bonysko

[bonysko]

Ten Years Later

Ten years have passed since my retirement. I have completed 63 adventures with family and friends. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro was the most physical activity; hiking the Camino was the most spiritual; cruising on the Danube, the most cultural; experiencing Filipino life in Tarlac, the most authentic; trips to Puerto Vallarta, probably the most fun; New Zealand, the most environmentally diverse country; and our recent Covid-19 Staycation, the most challenging to my mental health.

No adventure ever disappointed, and I learned life lessons from them all - yes, planes do breakdown sometimes! Local people seemed to appreciate my attempts to speak their language - no matter how misunderstood! I have been blessed with good health during these tours. I have also been fortunate to enjoy the company of my wife, my children, my mom, other family members, and good friends along the way. I hope I have become more patient and understanding because of these experiences and encounters with other people and their cultures.

I did try to do some useful things over these ten years. I believed I needed some structure to keep me going in my new retirement vocation. In the fall of 2010, I ran for and was elected Trustee for the Keewatin Patricia District School Board - a very large (geographically) public school board in Northwestern Ontario with schools in two time zones! This required a number of board and committee meetings each month and travel across the board's district. I served four years, but did not seek re-election.

I had already been a member of the Kenora Regional Trail Committee, helping build the TransCanada Trail locally. I became chair of that committee, which placed me on the board of the Path of the Paddle Association - the organization responsible for building the TransCanada Trail from Fort William, in Thunder Bay, to Jessica Lake in Manitoba's Whiteshell Provincial Park.Our trail would be a 1,200 km canoe route. This was a working board and we had frequent trips along lakes and rivers to scout and clear campsites. We successfully opened the trail in 2017, and with work done, I left the board a year later.

From 2014 to 2019, I was involved with Opening Our Doors Kenora - a meal program operated by Knox United Church on Wednesday nights to feed our homeless population. Carmen often assisted with these meal preparation and serving efforts once per month. On any given Wednesday, we would serve from 20 to 50 individuals.This program ended with the opening of the Homeless Shelter.

I was also "Uncle Buck" to my nephews Cameron, Reece, and Bram while they were school-aged and their parents, Andrea and Farrin, were travelling. Even Carmen got into the"Aunty Buck" act after she retired. In this photo from 2012, I am riding the chairlift at Holiday Mountain Ski Resort with Cameron. Tragedy struck, and he died six years later in a motor vehicle accident - taken much too young. I was blessed to have enjoyed his company over those times and cherish the memories. How could a boy eat so many chicken fingers?

I do not know what new adventures await. Looking forward to the next 10 years. Cheers!

[bonysko]

British Columbia Road Trip 2020

As Covid-19 restrictions in many provinces reduced over the summer, we planned a road trip to British Columbia. The drive would include stops to visit friends and relatives in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. Covid cases began increasing through the fall, and by our October 30th departure date, we had to re-think our goals. We needed to minimize, or avoid stops in Manitoba, Alberta, and the lower mainland of British Columbia (all Covid hotspots). Visits to friends and relatives were also cut back. We traveled to destinations with limited Covid infections and pursued outdoor activities.

Our first stop was in the Okanagan Valley. We stayed one week in a timeshare resort in West Kelowna. There was an awesome sunrise greeting us each morning. We visited communities from Vernon down to Oliver and did some hiking and biking. Penticton was one of our favourites - a medium sized city on the lake, with an interesting downtown, and access to the Kettle Valley Rail Trail. We rode two segments of that trail out of Penticton and Kelowna, and hiked in several provincial and city parks. We toured five wineries, including having a lunch tasting at Mission Hill.

Next stop: Kamloops, to visit Ray, Michelle and son Carr. Snow had fallen during the week, which made the two hikes we took more challenging. We stayed around the house most days, went for lunches and watched an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Carmen and Michelle attended spin classes. Ray and I went for a bike ride on the dike system near the airport. We each managed to hit the same dog crossing our trail! The dog was unscathed. I was able to get my road bike wheel repaired at a local bike shop. We also carried on with our Zoom yoga from the Arts Hub in Kenora.

