Ready to Start

 

Nic and Ozzie on Bobsled

The 2024 ride season got underway today. First ride of the year and first since the holidays. It's been rough. I had to survive some big repair bills on my car and bike, and the body is getting used to the saddle again. But it's good to be back. 

Our Dog Days

Subo and us made it up to 7th for the first time in what seemed like ages last weekend. It was Ozzie's first time on that trail so I'd have to assume we hadn't ridden 7th at all last year.

It was like visiting an old friend. We all had a good ride and decided the next weekend we'd dial up another stranger.

We shuttled up to CBC and rode the classic CBC Neds lap. Another trail combo we hadn't done in years. Hats off to the trail builders. Neds and CBC both are now challenging enough to keep you on your toes, but have enough flow to make you feel like you can actually ride a bike! It was such a great day of riding, and just enough for the brown bear who was zonked when done.

Nic rides some wood work on CBC and Ozzie shows her the way to the bridge.

Sometimes when you find yourself of trails you haven't ridden in a while, everything can just click right in. I left the day stoked to head back up to CBC again, maybe in October. It was such a good ride!

Sunday we took our paddle boards up to Brohm lake north of Squamish. It took Ozzie just a few seconds to hitch a ride with Nic.These photos were staged, of course, but you can take my word for it. As soon as he saw Nic getting settled on her board he wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

My mind often wanders back to February 2022 when Nic was apprehensive about getting a dog. Yesterday he joined her on her first paddle in many years.  Ozzie has been a perfect fit for us.

Just Monkey

Life is life. It goes, it changes again and again and then it ends...as all things do. I have recently ended my career as a Karate-ka. In March I announced what could be interpreted as a soft retirement from something I have done for the past 16 years. I still remember the day my sister invited me to try Karate with her and her husband in Tsawassen. Seems a long time ago. It was a small decision that would have a huge impact on my life, including a year in Japan, the driver for starting this blog. But now so many years into my training, a body that seems to refuse to get more flexible, and a level of enthusiasm that just cannot make up for it. I decided that my heart wasn't where it needed to be to set a good example for my kohai. Looking back now, I should have stopped grading after Shodan. Maybe my only regret in my karate training life. It did make me a better person and I met some amazing people, some of whom I consider friends. 

Never say never, I may re-surface with an occasional drop in.

Until very recently, this is the last photo I have from a ride with my wife. Here she is with our good friend Brett.  Later that day, we would drive in Surrey to change our lives forever.

We met and picked up our Chocolate Lab, Ozzie, from the breeder who brought him down from Burns Lake.

This of course was over 2 months ago now. Just about every photo on my phone since is of Ozzie.  But here online, just so I never forget the day we were finally able to own a puppy.

Crazy cute, we loved him instantly.

And our neighbours kids were excited for us. They came over on the first day to help us walk him.

Chris chills next to our sleeping puppy...

...and later that day the Eatons would come over. Ozzie would snore in Izzys lap the whole time they were visiting.

This Ozzie watching the Canucks play Buffalo.

Nic and I have been taking turns going on rides most weekends. I often wake up and do a solo lap so she can ride with friends at the normal time. This all of course while Ozzie grows to a point where he can be a trail dog without us worrying about wrecking his joints. We should be green light on this by June 2023, I hope.

My first week with him, I had to be at my desk at 5:30am for Powershell training. Considering I would sleep on the couch for the first 3 days while we worked on crate training, I'd be surprised if I remembered any of my training.

One thing he does well is sleep when I need to ignore him.

For some reason this picture always reminds me of Bilbo Baggins in the animated Hobbit movie from the 1970's.

He's getting big fast, and turning into a tank. Heavy and dense even for his size, he can really pull on his leash when he wants to.

We keep him busy. Its maybe not be a wise choice to allow him on the couch, but I think we'll only ever get to do the puppy thing once in our lives so 'F' it as they say. Watching him konk out on Nic's lap from time to time is worth it.

Being puppy parents, as you might guess, comes with challenges. But my life is completely different now and I wanted that after being pretty much the same guy for past several years. 

Nic has a few nicknames for Ozzie, the main one being Monkey, because that's what he is.

Karate out, Ozzie in. For now at least, this blog is Just about Monkey. And bike rides and board games I guess. 

Check out these puppy playing videos.
 

How to lose friends and kill your Mom's dog

Nic and I headed to Vancouver Island this September. Finally it was time to visit my Mom on her birthday after almost a year. We tied in a ride trip with friends Sue and Lubo. The weather is cooling off now as I write this, so I'm doubly glad we got 1 last trip in before we hunker down for fall. 

I've spent a lot of time at my Mom's over the years. Her Cocker Spaniel became one of my favourite ride buddies. He's 13 now. This trip I knew would be his last ride, but I still wanted to get him out one more time. I can't read doggy minds, but I'd like to think he'd have rather come out for one last trip up Mt. Tzouhalem and endure what ended being quite a challenging ride for him.

He put his heart into as best he could, but the age was more apparent than I'd thought. He kept up as best he could, but has lost his hearing now it seems. I was happy to ride slow for him to keep up, but when he can't hear you and loses sight of you when you wander off, you know its leash only walks from now on.

He showed good spirit through shaking legs. I helped into the back of SUV to return the trail legend to his owner. 

We showered up and bought take out for my mom's Birthday from the Old Firehouse Cocktail Bar and Grill. Full marks for this place. We'll definitely be going back next chance we get. 

We had a pleasant visit out on her back patio and called it a night. 

Sue and Lubo met us back at the Parking lot the next day. Double D and then a long haul back up to Danilyzer. Plus a short detour to see the view over Cowichan Bay. 

Most of these images are courtesy of Lubo.

Once done, a quick meal at the Shady Rest in Qualicum and then over to the riding fool in Cumberland. Their first time, my 5th?

UROC has built an amazing climbing trail called Soba No Michi, or Grandmothers trail. We had a long time to idle up to Thirsty Beaver to be advised it was probably to slippery.  We improvised as best we could, finding Blue Print, and then getting re-acquainted with Bear Buns, Tea Pot, all of Crafty Butcher and 2 Flats.

Between the ride in Duncan, and the long climb up to the TB, legs started to pack it in around the end of Teapot. I urged them to try Crafty with me, but that trail was longer and more flat landing than I remembered.

Travel tip, carry beers in your pack for when Lubo gets cranky on longer than advertised rides.

 

It was a full 4 expedition in the Cumberland forest. Sue started riding gnarly skinnies at the end because she was too tired to get off her bike. LOL. Having done the big Chilcotin float plane trip a year earlier, I know we'd have survived up there longer. But rest was needed before heading to the Waverly for dinner and the brewery for some interested drinks. 

Subo met us for lunch again the following weekend so I guess the friendship continues.=)

 No legs left for a day 3 ride though. Nic and I said our goodbyes to our friends and headed for the ferry.