Thank you, Indigo Eve, for pointing out that I haven't posted in over a year! Lol. This time I am for real about keeping things updated.
Here we are in the summer of 2011 and I am out of school for 4 months! I completed 4 terms (1700 hours) of my Registered Massage Therapy program. I did two terms in Victoria and two terms in New Westminster. In September I start up again and go until the following August in New West. I am currently out of school until September 6th, homeless, and loving life!
I've made many short island trips because my brother Goob married Danika, and I was in the wedding party! They got married May long weekend and it was an awesome time for everyone :) I will post a picture in here when I have one.
So far I have done 1 of the 4 week long trips I have planned. That was to spend a week in Edmonton with Leah, Ayvah (10 months) and Eddy! It was a really great time, the weather was not great for us but we had sooo much fun! A night out at West Edmonton mall where we met Darren Dutchyshen then headed to Leah's place for the rest of the week. We had one day at adventure at the lake but otherwise a lot of thunder storms and torrential downpours!
Week trip #2 is planned for July 11th when I fly to Denver to spend a week with Katie! I've missed her since she moved south of the border, and she has come to visit me many times. This time it's my turn and I can't wait!
Week trip #3 is a mish mash of activities. Coleman is taking the week off work. First for August Long weekend we will be coming to the island to help Judi with her booth at the Filberg Festival. Then we are heading up to Hot Springs Cove, where my brother Mike is the Park Ranger for the summer! We are really looking forward to hanging out in that beautiful place.
Week trip #4 is to Baltimore to see my Donkey! I met Donkey at a hostel in Madrid then hung out with her while I was living in Spain. Since then we have both returned to our home countries, she has been in Uruguay. The smarty pants got a scholarship to do her masters at a school in Baltimore, so I will be making a visit shortly after she gets to the US. I'm really looking forward to the reunion with my long lost Uruguayan!
In amongst all this, I have been massaging people and having a blast. I bought a new mountain bike and some nice rollerblades. Indigo Eve and I are once again doing the MOMAR race although my summer is looking quite recreational and not so competitive! We will have a great time though, that is September 24th.
For Canada Day Long weekend (July 1st falls on a Friday, July 4th on a Monday) I am heading south of the border to spend it with Coleman. We are going to watch drive in movies, kayak to Saddlebag Island and camp for a night, spit off Deception Pass bridge and see Fort Casey. It is going to be a fun weekend.
The only sad news of the summer so far is that I'm attempting to sell my precious yellow motorcycle. Living in Vancouver it just doesn't get used enough. :(
That is all for now! Updates to come as more adventures happen!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Friday, March 26, 2010
Oops... It's been a while!
Hey Everyone!
Apologies for my serious lack of writing. 6 months... there's no excuse! It won't happen again. Let me give you the highlights and lowlights of the last while!
I moved to Victoria on October 1st! The Harbottle's are renting me a room downstairs in their house and I LOVE it here! Victoria is a wonderful city, the family I live with is great, the neighbourhood is quiet, I'm close to everything!
I enrolled in the Emergency Medical Responder course. I'm glad that I have the certification, but the career itself (working as a paramedic) is not my thing. I managed to get through the course but I wasn't passionate about it.
Sadly, October saw the passing of my Grandma Kitty. She was 96 and a tough old girl! Her body gave out before her mind, so we are all very thankful for that and to have kept her as long as we did. It was a tough time for everyone, but we got through it. Her service was on October 30th. Lot's of family and friends made it out and I thought it was a beautiful service. There were many shared memories, life stories, music, laughing, crying. Good work Mom, Auntie Marty & Auntie Rhonda for organizing everything :)
November and December were great months for my reffing! Victoria was so good to me, all of their associations and the other refs. It was nice to be received well, encouraged, and given so many opportunities! So many people were offering to help improve me and it was great all around.
In November, my Uncle Chester passed away. 5 weeks after his mother! Chester was the oldest of 10 kids. He also passed suddenly, in the night at his home. It was another shock and sad time for the family. His service will be a get together in Northern BC in June. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it, due to my school schedule, but I hope I can!
In December I met a really nice American boy named Coleman. He trains in kickboxing, Brazilian Jui Jitsu, rides motorcycles, shoots guns and flies Helicopters!
On December 21st I headed home to Comox for Christmas time. Unfortunately this really old guy turned left in front of me. I had my leg straight on the clutch. The accident messed up my torso/neck on the right and my left hip. Boooo. I'm doing lots of rehab to try to get better.
We had Christmas with the little kids (Braden and Hannah) on the 23rd! It was the first time we got to enjoy a Christmas morning with them, so that was great fun! After that we all headed over for a long overdue Christmas at the Cooke house! I was very beat up from my car accident, but it was a good time seeing everyone!
I headed down to the states for a week between Christmas and New Years to visit Coleman. I couldn't do any fun activities but I enjoyed my time there anyway!
In January I started a 27.5 month program to become a Registered Massage Therapist! The program is very intense. As I write this, I am just wrapping up my first term. It has been difficult but I've managed to grasp most of the material, and I'm passing all my courses! The first two terms are academic oriented, then it becomes more of a clinic setting where I am actually treating people. That will be in September.
My injury from the car accident has made school a bit difficult. Some days I have a hard time giving massages, and can't participate. Luckily we only have that class twice a week so it's not too much. Hopefully it's a lot better by Term 3, so I can continue with my schooling.
I also had to give up reffing for the rest of the season, so that was a real downer. I was improving and having a great season before the accident. I am hoping that I'll be able to get right back into it next season and be healed enough to do what I used to!
I continued to see Coleman after school started and things are going really well! It's been years since I've been in a relationship so some things are an adjustment of course. I look forward to all of you meeting him soon!!!
Anyway team, that's all I have to report for now. I will stay on top of this more often. Promise! Cheers!
Apologies for my serious lack of writing. 6 months... there's no excuse! It won't happen again. Let me give you the highlights and lowlights of the last while!
I moved to Victoria on October 1st! The Harbottle's are renting me a room downstairs in their house and I LOVE it here! Victoria is a wonderful city, the family I live with is great, the neighbourhood is quiet, I'm close to everything!
I enrolled in the Emergency Medical Responder course. I'm glad that I have the certification, but the career itself (working as a paramedic) is not my thing. I managed to get through the course but I wasn't passionate about it.
Sadly, October saw the passing of my Grandma Kitty. She was 96 and a tough old girl! Her body gave out before her mind, so we are all very thankful for that and to have kept her as long as we did. It was a tough time for everyone, but we got through it. Her service was on October 30th. Lot's of family and friends made it out and I thought it was a beautiful service. There were many shared memories, life stories, music, laughing, crying. Good work Mom, Auntie Marty & Auntie Rhonda for organizing everything :)
November and December were great months for my reffing! Victoria was so good to me, all of their associations and the other refs. It was nice to be received well, encouraged, and given so many opportunities! So many people were offering to help improve me and it was great all around.
In November, my Uncle Chester passed away. 5 weeks after his mother! Chester was the oldest of 10 kids. He also passed suddenly, in the night at his home. It was another shock and sad time for the family. His service will be a get together in Northern BC in June. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it, due to my school schedule, but I hope I can!
In December I met a really nice American boy named Coleman. He trains in kickboxing, Brazilian Jui Jitsu, rides motorcycles, shoots guns and flies Helicopters!
On December 21st I headed home to Comox for Christmas time. Unfortunately this really old guy turned left in front of me. I had my leg straight on the clutch. The accident messed up my torso/neck on the right and my left hip. Boooo. I'm doing lots of rehab to try to get better.
We had Christmas with the little kids (Braden and Hannah) on the 23rd! It was the first time we got to enjoy a Christmas morning with them, so that was great fun! After that we all headed over for a long overdue Christmas at the Cooke house! I was very beat up from my car accident, but it was a good time seeing everyone!
I headed down to the states for a week between Christmas and New Years to visit Coleman. I couldn't do any fun activities but I enjoyed my time there anyway!
In January I started a 27.5 month program to become a Registered Massage Therapist! The program is very intense. As I write this, I am just wrapping up my first term. It has been difficult but I've managed to grasp most of the material, and I'm passing all my courses! The first two terms are academic oriented, then it becomes more of a clinic setting where I am actually treating people. That will be in September.
My injury from the car accident has made school a bit difficult. Some days I have a hard time giving massages, and can't participate. Luckily we only have that class twice a week so it's not too much. Hopefully it's a lot better by Term 3, so I can continue with my schooling.
I also had to give up reffing for the rest of the season, so that was a real downer. I was improving and having a great season before the accident. I am hoping that I'll be able to get right back into it next season and be healed enough to do what I used to!
I continued to see Coleman after school started and things are going really well! It's been years since I've been in a relationship so some things are an adjustment of course. I look forward to all of you meeting him soon!!!
