Mark and Linzi Canadian Adventure

Winter Camping

2015-04-01T21:33:00.002-07:00

Went camping, going crazy here no camping, it's just wrong. Using the train got to about 22 miles from the site on the US border, so rode the rest on the electric bike, battery lasted quite well, considering, but pushes its capacity even going as light as pos. Such a nice bike tho.

Yep tent is just a tarp. That's all the wood they had so no fire thru the night, I was bloody frozen. Quite an experience tho, learnt a few things, Ray would have been proud.

Got this brilliant bike for a song of Craigs List. Its a big frame, all the gears in the world, such a good ride, it's some sort of mid range hybrid racer, never ridden anything so smooth. It's the bike for going camping with. Made by Specialized its called an Expedition, 2005 model, only year they did with discs, seemed appropriate. Disc brakes, fancy tyres and fast gear changes, it's wicked. Just need better knees and legs now! Adding mudguards and rack at the weekend. Calling it Goose, as in grey goose, goes far (expedition is its model in two tone charcoal grey) like wot a goose does. Want to try the 100km Grand Fondo ride to Whistler next year, so this is a start. First time I named a bike, all other bikes (this is my 5th one since we got here) were just called 'the bike'. Still have the electric for city riding. God I'm so urban! Linzi still has her mountain bike, we have what's called a stable. As the mighty Rik Mayall would have said... It's completely brilliant.

Xmas festivities down the hill

2015-04-01T21:01:00.001-07:00

xmas trees sponsored by local biz, nice bunch of 6ft trees round a little ice skating rink and the old crane all lit up with the city tree under it, very nice, a few notches up on westerham

Linzi partakes of the free hot chocolate, can't stand it myself, not hoppy enough!

there were children around when Linzi iced this chap, poor little chap, then she was proud of it, made the girlie behind the stand giggle

The new xmas purchase. we had 3 of the regular size ones in the UK this is 3x the size of them. filled with LED lights and a chunky candle, very atmospheric

Evenings on an estuary

2015-04-01T20:45:00.001-07:00

ducks and geese at dusk just down the shore from us

Yea it snowed here, just once! When it snows we ride

2015-04-01T20:42:00.001-07:00

When it snows we ride, bracing and fun, plus I get to wear my lumberjack hat! Not been cold enough this year to wear it again. Dunno if that's good or not.

After a ride some how we end up at the local brewery! How did that happen?

After the beer heading home, Linzi makes a run for it over the tracks and up the hill home

home!!!!

2015-04-01T20:34:00.001-07:00

And to think I was worried I couldn't get a decent beer here, it's a hundred time better than the UK. I do miss Blandford Fly tho by Badger. Spot the 2 UK brews. Marvelous.

Photo update

2014-01-02T18:51:00.004-08:00

Har har. 30 bottles of U-brewWine. Our 3rd batch now and the best, a Merlot. Picked them up on the 23rd December JUST in time for the Xmas. We just walk a kilometer or so up the hill, bottle it, cork it, add labels and caps and trundle home with a big smile on our faces.

Found a lost dog. He seems OK about it.

Park & Tilford lights. Just the one pic from many taken on me phone! Its a garden on the edge of a outside shopping mall, very nice diversion for a bit.

Us in with the xmas lights. Happy New Year.

Solstice 2013

2014-01-02T18:44:00.000-08:00

We went to one of the 5 local fire processions again. Last year it was Yaletown this year we made it to Granville Island. Missed the procession but caught the fire show outside and then a little while later settled in to watch these Morris Men, from England but living on Bowen Island. They were great and they sang, not seen Morrismen sing before. The 5 people to the left are Morris Women! From here. It was a good night, took the dog on the bus for the first time in his new carrier.

It only went and snowed... twice!

2014-01-02T18:38:00.003-08:00

It's not breaking news to Canadians but here it kinda is. Twice before xmas we had a few inches of snow, each time it hung on for 3 days. This is the 2nd time. (click any pic to fill your screen)

The view down our high street just a few hundred yards from home... mmmm, slippy.

Sort of a selfie, dunno what Guinness was looking at.

Been a while

2013-12-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

Well it been ages since the last update. So here are a few pics to go over a few highlights.

I guess we are settling in as forgetting about taking pics for the blog.

So about 4 months ago we got Guinness here. He's a bitza... scottish terrier X poodle X dashound X who knows. He looks a lot like a Dandie Dinmont. Can't be left alone and wants to attack other dogs which is getting better as we work with him. He's a total cuttie, bags of character, bit talkative but a lot of fun.

After my (Mark) previous electric bike broke again I traded it in for a folding electric bike of a different brand. Then Linzi got the same one in white because it's a great little bike. 20" wheels goes up hills well and internal gears. This shot taken on the ferry as we head off to go camping... all 3 of us.

