainer and sip hole, and lighter-than-titanium Halulite withstands scratches and evenly conducts heat. A self-standing stuff sack doubles as a kitchen sink to hold dishwater for when you're done eating your chicken corn chowder."

New Device Takes the Worry out of Solo Canoe trips

I love the feeling of isolation Algonquin provides. It's incredible to canoe all day and feel that disconnect from the rest of world that the park provides. As much as I love all that, on the flip side are the feelings of worry that a spouse, parent or loved one feel not knowing if you are enjoying a sunset or laying alone in the wilderness with a broken ankle. I have always wanted to have a way to let her know I was fine, but the options (sat phone) were just too expensive.

That was until last night when I was reading the April, 2008 edition of Backpacker magazine and found a review of a new (....well, new to me anyway) piece of gear called SPOT.

SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker is an palm sized GPS, personal locator and emergency responder all rolled into one.

It works in there ways:

1. You safely arrive at camp but want to ease your spouse's concerns back home. Hit the "OK" button and the unit triggers and "I'm OK" email message to her with your location pinpointed on a Google Map.
2. You fall and break you ankle. The injury is non-life threatening, but you need assistance. Press the HELP button and at an email/location message is sent to your family/friends.
3. A bear chews off you foot (....it wouldn't happen, but stay with me) , press "911" and emergency responders will be dispatched to your location.
   

It's not cheap, but at about $160 for the device and an annual fee of $100 it's not hard to make an argument in favor of buying it. For me, the "I'm OK" message feature alone makes it worth the cost.

I will talk it over with Tanyia, but I'm seriously considering it just to give her peace of mind.

Now that's what I call customer service!

For years I have used Lakota Sport topical pain reliever for the various aches, pains and strains that come with training for Marathons and more recently, triathlons. It many ways it's a miracle in a bottle that allows me to train hard and still live a normal life despite the pain that comes with injury.

So I was more then a little shocked when after going to three different pharmacies I wasn't able to find it. I little worried I called Lakota and asked them if there was a production problem...."...please let it be a production problem!", I thought to myself. Just then a lovely (...sounding) girl named Carmen answered. I asked here what was going on still hoping against hope that it was just a problem with the stores I had gone too. But it turns out that they stopped making it to "....allow them to focus on researching better ways to help more people in pain". At this point I am convinced that I am absolutely SCREWED! What am I going to do without that incredible orange gunk that makes the pain, go away I thought to myself. To keep this in perspective, it's not "real" pain....like cancer pain or getting kicked in marbles kind of pain...but it does get pretty uncomfortable. Anyway back to Carmen...

She asked what I used it for and I went on for a LONG time about my training and how it's the only thing that worked for me. After a few more minutes of me begging her to start selling it again she tells me to hold for a minute. When she come back on the phone, she informs me that she went to he warehouse and has in her hand the last 6 bottles in the country. That's awesome right?.....it gets better. She then asks for my mailing address 'cause she is sending them to me for free. Who does that? Amazed I thanked her up and down. She then tells me that she will call around and see if she can find anymore. I thank here for here time, but no wanting to trouble her, tell here not to worry about it and thank her for getting the 6 she had.

True to her word, I get a call from her the next day confirming that she has mailed me the 6 bottles and that she has since managed to find 2 more and will be sending those out the following day. Crazy eh?

I know this is a bit rambly even for me, but in this time where most companies don't give a crap about customers I thought everyone needed to know about one that sincerely did.

The triathlon season starts soon!

After a long and at times BORING winter training on stationary bikes, running on the treadmill and endless swimming workouts...my real training starts this coming Monday! Ahhh....it will be so good to be back working out with a goal in hand.

I had thought about running the winter marathon in Peterborough again, but with the on again, off again problems with my lower back I figured I would make the most of the off season. I still ran, swam and did my weight routine 3 times a week each, but at times my bike training has taken a back seat. It's hard to sit and stare at the same wall for 90 minutes, 3 times a week FOR THE WHOLE WINTER! Enough said?

This year I am going to do 3 tri's:

1. Guelph Lake Weekend, June 22, 2008 : Olympic Triathlon - Swim 1.5km, Bike 42km, Run 10km
2. Northern Orillia, Aug. 17, 2008: Sprint Triathlon - Swim 750m, Bike 33km, Run 7km
3. Cobourg Triathlon Weekend: Sprint Triathlon - Swim 750m, Bike 20 km, Run 5 km

The Olympic distance will be the BIG challenge for the season and it's the first one, so after that is out of the way I should be able to coast into the Orillia sprint (same one I did last year) and the Cobourg distances are much smaller then the rest. It will be interesting to see how I do in Orillia with a full year of tri traing under my belt and I hope to better my times from last year. The Cobourg tri is small but is only a week after the Orillia. I want to try this one mostly 'cause it is so close to my home.

New for this year:

• Felt S32 tri specific bike-remember I bought it last year off of eBay?

