Throwback to Hong Kong!

Action Asia finally got their act together and posted pictures and videos of the races I was in!

Remember, click on the picture to make it bigger, then hit the BACK button on your browser to return to the blog.

Also remember that I wear the same thing to every race...so even though I look the same, the bib numbers are different.


This was my first race, at Sai Kung. I'm looking up the course, seemingly concerned with what I see. I bet the ropes were ahead, and I knew I would need them to scale the steep rocks. I don't look too pleased! Remember, this was my first taste of Hong Kong racing.


Here is a view of the last race course at Discovery Bay. It was pretty well impossible to run up these mountains. Walking at a brisk pace was all I could do.


This was the finish of the Repulse Bay race. I am knackered!






Action sequence of me running through the water trap in the Mui Wo race. I went out too fast this race, and hit the wall pretty hard a few minutes after these shots were taken.


This is Red Shoes, leading me away from the Discovery Bay water course. I'd been battling him most of the race, and this shot is taken about three quarters of the way through. We had to amble down the rocks, swim for a bit, then climb back out. Red Shoes stopped for water at top of the rock section, but I kept trucking and never saw him again.




Here is the Discovery Bay finish! I'm pretty sure I got him by a hair in the end, although it's impossible to tell. The results have us tied for 15th, so we'd need a better photo to see who actually prevailed. I'm almost certain it was me.

There are some videos posted as well, but I can't give you direct links because the link actually goes to the whole library of videos. You must find them on your own.

Look for a video called Sprint Discovery Bay 08. When there, see the surprise at 11:35!

Next, find the Sprint Mui Wo 08 video, and go to 7:34.

VIDEO LINK

Discovery Bay was the last race of the series, and my best finish ever. I ran fast and strong, and consider that race one of the best I have ever run.

Mui Wo happened in the place Kir and I went later, riding bikes and enjoying rural Hong Kong.

These shots and videos have made me want to get fit and ready for the 2009 racing season. Time to buy a gym membership!

A Tale of Two Christmases

It was the best of days, it was the worst of days.

My Christmas yesterday was fairly eventful, both in good and unfortunate ways. Here's how I spent it.

I did not spend time with family or friends, as I'm in Whistler and my family is in Ontario. I didn't spend time with friends because I figured that as long as I'm in Whistler, I might as well work. So, Christmas was another work day for me.

My driving schedule had two parts: first, I would drive to Vancouver, pick up some people and deliver them to a nice restaurant for a fancy Christmas dinner. I would wait around for them to finish, and bring them home.

I was under the impression that I was picking up two people, each at their own address. Since I don't know Vancouver very well, I studied my addresses and planned my routes. When I picked up the first person, it turned out it was a family of four. Instead of one more stop, I would be making two. I would be making a total of three stops before the restaurant, and picking up a total of six people.

My plans went out the window, and I had to rely on my passengers to help me drive to the pick up points. That's not so bad and they were friendly, but I would have liked to be able to navigate on my own.

I eventually dropped them off at the restaurant, and had some time to fill. The dinner was going to take up to three hours. I decided to go to the Casino, and see what it would be like to spend Christmas there.

There are a few places one doesn't want to find themselves on Christmas, and alone in a casino is one of them. I imagine a worse place would be alone in a closet drinking a bottle of hard liquor with the lights off. I wanted to experience finding myself it in a casino on Christmas.

It was quite busy, and it was hard to find a spot at a blackjack table. Once I did, I lost my twenty dollars in three hands. I left the casino in a foul mood because I lost my money so quickly. I guess I had nobody to complain to, so that made it worse!

I then went to find something to eat. I found a 7-11 that was open, so I bought some wine gums and a sub from their small deli shelf. I ate that in my car.

Three hours after I dropped the family at the restaurant, they were ready to be picked up. My traveling was better the second time around, as I had time to plan my routes and I knew where my drop off locations were. I dropped off the last members, and headed to the airport.

I had to pick up four people from a Salt Lake City flight, which turned out to be delayed. I got to the airport for their scheduled arrival time of 11:30pm, and didn't leave with my passengers until 4:00am. They kept delaying the flight, and the YVR flight board delayed it every fifteen minutes, leaving me with hope that it would be coming soon.

At midnight, it said the flight was delayed until 0030. At 00:30 it said it was delayed until 00:45. Then, 01:15. After that, 01:45. It kept going like that until the plane finally touched down at 03:30. My passengers emerged from the terminal at 04:00. I drove on the deserted highway roads until I dropped them at their hotel just before 06:00.

I was super tired and hungry when I finished work, so I bought a nice breakfast at a fancy restaurant using some tip money, then went home to bed. I had been in my truck from 4pm when I left Whistler, until 6am when I arrived back. Fourteen hours of Christmas working!

The day wasn't all bad though...there were definitely some good parts as well! The two highlights of the night were talking with the family in Ontario, and hearing how everyone enjoyed the gifts that I had sent home. I spoke with most of the family on the phone, and everyone expressed gratitude for the box of presents.

While I was in Vancouver, I also got a call from my Whistler friends. They wanted me to know that they had saved a plate of Christmas dinmer for me because I couldn't be there with them. They all got on speaker phone and we had some good chats and good times.

