Here I go again on my own….

 

Well, today is the first day of the rest of my trip. I am leaving Vancouver and heading up the Sea to Sky highway through Squamish, Whistler and Lillooet – then heading down Hwy 1 (TransCanada) to Hope for a side  trip – turning around and heading back to the Hwy 1 / 8 junction and continuing on to Merritt. I will eventually be going on from Merritt to Princeton and the nheading back in an easterly direction to Penticton, where I plan on heading north again into peach-country and on up into Kelowna.

I don’t know how far I will make it today – it is, of course, pouring rain again and cool. I would really like to take in the sights at Whistler and Blackcomb, but the weather forecast calls for rain right through until at least Thursday.

Another trip will just have to go into the old planning machine, lol.

So, yesterday was a different day altogether. The weather was beautiful – 20 degrees and sunny – which of course meant that a great ride was in order.

Never having been on a motorcycle, Sophia borrowed a helmet from her sister and hopped on the back – and off we went to visit Vancouver Island. We took the ferry from Tsawwassen to Victoria (Schwartz Bay) and then rode the scenic route along the coast before breaking off and heading up to Nanaimo, where we boarded the ferry back to the mainland.

All told it was about a 10 hour day, and it was fantastic. The views were amazing, the ferry rides were very enjoyable, and Sophia turned out to be a pretty darned good passenger.

Sophia took me out for supper afterwards to a popular Vancouver restaurant / bar known as Rogue. The food was great – and other than that one incident where our waitress dropped an entire tray of waters and drinks smack-dab in the middle of our table – the experience was wonderful. I actually went ahead and filled out a comment card commending Mel, our waitress, for keeping her poise and maintaining her cool in a situation that would have found many wait-staff overwhelmed. Well done Mel.

Of course, having an accident like that happen at our table probably worked in Mel’s favor. Sophia and I had already had far too good a day to let anything spoil it, and we found ourselves laughing about it and helping Mel to straighten things up.

After dinner we took one last walk aroung downtown, strolling through Gastown once more – my favourite part of the city – and then called it a night. We had a really interesting conversation with a young couple that we met on the Skytrain while heading back to Burnaby. The young woman was voicing her opinion over the new crime bill, and sounded discouraged that addicted offenders are now going to be facing minimum sentence periods of incarceration.

I, of course, had to toss in my two cents.

I mentioned that addicted offenders still have the opportunity to opt into a Drug Treatment Court program. The young lady gave me a kind of disparaging look, as if to say ‘big deal’ – so I mentioned that it had worked for me, and that after 18 years of crack addiction and 4 years of being on the streets I am now approaching 6 years of being clean and sober.

It was at this point that the young lady began to cry.

A soul overflowing with compassion and the willingness to help, she works part-time at a local Elizabeth Fry Society, and volunteers at the Vancouver community court. She is afraid that offenders who are in conflict with the law due to their addictions are no longer going to be able to get help.

We talked for 20 minutes or so, shared some laughs and some experiences, exchanged hugs and went on about our evenings, and our lives. Maybe just a little more enriched. I know mine is. I thank god that there are people like this young woman who are so passionate about helping people like me. Without them, I would not be writing this. And that my friends, is the god’s honest truth.

Sophia, you were a wonderful host. Thank you so much for putting me up – and putting up with me – for the last 5 days. It has been a true pleasure to have a friend show me around one of our country’s most beautiful cities and I thoroughly enjoyed your company.

And now, it is time once again to pack up my trusty steed and hit the open road. If you don’t hear from me for a couple of days it is only because I am camping in the mountains. And enjoying the hell out of my life.

Between Victoria and Nanaimo

A bunch of pictures from the ferry rides and Victoria are right here.

Ok. The bike is packed.

Let’s ride!

One Day At A Time

 

Well, today was my last ‘take it easy’ day in Vancouver. I did not even roll off the couch until sometime after 10:00am.

Oh yes – let me make sure that point is cleared up. A friend of mine sent me a ‘Quagmire’ – like text this morning alluding to my waking up with Sophia. I am sleeping on the couch.

I guess my wording in previous posts may have left the reader open to the idea that I was sleeping with Sophia, as opposed to merely at Sophia’s.

