Trick or Treat in Toon Town

Winston

Post SNM Tour Day #14

Yes it’s already been 2 weeks since we finished off in St John’s NL – where does the time go?

So we had an early start today after a late night and we’re off to SK.  Blogging early today as the temperature is 0, it’s overcast but not snowing and the roads are clear so if it is officially posted maybe it won’t change...here’s hoping.

It’s Oct 31 - HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! – this is probably the only day of the year that we can actually wear full SAD no more gear and fit right in. Nobody would even take a second look at us with our “costumes”.   I’m feeling very ORANGE today!  Great trick or treating to all – young and old.

(this is John, see John laugh, laugh John laugh and thanks John thanks!)

The party last night was a lot of fun.  The food (multicultural,  heavy on the Polish) was scrumptious  and never-ending.  There was a Baba/Babcia quiz hosted by John “Schmenge” Ploszay which was a hilarious mix of fact and fiction.  John’s sense of humour has always been playful, quick witted, zany and heavy on the improv – he is a stand-up tour de force that would do SCTV proud.  We didn’t need John Candy or Eugene Levy last night, John was “in the house” (where else would he be – it’s his home).  Thanks to Mag and Jackie who did most of the work while he was goofing off.  Thanks also to my aunts, Jean and Joan, for all the great food (and thoughts and prayers).   I must say that I have felt greatly supported by my Winnipeg family.  This understanding and acceptance did not go unnoticed.

John was in the midst of putting bamboo flooring in his living room and one thing led to another and all of sudden we were painting SAD no more on his bare sub-floor and signing with felt pens.  If ever someone takes the floor off, say in 50 years from now – what will they think??

Tour Day Sponsor are Ken and Laurie Walus – thanks so much for the support and encouragement, and as we head to Saskatoon to visit Tom (Ken’s brother) this is more than fitting.  Laurie asked for the “2 minute” explanation of SAD – as she is a medical professional she got an earful...can’t just turn off the awareness campaign just yet! 

So again, instead of Random quotes let’s give you something a little different on the final Sunday of the tour.  Here’s a list of things which may have been understated in the blog - the insider’s report or the answer to the much asked question...

“So……..what really happened out there?”

Easiest Day – While there were rest days scattered throughout – the easiest day on the road was the last day when the final 16 kms were done in what seemed like a few minutes.  It was fast, effortless and purely glorious.

Hardest Stretches – A four way tie between...

1. You pick the spot on the Coquihala Hwy - early in the tour when I was silently questioning my sanity and fortitude.

2. Going against a steady headwind in and around Broadview SK – soul sucking!

3. The accumulation of all the days North of Lake Superior – for the 1^st and only time in the tour I began to dread the unending hills at the end of the days.

4. The run on the second last day into the nastiest of headwinds almost made me walk, a feeling which I hadn’t had up to this point and made the steep ascent out of Merritt seem downright easy!

Weirdest thing in the ditch – And believe me I saw a lot of weird things, BUT a full library collection of hard cover, large volume books on witchcraft and astrology found just outside of Fredericton – too bizarre!

Most cherished item found in ditch – Newfoundland license plate

Biggest Surprise (pleasant) -  only 2 flat tubes the entire trip and both occurred early on in BC.  The tires were amazing and the bike was rock solid throughout.

Biggest surprise (shoulder shrugging) was the general lack of cyclists seen for very long stretches (unfortunate, as it was always a great pleasure to meet an individual or a group touring across a province or the country).

Biggest Surprise (not so pleasant….)-  Tie between “black water” valve malfunction on RV and the complete lack of cell service in a few regions of the country no matter what cell phone carrier you had. 

Best photo-op -  A tie again...The Rocky Mountains and the surprising gem of Thornburn Lake in Newfoundland 

Worst stretch of highway – Excluding the construction just outside of Thunder Bay ON (the only time I needed to ride my hybrid bike to keep going), the list of spots is rather long but the highway outside of Renfrew ON probably ranked as worst.

