Adventure Number Three: Allen Lake

"Seriously, I can eat them all"

I was just finishing up building a bookshelf for Natalie's room on Saturday afternoon, and the sun was shining. It was far too nice to spend the afternoon indoors. I was juggling the idea of doing some house organizing. The thought of being outdoors in the sun won that argument with head spinning speed.

Her first Lifesaver break

We layered up with Merino and at 2 o'clock we headed for the trail with Marshall in tow. It was pretty cold out. An inch of snow fell the night before and it was crunchy under foot. We slowly wondered out and up on the logging road enjoying the warmth of the sun and chatting with mountain bikers. Natalie was busy munching on pistachio nuts, walking about 10 meters behind me. No matter how slow I walked, she would slow down. I just couldn't keep her close. I think she likes it that way.

Sunshine!

We made it to the lake with out too much issue. Natalie was still going strong. I often am nervous since she can suddenly have a burn-out and start crying. The sun was setting quickly and I knew we had to get home before it started getting dark. I was unprepared with no headlamp or flashlight.

Allen Lake

Allen lake is the main water reservoir for Cumberland and Royston. It is actually quite a pretty lake althought it would be nicer if it wasn't logged right to is shore almost all the way around it. One nice stand is still present on the east side of the lake where a fun mountain bike trail called Tea Pot is located. Today Allen lake was frozen almost completely. The opposite side from where we were was open since it is bathed in sunlight because of all the trees being removed. I had allowed Natalie permission to munch down all the rest of the Lifesavers in the roll once we got to the lake so she would keep moving. For her candy is such a big motivator. It keeps her legs moving. We had to make one precarious crossing of a small creek. Natalie was nervous about it. She accidentally stepped in the creek, soaking her winter boots. Now I was really worried about her having a meltdown. Cold wet feet and still many kilometers to get back home. The sun was behind the mountains now and it was gradually getting darker.

Perseverance Creek

We were getting along the road lost in thought and I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked to see the dark fur of a deer standing on the ridge above us. Instantly I hollered for Marshall. Too late, he saw the deer as well. He bounded away up the hill to give chase. I started yelling all my commands. "Here Marshall, Lets go, whats this..." as loud as I could. Natalie didn't realize what happened because she didn't see the deer. She said all she saw was my face getting redder from the yelling. Marshall poked his head back over the top of the hill to see where we were, and took off again. Still yelling, I picked up a stick to try to entice him back. After a couple of minutes he came rushing down to us, eyes on the stick. He was back. I leashed him briefly and he didn't give a second thought to that deer. I was scared that he was gone for good. In the four years I have been hiking in Cumberland, at least once a week, that was the first deer I had ever seen.

(Click this to see our route)

Before we got home it started snowing a little bit. We stopped to catch snowflakes in our mouths. Upon entering the front door I check iPhone. I clocked 7.6k with the Cyclometer app. That is the longest walk I had ever taken Natalie on. I was elated that she made it since I was pretty tuckered out by the end. It gave me hope that I will be able to bring her on longer and harder hikes in the months to come.

My letter to Double C (Christy Clark)

Based on my friend Russ's (read his blog) encouragement I wrote a letter to our Premier, Christy Clark. I doubt she will read it, as she most likely has someone who does that for her, and they probably receive thousands a day. But you never know.

Dear Premier Clark.

First of all, I would like to share with you the excitement I felt with you being chosen to become the Premier of B.C. I liked your energy and enthusiasm. I liked the idea of a woman in the Premiers seat. The promise of new ideas and a fresh set of eyes to view our Province. However.....

I am very disappointed that your government isn't completely opposed to the Northern Gateway Project. What does B.C. have to gain from this project, besides some limited construction jobs and a few jobs at the port where the ships will be loaded. What does B.C. have to gain from this project. The destruction of thousands of kilometers of rivers, wetlands, habitat of endangered species, and the whole loss of the coastal eco-system in the event of a super tanker running a ground and leaking. The risks out weigh the benefits 10 to 1.

