I had written a long and rambling rant but deleted that. For at the end I realized the source of my anxiety and stress is the consistent doom and gloom of the news and government. And combined with exchanging posts on the net with morons. I have enough work for around two months and so I am starting...

Every time I start to get use to the new normal, I come across something else that makes it feel surreal. An empty shelf at the grocery store, the look of terror in someone's eyes when you might be a little too close in that store. There had been hints the peak would hit Alberta around the last week...

I am really, really looking forward to spring this year. It seems like a life time but about a month ago, I had been riding my bike two or three times a week regardless of the weather given my studded tires. I had hike up and over Prairie mountain. I was lifting weights and working the weak structur...

Still adjusting the to new normal. It was a little surreal as everyone was on edge, a little anxious but it did not seem much had actually changed. Then the non essential stores were closed. I had been going to the grocery store and it was slightly different but not much until I went this week. The ...

Instead of + 8, Saturday was cloudy and a cool/ humid sort of - 2. So I went for a walk instead of a bike ride. Today was good for a ride but snow starting tomorrow and - 16 by mid week so decided I would put off getting the road bikes ready until I do not have to keep my bikes in the basement. When...

Went for a bike ride to get some chocolate milk. One store, one day, nothing. Different store, the next day, the shelves are full. Walked down the pasta aisle and there where lasagna noodles. Stopped at a independent coffee shop. One day, the shop is packed the students from the college next door an...

I do not believe my body and central governor believes me when I say I will be more moderate in my approach. The day after my first real jog in forever, I was very stiff and sore. I was able to get on my bike and ride over the deposit a cheque my mom had given me - long story but if I did not deposi...

Nice sunny day and the endless Covid 19 news finally had me put on my running shoes. Or more accurately my jogging shoes to attempt to rid myself of at least some of the tension and stress. No GPS but is was just under 4 K and around 15-20 minutes. I followed up with some basic weights and my metabo...

Got up this morning at 8;30 and instead of heading out of a hike, stayed in bed. My back was a little sore but I went to bed with a dry cough so decided that hiking to the top of a mountain and back down if I had a cold would not be a good idea. I am now basing decisions by asking a question as to h...

My 82 year old mother is in a retirement building. She can drive and is completely independent. They are no in lock down but she told me they were. I bought her some coffee and I could fill out a form and visit but she stayed behind the glass door and took the coffee. It seems every email has someth...

So today, instead of turning on the computer or reading about the coronavirus, I decided to focus on work. I had one project that took me the entire morning. It was actually quite nice in that normally I am rushing from one fire to another, it was great change of pace to go through all of the docume...

Starting on Thursday night and every since then, my life has been consumed by the cornavirus coverage. I have been reading anything and everything I can get my hands on. Most of the breaks is to watch the coverage. Then I remembered about AMOR FATI. This comes from the stoic philosophy and specifica...

Like I needed yet another reason to say getting old sucks, the coronavirus hits. I am at a slightly elevated risk because of my age but with no underlying health conditions I am not overly concerned. I am not complacent either - I have never washed my hands as well as I have now and I am much more a...

My ribs/ back are finally feeling good by Friday. Work has settled down. But … I do not want to risk hurting myself by hiking up a mountain and back down so I decide a nice easy mountain bike ride through the neighbourhood was a good option. Had thought of getting one of my road bikes ready as there...

To be young again. I once broke my ribs when in my teens. I slept in a recliner with a ice pack for two days. A little tape, some aspirin and I was playing hockey in 3 days. Another time, I hurt my ribs and again, more tape, a little more aspirin in my 30s but I was golfing in about five days. Using...

The mountain bike I have now is working great as city winter bike with studded tires. It was never quite right as a mountain bike for me. A good full suspension bike would cost at around $4,000 unless one can find a good sale. But that was more for gnarly terrain and fast descents. I was not looking...

After hiking up and down a small mountain, my legs were sore for days. But then something wonderful happened. Once the pain left, the legs felt much stronger. So today when I went for a bike ride, I was powerful and fast. It did not hurt I am actually adding some weights every other day. Rather than...

There was a pretty young woman who made a terrible mistake on a facebook hiking group. She posted a photo of her looking more like she was off for a coffee than a hike staring at the mountains in an instragram type photo. The caption was cannot wait for summer so she could take in the gorgeous scene...

Near the very end of shovelling after a light snow fall, I felt a twinge in my back. Went for a business meeting and on the way home, stopped at an outdoor golf driving range. Heated stalls, etc, etc. First time I had swung a club in about six months. I was doing pretty well and even though I only b...

All this week I was going to sneak away and do a 3 + hour hike. However, every time I was ready to go, something urgent came up at work. Or when I was going to go, I was so stiff and sore I did not believe I would enjoy it. I did get in a nice 20 K ride and a 7 K walk. I had thought that I may have ...

Looking back, I now wish I had listened to my body, my gut and the universe, the last marathon I had run was back in 2006, my 4th and had not run four more. That when training in general whether that be for a marathon, a trail race series or a Fondo that when my body was screaming for me to take a b...

It is amazing just how easily social media can suck one in. Or at least suck me in. I had a headache and was sore so did not have much ability to do much but casually surf the net. I was looking for idea and conditions for some potential hikes. A great site to find this is a mountain bike trail face...

Before the recent cold snap, I went for a couple of snow shoe hikes. The last one was around 12 K and about 360 m in elevation. I was breaking the trial and thought I may die in attempt. The cold snap hits and I am on the elliptical at an easy to moderate effort watching an hour long show. So today,...

I have to ask, what is wrong with people. Back before I started to run in races, I would go for hikes with my day that could total 40 K or so. There was one hike in July we took where we were so high up and so isolated, half of the lake was still frozen. So this facebook site would allow me to conne...

Although I never did run one of the MEC road or trail race events, I was nevertheless saddened to see that option has been extinguished. This along with the bike ride event I did do. I rode 100 K, 100 miles and 100 K for $45. That included well stocked aid stations and a wonderful post ride pasta di...