Best stretch of highway – all of New Brunswick

Worst Drivers – (sorry to have to say this but someone has to be #1) NW Ontario

Best Drivers – Newfoundland by far! Courteous and encouraging honks and waves non-stop.

“Closest call”

For Monique - just outside of Portage la Prairie MB when a semi-trailer almost ploughed into the back of the RV on a straight and flat (no kidding) stretch of highway. 

 For me – got “brushed” by a large RV in BC and got violently pushed/pulled and disappeared for a few seconds in a semi truck’s wet and very windy draft in NS

Worst weather – I was unexpectedly and unceremoniously “chilled to the bone” on a very cold wet day in New Brunswick and was almost stopped in my tracks (remember running on the spot in gym class) by gusty headwinds in NL. 

Worst campground – Maple Creek SK – Monique absolutely refused to stay (later we found out that this area had been completely flooded which fully explained the dismal state of affairs).

Nicest facilities at a campground – Vermilion Bay ON

Best hike at the end of the Day – Othello Tunnels, Hope BC (we didn’t know it at the time).

The best “Straight out of the movies” experience – tire patching in Vermilion Bay ON. The movie, by the way, was DELIVERANCE.

The best “near miss” – Hurricane Igor (can’t imagine what the tour would have been like if we had been in NF only 2 weeks before).

Media “hot spot” for tour was surprisingly Sudbury, ON.

Media “dead zone” for the tour was in La Belle Province.

The Tour is STONEWALLED - but the PARTY MUST GO ON!!!

Post SNM Tour Day #13
This honestly will be a short blog today.  We got into Ste. Agathe last night in reasonable shape after dodging the threat of snow and more than a few deer bouncing across the highway.  It was nice to have a visit albeit briefly with Monique's family and share a few "on the road" tales. A mini-celebratory event, but it was nice!
This morning the Sunshine Beast was put to rest as an RV, that is, it was officially winterized before we got any temperatures below zero, thanks to Emmanuel for this. Now the RV just becomes a vehicle, no more sleeps, no more meals, no more..... (I'll stop right there).

We met with B+B once again this morning and completed the educational part of the video.  All went very smoothly...probably because Barb was there.  With her at the helm of the control center, the shoot was a breeze.  Of course having "the pros" there (Byrnes and myself of course, director and talent) how could it have gone otherwise?  Well let me tell you - when it comes to anything technical, no matter how prepared and how experienced you are, the unexpected usually becomes the expected and "if something could possibly go wrong with this" scenario commonly becomes reality. All this to say, after any successful video shoot, you are very, very grateful. 

It was great to see Barb and Byrnes again after there time with us on tour from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay. We had a lot of stories for them, little things not worthy of being blogged about, but which have meaning to anyone who has been with us in the RV for any length of time. Insider jokes, "malfunctions", all the silly little things that we will likely forget in a few months.  I can't wait to see the completed versions of the video with the full educational component and the video footage from St John's.  It should be a nice visual summation of the entire tour - education with a bit of motivation, like awareness to action.  Where have I heard this before?

It's cold in Winnipeg...am I surprised?? There has already been a blizzard in SK so I guess from this point onward we are headed from fall into winter. 

The Tour Day Sponsor today is my mom! She has been so very supportive throughout the tour as she has been all my life.  Gina (read the blog when we were in Fort Frances) had mentioned the other day that she had always been impressed with my tenacity to set a goal and not stop working until it was completed.  Her comment was that "someone must have told you sometime in your life that you could do anything you wanted to do".  She was absolutely correct and that person was my mother. She has always been there, and in her own quiet way a true cheerleader.  She has always challenged me to do more, to do it better, to do it with the highest ethical standard and to pursue my dreams - and I certainly have tried! Thanks mom for everything for all these years.  

Now off to John and Kerri-Jo's for a family party in Stonewall Manitoba. This should be a lot of fun and a chance to touch base with my side of the family, many of whom have been very encouraging and supportive of the tour.  For this I thank them in this blog and will do so in person tonight!