• 19's Riptide Wetsuit- Yes I did buy a wetsuit....but I have a good reason. Since I will be in the water much longer and doubling the swim distance, I want to give myself every advantage possible and the buoyancy a wetsuit provides will be a HUGE advantage over lat year.

• Podium Quest Water bottle- I know, I know...to some it might "just" be a water bottle, but to me it's a spill proof, minute saving, aerodynamic hydration device!

• Experience-...I don't have a link for that, but I have it and it only cost me sweat!

• New Training Program- I have software called Erace Planner that was designed by the best tri coaches in the game today. All I do is punch in my stats ( heart rate, lactic threshold , the races I want to do and the intensity of the program) and the software generates a customizable schedule for the entire race season...even for the winter! It does WAY more then I have time to describe, so if feel free to check it out above. I think of all the "New" things, this one may have the most impact on my overall performance. It forces you to train hard, but not over training which has been a BIG problem for me in the past.
  

It all starts again on Monday folks....where did winter go?

Thanks again for reading and have a great weekend!!!

Hennessy Hammock Tip

I have made no secret of how much I love the Hennessy Hammock. The comfort and quality of sleep it provides are second to none.

Because you are elevated it's different then sleeping in a tent in many ways, but the big one is how the wind can rob you of body heat. When in a tent, it protects you from the cooling effect of the wind, but in the hammock whatever side you sleep on is pressed against the base or "bottom" of the hammock and when the wind blows the side you sleep on gets cold. Even on the warmest August night I have woke up with a cold but or back despite being in a sleeping bag. To prevent this I sleep on top of my Thermarest and doing this provides an extra layer of insulation and as long as I can stay on top of the mattress I stay toasty and warm.

But over the night I tend to slide down or off the thermarest and often wake up with a cold but. I just figured this was something I would have to put up with....after all, it is otherwise a very comfy sleep.

A poster named SM on the AA forums offered this tip and it sounds like it would be a big help...

"Some peeps I know zig-zag a thin layer of Shoe-Goop along one or both surfaces for more traction..."

But over That could be the answer, but I will experiment a bit before I declare this a winner. I have a cover for my mattress, so I will apply it to that and report back on how well it works.

Old Penny found....

While walking in the parking lot today I found a penny from 1958. I held it in my hand for a while and marveled at the 50 year old coin. Just think of all the things that it has been around for....the first moon landing, JFK, Vietnam, the Bay of Pigs....the list just goes on and on.

I have placed it inside my wallet where I keep my ID and plan to keep it. I feel an odd attachment to it's history.

Is that strange?

New Calendar

Just a quick word of thanks to Mark for sending me a copy of his 2008 Algonquin Calendar. It's filled with pictures from his numerous trips to the park and the photography is breathtaking.

It has now hangs on the wall with my other Algonquin pics and has replaced the boring generic calendar I have in my office.

Thanks buddy.

PS- Any chance I could get a digital copy of the bottom right August pic to use as my PC desktop?

Thanks again Mark....Simply stunning!

Into the Wild.....the movie?

One of my favorite books is Into the Wild, by John Krakauer. I am sure many of you have enjoyed it as well, but for those that may not have read it yet, here is a summary courtesy of Wikisummaries:

"Freshly graduated from college with a promising future ahead, 22 year-old Christopher McCandless instead walked out of his privileged life and into the wild in search of adventure. What happened to him on the way transformed this young wanderer into an enduring symbol for countless people. Was Christopher McCandless a heroic adventurer or a naive idealist, a rebellious 1990s Thoreau or another lost American son, a fearless risk-taker or a tragic figure who wrestled with the precarious balance between man and nature?

Each strand of his journey is woven into Sean Penn's screen adaptation of Jon Krakauer's acclaimed bestseller, Into the Wild, which is as much about the insatiable yearning for family, home and connection as it is the search for truth and happiness.

McCandless' quest took him from the wheat fields of South Dakota to a renegade trip down the Colorado River to the non-conformists' refuge of Slab City, California, and beyond. Along the way, he encountered a series of colorful characters at the very edges of American society who shaped his understanding of life and whose lives he, in turn, changed. In the end, he tested himself by heading alone into the wilds of the great North, where everything he had seen and learned and felt came to a head in ways he never could have expected"

When I first heard that they were making it into a film I thought it was going to turn out to be a nightmare. All to often, great books just don't translate into great films, so I wasn't looking forward to seeing what would remain of a Into the Wild after it had been re-written into a Hollywood screenplay.

To my surprise it has received rave reviews and not to say that good reviews mean all that much, but if nothing else, it has peaked my curiosity. It came out on DVD last week, so maybe I will be stopping by Blockbuster on the way home. Why the hell not?

I will let you know what I think of it.

What a Great Weekend!

Hockey, hockey and even more hockey!That pretty much sums up what went on and excluding going to Algonquin, is there a better way for a Canadian to spend the weekend?

