Today I headed out for a ride with my friend Brian. Our plan was to head up Grey 19 and then make our way over to Feversham.
Recently I heard some riders talking about a phone app called Strava so I loaded it on my smartphone and decided to give it a try today. I knew it uses the phones GPS to map your rides but after that I wasn't too sure of what else the app is capable of.
I stepped outside for the ride and went to the app and within a minute it was GPS capable so off I went. Brian was waiting for me at the base of Grey 19 and we started our climb. I made it to the top in what I thought was good time and as soon as Brian made his way up we continued on to Feversham. The trip back was down the Pretty River road.
When I got home I turned off the app and went inside to check out what information it had recorded. I was pleased to see that not only was my route mapped, it also gave me elevation gains and compared my time in certain sectors of the ride with the times of other riders who have the Strava app. Very cool.
Sadly when I see what my times are compared to the many other top riders doing these sectors the only conclusion to be made is I have an anchor dragging out behind my bike. On the bright side I am so far behind that any ambitions I had of being a half decent rider have gone out the window. Strangely I am not very bothered by that discovery.
I then went to the website and checked out my profile and I must say it is a great site. It gave profile graphs of the rides elevation and speed changes and will inform you when you have set personal bests plus lots of other interesting information. I would recommend it to anyone who rides. It's easy to use (I figured it out) and costs nothing unless you want to upgrade to get even more info. I give it 5 stars.
P.S. I had a big problem sweating in one of my eyes today (yes I'm a heavy sweater) so I have ordered a product called the Sweat Gutr and will report on it as soon as I get to test it.
Ice climbing at Eugenia Falls
Eugenia Falls
Monday, 9 July 2012
Sunday, 8 July 2012
Another confession
Today I decided to be lazy so I stayed in, farted around the house doing some odd jobs and then my plan was to watch the Toronto Argonaut football game at 3 pm. The plan was working until I noticed that the made for TV movie "Anne (spelled with an e) of Green Gables" starring Megan Follows was on at 2. When I first saw this movie 25 years ago I instantly fell in love with the lead character played by Megan so believe it or not I watched 4 hours of Anne (with commercials) instead of the football game. How sad is that. I think (I hope) most people see me as a manly kind of guy but as I get older my definition of manly seems to be changing.
Manly to me now means being able to admit that Anne of Green Gables is one of my favourite movies. It's a great period piece about an orphaned 13 year old taken in by Mathew and Marilla who are aging brother and sister living on their property Green Gables. They were expecting to get a boy from the orphanage but ended up with Anne. Anne can't seem to stay out of trouble. She is a dreamer who talks continuously of her wants and desires. She is incapable of holding her temper or her tongue which may be why I am enamoured with the character. I have always had a thing for red heads as well (thought I might marry one many years ago) so Anne to me was the perfect woman.
I can see it now. There's Anne across the kitchen table from me, expressing her wants and desires, dreaming of a great future for the two of us, barely stopping to catch her breath before moving on to her next vision of the utopian life we had in front of us. Two weeks of that and I would have strangled her.
Manly to me now means being able to admit that Anne of Green Gables is one of my favourite movies. It's a great period piece about an orphaned 13 year old taken in by Mathew and Marilla who are aging brother and sister living on their property Green Gables. They were expecting to get a boy from the orphanage but ended up with Anne. Anne can't seem to stay out of trouble. She is a dreamer who talks continuously of her wants and desires. She is incapable of holding her temper or her tongue which may be why I am enamoured with the character. I have always had a thing for red heads as well (thought I might marry one many years ago) so Anne to me was the perfect woman.
I can see it now. There's Anne across the kitchen table from me, expressing her wants and desires, dreaming of a great future for the two of us, barely stopping to catch her breath before moving on to her next vision of the utopian life we had in front of us. Two weeks of that and I would have strangled her.
Saturday, 7 July 2012
Ziplines and treetops
I have now been working 4 weeks at the Scenic Caves and so far it has been a fun and educational experience. The job training has been constant due to the obvious need for safety and the "lectures" we have to give at certain points of the Ecotour take some practice to say the least.
Many of my days have been spent shadowing tours, helping out where I can and staying out of the way when I should. A tour starts in the basement fitting guests into their harnesses and helmets, then outside for introductions and an outline of the tour.
The first tour stop is the suspension bridge where we have a 10,000 sq km view of the area. We briefly talk about Collingwood and its' history and also about the bridge itself and how it was built. Great story actually. The bridge was built in winter of 2003 which made things even more difficult for the workers because work conditions must have tough on a breezy cold day. To start they poured 130 tons of cement at either end of the span. The trucks could not manage the steep hill going down so they were winched down. The two towers were erected and then the difficult job of getting two 8,000 lb cables across the span without touching the land below (the area is a Unesco protected area) required some thinking outside the box. Anyone out there have a guess on how they got the cables across? I'll tell you later on. Once the cables were in place a trolley was used to run along on the cables and place the supports for the I-beams and then finally a deck of 3 inch thick boards was put down. It cost $1,000,000 to build.