Random Quotes of the Day
Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there
Anonymous

Everyone thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing themselves
Tolstoy

There can be no happiness if the things we believe are different from the things we do
Freya Stark

The Fort to The Peg

Post SNM Tour day #12

Started the day with media work – a radio interview for upcoming Saskatoon talk and then a nice invigorating run – a great way to start any day! Thereafter I spoke at a public forum hosted by the CMHA in Fort Frances and had a wonderful time.  After that, right back on the road to Winnipeg.  

You can never go back in time, but today was as close as it gets.  I worked in Fort Frances Ontario for 11 years and have so many, many fond memories.  I worked extremely hard medically and played very hard in the arts world.  How many concerts promoted? How many community theatre plays done? This was a very busy and productive time in my life (OK so I guess things really haven’t changed that much in my life). 

My previous nurse (notice I didn't say my old nurse) - Frieda is still looking absolutely great and was wonderful to see her again.

There were so many familiar faces today and it was such a pleasure to see so many old friends, medical colleagues from the hospital and clinic and many previous patients to share a quick hug and story.  So many names I have forgotten, but the flood of memories that came back when the connection was made was huge! So many of the details I instantly remembered as if it were only yesterday.  Certainly everything has moved ahead more than a decade but I can honestly say that the vast majority of people looked almost identical to when I left, seemingly not aging at all (really!)

A big thanks to Gina and Cam who hosted us while we were in Fort Frances.  We have known them for many, many years and spending time with them always has a welcoming, casual, familiar feeling just like family.  They graciously allowed us time to do the never ending business things (even so late in the tour) and we had a great visit catching up on each others lives.  Gina’s an Italian mama so you can imagine I didn’t starve during this visit – I HAD to run to burn off at least some of the calories!  

 (I know, I know...I look like Cam and Gina's little kid - their real son is twice as big as me).

It was a great education day so as the tour winds down – it's time for a bit of education on this blog. I’m running out of blogging days so let’s get some good solid information down in print as this is an awareness campaign you know. The education piece will replace the Random Quote of the Day, or perhaps it can be viewed AS the quote of the day.

Here’s some of the actual text that will be used in the tour educational video which we will be completing tomorrow in Winnipeg.

The SAD no more CANADIAN TOUR 2010 was created to raise awareness about this form of depression because it is poorly understood and not adequately treated.

The key messages of the tour were

 1.  If you think you have SAD seek professional help and get diagnosed or

       If you know someone who might have SAD encourage them to do likewise

2.     Start treatment now

3.     Learn more about SAD

So here’s some important information about Seasonal Affective Disorder

SAD is a recurring form of depression which comes in the fall and winter and gets better in the spring and summer.   The hallmarks of this type of depression are low mood, food cravings and weight gain, low energy and increased sleep – just think of a hibernating bear .  SAD effects approximately 3% of our population or about 1 million Canadians.  It is common in our country because of our northern latitude which is associated with a distinct shortening of the light cycle during  the winter season. 

While many people complain of the “winter blues”, SAD is a diagnosable depression which can be quite severe and which demands treatment. I have found personally and professionally that a timely combination of therapies can be very effective in treating this common mental illness.   

Let me tell you about

SAD LAMP a mneumonic  which I have devised  which explains how Seasonal Affective Disorder can be effectively treated. 

S stands for scheduled, meaning that we can anticipate and schedule our treatment to start in the fall before the onset of the depression

AD stands for anti-depressant medications.. As this is a true depression, medications can be indicated if the severity falls within a moderate to severe range.  While many anti depressants can be effective, the ones which are less sedating and cause less appetite enhancement are probably better choices

L stands for light therapy, lifestyle changes which include regular exercise and a healthy well balanced diet, encouragement to keep doing the things that you love,  and make you laugh. The most effective light  therapy consist s of using a bright light unit in the early morning for 30 minutes with your eyes open.  

AM stands for alternative medication.  Within the alternative and complementary therapies, omega 3 fatty fish oils have been found to be an effective add on.  Vit D supplementation through the fall and winter may be useful for many Canadians although  its effects on depression nave not been established yet. 