Jacob had his final tournament of the year on Saturday and his first playoff game Sunday morning and I could not be more proud of what he accomplished. Now both days were a blast and here are the highlights...

• He scored his first ever hat trick and was named MVP of the tournament despite being the youngest player and playing against kids 2 and 3 years older then him (see video below, he is # 15 in white)
• Although they lost the championship game Jacob was given a special medal and a poster of Joe Thornton for winning MVP
  
• On Sunday he scored 2 goals in his first ever playoff game, as his team went on to beat the third best team in the league 6-4

Saturday night I had a few guys over to watch UFC 82 and this even did not disapoint. After it was over we were trying to decide who would host the next one when we realized that we will be at the next one!

UPDATE:

I have been told by a few readers that they couldn't get the Blogger video to work , so I have uploaded it to youtube as well and you can watch it below. Enjoy and thanks for reading!

New June trip is in the works!

About a month ago I was invited to go on a trip with Mark from "Mark In the Park". I have always been a fan of his site and being asked to go with him on a 9 day trip was very cool.

But the times just didn't work for me, so I reluctantly had to pass.

Well things have changed a bit and I am now able to meet up with him for an abbreviated trip. I will post more in the days to come, but it looks like I will be returning to the Cedar Lake area for 4 days and will be spending at least one of those days on Wendigoes Lake. A smallish lake that is off the beaten track.

More details to come, but this is looking like it will happen. Very cool!!!

How to add Kevlar Skid Plates

I want to add kevlar skid plates to my new/used canoe and found this great "How to".

Original found HERE.

Skid plate installation for Souris River Canoes. May or may not work with vinylester resin canoes by other companies such as Wenonah, Mad River, Bell, Novacraft, Swift, etc., due to the epoxy resin used. Because you are working with epoxy resin which is a skin sensitizer, it is recommended that you work in adequate ventilation or outside like I'm doing in the following photos. Avoid skin contact and wash off if it gets on your skin.

Skid plates need only be installed on canoes that are showing wear through about 3 layers of material. It will appear as a worn spot right where you see my hand (with the rag) in picture #2. Like rings of a tree stump, you can see the wear in your bow or stern. If you only have scratches and no real visible sign of wear into the third layer of material, you wouldn't need to have skid plates installed just yet. If, however, you wanted to purchase the skid plate set, it'll just sit on the shelf and wait for you. One final IF: If you don't slam your canoe into gravelly/rocky shores at 20 MPH trying to make the portage 6" shorter, you may never need skid plates as a private owner. Remember that both of you need to drag your paddles on opposite sides of the canoe at final approach to slow way down. Then your bow person reaches out and gently stabs shore in shallow water to absorb the final shock so you can creep up to shore. For boarding in and out of a loaded canoe without getting your feet wet, visit HERE.

If you have a question, email me: redrock@redrockstore.com

1. Prop canoe upsidedown on two sawhorses. Sand both the bow and stern where skid plate is going to go, using a piece of 80 grit sand paper.	2. Wipe down sanded area with clean, lint free cloth. It wouldn't hurt to pour a little acetone on the rag and wipe off both sanded ends of the canoe with it.
3. Take a packet of resin, fold it in half on seam between resin and hardener. Squeeze contents down, rip off the top of both halves.	4. Pour contents of 3 packets total into clean cup. soup can, small container, etc. Avoid skin contact with the resin.
5. Mix with a stir-stick, clean popsicle stick, tree branch, etc.	6. The canoe doctor is in... Put on disposable latex or nitrile gloves.

7. Drop into skid plate into resin.	8. Mush it around making sure that you get it completely wet with resin
9. Another mushing shot	10. Lift out of resin cup
11. Lay it on canoe, pointy end towards to the front.	12. Make sure it's centered and smooth it out with your hands. Repeat Steps 3-12 on the other end of the canoe.

13. This step is not required but will leave a nicer finish on the skid plate and make it a bit tougher since resin is drawn to the surface.	14. Stretch out plastic film (Saran wrap) over the plate so it's smooth. Remember to check the plate to ensure that it is still straight on the canoe. You can move it around under the plastic and you don't need gloves during this part.
15. Squeeze out the air bubbles that you can see trapped under the plastic. Slide them out towards the edge of the plastic.	16. Smooth it out a couple more times and then leave it alone. Come back in about 6 hours or the next day and peel off the plastic.
Finished plate under plastic wrap	Canoe touch up and repairs

Buying My First Canoe

I love Algonquin, but it doesn't take long for the cost of having to rent a canoe for every trip to start adding up and that limits the number of times I can go. Sucks to say it like that, but like many things in life...it all comes down to money.

