Pat & I decided to do a late afternoon Monday ride - nothing too intense as he raced yesterday but it turned out we definitely put on some kms in explore mode. That's right yet another new trail to discover. Apparently we were on a bit of a nature trail - we were in 4X4 mode with the Toyota and came across a rather large cinnamon colored bear who stood up on his hind legs, sniffed the air and decided we were trouble and then rambled off into the bush.
We were kind of half hoping we'd meet up with him on the trail later so I'd have more a story but we met a few other creatures along the way. I rescued a distressed and dusty turtle that looked quite misplaced three-quarters up a hill in the middle of our trail, so I took him on a short ride down to a creek which led to a nearby lake (which we also visited for the first time). A short while later, a rabbit jumped out in front of me and the result was my heart doing its best thumper impersonation. Later we saw a few deer as well and just were totally immersed in fern covered forests - simply beautiful. The air had a bit of a smoke haze in it due to forest fires up north so it kind made everything look just a bit different - could've been my rose colored lenses though too.
I'm not sure how many klicks we actually put on - felt like at least 20 or so, and we were hoping to loop back and ride up back to the truck but came across a large swampy area about 2 kms away. We decided that it still would be quicker to go through than turn back and so we trudged our way through some soupy stuff that brought us some Nam' flashbacks (or at least it felt that way).
My legs feel great and I'm looking forward to future exploratory rides but methinks that particular loop will need to be altered if we do it again!
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Summer Tunes
So I recently went on a hunt for some new music and here are some findings you need to check out: The band Embrace - another amazing UK find (admittedly influence by U2/Coldplay) - both of their latest recordings are solid: Out of Nothing & This New Day. I love Keane's latest Under The Iron Sea as well - almost as much as Snow Patrol's Eyes Open. Another band i'm enjoying is Thirteen Senses - The Invitation again I'm liking the influence but divergence from U2/Coldplay. Guster's Ganging Up On The Sun is more subdued but has amazing vocals - Coldplay meets the Wallflowers meets the Beatles? I'm still digesting their stuff. Something that reminds me of a mix of Wallflowers/Counting Crows/Howie Day is a band called The Fray - How To Save A Life - also worth the listen. Bruce Cockburn has a new cd Life Short Call Now coming out that apparently is quite good, The Wailin' Jennys have a new cd entitled Firecracker - newgrass is probably the most apt description, of course Johnny Cash's Personal Files are out and his posthumous American V: A Hundred Highways will be out in early July. A taste of summer - hopefully more tunes to be had...any recommends from you? or response to my new picks?
Canadian Summer
Well - I'm in the midst of getting into summer mode as a prof which means lots of reading, picking out texts for next year, speaking engagements, research, oh yeah and take a few more weeks of holidays to be with family! I'm most excited about the latter but I really do enjoy researching for new courses or tweaking the ones I already have prepared.
I have a new course next year entitled Communications which is aimed at first year college students and hopefully helping them learn how to communicate effectively both as speakers and writers. The other aspect of the course that I think is critical is learning how to read and research, both often weaknesses I see in students. Our Canadian public school system unfortunately is not doing a very good job in preparing students to write proper research papers.
My sister Ang & bro-in-law Rolf are returning from Ethiopia to have their third child and so we hope to connect a fair amount this summer as we don't get to see them much. So hopefully some quality time will be spent at the lake enjoying rest & recreation! Costa Rica honestly seems like a long time ago already but its been good to revisit my blog and take a look at the 650 other pictures I didn't post online! The weather has been amazing thus far here in sunny Manitoba and we are looking foward to a warm & refreshing summer!
I have a new course next year entitled Communications which is aimed at first year college students and hopefully helping them learn how to communicate effectively both as speakers and writers. The other aspect of the course that I think is critical is learning how to read and research, both often weaknesses I see in students. Our Canadian public school system unfortunately is not doing a very good job in preparing students to write proper research papers.