I assure you – not that you care – but it is important for me to be clear that this is not the case.

So, I got up late, surfed around the ‘net for a while, eventually showered and finally left the apartment at about 1:30 in the afternoon. I brought my rain suit with me –ah-ha, prepared – so of course it did not rain. Actually this afternoon turned out to be one of the nicest that I have experienced thus far.

I rode back downtown – snapped a couple of pics of the local emergency shelters – went to yet another mall searching for an Otterbox for my new phone (to no avail), rode down to the yacht club, and eventually made my way back to New Westminster and went to an AA meeting at a local, privately run treatment facility.

I have not been to a treatment facility meeting in a long, long time. And it was precisely what I needed.

There was one gentleman there who had just completed the in-house program and he is moving out in the morning. There were also two new, younger lads there who had only arrived this afternoon. Tonight was their first meeting at the house. They did not share much. But it did appear that they were listening. And hoping. Hoping that somehow, maybe – this might work for them too.

The ‘old-timers’ who were present – including a gentleman who works the overnights there in the house – did their best to help these new lads feel some hope. Through the sharing of some experience, and some strength.

I am honoured to have been a small part of that. At first seen as a bit of a novelty – a middle-aged guy crossing the country on a motorcycle in search of who-knows-what – I was quickly treated to hand-shakes, questions, suggestions and well wishes. As always, I was once again amazed at how welcomed any newcomer / out-of-towner is made to feel at a good, healthy meeting. And this is definitely a good – even great- meeting.

Thank you once again, my higher power. For doing for me that which I cannot do for myself.

The Salvation Army – DTES

The Yacht Club

New Westminster

Cheers,

My dogs are barking….

Today was a day of laundry. And a day of walking. A lot of walking.
As I type this I am nursing a very sore foot with a recently drained blister. The way it feels right now, tomorrow will not entail much walking. Which, of course, leaves an opportunity for riding. Something I did not do at all today. As a matter of fact, I did not even start my bike today. Something that has not happened since I put her on the road this season.
Sophia and I got up and hit the laundry-mat early this morning – a classic little Chinese laundry run by an elderly couple – him seeming to do everything wrong, and her chattering away in Mandarin, or Cantonese, or I don’t know – it’s all Chinese to me.
We were all done within 90 minutes. A quick trip back to Sophia’s to drop off our newly cleaned garments, and then we were off on an adventure into the down town lower east side – DTES – Gastown and Chinatown. Those who know me well know that I am one of those odd men who actually enjoys shopping. Walking through a crowded, eclectic district full of shops and store-fronts can occupy an entire day for me – and it did so today.
We started out by walking into Chinatown and then onto East Hastings street – the heart of the DTES. We dropped by InSite and spoke with Ashley, the young lady working behind the desk who is the point of contact for the person coming in off the street who has decided to use safely. I congratulated Ashley and her peers and co-workers for the work that they are doing – in the face of some hefty odds – to help save lives.
InSite
I have heard so many different stories, tales and interpretations of what the DTES represents and embodies. Most people have described it to me as a street full of pain and despair; of ruined lives and waiting death; of danger, horror and darkness.
I have a different take on the picture that I saw unfold before and around me.
I saw a community. One that has pulled together and does what it can to support those lost within it. Lost to us. Once within this community, I get the feeling that most ‘individuals’ feel found. Feel part of. Feel like they too, are no longer alone.
The community that I am referring to is, of course, made up entirely of the disenfranchised and the desperate. Addicted and afraid. Sickly and suppurating. Skittish and sketchy.
Those are the terms that we hear – and use – when we are trying to describe what we feel when we walk the DTES.
We forget to describe what we see.
I saw a community of men and women – boys and girls – young and elderly – black, white, aboriginal and native – doing what they can to help each other out. Pulling together to get a brother what he needs; to provide a sister with whatever it is that she is screaming to find; directing a an addict who is dope-sick to the guy who has what he needs. I saw two full length city blocks lined with the wares of gypsy marketers'-  blankets laid out and filled with objects that you and I would toss into the trash. Things we think are no longer useful. Because in our lives, these items no longer serve a purpose.
But in the lives of this struggling, hard-scrabble community, every trinket has value. Every item has a use. Every possession has a price.
The trading was brisk. Almost every blanket had an individual attending to the sales end of the exchange, while several potential buyers jostled with each-other to get that ‘must-have’ item into their own hands in order to begin the bartering banter. Money changed hands at every square. When money was not visible, cupped palms and hushed voices indicated that more illicit forms of payment were being offered.
Sophia and I walked the 6 block length of the DTES without even once being approached by a panhandler. Not one individual tried to sell us anything. No one even asked me for a smoke. As a matter of fact, the only question that I was asked was when an guy with an unlit joint in his mouth asked me if If had a lighter.
There was not a single moment when I felt unsafe. Or uncomfortable. As a matter of fact, there were times during our walk when I noticed that it was I who felt invisible. It is not a nice feeling. To correct that, I made eye contact, and said things like ‘what’s up’ or ‘hey man’ – and found myself acknowledged in return.
A lesson in humility.