We drove on to Vancouver to visit Katrina for the next 10 days. Carmen had booked a bed and breakfast two blocks from her apartment. We had a two bedroom apartment in the house and we were the only guests. Katrina stayed with us for a few days. Weather was rainy most days, and we went out during “drier” times. Again, we pursued outdoor activities - more hiking and biking. We were near Stanley Park, and biking around the Park was a real joy. Nearby Denman Street was filled with diverse restaurants and eating experiences. We did a lot of take away meals to minimize eating indoors. When we did eat inside, restaurants were never full. We spent an afternoon at the Vancouver Art Gallery, another at Granville Island, and drove to Stevetson Harbour on the only day they were not selling fish! We also went out for cider tasting. There was more Zoom yoga from Kenora. We took advantage of a sunny Saturday to take the ferry to Bowen Island and hike in the provincial park there. We helped Katrina put up pictures in her apartment and just spent time visiting.

Victoria was our final destination, following a pleasant ferry ride on a cloudy day. We stayed on the water at Spinnakers Brewpub and Guesthouse, where breakfasts were substantial. They offered us a beer and chocolate tasting as well.  There was a paved hiking path out our front door to downtown or Esquimalt. We walked it frequently. I also took a couple of short bike rides. We visited two castles: an outdoor tour of Hatley Castle and gardens on the campus of Royal Roads University, and an indoor tour of Craigdarroch Castle, overlooking downtown Victoria. We met our niece Lana for supper at The Mint one night. Our best meal was at the Boom and Batten. We left Victoria November 27 to start our drive home.

We wanted to stop in Osoyoos, as some of our Kenora friends have commented favourably about that destination. We were not disappointed. The geography was similar to Arizona and we enjoyed one last winery tasting - at  Nk’Mip Cellars. We returned to Kenora on November 30th and began 14 days of isolation. I purchased an infrared thermometer in Victoria, and temperature taking became a daily event. Kira was our grocery shopper during this time. We experienced no symptoms and successfully completed isolation.

And so ended our travels for 2020! 

[bonysko]

Clear Lake 2020

Relaxed Covid-19 restrictions over the summer allowed us to plan our annual trip to Elkhorn Resort at Clear Lake. We arrived later in the season (September) to find most downtown businesses closed and only a few restaurants, opened. We did manage to get one order of cinnamon buns from the White House Cafe before it closed. My mom’s sister Joyce was along for the ride on this trip. She spent four days with us and tagged off with Carmen mid-week.

We had good weather and the fall colours were spectacular. I returned Aunty Joyce to Winnipeg and picked up Carmen at the airport, who was coming back from a mother-daughters trip to Vancouver/Victoria, British Columbia. My week was similar to past trips: cycling with my friends Dave and Judy, spending time in the hot-tub, hiking, watching movies, and taking my mom and aunt for drives in the park. We ended the trip with a dinner at Dave and Judy’s cottage. Judy has made a nearly full recovery from her horrific bike crash in Italy last year. Lunch at Nick’s in Headingly on the way home!

[bonysko]

Covid-19 Staycation

Normal life came to an abrupt halt in mid-March. The Ontario Government imposed a widespread lockdown of schools, businesses, activities, and travel to combat Covid-19. The Canada-U.S. border was closed to non-essential vehicle crossings, and international travel was not recommended by Ottawa. It would be several months before restrictions would ease and we could resume regular activities. Our son, Evan, chose to quarantine with us during this period. The term “staycation” came into widespread use!

We watched a lot of movies on TV, went for walks, cleaned and organized things around the house, learned to use Zoom, worked out in our home gym, and supported local restaurants through curb-side take aways. Grocery and hardware stores were open and mask wearing in these spaces was mandatory. Evan celebrated his 32nd birthday in quarantine and cooked for the occasion. Our planned trip to visit Katrina in Vancouver over Easter-cancelled. I became an active member of the Rat Portage Cycling Club. We put few kilometres on our vehicles!

Restrictions eased in June, and I celebrated a family only 65th birthday. Katrina flew out from Vancouver for the event. Hair salons had been closed for several months and it was a relief to finally get a haircut. I refused to use the home barber kit!

In July, indoor/outdoor gathering sizes were increased. This allowed us to celebrate my Mom’s 85th birthday as a larger group with Kira and Kyle at Dogtooth Lake Resort. My Aunt Joyce and Cousin Doug and Violet were able to attend from Winnipeg. Katrina flew in for another birthday celebration.

However, the Canadian border remained closed and international travel continued to be not recommended. Travel health insurers initially declined to cover Covid-19 related illness. This required us to cancel two trips: Spain in September to complete our Camino pilgrimage, followed by a side trip to Dublin; and, our usual trip to Sedona and Phoenix for November. Instead, we planned a driving holiday to British Columbia for the month of November.

