The Via Train was scheduled to leave at 5:15 AM Friday morning. Last year it was 3-4 hours late. I assumed that it would be late again this time. I wasn't disappointed, although this time the train was only 40 or so minutes late. It was nice sitting in the train station , reading the paper, half listening to the conversations of the others waiting for the same train.
When people ask me why I travel, there are a number of answers as to why.... but one of the reasons - perhaps the one that I discuss the least is that I am endlessly fascinated by people and their interactions with others and with their environment. I guess that I am just nosy.; I think my observations skills are less than they use to be. I have less need to use them and I have gotten lazy.
For the first 3 or 4 trips that I made I could easily see in my mind each driver that drove me and each bit of highway that I had stood upon. But the years have blurred such memories. There are spots that I have stood on almost every year. I know the highway shoulders just outside of Winnipeg, Calgary, Medicine Hat, Brandon, Golden, Salmon Arms or Revelstoke as well as I know the sidewalks outside my house. But when I stood on those spot and who picked me up is sometimes at bit vague. I was looking forward to seeing those spots - to touch that ground, to stand there with my thumb out - totally free - totally without any control as to where or when I would get to where ever I was going .
I got in the first car. It was almost empty. I had lots of choices where to sit. My favourite seating is on the right side of the bus or train. Not too sure why except that it is easier for me to sleep leaning against that window. While I was glad to have a seat to myself, the near empty car meant that there were fewer people to look at and possibly have a conversation with.
The train when it arrived was configured a bit differently than last year. On previous trips there had been at least two dinning cars - one for the rich folks that had table cloths and vases for real flowers etc and another one that was, to say the least, less well decorated. However this train only had one dining car and thus I got to have breakfast at a table with a real table cloth.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
On the Road - 2011
While this blog and the others to follow will be written mainly in the present tense, the actual events have occurred two or three weeks in the past.
Traveling up to Subury with the pack in the trunk and listening to Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" I could not help but want to park the car on the side of road, stick out my thumb and start the journey right there and then. I didn't of course - it would have been absurd - but I wanted to. It had taken me a long time to get to this point and I was impatient to get going.
True to my usual way of arranging my life, the last few days before leaving had been hectic - there always seems to be a few lose ends to tie up, people to visit and an apartment to clean. As always there was a sense that I had forgotten to do something.
Part of my sense of either occurring or impending chaos was related to my summer plans. It was potentially going to be a very busy summer. There was a Gathering in Washington State that I really wanted to go to, a smaller regional Gathering in the northern end of Vancouver Island and my son's wedding in mid-August. Of course there were friends to visit and I hoped enough time to do nothing on Salt Spring Island.
I got to Sudbury for supper on Thursday. As I parked the car in the driveway I realized once again that perhaps for the 10th summer that I would from now on be dependant upon other people to drive me - whether they be bus drivers, train engineers or travellers along the highway. I would have no control over any of those people - I would be, for the next 10 weeks, totally dependant upon other people. It was both a scary and a liberating feeling.
Traveling up to Subury with the pack in the trunk and listening to Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" I could not help but want to park the car on the side of road, stick out my thumb and start the journey right there and then. I didn't of course - it would have been absurd - but I wanted to. It had taken me a long time to get to this point and I was impatient to get going.
True to my usual way of arranging my life, the last few days before leaving had been hectic - there always seems to be a few lose ends to tie up, people to visit and an apartment to clean. As always there was a sense that I had forgotten to do something.
Part of my sense of either occurring or impending chaos was related to my summer plans. It was potentially going to be a very busy summer. There was a Gathering in Washington State that I really wanted to go to, a smaller regional Gathering in the northern end of Vancouver Island and my son's wedding in mid-August. Of course there were friends to visit and I hoped enough time to do nothing on Salt Spring Island.
I got to Sudbury for supper on Thursday. As I parked the car in the driveway I realized once again that perhaps for the 10th summer that I would from now on be dependant upon other people to drive me - whether they be bus drivers, train engineers or travellers along the highway. I would have no control over any of those people - I would be, for the next 10 weeks, totally dependant upon other people. It was both a scary and a liberating feeling.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
On the Road Again 2011 - Departure date minus 1
Heart is all a flutter and my mind is about the same. What have I forgotten to pack? Is my pack too heavy? Is there room for a few more things? Do I really need them?