Here is a link to an article about a man who also see's more in the DTES than most...

http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2012/01/18/reality-show-gastown-gamble-tells-save-on-meats-story/

We travelled from there on into Gastown. A very hip, chic, artsy part of Vancouver. We walked in and out of so many different shops that I cannot possibly remember the number or the names. And I shopped. And bought stuff. And walked more. And took lots of pictures. And discovered a city that appeals to me as much as any city ever has – and much more than most.
Gastown

I am a visitor here in Vancouver. And I feel at home. What the hell do I do with that?
Pictures from today DTES and Gastown

A new chapter; new friends; a new phone

 

The weather has turned back to cool and rainy. Surprise, surprise.

Ah well. As Steven Wright has pointed out – ‘you can’t have everything – where would you put it?’

I got the call from Carter’s Motorsports at around noon telling me that I could pick up my bike at anytime. This, of course, brought a smile to my face.

Of course, even this experience did not come off without a hitch.

Sophia dropped me off at the shop to pick up my bike. As I was gathering my gear from her car, I absentmindedly placed my GPS and my cell phone on the roof of her car, grabbed my helmet from the trunk, my jacket from the backseat, leaned in to say thank you, snatched my GPS from the roof – and 45 seconds later realized something terrible had happened.

But there was hope, right. Very little traffic had passed. All would be fine. The universe was working with me and all was about to be okay again – all I had to do was walk back up the street, paying attention to where a cellphone might land, and then…..

RRRRRRRrrroorororrororoooooommmmmmm…….a very large truck happened by.

This is the second Blackberry that I have killed in less than 1 year. The first one I lost from my outside vest pocket while riding to Pembroke last July. I had received a phone call before starting out and placed my phone in my vest instead of an inside pocket. Careless.

This time, I left my phone on the roof of a car. Careless.

So, a trip to Future Shop, an hour of my time, and a sweet-talk phone call to Rogers Customer relations allowed me to walk away with a new Nokia Lumia 900 at a very acceptable price.

Acceptable is, of course, relative. And subjective. I admit that it would have been much, much more acceptable to have been responsible in the first place, but, spilled milk and all that,….

After attending to the ramifications of my momentary ineptitude, I scooted off to the Horse Shoe Bay area of North Vancouver for my introduction to the guys – and gal – from the CMC 056 Vancouver chapter.

Of course, this is when the skies were preordained to open up and pour on me. And me, with no rain gear…….can you say lack of focus.

I blame part of that on Sophia. She takes great pleasure in being distracting. In a way that can almost be downright cruel, but I digress. I guess I have to take the brunt of the blame for my own lack of focus.

I finally made it to the Meet and Greet. A little late. A lot wet. And was really well received. 6 members from the 056 were on hand to greet the guy from out of town, and once again I was made to feel like a well known friend who had been away for a while. We went to a little Chinese food joint down the block, shared stories, ate good food, and experienced the camaraderie of like minded people interested in similar things. DrMucker and Scotty-004 are both camera buffs – DrMucker has several GoPro videos on YouTube and has inspired me in the past – likely to do so again, I am sure.

DrMucker, Scotty-004, Pathfinder and the rest of you – thank you very much. I am pleased to have met you – and hope to ride with you on Sunday.