Even though my work day was long, drawn out, and frustrating at times, Christmas was actually pretty good. I got to commune with my family via the phone, and also my friends. I ended the day not feeling alone, but happy that I have friends here who care about me, and family at home who love me.

And I guess nothing can top that, right?

Merry Christmas everyone! Happy Boxing day!

Christmas Transportation Mayhem

For some, Christmas might end up being spent in an airport. Tonnes of flights are being canceled out of and into Vancouver, on account of poor visibility due to snow.

Here's a Globe and Mail article about it.

Poor Weather Leaves Travelers Stranded

I was meant to pick up some passengers coming from Seattle, but their flight has been canceled so maybe they will have to stay in the airport on Christmas Eve, instead of our quaint mountain village.

Driving should be good times today as well, since I heard there was a Whistler transit bus in the ditch already. It'll be slow going, and four-wheel-drive the whole way.

I envy those of you who get to sit around and play Settlers all evening, and nap all day!

Roof Racks

I love roof racks. Not the kind that is just a rack, but the ones that hold things like roof pods.

The roof pod is a Thule but not a Thule. Most of our trucks have them, some don't.

The reason I love roof racks with pods on top is because I've learned to appreciate them. You never appreciate something until you don't have one, and that was my experience today.

I got a call asking me to do an unscheduled drive, picking up some people at the airport. These folks were coming from Seattle, and were meant to fly in. Because of all the snow, their flights ended up being canceled and they quickly rented one of the last cars available and drove up to the airport themselves. I was to meet them there.

The only truck available for me to take was one without a roof pod. The people I was to bring up had skis. The office informed me that my vehicle could handle them, because it had a roof rack, a tarp, and tie down equipment.

The roof rack I was dealing with was about the size of the whole roof, and was like a metal grid. Here's a picture of a smaller one, but this is essentially what I had on top of my truck. They call this a "roof basket" which makes sense.



There was a custom tarp in the back of the truck that is meant to cover your luggage, and there were also lots of tie downs and bungee cords. I would have to wrap the skis in the tarp, then secure them for the journey north.

I met my guests, loaded up the luggage, invited them to get into the truck, then set to work sorting out the roof rack and tie downs.

I realized it was going to be impossible for me to do everything while running around the truck standing on the running boards and the rear bumper, reaching up with my hands...the skis were too long, the truck was too big, and the rack was too high.

My only option was to climb right on top of my truck and get into the rack along with the skis and tarp.

I mounted the rear bumper, then scrambled up the back of the truck trying not to punch in the rear window in the process. Good thing I'm spry, nimble, and a specimen of physical strength and agility!

I then walked around on top of the truck, fastening things and securing my cargo. I tried to walk only on the basket's cross bars, but once I found myself standing on the actual roof of the truck. Ooops. I don't think I damaged it at all.

I was in the middle of the loading area at the busy airport, where you're only supposed to sit for a minute. I was there for quite a bit longer. Cars were having to avoid me, but that was OK. I had a number of bemused spectators too, waiting on the sidewalk with nothing to do other than watch me.

After a solid ten minutes of cinching and hooking and wrapping, I was finished. I launched off the top of the truck and landed a bit harder than I was expecting on the road, which was probably eight feet below. With stinging heals I got in the drivers seat, and off we went.

I told my guests that I was really proud of my work, and I wish they could see it. They were really friendly and said that is sounded and felt like I was having a wrestling match with their skis.

We had an enjoyable drive, and they bought me a hot chocolate in Squamish. I then repeated the climbing process in the Whistler hotel parking lot, this time more prepared for the harsh dismount.

All this climbing and effort would have been avoided if there was just a roof pod on the top! At the time I was thinking that securing the ski equipment was the most frustrating thing I'd had to do in quite some time, but now it doesn't seem so bad.

I hope they put a real roof pod on the top of that truck. It must be quite a job for other drivers to manage, if they're not willing to clamber up on the roof. It's a good thing I'm up for any challenge and am able to display adaptability!

Gondy Accident: The Official Word

Here's the official word from Whistler Blackcomb. It gets into the suspected cause of the accident. This was released today (Wednesday, one day after the accident).

Operations to resume following final inspections at Whistler Blackcomb


Contact: Public Relations

604-938-7668

publicrelations@intrawest.com



WHISTLER BLACKCOMB OPERATIONS TO RESUME FOLLOWING BC SAFETY AUTHORITY SECONDARY INSPECTION


WHISTLER BC, December 17, 2008 – Early this morning, the British Columbia Safety Authority (BCSA), in conjunction with Whistler Blackcomb, will complete a secondary inspection of mountain lifts currently in operation. A preliminary inspection across Whistler and Blackcomb was undertaken throughout the night by a team of 20 lift maintenance staff. After determining the cause of yesterday’s tower failure on Blackcomb Mountain’s Excalibur Gondola, and reviewing all similar tower structures to confirm that no similar issues exist, the BCSA is expected to confirm Whistler Blackcomb’s findings that the integrity of other towers have not been compromised.


Whistler Mountain will open for regular morning operations as early as 7:30am, as the Whistler Village Gondola and the Creekside Gondola are different types of lift installations and have different tower structures. Remaining Whistler Mountain lifts as well as Blackcomb Mountain lifts are expected to open when the secondary inspection by BCSA is complete; Whistler lifts by 8:30am and Blackcomb lifts by midday. The one exception is the Excalibur Gondola, which will remain closed.


