Take The Long Way Home

What a wonderful time it has been. It has only been more than 5 weeks since I returned from my trip to Florida. I have made promises to you that Day 7 would be well worth the wait. I lied, Day 7 was nothing special. It was January 13th and I was set to take off from Fort Myers Airport at 12PM. That gave me enough time to hit the outlet mall one more time. I picked up a faboulous deal of 5 boxers for 20 dollars. Awesome. I needed to replenish my stock of underwear items.

With new boxers in tow it was on to the airport. When I arrived the security threat was still high and my plane was delayed by one hour. That gave me a chance to check out the airport Chili's. I had only seen Chili's in commercials and movies so this was quite the treat. We enjoyed some massive burgers and my sister continued her desperate need to completely burn out her insides with only the hottest of hot sauces. I don't think she has any feeling left in her tongue. Lunch was good even if it wasn't world famous Grouper Sandwich.

So I said my good byes to Aliss and Drew and it was off to security. You know, with the terror alert being high and all, it was pretty darn easy getting through security. There was little wait and people were polite. The fun times wouldn't come until we actually boarded the plane. It had seemed as though everyone had been put on the plane and we were ready to go until we found out that two people who had checked their luggage had not got on the plane. Now why would you check your luggage and then leave the airport? Unless they were terrorists, hmm. Anyway we had to wait around an hour as they went though the cargo hold looking for the luggage. By the way, after an hour of sitting on a plane without movement you can get a bit annoyed. Still when we finally took off it was cool to find out that we could watch a choice of free movies, some that were not even on DVD yet through out personal view screens on the back of the seat in front of us. I watched 'The Departed' and 'Open Season.'

So I had to go to Toronto to make my connection to Calgary. I maybe should have mentioned that I was wearing my shorts as I flew into a snow dusted Calgary. Maybe it was just me, but people looked at me like I was some kind of weirdo, but it was fun. So I arrived back and was wishing I could just spend a few more days in the sun.

So my journey to Florida was a a great time! I think I have dragged this story out as long as possible. Your welcome.


HEY KIDS! L. Wickenheiser here to tell you about a great new series that will be gracing the pages of the the Bearded Backpacker blog. I want to invite you to tag along as we follow the adventures of a boy and his friend. 'Bingee ja Ryanni' will follow the finn fueled adventures of a Suomilainen Poika and his orange haired koira. Yes, 'Bingie ja Ryanni' teams together the best dog and boy duo since Lassie and Timmy. So I hope you can come around and share the adventures. 'Bingee ja Ryanni and the Ferocious Karhu' will be coming to this space real soon so look for it.

Later

We All Shine On

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I guess the 7th day of Florida can wait one more day so I can say Happy Valentine's Day to all the players and ladies out there. My friend Amanda asked me to write more because she is bored and this is her only source of entertainment. I'm happy to oblige. Hi Amanda. you asked me whether there is any commercial holiday that doesn't include chocolate? The answer is no.

So I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day and that they don't eat too much chocolate. ☻

Later

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Baby its Cold Outside

Calgary has been getting a bit of the winter this past week. It has snowed for 7 days straight in this town. Calgary has had 5 times the snow of an average February and we are only halfway through the month. With this cold weather and the arrival of Valentine's Day I am reminded of how lonely I am and therefore I must write a blog entry. The cold is making me pine for the sweet sun and surf of southwest Florida. So why don't we return to my adventures in the Florida everglades.
So what day are we on now. I haven't written anything in awhile and its been a month since I returned from my time in F-L-A. I do know what ever day it was we were going for a fan boat ride, but first let me tell you about Marco Island. So it was Day 5 of the quest, the quest for fun. We checked out a massive beach in Marco Island. It was quite large and littered with bits of broken shell. We were only allowed to take used shell, live ones were strictly verboten.
We did little at the beach, but walk along it and maybe tip toe through the water. It was pretty cool though the resorts along the beach and the water of the Gulf of Mexico. Walking through the water left some lovely salt stains on my shorts, but it was all in good fun. The trip to the beach was short though because the real reason we were in Marco Island was to try the world famous Grouper sandwich of the Snook Inn.
The Snook Inn was a friendly place situated on the mouth of one of the canals leading to the rich and famous types living in the area. Famous is the operative word here when you go to the Snook Inn. I believe every one of the items on the menu at this place was world famous. This included everything from the Grouper sandwich we had come for to the salad bar you got with it. I think their tap water was even world famous, but maybe not for the right reasons. My question is there anyone out there reading this blog who has ever heard of the Snook Inn? I want to know. Anyway the sandwich was good and the grouper fish is delicious. The salad bar was darn good with giant sour dill pickles and pickled mushrooms that made the trip too healthy eating well worth it. So maybe the Snook Inn is not as world famous as it claims, but I would definitely recommend if you are ever in Marco Island that you check it out. With are appetites satiated it was now time for us to move on to Everglade City and the opportunity to be face to face with a gator.

