My Wet Coast Life

So for Easter Friday, i amazingly got the day off work so Robotrogue and I decided for our next hike to go do the Lynn Loop in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver. It has a variety of trails, a suspension bridge, multiple other bridges and a cave tunnel (if you can find it). We arrived at the the Lynn Canyon Park entrance at around 8am and it was a decent 8^oC with a light rain and luckily, light wind too. The forecast for the day was winds, gusting over 70 knots, and up to 40mm of rain but we were prepared with more or less, the right gear for the weather. It is the wet coast, where you don't tan, you rust. Now Robotrogue recently got some new gear from Mountain Equipment Co-Op and T.A.D. Gear and this weather was perfect to test it out.

We decided we would start by crossing the suspension bridge and then head in a northerly direction and loop around to the Baden Powell trail. With one of the best ways to start a hike, we made our way across enjoying the view from the suspension bridge and the rushing water below. After some quick pics, we were on our way. Our first section took us along a gentle winding path running parallel with the river. After about 10 minutes or so, we were greeted by a rather daunting set of stairs. Hmmmm....

Now before going any further, a bit of background info. Both of us have the goal of getting back into shape and trying to get outdoors more often. I'm trying to gain weight and Robotrogue is trying to lose some. We decided to ensure we packed all the required equipment for a day hike, even though we were still close to civilization and a bit harder to get lost. Yet again, the expected terrain, anything can and could happen and always better to be prepared than not. This included a first aid kit, space blanket, change of dry clothes, water, food, mini stove (more on that later), whistle...well, you get the idea. We planned for the worst expecting the best, which is what we got. We saw a lot of people on the trail with nothing but a jacket but i guess they are either using the multi-use wide trails which have inherently less risk or just being ill-prepared for the outdoors and banking on someone else for assistance. This also gave us a decent weight in our packs to test our fitness level on a more intermediate hike than compared to our trek through Pacific Spirit park.

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It only takes a few to ruin it for the rest and it looks like Gil LeBreton and the editors of McClatchy Newspapers in the USA wants to take the gold for ignorance. My friend passed on an article titled "It was a Canadian party, and Canada sure enjoyed itself". After seeing the title, HELL YEAH! why wouldn't we enjoy ourselves. But then i started reading the article and shortly there after, my blood was starting to boil. Why? This poor excuse for a reporter references our Canadian maple leaf to the Swastika and compared our hosting of the Olympics and displays of national pride to Berlin hosting them in 1936.

Seriously, WTF?

To compare Canada, of all countries, to the Nazi's is just appalling. As a reporter, you should be able to present the story without needing to compare people to the Nazi's when it comes to celebrating and national pride. This could even appear as hate literature using the Olympics to disguise it. Plus it doesn't say much for the morals of any of the editors that reviewed and allowed this article to be published. With so many "good" stories that were not reported as Gil so eloquently points out, you think this article is good reporting and would make up for it?? And for McClatchy Newspapers, by publishing this story and syndicating it, you and all your syndicates endorse this piece of hate literature. Sorry, but shame on you!

How quickly you forgot all the American flags flying from US houses all the time and supporting your troops overseas. I went down to Seattle a couple months ago and flags were everywhere, without even an event happening. Should i relate then to your flag waving, pride showing fellow country men as Nazis? When you hosted the Atlanta and Utah Olympics, the media coverage of American events was so one sided. Did we complain, maybe. Were you compared to Nazis? doubt it.

I have traveled the world and the maple leaf and Canadian flag were always showing my national pride. Why shouldn't i be proud of my country and willing to show it? I unfortunately, can't say the same for the U.S. You have no problem showing patriotism on your home soil but tend to hide it when traveling abroad. Why? Are you not proud of the stars and stripes? I can only guess, with all the conflicts you are involved in, it makes it a lot harder to travel freely as an American in this day in age. I was appalled to come across Yankees in Holland, France, Belgium and Kenya wearing our maple leaf and flag and saying they are Canadian (BTW, doesn't work due to your accent, eh..) so they can avoid harassment and get better service (especially in Holland for trying to take our credit for liberating them). Each American i met, i politely informed them to remove it as they are giving us a bad name based on there actions (but i did say Sorry) and to stand proud for the USA or don't stand at all. Some acknowledged what i asked and complied, other stood them dumbfounded to why they should remove another country's symbol and invoke prejudice. Hmmmm...maybe there is a reason for this and Gil LeBreton seems to personify the reason. Good old ignorance. Maybe he should look up some history like the Underground railroad or remind himself how many Americans came to Canada to avoid the draft?

What does this say to the thousands of Canadian military that gave their lives fighting the Nazis only to have them compared to them 74 years later...

Going to the venues and just walking around town, it is kinda hard not to ignore other country's fans walking around with there country's flag adorned like a super hero's cape, face painted and enjoying all the festivities. National pride for all the participating countries were present. Now keep in mind, we are in Canada so there will be a lot more Canadians than any other country at the Olympics. But we are also a very ethnically diverse country with citizens from all over the world. When i was at the speed skating, the volume of Dutch orange in the crowd was amazing and everyone cheered for everyone, even the US athletes.

Shane Koyczan's We Are More speech defines Canada but i guess you skipped that part in the opening ceremonies...

Well, i doubt anything will happen to you for this article as the amount of traffic, albeit negative, it has generated has most likely made your editors happy. I will leave you with a comment posted for this article that more or less sums it up. Also, i will apologize to the Americans reading this article for having to be linked and compared to this ignorant cry baby, but once again, the few ruin it for the rest and his Wahhhhhbulance is on the way....

Coincidentally however, Hitler was also an uppity elitist know-it-all who feigned moral indignation to cover up latent insecurities and bigoted ignorance.

By your logic, I guess that makes you just like Hitler, eh?

But you know, not in a political way. Just in an Olympic kind of way.