Friday Night with Jay

Well Jay and I had a couple years of drinking to make up and we decided to try to do it all in one night I think. After a chill day of catching up on stuff and going to a little BBQ with Brenden Jay and I headed to the bar uptown to watch the Pens win The Cup. After the game which was over at like 8 because of the time difference we came back for a little jam before heading downtown to Sneakies. The bar was good with a 3 piece band and everything. We drank and chilled out night. The pictures probably tell the story better than I can so check them out for the details of that night.

Johnny

Royal Tyrrell Museum and Into the Rockies

The morning brought the visit to the Royal Tyrrell Museum to see some dinosaur fossils. The museum was amazing. One of the best ones I have ever been too. It had tons of amazing atmospheres, fossils, skeletons, art and hands on activities. After the museum I headed for Horseshoe Canyon for a hike with Rain. It was a great hike. We went into the canyon base and hiked in before scaling the near vertical canyon wall to get to the top. The top was an encredable view. On one side of me steep barren cliffs they call The Canadian Badlands and the other side was flat lussions prairie land.

After the hike we headed for Calgary where we slepted the night in a residential zone. In the morning I headed for Speedy Auto Glass where my first Jeep repair bill will be. A chipped windshield. 20 minutes and $40 later we started heading south towards High River AB. I reached High River at 9:30. The Liqour Depot did not open until 10am. So I got out my lawn chair and had some breakfast out side the door. When they opened I picked up a couple cases of Big Rock Beer then headed for Elkford.

I could see the Rockies from Calgary and the drive was amazing (esspecially after coming off the prairies). I could not wipe the smile off my face every time I looked at the mountains. As I got closer and the mountains grew I started to think to my self "man, what was I doing in Ontario for the past 22 years". The size of them almost seemed unreal to me as I drove though my first pass.

When I reached Jay's place in Elkford BC he was getting ready to go for a run. So after a beer we headed out. The elevation did not seem to bother me on the run but the hill we climbed almost killed me. It just kept going up. After the run we went to Jay's team soccer practice. I got to play at the highest soccer pitch in Canada. The view the the pitch was encredable with peaks surrounding it in all directions.

After soccer we headed out for dinner with Brenden and his parents then heading to the local watering hole for a beer. After that we came back to Jay's place for more beers and some jamming before falling asleep.

The next week here in Elkford with Jay should be great. Some good times and some good beers.

Johnny

The Bad Lands Alberta

Well I am out of the flats now! Feels good to have something nice to look at instead of just fields of nothing. I made the long drive from Saskatoon to Drumheller yesterday. It is the heart of the Canadian Bad Lands. So nice here. I did not roll in until 6pm so I drove the 11 bridges scenic route and found a place to camp. There was a single lane dirt road going into the middle of The Bad Lands I found so I put the Jeep into 4 wheel drive low and started climbing. There was a snap and I started rolling back. I got out and looked and couldn't figure out what broke. All I know is that the Jeep will not properally engage into 4 wheel drive low now and snaps out when under load. So I put it in 4 high and tried the climb again. After a good climb I had a very steep decent to do. Which again was not all that much fun and pretty scary in 4 high. After that the trail into the heart of The Bad Lands got easyer and I found a beautiful spot to camp on the edge of a huge canion. It was so hot when I started eating supper it was almost unbearable and by the time I finished eating supper it had cooled down so much I needed my heavy sweater Julie made me. The night was so cold as well. Must have been near freezing. In the morning I had that steep long sandy hill to climb. I was pretty nervious about it all night. With no 4 low I started to climb. Almost stalling a few times because my RPM's where so low. But I made it. Which was a huge relief.

The Jeep is starting to worry me now though. It is burning motor oil and leaking coolent. I have now picked up a chipped windsheild on the highway and have no 4 low any more. Hopefully it will make it because I still have along way to go.

But I am going head off the the Royal Tyrrell Museum now. I will post the pictures after. You should now be able to post comments by clicking on the annoymisis tab and you wont need to log in.

Johnny MisAdventures

Prairie Livin'

Well life out here on the prairies has been good. Different for sure. We ordered pizza the other day. 45 minute drive to the town of Tisdale just to get it. I didn't have my camera but the sign coming into Tisdale said "Land of rape and honey". It is the best sign I have seen so far. Until Janelle explained to me that rape was some part of a grain. Still an awesome sign though. It made me lock the doors driving into the town.

But anyways the drive from Winnipeg to Pleasantdale was nice. It took me 2 days. The road was straight and flat. Trains where a nice surprise to watch along the side of the highway. Finding a place to camp in the prairies was hard. No trees or hills to hide behind. Just endless fields of flatness. In the morning I started heading further north into Saskatchewan and small rolling hills started to appear. They seemed so big after all the flatness of south western Manitoba.

I got into Pleasantdale around what I though was lunch time but Saskatchewan has to be different from the rest of the world and not change the clocks for day lights saving time so I was all messed up with the time. But I got into Don and Alice's place and caught up with them and Dale shortly after. Dale took me for a tour of the area. The 20 mile drive to get the mail and down to the lake. It was nice. Evening came and the girls arrived home from the city. It was great to meet everyone and see the excitement of the farm. The cattle kept getting out so we had to run down with the dogs and get them back in. Rain couldn't figure out why the collies wanted to chase the cows so badly and just stood there confused.