Take me down to the Everglade City where the gators are plenty and the streets are empty, ohhhhhhh take me home. Who wants to go on a fan boat ride? I do! Your bearded tour guide has always been interested in the fan boat. I have always seen it movies and on fishing shows and it just looks like a good time. I remember seeing Matt Dillon gliding along the everglades in a fan boat in the 1998 John McNaughton classic 'Wild Things.' The scene may have had nothing to do with the narrative, but it sure made me envious of Dillon's lifestyle. Just imagine spending your Sunday flying around the swamp on an aluminum hull with a giant fan blowing behind you. Intriguing isn't it? Our fan boat ride may not have been as glorious as I have witnessed in the movies, but dang it if it wasn't a heck of a time. Our trip took us along a system of creeks and canals through the thick marsh of the glade. We met a very friendly raccoon during our trip who was quite fond of dog biscuits. He wasn't as large as the raccoons you may be use to seeing and he did not seem to be as annoying either. He was cute. We also saw many different birds and the pelicans were so crazy they came and perched on the front of our boat.
Oh yeah we also saw some gators. Apparently during the winter the water in the glades is more salty and this is not desirable to the alligator so we didn't have too many run ins with them during the boat ride. The two we did see were pretty sedate and didn't seem to even take notice of our presence. Trying to pet them though may have been a bad idea. Anyway the gators our pretty cool. The fan boat ride was a lot of fun and again chef recommends.
So day 5 was the most active of my week in Southwestern Florida. In contrast day 6 was probably the laziest of my days in Florida. Most of the day was spent by the pool and then we went out for some of Canada's best ribs at Michelbob's. I miss wearing shorts and sandals everyday.
Well that's it for now. You pretty much know how day 6 went for me so next time I'm skipping ahead to Day 7 and the trip home. It is worth the wait. Later.

When the Levee Breaks

So I promised more details about the quest to Florida for sun and fun, but I felt the need to give a shout out to my good friend, Jimmy James. Dude totally gave me props in his own adventure page; Vis Comica. He usually likes to talk about serious things, well more than I do anyway, so it was nice to feel his praise. He has gotten lazy though in his old age. His last post he goes and puts an email from our other brother in Christ, Paq24, the Squirrel. He seems to be disappointed in Paul's lack of an online journal. You see the problem is that Paul is not a lonely guy.

A new book by University of Calgary Political Studies professor Michael Keren called 'Blogosphere: The New Political Arena' looks at the growth of blogs. The author was interviewed on The World Tonight with Rob Breakenridge on Calgary's CHQR radio station. During his interview he described bloggers as lonely people. Now since I did not read his book or really listen to the interview I can't say if he meant anyone with a blog or only those who have politically themed blogs. No matter, the gauntlet has been thrown. Bloggers around the world let it be known that you all have lives and tonnes of friends. Some of us must have friends right. Anyway, good times.

So you see Paul is too busy with his family to share his political views, inane theories or stream of consciousness. Damn I envy that guy. Well not really. So Paul its time you started writing out your thoughts. You have a wit a young Macauley Culkin would envy.

Hey by the way I would like to say congratulations to the Indianapolis Colts. They did it. Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning can finally call themselves champions. Although I though Manning may have been the least enthused super bowl winning
quarterback I have ever seen in my life. If they still do those; 'I'm going to Disneyland', commercials after the game, I think this year it may actually lead to a drop in visitors for Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Maybe Manning is just an android and has not the ability to show emotion. I thought I may have seen Rick Deckard out there rushing the quarterback for the Chicago Bears. Blade runner has skills. Anyway we will continue the Florida trip next time. I'm delaying the story because I just wanted to extend my memories of fun in the sun now that Calgary is getting some snow.