That's why I'm so excited that in just a few months I will purchasing my first canoe. I have been saving for it for a while and have saved enough to have my pick of the used canoes available at the Portages Store, located on Canoe Lake in Algonquin. I posted a while ago about my intention to buy one from them, but they hadn't posted what canoes would be available. Well yesterday they posted all the canoes available for 2008 and I am pleased to tell you that I have decided what canoe will be a part of our adventures for years to come.


16 ft Langford Ultra-light Kevlar – Prospector, white gel-coat kevlar/epoxy, weight 42 lbs, length 16ft. 6 inches, width 35 inches, capacity 825 lbs. $850 - $1050

I plan to spend around $950 for one that is less bumped and scratched and have been told that they will move on the price a bit if you pay in cash.... something I planned to do anyway.

I am not sure if canoes are given names the way boats are, but I want "her" to have a name anyway and have promised Lauren that she could pick it. Her first thought was "Butterfly" and although I don't hate it, bu I can just imagine the smirks and finger pointing Gerry and I would get cruising along in old "Butterfly", so I asked her if she could come up with some other options.
The canoe is an Ultralight Kevlar and is a symmetrical design. I haven't paddle this canoe myself, but I have been told by those that have that it is remarkably stable, tracks well and is the perfect tripping canoe. For me it will be perfect for my trips with Gerry or Lauren , but just as good when going solo.

Mark has a similar canoe and offered this advice for going solo in a tandem canoe...

"Paddling my Novcraft prospector solo, I sit in the bow seat facing the stern seat. Some would describe this as paddling backwards. Since the bow seat is placed closer to the centre of the canoe(than the stern seat), your weight is better balanced with respects to the load placed in the canoe, adding your gear in between the stern seat and thwart/yoke should give you excellent balance. Experiment till you find the sweet spot with respects to proper weight distribution."


From Langfordcanoe.ca:

"The Langford 16.6 Prospector is the ultimate symmetrical canoe. The performance of this modernized traditional design is the envy of all. This canoe is the choice to make when one has to paddle with dogs, children and heavy gear aboard. The efficiency, exceptional maneuverability, and tracking provided by an industry leading 7th Generation Hydro-dynamically Sound Hull is simply unsurpassed. The safety and responsiveness afforded by this model is unrivaled due to the specific curvatures and shapes found in her hull. There is a literal list of unique qualities that separate this Langford from other "prospectors". The modified shallow arch design, depth, volume, moderate to high rocker, which is coupled with extreme sweep in the gunwale and a very pronounced spray rail all contribute to the Langford Prospector 16.6 being the most trust worthy vessel to deliver the paddler through the roughest of conditions. Solo, Tandem, or Loaded, there is not a dryer hull on the market."

Having my own canoe means I will be able to go to the park more often and not be limited by having to go to access points that have an outfitter at or near them. I am so excited and can't wait to go exploring....with "butterfly".

New Chair Provides comfort without compromise

While browsing Lebarons online catalogue recently I found an inexpensive, collapsible stool that I thought would be perfect for Lauren to use on out trip this summer. I had seen a few people on the AA forums that have used them in the past, so put up a post asking what people thought of it. Many people responded and the reviews were mixed at best. Before long, people started to post chairs they use and for the most part, I had seen most of them before,

...until a member by the name of Dale posted a link to a chair that has the potential of becoming one of my favorite pieces of gear.

Introducing the Trail-Sling Ultralight!



" The Trail-Sling™ Ultralight's patented collapsible frame makes it a portable genius! When packed down in its handy sack, the Trail-Sling™ Ultralight is as small as a water bottle! In addition to its amazing compactability, the Trail-Sling™ Ultralight unfolds to create a remarkably comfortable off-the-ground seat with back support, ideal after a long day of outdoor activities. The Trail-Sling™ Ultralight's small size is ideal for backpacking but it's so comfortable you'll use it for all your outdoor activities!"

It has received glowing reviews for it's comfort, weight and size. All this seem to good to be true? If you are like me, at this point you are thinking, "That's great but how much does it cost"?

Would you believe $19.00? Seriously, it's only $19 (+ delivery, tax)....crazy eh? You can even check HERE to find a retailer near you and avoid the shipping costs all together. I am luck enough to have a retailer fairly close to my home, so I went there yesterday to try it out. WOW....is it ever awesome! They had one set-up in the store and it is hands down the best portable chair I ever ever sat in. It's even better then those larger and much heavier portable chairs we all use....much better. I plan to do a full review in the weeks to come, but this sums up the experience.... I went there thinking it might be a product worth looking at and left the store 15 minutes later after buying two.

I go looking for a cheap stool and end up finding the piece of gear that will change my comfort for every future canoe trip....I love the Internet!

CC 2008 is back on!!!

I will post more detail in the days to come, but the trip that I recently wrote was all but dead, is now back on and I couldn't be happier!

Whooooo Whooooo!!

Have a great weekend everyone...

Algonquin Trip Booked!

Today I formally booked the canoe trip I will take with my daughter this summer with Parks Ontario. I outlined the trip in detail HERE, but for some reason never got around to making the reservations. Kind of silly actually, but now that it's all booked, let the planning begin!