Tuesday afternoon at approximately 2:30pm, a structural failure on tower 4 of the Excalibur Gondola caused the gondola to cease operation. All gondola cabins remained on the line; however a number of the cabins dropped approximately 30 feet with the sagging span, and two cabins hit the ground, injuring several people. Twelve guests were treated at the Whistler Medical Clinic and all walked out on their own accord later that evening. A total of 53 people were evacuated off the affected lower line of the gondola. The evacuation was completed by 5:51pm.


Several factors converged to cause the tower failure. The structure of the tower is such that two parts are spliced together. Water had seeped into the tower which had turned to ice with the recent extreme cold temperatures. The ice build-up caused the tower splice to rupture, an extremely unusual situation referred to as “ice-jacking”.


“As always, our top priority is for the safety and well-being of our resort guests and employees,” says Doug Forseth, senior vice president of operations. “Whistler Blackcomb will delay opening some of our lifts this morning until the BCSA can confirm our findings and provide a secondary inspection. After the work conducted throughout last night by our own lift maintenance team, and a secondary inspection that will be completed this morning by the BCSA, access to all our operational lifts, with the exception of the Excalibur Gondola, is expected to be available by midday.”


Yesterday’s evacuation of 53 people was completed within three and a half hours of the tower failure. “I would like to recognize the concerted efforts of the Whistler Fire Department, RCMP, BC Ambulance Services and Emergency Medical Services, in conjunction with the Whistler Blackcomb Ski Patrol, for an incredible response effort,” says Forseth. “We are extremely thankful that no-one was seriously injured in this incident.”


The Excalibur Gondola is a Doppelmayr lift, and was installed in 1994. A world-leader in lift design and manufacturing, Doppelmayr lifts are in operation throughout the world and their safety record is excellent.


For further information about Whistler Blackcomb operating hours, open lifts, snow conditions and open terrain, please visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

Broken Whistler Gondola Tower

A tower on one of the gondolas broke today, shearing itself in half and causing havoc. Nobody was hurt.

When we heard, Andrew and I rushed over and joined the throng of onlookers. I took some pictures, but wasn't able to get close enough to get a quality shot of the broken tower.

You'll be able to see that the third tower sheared right in half.

This caused the cable to drop, and an eyewitness said that she saw one of the gondolas hit the ground before it bounced back up.

The gondola in question is the Excalibur Gondola, which connects the Whistler base to Blackcomb mountain. The Excalibur is also used by mountain employees who live in Staff Housing on what's called Base Two on Blackcomb.

You'll see one of the gondola cabins resting on top of the bus shelter. There is a crane supporting the cable as well, keeping things together.

Many people were quickly reminded of Whistler's 1995 Quicksilver Express disaster, when a chair dislodged and slid backwards on the cable, taking out four chairs and sending them crashing to the ground. Two people were killed, and nine were injured. That whole chair was ripped out, and the Creekside Gondola was installed.

Happily, this accident was not so severe. People were stuck in the cabins for quite some time though. It's -20ish right now, so that would have been a cold few hours. Apparently everyone was rescued (about fifty skiers and riders I believe) about an hour ago, three hours or so after the accident occurred.

Apparently Doppelmayr's (the company the manufactured the lift) CEO is still in town, as he was here for the grand opening of the new Peak to Peak Gondola a few days ago. He'll be earning his paycheque today I imagine.

It'll be interesting to see how the Whistler Blackcomb PR department handles this, and what this means to this winter's tourist numbers and the mountain's reputation before the upcoming Olympics.

Here are the pictures.

Driving

Yesterday I had a pretty eventful driving day. I woke up to 10cm of new snow, the first significant snowfall of the season in the village.

My job consists of ferrying people to and from Whistler in large SUVs. The company I work for has transportation contracts with local hotel chains like the Four Seasons, the Pan Pacific, and the Fairmont. Consequently, the people I drive sometimes talk into their phones, reciting numbers that end in millions. They may be talking about pixels, bytes or light years, but that's doubtful.

I had to pick up three people and bring them to Vancouver, then scoot quickly to the airport and pick up four people and bring them back to Whistler.

I had to negotiate normal winter driving conditions like everyone else, but it would end up being slow going because everyone was a bit nervous driving in early season snow. I also knew my schedule was pretty tight, so I had to go fast when I could.

I drove in four-wheel drive mode most of the way down to Vancouver, battling slush and compact snow. I experienced my first four-wheel drift in the truck, which was interesting. The truck was never in danger, but was not tracking around this corner as it would have on dry pavement. I doubt my passengers noticed, but you never know.

On my way back, I picked up four college friends from Texas. We had a good drive, chatting about guns, football, ranches, rodeos, and illegal Mexican immigrants. They were a very friendly group, and when I dropped them off, their leader passed me a bill, which I put in my pocket. When I fished it out later, I found it was quite large...my first triple digit tip!

I have since found out that this person's family made a significant donation to their local university. The donation was large enough that the benefiting department's title now bears the family name. And, my passenger was standing in the official presentation press release photos. At first I thought maybe I was tipped the wrong bill, but now I can assume it was entirely intentional.

It can be a challenge for me, driving these affluent people around. I often find myself slipping into a mind frame that tells me these people are happier than I am. I need to keep reminding myself to be happy with what I have, because I am happy with what I have and where I am. It is important for me not to lust after these people's financial situations.

