Who's There? Wolf vs. The Dragon

Here he lies with pistons and crank

Buried up to his ass

In the face of this bank

He challenged the Dragon

To have some fun

As you can see, the Dragon won!

By: Carl Cooper

DesTination: The Snake

Photo © Wolf Raaen

Six days. That's how many days are left until our baby girl arrives. I find myself with no more nails to nibble on in anticipation of the big day. A day which could be here tomorrow (maybe even right at this very moment as I type this...) or, if our baby girl turns out to be like our second child's birth, delayed by two weeks! Our routine has become rather subtle. I find myself sitting and staring at Jennifer from the corner of my eye as she happily quilts away. She has already made two baby quilts in the last month or so, one for our baby and one for her sister Janice, whose baby is due to arrive later in August. I can't quilt and I find my Jedi powers in willing Jennifer to have the baby now instead of later lacking unfortunately. The anticipation is too much and I can feel myself needing some sweet release. I tuck the boys into bed (early of course, if only to give Jennifer some freedom), ensure that Jennifer has everything that she needs, and start to make my way out of our little apartment here in Montreal. "Don't forget my phone!" Like she has to remind me... "Don't forget my camera!"... thankfully she reminded me. I need to get out of the house, away from the overwhelming anticipation and excitement that seems to follow me everywhere I go these days.

DesTination: Blazing Trails

Ladakh 2010
Photo © Blazing Trails

Motorcycle Fever. It is contagious only to those without the means of accessing their ride in places where roads are impassable (or better yet, illegal to ride) during these frigid winter months in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. As Jack Frost wreaks havoc on us with record breaking snowfalls I find myself feeling trapped inside my skin. A burning sensation emits from every pore on my body and my thoughts seem to be forced in one direction: motorcycles. I whip my head around every now and then towards the direction of the sound of a big twin. It may be a passing motorcycle on television or simply my imagination playing tricks on me. Whatever the case may be I see that old familiar look on my wife's face as she groans and rolls her eyes, already in tune with what is happening to me. "Two more months..." she whispers sympathetically as she knows my mind is still on that one topic that consumes me after any length of time without my Serenity. Two more months before I can bring my bike out of storage and start commuting again with her. Two months too long if you ask me. However, some reprieve is at hand what with upcoming tributes to the God of Two Wheels such as Show Harley (January 2013) and the Montreal Motorcycle Show (February 2013). However, are motorcycle shows really enough? Many friends have started their road trips already by transporting their bikes state side. In other cases they have began planning their road trips as far away as September 2013. It got me thinking about one little jewel that may interest many of you!

Holy Spandex Batman!

Foregoing any preconceptions some may associate with events such as Montreal's 2012 Comic Con, I decided to take the plunge finally and see for myself what the hype was all about! However, that being said, I wasn't willing to do so on my own... at first I tried to wrangle my oldest son to come with me but realistically speaking he wouldn't have had the patience or the courage to face the barrage of crowds and multitude of costumed vigilantes. The line alone to buy just my ticket today took no less than just over an hour! Than it occurred to me; why not try and get some students to come along?! I wrote and teach a course entitled, Consumerism, Leisure and Popular Culture and thought that this event would be a, ahem, 'super', way of introducing new topics in the near future. Comic Con has been gaining momentum in La Belle Province and this year they have featured special guests such as Adam Baldwin from the short lived but excellent television series Firefly, Saul Rubinek from the hit television show Warehouse 13 and Wil Wheaton from shows such as Star Trek The Next Generation and The Big Bang Theory! There are some other surprise names waiting for you below as I managed to capture a few pictures of them!

DesTination: Monday Morning Blues

Making Monday's Bearable...

I work in the Eastern Townships in Quebec, Canada and travel daily to and from work via my '96 Suzuki Intruder 1400 (aka Serenity) as often as possible. It's a round trip of just over 350 kilometers a day...

People often ask "why do you do it?" I can't help but think "how could I not?"

In Loving Memory...