Anyway team, that's all I have to report for now. I will stay on top of this more often. Promise! Cheers!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
MOMAR Race Day!
(See previous entry, The MOMAR Journey for all the events leading up to race day!)
Here we are, on September 26th 2009. My first Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race, in Cumberland!
The alarm went off at 6 something and it was time to get ready! Indigo had the bikerack on her car so she picked me up and we headed out to find Bike Drop. Luckily, it was another BEAUTIFUL day! It had been dry for a while, so that meant the trails would be dry. Thank goodness, I needed all the help I could get! We dropped the bike at the No 6 Mine Site and then headed out to Comox Lake. The Enduro course started at 9 am so all those racers were getting their kayaks ready before the 8:30 am Captains Meeting at the Start/Finish line. They got their maps at 8 am but we had to wait until 9:05 to get ours. There were 280 racers in the Enduro course and the Start line was quite the sight! All those kayaks lined up, luckily the water was calm for them!
We registered and got our map. We were pleased to see a few things! First, the kayak was only 5 kms. We expected that to be our slowest leg compared to the other racers, so we were happy it wasn't 7 or 10 kms. Second, we were familiar with some of the mountain bike trails on the 3rd leg of the race. It was flagged and we had to collect all of these checkpoints in order. There were 16 checkpoints on our Racers Passport that needed to be checked. Not all of them were on our first map. At this point, we were confident that we could complete the race!
After checking out the map, we headed back to the car to get ready. We had to eat breakfast, stretch, decide on outfits (based on temperature), and attach our race bibs to said shirts. That all went quite well, so we headed down to the start line to find our kayak! The rules with adventure racing don't allow you to leave any items behind (except kayaking gear), so we had to take our backpacks and shoes into our boat with us.
I decided to wear flipflops, Indigo went in barefeet. We paddled out onto the lake only to find that the wind had picked up considerably. It was super choppy and we weren't wearing skirts on the boat! The seats were already soaked from the Enduro racers who used the boat before us. We had to accept that we were starting the day soaked, which wasn't my favourite thing, but at least it was sunny!
We got off to an Okay start with the paddling! Our race started about 5 minutes late. Indigo was having rutter problems, but other than that and the amount of wind, things were good. We were at the back of the pack, but we weren't last and we weren't really getting too far behind! Considering my paddle experience, that was pretty much what I expected. We ended up passing the yellow boat in front of us near the end. My calves were a bit tight getting out of the boat, from pushing on the pedals...but everything else was good. We dried our feet, put our shoes on, and ran up to checkpoint one!
By the time we were all set and running on Trek #1, it was 11:25. Not bad! It was only a little ways on the road before we ran into the woods and started on the trails. There was certainly some hiking, but we were hitting the checkpoints and thankfully, Indigo is good with maps and direction ;)
We got up to one of the checkpoints only to find that we were coming down the same trail we had come down the Saturday before while out wandering! We were running to the bike site when I saw my moms vehicle and my niece inside cheering us on! That was awesome to have support during the race! It put a smile on my face and kept me going through the tough parts! I didn't have a watch but we knew we were about an hour on the trek.
The bike transition was a bit of rest time for us before a long uphill climb! I don't mind the uphills, especially when they are gradual. It was fun. We had to do the whole climb before we hit the checkpoint at the top, and then the way down started :O
The first part of the trail down was okay, I only had to walk at a few points. The trail was quite crowded because the sport course and Enduro racers were on it. The 2nd part of the trail was quite technical. I was slow on it, but remained riding cautiously most of the time, lol. We were on Steam Donkey extension, then the more technical trail itself called Steam Donkey. It was very technical and I was slow as usual!
The last part of that leg was where we cut onto another trail which was loose, steep downhill. I walked the whole way and regularly got out of the way for some of the people riding their way down. I was starting to tire at this point and get frustrated.
Once we got out of the downhill stuff, we were back on the road to another checkpoint. Luckily, we were sent into a trail called Buggered Pig, and then into Mama Bears! These were the exact trails my brother had taken me on earlier in the week, and I did reasonably well on them. I was soooo happy to know what obstacles were coming up!
After we got back to the No 6 mine site, we got a new map for our urban checkpoints. We had to run around Cumberland. Again, my partner was very good with maps and I just ran along with her. My chest was starting to tighten up and restrict my breathing. My left hip was sore, going from kayaking to running, to biking and back to running. I shuffled through the urban part and then we got back on the bikes.
There was an unflagged checkpoint, so we could choose our route. We rode up next to a bunch of other people and Indigo said we should make a left when everyone else went right. I followed. We made a right only 50 m's down the road and it ended up being the shortest route. Good job teammate! That was our 2nd last checkpoint on the passport so we biked back towards the finish line.
We dropped our bikes at the bike drop there and I ran up to get our last checkpoint and grab the map for our orienteering section. Indigo was changing out of her bike shoes back to her runners, and I set down the 2 pieces of paper next to her. We studied the map together then took off. Just down the road she asked me where our passport was...and I told her I gave it to her. We both checked our bags and neither of us had it....... so we turn around and ran back to where we dropped our bikes. I saw a folded piece of paper waving in the wind on someones bikespoke! Woo, that was it. Close call!
Indigo was great with the orienteering map so we snagged those pretty quick! I had lost all track of time at this point and couldn't think straight. We ended up running back along the beach to the finish line!!! I had lots of fans there which was awesome.
Here we are, on September 26th 2009. My first Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race, in Cumberland!
The alarm went off at 6 something and it was time to get ready! Indigo had the bikerack on her car so she picked me up and we headed out to find Bike Drop. Luckily, it was another BEAUTIFUL day! It had been dry for a while, so that meant the trails would be dry. Thank goodness, I needed all the help I could get! We dropped the bike at the No 6 Mine Site and then headed out to Comox Lake. The Enduro course started at 9 am so all those racers were getting their kayaks ready before the 8:30 am Captains Meeting at the Start/Finish line. They got their maps at 8 am but we had to wait until 9:05 to get ours. There were 280 racers in the Enduro course and the Start line was quite the sight! All those kayaks lined up, luckily the water was calm for them!
We registered and got our map. We were pleased to see a few things! First, the kayak was only 5 kms. We expected that to be our slowest leg compared to the other racers, so we were happy it wasn't 7 or 10 kms. Second, we were familiar with some of the mountain bike trails on the 3rd leg of the race. It was flagged and we had to collect all of these checkpoints in order. There were 16 checkpoints on our Racers Passport that needed to be checked. Not all of them were on our first map. At this point, we were confident that we could complete the race!
After checking out the map, we headed back to the car to get ready. We had to eat breakfast, stretch, decide on outfits (based on temperature), and attach our race bibs to said shirts. That all went quite well, so we headed down to the start line to find our kayak! The rules with adventure racing don't allow you to leave any items behind (except kayaking gear), so we had to take our backpacks and shoes into our boat with us.
I decided to wear flipflops, Indigo went in barefeet. We paddled out onto the lake only to find that the wind had picked up considerably. It was super choppy and we weren't wearing skirts on the boat! The seats were already soaked from the Enduro racers who used the boat before us. We had to accept that we were starting the day soaked, which wasn't my favourite thing, but at least it was sunny!
We got off to an Okay start with the paddling! Our race started about 5 minutes late. Indigo was having rutter problems, but other than that and the amount of wind, things were good. We were at the back of the pack, but we weren't last and we weren't really getting too far behind! Considering my paddle experience, that was pretty much what I expected. We ended up passing the yellow boat in front of us near the end. My calves were a bit tight getting out of the boat, from pushing on the pedals...but everything else was good. We dried our feet, put our shoes on, and ran up to checkpoint one!
By the time we were all set and running on Trek #1, it was 11:25. Not bad! It was only a little ways on the road before we ran into the woods and started on the trails. There was certainly some hiking, but we were hitting the checkpoints and thankfully, Indigo is good with maps and direction ;)
We got up to one of the checkpoints only to find that we were coming down the same trail we had come down the Saturday before while out wandering! We were running to the bike site when I saw my moms vehicle and my niece inside cheering us on! That was awesome to have support during the race! It put a smile on my face and kept me going through the tough parts! I didn't have a watch but we knew we were about an hour on the trek.
The bike transition was a bit of rest time for us before a long uphill climb! I don't mind the uphills, especially when they are gradual. It was fun. We had to do the whole climb before we hit the checkpoint at the top, and then the way down started :O
The first part of the trail down was okay, I only had to walk at a few points. The trail was quite crowded because the sport course and Enduro racers were on it. The 2nd part of the trail was quite technical. I was slow on it, but remained riding cautiously most of the time, lol. We were on Steam Donkey extension, then the more technical trail itself called Steam Donkey. It was very technical and I was slow as usual!