Later

The Good Ole Hockey game

And on the fourth day there was hockey. Going to Florida this January gave me a chance to check out the phenom that is Sidney Crosby. This is probably one of the pluses of NHL expansion into the southern United States. Now die hard hockey fans like myself can enjoy some sun while watching their favourite sport. I have to admit that watching hockey in Florida is a little different than the games I have seen in Winnipeg, Minnesota, Ottawa or Calgary. There is a different type of fan at a Florida Panthers Game, but then there isn't. I think I heard as much French being spoken at the Bank Atlantic Center as I had at any game I attended at the Corel Center/Scotiabank Place. Apparently the location of the Panthers arena is very near where many of the French Canadians go during the winter months. Still this experience had its differences

The crowd wasn't too great at the game. There were a lot of empty seats and many of the fans just didn't seem to get into the game. Of course it doesn't help when you have one of the worst teams in the league, but the Pittsburgh Penguins and the league's best player were in town. There was a lot excitement around the Penguins ice during the warm ups as kids pressed themselves against the glass hoping to get the attention of Sid the Kid. It could be a good sign for hockey in Florida if there are kids like this who are excited about the game. Again they could have just been the grand kids of all the Quebecois wintering in Sunrise. So there was all this excitement about the Penguins during the pre-game, too bad they couldn't give something to the fans.


The game was dominated by the Panthers as captain and finlander Olli Jokinen scored a hat trick pacing the Panthers to a 5-2 victory. The Penguins looked sluggish out there, having played the night before. Crosby was held pointless and was less than I hoped for. I have had that experience when watching other superstars. Mario Lemieux may have had one assist the first time I saw him play. Teemu Selanne on the other hand was pretty good when I saw him play for the Winnipeg jets. Maybe I just have the luck of seeing great performances by Finns when going to NHL games. So despite the Panthers being dominant, I just never got the impression that anyone was really that excited. The guy who set off the goal horn even seemed to be a little out of it. The highlight of the game was listening to these young girls screaming at the top of their lungs every time the noise meter came up on the scoreboard. Ear piercing noise at its best.


So the game may have been a bit of a bust, but having a chance to watch NHL hockey in SoFla was still pretty fun. I'd go again. So Day 4 was a little slow, but things are about to pick up. On Day 5 me and the gang are going for a fan boat ride, with a possible gator sighting and world famous food. Stay tuned more to come on this and more as the road trip to the everglades continues.


Later

There aint enough going on down here

So I hope you have taken in the first couple days of Florida. Day three was a little more laid back. We didn't too much. We had to go to the airport to drop off Drew's dad and then it was off to the outlet mall. Some interesting about the airport though was the sign on the road to the airport that advised everyone about the current threat level. It was high. Anyway it was fun going to the outlet mall and finding so many awesome deals. Although not everything seemed like a deal. If you went to the Lacoste store, you know the clothes that have the alligator on them, or is it a crocodile? Anyway, you could have got a 70 percent discount and it would still cost over 50 dollars for a polo shirt. Still many fun deals. I just wish I was staying 7 days instead of 6 and I could have spent an extra 550 dollars. Damn you lousy duties.

So it was a slow day of hitting the malls and eating more of the fish we caught the day before. Did I tell you I went fishing and we were playing tricks on the dolphins. Well not really. I wanted to mention this last time, but we caught a fish and the dolphins started creeping closer and so we thought we would try to lure them to the boat so we could get a better picture, but they were too smart for that. The jerks wouldn't even put their heads fully out the water, they would just barely break the water with their blow hole. Here is the best shots I could get. I know its sad.

So I guess the highlight of day three was when we went down to the beach to check out the sunset. Now we didn't get to enjoy a true clear sky sunset, but I thought the clouds were really cool and may have made the sunset even more interesting. The beach was really nice and had the classic long pier. There were folks fishing and then gutting their fish on the pier, there were some guys trying to surf, but the waves weren't big enough and there was us. We were on a quest. It was no longer a vacation, we were on a celebrity hunt.

The rumour is that the great American filmmaker Steven Spielberg has a place on this beach in Naples, Florida. So we went on a bit of a trek and arrived in front of what may or may not have been the home of the man behind such films as Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Duel. I noticed a small white dog running around in the yard of the house. Was it Steven Spielberg's dog? Maybe. I saw Steven Spielberg's dog. Wow. So close to celebrity once again.
Anyway it was nice to take it easy and do some shopping. Lots of fun. Plus I wanted to save my energy to do what everyone goes to Florida to do. Watch NHL hockey. Coming up next we head across state along Alligator Alley to Sunrise, Florida to check out the Florida Panthers. Yee haw.

Adios

I'm a gonna fishin 'cause everybody's fishing, And I'm a gonna fishing too

So when I arrived in Florida I was informed by my sister and her boyfriend that we would be going fishing the next day. I have to admit that I was not the most excited person when I heard this. You see I haven't really fished in about 20 years. I use to go out with my Pa and uncle Erkki and it was a lot of fun, but I guess I wasn't as in to fishing as most Finlanders. Plus I think I got tired of being the bartender during these little trips. But don't get me wrong they were some great memories that I wouldn't trade for anything. However, it is really my sis Aliss who's the real fisherman in the family. I remember her getting a lot of fishing gear at Christmas when we were kids and she and our old man went out fishing quite a bit. So because my sister was looking forward to this opportunity I wasn't going to complain. I mean I am on vacation right? Who knows it could be fun.

