I've lived a rough and tumble existence in the cradle of God. Since early July, the soft earth of Canada has been my bed and its chilled turquoise puddles my tub. The open space in British Columbia is so vast as to be unfathomable. Can you visualize a jar with a million marbles? Can you imagine one hundred million acres with billion trees? My eyes have been opened only so that I may realize my own ignorance and insignificance. I had to leave the cities far behind and go deep into the belly of the wilderness just so that I could balk at the magnitude. Why it must be that we relegate nature to the hinterland instead of trying to weave it into our communities and living spaces?
With the wildlands behind me and the gleam of Vancouver in front, I was up to no good with no place to go but down. And down I came, wild and brazen, out of the untamed and into the urban jungle. The expanse of Vancouver is characterized by its water and the shadowy stretch of its north shore mountains. The smell of the harbors is like a damp, murky blanket and a constant reminder of the town's indelible link to the sea. Or the non-romantic could say it just smells like fish.
I hooked up with some friends I met in Jasper National Park, Ian and Anna, who had invited me to visit them whenever I should ramble my jalopy into the city by the the straits. I used their North Vancouver apartment as a base for a variety of forays in the local
recreational flavor. Their hospitality was fantastic. Thanks, kids!
During my first day in town, on the recommendation of a bike shop flunkie, I dipped onto the sodden flanks of Lynn Canyon in the Lynn Headwaters Regional Park just north of town. An old forest road crept up the hillside under a leafy canopy that covered the earth like a circus big top. The second-growth forest here, while impressive in stature, is but a miniscule echo of its former glory (sadly, the stumps tell the story).
At the top of the ridge, a misty shroud blocked my view of the city to the south and foiled an attempt to photograph the scene. Like a pair of swinging doors in a cowboy bar, the undergrowth's branches parted before me and I slunk the bike down a rooty singletrack for a wild descent--maybe a little too wild. When it comes to wrecks, I'm similar to the Thrilla in Manila; some call me AJ the divot filler. I was easily in over my head on this difficult terrain and I reached the bottom with two bloody elbows and a lumpy shoulder bruise.
Ian and Anna helped me forget my wounds with a greasy plate
of cod n' chips at a local pub, and afterward I sucked down entirely too many brews at a blues club downtown. I'm just a baller, shot caller; twenty oz suds ready to swallow.
The second day was the monster city tour. With tires loose, I ripped up the shoreline of the city, prowling an impressive labyrinth of paved bike paths. I crawl like a viper through these suburban streets. I explored Stanley Park and the beach at Kitsilano.
I stormed Ferguson Point and did my best not to knock down the eerie balanced rocks on the seashore. It takes a steady hand.
As cities go, Vancouver is one of the best. From beautiful beaches to dense forest trails, recreation is close at hand. Compared to other nearby urban areas like Seattle and Calgary out of which one has to drive at least 45 minutes to escape the sprawl, V-town has kept a (albeit small) portion of its local natural heritage intact and available for public use.
One organization that is quite active in land preservation in western Canada is The Land Conservancy of British Columbia. This organization seeks to provide B.C. residents with an opportunity to help protect biodiversity in British Columbia, across Canada, and internationally through the purchase of vital natural areas. One of TLC's current projects is the effort to preserve the Burns Bog located in greater Vancouver just south of the Fraser River in North Delta. The total area of the bog is approximately 10,000 acres and is considered the largest domed peat bog on the west coast of the Americas. The goal of land trusts like TLC is to protect important pieces of property that preserve our natural heritage, maintain an abundance of unique biotic life forms and provide valuable recreational opportunities for us urban folk to partake in.
I urge you to learn about and support one of the multitude of land trusts in our nation that are making some real headway in maintaining a high quality of life for everyone in an era of rampant development. 10,000 acres
here and 10,000 acres there will eventually become a major treasure. Get out of the city and get in touch with the nature that's worth keeping before you realize that the city no longer has a boundary.
On my last day in Vancouver, I hit the abundantly popular North Shore attraction called the Grouse Grind. Throw down the hardware, let's do it right. Located on Grouse Mountain, the Grind is 2,000 ft. of pure elevation gain in two miles. I strapped on the leather and sixty minutes later, drenched in sweat and puffin' like a mother, I reached the top.
Coming down was just a controlled free fall. Forget the Stairmaster when the Grind is in effect. Climbing chutes and ladders; while your ego shatters.
