The Rusty Rider

Herbert's Place

2012-02-17T15:42:00.000-08:00

Herb has just finished the final covers for three more books he has coming out.
Check out his blog at http://hegro.blogspot.com/ or Melange Books at http://www.melange-books.com/index.html

Go to Herb's Blog, Leave a comment there, send your email address and Herb will send you a free pdf copy of 'Mark of the Cobra' or any of his other books.

The Mayonnaise Jar

2012-02-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes".

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, " I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things in life. Your family, your children, your health, your beliefs, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.

The sand is everything else, the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the garbage disposal.

Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Author unknown

Lees Tank

2012-02-15T17:49:00.000-08:00

Click on link below to see Lees fish tank....
Lees Tank

I hope the snow is gone.

2012-02-10T17:10:00.000-08:00

I really hope the snow is done with(here in Kelowna). It is all gone now and I hope it stays away.

No Bike Rides

2012-02-06T15:37:00.000-08:00

Well one thing is for sure, I'm missing my bike rides. If I was at home I think I would be tempted to get out for a short ride a least. But I'm here and my bike is back in Winnipeg.
I have been half tempted to pick up something cheap then just donate it before going back home. On the otherside of things, I have been doing lots of walking so I'm hoping that will help me keep my riding legs.

Canoeist Don Starkell Dies | Canoe & Kayak

2012-01-30T16:24:00.000-08:00

Canoeist Don Starkell Dies Canoe & Kayak

I have met Don several times over the years. From seeing him on the Red River to attending some of his seminars seeing his slides. I have his books in hard cover and autographed. Very interesting person. R.I.P.

Lego Man in Space

2012-01-26T18:59:00.000-08:00

Well if you missed seeing this one it is really interesting. Stunning views of our atmosphere and a 'Lego' man in space!

The two Toronto teens who sent a Lego man into near space were practically lifted into the stratosphere themselves on Wednesday by a rush of congratulations and media attention.Mathew Ho and Asad Muhammad, both 17, launched a balloon 80,000 feet above the Earth with a Lego passenger and four cameras to document the trip.

Cranky Old Guys Rule

2012-01-23T22:40:00.000-08:00

New T-shirt.....

Lottery Scanner

2012-01-22T17:11:00.000-08:00

Here is a great idea. Before you go the machine to scan your lottery tickets -- actually get them ready. The other day there was this lady who puts her big purse on the counter and stands in front of the scanner then proceeds to go thru her purse looking for her lottery tickets to scan.

What a idiot... Completely ignoring the line now behind her. Glad she didn't win. My scan a $ 1 winner on Supper Lotto. I really think it's time for them to put more money in the lower prizes. Too much at the high end

Got Nailed

2012-01-21T19:46:00.000-08:00

This is the joy of winter driving when some idiot in a big truck deliberately drives close to you. Managed to get it wash before it freezes again. Freezing rain for toinight. Will be nice once it drys off again.

January 14, 2012

2012-01-15T15:26:00.001-08:00

Some nice wheels..

2012-01-07T14:22:00.000-08:00

A nice old International truck that looks like a daily driver.

Back to the North Pole

2012-01-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

Well that is it another one gone by. So they are packing them up for another year. Back to the cold North Pole.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

2011-12-16T16:58:00.000-08:00

In the Neighbour's Backyard

2011-12-07T14:07:00.001-08:00

Summerland, BC

2011-11-15T23:36:00.000-08:00

November 11th

2011-11-07T23:01:00.000-08:00

Inside for the Winter..

2011-10-21T16:49:00.001-07:00

Well I finally closed the pond and moved my big goldfish inside. Nice to be able to see them again and the 55 gal tank worked out great. Really happy with it.

HAPPY 100 th

2011-10-11T21:15:00.000-07:00

One of the first things we did when we moved into our house back in 1976 was to install patio doors where the dinning room window was. When the window came out the frame was packed with old newspaper from October 1911. So the house was being constructed back then. We were able to get a picture of it from 1922. We got the picture from the grandson of the man who built the house. So Happy 100th Birthday to our house.

No Leaks

2011-09-22T20:08:00.001-07:00

Well the caulking job went great. So far no leaks. Our weather in Winnipeg is suppose to be nice for at least another week, so the goldfish can stay outside in the pond awhile longer.