I think I got a little more excited about the fishing trip when I was told we would be fishing on a pontoon or party boat. I thought this was great because it would mean a lot more space. I really wasn't looking forward to being crammed into to aluminum boat, but this was completely different. We met up with out lead fisher and captain, Joe.
He was a really great guy and a terrific person to go fishing with. So we loaded up the boat and made our way to the launch. Getting in the boat was easy and I had a comfortable chair so things were already going in the right direction. It wouldn't be too long before the trip was all worth it.

So we made our way out into the Gulf of Mexico and I was impressed with the really nice homes on the water, but we were there for fishing dang it. Focus. Yes fishin'. So like I said I haven't fished in maybe 20 years and when I did we used worms or minnows. This time the bait was a little more fun. We got to use live shrimp. Those buggers were fun to hook because they liked to squirm and jump around a bit. So I hooked my shrimp and dropped it in the water.

So we were trolling and that meant I didn't really have to concentrate too much on the fishing. We were sitting around when we noticed some dolphins gathering around our boat. I decided I wanted to get a picture and stood up leaving the fishing rod between my legs. So I was standing looking to get a shot of the dolphin when all of sudden there is a tug on my line. The line just kept going out and out and out. I had a fish. I couldn't believe it. First time fishing in almost 20 years and I've already got a bite. So I put the camera down and grabbed the rod and started reeling it in. I don't remember how tough it was, but it did take awhile because so much line had been let out and there was a bit of a fight in the fish of course. So I did eventually reel the bad boy in and Holy Mackerel, had a fish to be proud of, a mackerel. Awesome.

Anyway I was pretty happy with myself and could have gone back to shore satisfied with the day of fishing, but I guess the others wanted to catch some fish too. Drew would soon catch his own mackerel and the gang would catch a lot of lady fish. They would give a good fight, but not good for eating, too many bones. So we didn't have too many keepers. We decided to stop trolling and set anchor and eat lunch and do some stationary fishing. That's when the Queen fisherknow as my sister took over. While I was having trouble casting she started depleting the local fish stock. I swear she would bring one fish out, rebait her hook and by the time her cast hit the water another fish was on her line. I think she may have caught as many as 7 fish in less than half an hour. I was a bit jealous, but I mean she knows what she's doing. On the plus side they weren't mackerel, they were a smaller, less attractive fish, so I had that on her. Anyway I bow to Alissa's greatness.

After Aliss drained the cove we were in we went back to trolling and I was able to catch a few more fish. One was a blue fish, which we were able to keep. So I had a great day fishing, lots of fun. I see why people love fishing so much in Florida. In the end I think we brought in about 15 fish in total. We fried them up and they were delicious. What a great day.
So I may not have been all gung-ho to fish, but I'm really glad we did. It rocked. I would love to do it again. So there you have it, salt water fishing from Southwest Florida. Hope you had fun. Coming up, we hit the outlet malls and see what Stephen Spielberg does for fun. So stay tuned as the adventures continue.

Later

It will never snow in Florida

So the adventure to Southwest Florida began on Saturday January 7, 2007. I flew on Air Canada and my journey started at the Calgary International Airport. My flight took off around 7AM and headed for Toronto. On the flight I was able to watch the latest Kevin Costner film, 'The Guardian.' Why does it seem like every film Costner has made since Dances with Wolves runs for ever and always reaches a point where you think to yourself: 'That is an acceptable way to end the film, it must be over.' Yet the film continues on for another half hour. Maybe its just me. Anyway that was not the highlight of the trip. That would come in Toronto.

I was kind of stressing during my flight because I wanted to take two bags on as carry on just so I would be sure to have everything I wanted when I arrived in Florida. However the bags were about the same size and Air Canada says we are only allowed one carry on luggage item, plus a personal item like a briefcase. Luckily I was able to get both on the ole plane in Calgary, but when we arrived in Toronto I had all the same worries again. That would be the least of my troubles though . As I was flying to Toronto I realized that I forgot to find out the address of where I was staying in Florida from my sister. Add to this that I had yet to receive my new passport before departure and you had the cocktail for trouble from U.S. Customs and Immigration and Homeland Security or whatever else they call themselves. I tried to get the address before going through customs and called my parents hoping they knew something, but no luck, plus we couldn't get a hold of my sister, who was already in Florida. Anyway I knew the town I was going to and so took my chances going through customs hoping I would not be tackled or face a strip search. Fun. Anyway while I was waiting in line to face scrutiny there was some plainclothes RCMP hovering around the man in front of me. This guys eventually gets a pass to the front of the line after a few conversations with airport security. That's when I realize that it is former New Brunswick premier and Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Frank McKenna. Wow, I was this close to greatness. Anyway that was the fun part. The lecture was coming.