So, the big tip. What will I do with it? I think I'll end up spending it on groceries, since it's in my wallet and I need to do some shopping anyway. A bit of a let-down for the audience I know, but it just makes sense. In the event of another large tip this year, maybe I'll buy some bike components or new shoes. But not yet.

One-month challenge

I have my own challenge going. I've been trying to make my bed every day.

It didn't start as a one month challenge, but turned into that as I crept past one week, towards two weeks, and then past three weeks.

As long as I remember to make my bed both tomorrow and Saturday morning, I'll have made it every day since November 13th!

I've enjoyed making my bed every day, and it really makes me want to have a clean room. Which I have. I'm moving one step closer to maturity!

The Whistler Re-Use It Centre

Today I went to the Re-Use It Centre, looking for things to use in the new house. The Re-Use It Centre is Whistler's thrift store, and there are always good things to find because people are constantly moving in and out of town. A high turnover of residents means a high turnover of goods at the Re-Use.

We got our cable, home phone, and internet installed today, but we had no phone. I went down to Function Junction (the industrial part of Whistler, where you can buy car parts, plywood, paint, wedding materials, hot tubs, and order cement) with the idea of finding a second-hand phone at the Re-Use.

I spent quite a lot of time there, and I found some great things! Here is what I found:



A set of four cordless phones, all with call display! The main unit also has an answering machine in it, so we don't have to call the silly number and enter passwords. We just press play, and hear our messages. We also don't have to pay a monthly fee to hear them, which is nice.

I'm pretty impressed with my find. I was looking for only one phone, but this came as a set of four, so I figured I might as well take them all. Our house has four rooms...two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a living room/kitchen. So, one phone for each room!

This was the highest quality phone in the pile, and I had to sort through everything to find all my components and cords. I noted that I didn't have a power source for the main unit, so I figured that I could just use one of the small sources that was meant for each of the three docks.

As I browsed the store some more, I saw my missing parts! I found my big power source, and the third and final dock. They were sitting over with the VCRs in another part of the store. It's a good thing I found it too, because the main unit seems to need a bigger power source than the smaller docking stations.

My set of four phones, complete with all necessary cords and plugs, cost only twenty dollars! What a great price! I'm pretty excited to have a land line again, and to be using it with a bargain set of phones.

Onwards to my other purchases:



In the book section, I found The Diviners by Margaret Laurence. I've been meaning to read something written by her, but I figured her books would be like an old worn out couch: loved by some, but terribly out of date, irrelevant, and likely possessing a stuffy, musty odour. I read the first page, and this book seemed OK, both in the writing and olfactory departments. We'll see if I end up liking it.

I also picked up Tom Wolfe's A Man in Full. I've been meaning to read something written by him as well, but never have. Like The Diviners, the first page was good, so we'll see how the rest of the book turns out.

I also found a folio that I'll use to keep my papers organized while working. It says PriceWaterhouseCoopers on it, but that's OK. It cost me $1.50. It's pleather I'm pretty sure, but at least it's not plastic or vinyl. It even comes with an embedded calculator!

In the kitchen wares section, I found a slotted spatula of sorts, for taking perogies out of the boiling water and transferring them to the frying pan. I've been enjoying my frozen perogies lately, but have been struggling in the preparation process without proper tools. No longer!

I also found a plastic corkscrew. I didn't know if the house needed one or not, but I figured I should buy one now, instead of being caught short without later, while entertaining my legions of lady friends.

The books cost me two dollars and four dollars, and the kitchen implements cost fifty cents each.

Finally, the most exciting purchase I've made in quite awhile...

wait for it...

keep waiting...

here it comes...



The Chronicle!

Excellent! I was actually looking on the internet in the past few months to see if there is an updated one published, but there isn't. This is a hard to find book, unless you know where to look on the Douglas St shelves.

I'm really excited I found my own copy of this book. When Mom brought a copy home during Christmas one year, I found myself always leafing through it and exploring the different news stories. I did that for years, and am excited to continue on doing it. The book is thousands of pages long, and weighs about 25 pounds, so I don't know how long I'll be able to lug it around with me. But I sure am happy to have it!

The book cost me twenty dollars, and was probably the most expensive book in the library corner of the Re-Use. It's worth it though, and I'm very happy I found it.

So, all in all I had a very productive visit to Function and the Re-Use It Centre. I spent about 54 dollars, and got all kinds of great things! I even got a plunger for free, because it was all dusty and didn't have a price on it. Again, I figured it was better to buy it and have two, then find myself in need while entertaining!

Internet, phone, and cable!

Today the Shaw man came, and installed our land phone line, our internet, and our cable! So this is very exciting.

I will begin posting again soon, but I'm not sure when.

Emphasis

I wish I could claim responsibility for this picture, but I can't. I'll post it anyway.

Recent Pictures

The internet is back on at the house, so I can write again! I have only a few days of internet and computer use here though, since Kevin is moving out. He's found another job with cheaper rent, and is also operating the taxi he owns.

Kevin has brought a lot of things to the house; now that he's leaving I'm going to have to round up my own spatulas, wooden spoons, a dish scrubber, and other things.

While he's still here, I'll take advantage of his computer and post some pictures I've recently taken.








