Tri Club Ride: 6 riders, SunWindRain, and fresh socks.

Hi All,

Went out today on a ride with the UVic Triathlon Club. I love getting together with other people and riding the roads together. The weather today was hit and miss. First half was mild sun on our faces as we headed up towards Metchosin. Once we hit Esquimalt Lagoon it started to rain. We tried to push through to get past it but we were all getting soaked and fingers and toes were having fun going into hibernation. The seconded we turned back the weather started to get better. But the damage was done. Still lots of energy to keep going but we headed back into town.

Once back at UVic we a few of us headed to Finnerty's to warm up. and I went to the bookstore and bought socks! Knee high, three pairs(so i could share the warm), and under $10. Yeah employee discounts.

It was a fun day. Might be going out later tonight do a little Ssssalllsa!

Nicholas

Not everyday you see this!

A freaking hovercraft landed on the beach!!

Took Video of it too.







Pretty cool stuff.

-Nicholas

Commitment

Hello all,

So I have been thinking a lot about accomplishments in the last few days. Noticed that in the past I have needed extra motivation to continue and complete things in my life. At times I procrastinate on decisions. I debate about them (e.g. Should I buy a laptop?). I have noticed that if I am still in the contemplation stage of things, I can work my self out of accomplishing them. On the reverse, if I commit to it then I have personal pressure and motivation to complete it.

A great example of this is the sprint triathlon that I did last summer. I registered for it three days prior to my bike accident. Bad omen some said. But I saw it as a physical goal for me to achieve and to show that I am going to be ok. It was an achievable goal and I wanted to be successful in it. It was so great to complete something of that nature. Something physical. To see my health improve, my mind become aware of a different level of concentration, and how easily it can be to become self absorbed.

Well then what is my next item. I am not saying that I have accomplished everything in the triathlon field. Not even close. So I hope to do more triathlons this spring and summer. Maybe some in open water. ooooh, that would be cool. More skin tight outfits to wear, WETSUIT!!

Now seriously, I have registered for an event that takes place on August 1st 2009 and it is called Bike for Breakfast. It began in 2005 to raise money for breakfast programs for school's across Canada. I think it is a great cause and want to raise some pledges for it. The ride goes from tip to tip of the island, but it is not on Vancouver Island. It takes place near massive lobster pots and endless potato fields.

I am talking of Prince Edward Island!

I am so excited about it. I will be traveling across the country to see a place that I have never seen before. Meet new people that are interested in the same activity and build new bonds with a part of the country that is so far away. The ride is 278km starting from North Cape to East Point. A total of 5 legs to complete and all within 1 day. Fastest time is 7hr 50min which says something big about the ride. IT IS NOT A RACE! It is an experience to explore life. Feel your heart beating. I just think it is perfect. So to conclude, inline with the thinking that I started this post about. I need to develop a personal task or action that can motivate me to move towards in order to complete goals that I will define for myself.

-Nicholas

PS: The photos are from a BC Randonneur ride that I did on New Years Day. What I lovely way to start off the year. If anyone interested in more info here are the links to BC Randonneurs and the Bike for Breakfast sites.

Mad World

Hello,

A friend sent this to me the other day. Hope you enjoy.



Lyrics:

All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow

And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world mad world

Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
And I feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me

And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world ... mad world
Enlarging your world
Mad world



Nicholas

Vote and Music

Hey everyone,

Well first thank you to those who have voted already for my inquiry into whether I should change the name of my blog. Still looking for more people to vote. So if you haven't voted yet. GO VOTE!

Next, a few weeks ago I came across a musical duo that I really enjoyed listening to. They also create videosongs. Really cool idea. They are called Pomplamoose.
They are on youtube, http://ca.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic

Songs of theirs include:
Hail Mary
Beat The Horse
Centrifuge

I love how they are not only partners in the group but also are in a relationship together.

Along with the amazing music the produce together. Jack's music is so different but complimentary to what I enjoy listening to. I really adore his song, We Grew Up So Well,

Here is a link to Nataly's site.

Would really encourage you guys to check them out.

-Nicholas

PS: Whom ever voted for or is going to vote for 'any suggestions?' in the vote, leave a comment of what your suggestion is. Maybe we can have a second vote if we get some good names. :)

Broken Boat, Long Ride, Great Dinner, Wine Tasting, and Conquer Cancer

Hey everyone,

Sorry to say this but I ended up not going to Nanaimo on Sunday. :( The boat that picks people up at the bottom of the King Swing was broken and timing just wasn't working out. Would love to do it another time. Maybe in the summer when the weather is just gorgeous. Will be more people tho at that time but meh.

