Category Archives: around home

around home, bikes, MTB

Don’t go riding with someone who owns a gym – if you want to keep your lungs from exploding

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Work last Sunday was definitely under the categories of “try anything once” & “what the heck, I don’t have a permanent job & need the money”. I spent the day housekeeping at a local hotel – rather repetitive work & the only highlight was the free lunch (there’s no such thing of course) of bacon, eggs, sausages, potatoes, pancakes, loads of salad & dessert. Knocked off a bit late as it was a long weekend & we had thirty-four rooms to clean between the two of us. A quick dash to Safeway later & I had my contribution for the night’s barbecue in hand – lots of veges & some little sticks for kebabs.

The barbecue was a couple of blocks away at Zara (from the hike up Eeor the previous day) & James’ apartment. Lots of great food (the kebabs had a bit of a kick to them too after someone found the cayenne pepper to add to the marinade) & it was neat to meet friends of Alex & Megan’s. James is a dab hand at home-brew – the stout was particularly good & it was nice to have a real ginger beer, even if it was a little on the fizzy side. With quite a few of the people there keen on riding, it wasn’t long before tentative plans were made to meet up for a ride on the morrow (a public holiday – Victoria Day). The girls were keen to ride Goat Creek Trail to Banff & back, the guys weren’t so keen on a 50 km return trip on quite wide trail.

After a nice sleep in (unfortunately for Alex he had to go to work), the ride was organised for 12.30 pm. I met Neil, James, Tanner (from the barbecue) & Jeremy & we biked through town to the east side of the valley & rode up beside Cougar Creek to get to the start of the Montane Traverse. It was quite chilly riding in the sun to the trail-head with the breeze, but by the time we were in the trees it quickly warmed up. This was in part due to being much more sheltered, but mostly because of two very steep climbs that we hit almost straight away. Neil, being really quite fit (he’s the aforementioned gym owner) cruised on up quite easily, & the rest of us ended up walking small to large parts of the end of each climb.

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so there are no photos from that ride. The ride after the two horrid climbs lived up to its name & traversed along towards Harvie Heights (beside a golf course – for the second time in a month I was pretty much riding along a golf course). This trail was in great condition with lots of roots to negotiate & the odd little downhill to keep it interesting. All of a sudden one would go from a dirt & root trail to the crossing of a stream bed with big chunky rock to try & ride over, usually getting out of the stream bed was a bit difficult. Once the big climbs were over & I started to catch my breath a bit, I was able to almost keep up with Neil & his local knowledge – but at times, he would seemingly just take off. A nice technical steep downhill before we got to Harvie Heights & then started to turn back on trail that flowed very nicely & enable to one to hold on to a bit speed with confidence that a big dropoff or rock wasn’t around the corner. Eventually we found the highway & we rode along this for a couple of kiolmetres back to the Irongoat beside Cougar Creek. At the Irongoat we enjoyed sitting on the patio in the sun with a few pitchers & patiently waited for the clouds to move when they were so rude to get in the way. After more pitchers & a good plate of nachos, the girls turned up – they weren’t so ambitious in the end & only made it as far down Goat Creek as Megan & I did in February on light touring skis – that is about half way.

It was the Montreal Canadiens last game in their Stanley Cup semifinal series against the Philadelphia Fliers – & as they were the last Canadian team left in the NHL they had some support in these parts. After returning from the ride & showering, I was off out again to see if I could get in to (ice) hockey – couldn’t really. The rest of the week I’ve been back at the Banff Center temp labouring – feels like I’ve spent a lot of the week pushing a vacuum cleaner around after contractors – not too bad & the iPod helps if it does get a bit too boring. Boring or not, it’s some much needed income. I found a huge diesel engine tucked away behind one of the staircases today – apparently enough to provide the entire Banff Center with back-up electricity. It reminded me of the huge Caterpillar engine that was put in MP01 – I bet it is not so yellow now, but just as loud. In fact, quite a few things remind me of NZ Steel – mostly wandering around in hardhat, steel-toed boots, safety glasses, gloves & Hi-Vis.