Things to do:

• Sleeping Pad- Find an air mattress that is light enough not to be a burden, but thick enough to provide her some comfort. Maybe I'll can ask a good buddy of mine if we could borrow his Thermarest.

• Clothes for Lauren to Bring- I need to put together a list of "must have" clothes for her to bring and I will need some help. I tend to ONLY bring the clothes I need, knowing full well that I may have to wear wet clothing as a result. I can't expect her to feel the same way, so the clothing list will have to be more liberal.

• Meal Plan- Since food is a BIG part of any canoe trip I want the meals for her first Algonquin trip to be out of this world. I will be putting a lot of thought into what meals and snacks we will enjoy. With that in mind, I plan on bringing the outback oven so we can share a pizza or two and maybe even some fresh backed brownies. I will have to consult my trip partner on all choices, after all she is the boss!

• Tarp- Given my experience on the tornado filled solo trip last July, I won't be taking any chances on being exposed to the elements. If it rains, I want a decent sized place to wait it out. I want to find a light weight, but fairly large ( 15 X 20 ft) tarp. I haven't done a search yet, but I figure such a thing MUST exist....right?

• Food Barrel- I had to return the barrel and harness I got for Christmas, as it was not very good quality. I will be purchasing the Headstrong harness, but I am still not sure if I should get the 30 or 60 liter barrel. I asked posted the "what should I buy" question over a the Algonquin Adventures forum and you can read the responses by clicking HERE.

Please take 10 minutes to watch this...

I was sent this video yesterday by a friend with a simple message...."Please take the time to watch this". Well I did and it has inspired me to change the way I interact with my family and friends. It was like someone flicked a switch and showed me the person I want to be and even better, exactly how to do it. I am going to try not to take things so seriously from now on and try to enjoy my kids for who they are. Also, I am not someone who is overly material, but I do get hung up on keeping things neat and clean. There is a part of the video where he talks about his new car saying "it's only a thing"...this comment really hit me where I live. Too many times I have raised my voice at the kids for spilling a drink or making a mess and I want that to change.

I am not sure if I can do these things long term and I know that this is going to be hard, but I don't want to waste any more time before I try....so today is day one for me.

Below is the video I was sent and if you have 10 minutes to spare please do...it may just inspire you.

Weekend Update!

What a great extra LONG weekend! Very busy, but that's the way I like it baby! Here are the highlights...

• Jacob's Birthday Party- Nothing like taking care 10 screaming, out of control kids for a couple of hours to make you appreciate how great your own kids are. Jacob enjoyed himself at his 6th birthday party, but at one point asked me "...can we go home...please". He fell asleep on the way home.

• Gerry and I Grab some Java- After the party, Gerry and I went up to grab a coffee and catch up. We have both been pretty busy lately and it was great to spend a few hours with my buddy. Some BIG news came out of our meeting...more on that in a later post.

• Hockey, Hockey and more Hockey- I haven't talked about it much this season, but both of my boys are playing hockey this year. Jacob has done very well and is 4th in scoring, despite being the youngest player on the team. He has played in net with some success (even 2 shutouts), but on Saturday he was in net for a 0-9 beating at the hands of the best team in the league. We have enrolled him in summer hockey, lacrosse and soccer, so he will have no problem keeping busy this summer. Ethan on the other hand hated hockey for the first 2 months and I mean HATED it! In fact, I was very close to pulling him out all together when for no particular reason, he started to love it. Now it is all he talks about. Crazy kid!
  

• 80's Retro Dance Party - Saturday night Tanyia and I went out with some of the other hockey parents to the 80's Valentines Dance. I don't usually drink, but I think...I repeat, I THINK, I had 8 beer before we even got to the dance. The drinking continued once we arrived, as I got caught-up in the moment. Needless to say the night is a bit of a fog, but it was a great time. We even won the door prize, a really nice BB-Q....so I learned the next day!
  

My Electric Car

Just imagine pulling up to your favorite Algonquin access point with you canoe secured to the roof of an electric car. Although it may seem like just the kind of thing some tree hugging, canoe toting, Algonquin lover might dream of, Chevy promises their new Volt will make this dream a reality.

Electric vehicles have been around for years, but for the most part have been unable to replace gas powered cars for one main reason....lack of range. If you wanted a vehicle to run around town they were great, but for any trip beyond 100 kms they were useless. So given the choice consumers always choose the gas powered car. I mean, who wants a car that is only good for half of the trips that make the vehicle a necessity.

In 2010 Chevy plans to turn the electric car market on it's ear by mass producing the worlds first electric car with an on-board biodiesel powered generator.

