Don’t mean to sound grumpy, but I don’t like travelling. I enjoy skiing, catching up with mates… which means one has to ‘travel’. I won’t sound grumpy…. here is my 2024 skiing and catching up with mates. First up for 2024 was only a couple of weeks in to January and this trip was impromptu and most likely an idea that came about after a … Continue reading 2024 Travels
When I first started running (because I was fat) I heard about marathons….. to start I signed up for a half marathon. I didn’t finish. On my second attempt, I did finish. Then I signed up for a marathon. Yeah, didn’t finish that either. I finished my second attempt, didn’t finish my third one but have finished a few since (9 in all – technically … Continue reading Aussie Mountain Climbing
Lots of rain on the forecast so got this run around Cooby Dam in. Was really nice, saw one guy fishing, otherwise had the entire place to ourselves. Little morning walk after feeding the horses…. Today’s run idea (Lake Cooby) ended up being a fail, I got to the lake, hit a dead end and had no mobile service so I couldn’t figure it out. … Continue reading Toowoomba
For two and a half years now I have been a prisoner in Australia…. the worlds biggest island. My Alcatraz. As an Aussie, who hasn’t lived here for 20 years, I wasn’t allowed to leave. I had to submit paperwork, which I did 4 times.. I asked to leave to go back to my last home, Canada. DENIED. There was never a reason for denial … Continue reading Alcatraz Australia
Everyone said I was crazy for spending Xmas in Canberra….now that I’ve experienced it, I think everyone else is CRAZY for not being in Canberra for Xmas. Who here has had a photo with a unicorn and a rhino (they are related so it is the same exhibit)? I have, in Canberra for Xmas. For starters, one of my best mates Fi lives there. Fi … Continue reading Canberra for Xmas, tell him he is crazy!!!
Last weekend was a holiday weekend here in Queensland. Historically it was when I’d go skiing in Australia, because it is the middle of winter. No skiing this year because of the COVID. The state borders here are closed and because of the border closures my mates, The Smith Family, couldn’t go camping. So we thought it would be fun to swap houses. Not this … Continue reading Winters Weekend
The darn ‘Rona is breaking all sorts of records. My least days skiing in a single winter out of 27. Least days skiing in probably two calendar years back to back. But, my second winter in Fernie, has been my best so far. Some early season turns pushing to see what is open, push a knee injury and loving being back in the mountains!!! Being … Continue reading Only 85 Days
For the last 12 years or so a bunch of Queenstown Kunts have gone over to the West Coast on a fishing trip. I was part of the original trip, I have missed a couple recently, but as I’m back in this neck of the woods, I was lucky enough to get an invitation to join the lads. They love it…. because now they had … Continue reading West Coast Whitebaiting
Fi and I have been ski buddies for more than twenty years. On a few occasions we have celebrated my birthday (end of Jan) but I’ve never been around for Fi’s birthday (September). Since this was the big five-owwww it was a good excuse to shoot down to Canberra and hang out in Fi’s home town. Another ski buddy of ours, Shaz, came down for … Continue reading Fi’s 50th
My last day in Fernie (until next November) was hanging out with the Wednesday hiking crew. Today’s hike was up to the top of Frank’s Slide – this is the site of Canada’s most lethal natural disaster. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Slide Frank’s Slide happened in 1903 and my hiking buddy Frank looks about the right age and he seemed a little ‘guilty’ up there. I wonder if Frank … Continue reading Frank’s Slide
Last Monday, I arrived in Maple Ridge (a suburb of Vancouver) and surprised my old skiing buddy Joe. We first skied together 16 years ago!!! Joe is 81yo, he went to elementary school with Joseph and Mary. I was warned to be precious with Joe because he had a stroke recently. They tell me he came in after his stroke and was speaking in tongues … Continue reading Grumpy Old Men
After 13 years, I’m wintering in Canada again….. I’ve grabbed this winter, and my new home town of Fernie, by the gangoolies….. My old skiing mate Bob wanted me to winter in Fernie. Bob and I have hung out a fair bit the last couple of years. The planets aligned and Fernie worked out. But Bob lives in Montana. So 100 days ago I moved … Continue reading 100 Days in Fernie
