My Digital Life

Itinerary 2011 - 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 06:03:00 +0000

RBC GranFondo Vancouver to Whistler (120km) - Sep 10

CSC Spec Golf Tournament - Sep 15

Roofmart Bowling Nite - Sep 17

Chuckanut Century Ride - 168km - Sep 18

GVHBA Golf Tournament - Sep 21

Garibaldi and Panorama Ridge Hike - Sep 24

Rotary Ride For Rescue - Cypress Mtn Hill Climb - Oct 1

Tour De Biennale 85K Ride - Oct 2

Granville Island Turkey Trot 10K Run - Oct 10

RTCC Celebration Ride 85K - Oct 16

My Birthday - Nov 10

Fall Classic Run 10K - Nov 20

1 Year Anniversary with Mandeep - Nov 24

UBC Rec Triathlon Duathlon - Mar 11, 2012

Pacific Populaire 100km Ride - April 16, 2012

RTCC Vancouver to Seattle 260km - Jun 18-19, 2012

Tour De Victoria 140km Ride - June 24, 2012

Canada Day Populaire 146km Ride - July 1, 2012

Rotary Club Bike-A-Thon 120km Ride - July 10, 2012

Tour De Whatcom 105miles Ride - July 28, 2012

Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 06:32:00 +0000

The older I get, the less patience I have, it seems, of things, situations, and especially people with whom I don't enjoy spending time. Over the past six months, I've taken stock of my existing friendships and have been evaluating each one with a hard, critical eye and with a heavy heart there are a few existing relationships that I will need to excise. For some, it's simply the fact that we've grown apart and have become completely different people than when the friendships started. I no longer have anything in common with these people and often find myself utterly bored or completely out of touch with their worlds. For others, it's simply the fact that being around them is mentally, emotionally and physically draining and taxing. When hanging out with certain people is no longer fun and you have to feel like you have to put up a front, it's time to drop that relationship. For some others still, you eventually come to the realization that you matter very little to them and that they will never be there to lift you up.

My time and energy is limited and I'd much rather invest those limited resources to the relationships that lift you, nurture you, support you and make you feel great. All of the relationships you are involved in should be mutually positive, healthy and respectful. And the world is full of all sorts of new friendships to be forged with new wonderful people who share my interests and outlook on life. I'd rather invest my time and effort there too. I agree that dropping some of my existing long term friendships seems harsh but like I said above, I no longer have the patience and walking away is probably the healthiest thing I can do for both of us.

Itinerary 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 05:18:00 +0000

Friday Nite Training Ride - 23km - Jul 22

Diez Vistas Buntzen Lake Hike - Jul 23

Sunday Training Ride - 60km - Jul 24

Goldmember Outdoor Movie - Jul 25

Lynn Lake Loop Hike - Jul 26

Nanaimo - Jul 27

Wednesday Nite Training Ride - 45km - Jul 27

Roofmart Team Dinner - Jul 28

Mike and Caroline Dinner - Jul 29

Tour De Whatcom - 110 Miles - Jul 30

Golden Ears Hike - Aug 1

Metric Century Training Ride - Aug 6

Squamish Chief Hike - Aug 7

Whistler Training Ride - 120km - Aug 14

Arnold and Sons Golf Classic - Aug 26

Whistler Training Ride - 120km - Aug 27

RBC GranFondo Vancouver to Whistler (120km) - Sep 10

CSC Spec Golf Tournament - Sep 15

Chuckanut Century Ride - 168km - Sep 18

GVHBA Golf Tournament - Sep 21

Garibaldi Hike - Sep 24

My Birthday - Nov 10

1 Year Anniversary with Mandeep - Nov 24

I hate being sick

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:53:00 +0000

Ugh! My stomach's been tumultuous today. It's decided to launch an unfriendly revolt this morning and is on a full scale attack on my senses. I'm feeling a little weak and lethargic and add to that the unpleasant and hard-to-get-rid-of after taste of puking your guts out. I'm not one for getting sick usually. I'm more apt to soldier on and walk it off. But today, I had to call in sick. I missed our bi-weekly sales meeting and I still have a ton of work to take care of.

