Just when you think that you are smarter than all that nature can muster - wham -- you are brought back to reality.
Such has been the case with me for the last couple of days. Thinking that my youth had not left me I decided to jump out a plane; ride a bike like Captain America; and for those of you old enough to remember - swim like Lloyd Bridges in Sea Hunt.
Suprise, surpise -- not likely. I now have the most miserable summer head cold to remind me that you can't fool with mother nature. I have never been one to believe in the adage: "all things in moderation". I believed that "grab what you can because it will be gone tomorrow". Unfortunately my body is thinking otherwise. So instead of walking around the outside of the restaurant at the top of the CN tower; or doing a solo parachute jump -- I will hibernate for a few days and be ready to be stupid again by the middle of next week. After all, I can use the excuse that I forget what I did last week and simply repeat it.
be good.
July 29
All within the month of July, 2012
by land, by air and by sea
air - tandem parachute ride at 14,000 km.
land - iron butt ride - great lakes - 16,847k in 19 hours
sea - scuba diving certification -- my open water certification to be completed asap.
all at the young age of 63
we don't get older we get better.
by land, by air and by sea
air - tandem parachute ride at 14,000 km.
land - iron butt ride - great lakes - 16,847k in 19 hours
sea - scuba diving certification -- my open water certification to be completed asap.
all at the young age of 63
we don't get older we get better.
July 24, 2012
The second of my "triathalon" ----
GOING FROM TORONTO TO KINGSTON VIA SARNIA!!
the final tallies for the Iron Butt Ride -- a Saturday July 21, 2012 ride are:
started at 2:54 am and ended at 10:44 pm. -- way too many cigar breaks; leisurely trip along the seashore parkway in pa; texting; and having to pay cash for gas
odometer: 1684.7k
overall average 86.6k
moving average 101k
max speed - I forgot to use it ; or I deleted it (sorry your honour, really)
total moving time 16:38 hours.
hardest parts -- I-75 is a mess; Buffalo to I-90 is a mess; 401 is a mess all the time
conversations with Customs -- priceless
at Port Huron -- the officer heard of the ride -- he didn't think he could do it on his Harley -- since he was wearing a gun I merely gave a non-committal nod without any other comment.
cost - about $110.00 not including the cost of Gold Balm
temperature -- 12(not including wind chill) in the morning 87 in the afternoon
amazing: I did not use my air horn even once!!
what I learned -- I do not have an iron butt.
That ghost is gone forever!!!!!
Now that I have done the “air” and the “land” time to do the “sea”
allan
GOING FROM TORONTO TO KINGSTON VIA SARNIA!!
the final tallies for the Iron Butt Ride -- a Saturday July 21, 2012 ride are:
started at 2:54 am and ended at 10:44 pm. -- way too many cigar breaks; leisurely trip along the seashore parkway in pa; texting; and having to pay cash for gas
odometer: 1684.7k
overall average 86.6k
moving average 101k
max speed - I forgot to use it ; or I deleted it (sorry your honour, really)
total moving time 16:38 hours.
hardest parts -- I-75 is a mess; Buffalo to I-90 is a mess; 401 is a mess all the time
conversations with Customs -- priceless
at Port Huron -- the officer heard of the ride -- he didn't think he could do it on his Harley -- since he was wearing a gun I merely gave a non-committal nod without any other comment.
cost - about $110.00 not including the cost of Gold Balm
temperature -- 12(not including wind chill) in the morning 87 in the afternoon
amazing: I did not use my air horn even once!!
what I learned -- I do not have an iron butt.
That ghost is gone forever!!!!!
Now that I have done the “air” and the “land” time to do the “sea”
allan
July 17th
Every so often I review my bucket list and wonder if it is time to strike another adventure off the list. So it was in the last week or so.
I could tell the story as follows: I decided to go for a plane ride over York Region, Ontario. I booked the flight, paid the fare, got on the plane but after reaching 14,000 feet I was very unhappy with the plane ride - so there was only one thing to do - I left out the back door.
But really, the exit was planned -- as in -- jumping out at 14K as a tandem jumper meaning that attached to my back was a professional parachute jumper. They made me sign a five or six page letter containing numerous acknowledgements and waivers -- but nothing about hijackers. They then put the harness on me and started giving me the details of the flight.