So when I get to the Customs Agent I am asked for my passport and declaration. I say I don't have my passport yet and he is completely shocked. 'what do you mean you don't have your passport?' Then he looks at my declaration form and sees I have only listed Naples, Florida as my destination and is not happy that I don't know the exact address. My explanation that I was meeting my sister and her boyfriend was also not satisfactory. So he stamped something on my declaration card and I was given a piece of paper explaining I needed a passport to fly into the U.S. Of course that would not be for another 2 weeks. Relax eh. Of course I did not feel the need to have my ass kicked by a group of airport or custom officials. I was going on holiday. So holding back the sarcasm I made it through and everything was savvy. On the other side I also noticed another so-so celebrity. Carl Lindros. Whoo hoo.


So the rest of my travel day was uneventful. My plane was a bit delayed because of a head wind. But I arrived at the Fort Myers Airport where my sister was waiting to greet me. We headed for Naples, which was a half hour south , and the Walmart Supercenter to get our salt water fish licenses. That's right people. We're going fishing. So that's the story so far. Day two of Florida takes me to the Gulf of Mexico. Aren't you excited, I know I wasn't, but that all changed once we hit the water. . Stay tuned for more adventures of the Bearded Backpacker, sans beard, in Florida.

Later

Cletus went down to Florida

Hi everybody. Sorry I have been so delinquent in sharing my tales with you, but I have been soaking up the rays in Florida the past week. That's right, I was in the Sunshine State checking out a few adventures to add to the catalogue. I will simply whet your appetite with a preview right now. I think its only right to set things up because I have a lot adventures to share with you.During my stay in Southwest Florida I hit some outlet malls, went fishing, checked out a super Walmart, took a fan boat ride, swam in the pool, went to the beach, ate a lot of fish, taunted some dolphins and marveled at the gators. It was a fun filled week. I had a chance to hang out with my little sis, Aliss, her boyfriend and his folks. It was great fun. Oh yeah, we also crossed the great state of Florida through Alligator Alley to go and see Sid the Kid and the Pittsburgh Penguins face off against the Florida Panthers. Anyway, that's just a teaser and the full sorted details of the Bearded Backpacker's romp through the everglades are soon to come. While I have your attention: Has anyone ever heard a really good song that includes Florida in some way? None come to mind for me at this moment. Alright. Have a great day. Later

And a Happy New Year

Can you believe that it is already 2007? I'm still recovering from all the hype around the millennium and all of sudden its seven years later. Fantastic. Well I guess I should also wish anyone out there reading this a belated Merry Christmas. It was quite a different Christmas for me this year. I didn't go home and I didn't celebrate a French Canadian Christmas. This has been the pattern over the last few years, but this year I decided to celebrate a Jewish Christmas. Well part of it anyway. I actually spent Christmas Eve, the most important part of the Christmas celebration for Finlanders, with my boss' family. It was actually pretty good and I had a great time. We had a simple meal of finger foods, we went skating and played some video games. I also had to deal with the regular onslaught of attacks from his kids. I do enjoy my time hanging out with his kids no matter how annoying they can be. I think this may have been one of the more fun Christmases I have had in a long time because it was real easy like. I didn't have any of the stresses I have dealt with in the past few years when I was going to a place where I really didn't know too many people and didn't want to step on any traditions. It was fun even though not too crazy. Thanks Drew et al for taking me in.

The Jewish part of my Christmas came on Christmas Day when I hung out with Amanda, Danijela and REBECCA! Rebecca was the friend whom I went to the Motley Crue/Aerosmith concert with. I didn't mention her by name then because i didn't know how comfortable she would be being associated with the Crue. She made a big deal about her absence from my tale so she can expect to enjoy some spotlight here. SO Rebecca, Amanada, Danijela and I went to see a movie. Apparently my Jewish friend Amanda did this a lot when she was growing up and so I have named this the Jewish Christmas. We also went out for Chinese food, which in my family was more of a New Year's tradition. So we went to see 'Dreamgirls', starring Beyonce, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx and American Idol runner-up Jennifer Hudson. I wasn't as keen on seeing this film, but I was outvoted by the ladies. All in all it wasn't a bad film and we all enjoyed are time. Although feverish movie critics REBECCA and Amanda were not completely enthused by Beyonce's performance. Some things just never change.