All right! The weather's perfect, the legs are pumpin and I'm onto Seattle. Don't touch that dial, fool. And mark it on your calendar now: Saturday, September 18 will be the Rig Return party in San Francisco. Keep the evening free, y'all. The details will be available soon.
With the wildlands behind me and the gleam of Vancouver in front, I was up to no good with no place to go but down. And down I came, wild and brazen, out of the untamed and into the urban jungle. The expanse of Vancouver is characterized by its water and the shadowy stretch of its north shore mountains. The smell of the harbors is like a damp, murky blanket and a constant reminder of the town's indelible link to the sea. Or the non-romantic could say it just smells like fish.
I hooked up with some friends I met in Jasper National Park, Ian and Anna, who had invited me to visit them whenever I should ramble my jalopy into the city by the the straits. I used their North Vancouver apartment as a base for a variety of forays in the local
recreational flavor. Their hospitality was fantastic. Thanks, kids!During my first day in town, on the recommendation of a bike shop flunkie, I dipped onto the sodden flanks of Lynn Canyon in the Lynn Headwaters Regional Park just north of town. An old forest road crept up the hillside under a leafy canopy that covered the earth like a circus big top. The second-growth forest here, while impressive in stature, is but a miniscule echo of its former glory (sadly, the stumps tell the story).
At the top of the ridge, a misty shroud blocked my view of the city to the south and foiled an attempt to photograph the scene. Like a pair of swinging doors in a cowboy bar, the undergrowth's branches parted before me and I slunk the bike down a rooty singletrack for a wild descent--maybe a little too wild. When it comes to wrecks, I'm similar to the Thrilla in Manila; some call me AJ the divot filler. I was easily in over my head on this difficult terrain and I reached the bottom with two bloody elbows and a lumpy shoulder bruise.
Ian and Anna helped me forget my wounds with a greasy plate
of cod n' chips at a local pub, and afterward I sucked down entirely too many brews at a blues club downtown. I'm just a baller, shot caller; twenty oz suds ready to swallow.The second day was the monster city tour. With tires loose, I ripped up the shoreline of the city, prowling an impressive labyrinth of paved bike paths. I crawl like a viper through these suburban streets. I explored Stanley Park and the beach at Kitsilano.
I stormed Ferguson Point and did my best not to knock down the eerie balanced rocks on the seashore. It takes a steady hand.As cities go, Vancouver is one of the best. From beautiful beaches to dense forest trails, recreation is close at hand. Compared to other nearby urban areas like Seattle and Calgary out of which one has to drive at least 45 minutes to escape the sprawl, V-town has kept a (albeit small) portion of its local natural heritage intact and available for public use.
One organization that is quite active in land preservation in western Canada is The Land Conservancy of British Columbia. This organization seeks to provide B.C. residents with an opportunity to help protect biodiversity in British Columbia, across Canada, and internationally through the purchase of vital natural areas. One of TLC's current projects is the effort to preserve the Burns Bog located in greater Vancouver just south of the Fraser River in North Delta. The total area of the bog is approximately 10,000 acres and is considered the largest domed peat bog on the west coast of the Americas. The goal of land trusts like TLC is to protect important pieces of property that preserve our natural heritage, maintain an abundance of unique biotic life forms and provide valuable recreational opportunities for us urban folk to partake in.
I urge you to learn about and support one of the multitude of land trusts in our nation that are making some real headway in maintaining a high quality of life for everyone in an era of rampant development. 10,000 acres
here and 10,000 acres there will eventually become a major treasure. Get out of the city and get in touch with the nature that's worth keeping before you realize that the city no longer has a boundary.On my last day in Vancouver, I hit the abundantly popular North Shore attraction called the Grouse Grind. Throw down the hardware, let's do it right. Located on Grouse Mountain, the Grind is 2,000 ft. of pure elevation gain in two miles. I strapped on the leather and sixty minutes later, drenched in sweat and puffin' like a mother, I reached the top.
Coming down was just a controlled free fall. Forget the Stairmaster when the Grind is in effect. Climbing chutes and ladders; while your ego shatters.
All right! The weather's perfect, the legs are pumpin and I'm onto Seattle. Don't touch that dial, fool. And mark it on your calendar now: Saturday, September 18 will be the Rig Return party in San Francisco. Keep the evening free, y'all. The details will be available soon.
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