bmclane

sawdust and oil

2007-03-06T03:07:52Z

Somewhere in my Moms extensive collection of photos, is one of the very first photos of myself. Just home from the hospital. I'm sitting on Dads lap with an enormous set of ear-muffs on, as he's operating a large Cat (a forestry bulldozer) clearing stumps off of what would later become the backyard. You can imagine the noise. One of Dads arms is holding me on his lap, the other grasping the controls. I'm fast asleep.

When I was a kid, my Dad worked in camp the vast majority of the time. Time with Dad was always a big deal. But some of the time when he couldn't get away from work, he combined his work and our time and I'd get to go to work with Dad.

When he was working in town this meant getting up incredibly early, having breakies' with Dad and the ubiquitous stop at Tim Hortons on the way to the work setting.

The trucks where always big, and filled to the dash with greasy work tools and clothing. That distinct smell of sawdust and chain oil clung to everything. Nobody ever cleaned them, by the time they broke down completely it was time for a new truck. My dad being a faller quite often I was responsible for doing hourly checks via radio, to make sure he was still OK. I'd hang out in the truck all day, or go wander through the bush with the radio on my hip. Nothing bad ever happened on my watch, but if it had I was responsible for bringing in the calvary.

Occasionally, I would get to go hang out with Dad in the logging camp he was working in, for a long weekend. The crew goes home, but someone had to watch the camp over the weekend. This meant I got to fly, in a Beaver or a Helicopter. Great fun for a 12 year old. On the Saturday I was allowed to run the machines, or move them around to different places and get them setup for the Monday shift. But only on Saturday. So if I broke something, we (i.e. Dad) had time to fix it. We aren't talking about small little tractors either. I drove everything from skidders to million dollar log loaders, snuck them under power lines and up steep road grades. Essentially a big Tonka toy to a 12 year old, I can't believe the trust (or suspension of belief) my dad had in me. At 12 I was more comfortable in the cockpit of a front-end loader than a pick-up truck. Once he'd orientated me on the controls he would start down the ladder, saying "..now if anything goes wrong, I'm on channel 32, call me if you need anything!" Slamming the door shut and climbing into his truck to take care of business elsewhere. How much is this thing worth? Ooo that little slidder with the turtle on one end and the rabbit on the other, I know what that does. Lets ride.

Riding around in the work truck, I was usually designated the center-front position. Since my legs where short enough they wouldn't get in the way of the stick shift. Dad driving, I often found myself sandwiched between guys I'd only met moments before, and privy to all kinds of conversations which never sunk in until many years later. That odor of sawdust and oil coming from everyone, whom I had never met. But that scent made the whole ordeal seem familiar each time I climbed into Dads work truck with completely different people.

Yesterday I waited by my bosses' truck to allow a feller-buncher to crawl by on a single lane snowed in road, climbing up to its block to go to work. I give the obligatory wave to the operator, he looks bored as hell. They don't move very fast, its taken him hours to drive the machine this far up the road. But he waves anyway to say thanks. The smell of diesel exhaust washes over me as the machine passes and I'm transported back to camp with my Dad. Such a great smell. I climb into the truck and my boss turns the key, waiting for the glow plugs. "We've got to get to Chemainus by 5:00 to pick Riley up for hockey." Riley being his son, 5:00 being PM.

We pull into the driveway and I give them a hand throwing his hockey gear into the back of the truck and wander around a bit, checking my messages on the cell. Riley and his Dad appear from the house and Riley jumps in the front seat and settles into the center seat, behind the gearshift, and gives me a nervous-but-optimistic smile. We've never met before and I'm going to be sandwiched beside him for an hour and a half. Reaching for the handle of the door to pull myself in, It all hits me at once.

Seems like only yesterday I was going to camp with my Dad.

work and play

2007-02-01T05:38:57Z

Theres a few things going on, lets get to a few of them since its been a while.

Many work opportunities have arisen and it seems as though the summer is fast approaching. Its rather nice to have a choice of summer work, or to not work at all. Decisions abound, to be a bum or to go to work? Guess I'll have to wait for that important phone call. Seeing as this is my 4th year trying to get in with the MOF Fire Fighting dealy, they'll probably phone just as I've decided and screw everything up. Such is as it goes!

A new trail has begun to emerge out of the woods near the house which is proving to be most enjoyable. I'll get some pictures up when it's finally done. The love affair with my bike continues and has reached new heights, literally, as I begin to learn how to throw it through the air, myself attached with white knuckles.

bmclane @ 2006-10-02T19:33:00

2006-10-03T02:58:35Z

Query: You find yourself with some unexpected, welcome time off in between jobs. The weather is nice and you've access to a large pile of scrap wood. Additionally you have saved a pile of loot from your summer job which can be spent exclusively on a shiny new bike one hundred percent guilt free. What would you do? How about build a mountain bike trail.