I am a working father who is a Red Seal tradesman. Progress pays my bills. I don't believe a carbon based economy is progress. As a British Columbian who has had the privilege to grow up and live in the "Best Place on Earth" I feel that to grow our economy we need to move away from resource extraction and move to a less invasive based model. We have the minds and the willingness to grow our energy sector with green power that could be exported south, and become a world leader in such technologies. Why can't B.C. become the base for all other countries to come and see how to "do it right"? We should be the place that has the infrastructure to allow hydrogen cars to become a reality and not science fiction. We should mandate solar panels be installed on every new building to feed the grid. We should invest millions into creating safe and efficient cycling infrastructure to move people around, getting them out of cars and becoming healthier. We should be the first place in North America to completely legalize marijuana. We should turn the Great Bear rainforest into a Provincial Park, ban fracking, take back our fisheries management from Ottawa, and increase taxes on un-healthy processed foods to fund the increased healthcare burden caused by obesity. 

The old boys way of doing business is ruining the economy, the environment and our sovereignty. I suspect that your party would like to stay in power, and I would like to support you, but with the current state of affairs in our province, I am afraid my enthusiasm for your leadership and your government will quickly be extinguished. Let us be a Province that sees through clear eyes, not one that is clouded by the multi-national dollar signs.

Sincerely Blayne Prowse. Cumberland B.C.

Adventure Number Two: Birdwatching in the rain

At Millard Road

Today we ventured out to the estuary of the Courtenay River for our weekly adventure. I had been wanting to bring Natalie along with me on a birdwatching expedition, and this place is a fantastic spot to spy on waterfowl, song birds, sea gulls, eagles as well as seals, and peoples cute dogs.

Millard Creek bridge

We started off at the south end of the Courtenay Riverwalk, off Millard road. The Riverwalk (also called the Airpark) is a 3.5 kilometer paved path that follows along the banks of the Courtenay River and the estuary. There is a lagoon and an airpark for citizens with small propeller planes. The path starts downtown at 5th street on the north end and is paved all the way to 31st street at the south. From 31st street the trail turns to crushed gravel and boardwalk.This pathway meanders through the Millard Conservation Area managed by the Natures Trust B.C. Included along the route is a popular kayak launch and freshwater marina, a small coffee shop, a really great modern playground for kids, and numerous benches and viewing platforms. It is very popular with walkers, runners, cyclists and rollerbladers. I use this path often when cycling to get from one end of town to the other, while avoiding cars. Unfortunately for me, it seems as though it would be quicker to deal with the auto traffic. Pedestrians can be really heavy on this route.

Growing moss. It looked really cool

Natalie and I donned our new Marmot rain gear and our binoculars, tossed a bag of pistachio nuts in my pocket and wandered off. We began by having a peek at the hundreds of American Widgeon and Mallard ducks bobbing in the surf. I also spotted a couple of Northern Pintail drakes in amongst the others. I was hoping to spy a Teal, but they proved elusive. It was really windy at this spot so we decided to carry onto the wooded path. The mixed forest of Red Alder, Bigleaf Maple, Grand Fir and Cottonwood. We also saw numerous Snowberries, which are very poisonous. The pretty Millard creek is an important urban fish bearing creek, which has Coho, Chum and Cutthroat trout. It flows down through the upland farms and light urban development, merges with Piercy Creek and flow out into the estuary. A streamkeeper group has been working to enhance the creek and the fish populations.

Several hundred ducks

We managed to identify several more species on the walk, including a few spotted Towhee, a Northern Goshawk, a pair of Ravens and some little Bushtits. Natalie had a hard time picking up detail in the birds with her binoculars. She didn't get a chance to learn to much about them today, but we did use the iBird Canada app on my iPhone to verify the identity of some of the sightings. There were literally thousands of ducks in the estuary today. It was incredible. We did play the "name this tree" game while we walked and Natalie was able to remember what the Red Alder and Bigleaf Maple were. I hope she remembers these things that I teach her. I find this kind of knowledge very cool, and to be able to have this as she ages may help her in deciding future areas of study, either for profession or hobby. We finished the adventure by telling jokes on the walk back to the car, laughing and teasing each other. Some of the jokes I made up were terrible, but they made her laugh non the less.

I spy......