I head to Sudbury within the next day, spend a day there and catch the train to Winnipeg on Friday morning. I have given up on Northern Ontario. I love the land up there and if one is lucky and gets to drive along the shores of Lake Superior on a sunny day - there is nothing more beautiful. But I don't want to take 3 days to get out of this province - so the train it is. With luck I will be on the road west of Winnipeg by 9:00 ish Saturday morning.
I am so excited I can hardly breath. The chance to meet new drivers and to hear their stories is what I dream about all winter. And now the time is almost here when I can start a new adventure. What a grand life I lead!
I head to Sudbury within the next day, spend a day there and catch the train to Winnipeg on Friday morning. I have given up on Northern Ontario. I love the land up there and if one is lucky and gets to drive along the shores of Lake Superior on a sunny day - there is nothing more beautiful. But I don't want to take 3 days to get out of this province - so the train it is. With luck I will be on the road west of Winnipeg by 9:00 ish Saturday morning.
I am so excited I can hardly breath. The chance to meet new drivers and to hear their stories is what I dream about all winter. And now the time is almost here when I can start a new adventure. What a grand life I lead!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
notes on gas prices
I, like most people, do not understand why there is such a fluctuation in gas prices between here and there. For example I was in Sudbury this morning and at some of the gas stations, gas was posted at $1.34 for a liter. In Peterborough this afternoon I saw one gas station advertising a litre for $1.18. While of course both prices are far too high - one has to wonder why gas five hours north of Peterborough is 14 cents more a litre. There is no logic at all.
Had to buy some gas a few miles down 169. I was getting near empty and did not want to risk getting stuck somewhere in the middle of nowhere. So I stopped at a small station that advertised native cigarettes. When I got out of the car a nice gentleman started to fill my tank. He asked if I had a status card and then said - "naw - I guess not". Then we talked about long hair - his was almost as long as mine, then about my beard. He was curious to know if the flies got in it. We then got on to the business of why deer flies always buzz around the back of your head where you can't see them and how he had stuck some flypaper on the back of his brother's hat to trap them. Then he told me this story.
He, his brother and his sister-in-law were sitting in a canoe fishing. Every once in a while his sister-in-law who was in in the middle would hit her husband across the back of the head with a rolled up newspaper. Really hard. he would turn around and asked " what did you do that for?"
She would say " there was a deer fly on your shoulder". Then 5 minutes later she would do the same thing again. After the 4th or 5th time she hit him - he said " I am going to want to see some dead bodies pretty soon!"
Not the funniest joke - but if I have to pay a lot for gas - it sure feels better when there is some human contact that goes along with it.
Had to buy some gas a few miles down 169. I was getting near empty and did not want to risk getting stuck somewhere in the middle of nowhere. So I stopped at a small station that advertised native cigarettes. When I got out of the car a nice gentleman started to fill my tank. He asked if I had a status card and then said - "naw - I guess not". Then we talked about long hair - his was almost as long as mine, then about my beard. He was curious to know if the flies got in it. We then got on to the business of why deer flies always buzz around the back of your head where you can't see them and how he had stuck some flypaper on the back of his brother's hat to trap them. Then he told me this story.
He, his brother and his sister-in-law were sitting in a canoe fishing. Every once in a while his sister-in-law who was in in the middle would hit her husband across the back of the head with a rolled up newspaper. Really hard. he would turn around and asked " what did you do that for?"
She would say " there was a deer fly on your shoulder". Then 5 minutes later she would do the same thing again. After the 4th or 5th time she hit him - he said " I am going to want to see some dead bodies pretty soon!"
Not the funniest joke - but if I have to pay a lot for gas - it sure feels better when there is some human contact that goes along with it.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Bob Rae
I have never voted for a liberal, but if I lived in Toronto Centre (Rae's riding) I think I just might.
I have always liked and more importantly respected the man. I even liked him during the Rae days as that plan allowed me to keep staff on instead of having to fire them. He strikes me as a decent human being who perhaps has never received the recognition that he deserves.
Within weeks of being elected as Premier of Ontario his was being vilified by the business press and within months his support from the unions also was in doubt. He had the bad luck to be elected at a time when the economy was quickly going down the toilet and in spite of the fact that he did more to reduce the provincial expenditures than any other premier before or since, he has been tarred with the belief that he was a big spender who drove down the economy.