P stands for psychologist or counseling particularly involving Cognitive Behavioural therapy or CBT. 

Remember SAD LAMP a simple and effective way to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder.  I use this combination myself  and I have never felt better. 

Tour Day Sponsor is Brian Hunter for the final time – his support has been much appreciated. 

Late breaking news - The Tour's gone INTERNATIONAL!!

POST SNM Tour Day #11

May not be able to post photos until much later today– we have turned our cells off and no internet until we get back into Ontario.

Extremely short blog today –

We have gone viral, off the grid, gone underground………….what we’ve really done is to go into the US in an attempt to save a little time from the Soo to the Fort, that is from Sault Ste. Marie to Fort Frances NW Ont.   So the SAD no more CANADIAN Tour goes international, taking it to the Americans if only for the day. Maybe the 2011 or 2012 tour will involve the Northern States (just kidding – another tour might induce the quickest divorce proceedings ever seen)

The winds were extremely gusty today and we saw a fair bit of snow on the ground from Superior to Duluth.  I guess it truly is the time of year.  By the time we got to Canada there was no snow to be seen - great!! Growing up in Winnipeg, we could be trick or treating on Halloween on green grass, albeit cold green grass or trudging through snowdrifts – every year was a bit of a surprise!

After all the very long hours on the roads over the past 2 months it was a bit weird to see the signs in miles and gasoline in $/gallons - $2.81 - $2.99 on the signs (that a 10% difference over 3 states - wow).  Thankfully the Canadian dollar is as high as it is.  Rural USA seemed to have a bit better highways for the majority of time – there were certainly some stretches which were rough, they struggle with winter just as much as we do.  A lot of very small towns along our route through northern Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.  We can add 3 states to the 10 provinces – but I am not going to post American quizzes.

So why Fort Frances? I worked there for 11 years in the past and they really wanted me to speak there. I’ve been back a few times over the years usually passing through and it’s always great to touch base with all the people who still live there.  So that’s why we are veering off the major highways and taking a back door route. We’ve seen and experienced North of Lake Superior so now we get to see the south of Lake Superior. 

Tour Day Sponsor is Robert Hobbs, thanks again for your kind support and encouragement. 

Random Quote of the Day

America is a vast conspiracy to make you happy

John Updike

So soon in the Soo

Post SNM Tour day #10

We literally blew out of Sudbury and bounced our way down the highway to Sault Ste. Marie. The Sunshine beast was pushed and pulled by the wind gusts and it was a white knuckle kind of ride keeping it on the road (and out of the ditch).  The news quoted winds gusting up to 90 kms today - would certainly have been "interesting" if I was doing highway mileage on the bike today. 

Thanks to Bob and Tammy once again for their welcoming hospitality. Even though our visit was short, it was full of great food and chatter.  It was really great to see them both again and discuss all that has happened since our last visit. 

I am looking forward to the presentation in Sault Ste Marie this evening - it is the ongoing educational events that "keep us going" through the many hours of long distance driving.  

I've been trying to get in some exercise every day now and it is a pure joy to go out for a nice run without any concern re time/distance etc. When we get back to Calgary hopefully I can return to a more consistent routine.  In the last few years I have learnt that exercise is an integral part of my mental as well as physical health.  Although a regimented routine may sound boring, it is the best way to keep on track as it doesn't allow the busy-ness and "random excuse" of the day to get the upper hand.  It is always far too easy to find a reason why today is not a good day to get some exercise. Sound familiar??

We all struggle with similar issues, the difference is that some of us are a little more stubborn than others.

Tour Day Sponsor is Brian Hunter, thanks again for you support.

  

 with only 1 week left before we are home - it's time for the.......

OVERALL BEST of CANADA

as seen province by province

from the highway....

Newfoundland -  friendliness and hospitality (honorable mention – the trail walk through the Battery in St John’s) / NOT the weather

Nova Scotia –  Halifax (honorable mention – park staff at Bruce and Munroes Island Provincial Park) / NOT McLobster

New Brunswick – best Trans Canada highway (honorable mention – Hopewell Rocks) / NOT the media attention

PEI – Cavendish beach (honorable mention “the DUNES”) / NOT COWS (because it was closed!)