But because I can't sit still and I hate taking time off work to be sick at home, I'll be working from home making calls, setting up appointments, blasting out emails, all in between running to the bathroom. Yeah, I know. Sexy isn't it? I'm hoping it's only a 24 hour bug and I'm back on my horse tomorrow. My girlfriend seems to think she might get to see me act like a little baby, but I'm betting she's wrong. Although it would be nice to be spoiled for a day and taken care of. Hell, I think that's reason enough for me.

Anyway, I don't care if I'm coherent, I'm a bit loopy right now.

The Measure of A Man

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0000

When I was single, one of the qualities that I looked for in a woman, one that seemed quite elusive, was that of a smart woman who is confident and unashamed in her abilities. What I found most often was that the "smart" women were most often, as the cliche goes, taken. And the ones that were available, weren't always all that smart, either because they downplayed their intelligence or weren't all that interested in the world at large around them. Or weren't all that interested in relationships, careers and other demands taking precedence. Then one day, I lucked out and I found my smart girl. She's articulate, passionate about the world, has an innate desire for knowledge and loves to explore. We can discuss and discourse about as many topics as I can think about and I can honestly say that I think she's smarter than me.

Something that I noticed about her, and I'm not sure if it's the same with all smart women, and one that I wasn't prepared for, is that in addition to her being smart and intelligent, is that she's also fiercely independent and a staunch feminist. Now, I know like most guys, my vision of a feminist is that of the bra-burning, anti-male, rhetoric spewing female who is always angry. I realized I was completely wrong on that. She's all for equality of the genders while still celebrating the differences we have. Either feminism has evolved or I always had the wrong notion of them. Knowing her stance on a lot of issues relating to equality of the sexes, makes me realize that I hold a lot of those same beliefs as well. I guess I realized that I'm a bit of a feminist myself. That realization brought with it a re-examination of my own masculinity. How was I to define myself as a man? With a woman who is such fiercely independant confident, what place does the traditional view of a man have in her life? She doesn't need me to support her or protect her, she doesn't need me to be her hero.

I've always been a firm believer in getting back to masculinity. I've always believed that we should as men continue to refine and evolve the role of man and what it means to be a man, and a gentleman. I guess I've always been a masculinist. I never realized that a lot of what I believed in also applied to feminists and feminism. Now there are a lot of masculinists (aka Men's Rights Activists or MRA's) out there that are the opposite of my traditional view of feminists - angry, women-hating men. The traditional view of feminists is that women are the oppressed class. MRAs—apparently inspired by feminism—simply flip this construct on its head and situate women as oppressors. Those kind of viewpoints in my mind do more to harm discourse and change and serves to divide humanity into two distinct antagonistic classes - men vs women. Only one gender can prevail and the loser gets to cart off the coveted crown of Victim.

I, for one, as a man, would rather not allow ourselves to be emasculated by feminism, by divorce law, by women who, God forbid, want to break the glass ceiling once and for all. Why can't we celebrate our women's successes while developing our own powerful voice for good in the world, most particularly when it comes to be being fathers and husbands? Men and Women both bring to the table equally important but completely different temperament, a different vocabulary, a different way of being.

I believe women should get paid the same as men, men should do as much housework as women, and men should treat domestic labor as real work, instead of as emasculating. Workplaces should be more flexible for parents of both genders. If that happened, more women would work outside the home, and more men would cut back work hours for family. I know I would. Why should my wife have to strive for success at work and feel guilty at the same time for time spent away from the family? Why should I have and easier time climbing the corporate ladder and leave the raising of family to my spouse alone? Women still make less than men in the workplace, but still do more free labor at home, even when they work full time. Plus, many men feel scaling back or quitting their jobs is emasculating. So, when someone in a couple decides to scale back or quit a job to maintain the household, it’s usually the wife. But, for many families, women just simply do more for less pay. Being at home is no picnic for women, since it reduces future earning potential. Plus, being around kids all day can be a little maddening. I wouldn't want this for my wife or any future daughters I might have. Maybe I'm not like most men. I tend to believe in wanting an equal partner instead of a dependent.

Rides for 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 03:24:00 +0000

I have to admit that I have a love affair with cycling. I thought the urge would dissipate once the winter season took hold and I was able to indulge in my main passion of snowboarding, but I miss being on the bike terribly and I find myself wistfully wishing for warmer, dryer days to hit the road. So, in anticipation, I've gone ahead and signed up for the following rides this year and i can't wait for training season to start!