Mask wearing and physical distancing continue...

[bonysko]

Mexico Multi-City 2020

We departed Winnipeg on January 29th on Air Transat bound for Puerto Vallarta.  We were met at the airport by friends from Guayabitos, our destination for the next 10 days. Carmen and I spend a couple of nights at Cabanas del Capitan, before moving in with my mom at Suites Mar y Sol. We had our typical Guayabitos time with beach walking, pickleball, playing cribbage, attending a movie, and eating at various restaurants. One meal included a grasshopper soup - tasty. I got in a morning of SUP on a calm ocean day.

We left Guayabitos and my mom after 10 days, returning to Puerto Vallarta. We had a brief visit with long-time friends Ron and Marg and their family at the Cheeky Monkey and had dinner with Terry and Teresa. The next morning, we were on a plane bound for Leon via Mexico City, nearest airport to San Miguel de Allende.

We spent a week in San Miguel. Our accommodation dated back some 200 years and was within easy walking distance of the central square. We explored the city on foot and occasionally rode the local buses. We took one guided walking tour to learn the local history. Large paper mâché human puppets were prevalent downtown on the weekends. There were also three different markets in San Miguel. We frequented a favourite breakfast spot and tried many great restaurants, including a special evening of jazz to celebrate Valentine’s Day. San Miguel offered an incredible arts, culture, and dining scene.

One highlight was our day trip to Guanajuato, home of the Mexican Independence Movement and Casa Diego Rivera. Our visit to the Rivera house and gallery was fantastic. We saw the progression of his art over time. This city originated as a silver mine, and many of the current streets use drifts and tunnels back from the mining era to move traffic.

We left San Miguel and returned to Puerto Vallarta for the final two weeks of our stay, moving on to Vidanta in Nuevo Vallarta. We had a pleasant surprise on check-in as we received an upgrade to their Grand Luxe property.

Our time in Puerto Vallarta was all about re-connecting. My cousin Doug and his family were in Puerto Vallarta over “Reading Week”. Kira and fiancé Kyle were in Sayulita for her last Reading Week, and visited us as well. We all joined the Fosty clan to celebrate Julian’s birthday in Marina Vallarta, with the mandatory tequila pour. Next, we visited with friends Terry, Teresa, Ken, Eileen, and Marjorie. Celebrated Eileen’s birthday. Then we returned to the Marina to meet up with old friends Al and Sue, for our annual visit!

Back in Puerto Vallarta, we stayed at the Pelicanos for our last week. We played pickleball and tennis. There was more street walking and we took in a drag queen show. We began to hear news of Covid-19 in China, but no reported cases in North America. My mom met up with us for our last night in Puerto Vallarta. We had a nice dinner, and we were off to the airport next morning. At 84, this might have been her last trip to Guayabitos!

[bonysko]

More Vancouver

Katrina and Jeremy intended to spend Christmas with his family in Kelowna, BC. We planned a weeklong trip to Vancouver for late November, 2019, to visit with them ahead of Christmas. Sadly, circumstances in their relationship deteriorated, and Katrina left her marriage in October. 

We booked a suite in the Sunshine Bed and Breakfast to support Katrina and assist her transition to an apartment. Ray and Michelle also joined us in the B&B, followed by their daughter Lana. We became one big happy extended family on the second floor! Our mission: see new and different parts of the Greater Vancouver Area.

There were walks along the waterfront, a visit to Granville Island, good restaurant eating, and trips to the Museum of Vancouver and Vancouver Art Gallery. We saw some interesting Lake of the Woods inspired wallpaper by Vikky Alexander at the Art Gallery.

There was one day we split by gender. Ray and I drove to Richmond and visited the harbour and related coffee shops in Steveston. We checked out a large sportsplex in Richmond, had lunch in Kerrisdale, and stoped at a bicycle shop. Carmen, Michell, Katrina and Lana toured houses decorated for Christmas to support a charity fundraiser.

One evening, Ray reserved time at the Velodrome in Burnaby. I wasn’t interested in learning how to ride around in circles and cheered from the stands. We had another trip to Burnaby: to attend a multi-stage, day-long jazz festival at the Shadbolt Centre hosted by Cory Weeds.

Our week ended with two trips to IKEA to get a new bed for Katrina. Trip one: buy bed; trip two, return to IKEA with part broken during Bob assembly and get new parts. Our Vancouver weather was mostly cool and rainy. It was a great visit with Katrina and relatives during a difficult time.