He has a long record of looking for compromise and of doing not what is best for him politically - but what he thinks is best for the party and the country.He didn't quit when Dion got elected nor did he cause problems when Ignatieff managed to assume power without being elected. He stayed on, he was effective and supportive. He remain committed to the party. I never saw any comment of his that suggested that he did not support his leader 100%.
Bob Rae's decision to be the interim leader of the Liberal party demonstrates his commitment. I think that there can be no doubt that he wanted to be the Liberal leader and try to become Prime Minister. By agreeing to be the man who will try to rebuild the party he has taken that possibility away from himself. Which is a pity.
We need politicians who can consistently demonstrate that politics can be an honourable profession. We, the public, need to know that there are people who see public office not as a chance to get ahead or to achieve power but rather as a chance to serve the people.
Bob Rae provides a powerful counter balance to Stephen Harper. Canada needs such a person.
I have always liked and more importantly respected the man. I even liked him during the Rae days as that plan allowed me to keep staff on instead of having to fire them. He strikes me as a decent human being who perhaps has never received the recognition that he deserves.
Within weeks of being elected as Premier of Ontario his was being vilified by the business press and within months his support from the unions also was in doubt. He had the bad luck to be elected at a time when the economy was quickly going down the toilet and in spite of the fact that he did more to reduce the provincial expenditures than any other premier before or since, he has been tarred with the belief that he was a big spender who drove down the economy.
He has a long record of looking for compromise and of doing not what is best for him politically - but what he thinks is best for the party and the country.He didn't quit when Dion got elected nor did he cause problems when Ignatieff managed to assume power without being elected. He stayed on, he was effective and supportive. He remain committed to the party. I never saw any comment of his that suggested that he did not support his leader 100%.
Bob Rae's decision to be the interim leader of the Liberal party demonstrates his commitment. I think that there can be no doubt that he wanted to be the Liberal leader and try to become Prime Minister. By agreeing to be the man who will try to rebuild the party he has taken that possibility away from himself. Which is a pity.
We need politicians who can consistently demonstrate that politics can be an honourable profession. We, the public, need to know that there are people who see public office not as a chance to get ahead or to achieve power but rather as a chance to serve the people.
Bob Rae provides a powerful counter balance to Stephen Harper. Canada needs such a person.
Monday, May 23, 2011
How to make a soccer ball
For the last six or so years I have helped my granddaughter make her birthday pinata. Last year, because I couldn't get up there early enough to work on it, I made her a soccer ball here at home without her help. It wasn't quite round - but it was close enough. This year when I asked her what she wanted - she said soccer ball again.
Another soccer ball would not have been my first choice. They are a bit complicated to make but not that creative. After all how hard can it be to make a round pinata with only 2 colours?. The answer is - surprisingly hard. The first problem is that round balloons ( used to provide the shape) are not really round. They are more like fat pears. So you need two "round" balloons each covered with paper mache about two thirds of the surface. I find a couple of coats are needed. DO NOT [PUT THE BALLOONS OUT IN THE SUN TO DRY. Why you ask - 'cause the sun warms up the air inside the balloon, the balloon expands and tears the paper. Then you have to start over. Don't bother to ask me how I know.....
Once the paper mache is dry, cut the balloon and let the air out. If you are lucky, the balloon will separate from the sides and you can pull the rubber out and throw it away. You then have to make the two ends fit together- hopefully with a bit of careful cutting and trimming - they form an almost round shape.
Using masking tape and paper mache seal the seams. White paper towel makes a nice texture on the completed ball. I usually cover the completed ball with white tissue paper.
Now comes the fun part. Traditional soccer balls are made up of hexagons and pentagons. (look up on the Internet how to draw a pentagon - it is not that hard) You must make sure that the side on the pentagon is the same length as a side on the hexagon. How do you know it is the right size you ask. Great question. My answer is that I don't know. I just used trial and error until it looked right.
Use red (or any other colour) tissue paper for the pentagon, draw with a water proof marker the hexagon shapes and you are done.
Sounds pretty easy to me. Here is a picture.
Another hint - be careful of how many layers one applies. I think there is a fine line between making it rigid enough so that it keeps its shape and not making too thick. I may of this year used too many layers. Thinking about bringing up gas for the chain saw.