- Pacific Populaire - Apr 3 - 100km

- Ryder Hesjedal's Tour De Victoria - May 28 - 140km

- The Ride to Conquer Cancer - Vancouver to Seattle - June 18-19 - 260km

- BC Randonneurs Canada Day Ride - Jul 1 - 144km

- Rotary Club Bike-A-Thon - Jul 10 - 120km

- Tour De Whatcom - Jul 30 - 105 miles

- RBC GranFondo Whistler - Sep 10 - 120km

Please support my ride!

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 02:58:00 +0000

Dear Friends,

Once again this year, I'll be participating in a two-day major cycling event called The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting BC Cancer Foundation.

I'll be cycling through the scenic Pacific Northwest with thousands of other Riders. All the proceeds will go to BC Cancer Foundation to support cancer research, treatment, and services. BC Cancer Foundation is a leading comprehensive institution devoted to cancer research and care, and the work they're doing is cutting-edge.

I've agreed to raise at least $2,500, and I need your help to do that. Could you please consider making a donation of $50? Use the link at the bottom of this email to go visit my webpage, and please take the time to support me. Please keep in mind the commitment I'm making to end this heartbreaking disease and the personal efforts I'll have to make to accomplish this.

When I say "heartbreaking," here's what I mean: according to the Canadian Cancer Statistics, 171,000 new cases of cancer and 75,300 deaths from cancer occurred in 2009. The information also shows that over 45% of men and 40% of women will develop cancer in their lifetime and 1 in all 4 Canadians will die of cancer. That's why I'm riding. To do something BIG about cancer. I hope that you'll share this incredible adventure with me by supporting me in my fundraising efforts.

Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Sincerely,
Sunny Goel

Click here to visit my personal page.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR?px=2451318&pg=personal&fr_id=1371&fl=en_US&et=CQyXPeckMlwTP-x0x3FrEA..&s_tafId=1371
Click here to view the team page for TWR Cycle Team
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR?team_id=36393&pg=team&fr_id=1371&fl=en_US&et=aijVvEcC05qVuwTbVXS8-A..&s_tafId=1371

Bucket List updated

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 03:22:00 +0000

This list is a work in progress, it'll keep changing with the beat of my life.

Travel
1. Sail to Tierra Del Fuego, Chile and Ushuaia, Argentina and Antarctica and see the end of the earth and play with penguins
2. Visit every country in Western Europe and Eastern Europe
3. Factory tours at Porsche - Stuttgart, Benz - Stuttgart, VW - Zuffenhausen, Zonda - Maranello, Lambo, Ferrari - Maranello, and other European car factory tours in Europe
4. See Eastern Canada including the Maritimes and Old Montreal and Quebec city
5. Fill all the pages of my passport with stamps and visas before it expires.
6. Visit the Carribean to St Maarten, Trinidad, Tobago, St Lucia
7. Take a cruise to Alaska
8. Take a volunteer vacation
9. Spend a few weeks touring through South East Asia
10. Have sushi in Tokyo
11. See Mount Everest from Nepal. I don’t want to climb it but I do want to make it to base camp.
12. Walk the Great Wall of China
13. See the pyramids in Egypt
14. Walk the streets of Monaco where the F1 cars play
15. Sail around the Greek islands starting with Santorini
16. See the sunset in Australia
17. Spend New Years in Fiji and be the first to celebrate
18. Lay on the beach in Goa - DONE
19. Party at Carnaval in Rio
20. Take a train across Canada
21. New Years in Times Square New York
22. Hike the Grand Canyon
23. See the basilica in Rome
24. Go ski-doo sledding – DONE
25. Stay in an ice hotel in Europe
26. See Angel Falls in Venezuela
27. Attend both Winter and Summer Olympics
28. See the temples at Angkor Wat
29. Kiss the Blarney Stone
30. See the Aurora Borealis
31. See the giant stone heads on Easter Island
32. Volunteer to help at the Galapagos Islands
33. Volunteer at a village in Africa
34. Drink a beer at Oktoberfest
35. Visit the Louvre and see the Mona Lisa and I.M Pei’s glass pyramid entrance
36. Go on a roadtrip with my friends, with no predetermined destination
37. See the running of the bulls in Madrid
38. See all of Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous buildings in person
39. See Singapore again and visit all the places I grew up around