Quebec – La Route Verte (honorable mention Hudson) / NOT the traffic in Montreal

Ontario – North of Lake Superior (honorable mentions – the Terry Fox monument and the Leland laudromat in Thunder Bay)  / NOT the treacherous highway

Manitoba – family (honorable mention family)/ NOT the semi-truck drivers (exception family member semi-truck drivers)

Saskatchewan – SNM tour matching daisies along highway (honorable mention -  deserted campgrounds)/ NOT cell phone reception

Alberta – The Rocky Mountains  (honorable mention - HOME and of course Alberta Beef) / NOT the short distance to get across - we all need just a little more Alberta!

British Columbia  -  Okanagan valley (honorable mention – the Atwells / Cowichan Lake) / NOT  the ubiquitous highway construction 

Random Quotes of the Day

Exercise... the poor person's plastic surgery

 

I don't sweat I glisten 

 

I Exercise - run my mouth, push my luck, & jump to conclusions 

 

 

 

shhhhhhhh, slipping silently into sudbury

Post SNM Tour #9

If you are open to it - you can learn something new every day. 

Today I learnt that there is a thing called a "weather bomb' - when severe weather comes so quickly and dramatically that it hits a region just like a bomb.  So as we were leaving Toronto on our way to Sudbury, we were listening to the news telling us that a weather bomb was going to hit the GTA, moving in from the Southwest with extreme high winds, torrential thunderstorms and even tornados.  (I hope this has nothing to do with the city electing a new mayor yesterday). We are currently going north and away from the GTA and have seen nothing untoward so we will quietly sneak away in safety and continue our trek.
We did see pretty hard rains as it got later in the day - maybe a firecracker's worth of weather.

Had a very interesting presentation at Dr Michael Pare's Medical clinic at noon.  Much talk about mental illness stigma, vit D, anti-depressants and light therapy - it was a good exchange of ideas and information.  Dr Pare is a strong mental health advocate and speaks about stigma and discrimination to the public as well as medical communities (sound familiar?).  There are many great people across our country which are like lights shining brightly in the wilderness.  May my efforts add to their efforts and together we can slowly make changes in our communities which will eventually influence and change our entire nation!

Radio broadcaster Roger Currie from Regina did a follow-up interview with me this am.  What a pleasure working with dedicated career media professionals.  Roger is a real pro and it was a pleasure talking with him once again.

Tour Day Sponsor is Brian Hunter - thanks again for all your support.

Random Quotes of the Day

You are forgiven for your happiness and your successes only if if you generously consent to share them

Albert Camus

It is a lot harder to keep people well than it is to just get them over a sickness

DeForest Clinton Jarvis 

We can bomb the world to pieces, but we can't bomb it into peace.

Michael Franti
 

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life

Berthold Auerbach

(and on this beautiful note I will regret not playing more music in the past few months - I guess a few other things on the go, poor excuse I know....)

shhhhhhhh.......silently slipped into sudbury

Photos may come a little later today

Post SNM Tour #9

If you are open to it - you can learn something new every day. 

Today I learnt that there is a thing called a "weather bomb' - when severe weather comes so quickly and dramatically that it hits a region just like a bomb.  So as we were leaving Toronto on our way to Sudbury, we were listening to the news telling us that a weather bomb was going to hit the GTA, moving in from the Southwest with extreme high winds, torrential thunderstorms and even tornados.  (I hope this has nothing to do with the city electing a new mayor yesterday). We are currently going north and away from the GTA and have seen nothing untoward so we will quietly sneak away in safety and continue our trek.

Had a very interesting presentation at Dr Michael Pare's Medical clinic at noon.  Much talk about mental illness stigma, vit D, anti-depressants and light therapy - it was a good exchange of ideas and information.  Dr Pare is a strong mental health advocate and speaks about stigma and discrimination to the public as well as medical communities (sound familiar?).  There are many great people across our country which are like lights shining brightly in the wilderness.  May my efforts add to their efforts and together we can slowly make changes in our communities which will eventually influence and change our entire nation!