I call it, "Log 'o' Matic". It started out as a simple teeter-totter, but a few helpfull suggestions from Mason and approximately 50 hours of labour later it mutated into a pretty decent log ride. I needed something to practice on in the yard so I figured why not build it? Building a trail has been on my short list of things to do for about a year now and it feels good to get it done. Its like a virus. Now the trail has to be longer and crazier, I'm sure extensions will be constructed in the future. I'm already eye'ing up a few spots up the hill which would make for some good beginner gap jumps.

I will dedicate a future post to my new baby, a grey Rocky Mountain Switch. A true gentleman does not kiss and tell, we have to get to know each other much better before I introduce you. Suffice it to say that I am completely smitten. This weekend we have a date on Whistler, maybe I'll get to second-base, but I'd like to take it slow you know?

Found myself a new job, as I write this I'm in Powell River starting up the first week. Which (/crosses fingers) could turn out really well. But I'm not going to jinx it. It's pretty decent and I get to measure trees all day with a large ruler and tiny calipers.

I do apologise, usually I put much more effort into the writing of these updates, but I felt the need to throw this up as is.

the saga continues

2006-09-06T19:05:05Z

Moving is a funny thing. I know that many of you out there have done it many times, but to me its still somewhat of an event. This most recent move brings my grand total to 4. If nothing else it makes me realise just how many 'things' I've amassed, but I think this move in particular has revealed much. Since I finished school I pretty much coasted through some odd times and now I've arrived in a place where, I think its time to get a job and get on with things. Some longer-term goals need to be setup so I can settle into a groove for a while.

Its good to be back in Nanaimo, strangely enough. It feels much more like home than Victoria. Still getting myself settled back in, I've got a contract with WFP up in Iron River that should keep me occupied until the end of the month. Over the summer my wheels shook my faith in them and I've been entertaining the idea of buying a new truck. Reliable transportation right? Its invaluable.

On the hunt for a new bike of course, I might have found one right in my own backyard. All other things aside, I really just want to get riding again. That should be enough for now.

final push.

2006-08-29T07:03:22Z

Summer is in its closing days, and with it the final push at the summer job. I know I'm not the only one crossing the days off the calendar, anxiously awaiting September. I don't know where the summer went, but I would like it back if you don't mind. I got in a few activities here and there but overall it was a complete bust. Sure I've got my stack of loot to show for it, but I wonder at what price that really came at, you know? Not that there is really a choice in the matter I suppose. Everyone has to work don't they? Might as well do it at an easy summer job. Most of it would seem to be Victoria itself. It is a great city to visit, but living here is a completely different story. Lots of fun, it's just not for me. Enjoy Victorites! I won't be back any time soon.

Don't ask me about my travel plans. They seem to change day to day, depending on my mood, how much sleep I've had, and which type of hard-core sport DVD I've watched recently. This will work itself out without any input from anyone else. In fact, I believe one of the problems to BE too much input from everyone else. So many incarnations of this trip have come to pass that I feel its best if I don't shoot my mouth off about its latest form, lest it meet the same fate.

It is definately a time of turmoil, which I'm sure will become resolved in some fashion. It's time to get on with things and leave this summer behind.

bluffs and trails

2006-08-15T06:49:43Z

The hectic nature of my work hours this summer have presented the ever-present challenge of finding time in the day to climb. Some days I don't start until 1:00pm, whereas the next I could be starting at 6:00am. The gym, Crag-X, the super training tool that it is, is only open from 2-10 weekdays, and 2-6 Saturday, and closed on Sundays. My saving grace has been Fleming Beach. Though it smells of urine and every dog in Esquimalt seems to be walked here to do its business. It is, how do you say, better than the alternative of not climbing at all. And it distracts me from thoughts of my friends who, at this moment, are climbing the bluffs of Squamish while I continue to work the weekends.

This Sunday I got off work at 4:00pm and called Dyl, "Wanna climb?", 'yeah sure man i'll meet you at the gym'. "Gyms closed, we're going to Fleming, meet me out front." I throw the boulder pad in the truck and make the turn onto Quadra when I notice, wholy crap, I hope I can make it to the gas station or else I'm not going anywhere. Whilst leaning on the pump, watching the 'total $' climb faster than the 'litres' I run into random guy who works the desk at Crag-X. I resist the urge to hastle him about the gyms closure, deciding to just enjoy an afternoon on the beach. (albeit a paved walkway, its near the water, so it counts as beach in my book.)