Tuesday after work, James, Zara, Megan & I went for a little ride up towards the Nordic Center. The others were able to show me how to get up there mostly avoiding the roads & there were some nice little bits of singletrack in places – unfortunately I got my first puncture in over fourteen months (haven’t had one since the two I got in Karapoti 2009).

I had found a room to move in to this weekend, but Steve made a slight error with regards to his other flatmate’s parents coming to visit, so it turns out I can’t move in until July. He was suitably embarrassed, but it shouldn’t turn out to be too much of a big deal. Especially now, that Megan & Alex finally have more than one seat in the living area. Another hike planned for Sunday, up Grotto; & if the weather clears by Saturday (it’s got quite cold & wet the last day or so – good days for going to work) hopefully a ride then.

around home, Canada, friends, hiking

First week over

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I’ve been here a week now & it’s gotten a little colder than the first few days. I did manage to get my bike assembled last Sunday & pop over to the Nordic Center. Chatted with Megan for a while & took a look around the event stalls before heading out on the Orange Trail. It was quite a shock to start with, a good climb that was really tight & twisty – it may have been my state of fitness or the jetlag or both, but that was a tough climb & I spent a lot more time in the easy gears. The trail was generally quite tight even when it did flatten out & there were plenty of tree roots to negotiate & keep me on my toes – so to speak. At the furtherest point from the day lodge, the trail went out in to a meadow that I remember approaching from the other side on XC skis a few months ago. Away from the trees the trail opened up a lot & flowed very nicely across the meadow. The view wasn’t too bad either.

As most of the climbing had been done at the start of the loop, the return was quite fun & the last little climb back to the day lodge was past a skills area that I must return to one day at the start of a ride.

I had a few little chores to complete on Monday & after a bit of waiting I got my Social Insurance Number & opened a bank account. Curiously, the woman at the bank that set up my account for me had once spent a year in NZ – it turns out in Onewhero (a small village really near Pukekohe) – and when I wrote my address down (the house that Megan & Alex were moving to in two days’ time) she realised that it was the very place where she first lived when she came to Canmore. Those things & a little shopping completed, I climbed back up the hill & then headed back to hit the orange trail. It must have been the jetlag affecting my riding the day before as I was pleased to make it the whole way around in the middle ring – the next goal is to get around without dabbing. It was either Monday or Tuesday that it got ridiculously warm – up in the high twenties for a time; it must have been Tuesday as Alex & I were going to head out for a ride that evening, but a lot of rain in the evening somewhat discouraged us.

Tuesday & Wednesday were mostly spent looking for jobs, catching up with Neil from Gear Up, hanging out at the new place to let various tradies in to fix a couple of odd things, rehashing my CV & riding around town.

Wednesday evening was the big move from up the hill to the centre of town – we managed it all OK in a few car loads & now Megan & Alex reside in what looks like a sparsely furnished place, it’s so much better & so close to town (about one minute to walk to the main street). Craig also called in on Wednesday night after a night-bus from Vancouver & picking up the second 650cc Kawasaki that he & Josh are planning on riding from Alaska south all the way to the bottom of the Americas. It was good to see a familiar NZ face & catch up with a lot of his news.

The last two days of the working week were, just for a change, spent working. A temping agency I signed up with had a couple of days work at a construction site in Banff. It was pretty easy work, just tidying up after all the contractors on a new building that is nearing completion at the Banff Center. A bit of lifting & not all that exciting work, but good people to be working with, a good supervisor & some money coming in for a change. I’m working again tomorrow & have four days’ work on the same site next week – all that should pay for a month’s rent & food. Alex, Megan & I went for a little walk around town Friday night in an attempt to feed the bunnies – which proved largely unsuccessful; there must have been at least forty wild domestic bunnies around on people’s lawns, the school grounds & only one was game enough to eat a hand fed carrot.

I decided not to work Saturday as well (two days in a row was enough for me!). A group of seven of us went hiking up EEOR (East end of [Mt] Rundle) which is just behind Canmore – pretty much right next to Ha Ling, which I hiked up with Megan in February.