[bonysko]

Lisbon Days

Our overnight train from Burgos, Spain, arrived in Lisbon around 7:00 am on October 8, 2019. We had a light breakfast in the train station, and with help from Google Maps, found a nearby laundry to have clean clothes for the days ahead. Lisbon is a city with seven hills, and it seemed that one was in our neighbourhood. We walked a continuous uphill grade, through a market, and eventually found the building housing our apartment for the next three days. We were struck by the narrow streets, trolleys, and tile everywhere.

Our Portugal Ways apartment was within a long walking distance of the Praca do Comercio, or central business district and Tagus River (downhill all the way). There was a lengthy pedestrian mall surrounded by excellent shopping on each side. We did most of our exploring on foot, but the return walk home was always uphill and more challenging.

One highlight was a Hop-On, Hop-Off Trolley tour. Our destination was the medieval Castle of St. George, atop Sao Jorge Hill overlooking Lisbon. The stone structure was very rustic, with steep staircases, uneven surfaces, and limited handrails. You had to pay attention to your steps! But the view of the city was awesome, with a mix of old and new.

Our apartment was in the Graca district. Within a short walk, we entered a major street with coffee shops, bakeries and restaurants. Each morning began with coffee and pastry. Most local patrons stood at the counter to have their coffee and pastry; we preferred to sit. Our minimal Portuguese brought us coffee and pastry, but failed us ordering omelettes. Each night ended with a glass of port on the terrace.

We took a trolley to view the Banksy art exhibit. I had only seen two examples of his art prior to this exhibit. It was a series of video screens and framed pictures of his art, all of which were thought-provoking.

We then walked the boardwalk along the Tagus river past street sculptures to a restaurant with a view of the Ponte 25 de Abril, reminiscent of the Golden Gate Bridge. Hopped a trolley to the central commercial district and walked back to our apartment. That evening, we went to A Viela Do Fado, a restaurant where traditional Fado music was played - songs of sadness and heartbreak. Fado music pays tribute to the harsh life endured by Portuguese in times past.

We returned to Barcelona on a domestic flight for one more night at the Best Western Aeroporto to retrieve our suitcases and re-pack for Canada. I was glad to learn that the man in medical distress in the lobby several weeks earlier survived his ordeal.

[bonysko]

Back on The Way - Camino 2019

Fly to Barcelona from Rome, board shuttle to the Best Western Aeropuerto, break down suitcases to minimal hiking gear in backpacks, and store suitcases at the hotel. While we were organizing packs in the hotel lobby, a man in his late sixties was in distress. He was sweating, clutching his chest and asking his daughter by phone if he could be having a heart attack! Hotel staff were concerned, but he waved them off, preferring information from his daughter. I offered him 2 low-dose aspirins, which he took. Then our taxi arrived and we left the lobby without knowing his fate.

We ate a mediocre paella at the station and hopped on the train on the evening of Sept. 27th. It was a 4-hour trip to Pamplona and the pilgrim’s Hotel Eslava. We had about 220 kilometres to walk to our destination city of Burgos and allotted 10 days for hiking. Day one was hot and sunny with a nasty, loose gravel climb up the Alto de Perdon and down to our hostel in Obanos. The view was spectacular. Next morning, we met Father Terry at breakfast from Schreiber, Ontario, on the full Camino pilgrimage.

My limited understanding of our route to Burgos, was that after Obanos, the Camino would be gently rolling to flat. This proved to be wrong, and while there were segments of flat trail during our days, there was a lot of up and down. Many towns were on hilltops, which added to the hill climbing and descending.  This faulty assumption meant that the low cut hikers brought for the trip were not fully appropriate to the terrain. Blisters began to appear midway through the walk, and Carmen developed a knee problem. One highlight was the free flowing red wine fountain for pilgrims in Irache!

Our accommodation rule of thumb was 2 days of hostels followed by a hotel or pension. The hostel experience was cheap and great to meet people, but the snoring was relentless. We never had a good night’s sleep in any of our hostel choices. We were blessed by clear skies and hot weather each day. There was a term describing hot, August-like weather returning to Spain at the end of September, but I forgot the word. We ate many pilgrim’s meals, but opted for donairs in Najera. That restaurant was sketchy, but food, good. A re-routing of the Camino uncovered mass graves dating back to the Spanish Civil War. This was a solemn place, and we paused to pay our respects to the victims.

