Mason dress-up night

Jane’s attempt to spring clean, tossing out her little-worn clothes, turned into a dress-up night for the kids.

Instead of being sent to the Sally Ann, Jane’s clothes are back in dress-up boxes. Still in the house.

boy in polka dot coat

See more photos of the fashion show by jumping to the permanent webpage in Rick’s photo archive. OPEN icon

want to hike South America?

Next week I will announce the besthike.com South America page. A resource for any hiker wanting to get started organizing a trek.

Best hikes & treks in South America.

My favourite photo on it was professionally published by Radek Tezaur. This is the Dientes Circuit in Patagonia, perhaps the world’s most southern major hike.

tent and peaks

Gymnastics Rec Retreat

The second annual Alberta Gymnastics Rec Retreat was a blast. People who love recreational gymnastics are some of the most fun, most energetic, I know.

The whole weekend was super. But the most memorable part was not my presentation on Coach Team Building. It was the high ropes course.

straddle jump on a log

See 50 more photos of the Recreation Retreat by jumping to the permanent webpage in Rick’s travelogue archive. OPEN icon

cycling and hiking – Beat Heim’s amazing website

I’ve seen most of the popular hiking website / blogs on internet.

Beat’s Heim’s site is the best.

Great maps, great photos. Extreme travels!

You need a high speed connection as his stuff is graphic intensive.

Beat Heim

More pics like this at betzgi.ch

Eli Crawford’s barbecue, Dunedin, Florida

A classic barbecue place. And a Blue Jays Spring Training baseball game. 🙂

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I actually sent an audio review on Eli’s to the Rockin’ Ronnie. Still waiting on that to be published on one of his audiocasts.

travelogue – Florida retirement?

I visited Peter and Joyce Long at their new active retirement community just outside Ocala, Florida.

It’s a perfect Truman Show gated community catering to those age 55 or older who no longer work — but who refuse to slow down!

36-hole golf course, softball fields, swimming pools, aerobics, dance studio. 80 clubs and organizations catering to every interest, even synchronized swimming. We were waiting for the fitness centre door to open at 6AM each morning.

Two neighbours were both recently widowed. They met through the Singles Club and are now getting married.

If you are currently living in a SITCOM (Single Income, Two Children, Oppressive Mortgage) you want to email Peter — peter.long@longsworld.net — to learn more about what it is like to retire to Florida.

Peter

Also, check Peter’s photos of our Kayaking and Cycling day trips. Flickr (free) membership required.

Next travelogue on this trip >> Daytona Beach, Florida

travelogue – Key West, Florida

… Homer: Florida?! But that’s America’s wang!

… Plant Psychiatrist: They prefer “The Sunshine State.”

I first learned about Florida from Miami Vice.

Sonny Crockett was the coolest cop on TV. He drove a Testarossa!

I wanted to put on expensive shoes (without socks) and drive that Ferrari to Key West. In the end I managed to drive a Chevy Nova rental — but without socks!

map

Ernest Hemmingway's house from 1931-1940. Descendents of his 6-toed cat still live here.
Ernest Hemmingway’s house from 1931-1940. Descendents of his 6-toed cat still live here.

See annotated photos of the southern most end of the USA by jumping to my photos on flickr. 

I know what you are thinking. What ever happened to Rico Tubbs? (Philip Michael Thomas)

travelogue – Holocaust Memorial, Miami

A few quiet streets away from the insanity of South Beach is a stunning memorial of the Jewish holocaust. Many visitors driving by only catch a glimpse of the giant bronze arm reaching for freedom.

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Sculpture of Love and Anguish was created in 1984 by survivor Kenneth Triester. The arm has an Auschwitz tattoo and features terrified prisoners scrambling to escape.

The official website of the Holocaust Memorial.

No matter how many times I hear the story, it still drops me like a hammer.

I think of Sophie’s Choice.

I think of Schindler’s List.

And I think how impossible it is that genocide is still happening in the world today. 😦