Recaulking a 55 gallon aquarium

2011-09-14T20:46:00.001-07:00

Well the colder weather is finally starting to arrive here in Winnipeg. So I have to get a bigger aquarium ready for when I bring in my goldfish from the outside pond. The last several winters I've kept them in a 30 gal tank. Now they are allot bigger so I needed a bigger tank. I managed to pick up a 50 gal tank at a reasonable price but it needed to be resealed. This aquarium is made from 1/2" glass. So my guess is that it weighs around 140 lbs empty. Did the calculations on the Internet. So it is 48" L x 21 " H x 12 W. So I've been spending my time taking off the old caulking and now have it taped and all cleaned off using rubbing alcohol . So this after noon I did the caulking. Everything went well. Using a small fan to keep the fumes at bay. House still smells but it is getting better after five hours. So now I'll wait about four days before I start filling it with water and check for leaks. I sure hope that doesn't happen.

The bike riding has been put on hold for a little while. This weekend is suppose to warm up and and if that happens I get some kms put in. Looking forward to that.

Random pictures

2011-09-01T22:52:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken on my Sunday morning bike ride August 28th. A lot of time was spent to tape this bike off and paint it.

Old Rambler. There are still a few around I guess.

Omand's Creek bridge, water has gone down but still very muddy.

Painted on a bridge and reads ... "Till daylight sends me home"... My guess would be that Winnipeg must have the odd Vampire?? Who knows what lerks in the dark.

Classic Red River Ox Cart. Assiniboine Park.

It was the last Sunday morning ride for August. One of the best days to do a early morning bike ride because of Sunday Bike Routes and very little traffice until around 10am. The ride from my house out to Assiniboine Park and back is 25 kms. Sometimes I will extend that ride and go thru what is called Assiniboine Forrest and back which is around 35 kms. Today as nice as it was I had to shorten my ride and head for home.

Night Ride

2011-08-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

We did a night ride a few days back and spotted this little house. Who knows when it saw paint last. Just as I got home my seat post broke. Spilt down inside the shaft. Picked up a new one the next day from my Bike Shop. All fixed and I've done a couple of rides since.

Goodbye Jack

2011-08-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

NDP Leader Jack Layton died Aug. 22, 2011 at 61, after a battle with cancer.
A bike painted in NDP orange colours in Ottawa.

The Pond - Aug 15, 2011

2011-08-16T16:31:00.001-07:00

Our weather here in Winnipeg has been so hot, I lost all my water lettuce plants. Last weekend we were at one of our nurseries and they were clearing out their water Hyacinth plants. You could fill a bag for $5. Really packed the bag and now my pond is looking good. On the other side I was thinking of winter and my 25 gal tank would leave the goldfish pretty crowed. Started surfing Used Winnipeg and found a 50 gal tank cheap. Heavy one but it was a good deal and I'll need to clean it and reseal it before using it.

Blackberry

2011-07-31T13:39:00.000-07:00

Well we did another night ride with #2 son and grandson. Ended up going to the south end of the city. Great night to go and alot cooler out. Found another Blackberry phone on the road and llikely just in time before it got run over. Managed to get hold of the owner this morning and return it to him. Apparently it was stolen from his house with money and other items. I guess whoever took it, just threw it away. He was really happy to get it back as all his contacts and phone numbers were in it of course.

Red Lily Beetle

2011-07-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

Well thanks to the "Red Lily Beetle" we have gotten rid of all but two lily plants. The little red bugs destroyed most of out lilies. They just came out of nowhere. Probably because they fly they can move around from yard to yard. Our hot weather has really been helping them out as they don't like the cooler weather. Sprayed but that did not help.

Winnipeg Transit

2011-07-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

Some interesting facts about Winnipeg Transit. They have 88 Routes, 6,000 bus stops, 800 bus shelters, 1,500 transit benches, 535 buses, with a daily ridership of 110,000+ with a staff of 1,366, of which 950 are bus operators.

Back in the day, passengers would pour out of the beverage rooms at closing time and board the buses, many of them without money but carrying cases of beer. Beer, in fact, became a kind of currency. A bottle of beer bought a bus ride and drivers would sometimes end up at the end of the week with 30 or 40 bottles, depending on when the government cheques -- pensions, disability, welfare, unemployment -- came out.

The last time I took a bus?? I honestly can't remember. A long, long time ago.

In Memory of Coach Harris

2011-07-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are going to miss him. RIP Coach Harris.

Night Ride

2011-07-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures taken with the cell phone. Late night bike ride, 35.33 kms. It turned out to be a lovely night. Rode with #1 son and had fun along the way.

Not much left

2011-07-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

The above photo was from one of my earlier rides. Not much left on this one to strip.

It has really been hot here in Winnipeg. Seems to me hotter than I can remember. Riding on the bike has been nil. Usually riding in the evening when it is cooler out but not these past few nights. Just too humid.