How it works:

• Plug in in to your household current and it recharges in 6 hours
• On a full charge it can travel up to 60 kms completely on electric power
• When the batteries get low the on-board biodiesel generator automatically recharges the batteries, which solves the range problems associated with EV's (electric vehicles)
  
• This synergy between electric and combustion engine technology's results in an astonishing 1200-1500 kms per tank of bio-diesel (for long trips), but gas/emission free driving for shorter (sub 60 km) car trips!

From the Official Chevy Volt website:

"The Chevy Volt is just another way Chevy is working to bring you drivable and practical vehicles that help decrease our dependence on petroleum and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This major advancement in existing technology will make it possible for those short, up to 40-mile or less commutes to be gasoline-free."

Chevy expects the cost of the vehicle to come in at just above $30,000 mark, but when you factor in the fuel cost savings and the proposed Canadian federal tax credits for this vehicle ( $4000 at purchase and $1000 annually thereafter) it quickly becomes a realistic vehicle for most Canadians families.

I have already placed myself on the waiting list for the Volt and this will be my first EVER GM vehicle. So it seems that GM has started to listen to consumers by producing a vehicle they want and in doing so has started the process of re-establishing itself as leader in the auto sector.

Another great site for news on the development of the Volt can be found HERE

UFC 83 Road Trip!

This is one of many things I had intended to post a while ago, but never got around to it. I am a BIG fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and have always said that if they ever came to Canada that I would be all over it. Well on February 3rd, tickets went on sale for the first ever UFC event in Canada and we managed to snag 6 decent tickets for what could be one of the best UFC events of all time!

From the official UFC 83 site

"UFC comes to Canada for the first time ever on Saturday, April 19th! One year ago, Matt "The Terror" Serra shocked the world by defeating Georges "Rush" St-Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Championship. Now, after defeating Matt Hughes in December, St-Pierre enters the Octagon as the Interim Welterweight Champion to face the man who took his title - this time, in his home province of Quebec. Can Serra beat St-Pierre for a second time? The undisputed king of the 170-pound weight class will be determined at UFC 83: SERRA VS. ST-PIERRE 2- Saturday, April 19, live on Pay-Per-View from Montreal, Quebec "

Since there will be 6 of us going , we decided to make it a true guys weekend and will be traveling up together and spending the weekend. We have a hotel next to the Bell Center and plan to go to the fight, eat, drink and enjoy all the city has to offer. Should be a blast!

CC 2008 may be cancelled

Yes, it seems to be true. Gerry and I have been going to Algonquin for our "Capsized Canoe" trips since 2005, but sadly, it looks as though the 2008 trip will not happen. Without getting into detail, Gerry is in the process of making some major changes in his life and these changes make it difficult for him to know his availability. It's not completely dead, but at this point if the trip was a person, it would be getting last rights while the vultures circled overhead.

I am not sure how to feel about it either. I want to hold onto hope that the trip that has become one of the highlights of the season for me will still happen, but that seems like a real long shot. I feel sad that what was a fun and very quickly becoming a stable tradition may be gone for good. Of course I can still go to Algonquin, but for me it was as much about the park as it was sharing time with one of only a few people that I felt 100% comfortable with. In my life, such a friend is a rare thing.

Now the "kids trip" will still happen, but it will now be a time for me to spend some time 1:1 with my daughter Lauren. I wish Gerry and his boys could have come, but having 3 days to show Lauren why I love the park will be a very unique experience and I look forward to sharing it with her.

Kids first Canoe Trip:Booth Lake July 8-10, 2008

Well it's been decided! Booth lake will be the place where Lauren, Patrick and Mark will have their first Algonquin experience. You know, I am more excited about this one then any other....and trust me, even I didn't think that was possible! But we both love the park so much that the idea of sharing that with the kids has a level of appeal that is difficult to measure. Let's just say it's off the chart exciting!

Now I looked at a bunch of different routes, but after considering all the factors that go into canoe tripping with kids, Booth Lake offered a unique balance. It allows the kids to experience what true interior camping is all about, but shouldn't be too much for them to handle....after all, this will be the start of what we hope will be another annual tradition and we don't want to push them to hard and extinguish the hope of further trips in the years to come.

THE ROUTE:

Day 1, Wednesday July 8, 2008:

Leave the house by 4 am and make our way North to Access point 17, Shall Lake. Gerry will rent his canoe from Algonquin Bound Outfitters located before the cut off to Shall Lake road and then we will make our way up the winding road that leads to Access Point 17. Lauren and I will be in our new/used canoe ( will be purchased in the spring). Our goal for today is to make our way from Shall Lake to an island site on Booth Lake. We will have 2 portages today. The first, a P 90 from Farm to Kitty Lake...a good warm up for the young ones. The second is a P 550 from Kitty to Booth. It's hard to estimate how long this will take, but I would guess about 2-3 hours tops. Once we find a suitable site, the rest of the day will be spend fishing and exploring the highlands that all dotted all over Booth lake that provide an amazing view.