The last part of that leg was where we cut onto another trail which was loose, steep downhill. I walked the whole way and regularly got out of the way for some of the people riding their way down. I was starting to tire at this point and get frustrated.
Once we got out of the downhill stuff, we were back on the road to another checkpoint. Luckily, we were sent into a trail called Buggered Pig, and then into Mama Bears! These were the exact trails my brother had taken me on earlier in the week, and I did reasonably well on them. I was soooo happy to know what obstacles were coming up!
After we got back to the No 6 mine site, we got a new map for our urban checkpoints. We had to run around Cumberland. Again, my partner was very good with maps and I just ran along with her. My chest was starting to tighten up and restrict my breathing. My left hip was sore, going from kayaking to running, to biking and back to running. I shuffled through the urban part and then we got back on the bikes.
There was an unflagged checkpoint, so we could choose our route. We rode up next to a bunch of other people and Indigo said we should make a left when everyone else went right. I followed. We made a right only 50 m's down the road and it ended up being the shortest route. Good job teammate! That was our 2nd last checkpoint on the passport so we biked back towards the finish line.
We dropped our bikes at the bike drop there and I ran up to get our last checkpoint and grab the map for our orienteering section. Indigo was changing out of her bike shoes back to her runners, and I set down the 2 pieces of paper next to her. We studied the map together then took off. Just down the road she asked me where our passport was...and I told her I gave it to her. We both checked our bags and neither of us had it....... so we turn around and ran back to where we dropped our bikes. I saw a folded piece of paper waving in the wind on someones bikespoke! Woo, that was it. Close call!
Indigo was great with the orienteering map so we snagged those pretty quick! I had lost all track of time at this point and couldn't think straight. We ended up running back along the beach to the finish line!!! I had lots of fans there which was awesome.
The MOMAR Journey
So while I was in Spain, I chatted with my friend Indigo Eve. She asked if I'd like to participate in an event happening on Sept 26th called Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race. There are 2 courses, the 50 km Enduro and the 30 km Sport Course. The race is made up of Kayaking, Trekking, Trail Running, Mountain Biking & Orienteering. We decided on doing the Sport Course and I started some running and biking right away, while I was still in Spain.
I had very little experience on a mountain bike and in a kayak. I didn't know how to use a compass or read a proper Orienteering map. I had only done a couple hikes up steep hills, which leaves only trail running that I have a bit of experience in.
Luckily I had a very patient, fit, bright teammate! We paddled together 3 times in preparation for the race, only to find that I am incredibly inefficient at paddling. Indigo has experience in a Dragon Boat more than a Kayak, but remains a much better paddler. She sat in the back and took care of the steering and power, hehe.
After fighting four days of jet lag, I went for my first trail run in Victoria. I went RIGHT over on my left ankle 8 minutes into the run. A bad start to my training! This happened September 5th, only a few weeks to go until Race Day!
Now on the subject of Mountain Biking... I am scared of downhills! I don't know why I can ride a sportbike but panic on a mountain bike. My first experience in Cumberland (where the race was taking place) was a wet wednesday night with the Uroc girls. They go out every week in 5 different groups based on skill level. I joined the Beginner Group and told the leader that I was scared of hills lol. When they found out I had never ridden in the trails, they all raised their eyes. I was about to find out why! We went into a VERY rooty trail called Two & a Juice. My bike was sliding everywhere, I kept having to put my foot down and then try to keep going. There were drops, rocks, roots, stumps, trees, and a wood bridge that I had to navigate over. All this, before the big downhills! Once we got to the hills, we all jumped off our bikes (4 of us) to find out the best way to go down. It was steep and rocky at first, and then there were 2 drops at the bottom. One off a rock and the other off a root. Since it was wet, there was a big mud puddle right at the bottom.
The leader went down, then the other 2 made it down without problems. I tried to go but kept stopping at the top. I was about to give up and then I somehow convinced myself that I "have to learn sometime" (this is 3 weeks before the race), so I ran my bike back up and started again. As I am coming down a bit too slow, my leader is yelling "Commit! Commit!" because of the rocks at the top. If you go too slow, those rocks will turn out handlebars. Anyway, when I heard commit, I pretty much let go of my brakes. I picked up speed, flew off the first drop, flew off the second drop, and then my tires hit the soft mud at the bottom and turned my bike sideways. I flew off onto my left ankle, hip and shoulder. My racepack was full of clothes so I think they softened the blow on my back. It was not a successful day. At least I got an idea about what kind of obstacles I would be facing for the race!
After that, I think training got better. My brother took me out on the bikes to help me, and tell me how to go over drops, roots, logs etc. That was really helpful and I am grateful for all of his help! We discovered that I had problems with my chain, my back tire had no traction, and I needed new front and back brakes. While in the bike shop, we also got a Bash Guard put on instead of the biggest ring on my gearing. This helped BIG TIME so that I could slide over obstacles instead of the teeth grabbing the wood and throwing me into my handlebars.
Kayaking never really got any better. I should have gone out to Royston to get help from Mr. Craig. I was taking my training seriously, but also really enjoying being back at home.
Here is a digression to tell you everything else going on in September, while also training for the race!
I made it home just in time for my niece Hannah's 8th Birthday! Judi and I got some decorations and made a surprise birthday party for her. It was so great! She was very thankful and appreciative of everything. We stopped by Bradens first hockey school experience as well. It was great to see him and see how much he has improved!
I insured my motorcycle and had an AMAZING day at the track and a great weekend on the mainland with Teresa. We hungout on Friday, did the trackday on Saturday, then I did the Grouse Grind with my cousin Crystl and friend John on the Sunday. The weather this September has been awesome!!!
My parents fixed up a room for me at their new house, which is spectacular. The view and location were great, my room was awesome! It was SO quiet everyday, I was able to get as much sleep as I wanted. I got to go on a few bike rides with my niece and nephew, and spend days with my family around the Valley.
Okay! Back to the MOMAR!
The Saturday before the race, Indigo and I went out with her friend Brian and the MOMAR maps from last year! We took the compass but ended up just wandering around Cumberland, climbing up for 2 hours, then taking different trails back to the cars. It was good to get familiar with the trails. Later we did an hour bikeride in the NorthEast woods. I was frustrated but it ended up being pretty fun.
By the time the race week rolled around, we had kayaked a few times and I had biked in the trails about 6 times. I was acquiring some skills and becoming less scared of what might be around the next corner! Indigo was much more faithful with her running and had far better endurance than myself. I hoped she wouldn't be disappointed in my endurance during the race!
We registered on the Friday night and it was all getting exciting at that point. The atmosphere was great, and despite our conversations "what have we gotten ourselves into", we were looking forward to it. I went home on Friday night and prepped. I made the mistake of never using any powergels or electrolyte replacing drinks during my training. The rule is "don't try anything new on race day" but I scrapped that. I bought some Chomps at the running store, filled my 2L camelpak with Accelerade, and hoped for the best!
Leading up to the race had lots of ups and downs. We had a few goals for the race, and they were:
1. Complete the race in one piece.
2. Meet all of the time cutoffs.
3. Not finish last in our category!
See "Race Day" to see how it all went! All in all, what a fantastic September. I am soooo happy that I came home a month early from Europe. I have always wanted to enjoy the Coast and I really feel like I took advantage of a lot of things the Valley has to offer.
I had very little experience on a mountain bike and in a kayak. I didn't know how to use a compass or read a proper Orienteering map. I had only done a couple hikes up steep hills, which leaves only trail running that I have a bit of experience in.
Luckily I had a very patient, fit, bright teammate! We paddled together 3 times in preparation for the race, only to find that I am incredibly inefficient at paddling. Indigo has experience in a Dragon Boat more than a Kayak, but remains a much better paddler. She sat in the back and took care of the steering and power, hehe.
After fighting four days of jet lag, I went for my first trail run in Victoria. I went RIGHT over on my left ankle 8 minutes into the run. A bad start to my training! This happened September 5th, only a few weeks to go until Race Day!
Now on the subject of Mountain Biking... I am scared of downhills! I don't know why I can ride a sportbike but panic on a mountain bike. My first experience in Cumberland (where the race was taking place) was a wet wednesday night with the Uroc girls. They go out every week in 5 different groups based on skill level. I joined the Beginner Group and told the leader that I was scared of hills lol. When they found out I had never ridden in the trails, they all raised their eyes. I was about to find out why! We went into a VERY rooty trail called Two & a Juice. My bike was sliding everywhere, I kept having to put my foot down and then try to keep going. There were drops, rocks, roots, stumps, trees, and a wood bridge that I had to navigate over. All this, before the big downhills! Once we got to the hills, we all jumped off our bikes (4 of us) to find out the best way to go down. It was steep and rocky at first, and then there were 2 drops at the bottom. One off a rock and the other off a root. Since it was wet, there was a big mud puddle right at the bottom.