Now, Dyl and I have had a trip planned for, I guess since January or so. It morphed into many incarnations, Australia, New Zealand, I was on a big Thailand kick for a while. Somewhere in the summer when he became interested in bouldering, the idea was hatched that we would go on a 3 month bouldering road trip down the west coast. And then, (and I don't mean to portray this negatively) Dyl met a girl.

Over the last week or so we've discussed this girl. Its clear he's interested in her right from the get-go, as he talks non-stop about her to me during our gym sessions and everywhere else. The last time I saw Dyl this genuinely excited about something, its a toss-up between some World of Warcraft raid event, or possibly even walking out of the first Matrix movie on its opening night. However in the coming days, these conversations shifted, and it rapidly became apparent that this was'nt just any girl. This is someone important. Back in January, Dyl and I had a drunken discussion that went something like: "You'd better not back out of this trip, because I'll f#cking go without you!" To which I replied of course: "Oh yeah!? Well the same goes for you too!"

Don't get me wrong, the idea of travelling excites me. And climbing while travelling? It don't get much better. But recently thoughts of biking have entered my head. I began to harbour a secret wish, that while this trip was going to be awesome, would'nt it be cool to just go back to Nanaimo, buy a really nice bike, and just ride the hell out of it until next summer? But I can't bail, this trip is happening, and I'll be damned if I'm going to be the one who backs out. I'll never hear the end of it.

This particular Sunday, both Dyl and I are pretty hurtin. Dyl strained himself a few days earlier in the gym, and me, well, I just hate getting up at 5:00am to go to work. So, while we ARE at the beach, and we ARE playing on the rock, neither of us is really 'into' it. We've been in the gym for a few months, and a few of the the problems we were sending last time we were here are presenting a challenge. But its nice to be out in the sun, eventually the crash mat is pulled beach-side and we end up sitting on it in the sun watching a small crew (2M/2FM) learn the wall at the end of the beach and staring out over the water.

"We just don't want to talk about the end." Dyl says, refering to October when we're supposed to leave. "She's going back to school, we're going travelling, everytime we bring it up in conversation it just ends in an awkward 'i-don't-know-whats-going-to-happen' moment. We're both questioning what the point of continuing this really is." The expression on Dyls face is one that I rarely see, and it's one of genuine concern. I would love, just love, to say that at this moment, I'm thinking very deep, thoughful emotions about Dyl and his predicament, but to be completely honest, at this EXACT moment, I only have one thought:

"THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO BUY A NEW BIKE! WOOHOO ROCK ON!"

I regain my composure, this is a serious matter you jackass. This trip is important to the both of us. Does'nt it feel a little selfish that you're excited about this trip falling through? Girls you know, they have a funny way of warping everything they touch, as if the world bends around them. Subtley changing places and events wherever they go. What if our places were reversed? And I was the one sitting there on the beach in the sun, feeling awkward that this great thing I had found has now put another in jeopardy. But this is'nt new news, the idea that this girl could interupt our travel plans had been touched on in the last few days, but nothing concrete was ever said about it. I say the only thing I really mean, that if he feels this girl is worth the trouble, we should change our plans. I can go back to Nanaimo and get a bike and be excited about that idea. Further ideas are exchanged and it is decided that we will still travel, but it will be a smalled trip. Beginning in Squamish and continuing through the Interior and down through Washington. Culminating in Seattle on October 31st for a KMFDM concert.

This whole conversation probably took 2.5 hours or so. Its amazing how surreal turning points can seem afterwards, but these things have to happen at some point. Only later do you really realize their importance. A piece of me feels guilty though, that I finally realised that I did'nt really want to go on a huge, 3 month roadtrip. But that I'll really be much happier with a new bike and good trails to keep me occupied. A friend told me once, during a rough time I went through a few months back, you should always do what you want to do, what makes you happy. And that this should be your cardinal rule. Before you make plans just ask yourself, is this what I really want? Is this what I really want to do? Don't worry about the steps you will need to take to make this thing happen. Make the decision that it is truly what you want first, and the steps will fall in line behind you. I have to admit, my first thoughts where not accepting of this philosophy at all. In fact I outright rejected it. At first. It's a little embarrasing to admit that the concept of being on my own and doing things 'just for me' was very foreign for some reason, and a little scary. This sudden mindset descended on me that "I can do whatever I want! Cool! OH MY GOD I can do whatever I want!?". And I panicked. Freaked out is perhaps a more accurate depiction of what happened next. I did'nt know what to do with this power, instead of embracing it I attempted to push it away and ignore it. I'm still not one hundred percent on board with this, but it is becoming more natural as time rolls on. That very moment where that concept was introduced to me, still seems very surreal when I look back on it. It was a necessary turning point, unfortunate though that someone had to beat me about the head with it in order to bring it to my attention.