So this was my Christmas experience. I'll say it again that it was one of the better Christmases I have had and I have to thank REBECCA, Amanda, Danijela and Drew for helping me enjoy this time of year.

Of course I wish I could have spent part of the holidays with my family back in the Bay, but Florida just seems so much more tempting. I missed you guys.

Since Christmas I have been pretty busy at work and didn't have a chance to really celebrate New Year's Eve, but in reality I never really do anything to ring in the New Year. I think I'm just more amazed at the year I have had. It started out pretty uneventful with a federal election and less than exciting January. That was until I came to Calgary for a visit to see B and his crew. I enjoyed my time in Alberta, but didn't know I would be coming back so soon. When I returned to Ottawa I was met with the news that a certain someone didn't like me the same way anymore and that sent me into a bit of a tailspin and re-evaluation of what I was doing with my life. But all in all it was probably a good thing. I made the decision to come to Calgary and with the help of some really good friends I was able to make that decision and the trip out with a lot of confidence. I spent the first two months dealing with the dramatic change and got a great deal of support from B and his family and I appreciated it greatly. Since then you pretty much know what I have been up to if you have been following my blogging. I can't believe how fast the last 8 month have flown by since I came to Calgary. Its been a great time and I have met some great new people and I'm looking forward to the adventures ahead. There already a couple of big events planned. I'll be heading to Florida shortly and I'm looking forward to a potential visit by mon ami Emilie. What else is in store for me in 2007? We will just have to wait and see.

Thanks for following me along this journey and I look forward to your thoughts and continued support.

Happy New Year Everyone

Girls, Girls, Girls!

So I went on a trip in time last week and took in a concert featuring one of the great hair bands of the 1980's. That's right, Motley Crue. Can you believe that mother effing sheet. My lord was this what the 80's were like? I have to say that I was never a big fan of the Crue and they did not do anything to win me over that night. As I sat there watching the likes of Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee 'playing' there music I was struck by the fact that these guys have little or no talent. Most of their show is about wowing you with the fireworks and scantily clad women. It almost makes you forget that every song sounds the same. Its obvious these guys are your prototypical 'lets form a band so we can get laid' type of group. I think the highlight of the concert was when Tommy Lee stepped from behind his drum kit and offered the crowd a swig of jagermeister. He handed the bottle to some dude in the crowd and told him to make sure that he passed it along. Now my first reaction was, "this can't be good", what with it being flu season and all. It wasn't until later that I really started to wonder how good an idea it is to be sharing a bottle with Tommy Lee. If I'm not mistaken this guy has Hep C and hey I'm no medical expert, but maybe its not such a great idea to swap spit with the dude. Next thing you know Canadian Blood Services will be screening people for blood donations by asking if they have been to a Motley Crue concert recently.

So all in all I was not that blown away by The Crue, but heck I hardly remembered any of their songs and I don't remember being too fascinated with them in my youth. Now you may ask why go to a concert when you don't even like the band? Well a friend asked me to go and I did. Plus the second act was Aerosmith and hey, I actually know some of their catalogue. Now these guys didn't need all the theatrics to put on an entertaining show. They played familiar classics and gave the crowd what they wanted. I had fun.

I have to say that I was surprised by the lack of mullets to make it out that night, but I guess people are starting to give up on the hairstyle. Praise Jesus. There were a lot of tight jeans though. Some things just never change. So that was my first ever arena concert going experience. Can you believe that. I don't know what it is about this Alberta air, but I just seem to get out and try new things. Its great.

So we have Christmas arriving in a week and so look for my Christmas story between now and then.

So that's it, that's all.

Toys, toys, toys.

Scooby Dooby Doo Where Are You?

We got some work to do now. The Scooby Doo cartoon brings back some difficult memories for me and I belive explains a lot about why I am not a fan of the cliffhanger ending or two part episode. It may not have happened a lot on Scooby Doo, but I swear there were enough of them, in my mind anyway, of two part scooby doo episodes. Oh sure now when ever I catch a Scooby Doo episode on Teletoon or something it ends with the bad guys being caught and the gang enjoying some scooby snax. It must have been the Harlem Globetrotter episode though that has left me with this impression. Anyway the point of my story is that there was a time when I saw the first part of a two-part Scooby Doo and missed the second half, leaving me wondering if they ever found the fiend. You see my father was a tyrant when it came to TV. When he got home he was gonna watch what he wanted to watch and that meant I could miss watching the Scoobster, because he figured that I could watch cartoons on Saturday, not understanding that Scooby Doo didn't air on Saturdays. So I was never guaranteed to see both halfs of an episode. I don't know what the TV people were thinking screwing around with kids' minds like this. COME ON! So because of this I can't get into shows that have a continuing storyline through more than one episode. I want things to be done when the hour or half hour is over, is that too much to ask?
Now that I think of it I'm pretty sure Dr. Who could also be blamed for screwing me up. With one TV in the house during the early 80's I was lucky to watch anything I wanted because of the old man. His house, his rules you know. Dr. Who forced you to watch like 5 or 6 episodes just to get the story. What is that about? How dare they. I never understood what the heck was going on with that show because I would end up seeing six different episodes from six separate series. Now things might have been easier if my parents bought me my own TV as a kid or let me watch what I wanted instead of their boring programs, but alas that was not to be. So ever since that time I have always had an uneasy feeling when 'to be continued' shows up on the screen at the end of an episode. I want answers damnit and I can't wait another week to get them. I will be watching a program and can sense that there is not enough time to wrap things up and going "oh they better not be even thinking about extending this to a second episode." So you see I am a bit troubled here. The point of this long winded diatribe is to say I like that they put TV shows on DVD. Thats it, that's all.