It happened so fast

2011-07-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

It happened so fast..... While sitting on our screen porch the other day, checking e-mails. Something came past the front of the porch and caught my eye. Just a blur but all of a sudden I heard something hit the metal roof of our storage shed. As I looked over I could hear wings flapping and something fell off the roof. The cat woke up from a dead sleep and ran over to the corner to have a look. There was lots of screeching and as I looked over this small brown hawk left the ground with a small red squirrel in its claws. Flew right past me and the headed off across the back lane to a big tree there. We've had lots of small squirrels running around. Well one less now. Was something to see? A lesson to the hawk don't land on metal roofs, you'll slide off.

Under the Bridge Graffiti

2011-07-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

Eagle on a Bear

2011-07-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of a carving that I promised PaddyAnne. The scaffolding has been up for several weeks now to start carving the other stump. I guess with our hot weather he has put it on hold for a little while. So I will update this later on. Took these pictures this morning on my bike ride. Managed to get in 33.5 kms before it got to hot. Great morning for a ride. Since #1 son is at the lake I did this ride alone. Click on pictures to enlarge.

Painted Door

2011-07-08T21:54:00.001-07:00

Woody The Spirit Tree - Update-2

2011-07-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

The Garden

2011-07-06T14:26:00.001-07:00

Except for the pond, none of the above is my handy work. The wife is the Gardner.

Woody the Spirit Tree - update

2011-07-04T21:24:00.000-07:00

The first picture is of Woody the Spirit Tree that was taken in 2008.
In April of 2008 I did a blog about Woody the Spirit Tree. Well unfortunately someone or somebody set fire to him. We rode out there on our bikes a couple of weeks ago to see how it was. The people who carved Woody think they can save him and clean him up again. That was good news. This is located in the South end of Winnipeg and a good ride from where we live. I rode out there with #1 son and we had a great time. We noticed there are lots of little carvings of faces on dead branches. It is a lovely area to walk or bike ride thru. Lets hope people show respect for the work that was done and leave the carvings as they are. So far they haven't caught who started the fire.

Coolie Loaches & Pond Update

2011-07-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a rare picture of my Coolie Loach in one of my 20 gal tanks in the basement. I have two Coolie Loaches in the same tank. They only come out at night and sometimes I don't see them for weeks.
On the outside, the pond is doing great. Haven't had too much trouble keeping it clean this year. The really warm weather has just started so we'll see how it goes. The pictures below are from my cell phone so not the best.

Eat, Sleep, Ride

2011-06-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

My current read. I'm about half way thru reading this. Excellent book. This is the story of Paul Howard who rides from Banff in Canada to the Mexican Border. The tour divide is more than 2,700 miles. It is a adventure of a lifetime for him.

First long ride

2011-06-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

Well I managed to get my first decent bike ride. The weather wasn't too bad. Ended up doing 30 kms with #1 son. This believe it or not was just my third ride so far this year. The weather hasn't been that good and we have had lots of rain or cold weather. So Sunday afternoon was great. Got my phone call to go and just went for it. Great Ride...

Turn the Heat on

2011-05-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

What is with the cold weather and now rain for the weekend.. Yikes.

Pond is ready for summer.

2011-05-17T21:37:00.000-07:00

The pond is up and running. From a last minute snow fall to sunny warm days.
All three goldfish are now in it and I'll have to go shopping soon to get some pond plants for it.

Bike is out and I've done one ride already.

Back Home

2011-05-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

Well I have a new laptop and finally back on line. We are back home in Winnipeg. Weather hasn't been great. After getting my broken spoke fixed it snowed again. Haven't been out for a bike yet and the city is finally getting the streets cleaned up. Pot holes are just unreal. Having spent the winter in Kelowna, BC their roads are far better.

Some pictures from our trip below:

On our way home through the Rockies.

Our car covered in snow in Calgary. Stayed house bound on this day.

The flat land of the prairies near Regina, Sask.

This bike picture was taken in downtown Kelowna.

Taking a Break

2011-03-28T09:54:00.001-07:00

Going to get real busy now so I'll take a break from blogging for the next few weeks. Be back soon.

Something to think about: Election Canada showed the estimated cost of the last election at $ 288.2 million.

The G8 and G20 summits for just a few days in Toronto last June cost the Canadian taxpayers nearly "858 million dollars".

David Suzuki

2011-03-24T22:36:00.001-07:00

Happy 75th Birthday. David Suzuki a Canadian Icon. The world is better because of him. Thanks isn't enough.

Old Timer

2011-03-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

It was such a lovely day we decided to head out of Kelowna for a spin. Saw this 1968 Buick Wildcat in Summerland, BC. yesterday. Looks better than it is but I'm pretty sure there is lost of rust under the paint.

Likely we have less than two weeks left in Kelowna then head back home to Winnipeg. Unfortunately of course there still is lots of snow waiting for us. So my postings will drop off some and when we do get home #3 son tells me the computer isn't always working. Time to upgrade to a laptop. I hope.