These are pictures of a bear trap in our parking lot. They were taken at night so they're not that great. It sure was surprising to come upon this trap as I walked towards the path that leads down to Creekside! The path is in the woods and there are no lights. If a bear planned to maul someone, that path would be an ideal spot for him to hide!

The Muni (The Powers That Be Who Work for the Resort Municipality of Whistler) sets these traps up when there are reports of bear activity in a certain area. The presence of this trap let me know that a bear was likely in our neighbourhood.

You can see a hunk of meat hanging in the trap. It's like the squirrel traps we used to set up in the basement, with a door hooked up to the food. The bear grabs the meat, trips the door, and is locked in. Once the bear is caught, you simply hook the trap up to a truck, and drive away. Very efficient!

The trap was only there for a day and a half, and I never saw the bear in question. He was either caught and towed away, or the trap was brought somewhere else where it'd be more useful.



Here I am yesterday, wondering how I managed to fail a driving test, and still be asked to drive a monstrous Cadillac Escalade up to Whistler. It was quite posh. You wouldn't think driving a vehicle with a leather and mahogany steering wheel would make any sort of driving difference, and it didn't. But it sure felt nice! It started raining, and the wipers knew when to turn on and off, and when to speed up and slow down.

It was like driving an airplane down the highway. The ride was very cushy and smooth. Unfortunately, I found myself believing I had some sort of entitlement on the roads, since I was driving a huge Cadillac truck. No wonder people in nice cars drive poorly...they (understandably now to me) think they own the road!



Ever since I got my real bedding in the mail, I've been really proud to make my bed every morning. While working the B&B with Mom, I learned how to make a bed properly. Now, ever morning I put the second sheet on, and turn down the bit at the top. I don't tug the sheets as tightly as I did at Crown House though. Climbing into a made bed sure is nice!

When I approached by bed last night, I noted it wasn't made nicely anymore. When I peered closer, I noticed millions of coarse, dirty dog hairs on my sheets, including some slobber. Ani must have snuck into my room, and slept in by bed! She left a trail of disgusting hair behind, and some mucous.

I was pretty upset. I was ready to climb into my freshly-made bed, and now I had dog hair to contend with. I grabbed some of the painting tape that Kevin's been using in his packing, and created a big dog-hair magnet. I then removed all the dog hair from my sheets with an aggressive dabbing motion, moving on to my duvet cover and then my pillow cases. I'm going to wash my sheets tomorrow as well, not only because it's a good thing to do regularly, but also because I don't want any Ani essence lingering in my bed.

I now double check that I've shut my door before I leave, so I don't get my bed sabotaged by Ani again. It's too bad Kevin's moving out, but at least there won't be dog hair everywhere. It's in my laundry, on my socks, in my shoes, and all over the couches. It's great that young Maggie doesn't shed, or Crown House would be covered in white hair.



The mountain opened today, one day earlier than scheduled. The hill typically opens on American Thanksgiving, and that's coming up this weekend. There was just enough snow to open a day early, and everyone was really excited. I heard there were some people lining up last night, in order to get one of the first chairs of the season.



Only the top is rideable, so you must download on the gondola from the top. This guy had the roughest first day imaginable, being brought down by the Ski Patrol in a wheelchair. His girlfriend carries his board. Yikes. How demoralizing.

Even though people were excited about the opening, I don't have a feeling that I'm missing out on anything. If the Bike Park were opening and I wasn't taking part in it, I'd be disappointed. But this winter, snowboarding won't be a priority, and not buying a full pass feels like the right decision to make.

I'm still going to ride though, just not all the time. I'm likely going to buy a 5-day Edge Card, which gives me five days on the mountain, and then entitles me to discounted daily tickets once the five days are used up.

Happy end of November!

Work prospects

I spoke recently with the owner of the company I plan to work for, and also with the head of their Whistler-based operations.

There are lots of contracts lined up, and the Christmas season is looking packed, as is the rest of the winter. Because I'm based in Whistler, I'll have lots of oppurtunity to drive, likely more than the Vancouver-based drivers.

If I want to be a workhorse this season (I do...the last day I worked was on July 4th in China. That's five, count them, FIVE months I haven't worked!) there will be the oppurtunity to drive a lot.

I could drive two Whister return trips in a day, and the work is there and available. I will take as many shifts as I can, hunker down, and work for the season. It will be good, and I'm looking forward to it.

The company as decided to do away with the commission/percentage-based pay scale, and is going back to paying by the hour. That's great for me. I've heard some numbers thrown around, and the amount I could make in a month of hard work is very attractive. I'll be able to take care of various financial responsibilities, as well as possibly buy a computer, in a few months.

So, even in the economic downturn, I have found myself in a job where I can work a lot and be financially secure. Just as long as I pass my driving test first!

Internet Down!

For about a week, we had internet in our house. Kevin was rarely home, so I could spend lots of time blogging and the rest of it. Now, the internet's down!

I'm frustrated, since I can't write anymore.

I'm paying $10/hr at an internet cafe, which is more expensive than the library, but at least here I don't have to wait three hours for computer time.

I think I'd like to buy a laptop. I guess I have to get a job first!

I'll write more if the intenet ever kicks in.

Running in the mountains

Mom and Dad sent me some important things, and they came today on the Greyhound bus. My real bedding was there, as well as my running shoes.