Also I would like to add that my father and mother aren't really tyrants and I actually think them to be cool most of the time. Its just that when you're a kid, you're parents are the 'man' and you have to rise up against the man. Am I right.

Alright dudes. Have a great day!

I really wanna know, Who are you? Who, who, who, who?

Well it would appear all the CSI watching I have been doing over the last few years has finally paid off. Last night I attended a murder mystery party and I was able to solve the crime before for anyone else. Gil Grissom watch out.

The evening started out slowly, but when things got going people were vicious. I played the role of a college student who shared a locker with the victim of the crime. This had people looking at me suspiciously because the crime had taken place just outside the school. So at first I had a large group of people accusing me of being the murderer, but my story checked out and there were a lot of witnesses to my whereabouts, but that didn’t keep me from trying to find the person who offed a man a barely knew. I have to admit my investigative skills are a bit unorthodox. I spent most of the night ignoring the clues and barely remembering what people told me or what I even asked them. So I gather it was by osmosis that I was able to determine whom in fact was the murderer. It was obvious to me that Cynthia was behind the crime because she had both the means and motive to commit it. You see, the victim owed her several thousand dollars for some design work she had done at his house. It seemed a little rash in my opinion to run him down, because you’ll never get the money that way. Although the victim had bought a plane ticket for somewhere in Europe, so its possible we would have never seen him again.

Anyway it was a real good time and it was for a good cause. My friend Danijela used the party as a way to help raise money for a charity marathon she will be running in Arizona this coming January for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. If any of my loyal readers out there would like to throw their support behind this run you can make a donation online by clicking on her name. I hope you will.

Oh yeah, if you read the last post on this fabulous journal you will see that I shaved my beard leaving behind a fine moustache. The picture I included with the story is quite possibly the finest photo I have ever seen of myself. Well as gorgeous as I look with the stache, I have gone completely bald about the face. Now I wonder does this affect my status as the Bearded Backpacker? No. The Bearded Backpacker is not defined by the beard, he defines the beard. So I may not look like the Bearded Backpacker for awhile, but I will still do all I can to uphold the values and whatever else I claim to stand for.

Well thank you for your time and it would be greatly appreciated if some of you would consider helping mon ami with her marathon.

Later

'Cause I really wanna know, I really wanna, Who are you?

God only knows what I'd be without you

The Bearded Backpacker has gone on holiday and in his place we present the Mustached Mountaineer. No loyal readers, its still your hero, the Bearded Backpacker, but I have made some changes to my appearance so that I can go undercover in my quest to understand the world of the cowboy. This weekend Calgary is playing host to the National Bull Riding Championships and in honour of that I thought I would shave my beard and just leave my moustache in its place. I don’t know what I was thinking when I made that decision, but I guess I just wanted to change things up a bit, what with having the beard on for a year and a half now. Sometimes you need to go with a complete overhaul to strengthen the beard’s power. Anyway I was hoping for some input on the mustached look and so feel free to post your comments, I look forward to your thoughts.

So I hope some of you had a laugh at my expense and we will continue the adventures. The cold weather is really moving into the Sandstone City now. We are enjoying or are expected to enjoy minus 20 temperatures and the snow has returned. Its not too bad I tell you what.

Did you know that Calgary was called the Sandstone City? I have to admit that I only found this out recently myself. The story behind the nickname seems to be that after the great fire of November 1886, where Calgary's downtown was almost entirely destroyed, it was decided that to keep this from ever happening again all large buildings in the city's downtown would be built with Paskapoo sandstone. So over the next 15 years over 40 sandstone buildings sprung up downtown and the city got its masonry moniker. Fantastic. I'm so glad I was able to teach you this amazing tale. This is just some of the fabulous insight you will be privy too if any of my loyal readers decide they want to drop in. We'll learn alot.