Accomplishment
40. Run a marathon
41. Hit a 145 lbs and/or 10% body fat
42. Learn to snowboard – DONE, this one I love
43. Complete a Triathlon
44. Learn to speak Spanish
45. Learn to Sail a boat, even if it’s a small one
46. Sleep under the stars on the beach - DONE
47. Hike the Northwest Trail
48. Learn Photography – in progress
49. Learn to cook – in progress
50. Raft the Nhatlatch River
51. See U2 live in concert in Dublin
52. Learn to surf – DONE
53. Snowboard black diamond slopes confidently – DONE
54. Scare myself at least once each day – in progress
55. Learn to use Photoshop to tweak my pictures
56. Have one of my pictures published - DONE
57. Write a travel article
58. Jump out of a plane - Skydive
59. See a tiger in the wild
60. Write a book
61. Learn to live minimally and without clutter, except when it comes to gadgets and vehicles
62. Take a glass blowing class
63. Create a Photo Essay project
64. Start an heirloom to pass on to future Goel generations
65. Learn to enjoy fine wine and scotch - in progress
66. Learn to identify all of the major constellations
67. Teach somebody to read
68. See a total solar eclipse
69. Learn to play the guitar
70. Marry and be a dad
71. Read the Bhagavad Gita
72. Play 18 holes of golf in par or under par
73. Live debt free – in progress
74. Spend an entire paycheck on a piece of art and not regret it
75. Build a house for Habitat for Humanity
76. Adopt a dog - DONE
77. Take a yoga class - DONE
78. Finish renovations on my house – in progress
79. Serve my Country, and by this I mean Canada, and in any way that I can raise the profile of this amazing nation
80. Keep a clean garage for a year straight
81. Do the polar bear swim - DONE
82. Get pampered for a day – I can do more
83. Crush grapes with my bare feet to make wine
84. Get a shave at an old fashioned barbershop in England
85. Get a custom made suit - DONE
86. Try a deep-fried Mars bar
87. Learn to feel like I’ve accomplished things in my life that I can be proud of
88. Take a helicopter ride around Vancouver

Cars
89. Learn to race on the weekends in a sanctioned event
90. Learn to ride a motor-bike
91. Drive across Canada
92. Take a performance driving course
93. Drive the Nurburgring in Germany
94. Drive the Autobahn
95. Take the chunnel across from England to France
96. Visit the Top Gear taping on set
97. Rebuild a car
98. See an F1 race – preferably in Monaco
99. See the WRC rally race in Catalunya Spain
100. Teach a kid to drive

Songs of the week - Nov 22nd

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 03:03:00 +0000

What's turning my crank this week... Enjoy!

1) Trust in Me by Etta James - I'm not sure I'm even allowed to like this song. I mean it is way, way cooler than me.

2) Carz by Sir Mix-A-Lot - Yeah, you're probably wondering how I can go from sweet Etta to Sir Mix-a-lot, and truth be told, I'm not sure I even like this song. But it is about exotic cars, and I gotta give him my props on that. I mean, I like nice cars and I cannot lie, you other brothers can't deny, that when a Benz rolls in with 20 inch rims, and it's headlights in your face, you get sprung!

3) All The Wine by The National - For some reason, listening to this makes me want to visit New York in the winter. The mood almost seems right for a grey moody winter day.

4) Alway Like This by Bombay Bicycle Club - Yes, I hate hipsters, but I have to face facts. I am one of them, I realize this reluctantly. I love the same music they do. Dammit.

5) Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley - What can I say, this is a classic. There is seriously something wrong with you if you don't like this.

6) Bad Reputation by Joan Jett - From the original rock and roll goddess! What is she like 50 now? Still rocking and still hot!

7) Very Loud by The Shout Out Louds - Go watch Nick and Norah. Okay movie, awesome soundtrack!

8) Et Les Mots Croises by Dan Mangan - If you live in Vancouver, you gotta love this guy. Good local music.

9) Friends of P. by The Rentals - Just a bit of trivia for you. P is for Paulina Porizkova, the wife of Ric Ocasek. Ric Ocasek is a member of The Cars and he produced Weezer's first album. Now you know.