As we neared Burgos, the rolling landscape revealed an abundance of bare limestone rock, which was sometimes difficult to traverse in shoes with flexible soles. My feet were now well bandaged. We were fortunate to find self-serve pharmacy vending machines along The Way.

Entry into Burgos required a loop around the airport and what seemed to be an endless long walk through a light commercial area before arriving in the city centre. We booked into a hostel for a few hours to shower, rest, and attend a pilgrim’s mass.

Then we got into a taxi for the train station, and the ten-hour overnight train to Lisbon. Just 180 kilometres of Camino left to walk!

[bonysko]

Florence & Rome 2019

We departed for Florence by train on Sept. 21st - now a group of three couples. Booked into the Hotel Savonarola, we were within reasonable walking distance of the heart of the city. Much of our time was spent in and around the Duomo and its red tiled dome. 

We had reserved a day-long guided cultural tour that began at the Accademia - home of Michelangelo’s David and other works. This was a rainy day, so indoor activities were welcomed. During our lunch break, we had time to stroll across the Ponte Vecchio and shops along each side. The afternoon was spent at the Uffizi Gallery to check out Botticelli, da Vinci, Rafaello, Caravaggio and their contemporaries. Our guide was extremely earnest and knowledgeable about Renaissance art! 

On day two, we took a guided bus tour to the medieval city of Siena in the Tuscan countryside. Rolling hills and vineyards created spectacular scenic backdrops for our drive. Siena is effectively a giant open air museum with a central piazza called “Il Campo”. A famous horse race is run in the piazza every summer. We wandered about the piazza and had lunch. On our return to Florence, we stopped at San Gimignano, renowned for the world’s best gelato.

Each evening, we had a hearty Italian meal - typically some variation of pasta. None of us were brave enough to attempt a Florentine steak. Maybe next time! After three days, Carmen and I said farewell to Ray and Michelle/Doug and Joann. We travelled by train to Rome; they, to Cinque Terre.

Due to a power failure at Rome’s Central station, our train stopped at the edge of the city.  A young Roma man helped me purchase metro tickets at the self-serve kiosk. The subway took us to the Colosseum and the short taxi ride to our bed and breakfast. We met an Australian couple finishing their European tour at our residence.

Once again, we were centrally located and could walk to attractions and restaurants at and around the Colosseum. We took a Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour to visit other city sites, including a drive-by of the Trevi Fountain. Then we took the subway to the Vatican for a guided tour. There was just an incredible crush of people at the Vatican. Our guide navigated our group through the many buildings, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Walls and ceilings were adorned with art, frescos and tapestries. The Swiss guards held the gate!

After nearly two weeks in Italy, and eating Italian food every night, we opted for a Vietnamese dinner for a little culinary diversity. Our walks took us by ruins in their broken down state - it appears there was too much ancient history than could be effectively preserved. Parks were allowed to grow to their natural state with no grass cutting. We ended our stay in Rome with a self-guided tour of the Colosseum.

Arrivederci Roma!

[bonysko]

Our Giro d’Italia

From Barcelona, we flew to Bologna, capital of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. We took a walking tour of the city, followed by a hearty plate of tagliatelle - the famous dish of Bologna. After lunch, it was time to board our train to Riccione in Rimini province and the location our cycling destination.

The all inclusive Belvedere Hotel was headquarters for our bike tour - renowned the world over as a cycling mecca (particularly by Canadians). Day one required a bike fitting. I would ride, but Carmen chose the non-rider program of alternative activities. The start of our tour coincided with motorcycle racing in Riccione, and there was a lot of vehicular traffic to be wary of. We set off in a group of about 15 riders with a lead guide and sweep. Our group included relatives and friends Ray, Michelle, Doug, Joann, and Judy (Judy’s husband, Dave, opted to ride in a faster group).

Sadly, within minutes of taking this group picture, Judy crashed on a descent and was seriously injured. There were nurses and a doctor within our riding group, and an English speaking physician stopped his car to help. Judy was stabilized on the road by Michelle, Joann and the two doctors; transported down the hill by land ambulance; and then loaded into an air ambulance for transport to a regional trauma centre 90 kilometres from Riccione. She would spend the rest of her trip in Italian hospitals, returned to Canada under nursing supervision, and admitted to the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre for further treatment. She had a long road to recovery.