Radio broadcaster Roger Currie from Regina did a follow-up interview with me this am.  What a pleasure working with dedicated career media professionals.  Roger is a real pro and it was a pleasure talking with him once again.

Tour Day Sponsor is Brian Hunter - thanks again for all your support.

Random Quotes of the Day

You are forgiven for your happiness and your successes only if if you generously consent to share them

Albert Camus

It is a lot harder to keep people well than it is to just get them over a sickness

DeForest Clinton Jarvis 

We can bomb the world to pieces, but we can't bomb it into peace.

Michael Franti
 

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life

Berthold Auerbach

(and on this beautiful note I will regret not playing more music in the past few months - I guess a few other things on the go, poor excuse I know....)

Oshawayed Off to Toronto Tonight

Post SNM Tour day #8

Another short blog today.

A great big thanks to Don and Cheryl.  They really made us feel very comfortable and at home and treated us far too well. It was great to see you both again and to share a bit of your recent life - despite you being (very proud) grandparents, you don't really look that old - certainly much older than us, but not that old......

Had a presentation this am as part of Durham College Mental Illness Awareness Campaign. It was great to see their initiative with many groups being present with booths in "vendor's hallway" - a very busy passageway leading to the Cafeteria. We were treated extremely well by the college and found all the people we dealt with to be very organized, efficient and a dream to work with.  A special thanks to Margaret, Catherine and Mary Alice who was exceptional.  The presentation was well received by the groups present which included students and faculty alike.  All in all, Durham College should be proud of their professionalism and forward thinking.   

The local media was well represented by the newspaper and television and I was able to sneak in a radio interview. I was interviewed by the executive producer of CHEX TV Dan Carter.  He is a strong mental health advocate and spokesperson - what a difference this makes to a mental health awareness campaign interview!!  His questions were insightful and pertinent and should make for a solid and informative news piece to air tonight. Thanks Dan for capturing part of this tour and for your commitment and involvement in decreasing mental illness stigma.

Christine Elliott, MPP for this region was present and preceded me at the podium.  She is obviously committed to advancing the mental health agenda and it was great to meet her and to hear her speak.  We need more leaders who have this vision and drive!

Will drive into Toronto and a then a presentation later this evening for a group of physicians.

Tour Day Sponsor is Robert Hobbs once again and once again thanks 

Random Quotes of the Day

Some seek the comfort of their therapist's office, other head to the corner pub and dive into a pint, but I chose running as my therapy.

Dean Karnazes - ultramarathon guru

and on that note - I am going for a nice run before the talk this evening!!

rah rah for Oshawa, oh oh we're still in Ontario

Post SNM Tour Day #7

The shortest blog of all time.  A blast from the past spending time with Don and Cheryl who we have known for quite a number of years since living in Fort Frances Ontario.  We had a great meal at the restaurant where their son Steven is the executive chef - it was wonderful.  We got a great insider tour of Durham College where Don is the President.  It is great to see this college expanding, building and moving in the right direction. I was impressed with the breadth and scope of all the courses offered.  Education is such an evolving art and in this age of rapidly changing technology an even more difficult task. Their new classrooms, renos and new structures are great.  I will be giving a presentation at the College tomorrow a.m. and hopefully can live up to their standard. Met Chloe (Coco) for the first time, Jessica and Ross' daughter, and took lots and lots of photos.

Tour Day Sponsors  are Evan, Camille, Charmaine and Sullivan Strong of Calgary once again - thanks so much for the encouragement and very very generous support.

Random Quotes of the Day

Good teachers are costly, but bad teachers cost more.

Bob Talbert

Leaders need to be optimists.  Their vision is beyond the present.

Rudy Giuliani

The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called "truth."  

Dan Rather

A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary. 

Thomas Carruthers

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.  

Henry Brooks Adams

A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others. 