I'm equally excited about both things; I look forward to sleeping in my bed with real bedding, and have been itching to go out for a run. Up until today, I've been sleeping in my sleeping bag, with my pillow dressed in t-shirt. I've also been hankering for a run.

I picked up my goods from the bus station, which was really easy. There's a trail that takes me from my house to Creekside, where the bus station is, in about five minutes. I came back, made my bed, then laced up my running shoes and went for a run.

I ran for about fifty-three minutes, and it felt like no time at all. There's so much to look at and think about while I run here that time goes by very quickly. It's fortunate that there is no snow in the valley, and today it wasn't raining either. I ran in shorts and a poly long sleeve.

Running in Whistler is fantastic. It's been at least two years since I've run in Canadian mountains (I raced in Hong Kong's mountains back in the spring) and it was great to be back.

I ran through the forests near my house, and then onto Whistler mountain for a few minutes, before I turned around and ran around lakes and railroad tracks. It was quite nice.

A great thing about Whistler is the Valley Trail. Whistler is a very spread out community, with the different neighborhoods connected by this convenient path. It's for walkers and riders only, and it's fantastic. You get from anywhere to anywhere on the Valley Trail. The more popular sections are plowed in the winter, and other sections are groomed for traditional cross-country skiing.

I ran a bit on the Valley Trail today, and a bit in the woods and a bit on the mountain. Here are some shots of the Valley Trail that I took last week. While some communities have sidewalks beside the road, the bulk of Whistler's trail system winds through old forests, as well as beside lakes and parks.







I hope to get as much running in as possible before the snow comes, and then I'll look to join a gym to keep my fitness up. We'll see how long I can make my motivation last!

Maslow's Hierarchy of (Whistler) Needs

Back in 1996 when I was in Grade 10, I learned about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. A psychologist named Abraham Maslow came up with a list that identifies the basic human's needs. His list starts with basic needs like food and shelter, and then lists what he feels is required for someone to reach his ultimate goal of Self Actualisation.

Maslow's list has numerous levels. Once a category is achieved, the person can feel confident about moving on to the next level. A person's needs are listed in ascending order, starting at the most basic.

I think Maslow had some things right, and his model can be related to life in Whistler.

For people newly arriving in Whistler, the most basic need is a place to stay; the second need is a ski pass; the next need is a way to make money. In my opinion, Whistler has an ultimate goal, like Maslow's Self Actualization. I don't know what that goal is yet, but for most people it definitely requires a ski pass!

So, here I am thinking about what I'll do about a ski pass. I have a few options.

Most businesses in Whistler are a member of the Chambre of Commerce. Employees of these businesses are eligible for a Spirt Pass, which is a full pass offered at a discounted rate. The rate this year is about $1200. This is the same price as a Midweek Pass than anyone can buy, while the regular price of a full pass is $1879. A single day lift-ticket is $89.

My prospective employer is based in Vancouver, so is not part of the Whistler Chambre of Commerce. Even if it was, I'm not in a position to fork over $1200 for a ski pass. There are ways to get on that Spirit Pass list of course, so a dedicated rider could easily find himself with one if he knew people. He'd still have to pay the $1200 though.

There are options for people who want to ride but don't want a pass, like a collection of five tickets for $350ish, with discounted rates once you use those five days. Obviously there are downsides to this. The main one is only riding five days a year, while living in the land of plenty.

So, I'm considering forgoing a pass this year. It sounds like a bad idea, but the hurdles in front of me seem too high, especially the $1200 one. I am open to the idea of moving down to Vancouver if a job opportunity arises there, so maybe a pass would be a waste of money if I ended leaving town.

I am considering working as much as I can this winter, and going to the gym and running while everyone else is snowboarding. I have some lofty running goals I'd like to hit in the next few years, and a regimented gym schedule would help me accomplish them.

Also, I'm not sure what kind of volume I'll have in the working department, since the economy is unstable. In a weak economy, ski vacations are likely one of the first things to be sacrificed. If people stay away from Whistler, their dollars will stay away from me.

If there's a lot of work, then there will be lots of money to be made and no time to ride. If there is not too much work, then there will be lots of time to ride but fewer dollars to spend on it.

Jon's Whistler Experience version 2.0 is different than the original. I'm not as focused on winter riding, and more focused on addressing different financial responsibilities I have.

Many of my friends are not buying passes this year. Some are planning on working so much that a pass doesn't make sense; some are planning on accessing terrain on their snowmobiles; and others are buying the packs of five tickets. So, if I don't buy a pass, I won't be the only one not on the mountain.

So, Maslow. Is a ski pass really necessary for Self Actualisation in Whistler? We'll see!

Projection e-mail

Kevin is my housemate. He has lots of things in the house, and I barely have anything. Kevin's been in Whistler for sixteen years or so, and has had lots of time to collect things for the house.

The house came with pots pans, knives, forks, dishes, and all that kind of stuff...Kevin didn't bring those. But Kevin did bring some really fun and interesting things, including

• a dartboard and extra darts
• a professional grade juicer
  
• a dog
• a laptop
  
• a coffee maker
• a home theatre system, including speakers and projector

Kevin lets me use everything. The projector is a really good Sony one, and Kevin was happy to tell me that his projector is better than one showing Canuck games in one of the local pubs.