I also need to pull the back wheel off of the bike when I get home and get a broken spoke fixed.

BEST EVER SENIOR CITIZEN JOKE

2011-03-22T23:10:00.000-07:00

Just had to post this one:

A little silver-haired lady calls her neighbor and says, "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started."

Her neighbor asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?"

The little silver haired lady says, "According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster."

Her neighbor decides to go over and help with the puzzle. She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table. He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says, "First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster."

He takes her hand and says, "Secondly, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then," he said with a deep sigh ............. "Let's put all the Corn Flakes back in the box."

The computer swallowed Grandma

2011-03-18T15:50:00.000-07:00

Not having much to post, I got this in a email yesterday thought it was really cute to pass along for reading.

THE COMPUTER SWALLOWED GRANDMA

The computer swallowed grandma.
Yes, honestly its true!
She pressed 'control' and 'enter'
And disappeared from view.

It devoured her completely,
The thought just makes me squirm.
She must have caught a virus
Or been eaten by a worm.

I've searched through the recycle bin
And files of every kind;
I've even used the Internet,
But nothing did I find.

In desperation, I asked Google
My searches to refine.
The reply from him was negative,
Not a thing was found 'online.'

So, if inside your 'Inbox,'
My Grandma you should see,
Please 'Copy,''Scan' and 'Paste' her
And send her back to me.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-15T16:27:00.001-07:00

Kelowna Cycle

2011-03-10T15:28:00.000-08:00

While the girls were shopping I managed to check out a couple of Bike Shops. Pictures were taken off the Kelowna Cycle website. Always nice to look at the good stuff. I'm like a kid in a candy store. I don't really need a new bike but I'm always looking.

Regina

2011-03-09T10:13:00.001-08:00

Well my brother sent me this one. Regina, Sask. sleigh ride at the church with the temp. at -17c.
They sure look cold to me and probably want to head back to the barn.

Spring is here ??

2011-03-08T17:35:00.001-08:00

Well spring is here but the problem is that it's in the Orchard Park Mall, Kelowna, BC..... the lineup is at Tim Horton's for Roll up the Rim of course..

Sexy Sumo -- 2011 Subaru Forester

2011-03-08T16:03:00.000-08:00

Sexy comes Standard..

Well I just happen to think this is one of the best commericals right now..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhJvK7zL1uI

Crazy Driver Hits Cyclists

2011-02-28T15:58:00.000-08:00

Driver plows into Brazilian Critical Mass Ride.

At least 20 people were hit, but none killed, after a fast-moving car ploughed through a group of bicyclists staging a demonstration in Porto Alegre, Brazil, according to news reports.

Nine people were hospitalized Friday after the car slammed into the group, who were staging a monthly pro-bicycling protest, according to a BBC report.

Richard Neis, 47, a central bank official, turned himself in to police Monday, according to the Brazilian newspaper Zero Hora.

The newspaper quotes Neis as saying he was trying to protect his 15-year-old son after his car was threatened by the cyclists.

Summerland, BC

2011-02-22T20:57:00.001-08:00

Only took a few pictures driving around in Summerland, BC. Went out for a really nice supper at Zia'a Stonehouse Restaurant.

Huff and Puff

2011-02-18T15:42:00.000-08:00

Well got my first bike ride in for 2011 however brief it was. Haven't been on a bike since the end of last September. Borrowed the bike in the picture. Still it was nice to be riding. Lots of sand still on the roads and of course today it is still melting out so some roads have water on them.

Someone did tons of work on this thing. Me, personally I would have just redone it as a very nice 1954 Chevy. Its up for sale. I think it will take a while to sell this. The gas mileage on this thing can't be great. Anyhow it's different but not for me.

Revisiting your Youth

2011-02-15T15:15:00.000-08:00

I received this one from my brother who wants to do this in 20 years but travel across Canada. Yikes, we are twins so we will both be 84 pushing 85 then. I would like to do the trip but think I'll take a car. We'll take mine, his usually breakdown. All kidding aside this is one terrific video and well worth watching.

Based on a real story, a group of old men decide to revisit their motorcycling youth after one of their own passes away. The average age of the five riders is 81. Check it out.

http://www.flixxy.com/dream-rangers-tc-bank-taiwan.htm

The Orangutan and the Hound

2011-02-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed this National Geographic video (about 4 minutes long).
When Surya, the orangutan, meets a hound dog by the river, the two carry on like long lost friends. Click on link: The Orangutan and the Hound.

The new winter cyclist

2011-02-07T15:33:00.000-08:00

Click on to link The new winter cyclist as seen on the Winnipeg Free Press web page. Now I have done some winter riding and the goggles are a must. Tyler Paziuk is the cyclist in the video.