About 12 jumpers and 3 photographers started off in the plane. It took about 12 minutes to get to 14K feet -- above the clouds. We walked off the back of the plane -- did a somersault; did a free fall; flew with a mini parachute to keep us at 200 k/h and then after about a minute the parachute opened and it was another 5 minutes of a slow descent and then a soft landing.
The only thing I forgot was to ask what happens if my tandem partner blacks out. Oh well -- it turned out to be an unnecessary question.
Two things -- on the plane they asked me two questions -- how was I doing. I gave the answer about a dozen times with my head nodding "bad idea", "bad idea". Then they asked me if I had any last words. I said "amen".
With that I walked off the plane.
Next time I will get a better seat !!!!!
Every so often I review my bucket list and wonder if it is time to strike another adventure off the list. So it was in the last week or so.
I could tell the story as follows: I decided to go for a plane ride over York Region, Ontario. I booked the flight, paid the fare, got on the plane but after reaching 14,000 feet I was very unhappy with the plane ride - so there was only one thing to do - I left out the back door.
But really, the exit was planned -- as in -- jumping out at 14K as a tandem jumper meaning that attached to my back was a professional parachute jumper. They made me sign a five or six page letter containing numerous acknowledgements and waivers -- but nothing about hijackers. They then put the harness on me and started giving me the details of the flight.
About 12 jumpers and 3 photographers started off in the plane. It took about 12 minutes to get to 14K feet -- above the clouds. We walked off the back of the plane -- did a somersault; did a free fall; flew with a mini parachute to keep us at 200 k/h and then after about a minute the parachute opened and it was another 5 minutes of a slow descent and then a soft landing.
The only thing I forgot was to ask what happens if my tandem partner blacks out. Oh well -- it turned out to be an unnecessary question.
Two things -- on the plane they asked me two questions -- how was I doing. I gave the answer about a dozen times with my head nodding "bad idea", "bad idea". Then they asked me if I had any last words. I said "amen".
With that I walked off the plane.
Next time I will get a better seat !!!!!
April 24
Almost a month -- and the very good reason why I have not posted is that I am way way too busy to be putting my fingers to a keyboard -- until this moment and the ten minutes that it is going take for me to spell out what has happened.
First -- way to much work at work. Hearing, tribunals, attendances, real estate, corporate, estates, mediations, etc etc etc. It is a good thing that I love doing what I do. And then, since I had some spare time, I finished the Motorcycle Training Program at Centennial College. My students aced the exam last weekend -- I shadowed an instructor and the seven students passed the MTO exam. It was great watching them develop from individuals very nervous to sit on the bike to riding like a pro during the exam. I am still aching from all the exercise I got -- and my voice is still hurting from acting as a cheerleader.
And now I have meetings all the rest of the week and Saturday morning.
If idle hands are the work of the devil, there must surely be a place for me elsewhere.
First -- way to much work at work. Hearing, tribunals, attendances, real estate, corporate, estates, mediations, etc etc etc. It is a good thing that I love doing what I do. And then, since I had some spare time, I finished the Motorcycle Training Program at Centennial College. My students aced the exam last weekend -- I shadowed an instructor and the seven students passed the MTO exam. It was great watching them develop from individuals very nervous to sit on the bike to riding like a pro during the exam. I am still aching from all the exercise I got -- and my voice is still hurting from acting as a cheerleader.
And now I have meetings all the rest of the week and Saturday morning.
If idle hands are the work of the devil, there must surely be a place for me elsewhere.
March 27, 2012
I have always tried to live by the adage -- if you really want to live, then you have to experience or learn something every day of your life.
That being the case -- this past weekend I underwent WHIMS training. And then completed a course on Motorcycle Training. It is always important to give back as much as you take. Since motorcycling has been great for me over the last ten years -- it is time to put some passion in to the next group of motorcyclists. It is a seriously involved process with a substantial commitment for the time involved -- but it will get me off the couch and out of the house on weekends. And most importantly -- it is one of those events where everyone is there to "grow".
Another part of my bucket list taken care of!
be well
allan
That being the case -- this past weekend I underwent WHIMS training. And then completed a course on Motorcycle Training. It is always important to give back as much as you take. Since motorcycling has been great for me over the last ten years -- it is time to put some passion in to the next group of motorcyclists. It is a seriously involved process with a substantial commitment for the time involved -- but it will get me off the couch and out of the house on weekends. And most importantly -- it is one of those events where everyone is there to "grow".
Another part of my bucket list taken care of!
be well
allan
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