Fantastic.
I’m really getting into an electronic music duo originating from Bellingham, Washington ➙ Odesza.
Check this tune remixed with vocals from Bettye LaVette’s 1965 hit song “Let Me Down Easy“.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Dark Sky by C.J. Box
21st book in the series. Possibly the best, so far.
It was one of Stephen King’s favorite 2021 summer reads.
This novel was written during pandemic lockdown on his ranch.
The author had plenty of time to write and fish.
Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett must accompany a Silicon Valley CEO on a hunting trip–but soon learns that he himself may be the hunted …
When the governor of Wyoming gives Joe Pickett the thankless task of taking a tech baron on an elk hunting trip, Joe reluctantly treks into the wilderness with his high-profile charge.
But as they venture into the woods, a man-hunter is hot on their heels, driven by a desire for revenge. Finding himself without a weapon, a horse, or a way to communicate, Joe must rely on his wits and his knowledge of the outdoors to protect himself and his companion.
Meanwhile, Joe’s closest friend, Nate Romanowski, and his own daughter Sheridan learn of the threat to Joe’s life and follow him into the woods.
In a stunning final showdown, the three of them come up against the worst that nature–and man–have to offer.
CJBox.net
Riverman by Ben McGrath
The riveting true story of Dick Conant, an American folk hero who, over the course of more than twenty years, canoed solo thousands of miles of American rivers—and then disappeared near the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This book “contains everything: adventure, mystery, travelogue, and unforgettable characters”
David Grann
The story of a unique American ➙ Dick Conant.
He’s most often compared with Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild ➙ Chris McCandless.
Personally, I don’t see the connection. I was much more reminded of ➙ Eustace Conway, The Last American Man.
Ben McGrath, a staff writer at The New Yorker, met Conant by chance just north of New York City as Conant paddled down the Hudson, headed for Florida. McGrath wrote a widely read article about their encounter, and when Conant’s canoe washed up a few months later, without any sign of his body, McGrath set out to find the people whose lives Conant had touched–to capture a remarkable life lived far outside the staid confines of modern existence. …
Amazon
A great book, well written. It makes you think of your life priorities.
My Skyrace in Norway 😀
I was stuck in Tromsø — the Paris of the north — waiting on my bike and gear which were stuck at Heathrow airport for over 2 weeks. Why not race !!
Tromsø Skyrace was launched 2014 by Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg.
Kílian Jornet is the fastest mountain runner of all time though Karl Egloff has bettered some of Kilian’s records.
Emelie Forsberg is Kilian’s partner, mother of two, and also an insane mountain runner.
I’d like to claim I was in the mix with the sponsored super athletes in this video … 😀
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
There are 3-4 different distances raced each year. Mine was shortest.
I signed up 2-days in advance of the race for the EASY 16km up and down.
It was more of a hike than a knife edge ridge.
I ended up 153rd, 1hr 44min behind the winner in the short race. My time 3hr 11min.
BUT I was happy with how I did. Running in I still felt great — avoiding muscle cramps which threatened throughout. I’d not really gone running in over a year before this day.
Louise finished ahead of me. We recovered with free vegetarian chile. So tasty, I bought some to take cycling.
In fact, at that point, Louise was wondering what happened to her brother Henry — turned out he had kept going at the short race turnaround. Henry ended up running an extra 7km or so.
Happily, his luck changed later — winning an official race hoody.
Norway – the most successful nation 2022
I’m in Tromsø, Norway as I post.
Most oil rich small nations suffer from severe economic and social issues — but not Norway (5.5 million).
Norway kept control of natural resources in Norway. In 1990 they created the Norway Sovereign Wealth Fund – today worth about $1.2 trillion.
By comparison, the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund where I live is worth only about $18.9 billion. Norway did it right. Alberta did it badly. The 2015 Fraser Institute report titled Fumbling the Alberta Advantage details the bungling.