Peachland, BC

2011-02-06T14:41:00.001-08:00

Cold and windy..

Expensive Bicycles

2011-02-03T20:27:00.000-08:00

Trek “Butterfly” Madone – $500,000.

Trek Yoshitomo Nara Speed Concept – $200,000.

Aurumania’s Gold Bike Crystal edition – $114,000

World's Most Expensive Fishing Lure

2011-02-03T20:19:00.000-08:00

This little beauty is 12 inches long and made up of 3 pound platinum and gold encrusted with 4,753 stones totaling over 100 carats of diamonds and rubies. What you’d do with it is beyond me but no doubt there is a wealthy fisherman out there who’d love it!

Was created by MacDaddy’s Fishing Lures Inc. Just make sure you get the world's strongest fishing line as the world's most expensive fishing lure will set you back a fishy $1,000,000.00 US.

Leckie House

2011-01-24T15:09:00.000-08:00

Leckie House
The historic place is the two-storey, wood-sided Leckie House and its landscaped front yard open to the public street, built in the Queen Anne style in 1906 and located at 781 Bernard Avenue, in Kelowna's historic North Central neighbourhood.The house is a very good example of the first generation of substantial urban residences in Kelowna. It has value for illustrating the establishment of Kelowna as a significant urban centre in British Columbia. It was built in 1906, when upper Bernard Avenue had just been subdivided as a residential area for the community's more affluent citizens, and was being developed with homes for Kelowna's business and social elite. The design and scale of the house reflect the strong economy of Kelowna at the time.
The story of David and Date Leckie, the initial occupants, is illustrative of many Kelowna residents of their class, in that both contributed substantially to the development of Kelowna in their roles as business, community, and church leaders. David Leckie was a hardware merchant who served several terms on City Council, contributed to the first hospital and aquatic centre, and was involved as well in the cannery business. Both he and his wife were prominent in Knox Presbyterian Church. In the 1930s the house was the residence of George A. Barrat, a member of the B.C. Fruit Board and secretary of B.C. Tree Fruits Ltd. The association with both Leckie and Barrat is important because both were involved in the fruit industry, a key economic sector in Kelowna throughout the twentieth century.
The conversion of the building to a duplex in 1944 tells us about the process of urban development and the changing urban landscape in Kelowna, in that it reflects both the wartime housing shortage and the decline of the area in favour of more outlying neighbourhoods, as many large houses in this area were converted to rooming houses and apartments.

Double Decker Bus

2011-01-24T15:07:00.001-08:00

We sure could use these in Winnipeg.

Muirhead House

2011-01-24T15:02:00.000-08:00

Muirhead House
The historic place is the one-and-one-half storey wood frame Muirhead House at 763 Bernard Avenue, built in the Queen Anne style in 1910, during the initial development of Kelowna's North Central neighbourhood. The residence was constructed during the initial period of Kelowna's neighbourhood development after incorporation in 1905. This was a time of strong economic growth, when the upper Bernard Avenue area was being as developed with substantial houses to accommodate the more affluent members of Kelowna's business and social societies. The house was built in 1910 by I. Mawhinney, who had come to Kelowna from Northern Ireland. It was sold in 1912, and became the residence of W.F. Muirhead by 1916.

From Snow to Rain

2011-01-18T14:07:00.000-08:00

With in a matter of two days its gone from snow to rain. The above picture was taken at midnight.

Snow Job

2011-01-14T16:50:00.000-08:00

Flying High

2011-01-07T12:44:00.000-08:00

Fying high above the clouds over Saskatchewan, Canada.

Corydora update

2011-01-01T20:27:00.000-08:00

Well they have grown some and at last count I had approx. 60 left. Gave 25 away to Herb who has a really big tank that needs some fish. My tanks are too small to support such large number of fish. I still have another 9 full grown Corydoras. Mostly the peppered catfish plus three albino's. The above picture is from the bunch (21) that hatched just before the middle of September. I just moved them back into a little bigger tank on December 30th and have some other ones in my 20 gallon tanks. All my fish have done good during 2010 with the exception of my fighting fish which died in November.

Happy New Year

2010-12-30T18:42:00.000-08:00

All the best to everyone out there. Do lots of biking and fishing in the coming year.

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-20T17:11:00.001-08:00

Have a very Merry Christmas for 2010

Fishing - Oct 5, 2010

2010-10-06T12:14:00.001-07:00

Still trying to get some fishing days in the books. Cool and windy. Only caught one fish and it wasn't me. My #3 son caught this nice looking sucker. Might manage to get some more fishing in but closer to home.