I was a fun little trip, we got to try out our new rain gear and I was able to introduce Natalie to a new kind of "hunting" Find adventure everyone!

Easy, tasty snack

Here is a delicious, savoury snack that I was introduced to the other day, by, you guessed it, my girlfriend. Where would this blog be without all her influence?

Here is goes.......

Warm a frying pan on medium.( I use cast iron)
Dump in a cup or so of whole almonds
Start roasting and let the outsides brown (remember to stir or they will burn)
When the almonds skin starts to split and they are popping add a tablespoon or two of soy sauce
The soy sauce will cook off really quickly, keep stirring until the steam stops
Let cool, and Ta-Da, yummy, healthy snack.

The taste reminds me of the roasted whole pumpkin seeds that you can buy in the store. So very tasty. Give it a try.

100 item challenge

This is something I became aware of while researching tiny homes. To see if one could actually live with 100 things or less. Now the challenge is not perfect. I am unsure if this challenge included kitchen dishes, utensils, towels, or pictures. I know it does include clothes, books, footwear and recreational equipment. If you lived on your own, I would think that kitchen essentials should count, but if you live with someone then this could be split in two. Or if you have roommates than I think it would be a moot point.

So could you live with 100 items or less? I took a list today of things. I made it to 100 and realized that I forgot several important things, and I didn't include my tools, which I have many. I did include basic kitchen things in my list. It is interesting, and I believe that anyone could live with less, maybe not 100, but maybe 200? Consumerism is ruining the world. Unfortunately, to rid oneself of things, generally it ends up in a landfill. By cutting down on purchases, and clutter, can make a house more relaxing and less work to organize. Less pieces means more peace. Plus less choice aids in decision making. One pair of pants that goes with everything. No hesitation on what to wear. I did a two week bike tour with only what I could fit in my panniers and I was quite happy with only having what I had. It was all I needed. Now I am rambling, and I am no better than anyone else when it comes to consumerism. It is a neat philosophy and one that I wish to try to implement.

Chemical Free Household

I was chatting with a friend the other night and he asked me about eliminating chemicals from his home. He spoke of dish soap and cleaners, and said he would like to eliminate the petro-chemicals and artificial scents in the products that they currently use in their place. It is something I have also longed to incorporate in my own house. I watched a film about two years ago called "Chemical Nation". The filmmaker helps a family of 4 explore ways to rid their home of potentially cancer causing, and environmentally harmful chemicals. They discover how these chemicals are produced, and how bad they are for our water ways and air. The family is shown how to make their own hygiene products from common household products. Toothpaste, hair gel, deodorant, multi purpose cleaners and laundry soap. In addition to being safer these products are much less expensive.

I began by informing Russ about using soaps with plant based surfactants(the actual cleaning part of the soap),  that are biodegradable and scent free. While I don't make my own creations, I do buy my soaps that are all of these things. I find that cleaners and soaps that are scented smell artificial and really offensive. When you are used to have a scent free environment, you realize how powerful these deodorants are. I much prefer to smell life than smell something created in a lab in New Jersey with dinosaur blood.

When it comes to a general cleaner I use vinegar pretty much exclusively. The acid the vinegar makes it useful for dissolving mineral deposits and it has antibacterial properties. It cost about a dollar a liter. I add it to my dish rinse water to help kill bacteria that may be present on the dishes. Vinegar has so many uses, it is something that should be in every kitchen, in large volumes. It has a natural smell, that reminds me of eating French fries and it is safe for people and for our waters. In my dish water I use one of several brands sold at Thrifty Foods, that use plant surfactants and are bio-degradable. I find they have the same grease fighting ability as the traditional brands, cost a little more and are easy on the nose and the hands.

As for sink and shower soap I use a product called Doctor Bronners Magic Soap. This soap is made with organic plant oils  It is available as a bar or in liquid form. I buy the unscented variety, the baby mild. The soap is also produced with a variety of essential oils including peppermint, eucalyptus and tea tree. This soap leaves no residue, and it doesn't dry the skin. I feel a little oily after a shower and this oil absorbs quickly leaving my skin feeling soft and smooth. I also use this product as shampoo, and find that it works just fine.