The leader went down, then the other 2 made it down without problems. I tried to go but kept stopping at the top. I was about to give up and then I somehow convinced myself that I "have to learn sometime" (this is 3 weeks before the race), so I ran my bike back up and started again. As I am coming down a bit too slow, my leader is yelling "Commit! Commit!" because of the rocks at the top. If you go too slow, those rocks will turn out handlebars. Anyway, when I heard commit, I pretty much let go of my brakes. I picked up speed, flew off the first drop, flew off the second drop, and then my tires hit the soft mud at the bottom and turned my bike sideways. I flew off onto my left ankle, hip and shoulder. My racepack was full of clothes so I think they softened the blow on my back. It was not a successful day. At least I got an idea about what kind of obstacles I would be facing for the race!
After that, I think training got better. My brother took me out on the bikes to help me, and tell me how to go over drops, roots, logs etc. That was really helpful and I am grateful for all of his help! We discovered that I had problems with my chain, my back tire had no traction, and I needed new front and back brakes. While in the bike shop, we also got a Bash Guard put on instead of the biggest ring on my gearing. This helped BIG TIME so that I could slide over obstacles instead of the teeth grabbing the wood and throwing me into my handlebars.
Kayaking never really got any better. I should have gone out to Royston to get help from Mr. Craig. I was taking my training seriously, but also really enjoying being back at home.
Here is a digression to tell you everything else going on in September, while also training for the race!
I made it home just in time for my niece Hannah's 8th Birthday! Judi and I got some decorations and made a surprise birthday party for her. It was so great! She was very thankful and appreciative of everything. We stopped by Bradens first hockey school experience as well. It was great to see him and see how much he has improved!
I insured my motorcycle and had an AMAZING day at the track and a great weekend on the mainland with Teresa. We hungout on Friday, did the trackday on Saturday, then I did the Grouse Grind with my cousin Crystl and friend John on the Sunday. The weather this September has been awesome!!!
My parents fixed up a room for me at their new house, which is spectacular. The view and location were great, my room was awesome! It was SO quiet everyday, I was able to get as much sleep as I wanted. I got to go on a few bike rides with my niece and nephew, and spend days with my family around the Valley.
Okay! Back to the MOMAR!
The Saturday before the race, Indigo and I went out with her friend Brian and the MOMAR maps from last year! We took the compass but ended up just wandering around Cumberland, climbing up for 2 hours, then taking different trails back to the cars. It was good to get familiar with the trails. Later we did an hour bikeride in the NorthEast woods. I was frustrated but it ended up being pretty fun.
By the time the race week rolled around, we had kayaked a few times and I had biked in the trails about 6 times. I was acquiring some skills and becoming less scared of what might be around the next corner! Indigo was much more faithful with her running and had far better endurance than myself. I hoped she wouldn't be disappointed in my endurance during the race!
We registered on the Friday night and it was all getting exciting at that point. The atmosphere was great, and despite our conversations "what have we gotten ourselves into", we were looking forward to it. I went home on Friday night and prepped. I made the mistake of never using any powergels or electrolyte replacing drinks during my training. The rule is "don't try anything new on race day" but I scrapped that. I bought some Chomps at the running store, filled my 2L camelpak with Accelerade, and hoped for the best!
Leading up to the race had lots of ups and downs. We had a few goals for the race, and they were:
1. Complete the race in one piece.
2. Meet all of the time cutoffs.
3. Not finish last in our category!
See "Race Day" to see how it all went! All in all, what a fantastic September. I am soooo happy that I came home a month early from Europe. I have always wanted to enjoy the Coast and I really feel like I took advantage of a lot of things the Valley has to offer.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Reflection through Canadian Glasses
Well it has been quite a journey over the 4 months of my travels. It is funny how I can learn and change, but since I see myself everyday, I don`t notice. I was chatting with a friend last night when I realized how different my life has been in the last 4 months, compared with the first 4 months of 2009.
Let`s start with a change for the better in my health:
I haven`t had ANY problems with my glands since leaving Canada. I have struggled with my neck swelling up since I got mono when I was 15, but here, no problems.
I`ve had way more day to day energy! Instead of wanting to sleep all the time, I actually feel like getting out and doing fun things! All of my training is much easier to complete when I am not napping, or wanting to nap. In fact I never got into a nap habit here and I would like to think that I am better for it!
My skin has been almost completely clear, except for a week or two where my stress levels where higher than normal. Also, I quit picking at any imperfections. A habit that goes hand in hand with stress, and something I was able to eliminate :) Combine that with a tan & lots of exercise, and I am much healthier looking!
Since I arrived in the north of Spain, I have been religious about my stretching. On average I stretch for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. What a great improvement in the way my body feels! I have known for years that I need to stretch more but I was never able to implement a routine into my life consistently. Now, it is part of my day and something that I will absolutely keep up upon my return home!
Next, I have a new appreciation for:
The West Coast! Traveling around Europe has taught me how beautiful Canada is, and what a great all around Country it is. The vibe, the general population, the scenary!!! We are sooo lucky to live in such a great place. I knew this before, but not to the extent that I know it now. I can`t wait to take full advantage of living on the Island!
Learning a new sport and being in the ocean! I have been in the ocean more times on this trip than I have in my entire life living on the coast in Canada. It is warmer, so that helps, but it is also part of the culture here. Everyone on this coast goes to the beach multiple times a week and it is quite neat.
Hiking Mountains! I think that if you tried to convince me to climb a mountain in the summer, for 9 hours, I would tell you to jump in the lake! But since it is what everyone else was doing, I joined in, and had a GREAT time! I have a new appreciation for hiking, and the accomplishment of reaching the top of a mountain. Very rewarding, and what a great way for me to explore the beautiful coast that I live on :)
Fantastic polite people! What can I say? Previous to this trip, I had only spent a lot of time with Canadians, and some Americans. We have so many great people in our Country. Family, friends, and even people I am not close to are much more my style than the typical person from another Country. I know that people will tell me "That`s because you are used to them". Maybe, but it is also because of the things I value. Sincere, nice temperment, polite, sense of humour, considerate, caring, compassionate, reasonably happy, active, healthy!!! We have a lot going for us, that`s for sure. While I have met some great people here, they are few. I am somewhat limited in that I don`t speak Spanish, but I still observe the way people act and treat each other. I have only seen certain countries of course, but I would choose Canada & Portugal over the others.
Children. Specifically happy children with social skills, which covers most of the children I know. Now that I have seen (and lived with) the behaviour of children who lack basic social skills, I can appreciate good natured kid sooooo much more! I understand that kids get hungry, tired, crabby after they eat sugar... that is normal. What I have seen is a major lack in communication skills, and it is a shame. Having to spend time with such poor mannered children has given me a new appreciation for spending time with other children. I love to watch them have fun, to see their expression when they are successful at something, the way they learn new things, and the way they interact (without being on my cell phone, laptop, or in a rush to get somewhere). I also like to be a part of all those things. Watching Andres` face when he caught a frisbee for the first time was one of my favourite moments here!
My opportunities. If you have been reading my blog, you know that I met a wonderful girl in Madrid named Patricia, who is from Uruguay. We have had many conversations about life, what we have done in the past, and what our future plans are. She told me how lucky I am to live in Canada and have all the opportunities I have. I can go to school, get a good paying job that allows me to pay my rent or mortgage (even without school), play all my sports. I didn`t realize, until I spoke to her, that it isn`t like that in every country. Where she lives, even with her degree, she would have to work full time and share a tiny apartment with 3 other people just to pay the bills, with no money left over! I know people, specifically my Dad, has told me how lucky I am to have all the opportunities. It didn`t sink in until I met another girl (close to my age) who has nothing to go home to at the end of this trip, except her family and friends of course (which are great).
Things I have learned:
A new sport!!! I have had a blast learning how to surf! I didn`t get on the water (or improve) as much as I`d like, but I got a taste of the sport. It has been fun to try something new. I was lucky enough to get some surf lessons when I first arrived, and then have the use of Jesus` equipment for the rest of the summer. I have thoroughly enjoyed this, even though I am not great at it!
I learn the most about myself when I am challenged! This goes for all types of challenges and negative environments. When I am pushed, I get the opportunity to observe how I react, or to practice my ability to handle myself. I am happy to say that I have more patience, tolerance, and self-control than I knew existed inside me! This trip has put the "bar" one notch higher for me, what more can I ask for??? Knowing new limits. Conquering situations that have gotten the best of me in the past. It`s a great process!