Royal Winnipeg Ballet - Dance Downtown

2010-10-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

On September 26th we took our oldest granddaughter to see the Royal Winnipeg Ballet - Dance Downtown. It was free and we really enjoyed it. First we did a tour of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet then went across the street for the free show which was on the main floor of the New Manitoba Hydro Building.

Winter is coming..

2010-10-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

*click on pictures to enlarge.

Well September has gone just as fast as the summer months did. The leaves are falling and today I cleaned out the pond probably for the last time. The goldfish are still in it and will likely be coming inside next week. My neighbour has had he Koi in for the last week. We have managed to do a couple of fishing trips and hope for some more. Nothing in the way of big fish caught. The Red River has just been to high and fast for most of the summer. For those of you who live in Winnipeg it is a rare site to see water coming out of the flood way gates at this time of year.

Managed a trip out to Breezy Point to do some fishing and no luck. Its a nice area but as I always notice tons of garbage around. I always pickup my stuff and bring it home with me to get rid of. Don't people realize it all ends up in the lake. Sad.

Last night I got in a 32 km bike ride with my oldest son. Great ride and a little nippy on the ears but we managed it alright. Colder stuff to come yet. I've been riding with a broken spoke on the back wheel. Once I take a break, I'll get it fixed. Broke a spoke last year as well. Our roads are in such horrible condition here. #2 son has a road bike and is constantly having to get it fixed for broken spokes.

MS Lord Selkirk in Dry Dock. Sold for scrap.

Corydora Update

2010-09-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

Well I guess I'm about six weeks into raising these corydora's. Todate I have a total of 70 in a ten gallon tank and still have another 51 in the 3 gallon tank. The above picture is of my last bunch. In total the pair spawned nine times. Everything seems to be going well.

The picture below is from the first batch that hatched. They are about 1/2" in size now.

Well the weather is so nice I'm just going to get ready for a evening bike ride. Most of my rides lately have been at night so not many pictures.

Peppered Corydora's (Catfish)

2010-09-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Well my Peppered Corydora’s (Catfish) have spawned at least 12 times since August 18th. This is the first time I have ever had any egg laying fish spawn. Once the eggs are hard I carefully removed them with a razor blade off the glass. I then put them in a 4 gal. tank with a air stone running. It takes about 3-4 days before they hatch. They will still have a sac attached and will not require food for two days. There in lies the problem what is the easy way to feed them. I have been using liquid Wardley’s - Small Fry and Hikari’s - Micro Wafer food that is mashed up until it is like powder. When they are first hatch they are only about a 1/8 inch in size and very hard to see.

I do a 50% water change about every two or three days using water from the parent tank. So far this has been working. Cleaning the tank I carefully siphon off the dirt and leftover food on the bottom. After the first week or so I removed the fish and eggs and did a good cleaning. Once again the water used to fill the tank is from the parent tank. I have done this twice now. The first batch is now about ¼ inch in size. I’m thinking I will move the parents to another tank and put the fry in a 10-gallon tank soon.

The water temperature has been constant at 72 with a ph reading of 7.6. Both the parent tank and the tank the fry are in are of the same ph level. The last time I emptied the tank for a good cleaning my count was 103 to 113 fry (lost count) and approx. 30 eggs left. As of today most of those 30 eggs have hatched and I have had another spawning from catfish I have in a 20 gal. Tank. Yikes, I must be doing something right.

Hoping to get a bunch of them up to at least ½ inch.

Bone-shakers

2010-09-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

Competitors take part in The Knutsford Great Race in Knutsford, northwest England, on September 5, 2010, a totally unique event held once every 10 years and featuring solo and team cyclists from around the world, including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Czech Republic, France, Germany and Hungary, riding original dandy horse machines, bone-shakers and Penny Farthing Cycles, dating from the middle of the 19th century.

Saying Goodbye

2010-09-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

We've had her for 10 years and it's time to let go. She has taken us all across Canada. To the West Coast many times, several trips to southern Ontario and the East Coast twice. She's had a few speeding tickets and one accident. But the transmission went and there is just too much serious rust to pass safety. Sometimes you just have to say "that's it".

Sad, but at the same time the transmission went on my 2000 Suzuki Esteem. Really noisy and I have no second gear. We will likely fix that and sell it. I really need a automatic for the wife to drive. Currently my son managed to find me 2003 Buick LeSabre. So far it is really nice and we are pretty sure we’ll get the car. It is just like new.

June, July and half of August

2010-08-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

Yikes, that time flew by fast. Busy, lunches, Birthdays, Anniversaries, bike rides and just busy in general. Weather is really hot. Having fun that is the main thing. No fishing yet but once the weather cools down might try to get out.

BP Oil Spill....how would it look in YOUR town?