So, in actual fact, there is no guilt to be had. Dyl and I will both pursue what we really want, and we'll get to do a little trip too boot. I will travel. But not yet. So keep your eyes peeled for me on the trails, I'll be in the blue helmet with the Serenity sticker on the side and the large smile sticking out the sides.

when we were young

2006-07-26T08:44:58Z

I remember going on a trip, to Alberta with my family, sometime around the age of 8-10. Its one of my earliest memories I can really recall. We had the camper in tow behind the 4 door purple oldsmobile, with no air conditioning and those crazy windows in the backseat which only rolled down 1/2 way. This was summer time, and as per usual it was a pretty bad fire season in the interior of British Columbia. As we passed through a town, which name I don't think I ever really knew, I began to see many people with masks on their face, and a giant cloud in the sky which darkened the harsh summer sun. People where streaming from the town under (I assume) an evacuation order, adding to the congestion of the road we were on. As the highway rose the fire came into view. It had all but consumed an entire hillside and was quickly making its way cross-slope towards suburbia. The hill, which was more fire than trees, had a steady stream of aircraft, and vehicles streaming towards it. These people, whom I knew to be firefighters, I remember thinking, must be quite brave, to head into that situation which so many where retreating from. Piles of them where hanging off of trucks and tankers. I had'nt seen many movies at this point in my life, but it struck me as very much like a war. I was quite silent, captivated by the scene which was unfolding as we rolled along through town. Men in red suits where blocking off roads, and the sky was becoming ever darker. As we passed a hotel, the sign read "GOD BLESS OUR FIRE-FIGHTERS", in those large blocky capital letters which you often see in those 'aftermath of the disaster' photographs. At this moment, I thought to myself, with very little concept of employment, schooling or training, I thought, "What an amazing job". I did'nt give it anymore thought for 12 years.

the passion of the bike

2006-07-07T01:22:27Z

When you're young, most people had a few good friends, quite often people can name at least one person who was their 'best' friend. I had a friend named Vince, he fits this niche pretty well. Vince was into mountain biking in a big way and so was I. We both scrimped and saved and bought ridiculously expensive hardtails which we proceeded to ride around everywhere. Qualicum is'nt a big place, but the trail systems that run around it are enormous. It is also situated on a rather large hill, of which I lived at the top of, and Vince lived at the bottom of. Some of my fondest memories are of being out on a ride with Vince, brushing out a new trail, or racing down to the beach to see who could get there the fastest. (all-time record was 65km/hr, Vince won but not by much) Our bikes took us into the backcountry and beyond. "Think we can make it back before dark?" I would ask, "I dunno, I don't even know where we are!" was the usual reply from Vince as we overlooked an unknown vista of logging roads and mountain tops. But as long as we made it home before the next day, nobody seemed too concerned with our safety. Just as long as we rode together. I lived to ride, I worked purely so I would have the funds to fix my bike and to bolt shiny new components to its poor abused frame. I rode that poor GIANT hardtail into the ground, I can't remember its fate exactly but I do know there was nothing left of value on that thing when I was done with it.

Riding is pretty much all I did when I was a kid, but somehow it fell by the wayside and this passion I once had for riding was forgotten. When I moved to the McGarrigles house in Nanaimo I felt it was a requirement that I get myself a bike and get riding. That and the fact I had no license, and no car, and had to get to school somehow. Through this living arrangement I became exposed to the Nanaimo Mountain Bike Club and their ritualistic group rides. This was seven months ago.

Recently I've found myself riding more and more with people I've met through this group. After the dust and beer glasses have settled I find myself thinking "I've forgotten how much I loved this". Mountain Biking that is. How did something that was once so important fall from my focus? The trails get steeper, the drops get higher, the bikes get bigger and my grin becomes ever wider. Its more than the bikes, its the people. Mountain Biking has this culture which envelopes everyone caught in it. All of a sudden, riding is all you want to do. Someone is heading out of town for the weekend to ride Duncan, I don't even think before I ask "Will my bike fit in the back of your truck?" You don't want to ride, you HAVE to ride.