10) Fist by The Dudes - another great canadian band.

Biz Markie, Goldblum and The Roots

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 00:16:00 +0000

As wierd and eccentric as Jeff Goldblum is, he is still awesome as evidenced here by his performance with Biz Markie on "Just A Friend".

Putin Wins Staring Contest (brings F1 to Moscow)

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 03:55:00 +0000

He's ridden horses:

He's kissed children:

He's shot guns:

He's taken down tigers:

As Hemingway said, "There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games."

Well, last weekend, Putin particpated in one of the three sports. He put on a helmet and, like the brave ex-KGB-ex-President-current-Prime-Minister he is, he went out to clip some apexes:

Then he hung out with Bernie and made him bring F1 to Russia... OR ELSE.

"YOU WILL TO BRING F1 TO RUSSIA!"

"Um.... Yes?"

"Good.... Want to see my horse?"

50 Cent puts $2million into the trunk of his Lambo...

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 03:30:00 +0000

What a classy dumbass! Somebody please shoot him again. You wanna know why he's doing this? So he can piss off poor people like you and me.

Kinda reminds me of this....

In other news, something else for your viewing pleasure...

New Bike - Argon18 Platinum Carbon

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:19:00 +0000

There's a pang of sadness today as I sold my first road bike today. My Merlin RSR was a beautiful machine to behold. Built on a full naked and bare Titanium frame, with a full Shimano 105 gruppo, Selle Italia seat and classic Ambrosio wheelset, this was a rare machine. Bikes with Titanium frames are rare, mostly because they are expensive as hell and they will never rust, break, ding or scratch. And if you like the mechanical look of things, nothing beats Ti.

My old Merlin RSR

But since I've been getting more and more time on the road and getting more saddle time, I needed a bike that fit. And at a larger 53cm size, the Merlin was just a tad too big for me to continue riding on. So off to Craigslist it went, and my old Merlin now has a proud new owner who I'm sure will enjoy this fantastic bike for years.

Now that the old is gone, I have my sights set on something with a full carbon frame. And since I'm replacing the bike anyway, I figured why not go for a complete upgrade and like Colin Chapman's (Lotus) mantra, make it lighter and faster. My friend, Bryan, has an Argon 18 carbon road bike, and I've always loved the look of Carbon. My only issue is finding a bike in the relatively rare 48-50cm size. Imagine my surprise and luck when I found a seller with a 4 year old 50cm Argon 18 Platinum with full Ultegra gruppo and a very light, strong American Classic wheelset. This particular Argon is the matte black version and in my opinion matte carbon has an understated elegance that’s hard to deny and Argon 18 does it as well as any manufacturer. Also, where my old Merlin weighed in at around a hefty 19lbs despite it's lightweight Ti frame, the Argon should come in under 15lbs. That's a weight savings of a huge 4lbs, which any rider will tell you is a monumental difference in performance on the flats and hillclimbs. Needless to say, this thing is dead sexy and I can't wait to get my grubby mitts on it and ride. So this Saturday morning, while everyone is asleep cozy in their beds, I'll be driving up to Kamloops to meet the seller and pickup my new bike (I've reached a deal with them which hurts less that seat time at Celine Dion concert).

My new Argon18

Songs of the week - Sep 15

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 06:43:00 +0000

Your weekly pleasure list.... Enjoy...

1) Always by Switchfoot - Never heard these guys until I saw the video below from my buddy Bryan's wedding. In case you don't know, Switchfoot, of usually harder fare, are a christian rock band and normally I steer clear of Christian rock bands but in this case they provided the perfect soundtrack to an awesome event. The amazing people at Radtke Studios did an amazing job of videographing the wedding using Canon D7 DSLRs on specialized rigs. The video looks amazingly like a professionally shot music video, considering these guys shot it during the day, edited it in the car and presented it the same day at the reception.

Bryan + Margaret | Same Day Edit from Chris Radtke on Vimeo.

2) Learn to Lose by Hockey
Hockey's a great band but what really pulls this song off is the sultry femme fatale crooning in the background... who is this siren? And why do we not know what she looks like? Cos' damn she sounds hot...

3) Big Jet Plane by Angus and Julia Stone
I f**king hate Australians but this song makes me wonder if I could learn to love them. Maybe. Dammit!