The projector sits on a stack of empty Rubbermaid storage bins, because we don't have a wall unit yet. The projector is hooked up to this computer, the DVD player, and a PS2 video game console. Why would you hook a projector up to a computer?

So I can check my email on the wall, looking at webpages that are almost nine feet long and six feet wide! No similarities to a downy chick unfortunately.



We have a wireless mouse, which makes it easy to lounge on the couch while doing internet things.

There are some downsides to the projector though. The picture isn't back-lit so it doesn't look that great in the day, and the lightbulb in the projector costs $500 so when it blows, you're suddenly broke.

Kevin is a really friendly guy, so even if he didn't bring all these useful things into the house, he'd still be a good housemate. But since he does supply these things, it makes him even better!

Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day. I went to the Whistler ceremony that was held near the firehall.

It was much more well attended than I thought. I figured there would be only few people there, but was surprised to see a few hundred. I got there on time, so I got a good place to stand. Many people trickled in later, and had to stand very far away.



There was a program that we followed, including readings of Flander's Fields in both English and French, and some songs by a Whistler Children's Choir. At 11am there was a very loud cannon, and then two helicopters did a low flyby. There was an American veteran from Vietnam there, but nobody from WWII.



Many wreaths were placed at the cenotaph, and it was touching to see people place their poppies at its base once the ceremony was over. There were misty eyes and a few tears in the crowd.

In the last year I have watched many documentaries about WWII, and have read a number of books that deal with the subject of war. This Remembrance Day was the most significant for me, since I now have a greater understanding of what it represents. I was happy to be part of today's ceremony.

Library Deception II

I've had a lot of fun thinking about my trickery and fraudulent activities at the library, and had planned on keeping the details to myself and my faithful readers.

This morning though, I just couldn't keep it in. I was at a pancake breakfast for Jack, a friend who's running for council. The purpose of this breakfast was to give the public a chance to meet Jack and talk municipal politics. Dennis picked me up, and we arrived when things were in full swing.

We sat at a table populated by people we knew, so the conversation was lively. My friend Renae brought up the library, so I began to explain my rather exciting covert operations there.

When I finished the story, I'm pretty sure I heard crickets chirping and I definitely saw a prairie ball rolling by the table.

After a few long seconds of silence, the conversation turned to my boring and humdrum library activities, and then into who wanted to canvass door-to-door with Jack later? I answered that because I'm a bit burned out of canvassing, I wasn't interested. Renae countered with "Well, hanging out at the library all day, or canvassing. Tough choice..."

So, maybe I'll make another foray into politics, but I'm holding out at the moment because Project Library is meeting with so much success! Today, less than twenty-four hours after my initial three selections were shelved, they've all been borrowed!

I had to replenish the shelf, and I did so with John Irving's The World According to Garp (Owen Meany wasn't available), Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, The Englishman's Boy by Guy Vanderhaeghe, and The Wildfire Season by Stratford's own Andrew Pyper.

I think I need to lay low for awhile, and wait until any potential heat cools off before I spike the shelves again. It will give me some time to think of, and possibly read, new titles worthy of my risk.

With great power comes great responsibility! The people of Whistler will read what I slyly shelve, so it must be good!

Library Deception

I spend a lot of time at the library. I am usually there soon after it opens in the morning, to reserve some computer time in this busy season of resumes and research. Once the mountain opens, I figure the library won't be as busy as people will likely have jobs and want to spend time on the hill.

The library is about a year old, and when I left town two years ago, it was just a hole in the ground and a drawing posted nearby. It's nice to see and use the new facility.

The library was supposed to cost $9 million, but ended up costing $15 million. That's quite a lot! It's caused some dissent in the village, but it's worth it because libraries are great and this one is too.

It was built to be environmentally friendly, and among other green features, has a grass roof that insulates the building. There's also lots of stone work and wood work, making the library fit in with the rest of the village's ski-town architecture.

I'm quite familiar with the library now, and can recognize other people that, like me, spend most of every day there. Another thing I recognize are the books on the first shelf you see when you walk in.



This shelf contains Staff Picks on the top, and New Fiction on the lower levels. New Non-Fiction is found on the opposite side.

You'll notice that on the Staff Picks section, staff members choose books that they enjoy, and put their removable nametag on the jacket. If someone wants to borrow that particular book, they take the nametag off the book, putting the tag in the small, handy box in the middle of the shelf, and take the book to the desk.

I've noticed in my numerous trips past this shelf that there is a high turnover of these recommended books. I've often thought about what I would put on the Staff Picks shelf if I worked at the library.

Then today, look what I found!



Three of my favourite books, all on the Staff Picks shelf! How excellent...three library staff have unknowingly chosen to promote my favourite books!

Either that, or a stealth library patron has scoured the library for good book under the guise of an interested reader, and craftily inserted them among the other Staff Picks. This wily fox would have affixed random names to the chosen books, making them look like legitimate recommendations.

It should be noted that less than two hours after the above picture was taken, Douglas Coupland's Girlfriend in a Coma was absent from the shelf, presumably borrowed.

Success!

My room, and snow.

The office snow-pools have wrapped up, and I wager that very few people thought the snow would fall this early.

We've got snow in the Village, and it stayed around all day. In the past I've participated in snow pools, where you put money in the pot and guess what day the first snow will fall in the Village, and stays all day. That day would have been today.