Oh yeah so I guess I should wish a Happy Thanksgiving to my friends in the U-S-A. I hope y'all enjoyed the turkey and football.

Later

Where have all the flowers gone

Well I have to say I am a horrible blog author considering I have gone two weeks without saying anything. I guess I have let my life keep me from writing anything. Or its possible that too many things have been going on and I have just been to indecisive about what to write. Well in the past two weeks the fine city of Calgary has experienced a couple of snowfalls and a couple of chinooks. Those chinooks can really knock you down if you're not ready for them. During the first one I was hit hard by the atmospheric change. My eyes felt like they were gonna pop out of my head, I was having trouble focusing and my head was in some severe pain. It was either the chinook or I was suffering a stroke. I hope it was the chinook. Anyway its pretty cool when a chinook rolls in. The snow just melts away leaving no trace of the winter storm we just witnessed. When it has snowed here it has been pretty cool and I have some pictures to show it.I had to drive in a blizzard last week to get to my moonlighting gig at the Big Blue Machine. It was a fine driving experience. I enjoyed it greatly. Also in the last couple weeks I was lucky enough to win a free night at a 3 star resort in the Rocky Mountains. I have let a few people know that who ever visits me first here in Calgary will have first shot at taking advantage of the free suite and breakfast. Y'all better not wait too long or you will be sorry. Also this past weekend I went to check out the Borat movie. It was quite the laugh riot, if not also a quite disturbing film. I only have to cite the wrestling scene from the movie to make my point. Anyone who has seen the film knows what I'm talking about. Those who have not, count yourselves lucky. Anyway the movie was hilarious and not as uncomfortable as you may think. Chef recommends. Alright everyone, have a great day and keep reaching for those stars.

O Connie, O Connie, I miss you so

Hey all my loyal readers. Yes once again back is the incredible, the one, the only, the . . .





BEARDED BACKPACKER

I wish to send a very Happy Halloween to everyone out there in internet land. May your partying and candy eating be grand. This year I am dressing up as the Backpacker as I bring more goodwill and joy to people everywhere. Isn't that scary. Me the grumpiest guy this side of the 100th meridian planning to bring joy to the world on the most scary of days. Whooo hoo hoo hoo hoo.

So you may have thought I should have included the lyrics of the monster mash as the title to my post here today, but Connie reminded me that I have been lazy in my duties as the Backpacker so I wanted to give her a shout out. I do miss Connie though and her unhealthy allegiance to the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal Canadiens. What is with that. I hope things continue to go well for you this year.

Hey I wanted to say congrats to Nic on his new eyes. I'm glad because he and glasses just didn't belong together. Will this make him a better hockey player or lead him into police work, we will have to wait and see. I say good luck.

I also want to pay tribute to one of the wackiest and best dogs I have ever known. He always had bad breath and some wild and crazy hair and in a lot of ways reminded me of myself some days. He wouldn't shut up, but we loved him for it. I want to say so long to our dear friend Pepsi, he passed away last month. I really do miss his cute little face and his arthritic walk and his inability to jump on the bed because he was too short. He made me smile every time I saw him. I'll miss him even more now that he's gone.

So as you may have heard I have started to work on video presentation of interior shots of me and Calgary. I hope to make it available in the next month or so so keep an eye out for that.

Alright well I'll leave it at that for now.

Have a Happy Halloween

I was working in the lab late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise
He did the mash
He did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
He did the mash
It caught on in a flash
He did the mash
He did the monster mash
From my laboratory in the castle east
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes
To get a jolt from my electrodes
They did the mash
They did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
They did the mash
It caught on in a flash
They did the mash
They did the monster mash
The zombies were having fun
The party had just begun
The guests included Wolf Man
Dracula and his son
The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds
The coffin-bangers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, "The Crypt-Kicker Five"
They played the mash
They played the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
They played the mash
It caught on in a flash
They played the mash
They played the monster mash

Out from his coffin, Drac's voice did ring
Seems he was troubled by just one thing
He opened the lid and shook his fist
And said, "Whatever happened to my Transylvania twist?"


It's now the mash
It's now the monster mash
The monster mash
And it's a graveyard smash
It's now the mash
It's caught on in a flash
It's now the mash
It's now the monster mash
Now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band
And my monster mash is the hit of the land
For you, the living, this mash was meant too
When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you
Then you can mash
Then you can monster mash
The monster mash
And do my graveyard smash
Then you can mash
You'll catch on in a flash
Then you can mash
Then you can monster mash