4) Time Won't Let Me Go by The Bravery
Best song for a dreary fall day...

5) Uprising by Muse
For all you budding rebels and revolutionaries...

6) Love Spreads by The Stone Roses
One of my all time favourites... simply fucking awesome guitar work...

7) Bloodbuzz Ohio by The National
I think I would definitely like to see these guys in concert...

8) Bushwick Blues by Delta Spirit
Another awesome band discovered courtesy of Starbucks... see they are good for something other than coffee... I'm such a whore...

9) State of Our Affairs by Mt Desolation
Let's see, this band is made up of members of Keane, Noah & The Whale, The Killers, The Long Winters, The Staves, Mumford & Sons, all of which are awesome bands.... This one's a little slow but hints of all the promise that a combination this epic can bring...

10) Stadium Love by Metric
Honestly, lately it seems some of the best bands in the world are coming out of Canada, and Metric is no exception. Course, it helps that Emily Haines is fucking hot too, Canadian girls rock! Now if only I can get my hands on one...

Renaissance Man I want to Be

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:24:00 +0000

Leonardo DaVinci. The consumate Polymath, otherwise known as a Renaissance man was multi faceted in his knowledge and his interests. The painter behind The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa, da Vinci didn’t stop with the brush or the arts. Da Vinci the scientist dissected cadavers to understand the anatomy of the body. Da Vinci the innovator was obsessed with flight and sketched a flying machine. That’s only scratching the surface. Da Vinci was not solely interested in these subjects and occupations. He desired mastery. Dubbed in Italian Uomo Universale (literally, “universal man”), da Vinci is described as the epitome of a Renaissance Man, a man dedicated to expanding and perfecting his abilities and knowledge across multiple subjects. A Renaissance Man determined to be a life long learner, a scholar, and a gentleman.

That is what I'd like to strive for. I've been thinking more and more about this over the last couple years and I have a burning desire to absorb as mush knowledge and experience in the time I have available to me. It may simply not be possible to be a master or to learn everything, there is simply too much knowledge out there for us to ever learn in our lifetimes and the rate at which new knowledge is created pretty much guarantees that we will never know all, but it still doesn't quell the burning desire I have to keep pushing my boundaries. I'm not striving to be an expert in almost everything, I just want mastery in the things I enjoy but I also want a first hand working knowledge in as many things as I can learn. For me failure is success, the joy comes in the trying.

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." -Albert Einstein

I, too, crave knowledge from all four corners of the earth. That is my adventure. I set sail to distant shores so that I may see one more way people live. I love it. What drives a Renaissance Man is finding wonder. I know much on many topics because, somewhere along the way, a spark of wonder was lit - and I was brave enough to follow it.

Songs of the week - Aug 23

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:45:00 +0000

Just some stuff I'm into this week...

1) Mumford and Sons - Little Lion Man - simply fantastic melodies

2) The Dudes - Mr Someone Else - this song is awesome! Feels like a modern version of Jessie's Girl.

3) Florence and The Machine - Dog Days Are Over - I don't know about you but I love the voice on this siren. And she's hot in that kick ass sort of way...

4) Sufjan Stevens - Chicago

5) Wooden Sky - when lost at sea

6) U2 - New Years Day

7) Vince Vaccaro - Costa Rica

8) Arcade Fire - Modern Man

9) Dan Mangan - Indie Queens Are Waiting

10) Frank Black - Headache - Oldie but one my old favourites from a Pixies punk veteran

Ken Block Jumps the Shark

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:57:00 +0000

When Jordan left NBA
When Favre left the pack
When Ronaldo went to the PGA
When Block tried to act gangsta

I cried my eyes out, bloodshed red
I laughed my ass off, hurting chest
Didn't really mind it, cool I guess?
I wondered, what the hell is this shit?

My point is quite simple really
Fish out of water wont breathe freely
Got a message to kenny beely
Be badass in the car, dont try to be fitty.

Oh dear Kenny, what have you gone and done? I had such respect and admiration for you. I used to live vicariously through every cocked apex you swung your way through. Now I am saddened by your latest gymkhana. You were smart , the CEO of DC Shoe Co. You were deft and talented, a championship driver in the World Rally Car Championships and you were an awesome drift king. Please go back to your old self.

