I don't buy much non-essential stuff—that is, everything that isn't groceries, medicine or clothing (okay, and fuel)—online, but when I do, I try NOT to purchase from Amazon. One of their warehouses is below. Instead, I try to buy from tiny e-commerce websites or better yet,…
Continue reading →Finding flow through solo sports
I first learned about Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's flow more than twenty years ago in university (or to be more accurate, 1993; ancient history). Lately I've found myself actively seeking that state as a means of stress release and emotional reset. Csikszentmihalyi stated flow is an absorbed state in which people are…
Continue reading →A single place for all of my stuff
I haven't written a blog post here since March 2014. Life just sorta got in the way I guess. Having said that, it wasn't like I didn't think about my blog. No, the opposite is actually true. It's been a long, slow road, but I finally did something I've been…
Continue reading →Flanders (Vlanderen) desktop wallpaper
It's March and that means road cycling's spring classics are in full effect. I love watching the Giro and Tour as much as the next roadie nerd, but the spring classics truly have my heart. From Omloop Het Nieuwsblad to Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and Tour of Flanders to Paris-Roubaix, for me, these…
Continue reading →A big guy's review of the 2012/13 Lib Tech Skunk Ape
I've mainly ridden the same snowboard since 2001, an Option Supercharger 174. As far as boards go, this one is big, stiff and built like a tank. Hence, why I've owned it for 13 years. I've ridden (and crashed) it all over Alberta, BC, Alaska and Yukon, and the Supercharger…
Continue reading →A day in the life (of me)
I subscribe to a neat magazine called Offscreen. Inside is a regular feature titled A Day in the Life in which people lay out their typical day, about hour by hour. Most of the interviewees are younger than me and very few have kids, so I find their stories interesting.…
Continue reading →Making room for the good things
Over the past couple of years, I've found myself becoming a more anxious person, whereas growing up and even into my early 30's, I had a fairly mellow personality. It could be my age (I'm turning 40 next spring), it could be that it's been almost seven roller coaster years…
Continue reading →A summer of change
Our two older kids returned to school last week, signalling an end to summer in the Yukon. Autumn has always been a time of change, whether it's the colour of leaves, cooler weather or new routines. Autumn always brings revisions. This summer I found myself going through changes of my…
Continue reading →100 miles
Last weekend I raced in the inaugural Haines, Alaska Century Ride. It was a last minute decision to go - well, more like a week prior - but I'm glad we made it happen. I first entered myself into the 80 mile (120 km) category but after hearing that most…
Continue reading →Slowly going fast
Every year I still try to enter as many road races as possible. I also do a couple of mountain bike races here and there, but most of my competitive time is on the road. I guess I should be cautious about the "competitive" part though, because I'm a long…
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