Norwegians pay some of the highest taxes in the world — but enjoy some of the best health care, education and infrastructure. Small towns well above the Arctic Circle enjoy a good quality of life.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Airlines NOT Paying Compensation
DON’T ASSUME AIRLINES WILL PAY YOU THEIR LEGALLY OBLIGATED COMPENSATION.
Summer 2022, their lawyers are doing everything possible to avoid payouts.
As I feared, Westjet airlines will not compensate me for being stranded at an airport overnight.
They are pretending there was a delay at my international connection in Toronto — my Westjet flight from Europe landed on time and I planned a long layover just-in-case.
My Toronto flight departed 80 minutes late causing me to miss a connection by about 10 minutes.
The problem had nothing to do with my international connection.
My cost was only about $100 and time — so I don’t think I’ll take Westjet to small claims court this time. But if I did, I’m sure I’d win.
Find You First by Linwood Barclay
Yet another intriguing plot from the Canadian author.
This book did keep me interested throughout.
Tech millionaire Miles Cookson has more money than he can ever spend, and everything he could dream of—except time. He has recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and there is a fifty percent chance that it can be passed on to the next generation. For Miles, this means taking a long hard look at his past…
Two decades ago, a young, struggling Miles was a sperm donor. Somewhere out there, he has kids—nine of them. And they might be about to inherit both the good and the bad from him—maybe his fortune, or maybe something much worse.
… One by one, Miles’s other potential heirs are vanishing—every trace of them wiped, like they never existed at all.
Who is the vicious killer—another heir methodically erasing rivals? Or is something even more sinister going on?
linwoodbarclay.com
Cycling Arctic Norway – the Lyngen Alps
I went to cycle and hike the Lyngen Alps inspired by Matthew’s recommendation.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Starting in the tourist town Tromsø, I cycled out to stay 2 nights at Magic Mountain Lodge is in Lyngseidet.
It’s an excellent adventure hotel that also offers dorm beds for about $35 / night.
I’ll never forget their reindeer stew with lingonberries served me on night #2.
I cycled to enjoy the best views I could get of the Lyngen Alps. Finishing in Nord-Lenangen where I caught the fast ferry back to Tromsø late on a Sunday night.
Click PLAY or watch highlights of my 3 day adventure on YouTube.
Here are a few of the photos I captured.
CBGB – 2013 film
I had a PUNK stage.
It was ME New Year’s Even crashing off the dance floor, knocking down the drums at the Calgarian Hotel. The pogo dancing was fierce.
I threw up in a Volkswagen Beetle — woke up in a closet atop all the winter boots.
CBGB is a 2013 film that follows the story of Hilly Kristal‘s New York club from its concept as a venue for Country, Bluegrass and Blues (CBGB) to what it ultimately became: the birthplace of underground rock ‘n’ roll and punk.
Opened 1973, the dive became a famed venue of punk rock and new wave bands like the Ramones, Television, Patti Smith Group, Blondie, and Talking Heads.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
From the early 1980s onward, CBGB was known for hardcore punk. …
The club closed upon its final concert, played by Patti Smith, on October 15, 2006. …
CBGB’s two rules were that a band must move its own equipment and play mostly original songs …
In 1978, new wave songwriter Elvis Costello would open shows for The Voidoids, while The Police played at CBGB for their first American gigs. …
Hilly Kristal died from complications of lung cancer on August 28, 2007. …
wikipedia
This was one of Alan Rickman’s last films. He died unexpectedly of pancreatic cancer age-69.
OMFUG stands for Other Music for Uplifting Gormandizers.
Jain – Makeba
Jain (Jeanne Louise Galice) is a French singer-songwriter and musician. …
A music video for the single “Makeba” was released to Jain’s official YouTube channel on 30 November 2016. The music video was nominated for Best Music Video at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2018 …
wikipedia
The song references Miriam Makeba also known as “Mama Africa”, a South African singer and activist.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Rick McCharles 