2010-06-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

This is neat and scary. To put the sheer size of the BP oil spill into perspective, these guys have created a program to let you measure it against the land mass surrounding your home town. Click on the link, enter your town, and province in the location box top page, and it'll move the oil spill. Scary! http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/

Cleaned the Pond

2010-06-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

Cleaned out the pond today. Finally got a day sunny enough to do some yard work. I was lucky about four years ago to pick-up a pond pump for $5. All you do is hook up your garden hose to it, put it in the pond and turn the water on and it pumps out the water. Works great. Before that I was using a pail. Of course that was my smaller preformed pond.

This year I got a Laguna Vacuum Kit for ponds. It works on pretty much the same system except the water goes back into the pond. The dirt is trapped in a filter bag that attaches to the power vac. Works well for my size of pond.

So the process of cleaning is easy. Pump out half of the pond. Clean the pump filter. Then use the Vacuum to clean the bottom. This then adds water back into the pond and tops it up again. Job done.

I only have two big goldfish about 7 inches in size. A few plants (expensive) and what you see in the picture is about $14 worth so I hope the will multiply or failing that at least last the summer.

Neighbors Pond & Winnipeg Conservatory

2010-05-28T10:51:00.001-07:00

The Winnipeg Conservatory ponds(both inside).

My neighbors pond. No fish but is done very nice. No as deep as mine but he has a really good pump and filter. The bigger pump because he has a waterfall.

2010 EMS BIKE RIDE

2010-05-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

The EMS Bike Ride May 16th was a great success and weather wise it couldn’t have been better. I ended up doing three loops then did a ride around the park before heading back to our site for lunch and raffle draws. For more pictures and information click onto the EMS Bike Ride Website.

The group picture.
My Bike
Major Incident Response Unit Vehicle

Pond and Pump Filter

2010-05-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

My pump that I have used for the last four years is a Becket DP250K. It is a small submersible pump with a couple of nozzles. I got it for half price as is missing a few pieces but still does what I want. This Beckett magnetic drive pump is an efficient, low-energy pump that is designed to run continuously without oil or seals that may fail. Because there is no oil, there is no danger of leakage into the pond, which can be harmful or fatal to fish and plants. Using less energy than their direct drive counterparts, magnetic drive pumps can often save enough money in energy to pay for themselves in just one season. Magnetic drive pumps are low maintenance with only one moving part, a shaft with impeller. Their durable construction, corrosion resistance, and energy efficiency will make a magnetic drive pump an integral part of your pond system season after season. This Beckett Pond and Fountain Pump is ideal for small water features. Its inconspicuous design, low profile, and quiet operation make this pump a must for your tabletop fountains, aquariums, statuary, or small water displays. Stand this pump on its wide and stable base on a flat surface. The unit includes straight and right-angled adaptors, each featuring easily adjustable flow control. This pump is equipped to accept 5/8 inch I.D. vinyl tubing. 250 gph at a zero foot height, automatic shut off at five feet.

I have noticed that no one seems to be carrying Beckett pumps or parts. If you are planning on a pond or looking for pumps check to see what most places are carrying. At this present time I would recommend Laguna or Little Giant. Seems to be lots of suppliers around town. Also a pump with ¾” fittings would be better as far as getting nozzles etc.

This last week I decided to add a Little Giant pond and pump filter. My current pump sits right inside this. It filters water before entering pump and helps keep debris from entering a fountain nozzle. Inside it has two easy-to-clean filter pads, one coarse and one fine. It also comes with 8” stem and adapter for use with fountain heads (unfortunately not mine). I got mine at Shelmerdine’s Garden Center in Winnipeg. It was just what I wanted and they also included Little Giants polypropylene biological media that sit in the bottom of the filter for beneficial bacteria growth to help improve water clarity in water ponds and gardens. I have two neighbors that have this set-up and it seems to work well for them.

You can download Laguna’s 2010 catalogue in pdf form from this location: http://www.hagen.com/pdf/ponds/Laguna-2010.pdf

And these guys are still waiting to go outside.
I will update the pond stuff a little later on with a picture of the final set-up. Plus I’ll get some shots of the neighbors’ ponds to post as well.

New Pond

2010-05-01T20:25:00.000-07:00

Well I think I'm giving myself more work here but what the heck. I was given a pond liner years ago and now I'm finally going to use and make a bigger pond.

This is the old pond we had for about 4 years now. It was just a tad too small.
You can see the hole the old pond left. So the new one will be 6' x 3' and approx 15" deep all over.

The sides are straight down. As I have had Racoon problems in the past. They don't like straight drop offs but prefer slopping sides so this should help to keep it out. I hope. The rocks around the edge are only temporary and I have Tyndall stone that will go all the way around.