Author Unknown

The mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates.  The great teacher inspires.  

William Arthur Ward

The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, and inspires his listener with the wish to teach himself.  

Edward Bulwer-Lytton


A teacher's purpose is not to create students in his own image, but to develop students who can create their own image.  

Author Unknown

Teaching should be full of ideas instead of stuffed with facts.  

Author Unknown
 
The task of the excellent teacher is to stimulate "apparently ordinary" people to unusual effort.  The tough problem is not in identifying winners:  it is in making winners out of ordinary people.  

K. Patricia Cross


 

Oh my Goshiwa!, Onward to Oshawa

Post SNM Tour Day #6

Up early and on the road for another long day of driving.  

The brief and dramatic blizzard we drove through yesterday put a bit of fear in us. We still have a long way to go and really don't want to be winter driving at any point of this "Fall Tour".  The oddity of the snow was that it was very local - hitting only a small portion of Quebec but wreaking havoc including having a semi-trailer spin and flip over in the ditch. The wind whistled loudly all night long and we expected to wake up to a Christmas scene - but the ground was clear - the temp at 6 with no sign even of frost.

Passing through Quebec we were able to have a quick visit with Chantal, Martin, Etienne and Arianne. What a lunch! The connection with Chantal was back in Fort Frances some 13 years ago.  It was great to see her and her young family - great models for SAD no more merch I might add

Tour Day Sponsors are Evan, Camille, Charmaine and Sullivan Strong of Calgary once again - thanks so much for the encouragement and very very generous support.

Random quotes of the Day

The time will come when winter will ask you what you were doing all summer

Henry Caly

Nothing is too small to know, and nothing is too big to attempt

William Van Horne

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes

Marcel Proust

As the run/cycle portion of the tour has been completed, the readership of the blog has understandably declined.  For those still following along - I drop a bit of a bomb shell that will be announced in the Calgary Herald next week. You get to hear it first.   

I will be relocating my practice from Brentwood to Crowfoot Village Family Practice as of November 15.  (only 3 weeks away). My plan was to make the switch in December but circumstances are such that this move will be occurring sooner than anticipated.  So........ for all my patients who are reading along - you may want to check the CVFP website as you will need register with this clinic (soon). 

www.cvfp.com

This is an extremely positive move for me! The new clinic is truly NEW and their set-up is sophisticated and "cutting edge" for family practice.  I will be teaching family practice residents again and working in quite a different multi-disciplinary system. The transition will be challenging - but the results should be extremely rewarding for everyone - stay tuned! 

Making Many Miles, Moving thru the Maritimes

SNM Post Tour Day #5

Fare thee well Nova Scotia.....

Left Bedford early this a.m. to make our way to Truro. A great big thanks to B+B for allowing that beautiful mix between giving us all the time and space we needed while being very social and treating us to great food and conversation.  Lots of talk of running and cycling, runs and races - all very inspiring for all of us.  Bob needs to keep gently encouraging Barb to complete her marathon - run, walk/run, whatever it takes, it's all good. Maybe I will be part of their group's pact of being able to complete a 10 km run at the age of 80 - I really like this idea a lot!

Now that the run/cycle part of the tour is complete, I am thinking about the future of my running and cycling "career".  Do I morph the training into completing an iron man, do I keep running 10km, 1/2 and full marathon races or do I just give up on racing altogether and just run and cycle for the sheer enjoyment of doing these activities??  Really at this point I'm not sure what I will do.  I had a run last evening in the fog and light rain along the waterfront and it felt fantastic - rejuvenating and almost mystical.  I will never tire of this, and this tour certainly has not "ruined me" in this regard. 

As part of their Mental Illness Awareness Day, I gave a public presentation at the Nova Scotia Community College, Truro Campus.  There was a large turn out of students, faculty, local CMHA members and general public.  Unfortunately the gymnasium setting was challenging for the power point presentation as there was too much ambient light on the screen and the slides could not be seen well at all - hopefully the message was clear and concise enough to overcome these technical limitations. 