Man on this little boat said we can't get our bikes and trailers to where we want to go as all to narrow and hilly. This is my disappointed look. You can see the big trailer full of gear with the dog kennel on top, all in must weigh 100lbs.

Going to work some months after the aborted camp out. Dog kennel now has a dedicated trailer just the right size for it which makes life a lot easier. My work bag is strapped on top.

This is what we look like when we go out, one pulls the dog one pulls the cargo!

A very pretty autumn display in East Van not far from the workshop. Taken just a few weeks ago, all gone now and we have the first frost I have seen here.

Couple of days ago the afternoon sun was magic.

Guinness surveys his kingdom on the same sunny afternoon.

This years xmas tree. We get bits of fallen tree branches and holly to build a display. Narrow at the bottom, wide at top means the dog's tail can't destroy the tree and no needles to pull out of paws.

Have a great xmas and new year

mark, linzi & guinness

My first Workshop space

2013-05-20T12:49:00.001-07:00

Day one going to the workshop. My new WIKE cargo trailer ready to go out into the rain full of tools and lunch and coffee, etc.

Once the trailer was emptied out at the workshop I went down to Home Depot a few miles away and got loaded up with supplies.

Second run that same day, more materials. Very heavy 3/4" ply and lumber.

By the end of the next day it all goes to make my work bench in the 60 sq ft I rent.

Another Home Depot run, this time with the little WIKE trailer.

Taking home planter benches for the balcony made from palates. The retro coolbox got totaled coming over the Second Narrows Bridge a few weeks later. A big expansion joint threw the trailer into the railing and it took most of the force.

Building the overhead bench storage I hauled even more weight back. This was the hardest load to haul. Lots of 2x4s and ply. The 8ft lengths made the trailer sway all the way back.

Building my 2nd steamer to bend wood. This one is much bigger than the first made from a tube.

Steamer nearly done.

Ready to fire it up. Steam comes from a wallpaper stripper on the ground via the black tube.

All done, works well.

Some oak strips bent and ready to glue into a laminate.

Strips in one of the forms.

Sawn oak ready to get steamed.

Back plate with wheels.

Nifty getting assembled.

All the main ribs are fitted.

Clamped in towing position so I can work on a few wrinkles I need to fix.

California baby!

2013-03-17T21:21:00.000-07:00

Yep, went back to LA. Linzi been banging on about Disney for years and seeing the sun again would be nice, so we went. Here are Marks cameraphone snaps. I have more on my camera I think so will upload them when I get time.

Our hire car, a Kia Soul, stupid name but a really nice car, would buy one. Comfortable, nippy, economical, not to small, not too big and it come in a nice cheerful cherry red... mmmmm cherries

We really like Wholefoods Market, it's like Waitrose on speed in there and where all the hippies are, so great for people watching. Talking of hippies, here's Linzi posing by there welcome sign to prove she's been there. She's collecting visits to Wholefoods branches like the rest of us collect McDonalds coffee tokens.

Went to a show at a uni gallery showing magazine illustration from 1890-1940 (I think, roughly). Very good stuff, here are my favorites, be sure to click on the pics so you get full screen, especially to see the cherubs expressions.

Catching some rays at Disney in the cold.

If you look real close you can make out the castle. In florida Disney the castle blocks out the sun.

Just like it.

Rocket Man turning the popcorn, I want one.

Latest photo journal

2013-03-17T20:53:00.000-07:00

It just went off in my hand. Blurred but I like it. This was taken on my latest photowalk in Gastown about a week ago.

I wondered what happened to Kermit this last 30 years!!!

Taken from the seabus heading home. This overcast 'look' is the usual one for North Van.

We often get this funky belt of cloud over us. Living under it doesn't look as funky as it does from downtown.

This actually IS one of the most beautiful bitches I ever saw... here!

This is for mum, she likes owls. I think they are mugs.

This trailer could be loaded up a bit more. There are 24 BIG cans of coconut water in the brown box, quite heavy. Today I cut a palate in half and loaded it onto this trailer, bit top heavy, only went over once. Made it into a narrow table to go under the main window to put plants on. Have tomatoes to grow there soon.

Yep, we got some snow a couple of weeks before xmas.

Getting of the seabus the other day the alarms were ringing in the terminal and the fire service was outside. False alarm I guess. But got a nice pic of it.

Dont forget that you can click on the pics to see full screen.

random cameraphone pics

2013-01-02T17:02:00.002-08:00

wonder who was chosen for the cover first, the dog or the child? The dog is the one on the right.

downtown over the harbor, lower lonsdale in the foreground

heading home on the seabus in the rain, lower lonsdale ahead

ride to look at lights

2012-12-26T15:34:00.001-08:00

explaining things to rudolphs mate

ice rink under road by art gallery

less is more, like it

hamsta and ray admiring the lights, they joined me for a 30km ride round vancouver looking at the lights

the most amazing house I ever saw, I have lust for it

Butterflies in Calgary

2012-12-26T15:29:00.000-08:00

Just found this on my phone. Calgary has more types of butterflies than I knew existed. These little ones come off the bushes in a cloud, tho you can't tell in this vid.