Currently everything is on hold because of rain and colder weather. My two goldfish are still inside and I won't put them out until it warms up some more.

This turned out to be a intersting project and we hope all goes well. I don't have any filter in the pond but run a pump with 250 gph. It should still be big enough to keep the water moving. With the old pond it was easy to keep clean and I'm hoping this one won't take much time. We will also move some of the plants around.

4,500 kms on the bike

2010-04-22T12:54:00.001-07:00

New Bike Computer

2010-04-18T17:23:00.001-07:00

Well my bike computer died. After five years... Had Trek Incite 9i. Was really nice but I was unable to find another.

Its replacement is a Sigma BC1009. Both had all the functions that I needed. Today was my first ride with it installed and it worked great. Also picked up a new helmet Louis Garneau at Costco to start the season. Pictures aren't the best as I was using my cell phone camera.

Ride this morning was only 21kms because I was late leaving the house. Slow mover this morning. Weather was great with little too no road traffic. A plus I must say.

Long Cool Ride

2010-04-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

Well #1 Son and I went on a good bike ride today. It was a little cool and still had to wear gloves on our hands. Around noon it started to warm up a little. We ended up doing 36.8 kms. Not bad this being my sixth ride so far this year.

We were riding way past Assiniboine Park and back thru Assiniboine Forrest then headed back for home.

Our short cut was still flooded out.

I can never figure out is this waving or just giving me the finger.

The Winnipeg Aquarium Society

2010-04-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

The Winnipeg Aquarium Society put on its Tropical Fish Show 2010 Aquaria Expo this past weekend. What a great show, they do this every two years. It is billed as Canada's Largest Tropical Fish Show. We really enjoyed ourselves. Took lots of pictures. Hard get some good pictures as these guys are really moving around.

End of March

2010-03-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

Well it is almost April and I have managed to get three bike rides in. A first as the weather has been somewhat mild. This morning it was only -3c and managed to get in 25kms. Slowly getting back into shape. And I decided even the beard is coming off today. Looking pretty scruffy. The Red River has come up quit a bit but has little ice on it going thru the city. So far anyway. The walkways at the Forks are all flooded but that is normal for this time of year. Don't know why they made them so low.

I think we have won six free coffee's so far at Tims but nothing major. Will have to start the yard work soon and there I'm lucky (small yard.).

That time of year again...

2010-03-16T09:44:00.001-07:00

Sure sign spring is coming. It's roll up the rim time again at Tim Horton's.

The Bike is out of the shed.

2010-03-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

First ride for the 2010 season. Foggy but at least it was dry and the temperature was around 3 c. Heading off to Birds Hill Park.

New Additions

2010-03-07T13:12:00.001-08:00

Albino Corydoras (2)

Pepper Corydoras (6)

Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta)

Heart Shaped Wheel

2010-02-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

This is a neat heart shaped wheel posted on Riding Pretty-Bicycle Chic.
Happy Valentines Day everyone...

Nodar Kumaritashvili - RIP

2010-02-13T11:51:00.000-08:00

A very sad day for the Olympics. They did great remembering him during the opening ceremonies.

Discovery Channel mourns loss of Dear Friend

2010-02-12T10:21:00.000-08:00

I found this fascinating quote today:

Statement from Discovery - Discovery mourns the loss of dear friend and colleague Captain Phil Harris. He was more than someone on our television screen. Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him. We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil’s every move. We send our thoughts and prayers to Phil’s sons Josh and Jake and the Cornelia Marie crew.Morgan, CorneliaMarie | Crab Fishing Vessel on Deadliest Catch, Feb 2010

You should read the whole article.

Snow Family

2010-01-29T16:57:00.001-08:00

Saw this one the other day on a street near us so drove back with the camera to get a quick shot.

Still very cold out. I think it is the wind more than anything. We were at the Mall today and you would think it was Christmas again. The place was packed. I guess with the cold weather and probably being a pay day, people just wanted to get out.

Lockport, Manitoba

2010-01-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

Well finally managed to escape the house for awhile. Took a drive out to Lockport and Selkirk to check on the Ice Fishing. Lots of shacks on the ice between Lockport and Selkirk. We have a break in our cold weather right now and it is only around -8 Celsius.

Winter Blog Header

2010-01-19T16:50:00.001-08:00

The winter blog header I'm using is the West Montrose Covered Bridge (Kissing Bridge). Located in Southern Ontario. The bridge was built in 1881 and underwent major repairs in 1999. Light traffic is still crossing the bridge daily and many horse and buggies cross on Sundays. The bridge is often referred to as "The Kissing Bridge" because it is enclosed and the soft light provides a feeling of intimacy for the romantic.

We have a friend who just lives down the road from this spot and have walked here several times. A lovely area.