Instead of going to Nanaimo I went for a bike ride. In total it was 55km. The weather was great. 12 degrees, blue skys, and big bright sun. Went along arbutus, royal oak, interurban, the observatory, goose to downtown, dallas, and beach drive. It was a lovely ride. Got cold at the end tho. I wished I could have gotten out sooner to enjoy even more of it. Next weekend maybe.

I went out to Pagliacci's on Monday. Man I love their bread. So yummy. Crispy, flavourful, and oily. They had some live music this time again. Celtic, bluegrass type. They are really good. Saw them the last time I was there too. But they were missing the fiddler the other night.

I've started to test around with some wines. Had a Riesling the other night. 02 on the sweetness scale. It was quite nice. I went to a dinner on Friday and brought one with me. Felt kinda bad because it was sweet. But went well with the food, stuffed oven baked squash. Oh Kelsey you know how to cook. yum Yum. She made roasted yam slices too!!

Ok so here is something big. I am starting to look into this group call, 'The Ride to Conquer Cancer'. They ride once a year in order to raise money for the BC Cancer Society. It starts in Vancouver and runs for two days down to Seattle. You sleep in tents with all the other riders. Have pit stops along the way with bathroom, food, and drinks. It looks like a really cool thing to do and I have enough time to prepare for it. It takes place in June. So I was checking out their website. Just looking around and then noticed one thing. In order to ride, I have to raise a minimum of $2500 in donations for the society. Wow! That took me back for a moment. It is a lot of money. Last time I fundraised for a Triathlon I got $200. This is a lot more. But maybe I can do it. Would be a challange for me. And until I get that amount it is not for sure that I can go. Great motivation to keep me searching and asking people. So I am going to think about it for a bit.

Would any of you be interested in sponoring me for the Ride to Conquer Cancer?

Nicholas

New Year Experience

Hello All,

Hope all is well with you all. I am very happy to say that the snow has stopped falling in Victoria, but outside of the city, it varies. Also very excited about all the rain that we have been having recently. Some may be confused with me, a cyclist, being happy about rain. Let me explained. The snow caused me not to trust the cars on the road so I decided to not bike around for the last 3 weeks. Tons of salt and sand trucks were on the roads but I just didn't feel safe. Now the snow has melted and the sand remains. Yay, to the rain to wash it away and then, knock on wood, the sun will come next week for an adventure that I am planning.

A friend of mine from back east is coming to Victoria, she wants to have an 'adventure' before she goes to New Zealand to have many more there. I have joined in on this beginning. We started by looking for things within Victoria. Thought of paragliding, skydiving, whale watching, but none of them are working out. I even suggested a bike trip to Salt Spring Island and back but it still has snow. So we looked outside of the city. Maybe go spelunking(caving) in Port Alberni, but it is way too far up to do that. Then we thought Nanaimo. What is there to do up there? Short train/bus ride there. Ok what to do.....?

Well here is what we found. I cut out the description.

King Swing

Some foolishly believe this adventure is less incredible than Bungy Jumping. It doesn't matter how many times even our most experienced staff watches the free-fall of the King Swing, they still moan a bit in sympathetic tension.

Strapped into an "ultra cool" paragliding harness, designed for the intense forces that this incredible ride generates, our bridge crew will clip you securely into a cable that extends up and above the sandstone canyon cliffs. The cables tighten as you are cinched up like a slingshot, pulling you ever closer to the 150 foot abyss.

You launch in seconds and drop like a meteor entering the atmosphere! Start your scream with a near free-fall towards the river. The thrilling speed of up to 140 km/hr and "feel it to your core" g-force, stick with you as you scream past the canyon walls on the rocket ride of a lifetime!

Whether you do it by yourself, or together with an adventurous friend on a tandem ride, this is quite possibly our most breathtaking activity!
---
What do you guys think? Can I truly do this? Stupidly I'm not sure, but we are going soon. I'm terrified. We shall do the other activities that Wildplay offers, Tree rope course, zip line. And if I am going to be myself I'll probably say fuck it lets do it and we will. :)

I have attached a link to the video section of their website, check it out.
http://www.wildplayparks.com/galleries/video-galleries.php

PS: Am I crazy? If so, anyone want to join in? Still vacancy at the asylum.

Wow!

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1778399&server=vimeo.com&sho