Mount Washington

Last week, I was lucky enough to get up on the Comox Glacier. You could see Mount Washington about 30+ kms away and a tad lower. Back east, I have been lucky enough to climb Mount Washington in New Hampshire numerous times, and last year even got to run up the beast.. I always wanted to bike up it as well, but they only allow that during their annual race.

What's the answer? Bike up Mount Washington here of course. I got that done today on another sunny day in Paradise. Great to leave the house with a lunch, some water and a fleece top. The ride from Courtenay took an hour. The slog up 16 kms of 8-12% grade took a tad over 2 hours more. I was on a mountain bike that is a tad small for me and has a big cushy, bouncy saddle, so a decent percentage of my effort was not directed towards getting me up the mountain. In low gear pretty much all the way.

Looking back on Comox Glacier was too cool. My quads still hurt from that hike. Body parts don't recover like they did in my 30's.

The ride down took less than 30 minutes and was a blast. Had to peddle 2 small sections, the rest was easy flow and at times a tad speedy (like when your helmet wants to lift off your head)

I'm about ready to blow this popsicle stand and go hike Repack Mountain just north of San Francisco. It's where mountain biking got it's start. I was there hiking with Dutch buddy Alex Oppedijk back in the late 70's (or early 80's, the detail escapes me)

Dipper buys new gear! Stock market in turmoil

It has been intimated that I keep things past their due date. Cars, clothes, sports gear, flotsam and jetsam. Well no more! Thanks to the generosity of the Gonzo 'croo at the various going-away parties, I had a tidy stash of $$$ that was supposed to be spent in some unique way. Me buying new gear is pretty unique, so here goes.

In the picture above, Tevas, shorts, a fleece top and...GASP! a new knapsack. I know, not a big deal to most of the planet, but to me, a serious personal growth issue. I had the original 40 liter bag since 1979 and it has seen it's share of fun. I even lent it a few times to people travelling oveseas and down south. I get attached to all my stuff and especially my gear.

The average age of the gear that is being replaced is 15 years. Just take a second to let that sink in. 15 years. I like to be the last person to use anything I own. You'll never see me hawking stuff at the Canada Day Marina party.

The new bag is a Deuter, and I love it already. I could go into minute detail about why I love it, but hey! I hope to have this bag for years, so you'll get to hear my story somewhere along the line.

So, thanks again to those who contributed to my new look.

Comox Glacier

Wow!

I first saw the Comox Glacier in the late 70's. Wanted to go up then but other than day-hiking in Switzerland, had not spent any time up in mountains. Of course, once the Gonzo Adventure Club started hiking, these things became possible. Saw the Glacier again in 2007, but my travel list was quite full. Relatives to see for the first time, bungy-jumping, surfing, floatplanes and hot springs took up my time.

Out to visit family again on my way to NWZ and I can see the Glacier from my sister's house. I HAVE to get up that beast. My sister did her thing and next thing you know I'm on a waiting list for a 3 day hike. The list doesn't move for a month, but my contact (Ken Rodonet) is nice enough to hook with up with a private hike that will take just the one day. Excellent. I like a challenge. As it turns out the challenge was a 14 hour dayhike that we pushed a little and did in 12. Yousa! Longest dayhike up a mountain before was maybe 9 hours. Those few extra hours have a cost. I feel like hamburger all over.

We meet up the night before the hike and drive 2 hours to the trailhead to campout. The road requires a 4 wheel drive and the a long wheelbase as there are dozens of de-certified culverts along the way. Any one of them would swallow my sister's car whole. My fellow hikers were an experienced, multi-talented, accomplished 'croo (Will Wright, Linda, Bob, Loren, George and Tim). People had travelled and hiked and climbed all over the world. They knew Vancouver Island's mountains and caves inside out. I was pretty sure that we could handle any situation that might occur.

Up before dawn to pack up and start hiking at first light (6:00 Am). It took 2 hours to top the ridge and we climbed a solid 2000 feet in that time frame. Lots of ongoing chit chat and a few breaks for water and clothing adjustments. The weather was gorgeous, sunny and very clear with a light, cool breeze. Hike leader Will pointed out a lot of neighbouring peaks and lakes. We could see for many kilometers. The mountains here are higher and newer than back east, and they have snow!

There were a lot of little tricky bits on this climb, some including ropes for handholds. Definitely a bit more challenging than Mount Washington in New Hampshire. It took a full 7 hours to hit the top of the glacier. 7 hours! That's a full day for me. Time to crack a few beers. Oddly enough, I had a Tuborg with me, as I love to celebrate peaks with a beer, but with 5-6 hours of hiking left, I decided to leave the little canned joy in my knapsack. So much for my old trailname - Tuborg.

Of course, by new-ish trailname is Dipper. I WILL swim anywhere. I wasn't going to miss this opportunity, and got in a chilly submersion in a little pool on top of the glacier plateau (5000+ ft). Didn't go for the one with ice still in it. Be-still my heart.

The hike back was over 5 hours. I figure my knees gave out at about 3 hours and my quads the last hour or so. I was wearing my water shoes, not the best choice for hiking period. They slid around a bit and have the best foot contact at times.

We went out for dinner, schmoozed a bit and then it was back to my sister's. I fell asleep on the couch, then in the tub with water in it, in the tub with no water in it, on the bed in my skivvies, then finally in the bed itself.

Seize the day? I certainly did that!

Elderly man visits Fanny Bay

I just spent 2 weeks Wwoofing for Barbara and Bryne Odegard at Ironwood Farm in Fanny Bay. It was a very rewarding time that will have an even more positive effect on me over time. Outdoors all day, lots of sun, picking, weeding and planting. I finished off most days with a run, a beer and an outdoor shower. We ate outside on the deck, the meals were abundant, the desserts amazing and the conversations with the hosts and other Wwoofers ranged from the silly to the sublime.

Over the 2 weeks, I shared space with people from New Zealand, B.C, Manitoba, Czech and Germany. Everyone had done quite a bit of travelling already in their lives and there were many great stories. Backpackers tend to be a positive, chill, resourceful crowd. Wwoofers are willing to work all day for room&board, so they will always have an interesting life story.

What makes Ironwood special is the hosts Barbara, Bryne (and Barbara's Mom, Oma, a life-force in her own right and the maker of desserts to die for). They have hosted 500-600 Wwoofers over the years, This means that every week or so they introduce another 3-4 people into the extended Ironwood family. People from all over the world, speaking many different languages, with different cultural backgrounds and life experiences. How cool is that? Barbara and Bryne work harder than anyone I have ever met and yet are also 2 of the coolest, accepting, attentive people I have met as well. Their organic farm may get smaller over the years, but I certainly hope that they continue to host Wwoofers for many years to come.

Being at Ironwood is really a life-changing experience. If you are a traveller, you are looking for something. You can find it at Ironwood.