My sister Ang & bro-in-law Rolf are returning from Ethiopia to have their third child and so we hope to connect a fair amount this summer as we don't get to see them much. So hopefully some quality time will be spent at the lake enjoying rest & recreation! Costa Rica honestly seems like a long time ago already but its been good to revisit my blog and take a look at the 650 other pictures I didn't post online! The weather has been amazing thus far here in sunny Manitoba and we are looking foward to a warm & refreshing summer!
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Exploring the Costa Rica Chronicles:
So we are back from Costa Rica and once again I was impressed by how travel changes a person. It doesn't take long to realize the strengths and weaknesses of your culture back home and those of the country you are visiting. The people were incredibly warm & friendly, the food simply unbelievable (who knew that rice & beans could be so good?! and the pineapple, mango, other fruits - simply amazing!), the scenery breathtaking - jungle, coffee plantations, volcanoes, whitewater, waterfalls, etc. I don't regret a trip I've ever gone on - each one is unique in what I learned. Highlights for me included: ziplining through the jungle & rappelling down multiple waterfalls, meeting a red-eyed tree frog, spending time with my wonderful wife Wendy, mtn biking through misty jungle trails, reading books not for work, having amazing coffee, see the "Costa Rica Chronicles" at Musings:
Day One: Arrival To Costa Rica
Day Two: Kayaking & Exploring
Day Three: Volcanoes, Mtn Biking, & Hummingbirds
Day Four: Waterfall Rappelling, Jungle Ziplines, & Fun!
Day Five: Celebrating 10 Years, Snakes & Frogs, Whitewater Rafting
Day Six: Caribbean Coast, Surfing, & a Jungle Eco-Hotel
Day Seven: More of the Carib, Snorkeling, Coconuts, & Driving
Days Eight-Ten: Farewells, R& R, Taste of Italy, & Homeward Bound
Go Team Holland!
Yeah - so I'm still with the Orange Army - Team Holland! Not necessarily a favorite for winning the World Cup but they've proven themselves well so far! Tomorrow it's Argentina.
Days 8-10 & Home!
Two more nights in a tropical paradise and its back to Canada! We left for San Jose before lunch to drop of J & R at the airport with Gabi (one of the guides) & Jorge. We said our farewell to our new friends from the US - we seemed to click well with them! I would have no problem doing a trip with them again! Then we were dropped off at our resort where we hoped to get some rest & relaxation in style at an Italian-owned Hotel Martino before returning home to Canada!
The accomodations were amazing - it felt like we had been transported to Italy with the decor & statues that surrounded a beautiful pool. Pretty posh for us but we soaked in - the food was to die for! Italian food at its finest - steak for $12, pastas like Spaghetti Carbonara or Fettucine Alfredo for $8 - amazing, amazing, delicioso!
We spent time at a zoo across the street which happened to be situated smack dab in jungle making it somewhat challenging seeing some of the animals in their natural habitat! Everything from toucans to macaaws to monkeys to mountain lions to crocodiles! We bought a few more trinkets for our trip back home and tanned/burned some, swam, read books, and were successful in resting & relaxing!
All in all - this trip was amazing! I highly recommend celebrating ten years in the way that we were able to! We missed our girls but hey they got a holiday from us with their grandparents!
The accomodations were amazing - it felt like we had been transported to Italy with the decor & statues that surrounded a beautiful pool. Pretty posh for us but we soaked in - the food was to die for! Italian food at its finest - steak for $12, pastas like Spaghetti Carbonara or Fettucine Alfredo for $8 - amazing, amazing, delicioso!
We spent time at a zoo across the street which happened to be situated smack dab in jungle making it somewhat challenging seeing some of the animals in their natural habitat! Everything from toucans to macaaws to monkeys to mountain lions to crocodiles! We bought a few more trinkets for our trip back home and tanned/burned some, swam, read books, and were successful in resting & relaxing!
All in all - this trip was amazing! I highly recommend celebrating ten years in the way that we were able to! We missed our girls but hey they got a holiday from us with their grandparents!
