We got the Samsung 5202 58-inch 1080p LED TV
Yvonne fiddled with the settings until Mom declared which display she liked best.
Sadly the online TV Guide is still in low resolution.
On sale that costs CAD$833 including extended warranty.
Category: McCharles family
cycling the new Coombs to Parksville Rail Trail
It was busy Jan 2, 2017.
The trail only officially opened Dec 23, 2016.
I rode the 7km from Parksville out to Coombs.
Checked out the tourist trap. Then returned to Parksville.
Cost is in the $3-4 million range for the Parksville-Coombs stretch alone. Instead of ripping out the rails they built a trail parallel to the rail line.
- Approximately 7 km of 3 metre-wide tread surface trail finished with compacted high fines gravel.
- Except for the first 200 m of trail in Springwood which has an 8 % grade, the Coombs to Parksville Rail Trail is fully accessible, that is, no more than a 5 % grade.
- The Rail Trail is multi-use and NO ATVs, DIRT BIKES OR OTHER MOTORIZED VEHICLES ARE PERMITTED.
Christmas turkey
Dad cooked the bird.
Mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberries, sweet potato, carrots. 🙂
Very Merry Christmas
Wishing you and yours the best this holiday season.
It was a white Christmas in Calgary. I’d like to claim this is me out on the roads … 🙂
Instead — like Santa — I took flight on New Year’s Eve. Flew to Nanaimo and on to Parksville for Christmas day.
My two brothers and their wives were actually in Calgary this year. Randy cooked turkey for us on the 22nd.
Adios from Mazatlan
In 2006 the McCharles clan had a reunion in Mazatlan. Mom announced it would be our last big family holiday.
10 years later we were back. 🙂
Here are my final few photos from the trip.
all-inclusive Resort BEACH BODY
At the El Cid Resort Mazatlan we could eat whatever we wanted at 12 different restaurants. Cost US$46 / day.
The goal is to eat and drink yourself to death.
I did enjoy my 3 glasses of red wine each day – a nice tipple from Spain.
More Maz Food photos.
Rick McCharles – Deep Sea Fisherman
I’ve been to sea a number of times over the years. This photo sums up my excellence as an angler. 🙂
Even though Snapper were enthusiastically jumping into our boat out of Marina El Cid, I was still only able to randomly snag five of these monsters.
My Dad – sitting next to me – caught dozens including 8 pairs reeling them up two at a time.
Bottom Fishing Mazatlan
10 years ago at our LAST family reunion in Mazatlan we enjoyed some great fishing.
This time we hired Captain Johnny with the Aries Fleet out of Marina El Cid. We departed at dawn.
In a simple but functional boat, Johnny took us north up the coast to some of his favourite spots.
Our bait was a combination of frozen and LIVE shrimp (extra $35 / 200).
Immediately we began to haul up dozens of small Snapper like this.
It was soon obvious that everyone was catching far more fish than me … despite my unique technique on the reel. 🙂
Rob and Yvonne finally broke into the beer and selfies.
Johnny moved us around many times. If we went more than 5 minutes without reeling in a fish, it was time to go.
Within a few hours we had 80 or more fish in the boat. Johnny got us back to Marina El Cid at 1pm.
We kept perhaps 10 fish: Snapper and Trigger. For a few bucks one of the guys on the dock cleaned them.
The scraps went to catfish or pelicans.
The excellent restaurant at the marina was happy to cook up half our catch at no extra cost.
Mom opted for salad.
A good day.
La Concha restaurant, Mazatlan
Our go to breakfast place. The El Cid all inclusive food package offers at least a dozen different restaurant options. But this is our favourite.
Trip Advisor ranks it #20 of 329 Restaurants in Maz.
arrived El Cid, Mazatlan
Travel Advisor ranks it #5 of 80 Hotels in Mazatlan, Mexico. #familyreunion
Yvonne got us upgraded to a penthouse atop the high El Moro tower. Suite!
I needed a vacation from Bermuda. 🙂
Rick McCharles 