Day 2, Thursday July 9, 2008:

Today we pull up camp and venture out to the low maint portage trails. Out goal for today is the lone low maint campsite on Godda Lake. To get there we will do more portaging then canoeing, but I have been told it's worth the hike. The portages are 380,590 and 1365 which at first might seem a bit much for a group as young as ours, but we are in no rush and plan to double all the portages. This site will be the first time any of us (Gerry and Me included) that we have camped on a low maint site and the fact that it is the ONLY site on the lake made it all the more interesting. Once we arrive we plan on doing some fishing by day and the fire by night...again, being the only ones on the lake should be very cool. What a great way to spend our last night.

Day 3, Friday July 10, 2008:

Today we go home and much of the day will be spent making out way back to Shall lake. Only two portages today 550, 90 and the kids should be pro's by now!


WHAT WILL BE DIFFERENT THIS TRIP?

• The kids will be there for one!
• More food then before, the Outback oven will even make a brownie or two
• This will be the first time Gerry and I have had to each carry a canoe...I won't forget the Lakota!
• We plan to bring chairs and other luxury items
• The trip is small distance wise, but Gerry and I still get to check out more of the low maint routes/sites we enjoyed on CC2007

Things I still have to do:

• Meal plan (need to talk to Gerry first)
• Confirm dates with G

Very cool visual search engine

Today I came across RedZee, which gives you a visual representation of your search query results – not unlike Microsoft Vista's Flip 3D feature or Apple's Cover Flow for album artwork.

For example, if you type "Golden Retrievers," you'll be able to use your mouse to scroll through the golden retriever-related website snapshots by holding down the button and dragging left or right – so you can easily locate the site (or kind of site) you need thanks to this visual information. When you see a site you want, simply double-click it to bring up the page full-screen.

I haven't played around with RedZee for any great length to see how accurate the search results are – which, after all, the most important quality of a search engine – but I like what I've seen thus far. But if you happen to be searching for porn....don't bother, it doesn't work for "sex related sites"....I've been told.

Oh, and can anyone tell me what kind of animated, er, animal, greets you on the RedZee main page? Anyone?

Are you a fan of Algonquin Canoe Trips blog?

If you are on Facebook and enjoy readying my blog...why not join the Official Algonquin Canoe Trips fan page on Facebook!

Benefits:

• RSS feeds
• Updates posted directly to your news feed
• A chance to meet other readers
• The first 1000 to join will be eligible to win a cash prize of two....that right I said TWO DOLLARS!
  

You can check it out ...HERE!

Thanks to Simon for giving me the idea!

Fishing for Dummies...

When I was a kid living in Labrador, my Dad and I would often go fishing and some of my favorite childhood memories were from those times. It wasn't really about the fishing for me. I just liked to spend time with my Dad and loved that we would do things differently there. Like using my 1970's Montreal Expos hat to drink from....seriously, how many times in life do you get to drink out of your hat? We would pack sandwiches, talk and occasionally even catch fish.

I plan on doing lots of fishing on the trip to Booth lake with Lauren this summer and have borrowed Fishing for Dummies from the library in hopes of arming myself with as much fishing know how as possible. Gerry and I have done some fishing on our trips over the years, but never had any luck. I think a big reason for that is not fishing in the right places with the right lures. This is where I hope the book will help.

While searching for books I found the two "how-to" articles below.

Posted From HERE:

Filleting Your Fish

It takes a certain amount of touch to fillet a fish, but expending a little more effort at the cleaning stage is worth it because it means no bones at the eating stage. When you get the hang of filleting, you can zip through a pile of fish pretty quickly, and it gives you a sense of accomplishment that you can do something as well as the old-timers.

Don't worry too much if you don't get absolutely all the meat off the fish when you first start filleting. The idea at the beginning is to get some. If you skin the fish, as recommended, you do not have to scale it first. Obviously, if you are going to use the skin, scale it unless you like to eat scales. Figure 1 shows the basics of filleting a small fish (up to about 5 pounds).

Figure 1: Filleting a small fish.

1. Cut off the head just behind the gills.

2. Hold the fish by the tail. With the knife blade pointing away from you and across the body of the fish, begin to cut toward the head (or at least where the head used to be). Use the backbone to guide your knife.

3. To take the skin off, begin by holding the fillet by the tail, skin side down.

4. Hold the knife crosswise across the fillet and insert the knife between the skin and the flesh. Don't worry if you don't get this perfect at first.

5. While holding the skin, cut in the direction of where the head used to be.

When you have a larger fish, the tail-to-head method of filleting can be a little awkward. In this case opening the fish like a book is an effective method, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Try this technique for filleting larger fish.

Follow these steps (shown in Figure 2) to fillet a larger fish:

1. Make a deep cut just behind the gills (about halfway through the thickness of the fish).

2. Cut a slit a few inches in length along the top of the fish (the dorsal side).

3. Using the tip of the knife, separate the flesh from the bones, as illustrated. The fish should open up just like a book.