Another soccer ball would not have been my first choice. They are a bit complicated to make but not that creative. After all how hard can it be to make a round pinata with only 2 colours?. The answer is - surprisingly hard. The first problem is that round balloons ( used to provide the shape) are not really round. They are more like fat pears. So you need two "round" balloons each covered with paper mache about two thirds of the surface. I find a couple of coats are needed. DO NOT [PUT THE BALLOONS OUT IN THE SUN TO DRY. Why you ask - 'cause the sun warms up the air inside the balloon, the balloon expands and tears the paper. Then you have to start over. Don't bother to ask me how I know.....
Once the paper mache is dry, cut the balloon and let the air out. If you are lucky, the balloon will separate from the sides and you can pull the rubber out and throw it away. You then have to make the two ends fit together- hopefully with a bit of careful cutting and trimming - they form an almost round shape.
Using masking tape and paper mache seal the seams. White paper towel makes a nice texture on the completed ball. I usually cover the completed ball with white tissue paper.
Now comes the fun part. Traditional soccer balls are made up of hexagons and pentagons. (look up on the Internet how to draw a pentagon - it is not that hard) You must make sure that the side on the pentagon is the same length as a side on the hexagon. How do you know it is the right size you ask. Great question. My answer is that I don't know. I just used trial and error until it looked right.
Use red (or any other colour) tissue paper for the pentagon, draw with a water proof marker the hexagon shapes and you are done.
Sounds pretty easy to me. Here is a picture.Another hint - be careful of how many layers one applies. I think there is a fine line between making it rigid enough so that it keeps its shape and not making too thick. I may of this year used too many layers. Thinking about bringing up gas for the chain saw.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Transition time
It is that time of the year when I move from the somewhat stable - perhaps even predictable - some would say a rather conservative being to my other persona - "hitchhiker". I don't mean to suggest that I am not stable when I travel - if anything I need to be more structured and careful in my thinking - but rather that I have absolutely no way of predicting how or when I will get there. It takes a certain amount of discipline to be able to let go (yes I am aware of the paradoxical nature of that statement). Making the move from one lifestyle to the other is always a somewhat difficult transition and this year it feels as if it has been harder than usual. Although I suspect that I say that every year.
School responsibilities have hung on longer than normal.and I don't feel as organized as I could/should about my trip. For example - I still have not decided what day to leave nor have I checked out my gear. Maybe next week I will get those things done.
Perhaps it is the weather - it is so hard to think about summer when it feels as if one can count on the fingers of one hand how many really nice days we have had in the past month or so.
BUT I am excited - for the last 6-8 weeks I have been dreaming of the rides I have got in the past and the rides that I will get this year. Rich fantasies of making it from Winnipeg to Duncan even faster than I did last year - although unless I get picked up by a couple mad people who drive 20 hours a day - I don't see how that is possible. I lay in bed and remember what the Rockies look like as one makes that long sweeping turn on the Trans-Canada some where between Calgary and Canmore....and there they are. Lord, they are majestic!!! But the soft fields of Manitoba and Saskatchewan and the gently rolling roads of the foot hills are equally as wonderful.
And then there are the people - what new stories will I be told? What lessons will I be given? Oh I am so ready to be on my way.
School responsibilities have hung on longer than normal.and I don't feel as organized as I could/should about my trip. For example - I still have not decided what day to leave nor have I checked out my gear. Maybe next week I will get those things done.
Perhaps it is the weather - it is so hard to think about summer when it feels as if one can count on the fingers of one hand how many really nice days we have had in the past month or so.
BUT I am excited - for the last 6-8 weeks I have been dreaming of the rides I have got in the past and the rides that I will get this year. Rich fantasies of making it from Winnipeg to Duncan even faster than I did last year - although unless I get picked up by a couple mad people who drive 20 hours a day - I don't see how that is possible. I lay in bed and remember what the Rockies look like as one makes that long sweeping turn on the Trans-Canada some where between Calgary and Canmore....and there they are. Lord, they are majestic!!! But the soft fields of Manitoba and Saskatchewan and the gently rolling roads of the foot hills are equally as wonderful.
And then there are the people - what new stories will I be told? What lessons will I be given? Oh I am so ready to be on my way.
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