Judy’s accident had an upsetting and chilling effect on our cycling trip. Dave spent everyday commuting to hospital and assisting with Judy’s care. Hotel staff did their best to support him with transportation and meals, and another hotel room when it was time to check out. We continued to ride, with some of us taking rest days, but our hearts were not in it. Carmen took day trips into nearby Rimini and San Marino. Rimini had examples of Mussolini-inspired architecture with the ever present balcony. We also learned how to make pasta.

One of our rides was to the hotel owner’s country estate and winery for lunch. We harvested grapes in the vineyard, listened to Italian ballads sung by our guides, had a hearty lunch, and stomped the grapes we picked. Staff from the hotel served us, dressed in country fashions. There was way too much food. Wine was poured freely, but since we still had to ride back to the hotel, moderation was required!

Our group rides radiated out from Riccione every morning. We started at sea level and headed toward the hills and mountains. Each day brought climbs and descents. Our rides varied between 50-70 kilometres. There were many spectacular views and castles to visit. Road conditions were fair to poor, and it was necessary to always pay attention, for there was very little new asphalt. 

Our seven-day cycling adventure at the Belvedere Hotel came to an end with a gala party. Then it was time to depart to our next group destination: Florence. By now, Judy had moved to the Riccione hospital. Dave changed hotels and remained in Riccione at her bedside until she was well enough to return to Canada.

[bonysko]

Barcelona 2019

After three years, it was time to return to continental Europe for visits to Spain, Italy and Portugal. First stop: Barcelona. What a great city, with a combination of old and new. We arrived September 11th and stayed at the Primavera Hostel in the centre of the city, within easy walking distance to Sagrada Familia. Our hostel was in a multi-use building, co-located with a bar and apartments. Comfortable, clean, but noisy at night. We were surrounded by great dining.

During our three-day stay, we toured all things Gaudi. This included visits to his landmark Sagrada Familia and Park Guell. Sagrada Familia is hard to describe because it’s so massive and over the top - you really have to see it to believe it. Started in 1882, the completion date is slated for 2026. We needed to purchase tickets in advance and then queue up at the appropriate time. Guell Park was a larger, open green space with interesting buildings and structures. It was 30C day for our walk in the park.

Carmen and I rode a Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour to see other city sites. Walking was our preferred mode of transportation. Barcelona is an extremely walkable city with wide boulevards and many squares. People are usually outside enjoying these public spaces. Our visit coincided with celebration of the National Day of Catalonia. People waved Catalan flags and commemorated statues to remember the siege of Barcelona and lost Catalonian independence.

Our last stop was the Picasso Museum. We had a great self-guided tour. The gallery is laid out chronologically, allowing us to appreciate the evolution of Picasso’s art over time. We also walked into the nearby Las Ramblas to check out the shops, restaurants, and coffee houses.

Then we changed hotels for the Best Western Aeropuerto to prepare for our early morning departure for Italy. 

[bonysko]

Clear Lake 2019

Another spring and another trip to Elkhorn Resort. My mom loves this place, but it is difficult to book in the height of summer. She had a two-week reservation in June, and we spent the first week with her. Kenora friends Bill and Janet joined her for week two. I brought my road bike and rode on my own and with Judy and Dave in the park. Carmen and I also went on a long hike from the resort toward the golf course. She brought her cello and practiced.

Ken and Eileen visited for supper one night and we had an opportunity to catch up since we last saw them in Nuevo Vallarta. We took in a concert by singer/songwriter Frank Patrick at the Lawn Bowling Greens, and ended our stay with dinner at Judy and Dave’s place.

It was a week of shopping, walking, biking, swimming, movie watching, and talking!

[bonysko]

Easter in Vancouver 2019

We had not visited Vancouver since the wedding, and a spring trip to the coast was in order. It was a planes, trains and auto adventure - flying into YVR, taking the Skytrain, and then reserving a Car2Go (Mercedes) for the short drive to Katrina and Jeremy’s place. We were regulars on public transit and the occasional Car2Go for our stay. We started off with supper with Jan and Dan, Jeremy’s parents, at an appropriately vegan restaurant downtown.

Ray and Michelle joined us, and we met up at a Vancouver Whitecaps game at BC Place stadium. We enjoyed the pre-game music and entertainment, including a young man using flashlight therapy to cure his demons. We ate at a variety of restaurants. The Afghan Horsemen was particularly interesting for their sit-on-the-floor meal! We also toured the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which I hadn’t visited since 1978. Ray was with me on that trip as well!