Friday, June 16, 2006
Day 7: Snorkeling June 16
This morning I went on a brief photo safari on my own before Wendy joined me and we headed for breakfast with the rest of the group. Breakfast (I know this is sounding repetitive but it is all true!) was simply delicious! By 9:10 we were on the road (again closer to Panama) for a few kms before parking by a beach that apparently had a reef nearby for snorkeling. The reef part was true but the conditions unfortunately were not ideal. The waves were quite crashy and there were some swells near the reefs which for the not confident swimmer definitely distracting. I love the ocean and snorkeling (although I prefer SCUBA) so I felt completely in my element - there were lots of fish and things to see but the visibility was not really great. So the girls headed back to the beach after about 20 minutes and walked with Jorge along the shoreline out to a cool lookout point. We stayed out maybe another 40 minutes or so and eventually packed it in as well. One of Wen's goals for the trip was to drink out of a coconut and so she convinced Pablo to climb a tree and get a few down. It actually turned out to be quite refreshing!
We had pizza for lunch and did some shopping for some necklaces which turned out to be a really good deal. We then had a long 3 and half hour drive back to Turrialba on yes you guessed it long windy roads complete with some killer potholes for the first hour or so along the coast but some amazing views!
We made it back for supper and then spent part of the evening walking around town, picking up some drinks and more trinkets!
We had pizza for lunch and did some shopping for some necklaces which turned out to be a really good deal. We then had a long 3 and half hour drive back to Turrialba on yes you guessed it long windy roads complete with some killer potholes for the first hour or so along the coast but some amazing views!
We made it back for supper and then spent part of the evening walking around town, picking up some drinks and more trinkets!
Day 6: Surfing June 15
Well the verdict today was that we could not do the second section of the river due to some flooding resulting in unsafe paddling conditions for the size of our group. Although disappointing, the plan was to head straight to the Caribbean for some surfing & to check into our eco-hotel. So after an amazing breakfast we headed for the ocean! We encountered some challenges in getting up one of the hills with our van but it was worth the views of the valley below, the jungle, and a few toucans we saw in the trees.
I didn't originally realize we were going to drive almost to Panama - I think we were about 10kms away or so! It definitely feels more Caribbean - reggae & Bob Marley are the culture here! The Almonds & Coral Resort we are staying it is actually located in the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge and we have very unique accomodations - tents inside a screened-in cabin on stilts.
Boardwalks lead from cabin to cabin through the untamed jungle complete with whatever native animals live there including little agoutis, crabs, howler monkeys, bats, birds, etc. The smells & sounds of the jungle are all around us and it is actually quite thrilling yet relaxing in an odd way.
Little geckos peer at us from the screen and later we notice bats have their home thankfully on the outside of the screen of our temporary home!
We spend a couple of hours in the ocean learning to surf and I managed to get up on my knees and stand up just as the wave dies but it will definitely take more time and better surf conditions to actually feel accomplished and ride these mystical waves. I had a few good rides on the boogie board as well but I have to admit the surf and sun are tiring!
We had a great evening of food and conversation with our guide Pablo, new friends J & R, & driver Jorge! It has been a lot of fun and good to spend some quality time with Wen!
I didn't originally realize we were going to drive almost to Panama - I think we were about 10kms away or so! It definitely feels more Caribbean - reggae & Bob Marley are the culture here! The Almonds & Coral Resort we are staying it is actually located in the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge and we have very unique accomodations - tents inside a screened-in cabin on stilts.
Boardwalks lead from cabin to cabin through the untamed jungle complete with whatever native animals live there including little agoutis, crabs, howler monkeys, bats, birds, etc. The smells & sounds of the jungle are all around us and it is actually quite thrilling yet relaxing in an odd way.
Little geckos peer at us from the screen and later we notice bats have their home thankfully on the outside of the screen of our temporary home!
We spend a couple of hours in the ocean learning to surf and I managed to get up on my knees and stand up just as the wave dies but it will definitely take more time and better surf conditions to actually feel accomplished and ride these mystical waves. I had a few good rides on the boogie board as well but I have to admit the surf and sun are tiring!
We had a great evening of food and conversation with our guide Pablo, new friends J & R, & driver Jorge! It has been a lot of fun and good to spend some quality time with Wen!
