Rural Manitoba

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There’s nothing like a road trip. Getting out of the city exploring, and knowing that I was going to be laid up for the next couple months was the perfect motivation to get out and do just that. So on what started out as an overcast Monday in the middle of June, Claire and I took to the road with no agenda or real destination in mind. The weather co-operated, and we had a great day driving, listening to music, and of course stopping when we felt like it to take some pictures along the way. It was a fun day, and a great reminder that you don’t always need to go a long way to find some great subjects.

Canadian Cyclocross Championships

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Canadian Cyclocross Championships Course

Canadian Cyclocross Championships Course

Saturday was a beautiful late fall day in Winnipeg. The temperatures reached the mid to upper teens – well above normals, so you couldn’t ask for a better day to head down to The Forks and take in the Canadian Cyclocross Championships. I had a friend (Stephen Page shown in the image) in from Victoria to ride in the event, and Saturday morning he was racing in the Master 40+ M/H event.

The first thing to strike me upon arriving was the magnitude of the event. It seemed as if the majority of The Forks was being used for the course. It was very well done and quite impressive. It consisted of a 3.2km course with features including some intense hills, gravel and a very difficult looking stretch of sand filled switchbacks down by the river.

It was a top notch event that riders and spectators flocked from both near and far to attend, and by all accounts was an outstanding success!

 

Stephen Page

Stephen Page

 

St. Boniface

Gratefulness

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It hadn’t been the year that was hoped for in Winnipeg this year. Coldest winter in – well a very long time. If you want to get technical I think it was the 3rd coldest winter in over 100 years. We had a good stretch in the summer for 4 or 5 weeks, but that doesn’t totally calm the angry mobs. The reality though is this is Winnipeg, and as long as we live here, we know what we are in for weather wise, and have to be willing to accept it. Some places have perpetual rain, some intense heat, and others tornadoes. Maybe cold isn’t the worst of the negatives we could be stuck with.

In any event when its 28 degrees and almost October, there isn’t much to complain about. Find a patio, and order a pint. Cheers!!

Demo Derby

Demolition Derby

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It was a cooler day today but the excitement at the track kept us all warm. Today, September 13th, 2014 was the Kingdom Demolition Derby at Red River Co-op Speedway, and Becky’s boyfriend Adam was a driver. It was the first time I’d been to a demolition derby, and it was a cool experience.

There were some pretty intense collisions, with a high percentage of them coming from the few women that drove in the event. It was amazing that some of the cars were even able to move after some of the abuse they took

One car even had its back end smashed in to past its rear tires (which were seized) and somehow it made it to the end of its heat.

Adams car took some serious abuse in a few crashes and didn’t last the heat, but he had a great time and it was a lot of fun for us all.

Butterfly

Another Summer Gone

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Its hard to believe another summer has come and gone, but the signs are all there. Football has started, hockey is right around the corner, the days are noticeably shorter, and the weather cooler – well cold as of tonight. While after last winter I was determined to not spend another winter in Winnipeg, sometimes things don’t work out according to out plans and desires.

That said it has been a good year with lots of progress. My leg is continuing to improve, work is going well, and both kids have started on their their post secondary educations after a brief hiatus. Maybe I’m not holding a Royal Flush, but there’s nothing wrong with a full house!