Tag Archives: Roadtrips
Bella Coola – Travelogue Part 2
It’s the end of January and I’m looking outside at a grey rainy day, anticipating spring. There’s already snowdrops blooming, but I’m not quite motivated to prep my garden. I remembered how I had planted mounds of heather last year and native plants like salal and kinnikinnick to spread through a barren section under pines […]
Bella Coola – Travelogue Part 1
My mother noted that I have not written in this blog for some time, and it’s true. When I worked at the Carnegie library in the Downtown Eastside my days were full of unusual people, their heartbreaking / dramatic stories, and a roller coaster of stress and relief on an hourly basis. It was a […]
Kiwi roots: a whirlwind visit to NZ
My dad likes to call it the “perfect storm.” Fifty years ago, when he was 25 he managed to graduate from medical school in New Zealand and marry my mom. Fast forward to the present day meant that in December he celebrated his 50th class reunion, his 50th wedding anniversary and his 75th birthday! This […]
True Grit is Female: Respect for Elspeth Beard
I just watched the movie, True Grit (2010) and noticed how the promotional poster highlights the names, Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin. This really bothered me, especially the highlighting of Brolin who plays a bit part, considering that the film is truly about the young teenager, Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) who perseveres to […]
Haida Gwaii Roadtrip (Part Two)
Our luck with good weather continued on Haida Gwaii (see Part One), as we headed down to Aliford Bay for our adventure with Moresby Explorers. We were fortunate to get some spots on a one-day tour of Louise Island by zodiac. While it’s not officially in the Gwaii Haanas reserve, it’s still a Unesco heritage […]
Haida Gwaii Roadtrip (Part One)
Now that I’m back in the city, connected in to the news and all the strange happenings and acts of ignorance in the world, my recent roadtrip to Haida Gwaii with Scott feels a bit surreal. Nonetheless, what a wonderful retreat and adventure it was! We left Vancouver in the wee hours of the morning […]
Vancouver Island (Part 2): Stranded in Sointula with the Salt of the Earth
If you want your faith in humanity restored, I highly recommend having a mechanical breakdown on a remote island, perhaps inhabited by a community established by a former Finnish utopia and see what happens. That experience is essentially the highlight of my latest motorcycle trip with Scott. After exploring Vancouver Island (see Part One), primarily via backroad […]
Vancouver Island (Part 1): Backroads and Beauty
The original plan a year ago was to hoard my vacation days and do an epic trip around the National Parks of the U.S. That didn’t quite work out this year, although it’s still on my bucket list. Instead, Scott and I decided to stay somewhat local, and explore our beautiful province in more detail. […]
Pioneer Road to Kingdom Lake
This past week Scott and I loaded up our motorbikes to explore some places I’ve been meaning to visit not far from Vancouver. We both ride Honda dual sports, and mine was created from two different bikes – a 1985 XR600R (engine) and a 1985 XL600R (frame). It’s essentially a street legal dirtbike, kickstart-only, and […]
“One time I rode”… Storytelling!
Last night, I got to try something new! It’s one thing to write a story and another thing to try to engage an audience and get the nerve to share a story in public! A few weeks ago, Melly posted an invite to join her in a night of motorcycle story-telling at The Shop (a […]
Gasoline Gypsy 