I woke up and looked out my window, as I heard some people making noise. I sure was surprised to see snow blanketing the parking lot! It continued to snow all day, and snowplows have been busy clearing various parking lots, sidewalks, and roads in town.

Here are some pictures I've taken recently.



This is my front door. I live in a collection of old condos that were built in the 70s I'd guess. That's my window you can see, on the second floor. There are about 50 condos in the project, and mine is the middle one in a line of five. We share walls with people to our left and our right.

I live very close to Creekside. I'll be walking to the Creekside lifts when winter comes. I estimate it'll take me about ten minutes or so.



Here's what I found when I looked out the window this morning.







Here are some shots of my room. I'm the only one in it now, and someone else will move in on Dec 1st. I'll have to share my room at that point, but it'll be worth saving $300 in rent.

I will get my duvet from Stratford, and some proper bedding. Right now I'm sleeping in my sleeping bag, and using a black t-shirt as a pillow case.



The house came with couches, and my housemate Kevin brought this dog. Her name is Ani (after the singer Ani DeFranco) and she's old and out of shape. I had to dive after her this morning so she didn't get off the porch. She had lunged out the door when I left, but I was able to force her back inside.

Kevin brought a lot of electronics to the house, and the house came with dishes and pans, so there's nothing I need.

Things are good here, but I'm looking forward to becoming gainfully employed!

Nobody cares about the important things anymore.

It's unfortunate really.

I saw this sign in two Budget Car Rental windows, one in downtown Vancouver, and one in Richmond just past the airport.

I bet there are thousands more all over Canada, telling everyone that Mr. Hybrid is available. Is he available for a meeting or lunch? Or is he recently single after a messy divorce?

My new phone

I bought a new phone in Whistler, because my old phone, which was working well enough in China, no longer connects to networks. I blame it on China's government.

I had to buy a new phone. When I turned my new phone on, I found a number of text messages that were not addressed to me, but sent to my number anyway. They were likely sent to the last owner of the number, and he never received them until I hooked the number back up. Here they are.

Dion. Please call Dean about my wellness. Miss you luv.

Hi. I am really sad. The world is so ugly right now. Be back in 10 days with a new outlook on life. I hope we can hug when I get home. C U soon. I really miss u!

Talk in 10 days :). Boarding my flight soon.

I'm sorry. I never call you again. Thank you talk to me last time. My English is not good for everyone. Thank you for everything. Have great life.

I think there a couple different authors in there. I don't think the last text is related to the first three, but it would be interesting if it was.

I think the last owner of my cell number was some sort of lay social worker.

Whistler

I'm in Whistler at the moment, figuring out my next move. I walked around and enjoyed my old stomping grounds, taking some pictures. Remember, click on them to make them bigger.



This is at a park called Wayside. In the summer, this is one of the places where you could rent paddle-boats and canoes. I love the little hut on the right, which gives the picture an anti-Whistler feel. There are still some mountain shacks left in town!



I went for a walk in the woods. I love this spot because you have to follow some hard-to-find trails to find it, so there is nobody there, ever. There is moss covering the forest floor, and since there's nobody else around it will likely stay that way. Even though it's not too far from some houses, you cannot hear anything but the wildlife. It's beautiful.



I found some mushrooms sprouting, and thought they looked nice in their bed of loam.

There used to be a cool, ultra-secret bike trail in the area. Nobody knew where it was, and you had to hike up the trail from the bottom to ride it. When I went to the trail this time, it had been torn down. I rode the trail for the first time two years ago, and then again last year a few days before I flew to China. Since I rode it, it's been dismantled.

First, I'll post a picture of me riding the trail two years ago. Then, I'll post a shot of what the spot looks like now.





It's too bad the trail is gone, but I guess it keeps people out of the pristine forest. I could tell the trail had been ridden a lot in the last year, as it was more visable in the woods than it used to be. I think fewer people will find this area now that there is no secret trail there anymore, and I don't mind that.

That's the news from Whistler.

Last Post: Goodbye Guangzhou, Goodbye China!

Well, it's been a long time coming, but this is the last post of jvd in China.

This picture was taken in the Guangzhou airport just before I passed through security. The feeling I had when leaving China for the last time was so thoroughly positive...I felt that the whole year of hardship and toil in the classroom was worth it, just so I could feel that particular enormous sense of accomplishment.

Now that I've been home for a few weeks, the tough experiences of teaching in China have faded in my memory, and the good ones remain. While it was a tough slog, it was a great experience and I'm glad I did it.

The highlight of the past year was running the xc race series in Hong Kong, particularly the final race at Discovery Bay, where I ran a tactical and fast race, coming in 15th out of 300 racers. My goal had been to break the top twenty, and I did that in the final race.

In retrospect, I also enjoyed training for those races in Guangzhou. I am one of the few people who have trained hard in those adverse environmental conditions...the humidity, the heat, the ever-present pollution. I trained hard, and saw results in the race series.

Thanks for reading this blog. I don't know what the future holds for this space, but I imagine I'll keep this blog up for awhile, until I find something else to write about.

Again, thanks for reading. It was enjoyable writing words that I knew people were going to read. I found I really enjoy writing, editing, and rephrasing my work. It was fun, all this blogging.

JVD is no longer in China, and this blog is no longer active. Bye!