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Day Five: 10th Anniversary & Rafting the Pacuare River June 14
We started our official anniversary date with an amazing breakfast and then we loaded up the van and headed for our rafting trip on the Pacuare River. Our first stop though was at a local snake expert reknowned in Costa Rica and who taught us a class on the poisonous vipers of the country including two deadly ones: the bushmaster & fer-de-lance. Loasia thoroughly described the 21 different species of venomous snakes one might encounter in Costa Rica. Fortunately Costa Rica is well equipped to deal with poisonous snakebites (with less than a 1% casualty rate among snakebite victims. Part of the problem with snakes in CR is that they have provided an ideal environment for snakes to live: coffee, banana & other plantations. I had assumed that if one were looking for a snake they would visit the jungle - apparently that's a good place to visit to not see snakes!
Minor says that many scientists study the taxonomy or venom of these snakes but most have never gone into the field to study the behavior of these snakes. He shared a story of a famous herpatologist who decided to do a field trip and find a particular variety of snake and found none after a period of months. He says that more study needs to be done in the field to prevent snake bites and how the many species of snakes are propigating. I loved his line, "To many, I am a snake expert but to me I am a snake student." Wise words!
We then viewed many of the snakes from his lecture in his serpentarium and later he took a few outside for us to take pictures of. I also took a few shots of some artifacts he had on display that I found intriguing.
Later we met face-to-face a beautiful red eyed tree frog that posed appropriately on some local vegetation and yes my wife's shoulder!
From the snake guy we headed for the river put-in and loaded up the raft by around 11am. We learned all the lingo like: positions, left back, right back, forward two, highside right, etc. The first section was class three and a lot of fun.
Half way through our paddle we took a break and took a short walk (and wade) by a creek that turned into sort of a mini waterfall - simply gorgeous!
We then took the raft a little more downstream and found a flat bank for lunch.
Later after a few more interesting sets of rapids we arrived at the camp - again we were very impressed. Cabinas were our lodging - little cabins on stilts and walled by mosquito netting and a roofed by a green waterproof tarp (see below). Aside from the cabinas, an amazing open-air lounge area for eating - simply luxury in the great outdoors! Also showers and working toilets!
Amazing views of the mountains nearby, the whitewater below us, and the flora simply gorgeous!
All in all I was very impressed by the rafting experience - kayaking is still more fun but the teambuilding potential of the sport is impressive! Getting back to our anniversary - it is amazing how fast these past ten years have flown by. I also can't believe where we've all gone to and through as a couple - and yes still loving it!
Minor says that many scientists study the taxonomy or venom of these snakes but most have never gone into the field to study the behavior of these snakes. He shared a story of a famous herpatologist who decided to do a field trip and find a particular variety of snake and found none after a period of months. He says that more study needs to be done in the field to prevent snake bites and how the many species of snakes are propigating. I loved his line, "To many, I am a snake expert but to me I am a snake student." Wise words!
We then viewed many of the snakes from his lecture in his serpentarium and later he took a few outside for us to take pictures of. I also took a few shots of some artifacts he had on display that I found intriguing.
Later we met face-to-face a beautiful red eyed tree frog that posed appropriately on some local vegetation and yes my wife's shoulder!
From the snake guy we headed for the river put-in and loaded up the raft by around 11am. We learned all the lingo like: positions, left back, right back, forward two, highside right, etc. The first section was class three and a lot of fun.
Half way through our paddle we took a break and took a short walk (and wade) by a creek that turned into sort of a mini waterfall - simply gorgeous!
We then took the raft a little more downstream and found a flat bank for lunch.
Later after a few more interesting sets of rapids we arrived at the camp - again we were very impressed. Cabinas were our lodging - little cabins on stilts and walled by mosquito netting and a roofed by a green waterproof tarp (see below). Aside from the cabinas, an amazing open-air lounge area for eating - simply luxury in the great outdoors! Also showers and working toilets!
Amazing views of the mountains nearby, the whitewater below us, and the flora simply gorgeous!
All in all I was very impressed by the rafting experience - kayaking is still more fun but the teambuilding potential of the sport is impressive! Getting back to our anniversary - it is amazing how fast these past ten years have flown by. I also can't believe where we've all gone to and through as a couple - and yes still loving it!
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