Good morning, good afternoon and goodnight. .. To all my facebook people, and to those who stumble upon my website somehow.
Today is November 1st, 2007. It was may 1st, when i Flew into Victoria International Airport, in British Columbia Canada. Having packed up my belongings and stored them in the lundry room of my old roommates condo in Mississauga, where i spent the last 5 years or so working on a property maintenance business. .. I served the area where i lived, with a simply business of doing essentially whatever kind of yardwork they people needed done, where they eithor couldnt do themselves, or no time, or dont know how, or simply didnt want to, and would rather pay someone.
So i brought that business up to the level where i could hire some helpers and a manager to go around to each property and make sure that th jobs are done right. ... I could have brought that business up to a higher level... however, there was a draw back. .. I would need to always be in the area, and ready to look after clients on short notice. ....
After a fall of doing more leaves than i can physically handle, and having my rest days being physical rest days. ... I realived that my dgoals werent being acomplished. .. and at the current business structure, i couldnt see a way f making it happen.
So after many hours at Starbucks, and writing many notes. ... I discovered that the only way was to go for it. ...
One of the things on my top 100 things todo before i die is to Bike across canada. .. one of those Crazy audatious goals. ... But alway in ther back of my mind. .. I watched a DVD called 'Discover Canada' and it was a fly over across canada. .. awsome. ... and going on google earth, and just looking down and seeing just how magnificent the country really is. ...
(My stuff being given away and packed up)So... to sell off my belongings and store the remainder. .. having no rent to pay and just the bike. I figure that physically i am able to cycle the distance, i started searching online about others who have gone across canada, and found out that the distance was 75kms' with a max of 120. .. If i could handle that with any type of weather. .. I should be good going across canada.
So in January after hearing of the news of the Uited national pannel on climate change, they they finally agreed that climat echange is a problem. .. I decided, that all the pieces are in place, and i'll figure it out on my own. ... Some how. .. I learned that it was 75pert mental and 25 percent physical for the challenge, and i figured it was worth it (and it has been so far)
So doing some trainingrides, and the CN Tower stair climb before. .. having done it 2 times, the spring and the fall. .. with each time better... its a physical challge but i knew i could handle it. .. an getting an OK from my doctor as im physically set. .. I figure theres nothing stopping me.
...
So now i'ts 6 months later, where i am in ireland right now. I completed a full 98 day treck from Port Renfrew, BC to Regina Saskatchewan, haveing just a few flats and different bike parts fixed, and skipping sections.because of the tire blow out, and more broken spoked... having switched to road tires for praries (but not properly tuning the bike for it).. Thinking that next time through i'll keep the hybred tires, as when i need to get off the road (a little off roading (where there is no shoulder or do back roads, th semislick tires can handle it, when the road bike all weather tires, cant.)
.. So having already cycled country claire, and Killarney National park (just a loop around the town area, not the ring of kerry). and now cycling from Galway up along the coast roads and now to Letterfrack. (i missed a section, bit will catch it later as i know someone who lives in Clifden. ..
So now, having a place where i can store my camping gear and my backpack with the other stuff which i dont ugh cycling with a laptop does make for some extra challenge. .. as theres alway an issue with getting wireless internet, and being extra carefull with the panner bags. .. I wouldnt have th elaptop if doing the rest of canada now, as i cant carry camping gear as well.... that's just too much stuff.
So now sitting in an old monestry in Ireland, a place where i never dreamed actually i didn, but it was far fetched. .. where last night was a traditional haloween party with a fiddle player and singer and guitar and hamonica with people dancing the irish rhythm. ... a buz in the are that's conagious. .. Awsome. .. and this morning having a breakfast where its short but everyone downstairs in the dining room at the same time... again the buzz in the air... with all the old things all around. .. Pritty cool. .. and travelers i meet al with way, and discussing where weve been and where were headed. .. Awsome!.
So sitting back, and taking in all whats around me. .. Do i have regrets? .. nope, none at all. .. I know that those clients all found alternaves for there property, and everyone continues on with there lives. .. As it turned out, another one of the things i wanted todo, and now did, was to see the house where i lived when i was 2 years old and lived there for 3 years. ... An awsome experience, as the people all arround all remembered me... like a homecomming... so nice, and the neighbours who were the same age as myself and my sisters? ... well, there the ones who are holding my stuff for me. ... Awsome how things work out.
So now just having a mailing address in Mississauga, and having a suitcase at my uncles, and and old travel trunck of photos and those things i couldn bare to toss, at my grandmas. ... Im totally free to go where i please.
..
I realize that my purpose, about giving more of myself hasnt really been acomplished yet. .. and how when i canvasing for WWF Canada, how i was able to raise funds for that CN Tower stair climb back in April 2006. .. That was really something. .. I reze that i got more out of that, than the yard work i was doing. .. I also remmeber how back in Colege i wa active with Vaulinterring with the Student Government, and really enjoyed that. .. No pay, but great satisfaction of that.
...
Im writing this for those who think im nuts. ... yesterday i met someone like that, who after telling what im doing, yep, they think im nuts. ... and for those, i simply smile, and continue on explaing what im doing. .. and people love to see all the photos. ..
Since there is now over 10,000 phots there are many photos that i havent seen myself. .. so goin gthrought them is an experience for me too :)
...
So to conclude this blog entry, as it's rather long... but will make a good point for my book when published... is to cover what the next 6 months are in store for me.
... Novemer to may 1st.
In may i want to be back in Victoria with a road crew of people, who can help along and video me and my bike, where i internview people along the way ting to them about climate change and the human impact on the environemtn. .. and alsy using GPS and covering the tracks which i lost and already have, and refining my route across canada. .. So meeting up with more people along the and saying good bye to those who cant travel the full distance. .. As it wont be until the fall when the trip (across canada) is complete, part of me wants todo the seon from Regina Saskatchewan to Cape Spear Newfoundland alone. .. as going solo is an awsome experience. .. however, i can still have the crew along, but following along digially and over the phone and snail mail etc.
So for this month of november, my 1st goal is to raise 1,000cdn for WWF Canada. .. the 2nd goal is to cycle a og country galway and make my way up the coast, covering all the coastal roads and still taking zillions of photos. and GPS tracking along the way.
...
For December/January/February/March/April. ..
Well in april i want tothe CN Tower climb again, and this time have a large display and advertise to all the climbers just what im doing.
..
I also want to raise funds for the TransCanada Trail Foundation, as some of the route iam taking falls on the transcanada trail. .. So i'd like to have this organizations name on placks across canada :).
My other goal is to set up this company as an actual legal non profit organization or maybe for profit, however, having people contridute directly to WWF Canada, makes it easier more me (i think so far). .. this way it can be set up as a company an i can have some staff and pay them, and actually get this thing off the grouund.
..
So for now, i keep on cycling and drawing an outline of Ireland on my GPS map... showing it on Google earth. .. and on CrazyGuyOnAbike.com and on GPS waypionts.com and other sites i can find for it.
So i look forward to anyorther 6 months of travel and adventures, and keeping in touch with everyone along the way. ...
Every one of your comments, the posatives and negatives, are all helpful as they help mold this idea into something AWSOME!
Hoppe your all doing great!
Take care, and till next post.
Sam Vekemans
(currently in Letterfrack, Co. Galway, Ireland)
virtualbikeride.blogspot.com
P.S. here's a link to my photo collection
and to my Google Earth Community site
http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Board=EarthTravel&Number=1026919&fpart=&PHPSESSID=
and to my Crazyguyone a bike.com site
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