How NOT to raise my children! How many people can say they have had a crash course in how not to raise their future children??? I suppose people who weren`t happy with their childhood would have an idea about how they would parent; for those of us who grew up in a fairly tale, as fortunate as we are, we don`t get to form the same ideas about how we will raise our kids. I think it`s important to think about the way you will do things, and not just give the same answer "Because that`s how it was when I was a kid". That is not a reason, but an adopted habit. Anyways, I got the crash course. I have been able to observe the parents and watch what the children take from them, and how it shows in their behaviour. How the children have "learned behaviours" based on their parents lack of ability to follow through. "The apple doesn`t fall from the tree" is a statement I already believed, but wow, it has been taken to a whole new level! This is another area where I couldn`t have asked for more.
Things I already knew that have been reinforced time and time again:
Men are more friendly and more pleasant for me to be around. I am so appreciative of their simplicity! The adults who have made my experience a good one in the North of Spain have been men. They are consistent in the way that they treat me, and treat each other. I felt included and am very appreciative of their easy going nature and sense of humour!!! Thank you guys for showing me the positive side of your village and social lives! I will be missing our laughs. You are welcome to Canada if you want to do any hiking, mountain biking, water sports :) I will gladly show you my country and life as you have shown me yours!
I remain the same happy, strong individual regardless of whether the exterior envinronment is positive or negative. I once had it explained to me this way: view yourself as a lake. You are the stillness of the deep water, while the surface will change according to the weather. You remain the same inside, while the weather can be calm or rough, or anything inbetween. Being out of my comfort zone has enforced the fact that my confidence and happiness originates inside myself, not from an exterior environment. All the years of work that I have done on myself (and continue to do) and the lessons I have been taught, are paying huge dividends by making my life pleasant and happy! Thank you to all the people and forces in this world who have given me the ability to take sole responsibility for myself :)
Sorry for the delay in publishing this entry! I wrote it a long time ago, but I wanted to take time to reflect and see if anything else came to mind. Stay tuned for my recap of September! It has been an amazing month back at home and has included some challenges and a lot of success :)
Let`s start with a change for the better in my health:
I haven`t had ANY problems with my glands since leaving Canada. I have struggled with my neck swelling up since I got mono when I was 15, but here, no problems.
I`ve had way more day to day energy! Instead of wanting to sleep all the time, I actually feel like getting out and doing fun things! All of my training is much easier to complete when I am not napping, or wanting to nap. In fact I never got into a nap habit here and I would like to think that I am better for it!
My skin has been almost completely clear, except for a week or two where my stress levels where higher than normal. Also, I quit picking at any imperfections. A habit that goes hand in hand with stress, and something I was able to eliminate :) Combine that with a tan & lots of exercise, and I am much healthier looking!
Since I arrived in the north of Spain, I have been religious about my stretching. On average I stretch for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. What a great improvement in the way my body feels! I have known for years that I need to stretch more but I was never able to implement a routine into my life consistently. Now, it is part of my day and something that I will absolutely keep up upon my return home!
Next, I have a new appreciation for:
The West Coast! Traveling around Europe has taught me how beautiful Canada is, and what a great all around Country it is. The vibe, the general population, the scenary!!! We are sooo lucky to live in such a great place. I knew this before, but not to the extent that I know it now. I can`t wait to take full advantage of living on the Island!
Learning a new sport and being in the ocean! I have been in the ocean more times on this trip than I have in my entire life living on the coast in Canada. It is warmer, so that helps, but it is also part of the culture here. Everyone on this coast goes to the beach multiple times a week and it is quite neat.
Hiking Mountains! I think that if you tried to convince me to climb a mountain in the summer, for 9 hours, I would tell you to jump in the lake! But since it is what everyone else was doing, I joined in, and had a GREAT time! I have a new appreciation for hiking, and the accomplishment of reaching the top of a mountain. Very rewarding, and what a great way for me to explore the beautiful coast that I live on :)
Fantastic polite people! What can I say? Previous to this trip, I had only spent a lot of time with Canadians, and some Americans. We have so many great people in our Country. Family, friends, and even people I am not close to are much more my style than the typical person from another Country. I know that people will tell me "That`s because you are used to them". Maybe, but it is also because of the things I value. Sincere, nice temperment, polite, sense of humour, considerate, caring, compassionate, reasonably happy, active, healthy!!! We have a lot going for us, that`s for sure. While I have met some great people here, they are few. I am somewhat limited in that I don`t speak Spanish, but I still observe the way people act and treat each other. I have only seen certain countries of course, but I would choose Canada & Portugal over the others.
Children. Specifically happy children with social skills, which covers most of the children I know. Now that I have seen (and lived with) the behaviour of children who lack basic social skills, I can appreciate good natured kid sooooo much more! I understand that kids get hungry, tired, crabby after they eat sugar... that is normal. What I have seen is a major lack in communication skills, and it is a shame. Having to spend time with such poor mannered children has given me a new appreciation for spending time with other children. I love to watch them have fun, to see their expression when they are successful at something, the way they learn new things, and the way they interact (without being on my cell phone, laptop, or in a rush to get somewhere). I also like to be a part of all those things. Watching Andres` face when he caught a frisbee for the first time was one of my favourite moments here!
My opportunities. If you have been reading my blog, you know that I met a wonderful girl in Madrid named Patricia, who is from Uruguay. We have had many conversations about life, what we have done in the past, and what our future plans are. She told me how lucky I am to live in Canada and have all the opportunities I have. I can go to school, get a good paying job that allows me to pay my rent or mortgage (even without school), play all my sports. I didn`t realize, until I spoke to her, that it isn`t like that in every country. Where she lives, even with her degree, she would have to work full time and share a tiny apartment with 3 other people just to pay the bills, with no money left over! I know people, specifically my Dad, has told me how lucky I am to have all the opportunities. It didn`t sink in until I met another girl (close to my age) who has nothing to go home to at the end of this trip, except her family and friends of course (which are great).
Things I have learned:
A new sport!!! I have had a blast learning how to surf! I didn`t get on the water (or improve) as much as I`d like, but I got a taste of the sport. It has been fun to try something new. I was lucky enough to get some surf lessons when I first arrived, and then have the use of Jesus` equipment for the rest of the summer. I have thoroughly enjoyed this, even though I am not great at it!
I learn the most about myself when I am challenged! This goes for all types of challenges and negative environments. When I am pushed, I get the opportunity to observe how I react, or to practice my ability to handle myself. I am happy to say that I have more patience, tolerance, and self-control than I knew existed inside me! This trip has put the "bar" one notch higher for me, what more can I ask for??? Knowing new limits. Conquering situations that have gotten the best of me in the past. It`s a great process!
How NOT to raise my children! How many people can say they have had a crash course in how not to raise their future children??? I suppose people who weren`t happy with their childhood would have an idea about how they would parent; for those of us who grew up in a fairly tale, as fortunate as we are, we don`t get to form the same ideas about how we will raise our kids. I think it`s important to think about the way you will do things, and not just give the same answer "Because that`s how it was when I was a kid". That is not a reason, but an adopted habit. Anyways, I got the crash course. I have been able to observe the parents and watch what the children take from them, and how it shows in their behaviour. How the children have "learned behaviours" based on their parents lack of ability to follow through. "The apple doesn`t fall from the tree" is a statement I already believed, but wow, it has been taken to a whole new level! This is another area where I couldn`t have asked for more.
Things I already knew that have been reinforced time and time again:
Men are more friendly and more pleasant for me to be around. I am so appreciative of their simplicity! The adults who have made my experience a good one in the North of Spain have been men. They are consistent in the way that they treat me, and treat each other. I felt included and am very appreciative of their easy going nature and sense of humour!!! Thank you guys for showing me the positive side of your village and social lives! I will be missing our laughs. You are welcome to Canada if you want to do any hiking, mountain biking, water sports :) I will gladly show you my country and life as you have shown me yours!
I remain the same happy, strong individual regardless of whether the exterior envinronment is positive or negative. I once had it explained to me this way: view yourself as a lake. You are the stillness of the deep water, while the surface will change according to the weather. You remain the same inside, while the weather can be calm or rough, or anything inbetween. Being out of my comfort zone has enforced the fact that my confidence and happiness originates inside myself, not from an exterior environment. All the years of work that I have done on myself (and continue to do) and the lessons I have been taught, are paying huge dividends by making my life pleasant and happy! Thank you to all the people and forces in this world who have given me the ability to take sole responsibility for myself :)
Sorry for the delay in publishing this entry! I wrote it a long time ago, but I wanted to take time to reflect and see if anything else came to mind. Stay tuned for my recap of September! It has been an amazing month back at home and has included some challenges and a lot of success :)
Rookie Duck Whisperer
There is a duck farm about 100 m from my house, on the other side of the traffic circle. I just love all the farms around here! So last night, as I am running home in the rain, I hear this stressed out quaking - then I see one of the ducks wandering on the road!!! I have no idea how he got out, since the farm is 6 feet below the height of the road, and then on top of the retaining wall is another fence that goes up 4 feet! 
