Category: friends

Jeff Thomson – Gymnastics Canada Chair

On 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

Jeff Thomson

Labour Day weekend feast

On By Rick McIn food, friends, McCharles familyLeave a comment

Yvonne cooked up the full turkey dinner. … Delish.

The bird was brined for 24 hours.

related – the night prior Rockin’ Ronnie the Barbecue king served his guests … hotdogs.

cycling Athol ID to Newport WA

On By Rick McIn best bike rides, cycling, friends, travel1 Comment

July 23, 2019 – day 14

Day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12-13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | info | video

After a glorious week off hosted by the Adlards, it was finally time to resume my Pacific N.W. bikepacking adventure.

I had decided to head north to join the Kettle Valley Rail Trail in B.C.

Departing, Jeni and Dave led me on the longer, hillier, more scenic route north from Dave’s house to Sandpoint.

Jeni was just back from Europe. One highlight was via ferrata in the Dolomites.

Wild turkeys.

Dave had a turnaround time. He and Jeni raced back to his house.

Laer I got stuck behind a stopped train.

For some reason I thought this was a pedestrian bridge across the lake into Sandpoint. Unfortunately it’s TRAINS ONLY. I had to backtrack.

Click PLAY or watch the morning on YouTube.

I took a long break in Sandpoint delaying getting back under the hot sun.

In fact it was a bit of a struggle carrying on with a narrow shoulder and a Great White headwind.

Only 5 miles of Highway 2 departing Sandpoint is on dedicated non-motorized trail.

Tired and hot, I took frequent breaks.

Finally, I set up in National forrest.

Click PLAY or watch the afternoon’s ride on YouTube.

During the night we had a huge lighting storm. A bit scary in a tent, it was a show.

Day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12-13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | info | video

visiting the Adlards in Coeur d’Alene

On By Rick McIn cycling, food, friends, humour1 Comment

Long overdue for a visit, I was happy to get off the bike for a week in the gorgeous North Idaho lake country.

Since my last visit the Adlards built Garage-mahal, bigger than their log home. Plenty of storage. 🙂

I happened to arrive just prior to final inspection for the Adlard’s new restaurant.

Candle in the Woods

I tried to make myself useful with last minute details.

At one point I was trimming Astroturf with scissors so the patio door would self-close.

Lack of expertise slowed me down as did non-stop libation from one of the best wine cellars in the State.

Old Goat … it’s working

As everything Adlard, Candle in the Woods is a class act. Plenty of attention to detail.

I was honoured to be one of the guests on soft-opening night. Thrilled to see Chef David Adlard achieve his dream.

On the weekend following Lisa took me out to her parent’s place where we enjoyed great conversation and fun on the lake.

I tagged along too for the Spokane concert with Steve Martin and Martin Short. Hilarious.

Finally, I was a LIVE guest on The Adventure Podcast. Always a treat.

cycling out of Seattle

On By Rick McIn best bike rides, cycling, food, friends, gymnastics1 Comment

July 8-9, 2019 – days 6-7.

Day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12-13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | info | video

I enjoyed a day off the trail visiting friends in Port Townsend.

We had a breakfast meet-up. Then continued the reunion with Chris & Carrie hosting dinner on the deck of their new house. Teriyaki Tuna. Grilled pineapple. And much more.

On the morning of the 9th Diana and I went over to Fort Worden for coffee. Deer and bunnies graze everywhere in PT. 

NEW down by the harbour is a totem.

Doug’s retirement hobby / job is developing fitness monitoring apps. He’s much into solar energy, as well. 

His latest electric bike is the Elf 2fr.  It’s a superb product. 

Doug and Diane drove me to the Bainbridge ferry where they were picking up a friend arriving from SeaTac.

That ferry delivered me and my bike to downtown Seattle where Tam met me at Ivar’s.

Ivar’s is a Washington State institution.

In fact this was already my 3rd Ivar’s meal in Washington State. Love the place!

I’d come to Seattle in order to cycle the Burke-Gilman Trail, a 27-mile rail to trail.

University of Washington

It connects with a others including the Sammamish River Trail 10.9-mile.

About 8pm I wildcamped. Hoping it wasn’t going to rain too hard during the night. 

Watch today’s cycling route.

Day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12-13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | info | video

cycling Victoria to Port Townsend, WA

On By Rick McIn best bike rides, cycling, friends, gymnastics, travel1 Comment

July 6-7, 2019 – day 4-5.

Day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12-13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | info | video

It was great to catch up with friends in Victoria, likely the best cycling city in Canada.

I stayed mostly on the Galloping Goose and Lochside trails.

One stop was the new Gymnastics club — Inspire Sports. Very impressive.

I happened past Michell Airpark, the local remote-control flying club. Models like this can cost thousands of dollars. They fly about 8 minutes.

Each August they host Victoria’s Largest Little Airshow, a charity event.

I caught a late ferry from Sidney delivering me to Anacortes on Fidalgo island just at dark.

Happily the Washington Park campground, up from the ferry landing, had hiker / cyclist campsites for $10. Free hot showers.

I’d hoped to get to the USA in time for the 4th of July.

Just missed it.

I’d cycled these islands on a previous trip so wasn’t much motivated to make a lot of stops. Also, my good weather was deteriorating.

I did do a short hike in Sharpe Park up to Sares Head Overlook.

The highlight — as it was last time I cycled here — was Deception Pass, a strait separating Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island.

George Vancouver gave it the name “Deception” because it had misled him into thinking Whidbey Island was a peninsula.

I stopped at Deception Pass State Park for a bite to eat. And stumbled on to a new adventure sport — tree climbing.

A company called AdventureTerra was teaching a beginner course: 4 hours for $170. Looks like fun.

Cycling the islands is lovely, even in the rain.

It’s a short, easy ferry directly to Port Townsend. Victorian houses, much history and a vibe supportive of the environment and human rights.

Also wine.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12-13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | info | video

cycling Log Train trail, Port Alberni

On By Rick McIn cycling, friends, travel1 Comment

Pacific NW bikepacking tour  – June 30, 2019

The BAD NEWS – flat rear tire.

But … I had a good ride. And I managed to fix it. At least I thought I had fixed it.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Log Train Trail is popular with everyone in Port Alberni.

I stopped at McLean Mill en route.

Despite the flat, I made it to Cynthia’s birthday party on time.

golfing with Ron

On By Rick McIn friends, health & fitnessLeave a comment

I quit Golf sometime during the last century. Too expensive. Too time consuming.

But when Rockin’ Ronnie got back in the game I finally brought my clubs out to the left coast. We got in 27 holes. It was fun.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The highlight for me was a Par 3 birdie. In fact I had not even one other Par on the other 26 holes.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Spring skiing with Rocco

On By Rick McIn friends, health & fitnessLeave a comment

Garth had some lame excuse for missing out this day. He tumbled down a cliff. Or something. ☹️

So it was just me and Rocco enjoying the sun at Sunshine.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click for LARGER versions of these two photos.