Next is a wagon ride pulled behind a tractor which takes us to the treetop walk. The walk has 15 spans between trees or hydro poles with a high point of 55 feet above the ground. Some guests have a tough time on it because it sways and bounces some so if you already have an aversion to heights it can be a scary thing. I have only had one refusal, a lady who after one span was crying so we turned her around and walked on solid ground to the end. Guests get down from the treetop walk by the first zipline which is 340 feet long. It's a short ride but fun one.
Next we go through the caves (they're caverns actually) and talk about the original native inhabitants and some of the geology of the area. On a hot day the caves are also a great way to cool down for a while. The one thing we can't do is take guests through Fat Man's Misery which is a passage in the rocks where at one point is only 36 cm wide, the reason being the harnesses the guests are wearing could get snagged.
Finally it's off to the big 1,000 foot zipline which takes everyone back to the start at 55 kph. It's literally a scream for some people. A tour takes roughly 3 hours and as far as I can tell everyone seems to enjoy it and feel like they have gotten their moneys worth.
For me it's lunch and then a second tour in the afternoon. By the end of the day I am tired and my feet are sore but I should get more used to it as I continue to do it. So far I would have to say it's a great job.
The answer to how they got the cables across? An archer shot an arrow across the span with some fishing line attached. They attached a cord to the line and pulled it across, then a rope, a bigger rope and again a stronger rope until they finally could pull the 8,000 lb cable across.
The new zipline is a few weeks away from completion. The Thunderbird will be 2,500 feet long and is a double zip so guests can go side by side down the line and also control their speed as they go. I'm looking forward to giving it a try.
Many of my days have been spent shadowing tours, helping out where I can and staying out of the way when I should. A tour starts in the basement fitting guests into their harnesses and helmets, then outside for introductions and an outline of the tour.
The first tour stop is the suspension bridge where we have a 10,000 sq km view of the area. We briefly talk about Collingwood and its' history and also about the bridge itself and how it was built. Great story actually. The bridge was built in winter of 2003 which made things even more difficult for the workers because work conditions must have tough on a breezy cold day. To start they poured 130 tons of cement at either end of the span. The trucks could not manage the steep hill going down so they were winched down. The two towers were erected and then the difficult job of getting two 8,000 lb cables across the span without touching the land below (the area is a Unesco protected area) required some thinking outside the box. Anyone out there have a guess on how they got the cables across? I'll tell you later on. Once the cables were in place a trolley was used to run along on the cables and place the supports for the I-beams and then finally a deck of 3 inch thick boards was put down. It cost $1,000,000 to build.
Next is a wagon ride pulled behind a tractor which takes us to the treetop walk. The walk has 15 spans between trees or hydro poles with a high point of 55 feet above the ground. Some guests have a tough time on it because it sways and bounces some so if you already have an aversion to heights it can be a scary thing. I have only had one refusal, a lady who after one span was crying so we turned her around and walked on solid ground to the end. Guests get down from the treetop walk by the first zipline which is 340 feet long. It's a short ride but fun one.
Next we go through the caves (they're caverns actually) and talk about the original native inhabitants and some of the geology of the area. On a hot day the caves are also a great way to cool down for a while. The one thing we can't do is take guests through Fat Man's Misery which is a passage in the rocks where at one point is only 36 cm wide, the reason being the harnesses the guests are wearing could get snagged.
Finally it's off to the big 1,000 foot zipline which takes everyone back to the start at 55 kph. It's literally a scream for some people. A tour takes roughly 3 hours and as far as I can tell everyone seems to enjoy it and feel like they have gotten their moneys worth.
For me it's lunch and then a second tour in the afternoon. By the end of the day I am tired and my feet are sore but I should get more used to it as I continue to do it. So far I would have to say it's a great job.
The answer to how they got the cables across? An archer shot an arrow across the span with some fishing line attached. They attached a cord to the line and pulled it across, then a rope, a bigger rope and again a stronger rope until they finally could pull the 8,000 lb cable across.
The new zipline is a few weeks away from completion. The Thunderbird will be 2,500 feet long and is a double zip so guests can go side by side down the line and also control their speed as they go. I'm looking forward to giving it a try.