Need proof? Here's you in Gymkhana 2 and 1

Here's you scaring the bejeezus out of Captain Slow in my favourite TV Show - Top Gear

What I've learnt...

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:49:00 +0000

Here's a few things I’ve learned about myself and the world around me recently.

I really like cycling.
The patience and effort in teaching yourself something new is incredibly rewarding when you begin to succeed at it.
A tall glass of pure water is the best first line of defense for many ailments.
Fixing a toilet isn’t nearly as scary as it sounds.
Every time I let go of something I used to like, I have more room for the things I enjoy now.
Our local MEC has more groups going on that I could possibly be involved with.
When you’re spending time with people you really care about – and who really care about you – it doesn’t matter what you’re actually doing.
Our city’s attractions and events have more fun stuff going on than I have time to participate in.
Downloading and on-demand television provides better television viewing options than a $50 monthly cable bill.
Changing your own oil isn’t nearly as satisfying as it used to be.
A nap is the best free vacation.
Haggling can be a lot of fun.
The less activities you jam into a vacation, the more enjoyable and relaxing it usually is.
You are never too old to run through a cold sprinkler on a hot day.
Used paperbacks and books from the library are just as fun to read as new books from the bookstore.
Time is far, far more valuable than money.
More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.
I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?
Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realise I had no idea what the f*** was going on when I first saw it.
I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.
Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
Bad decisions make good stories.
You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

The Third & The Seventh

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:10:00 +0000

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.

I love the way this video mixes both photographic and architectural elements. Even though this is CG, the art of composition here is still amazing.

2010 Tour de France - part II - The Big Picture - Boston.com

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:38:00 +0000

2010 Tour de France - part II - The Big Picture - Boston.com

Fantastic Pictures of the Tour De France. Alberto Contador wins with Andy Schleck in 2nd Place. Ryder Hesjedal of Canada comes in 7th place, the first Canadian to be in the top 10 in 9 years. Congrats to this awesome Victoria native.

Lance Armstrong comes in at 23rd place. Still an awesome finish considering setbacks and crashes and the fact the dude is pushing 40.

If I were being interviewed..

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:21:00 +0000

Favourite Vancouver bridge: Granville St Bridge – travel over it on a beautiful sunny day and you get to see first hand the majesty of this city. From the sparkling waters of false creek to the shiny concrete, steel and glass architecture.

Best Vancouver park: Stanley Park is an amazing place to spend a day on a bicycle.

Best concert experience ever: Toss up between Pearl Jam and Coldplay at GM Place. Both simply fantastic. I will be checking out Vampire Weekend at the Malkin Bowl this September, so that may actually trump all previous.

Default drink: Gin & Tonic.

Drink you’ll never have again: Prarie Fire. I've had many a campfire that I can't remember because of it. And Sambuca. No sane reason why anyone should ever drink that.

Canadian political figure you most relate to: hmmm... I hate to say it but Gordon Campbell.

Favourite place to see live music: Railway Club!

Cheap place for dinner: The Eatery

Book you’re reading: Blink - Malcolm Gladwell

Last place traveled: Vegas and San Diego, I have come to almost loathe Vegas, simply because I've been there way too many times. San Diego was fun though.

One thing that always makes you feel like a kid: hanging out with my goofy friends!

Tell us about your roots: I spent my childhood growing up in Singapore and spent the rest of my formative years here. I don't really have a national identity even though I love it here.

Best movie ever: Alone in the Wilderness.

Three things that you always take in your carry-on: a pen, a book, my ipod. Even though I never end up using any of it.

Dumbest purchase ever: Sweet & Sour Pork.

What are you most proud of: Having managed to surround myself with a lot of amazing and awesome people.

The thing that makes you the angriest: pedophiles. These aren't people, they're monsters.

The view from your favourite window: I once was in the living room of a client who lived perched high atop the hill on British Properties. The south face of the house was sheathed in an expanse of glass through which you could see all of the north shore, the lions gate bridge, downtown and all the way out to Burnaby and Richmond. Amazing.

Talent you wish you possessed: Singing. I could get all the ladies I wanted if I could sing.

The trend you wish you never followed, but did: I'm ashamed to admit that I sported the pop collared look for awhile. A short while.

