Saskatchewhat?

On January 20, 2022January 15, 2022 By Rick McIn about Rick, friends, travelLeave a comment

Sept. 1990

rick_mug When I wrote this I had just moved from Calgary to Saskatoon, the summer of 1990 — expecting to stay 1 year. I ended up staying 10 years.

I was a tourist in Saskatchewan.

I drive home alone from Saskatoon to Calgary, in September, in the late afternoon. I take the smaller, stair-casing highways, speeding with impunity. There seems to be no R.C.M.P. left in Saskatchewan.

I drive through towns with great names like Bounty, Wartime and Conquest. Who got to name these places?

The prairies are a never ending stream of checkerboard fields, barns, churches, cows, dust-devils, road kill and ponderous, overloaded farm trucks. The heat rises off the roadway and seems to evaporate the mirage pools of water before I can enjoy splashing through them. The smells are … well, unique to the Prairies. And I never knew there were so many hawks in all of the world.

Grand daddy grasshoppers wing by as big as birds. Slower, less experienced insects splatter my windshield. The freshly oiled gravel roads splatters my car as well, but I don’t care.

I stop at Outlook, Saskatchewan and sit out in the middle of a sandbar in the middle of the Old Man River. The air is calm, the sun is smoking and the song in my head is called …

I never believed that I’d grow old.

The sandbar is the highlight of the drive. Glorious. The last day of the longest summer of my life. I wish it would never end.

If I could make a wish,
I think I’d pass …

Like everyone else in Saskatchewan, I listen to CBC AM radio constantly. The weather is updated every 15 minutes. They report that the canola is too dry to reap. It will shatter if harvested. But the wheat is still too moist to take off the field. Saskatchewan weather is one big Catch-22.

Driving West into the setting sun, I find myself alone with my thoughts. I dream a grand scheme.

As night falls, I approach Drumheller and the badlands. The warmth from my big mug of tea is comforting.

It’s harvest here. Dusty farmers take dinner on the tractor this evening and plan to work all night. I see the bright lights of combines bobbing along in the dark in every field.

I drive home alone from Saskatoon to Calgary in September.

Mike Sissons – Artist

On December 1, 2021November 30, 2021 By Rick McIn Art and beauty, friends1 Comment

Mike — originally from New Brunswick — has lived around the world. Speaks 5-6 languages. Started as a gymnast and coach. Moved into teaching Physical Education.

But is today an Art teacher at a private school in Madrid.

He lives in the neighbourhood of the major Art museums.

Mike and I have been friends for decades. I really enjoyed a recent chance to visit. Catching up on his philosophical world view and recent Art. He’s currently exploring painting on stained metal. One example:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CV-rTzsjbfV/

He’s still sculpting, as well.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxXh2bvnvUi/

Mike works a lot in digital media with his kids at school.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC4L4Wvo0si/

Recently he did some commercial work — major art pieces for Cruise Ships under construction now.

Check his Instagram: sissonsart.

Runnin’ Back to Saskatoon

On October 30, 2021October 30, 2021 By Rick McIn friends, gymnastics, travelLeave a comment

I lived in the ‘toon for 10 years. After pandemic delays, I finally got back to visit my longtime friends there.

The big skies at dawn and dusk have a unique prairie beauty.

I been hangin’ around grain elevators
I been learnin’ ’bout food
I been talkin’ to soil farmers
I been workin’ on land

Warren took me disc golfing. NOW I’m planning to buy some discs of my own.

visiting Newport, Oregon

On September 10, 2021September 9, 2021 By Rick McIn cycling, food, friends, hiking, travelLeave a comment

I happily joined in the Adlard family and friends vacation to Newport, Oregon following our climb of Mt Adams, Washington.

Newport only has a population of 11,000 yet is a big tourist destination. Great beaches.

Here’s the vista from their rented beach house deck.

We enjoyed cycling the HUGE beach. (VIDEO)

It’s WINDY so Kites and Kite Surfing are popular.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

That’s close to Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area. A fun stop.

Oregon Coast Aquarium is well worth a visit too.

We had 3 terrific dinners at seafood restaurants on Newport’s Historic Bayfront. Research for Chef Dave Adlard.

Local Ocean was great. Clearwater Restaurant, as well.

Tom enjoyed our stop at the Rogue Nation Brewery & Spirits factory. We did well, as well, at a boutique wine tasting shop.

Dave cycles every day. So our group cycled every day.

The iconic image of Newport is the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Art Deco and Art Moderne design motifs as well as forms borrowed from Gothic architecture.

When you have destinations like Newport, who needs Hawaii? 😀

visiting Sage and Cole

On September 8, 2021September 7, 2021 By Rick McIn friends, travelLeave a comment

Sister and brother Sage and Cole hosted me in Olympia WA while I organized my Covid test within the 72 hour limit required for my international flight home to Canada.

THANKS.

Did you own a huge house, big lot and a 3-car garage when YOU were Cole’s age?

They schooled me on Anime. Demon Slayer.

One night we watched the first few episodes of Only Murders in the Building.

We went out to lunch, one day, for a HUGE meat pie.

I travelled Portland to Olympia via Flixbus, an excellent service. They carry bicycles under the bus. Recommended.

Cycling Newport, Oregon Beaches

On September 5, 2021 By Rick McIn cycling, friends1 Comment

I happily joined in the Adlard family and friends vacation to Newport, Oregon following our climb of Mt Adams, Washington.

Newport only has a population of 11,000 yet is a big tourist destination. Great beaches.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Cycling the Beach in Oregon

On September 1, 2021September 1, 2021 By Rick McIn cycling, friends, travelLeave a comment

After climbing Mt Adams with Dave Adlard, the adventure crew headed for a rental house on the Oregon coast.

Click PLAY or watch first morning cycling on YouTube.

hippies in Corfu, Greece – early 1980s

On March 5, 2021March 3, 2021 By Rick McIn friends, photos, travelLeave a comment

My old pal Mike Sissons forwarded photos.

Mike’s now teaching in Madrid, Spain. I last visited in 2015.

I can vividly remember the kind of nonsense, drinking and debauchery went on in Vatos, Greece. That was the nude beach of the day. (I’m still burned where the sun doesn’t shine.)

Jeff Thomson – Gymnastics Canada Chair

On November 6, 2020November 6, 2020 By Rick McIn friends, gymnasticsLeave a comment

(*Denotes newly elected)

*Jeff Thomson (Chair) – North Vancouver, BC (Term ends 2024)
Barb Bergeron (Vice-Chair) – Kanata, ON (Term ends 2022)
*Bonnie DeGroot (Secretary) – Calgary, AB (Term ends 2024)
Rosie MacLennan (Athlete Rep) – Toronto, ON (Term ends 2020)
Nathalie Bastien (Director) – Montreal, QC (Term ends 2022)
Nick Lenehan (Director) – Halifax, NS (Term ends 2022)
*Bernard Petiot (Director) – Montreal, QC (Term ends 2024)
Kim Shore (Director) – Calgary, AB (Term ends 2022)

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Gymnastics Canada membership, and the GymCan Board, for the honour of being elected and then selected as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors,” said Thomson who has 40 years of experience in the sport of gymnastics and is currently a member of the FIG Technical Committee for Men’s Artistic Gymnastics. …
GymCan.org