Monday, 25 June 2012
Casual converstion
There I was, climbing up Grey road 19, setting the pace, gasping for air. Directly behind me are riders who are far better climbers than I and without a doubt they haven't even broken a sweat. And how, you ask, do I know this for sure? It's easy. If you are gasping for air while climbing and the riders behind you are discussing their kids, where they are going to spend their next vacation and what colour their house is then it's a sure bet that you are not going to be at the head of the pack for long. In the matter of a minute 12 riders sailed by me and left me in their dust. How humbling. All was not lost though. Halfway up the final pull to the Castle Glen entrance I managed to catch up to and pass one of the women who had passed me 5 minutes earlier. I wasn't more than 20 meters in front of her when she asked me to let the ride leader know that she was turning around and heading back. Now I know I'm slow but am I so slow that the embarrassment of being passed on a climb by me was more than she could take? Did she go home and put her bike away for good? Did she wail "woe is me" like Sylvester's son after the giant mouse beat the tar out of Sylvester? I'll never know for sure.
I do know that the ride leader tapped me on the back as he passed and told me "good pull" before he continued on by and I did do a fairly long and tough ride of 90 kms over to Eugenia and Kimberly and back home. It was a great day for a ride and there was without a doubt the most riders I have ever seen out, period. Road biking in the Georgian triangle has definitely exploded.
P.S. I always felt bad for Sylvester because he never did find out that the giant mouse was a baby kangaroo. I love that cartoon.
I do know that the ride leader tapped me on the back as he passed and told me "good pull" before he continued on by and I did do a fairly long and tough ride of 90 kms over to Eugenia and Kimberly and back home. It was a great day for a ride and there was without a doubt the most riders I have ever seen out, period. Road biking in the Georgian triangle has definitely exploded.
P.S. I always felt bad for Sylvester because he never did find out that the giant mouse was a baby kangaroo. I love that cartoon.
Saturday, 23 June 2012
A pain in the ass!
All of last year the biggest problem I had riding, other than my sore neck was my sore ass caused by riding on my Specialized Avatar bicycle saddle. The days were rare when my sit bones didn't hurt from that saddle. The difficult part about buying a saddle is until you ride on it a few times it is difficult to tell whether or not it will be to your liking.
I looked around in the winter for a new saddle and decided in the end to go with one made of leather by Brooks. For many years most saddles were leather and Brooks was certainly world famous for theirs. I have now put close to 1000 kms on this seat so I figure it's time for an update. So far it sucks. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a useless piece of shit but it is closing in quickly on that title. My saddle has broken in a fraction over the last 3 months but to be accurate it has broken my ass in more. The other issue is it is also breaking in my taint to the point where it soon may be an aint. I don't want to admit defeat but I don't know how much longer my parts can stand it. I have been told that Brooks saddles are seats for life but I don't want to go through life as a castrato. I really don't want to buy a new saddle either but there may be no other choice than to bite the bullet and fork out for another saddle that I may hate as well.
On the bright side I typed this post using the new keyboard I purchased for my Blackberry Playbook and it is excellent. It has a real nice feel while typing and although small it has been quite easy to use and certainly a lot faster than typing on the screen. Kudos to Blackberry.
On the bright side I typed this post using the new keyboard I purchased for my Blackberry Playbook and it is excellent. It has a real nice feel while typing and although small it has been quite easy to use and certainly a lot faster than typing on the screen. Kudos to Blackberry.
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
New job, day one.
Today I started my new job as a zip line tour guide at the Scenic Caves. I have been coming up to the area for 22 years but this was my first time actually seeing what the Caves has to offer.
I arrived at 9:30 AM and after checking in I was sent downstairs to learn about the equipment. Some of the equipment I am familiar with due to my few forays rock climbing and some is very closely related to climbing gear I used at the Bell.
It wasn't long before our group came down and we started to fit everyone into the gear for the tour, myself included. I was only going as a participant and observer. After fitting we had a brief outline of the upcoming tour given by Michael and Skip, a friend and former owner of Sojourn in Collingwood.
We first made our way to the suspension bridge for the fantastic view and to learn a little history of the area. Directly below the bridge are red oak trees which got me thinking that they must be the first oak trees I have seen in quite a while. Where have they all gone? Next was the treetop walk which was fun and certainly gives one a new perspective of the forest. Then we did the first of two zip line runs, this one fairly short but if you have never done one before it was pretty neat. Next up was the caves where there are some really interesting rock formations as well as some cool plant life such as ferns and some ancient white cedars. Lastly it was the final zip line which was much longer and dropped us off back at the start. It all took about 2 1/2 hours. I should also mention that the new double zip line is almost completed and it is a biggie, 2500 feet long and I think it's going to be a great ride. I am really looking forward to giving it a go.
There was only the one tour for today so my day was short but definitely fun and informative. The rest of the staff seem like a great bunch as well so I have little doubt this job will be a keeper. I have a lot to learn in the next few weeks but I am looking forward to it.
I arrived at 9:30 AM and after checking in I was sent downstairs to learn about the equipment. Some of the equipment I am familiar with due to my few forays rock climbing and some is very closely related to climbing gear I used at the Bell.