I am happy to have re-discovered this lost passion. Though the bikes are 10x more expensive than what I started on, and the advancements in bike technology, I never could have dreamed of. But when I point that bike down the trail, I get the same grin and the same feeling in my gut I did all those years ago. I don't want to let it go again. I don't have to give it any thought, I love it and its worth every moment of my time and every dollar I earn.

bmclane @ 2006-06-25T10:46:00

2006-06-25T18:12:56Z

Saturday morning, my alarm goes off at 9:30am, Tool tickets go on sale online at 10:00am. So I roll around in bed for a few minutes. 9:45 I climb out of the sheets and sit down at my lappy to see: no internet. uh oh. wifi is down, check the router, the entire connection is down. A quick power off/power on was all it took thankfully and we were back in business.
I pass the remaining few minutes with Dave who is also haunting the ticketmaster.ca site hoping to get tickets. 10:58 arrives and I begin refreshing the page as fast as my micro will let me, success! tickets: 3, location: floor, enter secret code.... searching for tickets, as fast as I could possibly do it. The end result: Row 13 on the Floor of GM Place, seats 43-45!

So I have one for me, one for Dyl, and one spare to be offered out to a deserving party closer to the concert date, or to be sold for mad stacks to some random person. Though I'd much rather give it to a friend for face value.

Work is work, I missed 2 days last weekend because I got violently ill for an undetermined reason, got the first aid guy freeked because it was just days after i got bit by a particularily determined tick. The tick, which was saved in a bottle at the time just in case, is being tested by VIHA and I await the results with curiosity. Though it looks that food poisoning, or the new crash pad I had in my room that night, are the most likely culprits.

But finally the sun has arrived! Good thing the Watershed Fire Crew is sitting at home, not on call, and not out patrolling the Watershed for possible fires. So I'll use this opportunity to dig up what little climbing Victoria has to offer and go check it out.

Still feeling un-easy about the whole Victoria thing, I've decided it's not really my kind of city and I look forward to heading back up island after I've made my 'fortune' and heading out on some sort of roadtrip down the west coast.

climbing atmosphere

2006-06-12T06:38:32Z

Even being in a new place with new people, climbing has remained a constant. A good day on the rock and i loose my worries and become completely engaged in the atmosphere of the climbing and the people which i am with. Climbing is the great catalyst by which i have come to know many people as friends. I will always miss the ones i'm not climbing with terribly, wishing they were there to share in the latest bouldering problem which comes together in a flurry of bravado, support and one-upmanship. Or remarking at the remarkably high first bolts on the next sport lead in the queue for the day. A part-time activity is becoming a full-time obsession, the atmosphere of a good group of friends both new and old is intoxicating. The more I do it, the more I need it. And the more time it demands. Even with the faces I come to recognise at the local crags, slowly getting to know them through climbing, I always miss those who are'nt there the most.

bmclane @ 2006-06-01T18:27:00

2006-06-02T01:31:48Z

Had a birthday last weekend, a good group of climbing partners came together and we all headed up to Crest Creek for a weekend of climbing. Baring a few thunder showers I'd say it was a pretty good time. My job is plodding along, and its as crazy as ever, if it ever stops raining theres a chance a fire might spring up and we might get to go put it out.

victoria for the summer

2006-05-17T03:26:33Z

so i've moved down to victoria for the summer months, going to work my 'job' for the capital regional district and try to bank whatever cash the new MEC feels it can leave me with. i'd better enjoy these prana pants while i eat my white rice. as its going to be a long stretch into the next payday, i forgot my first paycheque is only for one week of work.

i have to admit, i resisted victoria at first. its the biggest city i've ever lived in and it can be quite intimidating at first. but it has grown on me, and i can always return to nanaimo on the weekends to ride and climb. (which one of my friends dubbed my 'summer home'). i discovered flemming beach and its multitude of bouldering problems, shunning the expensive crag-x gym in favor of getting a tan. my job being what it is, allows me much free time to focus on my interests, and leave the job in the office. many people have been talking about full-time positions with the crd but i'm unsure if i could tolerate the place full time. it could be a very pleasant summer position, with another forestry job in between to fill the gap in the year perhaps.

travelling is in the future, although its destination and companions is yet to be decided. there're many good options out there, but the thought of climbing in thailand for months and months puts a rather large grin on my face.

moving

2006-04-17T06:20:54Z

definately a time of change, people heading off in every which direction. i myself am moving down to victoria for the summer to work with the Capital Regional District out in the Victoria Watershed for the Protection Division. It was'nt my first choice for summer work, but it will afford me alot of extra time to spend on other interests, like climbing. its not like victoria is all that far away though, hopefully the summer will involve many weekend excursions with friends all over the place. I'm still pretty embarrased to admit that i still have'nt been to squamish.

more news to follow.

1st post.

2006-03-26T05:06:17Z

god help me i have a blog. what have i done?