Morning sun on the lions

2012-12-15T12:41:00.003-08:00

Mountains now covered in snow. Nice sunny day today, this is the morning sun on the mountains, very cool.

This is the panorama from the balcony door. The low fog is an extra nice touch I thought.

As with any pics on the blog, click on them to enlarge

Waiting to go home

2012-12-02T19:21:00.001-08:00

Here's my bike waiting for the Seabus home across the harbour. We are both cold and wet after hours of taking pictures around Kitsilano on a grey sunday morning

Shipyard Square Xmas Do

2012-12-01T21:44:00.002-08:00

Chap was wearing a reindeer as part of the event. Lady is Ashley, she's nice and off to California for winter.

There was maybe 25 xmas trees in a row, very nice, this is my favourite.

Gospel choir was very good.

Not very photogenic tho.

See what I mean?

Ashley and Linzi from my perspective.

Linzi nailing holes in a can to make a lantern, I had to finish it as it was hurting her hands.

There was a couple of reindeer incumbered folks wandering around. The one on the right is scarry!

Stilt walker was dancing to the choir, looked great but video didn't come out.

2nd best tree there.

More singers, very good. The left snowman shakes and is funny.

Our Lower Lonsdale tree seen with downtown in the background.

Our view

2012-11-25T18:09:00.000-08:00

At the risk of seeming like we are showing off, this is the view of the mountains from the sofa. Today has been sunny but mostly we can not see them thru the cloud and rain. The light was great so I took the shot. The mountains are called the 'two lions'.

Harrison Hotsprings

2012-11-12T15:55:00.002-08:00

Our last couple of days before getting to the Condo we went to a resort town up the valley, Harrison with a huge lake and hotspring. It's here because it was where the gold prospectors caught the boat to go inland after the river journey from the coast.

We did go to the springs, the public one as the other was in a hotel and they wanted ever such a lot of money. So the next day we went on the lake in a Canadian Canoe, my favourite. Never tried it before, loved it, as I knew I would. Took to it like a duck to water.

The view is amazing (click pic to fill your screen) The water in the foreground is the lagoon.

Linzi up front telling me to stop rocking the canoe. At this point the water is about 3ft deep.

Misty mountains, I never get fed-up looking at the mountains (click pic to fill your screen) .

This is a place we will return to frequently as it's only about 2hrs away and has many RV parks should we feel the need to get off the road during the season.

Mammoth IKEA visits

2012-11-12T15:36:00.001-08:00

I didn't plan on making this a blog post, but I did take some pics with my phone.

We had to visit the cafe often as IKEA is exhausting. We didn't see daylight for the 2 days we were there to get all the furniture for the apartment. Fortunately their food is good and cheap and coffee refills are free. Here is Linzi with the amazing tart they sell in the cafe and the food shop which we now have a couple of in the freezer... yumm.

This is the sofa bed we chose, it's really quite comfortable and a good size. We slept on it for a couple of weeks while researching mattresses.

It's clever too, here it is put away to be the L shaped sofa it is during the day, and the bedding goes under the end.

Told you IKEA is exhausting.

So this is all we bought the first day about half an hour after closing. Four trollies worth. I had to have two members of staff help us. The sofa is the big box left of centre.

Lllluuuuuvvvvvv my bike trailer

2012-11-12T14:37:00.000-08:00

Here is our bike trailer on it's first outing, very excited as it mean I can carry more, more safely. The trailer un hitches and we take it inside the shops to fill-up so we know how much we can take. Works very well and fun to pull.

Outside Safeway fully loaded and ready to go with my new electric bike. Trailer carries 50lbs, so plenty. Thats more than a BBQ gas bottle or big bottle of spring water for watercoolers.

It's true

2012-11-12T11:12:00.002-08:00

Saw this on a stall at the Calgary Stampeed, just made me laugh.

Sunset

2012-11-12T11:10:00.003-08:00

We were walking around last week, exploring the alleys and paths. We came out on a big patio area above the seabus with views across the harbour, very nice. There were 3 photographers there waiting for the sunset, more arrived as we watched the sun go down. Fortunately Linzi had her camera and I got this shot.

Sunny Ride Out

2012-11-10T12:24:00.000-08:00

We made the most of a sunny day yesterday. Here are a few pics. Vancouver is so attractive.

Killerwhale made of blocks. Over the water is Lonsdale, where we live.

Linzi waving, just behind her head you can see our building.

Coal Harbour house boats, there are about 21 in the dock but these were the only ones I could get a decent pic of.

Round the bay from Coal Harbour is the Yacht Club right on the edge of Stanley Park, lots of fancy pants boats here.

I just liked all the masts against all the windows.