So I try to shoo the duck off the road but he is freaking out, trying to run away from me through the brush on the side and keeps falling down because he is too tired. Then he starts trying to fly over the 4 foot fence, but instead only gets 1.5 feet in the air and smashes into it. Poor guy. I was just making it worse, so I went home and asked Jesus if he wanted to help me catch the duck. Lol. He didn`t. Or perhaps he didn`t know exactly what I was talking about? Not likely a conversation he has had in english before!
I sat down on the computer and then thought about the duck and decided I had to try harder. I grabbed a towel and headed back out there. He continued to run away from me for about 15 minutes. Eventually he got too tired, fell down (in the worst spot, next to the fence on a steep down hill so he was wedged in), and stopped moving. I came over to him and touched him, he had no energy to move. I put the towel around him and awkwardly got him out, then held him on my hip. He didnt quack or anything. He was cold, so I think he appreciated the towel.
Then came the part of trying to get him back in, which I am afraid was an unsuccessful mission :( I walked with him over to the main gates of the farm, but they were padlocked, and the rest of the ducks were inside the locked building... so I walked back up with him to where I found him, and the only way to get him back in the main pen was to drop him the 10 feet. If he was too tired to walk, and the fact that he had clipped wings, I was afraid I would kill him. So I stood there for a while holding him, he was so cute. White with blue eyes, he just looked at me. After he got his energy back, lol, on the 2nd time walking back to the main gates, he started to try to flap his wings, but I had my hands around his body holding them down.
I ended up just having to put him under the main gates, but not with all the other ducks. At least he was off the road and in common territory, instead of smashing himself repeatedly into the fence. I hope the owners (who live across the street) came home and put him back with his friends!
The week has gone quite well for me here! I had a slow start to training this week but a strong finish, so that is good. My diet is nowhere near where I would like it but it is very tough to go against the grain regarding sleep patterns and eating habits when you are on the schedule and living the life of a family. It won`t be long before I can tune things up, though!
This weekend was fantastic weather (hottest day of the year on Sunday), and I enjoyed lots of time outside. Yesterday there were horse races on the beach in Loredo!!! It was awesome! I got to watch the young jockies race. There is video in my "Santander" album but unfortunately it is poor quality. You can get the idea, though! There are some still shots of the horses as well. I was wishing I had Hannah with me, I think she would have enjoyed it!
I had two failed attempts at surfing on Friday and Saturday. On Friday the current was really strong and I kept getting swept away, so I decided it was too hard to surf and waited for the current to lessen...but it didn`t. Saturday I went with Jesus and his brother Alberto. I was using the small board which I still can`t get up on consistently. I accidently caught a MASSIVE wave which took me soooo fast towards the shore and when I looked up, I was going to hit the shore! I was laying on the board so I forced myself to fall off and the wave must have slammed me into the ground or something - my knee on one side is sore and bruised. After that, I decided the waves were too big and got out! Haha. There were some other problems with that night - I had decided to surf in a bikini without a wetsuit. I was slipping all over the place on the board, and the ocean was so strong it kept removing my bathing suit!!! I might as well have worn nothing! Won`t be doing that again, lol, way too hard to surf under those conditions! Perhaps that would only be appropriate with my naked colony in Mataro, hmmm? Hahaha. I miss them!!!
I am starting an entry with reflection on my trip - although it will take me a while to gather and organize my thoughts into words. Anyway keep an eye out on the blog for that one, it will be a biggy. I have learned a lot so far, that is for sure!
Hope everyone is well at home - enjoy the rest of the summer!!!
So I try to shoo the duck off the road but he is freaking out, trying to run away from me through the brush on the side and keeps falling down because he is too tired. Then he starts trying to fly over the 4 foot fence, but instead only gets 1.5 feet in the air and smashes into it. Poor guy. I was just making it worse, so I went home and asked Jesus if he wanted to help me catch the duck. Lol. He didn`t. Or perhaps he didn`t know exactly what I was talking about? Not likely a conversation he has had in english before!
I sat down on the computer and then thought about the duck and decided I had to try harder. I grabbed a towel and headed back out there. He continued to run away from me for about 15 minutes. Eventually he got too tired, fell down (in the worst spot, next to the fence on a steep down hill so he was wedged in), and stopped moving. I came over to him and touched him, he had no energy to move. I put the towel around him and awkwardly got him out, then held him on my hip. He didnt quack or anything. He was cold, so I think he appreciated the towel.
Then came the part of trying to get him back in, which I am afraid was an unsuccessful mission :( I walked with him over to the main gates of the farm, but they were padlocked, and the rest of the ducks were inside the locked building... so I walked back up with him to where I found him, and the only way to get him back in the main pen was to drop him the 10 feet. If he was too tired to walk, and the fact that he had clipped wings, I was afraid I would kill him. So I stood there for a while holding him, he was so cute. White with blue eyes, he just looked at me. After he got his energy back, lol, on the 2nd time walking back to the main gates, he started to try to flap his wings, but I had my hands around his body holding them down.
I ended up just having to put him under the main gates, but not with all the other ducks. At least he was off the road and in common territory, instead of smashing himself repeatedly into the fence. I hope the owners (who live across the street) came home and put him back with his friends!
The week has gone quite well for me here! I had a slow start to training this week but a strong finish, so that is good. My diet is nowhere near where I would like it but it is very tough to go against the grain regarding sleep patterns and eating habits when you are on the schedule and living the life of a family. It won`t be long before I can tune things up, though!
This weekend was fantastic weather (hottest day of the year on Sunday), and I enjoyed lots of time outside. Yesterday there were horse races on the beach in Loredo!!! It was awesome! I got to watch the young jockies race. There is video in my "Santander" album but unfortunately it is poor quality. You can get the idea, though! There are some still shots of the horses as well. I was wishing I had Hannah with me, I think she would have enjoyed it!
I had two failed attempts at surfing on Friday and Saturday. On Friday the current was really strong and I kept getting swept away, so I decided it was too hard to surf and waited for the current to lessen...but it didn`t. Saturday I went with Jesus and his brother Alberto. I was using the small board which I still can`t get up on consistently. I accidently caught a MASSIVE wave which took me soooo fast towards the shore and when I looked up, I was going to hit the shore! I was laying on the board so I forced myself to fall off and the wave must have slammed me into the ground or something - my knee on one side is sore and bruised. After that, I decided the waves were too big and got out! Haha. There were some other problems with that night - I had decided to surf in a bikini without a wetsuit. I was slipping all over the place on the board, and the ocean was so strong it kept removing my bathing suit!!! I might as well have worn nothing! Won`t be doing that again, lol, way too hard to surf under those conditions! Perhaps that would only be appropriate with my naked colony in Mataro, hmmm? Hahaha. I miss them!!!
I am starting an entry with reflection on my trip - although it will take me a while to gather and organize my thoughts into words. Anyway keep an eye out on the blog for that one, it will be a biggy. I have learned a lot so far, that is for sure!
Hope everyone is well at home - enjoy the rest of the summer!!!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Mataro!!!
Hey!
I have just returned from a visit to yet another coast of Spain! I flew to Tarragona to be received by my dear friend Patricia, and the guy she is staying with, Alejandro. It was so great of them to pick me up - 1.5 hours away from where they live!
Since Patricia and I left Madrid, she has been living with Alej in Mataro. He is a very warm hearted, generous, funny guy. I was treated like gold and welcomed into their home. We became instant friends and enjoyed an awesome 5 days!
Some background information: Alej is a nudist, but because Patricia is living with him (or when he has to talk to the neighbours), he owns these pieces of fabric that act as wraps or skirts. You can imagine that men are not careful enough to wear skirts, and you`d be right, hahaha. Anyways, they wrap like a towel and he has been looking for the ones that tie up. Ok, onto the stories!
I got a bad virus that lasted a solid 72 hours starting on the 31st of July. It was like the Norwalk virus, but the after affects of being malnourished and severely dehydrated lasted longer than 72 hours. I was just getting my appetite back during my first couple days visiting in Mataro. I spoke with Patricia on Saturday the 1st of aug, telling her about my sickness. Turns out she had the same virus 2 weeks prior and went to the hospital. They hooked her up to an IV due to the dehydration, and told her to get 2 medications which were both over the counter. One of the medications was in the house, and the other I had to buy. I was in a severe amount of pain, so Jesus offered to take me to the pharmacy. It was closed, so he left the birthday party he was at to pick up the medication for me when the pharmacy opened again. Thank goodness he was here to help! I was in a severe amount of pain and couldn`t eat or drink water. The pills helped but the sickness held on for another 40 hours after I started the meds. When I woke up on Monday the 3rd, I was weak and dehydrated, but finally able to keep some food down. Jesus drove me to the airport, and I flew out that afternoon.