4. When completely open, finish cutting away the fillet by moving the knife along the "spine of the book."

Tying the Fisherman's Knot

To tie the Improved Clinch knot, as shown in Figure 1, follow these steps:

Figure 1: The Improved Clinch Knot.

1. Run the tag end of the line through the eye of the hook and pull 8–10 inches of line through the hook eye.

2. Wrap the tag end around the standing end for five wraps or turns.

3. Now pass the tag end through the loop next to the hook eye.

You have formed another loop that includes your wraps.

4. Pass the tag end through that loop.

5. Wet the loops with some saliva to lubricate the knot.

6. Hold the tag end and standing end in one hand and the bend of the hook in the other; then pull with steady pressure.

If you are not sure about safely holding the hook, grip it firmly but not super firmly with needle-nose pliers.

7. Tighten slowly.

8. Clip the tag end so that only 1/8-inch is left.

Video from Robinson Lake Site, CC 2007

I am still plugging away on the trip report on Gerry and my trip last year, but while doing so I stumbled across this video I shot the morning of our first day on Robinson.

Enjoy....

Quick Update

It seems like an eternity since I last updated the blog and judging by the number of emails I have received about it, I guess I am not the only one. Thanks guys!

Christmas was AWESOME! We all had so much fun and the kids, who are all prime "Santa age", were so excited. Lauren's favorite gift was her pixel chick (...I have no idea what it is, but she is very happy with it), Jacob's main gift was goalie equipment and a net and Ethan loved all the star wars figures I found for him on eBay. It was Jack's first Christmas and even he had a stocking, but I put my foot down when Tanyia wanted to strap foam atlers on him. Tanyia and I agreed not to buy each other anything this year, but Tanyia surprised me by buying " the family" an Xbox 360....maybe I will let the kids use it before next Christmas. We spent the day at home and had dinner with my parents, sister and niece up in Uxbridge. It was the best holiday I have had in years!

I have booked the kid trip, that I affectionately call the Algonquin Brats Tour for July 8 - 10. We will be going to Booth Lake and spending some time doing some day trips and fishing. I have not had the chance to talk to Gerry about the dates, but I hope this works for him as well.

I have been using Craigslist.ca lately and really like it. I sold my old road bike on there recently and some other things that I had planned on putting on eBay, but found Craigslist much easier. No packaging, shipping or Paypal, just post it, answer email and arrange a time for them to come get it. Much easier.

Tanyia and I are going to buy a tent trailer in the spring. It will make going to visit her parent in Nova Scotia so much easier. In the past we have always rented a tent trailer and it is so expensive. In fact, with all the money we have spent renting trailers, we could have bought a decent used one! Having a trailer opens up lots more possibilities for camping in provincial parks and travel vacations. We are all excited at the possibilities.

I don't make resolutions, but I promise to update with more regularity in 2008.

Thanks for stopping by!

What a great idea!

While looking for places to buy a canoe barrel I stumbled across a company called Envirosponsible. They are located in Whitby, Ontario and have started a very ingenious business where they collect items from builders, contractors and pharmaceutical companies that would normally end up in a land fill and re-sell them to the public. What an awesome way to make a living and help the environment at the same time!

They have antique doors, windows, sinks and of course blue 30 liter barrels. The barrels are sold for $30 each and are available for pick-up or they will ship them anywhere in Canada.

Here is a short video tour of the warehouse...

Roll Out the Barrel!

After extensively researching the subject, I have made a big decision.....well not really a BIG decision, but one that will have lasting impact on future canoe trips. I have decided to start using a food barrel and harness. The reasons are simple, all the food will be in one place, food no longer has to take up space in my pack (...and risk it's sent staying on my pack) and foods that are prone to being squished....won't be. But the most important reason comes down to numbers. With 6 of us going on the "kids trip" next summer (Me, Lauren, Gerry and two of his boys), we simply won't be able to get away with putting food in our packs....there just won't be enough room.

There are two sizes although I fairly sure the 30 liter would be the right size, I would love to hear from any of you who have used barrels to know if I should just go for the 60 liter. Thoughts?

Anyway, the barrel is a 30 liter and is your standard blue barrel. Nothing special about that, but the key is choosing the right harness and I think I have.

The one I plan on getting is from Headstrong.
Check out the incredible reviews it received from Mycc.


Here's what they say on their site...

Headstrong Packs manufactures the only self-tightening Barrel Harness on the market. Designed by a Mechanical Engineer, this innovative harness holds the barrel tight and close to your back resulting in significantly less back strain and improved comfort.

The ergonomically designed dual-density lumbar pad and waist belt enhance comfort on long portages. The self-tightening design keeps the padding in contact with your back and distributes the load evenly.

Tumpline users will appreciate the better lift efficiency provided by the optimized tumpline angle.

Proper material selection and design result in very rugged construction to ensure that the Headstrong Harness will last through many paddling adventures.