The day dawned wonderfully sunny & I was glad that I opted out of another day working. It wasn’t overly warm, but by the time we were walking at 1015 up the hill it started to get a bit warmer (but not quite enough to take my fleece off). As we started to get near the tree line we could see the clouds starting to close in over Spray Lakes & the wind started to get a little chillier.

The path through the trees was a steady climb with plenty of rock & roots to clamber over & around. Above the trees it was mostly just a lot of rocks & it started to border on scree. It started to snow a little as we began to make the last ascent to the ridge & summit, but on the top ridge it turned out to be warmer & a lot calmer. The view down to Canmore was pretty good, there was an neat amphitheatre on the Canmore side of the ridge.

& I was impressed Megan, six months pregnant, made it to the summit (it was about three hours to the top I think) – but then she has been doing a lot of hiking recently, so I wasn’t too surprised. As it was such a nice day, there were so many people up there – we must have seen at least twenty others. On the way down we detoured a little to the east so that we could get a good look off the top of a big cliff (I think I heard “it must be 4000 ft” come from Geoff’s mouth – it was a long way down, but not quite that far) down to Grassi Lakes & across to Ha Ling.

We took it pretty easy on the way down & I was pleased that my legs stood up so well & my knees didn’t hurt a bit – but that was probably because I was only carrying my Camelbak. By the time we had got in to the trees properly, the snow had stopped but it never really warmed up a whole lot more. Back to the car after four & three-quarter hours – a good little outing; looking forward to mixing in a few more hikes with the riding.

around home, Canada, friends

Made it

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My computer has just kindly reminded me that it is six in the morning. Still I managed eight hours of sleep, so, that is not a bad thing. That I’m about to watch the sunrise over the mountains on the other side of Canmore is a great thing. After another OK nine hours of Air Canada (watched too many TV programs, not quite enough food & a very chatty guy from Oxford going to Seattle for work) we made it in to Calgary. We were rerouted across the north of Iceland (usually fly south), but it was cloudy so we didn’t see Boris (Eyjafjallajokull) – looks as though I may have left London just in time. However, the cloud was absent for most of Greenland & the views were spectacular – mountains, glaciers, icebergs & just generally white. Then it clouded over again.

Getting my work visa stapled inside my passport was a breeze & I was through the arrival formalities a little before Megan arrived. Always nice to be greeted at an airport – Megan looking well, with an expectedly larger belly (expecting late-August/early-September). We didn’t hang around Calgary, it’s hardly the most inspiring city & perhaps even less so when it’s not covered in snow. Canmore seems so much more alive with no snow around (in town that is, the peaks either side of the valley are still capped) – there are people everywhere out & about, a lot more cars around & most pleasingly a lot of mountain-bikes around. Megan & I started what will be a days-long process of moving from their one bedroom basement to their new place which has two bedrooms & a huge living area (compared to the current one) & did a little grocery shop. When we arrived home, Alex was back from work & bleeding the brakes on the Kona softtail that he has bought since I was last here – always a good sign when a friend buys a new bike – more riding to be had.

Not much other news, today (Sunday) Alex is back at work, Megan is volunteering again at the women’s running event at the Nordic Center & I’ll probably whip the bike together sometime soon & go & hit some Canadian singletrack at the Nordic Center! The rest of the week will be filled with things like getting a tax number, bank account, looking for a job, moving house interspersed with more riding.

around home, family, friends, history, London, UK

Farewells again

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I’m back in one of my most common blog updating places – an airport lounge. My nine month stay in the UK is coming to an end as I sit in Terminal 3 waiting to see from which gate AC851 to Calgary leaves – I’m well excited (slept in a bit more that I should have this morning – awoke with a start at 0800 remembering with pleasure a dream about Canadian singletrack). This week has been one of mostly packing & saying goodbyes to various friends & family & unfortunately not too many photos to break up my prose. Tuesday in London started off with a jab in the arm – a booster Hep. A shot that should mean I need never have another one. Finally got to finish off the RAF Museum after that, the Battle of Britain hall was reasonably small but packed with great WWII era aircraft. As well as the Hurricane, Spitfire, Me110 I was most pleased to finally see a Stuka – that fearsome bent wing dive bomber that did so well in the early advances of the Wehrmacht across Europe.

