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

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

It has been two days since one of the biggest scares of my life….. Let me set the scene, it is a Monday afternoon, hasn’t snowed for a few days and I take young Charlie out of bounds.  We walk around the gate that doesn’t open unless you have an avalanche beacon.  I’d like to say we ignored the signs saying it is extreme terrain, … Continue reading Charlie

The last night I was on PEI, I was in the hottub with my old skiing buddy Paul having a little debrief (no we kept out shorts on…. the other kind of debrief).  We both came to the conclusion that it was the people I got to hang out with, that make my summer on PEI so marvelous. Lets start with Blind Tim, an old … Continue reading Prince Edward Island

It has been nine years since I was last in London and the place still feels the same.  It feels more like home (Aussie and Kiwiland) than North America (US and Canada) for sure which I suppose makes sense. This trip sets me up for the coming winter VISA wise and I considered going to Cuba or mainland Europe but catching up with a bunch … Continue reading Old London Town

Things are a little bit out of order but here is a post I’m working on……  I’ll get it all straightened out in a little bit when I’m finished catching up on some business – which could be 5 years time. Just before I arrived in Tennesse I received a message from Mush and Humi (Queenstown mates) saying they were in the states and were … Continue reading Road Trip East

I’ve got an old ski buddy I call Nevada Bob. Nevada Bob and his missus, Tahoe Becky, are going to New Zealand soon and Bob wanted to pick my brain.  After a few chats on the phone Bob said why not come up to Montana for New Years, I jokingly said “Yeah sure mate.” A few weeks later, Nevada Bob called me and said, “Becky … Continue reading Tom might move

Between seasons in Colorado aren’t that great… you can’t do one thing or the other. I’m always bitching and moaning about it so instead of bitching and moaning about it, I shook the sand out of my lady parts and decided to kick arse. I skinned up A-Basin one morning to grab a wee taste of the sunrise. I skied Breckenridge before class…. look at … Continue reading Just Warming (cooling) Up

The night before my 9th Marathon I was having dinner with Al and Jarisse.  Watching a Cubs game, at an old Irish pub in the heart of downtown Chicago.  Al grabbed the tab, we argued about it and our gentlemans agreement was that Al would get half of my prize money from the Marathon the next day. I told Al that since I don’t know … Continue reading Chicago Marathon