Katrina took me to my first hot yoga class. I could do most of the poses, but it was so difficult in the heat. I was intimidated by the large class, but was not the only guy. Katrina is a regular at this studio, but I don’t think I’ll try it again. We toured the Rennie museum of contemporary art in China Town for a mix of paintings, photographs and sculptures. Checked out the nearby Chinese garden and ate Dim Sum for lunch as well.

We took Bruce for a walk to Norvan Falls in North Vancouver. It was a couple of hours of hiking with one more suspension bridge and a spectacular view of the falls. We ended at Jeremy’s favourite pizza joint.

Eating in a variety of places was a definite theme of this trip. Heading back for more later in the fall!

[bonysko]

Puerto Vallarta 2019

January was a brutally cold month in Kenora. We couldn’t depart the Winnipeg airport quickly enough to get to warmer weather! With my mom, we headed to Puerto Vallarta via Calgary this year. My mom wasn’t sure she would have one more trip, and so we left our travel booking late. This was now her second “Last Trip to Puerto Vallarta”! We handed her off to friends at PVR, and headed on to our hotel - the Mayan Sea Garden in Nuevo Vallarta.

We had a number of friends in and around Puerto Vallarta and re-connected with Sue and Al. Along with their friends Mary and Kevin, we discovered a new Taco place in downtown Nuevo Vallarta. We long heard about the market at the marina in La Cruz, and went to check it out one Sunday. We wandered the stalls and listened to a variety of live music. Back in Nuevo Vallarta, hotels along the beach were preparing for Valentine’s Day.

For our second week, we boarded the Pacifico Bus for Guayabitos, and a visit with my mom. It was great to see her in the familiar suite next to her friends. Carmen and I dropped in on the local pickleball club and played in a few morning and late afternoon sessions. There were numerous dinners out, and we attended the Hotel Mar y Sol Fiesta night, with live entertainment and dancing. Beach walking was a mandatory, daily occurrence. We also dropped into Market Days in Guayabitos and La Penita.

We returned to Nuevo Vallarta by bus and checked into our Vidanta Grand Mayan Resort. This was also Reading Week, and Kira would be in Sayulita visiting Kyle. We met up for a day and did an epic climb up Monkey Mountain with Kira, Kyle and his brother, aunt and uncle. There were a few challenging sections, but the view at the top was spectacular. We visited with Eileen and Ken and Teresa and Terry, also staying on the Vidanta resort property. We played tennis and took a beach walk to Bucerias. There were may laps of the Lazy River. We used colectivos as our main form of local transport. Often, riding the colectivo was an adventure on it’s own!

Our final week was spent at the Sheraton near downtown Puerto Vallarta. The hotel was walking distance to the Malecon. Of course, we had to celebrate Eileen’s birthday at Cafe Artiste, where the food, ambiance and service were exceptional. We have now sat in all sections of this restaurant!

We joined Teresa and Terry for an urban hike up the never ending stairs to the Mirador and breath taking city views. On Art Walk Night, there was a book launch at a gallery, complete with Mariachi Band. And we met Red Lake friends Michele and Tim at Joe Jack’s Fish Shack. We rode the bus to the Marina Puerto Vallarta and played pickleball at a nearby hotel. 

Our last hotel move was to Villa Varadero in Nuevo Vallarta. My mom and friend Colleen joined us for 2 nights on the beach. We extended our stay to meet up with long-time Thunder Bay friends Myrna and Andy at Paradise Village. We had not made a trip to Thunder Bay in the past year, and took this opportunity to see them. Our trip ended as it began...visiting friends and family, interrupted by laying on a lounger!

We departed PVR for YVR and had a quick visit with Katrina and Jeremy at an airport hotel in Vancouver. They brought us Thai food to go and much conversation. Then back to Winterpeg the next morning.

[bonysko]

Arizona 2018

As November approached, it was time for another road trip to Arizona. We booked three weeks in the Sedona Springs Resort, followed by a week in the Cibola Vista Resort in Peoria, a suburb of Phoenix.

We stopped in Santa Fe for a night on the drive down to check out the old section of the city with over 400 years of history. Ate at a great vegetarian restaurant there. Because of the elevation at 7,200 feet, we were cautioned to hydrate during our walks about the city. I especially enjoyed the Georgia O’Keeffe Gallery.