On the 4th, we were invited by Alej`s parents to have lunch. His mom is a fantastic cook. She prepared a Greek dish, similar to lasange but instead of noodles, there is egg plant. His parents are very special people - kind, generous, and warm. I didn`t eat much but enjoyed the interaction even though they didn`t speak English. His mom Ana is very sweet and his dad Juan is caring and funny. After the great lunch, Alej drove us out to a beach about an hour East of where they live. I was still not healthy so I didn`t get to enjoy the snorkeling, but I had a great time and got to swim in the Mediterranean sea! The water was beautifully clear and warm.
The next day was a lazy one, and I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Patricia! We talked and talked. It is hard to speak to people who are not completely fluent in English, because I can`t fully express myself. Patricia though, is very smart and we share similar thoughts and sense of humour. Her english is fantastic and she is able to express humour in her speech! I had so much fun hearing stories and telling stories! Unfortunately there were some family problems with Alej, so he had to be away for the whole day.
Thursday, Patricia and I made a trip into Barcelona. While we were getting ready, I saw that Patricia had her purse inside the backpack. I had no pockets, so I started adding my wallet, a t shirt, a bottle of water etc to the backpack. Lol, she saw me putting stuff in and said "OH, Im the Donkey again! Im ALWAYS the donkey!!!". Hahaha. I affectionately refer to her as Donk from now on!
The trip takes a little while to get into Barca, first a ride from Alej to his parents town, where we caught an above ground train and then a trip on the metro system. It is worth it though! What a beautiful city with a great vibe! So far, it is my favourite large city in Europe. It is very cultural, with an active street life. First we saw some gymnasts from Morocco putting on an outdoor show, jumping over people, doing flips and jumps. They were fantastic but rather hostile when people didn`t put enough money in their toques when they went around collecting. Lol. We carried on down La Rumbla, checking out everything. There were SO many stands that were selling animals - hamsters, bunnies, ferrets, ducks, birds. It was strange. I don`t know what kind of tourists would be buying live animals, since we can`t transport them back home.
Anyway, we carried onto find the main Cathedral. The security guard wouldn`t let me in at first because my shoulders weren`t covered, so I sent Patricia in without me. She insisted I go inside to look at the achitecture, so we took a t shirt out of the backpack and just placed it over my shoulders. The Cathedral was quite stunning, full of Gothic arches and beautiful stained glass. There were these hokey little lights inside plastic covers. It was all in Spanish (or should I say Castillian) but Patricia asked me to take a picture of the "insert coins" part. LOL. I guess, instead of lighting real candles to remember loved ones, you insert coins and one of the little christmas lights inside lights up. Too funny.
We saw a group of people dancing on the street with a boom box. It is quite an entertaining place, very cultural with lots going on everywhere. I enjoyed watching the boys dance! We carried onto the main Market on La Rumbla which had the most beautiful produce and presentation. I really enjoyed it! The colours were so vibrant, it was a great place. I got a little bit of candy and Patricia got some dried pineapple (my bunnies would have loved it!) and some fudge.
On our leisurely walk back to the train station, Patricia wanted to look for a wrap that tied up for Alej. We stopped in one of these really cheap stores (they are all over Europe), always owned by foreigners who have to start businesses to immigrate into the country. Anyway this little guy behind the counter was helpful, and he said he had wraps but he would be right back, he had to go get them. He left us in his store alone, and it was pretty entertaining. Here is a picture to give you an idea of what these stores are like!
Anyway, since he was gone, we were joking around inside with the clothes. Patricia was modeling an orange skirt, then the little salesman suddenly appeared with another one from a different store! The wraps were good but they all had patterns, so donkey asked if they had any plain ones. The 2nd salesman went to find plain ones, and then our little guy behind the counter started taking his dress down from the top line of clothes that was on one of those plastic torso figures. It was quite nice, and I thought he was trying to sell it to us. Patricia said "Oh, thats a nice dress, very pretty" then he laid it down and started pulling the dress up. Lmao, Patricia said "oh, Panties too?" with a very excited tone. It was SO funny. Turns out that around the mannequin was a plain black wrap, which we decided would work, and she bought for Alej.
By the time we got off the train to go home in Premia De Mar (where Alejs parents live, he was waiting for us) it was almost 11 pm... and 26 degrees! It was a clear night and the moon was bouncing off the water. We were too hot, covered in sweat, and had sore feet. Donk suggested we go swimming and I agreed. We walked to Ana & Juans, where they were waiting for us to have dinner. We had already eaten, so we borrowed towels and took off towards the beach! Since we were in the city, we had no bathing suits, but it was dark so we figured it wasn`t a big deal. We got to the beach, where Patricia works at a restaurant right on the beach about 50 meters to our left. In front of us was a pile of huge rocks put there by an excavator, and to the right was darkness. We headed for the darkest spot, only to find that its also the place everyone else goes to enjoy the evening at the beach! We saw a huge rat running in the rocks and decided we should head away from there, since we don`t like rats and can`t see rocks in the water at night. Finally, we ended up in a very lit area, between the rocks and the restaurant. There were people on park benches to our right, and up by the street we could see people on their balconies having dinner. I said, let`s just hurry up and get in the water, then it won`t matter how light it is. So quickly we ditched our clothes and went into the water. It was so warm!!! I just can`t get over the concept of the ocean being warm, but I am starting to like it. Anyways, after the day, the swimming was perfect. 20 minutes later, I see Alej coming down the beach towards us! So we told him it was great, come on in. He said he was too full from dinner.
Meanwhile, while we were chatting with Alej (but not really hearing him well because of the waves), these 2 guys were coming towards us with a big water bottle. Alej heard them coming from the street and stood staring at them. They walked about 25 feet away from him, more towards where we were. Eventually, they had to acknowledge that he was standing there staring... then we saw them chatting (but couldn`t hear), then Alej walked into the water with the bottle and filled it for them. They left. Alej came in for a swim and all was well.
We were laughing so hard after the fact. Obviously the guys had been on a park bench somewhere when donkey and I arrived at the beach... and in the time it took them to find the water bottle (an excuse to come down), Alej had arrived and foiled their plans! Hahahaha. It was perfect timing! Then we thought, hm, that could have been awkward... but there was lots of civilization around so I wasn`t worried about stranger. Too funny.
My last day there, we just relaxed and spent time chatting. Alej and I went to the grocery store together. They helped me with my Spanish, I am starting to get an ear for it, but it is tough. We went to bed late. I just love staying there - no stress, no conflict, no schedules. It was so fun!
Luckily, Alej and Donk drove me to the airport for my flight on Saturday. Due to the fact that I wasn`t staying in Barcelona, I wouldn`t have been able to make the shuttle in time to catch my flight! Thanks guys, you are sweethearts!
See the corresponding pictures to these stories in the album Mataro! Those who don`t have the address, I will email you to gain access!
I am healthy now, and back in the North. Yesterday I spoke to Indigo Eve, who invited me to join her in a MOMAR - stands for Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race! It is taking place on September 26th in Cumberland. I am terribly excited, but need to do some serious work to get in shape! We are participating in the "Sport Course" which is 30 kms, as opposed to the 50 km Enduro course. It consists of Kayaking, Orienteering, Trekking, Mountain Biking, and Bushwacking! It should take us between 5 and 7 hours. It will be our first time doing it, although the leader of the group we run with (ELM Fitness) wins all these races as a Solo female on the Enduro course. She is a machine! Her name is Sarah Seads, and she is always encouraging more people to participate in the races. I am sure she will give us some tips regarding the race, hydration, and food requirements. You are welcome to come and cheer us on!
I best get to some training now, 42 days to go I think! :)
PS With regards to the rather off colour photo of the bull and donkey in the album, I can explain lol! Catalunya was conquered by the Castillians, and refer to "Spanish" as "Castillian". Anyway, like the basque country, they would prefer to be their own country, not part of Spain. The symbol for Catalunya is the Donkey, and for Spain the symbol is the Bull. I much prefer the Catalan way, so the sticker is political! Haha.
I have just returned from a visit to yet another coast of Spain! I flew to Tarragona to be received by my dear friend Patricia, and the guy she is staying with, Alejandro. It was so great of them to pick me up - 1.5 hours away from where they live!
Since Patricia and I left Madrid, she has been living with Alej in Mataro. He is a very warm hearted, generous, funny guy. I was treated like gold and welcomed into their home. We became instant friends and enjoyed an awesome 5 days!
Some background information: Alej is a nudist, but because Patricia is living with him (or when he has to talk to the neighbours), he owns these pieces of fabric that act as wraps or skirts. You can imagine that men are not careful enough to wear skirts, and you`d be right, hahaha. Anyways, they wrap like a towel and he has been looking for the ones that tie up. Ok, onto the stories!