It wasn't long before our group came down and we started to fit everyone into the gear for the tour, myself included. I was only going as a participant and observer. After fitting we had a brief outline of the upcoming tour given by Michael and Skip, a friend and former owner of Sojourn in Collingwood.
We first made our way to the suspension bridge for the fantastic view and to learn a little history of the area. Directly below the bridge are red oak trees which got me thinking that they must be the first oak trees I have seen in quite a while. Where have they all gone? Next was the treetop walk which was fun and certainly gives one a new perspective of the forest. Then we did the first of two zip line runs, this one fairly short but if you have never done one before it was pretty neat. Next up was the caves where there are some really interesting rock formations as well as some cool plant life such as ferns and some ancient white cedars. Lastly it was the final zip line which was much longer and dropped us off back at the start. It all took about 2 1/2 hours. I should also mention that the new double zip line is almost completed and it is a biggie, 2500 feet long and I think it's going to be a great ride. I am really looking forward to giving it a go.
There was only the one tour for today so my day was short but definitely fun and informative. The rest of the staff seem like a great bunch as well so I have little doubt this job will be a keeper. I have a lot to learn in the next few weeks but I am looking forward to it.
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Golf at Monterra
Yesterday I had the opportunity to go golfing at Monterra which is the course owned by Blue Mountain. I figured my golfing would suck but I dressed appropriately so at least my appearance would suggest someone who could play the game. The tee time was 10:40 but somehow I got it in my head that I was late and so I rushed like mad and showed up for my tee time at 9:20. Oops, and believe it or not I was made quite happy that my arrival was at the incorrect time. Let me explain.
As I was walking through the parking lot an acquaintance pulled up and asked if he could join up with our threesome. I said I wasn't positive we were a threesome and continued on to the clubhouse. It was with great relief that in the clubhouse I realised I had arrived way too early. Normally this would have had me muttering "effing idiot" under my breath about myself but the reason I was happy was......the guy who wanted to join us is a total jerk, arrogant as they come, and cheap (dust flies when he opens his wallet). He's the kind of guy who shows up for dinner with shitty homemade wine and then drinks all your good stuff. Gladly I went back home to wait another hour.
Aaron and myself were teamed up with an older gentleman, Gerry, who was an OK golfer and a nice guy. Our only hard and fast rule for the day was if anyone scored a par on a hole we got to have a shot of tequila. Good rule if I do say so myself.
The course was in excellent condition and my golf game was as good as it has ever been. I was pretty good off the tee and my short game, in particular my chipping was fantastic. We played from the whites which was a mistake because the course is too short from them, especially the par 3's which are very low yardage, say 90 to 120 yards.
Considering I haven't played in almost 2 years it was hard to believe my golf would be that good. I shot a 94 which is far and away my best score ever there. I think one of the reasons for my good game is the fact that I have simplified my golf swing. One thing in particular I try to do now is to shorten my back swing. This results in less distance but my accuracy was much better and I still had some drives of around 240 yards. Aaron had a good game for himself as well so the day was a success.
I don't think yesterday's good round will turn me back into a golfer because there was still some good cursing and swearing going on. I haven't mellowed yet.
As I was walking through the parking lot an acquaintance pulled up and asked if he could join up with our threesome. I said I wasn't positive we were a threesome and continued on to the clubhouse. It was with great relief that in the clubhouse I realised I had arrived way too early. Normally this would have had me muttering "effing idiot" under my breath about myself but the reason I was happy was......the guy who wanted to join us is a total jerk, arrogant as they come, and cheap (dust flies when he opens his wallet). He's the kind of guy who shows up for dinner with shitty homemade wine and then drinks all your good stuff. Gladly I went back home to wait another hour.
Aaron and myself were teamed up with an older gentleman, Gerry, who was an OK golfer and a nice guy. Our only hard and fast rule for the day was if anyone scored a par on a hole we got to have a shot of tequila. Good rule if I do say so myself.
The course was in excellent condition and my golf game was as good as it has ever been. I was pretty good off the tee and my short game, in particular my chipping was fantastic. We played from the whites which was a mistake because the course is too short from them, especially the par 3's which are very low yardage, say 90 to 120 yards.
Considering I haven't played in almost 2 years it was hard to believe my golf would be that good. I shot a 94 which is far and away my best score ever there. I think one of the reasons for my good game is the fact that I have simplified my golf swing. One thing in particular I try to do now is to shorten my back swing. This results in less distance but my accuracy was much better and I still had some drives of around 240 yards. Aaron had a good game for himself as well so the day was a success.
I don't think yesterday's good round will turn me back into a golfer because there was still some good cursing and swearing going on. I haven't mellowed yet.
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