It was great to talk to Catherine MacRae and hear what their local chapter of the CMHA was up to - very active and full of creative ideas...Keep up the great work!   

Tour Day Sponsors are Evan, Camille, Charmaine and Sullivan Strong of Calgary - thanks again so much for the encouragement and very very generous support.

Random Quotes of the Day

At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities

Jean Houston

Too often travel, instead of broadening the mind, merely lengthens the conversation. 
Elizabeth Drew


Visits always give pleasure -
If not the arrival, the departure
Portuguese Proverb

 The beautiful fall colors of New Brunswick

just a few hours later, the beautiful winter colors of Quebec (it's October UGHHH)

Halted in Halifax, Happy in this little Heavenly Haven

POST SNM Tour Day #4
the tour has gone to the birds (seagulls to be exact)

Just a short blog today (as he goes on a prolonged diatribe.....). In Halifax for the day. Unfortunately event initially scheduled for this evening was canceled due to a budget freeze related to the Biovail / Valeant merger. This is really unfortunate as this weakens the awareness campaign in this region of the country, but it is completely out of our hands.  I have a presentation in Truro early tomorrow a.m. so needed to stay put, catch up and enjoy the Maritimes.  We are staying with Bob and Barb (another B+B, yikes!) and already have been treated to great Maritime hospitality. Thanks Susan for this great connection. Barb is originally from Calgary, Bob from this area so we were catching up on things both East and West!

Went for a run yesterday and wondered how I ever made it across the country. Legs felt like lead weights and were surprisingly stiff and sore - probably after all the hours of sitting and driving since the tour ended.  Today will be better - I've had a sufficient break so need to get back at some regular schedule even if it is just a fraction of what I was doing just a week ago.  

          

I must say that I am disappointed that none of the Alberta newspapers have picked up the story of the successful completion of this tour.  A press release was sent and we have not heard back on anything.  I have talks planned in Edmonton and Calgary when we are back, so there is still plenty of time to pursue, but I was hoping that the "local" press would have some interest in this tour which originated in Calgary.  We'll keep trying to get the word out there - this is the time of year that SAD starts setting in, so media interest and attention could not be more timely!


Here's the last bit of thanks carried over from the last few days of blogging. I really want to especially thank everyone who really went out of their way to champion this tour.  Some of you were MY heroes and MY inspiration!  Some contributed so much at critical parts of the tour while others have not stopped contributing throughout. Some of the contributions were small but very timely, sometimes it's the little things that count so much.  Others were immense, completely unexpected and amazing!  I will mention no names, lest I offend anyone for not mentioning them.  The uniqueness of this group of people is that they gave of their time and energy with "no strings attached".  There really are still people out there who are kind, generous, supportive, hard-working and choose to remain "behind the scenes" and anonymous. To all these true friends a great big thank you! The success of the tour was because of your efforts and my life has been forever changed because of you.
  

Tour Day Sponsors are Evan, Camille, Charmaine and Sullivan Strong of Calgary - thanks again so much for the encouragement and very very generous support.


Random Quotes of the Day about depression (in this season of SAD)

Depression is the inability to construct a future.
Rollo May


Hiding in my room, safe within my womb,
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
And a rock feels no pain.
And an island never cries.
Paul Simon
From song I Am a Rock


I have studiously tried to avoid ever using the word 'madness' to describe my condition. Now and again, the word slips out, but I hate it. 'Madness' is too glamorous a term to convey what happens to most people who are losing their minds. That word is too exciting, too literary, too interesting in its connotations, to convey the boredom, the slowness, the dreariness, the dampness of depression.
Elizabeth Wurtzel
From Book Prozac Nation


That's the thing about depression: A human being can survive almost anything, as long as she sees the end in sight. But depression is so insidious, and it compounds daily, that it's impossible to ever see the end. The fog is like a cage without a key.
Elizabeth Wurtzel
From Book Prozac Nation




If depression is creeping up and must be faced, learn something about the nature of the beast: You may escape without a mauling.
Dr. R. W. Shepherd