Yesterday the cows had to be moved down the road. We got to push them out of one pasture and bush out to the road then into the other pasture. There was cattle stretched out of almost 2 miles walking down the road. After I rode the horse back to the farm. First time I have ridden a horse in along time. And damn that horse had go.

After my great time on the farm I heading into Saskatoon for the night. Jen and Jodi and I went to a sweet little place for dinner and then went back to their condo and made fun of each other for the rest of the night. They are off to a track meet in Vancouver now so I am spending the day in the city seeing the sights. After I will work my way down to Fernie BC then work straight north to the Slave River. So keep checking back for updates.

Johnny

Last Day in Winnipeg

So Winnipeg. Great little city. I am leaving it today but I had a blast here. I met some really awesome people. I owe Liam a huge thanks for coming up to me an making fun of my longboard in Manitoba then showing me around for 2 nights.

Last night was another fun night. We met at King's Head which is a nice pub for a few beers. Then headed to what Liam called the nicest street level patio in Winnipeg. To meet up with a couple of his friends. The patio was amazing. We drank the night away there before going back to the Forks for the night to sleep.

Today I am leaving Winnipeg though. I had a great time here. It is a city with this kind of small town feel. Things I noticed here is that its flat, the taxi's are hybrids and all the cyclist ride on the sidewalks. And single speed seems to be the fad instead of fixed.

But I had a great time here thanks to Liam and his friends for showing me a good time. I might not be able to post again for awhile because I am starting to work my way further north to Pleasantdale SK. But I will update every time I get a chance!

Johnny

Thunder Bay to Winnipeg

Well turns out it is kind of hard to get WiFi between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg so I haven't been able to update in awhile but that's okay because there was not much to update on except for nothing's of straight roads. But now that I am here in Winnipeg I am having a blast. But I'll start from Thunder Bay and tell you the story of the journey.

I woke up to an empty house in Thunder Bay which gave me time to get everything organized. Al and Mary Ellen had left big a big box of food to take with me. It was great. I have not had to buy any food yet thanks to Jaye and Laura, Julie and Mary Ellen and Al. It has saved me a lot of money. But I drove away from Murrillo and into Thunder Bay in search of a place Travis told me I had to eat at called "The Scan". I searched high and low for it and all I could find was a place called The Scandinavian House. On a hunch I figured that was the one. The Finn Pancakes where awesome. And Luba at the cash was a great lady. Just like Travis said. After that I stopped in for a quick oil change and hit highway 17 west again.

As I drove drove out of Thunder Bay the senory began to change from steep cliffs to more gently rolling hills with swamp and midsize pines. I crossed into the central time zone which was a nice check point through the repetitive senory. I stopped in and looked at the momunent then got back in the Jeep and tried to figured out how to change the damn clock. There was a nice little water fall I stopped at too called Raliegh Falls. It offered a nice leg break.

When we got to Dryden we got out downtown and went for a walk. There is not much to see in Dryden. We continued on our way to find a camping spot for the night. On the way I saw a huge bull moose. We drove into a few places but I just didn't like the looks of them. Finnaly I found what I think was a fire access road and we drove way into it and called it camp. It started to rain not to long after setting up camp and the mosquittoes where thick. So I ate supper in the back of the Jeep.

The morning brought a nice warm sun and modivation to get to Winnipeg. We hit the road early only stopping to pick up a hitch hiker. The senory change again the second we hit the boarder of Manitoba. It was flat. Agriculature everywhere and straight roads.

I finally hit Winnipeg and drove around town trying to find some place to park and get WiFi to get organized. After that Rain and I headed down to The Forks for a walk. The Forks are where the Red River and another river meet and was the main meeting spot back in the day when rivers wher our highways. We walked over the bridge into St. Bonifet and then stolled to downtown Winnipeg. After supper I skated to a pub called Travern's United to watch the hockey game. It was packed in there. Then the game started and the place emptied. I was so confused. Then I realized the Manitoba Moose where playing a play off game across the road. I stayed and watched the game anyways and after both games where over the pub got packed again with celebratoins of a big Moose win. I met acouple of guys and we went up to the rooftop patio and drank the night away. It was a blast. I longboarded to the pub and and seemed like it was the first time anyone in Winnipeg had seen a longboard. It a great way to get around here though. No uphills.

After that night I slepted all day in the parking lot at the Forks. Going back out tonight to meet up with the same guys and do it again though. It should be a blast.

Johnny

Thanks Mary Ellen and Al!

Today is the day I leave Thunder Bay. I owe a big thanks to Mary Ellen and Al for letting me stay with them the last few days. I had a great time and have seen alot here in Thunder Bay. And I beat Al in a game of euchre. Twice. But Thunder Bay is great. Lots of beautiful landscapes, great mountian biking and nice people. I also got to catch up with Kathleen and Joel from Ottawa up here which we all thought was really weird how we all ended up in the middle of no where at the same time. But today I am hitting the road again. Off to make the push to Winnipeg. I hope it warms up though because it is cold here in Thunder Bay.

Thanks again Marry Ellen and Al! I had a great time!

Johnny