I got a bad virus that lasted a solid 72 hours starting on the 31st of July. It was like the Norwalk virus, but the after affects of being malnourished and severely dehydrated lasted longer than 72 hours. I was just getting my appetite back during my first couple days visiting in Mataro. I spoke with Patricia on Saturday the 1st of aug, telling her about my sickness. Turns out she had the same virus 2 weeks prior and went to the hospital. They hooked her up to an IV due to the dehydration, and told her to get 2 medications which were both over the counter. One of the medications was in the house, and the other I had to buy. I was in a severe amount of pain, so Jesus offered to take me to the pharmacy. It was closed, so he left the birthday party he was at to pick up the medication for me when the pharmacy opened again. Thank goodness he was here to help! I was in a severe amount of pain and couldn`t eat or drink water. The pills helped but the sickness held on for another 40 hours after I started the meds. When I woke up on Monday the 3rd, I was weak and dehydrated, but finally able to keep some food down. Jesus drove me to the airport, and I flew out that afternoon.
On the 4th, we were invited by Alej`s parents to have lunch. His mom is a fantastic cook. She prepared a Greek dish, similar to lasange but instead of noodles, there is egg plant. His parents are very special people - kind, generous, and warm. I didn`t eat much but enjoyed the interaction even though they didn`t speak English. His mom Ana is very sweet and his dad Juan is caring and funny. After the great lunch, Alej drove us out to a beach about an hour East of where they live. I was still not healthy so I didn`t get to enjoy the snorkeling, but I had a great time and got to swim in the Mediterranean sea! The water was beautifully clear and warm.
The next day was a lazy one, and I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Patricia! We talked and talked. It is hard to speak to people who are not completely fluent in English, because I can`t fully express myself. Patricia though, is very smart and we share similar thoughts and sense of humour. Her english is fantastic and she is able to express humour in her speech! I had so much fun hearing stories and telling stories! Unfortunately there were some family problems with Alej, so he had to be away for the whole day.
Thursday, Patricia and I made a trip into Barcelona. While we were getting ready, I saw that Patricia had her purse inside the backpack. I had no pockets, so I started adding my wallet, a t shirt, a bottle of water etc to the backpack. Lol, she saw me putting stuff in and said "OH, Im the Donkey again! Im ALWAYS the donkey!!!". Hahaha. I affectionately refer to her as Donk from now on!
The trip takes a little while to get into Barca, first a ride from Alej to his parents town, where we caught an above ground train and then a trip on the metro system. It is worth it though! What a beautiful city with a great vibe! So far, it is my favourite large city in Europe. It is very cultural, with an active street life. First we saw some gymnasts from Morocco putting on an outdoor show, jumping over people, doing flips and jumps. They were fantastic but rather hostile when people didn`t put enough money in their toques when they went around collecting. Lol. We carried on down La Rumbla, checking out everything. There were SO many stands that were selling animals - hamsters, bunnies, ferrets, ducks, birds. It was strange. I don`t know what kind of tourists would be buying live animals, since we can`t transport them back home.
Anyway, we carried onto find the main Cathedral. The security guard wouldn`t let me in at first because my shoulders weren`t covered, so I sent Patricia in without me. She insisted I go inside to look at the achitecture, so we took a t shirt out of the backpack and just placed it over my shoulders. The Cathedral was quite stunning, full of Gothic arches and beautiful stained glass. There were these hokey little lights inside plastic covers. It was all in Spanish (or should I say Castillian) but Patricia asked me to take a picture of the "insert coins" part. LOL. I guess, instead of lighting real candles to remember loved ones, you insert coins and one of the little christmas lights inside lights up. Too funny.
We saw a group of people dancing on the street with a boom box. It is quite an entertaining place, very cultural with lots going on everywhere. I enjoyed watching the boys dance! We carried onto the main Market on La Rumbla which had the most beautiful produce and presentation. I really enjoyed it! The colours were so vibrant, it was a great place. I got a little bit of candy and Patricia got some dried pineapple (my bunnies would have loved it!) and some fudge.
On our leisurely walk back to the train station, Patricia wanted to look for a wrap that tied up for Alej. We stopped in one of these really cheap stores (they are all over Europe), always owned by foreigners who have to start businesses to immigrate into the country. Anyway this little guy behind the counter was helpful, and he said he had wraps but he would be right back, he had to go get them. He left us in his store alone, and it was pretty entertaining. Here is a picture to give you an idea of what these stores are like!
Anyway, since he was gone, we were joking around inside with the clothes. Patricia was modeling an orange skirt, then the little salesman suddenly appeared with another one from a different store! The wraps were good but they all had patterns, so donkey asked if they had any plain ones. The 2nd salesman went to find plain ones, and then our little guy behind the counter started taking his dress down from the top line of clothes that was on one of those plastic torso figures. It was quite nice, and I thought he was trying to sell it to us. Patricia said "Oh, thats a nice dress, very pretty" then he laid it down and started pulling the dress up. Lmao, Patricia said "oh, Panties too?" with a very excited tone. It was SO funny. Turns out that around the mannequin was a plain black wrap, which we decided would work, and she bought for Alej.
By the time we got off the train to go home in Premia De Mar (where Alejs parents live, he was waiting for us) it was almost 11 pm... and 26 degrees! It was a clear night and the moon was bouncing off the water. We were too hot, covered in sweat, and had sore feet. Donk suggested we go swimming and I agreed. We walked to Ana & Juans, where they were waiting for us to have dinner. We had already eaten, so we borrowed towels and took off towards the beach! Since we were in the city, we had no bathing suits, but it was dark so we figured it wasn`t a big deal. We got to the beach, where Patricia works at a restaurant right on the beach about 50 meters to our left. In front of us was a pile of huge rocks put there by an excavator, and to the right was darkness. We headed for the darkest spot, only to find that its also the place everyone else goes to enjoy the evening at the beach! We saw a huge rat running in the rocks and decided we should head away from there, since we don`t like rats and can`t see rocks in the water at night. Finally, we ended up in a very lit area, between the rocks and the restaurant. There were people on park benches to our right, and up by the street we could see people on their balconies having dinner. I said, let`s just hurry up and get in the water, then it won`t matter how light it is. So quickly we ditched our clothes and went into the water. It was so warm!!! I just can`t get over the concept of the ocean being warm, but I am starting to like it. Anyways, after the day, the swimming was perfect. 20 minutes later, I see Alej coming down the beach towards us! So we told him it was great, come on in. He said he was too full from dinner.
Meanwhile, while we were chatting with Alej (but not really hearing him well because of the waves), these 2 guys were coming towards us with a big water bottle. Alej heard them coming from the street and stood staring at them. They walked about 25 feet away from him, more towards where we were. Eventually, they had to acknowledge that he was standing there staring... then we saw them chatting (but couldn`t hear), then Alej walked into the water with the bottle and filled it for them. They left. Alej came in for a swim and all was well.
We were laughing so hard after the fact. Obviously the guys had been on a park bench somewhere when donkey and I arrived at the beach... and in the time it took them to find the water bottle (an excuse to come down), Alej had arrived and foiled their plans! Hahahaha. It was perfect timing! Then we thought, hm, that could have been awkward... but there was lots of civilization around so I wasn`t worried about stranger. Too funny.
My last day there, we just relaxed and spent time chatting. Alej and I went to the grocery store together. They helped me with my Spanish, I am starting to get an ear for it, but it is tough. We went to bed late. I just love staying there - no stress, no conflict, no schedules. It was so fun!
Luckily, Alej and Donk drove me to the airport for my flight on Saturday. Due to the fact that I wasn`t staying in Barcelona, I wouldn`t have been able to make the shuttle in time to catch my flight! Thanks guys, you are sweethearts!
See the corresponding pictures to these stories in the album Mataro! Those who don`t have the address, I will email you to gain access!
I am healthy now, and back in the North. Yesterday I spoke to Indigo Eve, who invited me to join her in a MOMAR - stands for Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race! It is taking place on September 26th in Cumberland. I am terribly excited, but need to do some serious work to get in shape! We are participating in the "Sport Course" which is 30 kms, as opposed to the 50 km Enduro course. It consists of Kayaking, Orienteering, Trekking, Mountain Biking, and Bushwacking! It should take us between 5 and 7 hours. It will be our first time doing it, although the leader of the group we run with (ELM Fitness) wins all these races as a Solo female on the Enduro course. She is a machine! Her name is Sarah Seads, and she is always encouraging more people to participate in the races. I am sure she will give us some tips regarding the race, hydration, and food requirements. You are welcome to come and cheer us on!
I best get to some training now, 42 days to go I think! :)
PS With regards to the rather off colour photo of the bull and donkey in the album, I can explain lol! Catalunya was conquered by the Castillians, and refer to "Spanish" as "Castillian". Anyway, like the basque country, they would prefer to be their own country, not part of Spain. The symbol for Catalunya is the Donkey, and for Spain the symbol is the Bull. I much prefer the Catalan way, so the sticker is political! Haha.
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