Nelson is one of the best places to live in the world, I think, a “mountain sports hotbed”.
My family had a summer house nearby for 30yrs.
I’ve always loved Nelson.
In town for a Gymnastics clinic, I finally got the chance to kayak the beautiful river. Under the famed bridge.
That’s my host, Steve.
I fly to the U.K. one way for $505 – direct Calgary to Gatwick on Thomas Cook.
I’m en route to Saudi Arabia where I will be teaching a 9 day gymnastics coaching clinic.
My host Fred Nicolas trying to steal Kyle Shewfelt‘s Olympic Gold medal at a barbeque.
… It didn’t work.
Clinic and camp went GREAT day #1.
At Gymnastics Camp in Idaho the kids came dressed as a “famous person”.
We had 1 Gaga. 2 Beibers. … And these good looking dudes …
From the Facebook album: HPTC by Heather Fidyk
more photos on HPTCamp.com
My first afternoon in St. John’s, Newfoundland, I did a 2.5hr jog along superb city trails up to Gibbet Hill, seen here in winter:
Gibbet is one of the viewpoints in the fabulously popular Signal Hill National Historic Site.
Was Gibbet Hill named after Sir Humphrey Gilbert Edgar Rennie Bowring Alexander Bannerman Gibbet, first Chief Bobby of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary?
No.
I’m here for 9 nights leading two gymnastics camps.
Why am I running 2.5hrs? … Supposedly I’m training for a 90mi (145km) run starting July 26th.
Apparently some of these rogues have been inducted.
Wallace, Rozon, Russell, Long, Chartier
Who’s the demure young woman with Bill?
And .. who’s the goofball kid with Warren?
Shout out for our accommodation at Thompson Rivers University.
Not only is the best University residence I’ve ever seen, it’s one of the best University hotels.
I score it 10 / 10.
Yesterday I rode up the elevator chatting with coach Wally Buono. The B.C. Lions football team has just arrived for Training Camp.
… I’m loving the University, too.
May 15th. …
Should be safe to start back up to the Great White North.
I’m going to miss the dry, sunny “snowbird” days of the American southwest.
On this long driving trip I’ve used only my iTouch as car stereo. Works great.
I should be in Kamloops by May 24th for the Canadian Gymnastics Championships.
I’ve been here nearly a week.
The Women’s NCAA Gymnastics Championships brought me to Gainesville. An awesome competition this year. Florida did not win.
It’s an honour to finally get to such a prestigious centre of sporting excellence, though.
… The University of Florida’s intercollegiate sports teams, known as the “Florida Gators,” compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). …
Florida’s athletic program has ranked among the top five in the nation in twelve of the past seventeen years, and it is the only Division I program that has ranked among the top ten athletic programs in the country in each of the last twenty-three years.
Florida is one of only two Division I FBS universities to win multiple national championships in each of the two most popular NCAA sports: football (1996, 2006, 2008) and men’s basketball (2006, 2007). …
… The university is also the sixth largest single-campus university in the United States by student population …
Great Spring weather. Plenty of pretty Florida girls. A beautiful campus …
The most memorable part of my week, though, was wandering the backstreets of historic downtown Gainesville. Dilapidated old shacks. Lovely buildings a century old. Folks playing gospel and the Blues in their yards. …
I stayed right across the street from the Hippodrome Theatre (1911).
Shout out to the zen center and Gainesville Florida hostel. One of the most unique I’ve ever seen. I recommend it highly.
Departing Tuesday for Lost Wages.
Dana (Canada) and Fred (France), and their son … Maximum, I believe he’s called … have been living in Vegas for years working in the Circus biz.
When Fred was called away for 5 months by Cirque du Soleil, Dana opted to return home to Saskatchewan.
(If you can’t spell Saskatchewean, never mind you having been there, know that it’s just about the opposite of Vegas in every way.)
Dana posted the story with photos, just in time for Christmas, on her blog:
… So, here it is.
Do you ever wish that you could go home? I mean really home? Back to what feels comfortable, to the people you love and cherish, where you feel safe and secure? Well, this past year, I had that chance and for this I will be eternally grateful to those people who made it happen.
A little background – Fred was going to do the creation of Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis, for 5 months in Montreal. Maxim and I could stay here in Vegas, without health insurance or perhaps we could go along with him. But fate intervened, and my old club, Marian, was in need of a coach for several months to replace the assistant head coach who would be going on maternity leave. The planets aligned and my world came together to make this happen. My dear friends Joan and Bill offered us a place to stay, our neighbours offered to take care of our house, my parents offered their car and to keep Oliver, and my brother came down to help me make the move. …
read the story – Dana Brass – The Gift of Home
Rick McCharles 