I was not able to stay as long as I would have liked – it was already going on 8:00pm and the rain was not letting up – but I was there long enough to know that I have once again made life-long friends in a city far, far away from home. I cannot overstate what that means to a man like me, who spent so much of his life tossing friendships aside in the pursuit of darker needs.

I continue to learn that my life is beautiful, and that all I need do is remember to keep it simple.

Like taking a motorcycle ride for no reason other than the ride.

Peace.

Chinese Food with 056

Members of the 056

DrMucker

Vancouver. Glorious.

 

I arrived in Vancouver yesterday. Around 3:00pm local time I pulled into a prearranged meeting spot and called my friend Sophia, who had agreed to put me up at her place for a couple of days. I was about to take a few days out of the saddle, and that sounded just fine to me.

Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing I enjoy more than riding my motorcycle. Those who know me, know this to be true. But after 10 days of almost entirely wet riding, I was ready for a break.

The ride from Princeton, BC to Vancouver is one that I am so very happy to have experienced. The route is highway 3, through the Cascade Mountains and EC Manning Provincial Park, on to Hope, BC and onto the TransCanada Highway for the rest of the journey into Vancouver.

The temperatures while riding through the Cascade mountains were the coldest I have ever ridden in. I would not be surprised if it was 4 degrees or less. I actually rode through snow flurries. My hands were freezing, and I frequently dropped my left onto the rear cylinder head of my bikes motor in order to try to get it warm. Not having cruise control, there was nothing I could do for my right hand until I was on one of the ever steepening down-hill grades. Here I would squeeze the clutch with my left and drop my right onto the cylinder head – though not for long. The curves and twisties on this section of highway 3 are as incredible – and potentially deadly – as any found along her length.

I cannot express enough how much fun highway 3 is to ride. I can only imagine what she would be like in  warm sunshine, where the riders’ only focus is the highway and the environs – with no thought of cold, rain, and general discomfort.

I have made a promise to myself that I shall live this experience. Maybe not this time, on this journey. But I will return to the 3. Count on it.

I shot some GoPro footage of the ride from Princeton, into the Cascades and through to Hope and on to Vancouver. I will post this footage on YouTube when I get back home – I cannot commit to taking time out from my trip to render, edit and upload the video before then. I have previewed some of it – and you can feel the ride.

After arriving yesterday my friend Sophia took me to Commercial Drive. The timing was perfect as the Italian Day Festival was going on, and ‘The Drive’ was curb-to-curb people for 20 blocks or more. A penultimate example of Vancouver’s Bohemian flavour / sub-culture. I thoroughly enjoyed the different expressions of ‘me’ that the locals were displaying. There is absolutely no concern of how others might perceive – or what others may think. ‘This is me’ is what it is all about in Vancouver. Which, along with the stunning natural beauty of the area, is what makes Vancouver, Vancouver.

We later walked the waterfront and some of downtown, and I continued to be the tourist, snapping pictures and asking questions. Enjoying the hell out of myself, quite simply.

Vancouver Twilight.

Vancouver water front.

Today, Sophia took me to Stanley Park. Another example of the beauty that is the west coast of Canada. We walked the length of the Lions Gate bridge – my calf muscles are feeling it now, trust me – and was treated to some incredible vantage points to see Vancouver, North Vancouver and the harbour.

The weather today was the nicest that I have experienced thus far - 22 degrees and sunny. And I rode for approximately 20 kilometers. To a local bike shop for an oil change and routine minor maintenance, including an inspection of my chain and sprockets. Oh, and to have my speedometer repaired. It quit working on my ride on the 3A on Saturday. I had run straight into a standing pool of water that had to be at least 8 inches deep and my speedometer quit then and there. Here’s to hoping that it is a quick, simple and inexpensive fix.

Tomorrow morning will see me visiting North Vancouver via Sky Train, and whatever else comes along. Maybe a trip to Gastown. Or China Town.

Tomorrow evening I plan on attending a Meet and Greet with the Vancouver 056 chapter of the CMC. After that, an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting somewhere in Vancouver.

And hopefully, picking my baby up from the shop.

Todays pictures are here.

More from Vancouver tomorrow my faithful travelers.