We shared the first two weeks in Sedona with Carmen’s sister Michelle and husband, Ray. Both, avid cyclists. Our friends Judy and Dave from Neepawa were also in Sedona for the month. We enjoyed 2 intense weeks of cycling and hiking. Hikes to Chicken Point and the Fay Canyon Arch were especially memorable. The trail to the Arch was barely marked off of the main hiking trail. It was difficult to find, but worth the effort.

Carmen sat out the cycling this year. I had a mechanical failure on our last day of riding (broken spoke) and was not able to find a replacement locally. Between rides and hikes, there was the Day of the Dead celebration, another trip on the Verde Canyon Railroad; visits to Jerome, Cottonwood and Arcosanti; and many tasty restaurant meals. Near the end of their stay, Ray was finally able to source excellent espresso at a shop in Cave Creek.

Lars & Lydia joined us for the third week in Sedona. We did some hiking, more visits to Jerome and Cottonwood, and frequented the hot tub. Carmen and Lydia found local gyms with various types of yoga. Our week’s highlight was an afternoon kayak adventure with guide on the Verde River upstream from Cottonwood. It was a gorgeous fall day, with just enough rapids to make the paddle interesting.

We drove down the valley to Peoria for our final week in Arizona. Upon checking into our resort, we noticed several balloons launching from a vacant lot across the street. This peaked our interest in a possible balloon ride a few days later. Throwing our normal sensibility “to the wind”, we boarded a wicker basket in north Scottsdale and took off for our first ever balloon ride. What a fantastic experience! When the burners weren’t fired, it was so quiet. We landed at sunset in the desert near Lake Pleasant, followed by a champagne toast.

We had a second, moving experience - hiking the Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial Trail near Yarnell. A state park and trail were created to honour the memories of 19 firefighters who lost their lives in the Yarnell Hill fire of 2013. The 7 mile hike was spectacular and emotional, as there were memorials along the trail honouring each firefighter who perished. The trail ended by a cairn marking the spot where the men died.

We visited friends in Goodyear, went to a movie (A Star is Born), and shopped Black Friday sales. Our month came and went and it was time to return to Canada. We followed the back edge of a storm through the midwest, but generally had good roads home.

[bonysko]

Clear Lake 2018

There are some things which do not change, including our annual trip (and sometimes “trips”) to Elkhorn Resort at Clear Lake. My mother and I began the week-long adventure at the end of June. Carmen joined us mid-week. There is always a positive predictability to our stay: the cabin is familiar; pool and hot-tub, perfect; and the townsite, coming alive with impending summer visitors. Flowers were a little behind, and the floral bison were naked.

I cycled along Highway 10 and enjoyed the new pavement. Mom and I had a quick trip to Winnipeg to attend the high school graduation celebration for my cousin’s daughter Marysa. Carmen and I carried on to Dauphin and visited old friends. It was a trip down memory lane, including reliving stories and driving by our first home on Centennial Drive. We then dropped in on Judy and Dave for a beverage at their cottage . Dave and I managed to get one ride on the highway in before we checked out. It was a good week!

[bonysko]

Manitoba Marathon

June 17, 2018, was the 40th anniversary of the Manitoba Marathon in Winnipeg. On that same date in 1979, I ran my first Manitoba Marathon. It was a brutally hot day in a time when proper nutrition and hydration were not well known. The course was also fully exposed in the sun. I finished in 3:44:59 and got the t-shirt, which I still have, but no longer fits! Our discourse about individuals with disabilities has improved as well. I ran 8 more marathons, including a sub-three hour marathon in Minneapolis in 1980 (2:59:05) and “retired” after the 30th running of the Manitoba Marathon in 2008.

The opportunity to run one more marathon came by accident. Following our return to Kenora from Puerto Vallarta, I went for a light jog. Felt no knee pain, which had become my frequent companion in recent years. I had modified my diet (no dairy) and lost some weight, so maybe that helped. I continued running and at 10 km pain free, deluded myself into thinking a marathon was possible (there is a special t-shirt for those “79ers” who return to run). I created a 100 day “Bob modified” marathon training program and got to the start line, with a little physiotherapy help along the way.

It was a warm, sunny Father’s Day. I was slow, and enjoyed the race to about mile 24, when my calf muscles began to cramp. Limped into the stadium after all the hoopla, but got the medal and the official time of 6:12:57 in the books. 

Not sure if the 50th running will be possible!