Will be heading to Orillia Ontario to meet with a good friend of mine (Ken) and do a little BBQ and then decide if I stay one more night and reboot or simply get going for the US border...will know how things turn out tomorrow.
Friday, August 31, 2012
23h30
7.5 hours till kick stand up and away...All packed with the help of Nat. I got my Tent, sleeping pad, Kermit Chair and footprint all in that Yellow bag. Got to tell you I'm really stocked for this trip.
Will be heading to Orillia Ontario to meet with a good friend of mine (Ken) and do a little BBQ and then decide if I stay one more night and reboot or simply get going for the US border...will know how things turn out tomorrow.
Will be heading to Orillia Ontario to meet with a good friend of mine (Ken) and do a little BBQ and then decide if I stay one more night and reboot or simply get going for the US border...will know how things turn out tomorrow.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
The Meaning
Well lets see how to start this..
July 30th 2012 our father (Lawrence John Brophy) passed away at the age of 87.
The weekend of his wake, I had 2 of my 3 my brothers staying with us in our home.
Now being of Irish decent you might understand that SOME liquor was consumed...for those who know me, I've been sober for the past 2 years...but his death, this passing, was a time to reminisce and well DRINK…Oh did we drink!
Now to Rewind just a tad: Our mother passed away November 15th 2004 at the age of 75, nearly 8 years ago already. Since then I’ve been taking care of our father who at the time was also very ill and continued having health issues till his final hours, he was however still living on his own in his same apartment complex that he lived in for the last 25 years.
His only wish to us was to remain in his home till the end. He did not want to be a burden to anyone. His wishes were agreed upon from all his 4 sons, however we would have liked to have provided him with better care but in the end..it pretty much went the way he wanted it to be and he spent his final days on earth as he had planned. He was home till the end, he only spent a day and a half in the hospital. Pretty stubborn old fart if you ask me..but then, I think that it runs in his family (on the men side anyway) and I think some of his boys might have also inherited this trait from him…I’ll leave out naming any names…its all hearsay at the moment anyway.
Back to the present: After my big brother John flew back to Perou (where he lives) and our eldest brother Steve was back in his home I had a series of little events happen to me and my daughter on the day our last guest left our home. I can`t really share those events with you all, anyway most of you wouldn’t believe it anyway and it changes nothing about this trip and my need to fulfill it on such a short notice…
So the journey begins with the idea of riding out to Vancouver to meet the only sibling who could not attend our fathers funeral…my older brother Richard, who I haven`t seen in 26 years. My plan is to simply surprise him with a visit. Pass along some personal effects from our parents and finalize some estate matters and then wish him well and be on my way home.
Now NONE of this trip could happen if a whole sequence of events did not happen and happen they did and VERY quickly. So just to put some of it in context for you all here`s a somewhat brief summary of events:
I worked for 24 years for the same employer. I was not thrilled with my last position that I occupied for the last 2 and a half years. The bank was going through a series of restructurations and I found myself in a job that left me less than satisfied. I decided to gamble on applying on a temporary post that would put me in a department that I knew and liked and had previous experience in. The gamble was that after 1year, I might lose my post and not have a place to return too. I took the risk. My contract expires on September 14th of this year. Guess what...the division I work for announces budgetary cuts and freezes on all new hires! Not good for me. Long story short, my fathers passes, my contract is about to expire, I try to apply on some interesting positions outside my division. I get an interview 3 weeks later. I get the job…I negotiate a start day of October 1st with my new employer and manage to get authorizations of non paid leave for two weeks before my contract end date so basically I get ALL the month of September off for this pilgrimage to Vancouver! I must state that my current employer showed me lots of compassion and both parties are aware of my plans and have all passed along good wishes to me and my trip. (Re-reading this last paragraph I did plan on keeping it brief…it could have been sooo much longer if I put all in but that`s the best summary I can manage…I leave for Vancouver in less than 2 days!).
Today - Well, I have 2 days of “work” left. I have butterflies. I seem to have a light case of insomnia lately. I have my Girlfriends support as those from my children, family, friends and work. I`m prepared (as prepared as can be on such little planning). The bike is ready. I`m stocked for Saturday`s kick stand up for 7am.
Looking forward to the ride..
July 30th 2012 our father (Lawrence John Brophy) passed away at the age of 87.
The weekend of his wake, I had 2 of my 3 my brothers staying with us in our home.
Now being of Irish decent you might understand that SOME liquor was consumed...for those who know me, I've been sober for the past 2 years...but his death, this passing, was a time to reminisce and well DRINK…Oh did we drink!
Now to Rewind just a tad: Our mother passed away November 15th 2004 at the age of 75, nearly 8 years ago already. Since then I’ve been taking care of our father who at the time was also very ill and continued having health issues till his final hours, he was however still living on his own in his same apartment complex that he lived in for the last 25 years.
His only wish to us was to remain in his home till the end. He did not want to be a burden to anyone. His wishes were agreed upon from all his 4 sons, however we would have liked to have provided him with better care but in the end..it pretty much went the way he wanted it to be and he spent his final days on earth as he had planned. He was home till the end, he only spent a day and a half in the hospital. Pretty stubborn old fart if you ask me..but then, I think that it runs in his family (on the men side anyway) and I think some of his boys might have also inherited this trait from him…I’ll leave out naming any names…its all hearsay at the moment anyway.
Back to the present: After my big brother John flew back to Perou (where he lives) and our eldest brother Steve was back in his home I had a series of little events happen to me and my daughter on the day our last guest left our home. I can`t really share those events with you all, anyway most of you wouldn’t believe it anyway and it changes nothing about this trip and my need to fulfill it on such a short notice…
So the journey begins with the idea of riding out to Vancouver to meet the only sibling who could not attend our fathers funeral…my older brother Richard, who I haven`t seen in 26 years. My plan is to simply surprise him with a visit. Pass along some personal effects from our parents and finalize some estate matters and then wish him well and be on my way home.
Now NONE of this trip could happen if a whole sequence of events did not happen and happen they did and VERY quickly. So just to put some of it in context for you all here`s a somewhat brief summary of events:
I worked for 24 years for the same employer. I was not thrilled with my last position that I occupied for the last 2 and a half years. The bank was going through a series of restructurations and I found myself in a job that left me less than satisfied. I decided to gamble on applying on a temporary post that would put me in a department that I knew and liked and had previous experience in. The gamble was that after 1year, I might lose my post and not have a place to return too. I took the risk. My contract expires on September 14th of this year. Guess what...the division I work for announces budgetary cuts and freezes on all new hires! Not good for me. Long story short, my fathers passes, my contract is about to expire, I try to apply on some interesting positions outside my division. I get an interview 3 weeks later. I get the job…I negotiate a start day of October 1st with my new employer and manage to get authorizations of non paid leave for two weeks before my contract end date so basically I get ALL the month of September off for this pilgrimage to Vancouver! I must state that my current employer showed me lots of compassion and both parties are aware of my plans and have all passed along good wishes to me and my trip. (Re-reading this last paragraph I did plan on keeping it brief…it could have been sooo much longer if I put all in but that`s the best summary I can manage…I leave for Vancouver in less than 2 days!).
Today - Well, I have 2 days of “work” left. I have butterflies. I seem to have a light case of insomnia lately. I have my Girlfriends support as those from my children, family, friends and work. I`m prepared (as prepared as can be on such little planning). The bike is ready. I`m stocked for Saturday`s kick stand up for 7am.
Looking forward to the ride..
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