The Sunderland flying boat was impressive due to its sheer size.

Vittoria was quite excited by the arrival of someone to play with; in amongst all the games & trips to the “hospital” & having my apparently broken leg treated by the smallest doctor I’ve ever seen, I somehow ended feeding a often-dribbling Amelie – once again, teething looks like no fun at all. After a rather quick goodbye to Vittoria, she was off to bed – trying to explain that it would be some years before she saw me again was a bit difficult as the outer limit of a long time to a two year old is probably the week or so that is often between my visit, if not shorter. Shelley had done wonderfully well whipping up a pavlova topped with kiwifruit & it was not without some sadness that I took my last walk to Rayners Lane & sat on the Metropolitan Line down to Baker St.

Wednesday’s outing was up to Great Notley (near Braintree & Stansted) for lunch with first-cousins-once-removed Keith & Carol & Keith’s father Alan (my great-uncle). The oldest of his siblings & approaching ninety (but don’t tell him that) Alan is doing remarkably well living in his own flat & pretty much looking after himself – there is some hope I might not go doolally (a much used word that day – one I hadn’t heard for quite a while). Thursday was mostly more cleaning of my bike in the morning & then I headed off to meet Matt (the primary school friend from twenty years ago that I met a few weeks ago) at the Imperial War Museum. This was, at least, my third visit to the IWM & on entry & I thought I would only be having a quick look around. But upstairs I discovered a new exhibit – this one on that most harrowing of subjects, the Holocaust. We got lost in there for quite some time as there is always a lot to absorb & try to comprehend. It was quite well done, & while sobering not nearly as depressing as the Holocaust Museum in DC. All of a sudden it was 1730 & time to head off to meet Chris after work. This time I had a genuine reason for taking that shortest of tube lines – I actually wanted to go to from Waterloo to Bank. I sat waiting for Chris reading my free Evening Standard on the steps of the Royal Exchange for the last time, taking in the wonderful architecture that is the Bank of England & watching thousands of suits scurry around. Avoiding heading in to the melee that is getting on to the Central Line in the evening rush at Bank, we walked for quite some time west & I was pleased to be able to share some of my knowledge of small London museums that are worth seeing with Chris. We headed out a little west to Chris’s neighbourhood, had a pint at his local before I got the tour of his flat (which was pretty short at two rooms) before we walked & tubed to Paddington to meet Annie – a good friend of Chris’s that I had met at his sister’s wedding in Tuscany almost two years ago. Annie is now living in Melbourne & over in Europe for four weeks. Now that it’s the northern summer there are plenty of people coming this way – it is somewhat unfortunate in that respect that I am skiving off to Canada now – there are at least six people coming over that I would have like to have seen. But that’s a small price to for what promises to be a great year of riding & skiing. After my last pints of lager for what I imagine a while & a great time catching up with what we’ve all be up to, I said goodbye to Chris & Annie before heading off to catch the last train back to Sidcup. I was sure it wasn’t just the lager messing with me, I couldn’t find that train anywhere (it’s not like they’re a set of car keys – nice Snatch reference) & sure enough it had been cancelled & I had a slightly longer & more circuitous trip home.

Somehow yesterday I managed to squeeze a lot in to my Macpac & bike bag – somehow the pack has ended up heavier than the bike bag, which is a first. A quick visit to get shorn & then it was off to say goodbye to Nora. That was one of the most difficult visits yet as, it would be fair to say, after seven weeks she is a little tired of the mundane hospital & she was really quite angry & it took quite a while to calm her down with many more rounds of Gin Rummy. The powers that be have finally decided that Social Service will pay for her residential care, so hopefully Trish & Jan can find a place they like this weekend & Nora can move to a much nicer environment next week. The final farewells were last night over dinner at a great Asian buffet in Orpington. Jan & I managed to squeeze my four bags in to her Swift her this morning, a much easier trip to Heathrow than my last one (the four hour trek across London in the snow on buses, DLR, tube) on the M25 & I was shortly saying goodbye to Trish & Jan – I’ll miss my English family, they’ve been very good to me. Well Gate 29 is open now, so this is a good spot to stop & make sure I get on the waiting Airbus.