Musical instrument you long to master: The Guitar

Sport you gave up: Mountain Biking. Never got into it, then for some strange reason, fell in love with road biking.

Best place to dance: On a tighly packed dance floor, so no one gets to notice my awkward moves.

Favourite book as a child: Hitch-hiker’s guide to the galaxy.

Best way to cure insomnia: An ounce or so of fine irish, not scotch, whiskey.

Town you were born in: Singapore.

Old television shows you can tolerate re-runs of: Red Green! However, I don’t really tend to watch TV on actual televisions.

Album that first made you love music: Annie Lennox and Eurythmics.

What are you listening to as you answer these questions: Vampire Weekend - Diplomat's Son.

Best advice you ever received: People are fallible. Once you understand that, you have a much greater capacity to forgive.

The career path you considered but never followed: Architect.

Thing you miss most about home when you’re on the road: It gets a little rough not being able to spontaneously call a friend or being able to look up and see beautiful blue skies surrounding majestic mountains.

The thing you’re addicted to: my morning cup of hot black coffee.

Biggest hope: to learn as many new things and to live a full life of no regret.

Three websites you visit every day: craigslist, cuz I'm still a consumerist whore, albeit a cheap one. Jalopnik, cuz my love of cars knows no bounds. and hotmail, cuz i'm addicted to email.

Luckiest moment of your life: Hard to pick! I get by on luck.

Upcoming Rides

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:32:00 +0000

1) 2010 Canada Day Populaire - 143 km
This year's route is 143 km long to celebrate Canada's 143th birthday. The start & finish location is at the Fort Langley Lions Seniors Hall on the corner of Glover Road and 88th (entrance to parking off 88th). There will be 3 controls along the route and each will have water, fruit and some type of sweet (cookies and/or cake). The route offers a mix of terrain and mostly quiet country roads taking you from scenic Fort Langley through Matsqui and quaint Clayburn, across Sumas Prairie, up Sumas Mountain, through Veddar Crossing, returning across Sumas Prairie, through Huntington, Aldergrove and back to Fort Langley.

2) Vancouver Rotary Club Bike-A-Thon - July 11 - 120km
The Rotary Club of Vancouver hosts this annual fund raising event in support of the hearing impaired in British Columbia . These funds have been used to support cochlear implant research at UBC, to establish the Rotary Hearing Centre at UBC and the Rotary Hearing Clinic at St. Paul ’s Hospital, and to support the Vancouver Community College Adult Education Programs for the deaf and hard of hearing. Bike-A-Thon 2010 will be held on Sunday, July 11th, 2010. The ride begins at 6am from Brentwood Mall and follows the Loughheed Highway to Harrison Hot Springs Hotel, 120km away.

3) Team Coastal Winery Tour - Aug 9th - Faux Tour de Provence - Social Wine Tour - 45km?
Team Coastal Ride Leaders take you on a journey to 3 Local Vineyards with SAG Support for those great Wine purchases. Ride starts @ 10:30am departing from River's Bend Winery to Domaine De Chaberton to Township 7 to an Artisan Fair with Food and finally return to River's Bend Winery.

I'll try and post up more rides as I come across them but for now I've made a commitment to ride at least once a weekend till snowboarding season starts.

2010 Ride to Conquer Cancer Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:23:00 +0000

Group Picture at Start of Day 1

Riding in to the Finish Line on Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 01:20:00 +0000

To all who donated and supported me,

Thank you. Without you I wouldn't have been able to make my goal. It is because of you that I get to ride tomorrow. You have helped to recognize that the fight against cancer continues and your gift will help save countless lives.

Tomorrow I ride. 280km to Seattle. I'm nervous yet strangely calm about it. This is probably mymost intense challenge yet, but knowing I have the support of friends like you, I know I'll succeed.

I'll be keeping you apprised of my progress on the ride with pics and comments so look out for them. Also, I've decided to sign up for the ride again next year. Hopefully, you'll either join me or help me towards my goal.

Sincerely,

Sunny Goel

Cycle Rides

noreply@blogger.com (Sunny Goel) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:03:00 +0000

These are some of the routes I've ridden...

Twice around Stanley Park

Vancouver to UBC and back

Pitt Meadows to Fort Langley and Back