A trick I learned a while back was how to re-use the foaming soap pumps that are sold in stores. If you pour in about a third of the bottle with Magic Soap and the rest with water, it works great and costs a fraction of what the pre-mixed refills. I find the end of the pump gets gummed up after a little while. It is easily fixed by running under some hot water and the residue washes out.

One of my favorite products I now use are Soap Nuts. Soap nuts are a naturally growing berry of the Soap Nut tree, from the jungles of Nepal and India. It is a great product with a multitude of uses, from cleaning jewelery to making toothpaste. I have not used them for anything beyond laundry detergent. The laundry is clean, fresh, scent free and there are no artificial chemicals that can cause or inflame skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema. I believe the cleaning agents in soap nuts are easier on the fabrics of your clothes, which is great when you wear as much Merino wool as I do. Gentle detergent will allow the clothing to last longer.

I also purchase organic natural toothpaste that has no fluoride, or strong flavors. I purchase my hand creams and lip balm and other such toiletries from Marigold Pharmacy in Courtenay. They have in house made toothpaste, creams, balms and topical ointments. It is a neat place to find items that are good for you and the planet.

I would not have gained this much knowledge with out gleaning this information from my girlfriend who showed me the way to this greener living. I was wanting to make these changes but was unsure how to incorporate it. Even if I was a little skeptical of soap nuts at first, now I am a believer in all these products and ones like them.

I also came to another realization. Unless I am in a high stress situation or not well for some reason, I don't have much body odour. I no longer wear deodorant, ever. Don't be afraid to smell like a human, it is not that bad.......

Adventure Number One

With New Years Day being on a Sunday, it allowed us to get this challenge off to a strong start. The past week was so fun. Natalie and I got to spend many hours together doing different things. Things we would not usually do. I decided early in the week that I was going to turn off the TV. Done deal. We had about four days without staring at the black hole in the living room. It has been nice a quiet. When we wanted some background noise I would stream radio through my Ipod touch, plugged into the stereo. With out this distraction of television, Natalie was more willing to help out with chores, as well as doing fun things. We cleaned and cooked together. We played Yahtzee and Go Fish by candle light. We spent many hours outside. We went on another un-successful Geo-caching trip. I must learn more about this activity so we can actually find them.... and tips?

The initial adventure of the New Year was on the first morning of 2012. We stayed the night in Merville at a house on the ocean, so Natalie, my girlfriend and I went for a polar bear swim. I was all ready to do it, the other two not so much. I think Natalie liked the idea, but she must have forgotten that it was January, it was windy and rainy. She may have put her toes in the frigid water of the Salish Sea, that is it. I had to wade out beyond the three foot swell to dive in. After emerging from my breath seizing dip, I had a tough walk out. My legs were so numb that I could barely keep upright. I actually scrapped my ankle on a rock and did not know it until I went in the house and saw blood in the shower. Natalie was squealing and hollering about how cold it was. It was so funny. We were all laughing, it was fantastic.

Today I took Natalie and Marshall up Mount Washington for another snowshoe. The conditions were perfect for our type of shoes. There was no powder and it was compactable and had some ice on the top. I could mush along and only sink a few inches with out the tails on my MSR shoes. Natalie had no problem. This is so nice for kids. The float from a snow shoe is more than enough and she hardly sinks at all. Marshall had a blast bounding and chasing snowballs. He is so fun to watch. We did about an hour loop on trail and off. I taught Natalie how to jump off little hills and tried to show her how to ski down bigger hills. The sun was trying to poke out and bathe us in its rays. I learned to double check your kids kit. Upon parking at the mountain, we discovered that Natalie forgot one of her gloves. Luckily it was warm enough and I didn't need my gloves so I put them on her hands. It was the best time so far I had for snowshoeing. If she had more stamina I would have loved to spend more hours up there hiking about.

I had such a great holiday but back to work tomorrow. I spent loads of time outside, adventuring and also had more time to research simple living and tiny homes. Feeling refreshed and ready to move forward. Once again thoughts about how to change things in life, reducing stuff and re-assessing whats important. I will write more about this in the future. There are some exciting things going on inside my head.