... of
Linda Louise Snow
1956 - 2009

When The Heart  

When the heart 

is cut or cracked or broken 

Do not clutch it 

Let the wound lie open  

DesTination: Memory Lane

My Grandmother and I

Heading towards the true, north, strong and free I found myself on the road riding towards memory lane. Riding on instinct I followed the 40 East Bound for just over an hour. Doubt began to settle in and just as I was about to pull over for directions I came upon the sign for St. Gabriel De Brandon. It's been over fifteen years since I had last visited and the experience was marred by the fact that I had gotten lost on the way down. It wouldn't have been so bad but I had a friend with me who was less than impressed with my navigational aptitude at the time. I remember feeling dissatisfied with the experience overall as a result. Determined not to make the same mistake this time I set off on my own with no one other than Serenity for company.

For The Love Of 'Baby Hulk'

Photo © UniqueSnOwFlake

Apparently nothing says "I love you" to your children like creating and painting several murals. For as long as I can remember I have been painting murals from time to time for various folks in and around Planet Earth. From Canada to Ireland and even South Korea, if I was working with children or making my own (with the help of my lovely wife Jennifer of course!) you can bet that a mural would soon follow. Recently my youngest son's day care, Garderie Espace Des Anges was interested in hiring someone to paint some murals for their brand new day care.  With forty-eight spaces still available for anyone interested in sending their children to a great and friendly bilingual daycare, I hoped that creating some interactive murals would help the lovely owners fill these spaces.

Shadow Boxers

A Tale of Two Champions

"The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." 

- Rocky Balboa (2006)

My boys, like all five & two year old's are nothing if not impressionable. However, after watching Real Steel (2011) last Autumn with my oldest son I can't deny that the movie got me thinking about how wonderful those Rocky movies still are! In fact, I still get as involved with Rocky's fights as I did the first time I watched them as a kid. Love it or hate it there is something quintessential about boxing in and of itself that seems to pull at our heart strings. Perhaps it is the bare knuckles of it all with only the sheer will power of each opponent keeping them going?! Maybe its the lore of Rocky itself fighting against all the odds and becoming something from nothing?! Whatever the case may be my boys are no exception as they delight in practicing their non-existent skills and train accordingly. Captured by my wife, Jennifer, one night witness the end result of several hours of hard work and training for their future boxing careers!

Namdaemun Market

A Visit to Namdaemun Market - South Korea

Autumn 2005

A Quiet Day at the Market

Bongeunsa Temple

A Visit to Bongeunsa Temple - South Korea

Autumn 2005

Into the Light

Food for the Seoul

I left the Republic of Ireland for the Seoul, South Korea in August 2005. It was literally a spontaenous decision that was precipitated by a need to see some place new. South Korea was a great experience for me personally. I was hired to teach at Kids College, in Insadong, Seoul over the telephone and within two weeks I was on a plane (paid for by the school) heading to Asia. I had never thought about doing this before and saw it as an affordable way to get to this part of the world without the strains of financial insecurity. With a well paying job waiting for me, Jennifer, my soon to be wife, accompanied me we got to share this incredible experience together. Although we inevitably moved to Jeju-Do to teach at Yale Foreign Language Academy we did enjoy our time very much in Seoul and it was amazing how warm and friendly Koreans were towards us. Seoul is definitely worth the trip if you haven't visited!

Changdeokgung

A Visit to Changdeokgung - South Korea

Autumn 2005

Swim?

The Republic of Cork

Once Upon a Time...

I moved to Cork, Ireland in the Spring of 2003.

I left Canada with a duffle bag, one JEEP Mountain Bike, and what little worldly possessions I had.

I returned to Canada in 2010.

The Duffle Bag was replaced with several boxes, suitcases and shipments of even more boxes.

Most Importantly I brought home my beautiful and inspiring wife, two children and yes even two Irish cats!

Some Ass Stole My Mountain Bike!

All in All, it Was Worth the Trip!

 ;-)

The Wolf Pack

The Perfect Day Trip...

A Day Trip taken in and around the Eastern Townships with two friends whom I met via a riding group, the Dragon Riders, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

This is my first video ever! 

The pictures and video itself were taken with a Kodak Easy Share P850 Camera.

Ride Safe... Ride Hard!

Spyder's Web

"Now You Can Take Your Motorcycle Test on a Can Am Spyder Roadster

and be riding by the next day!"

As I write this I have just gotten off the phone with a BRP Can-Am representative. I wanted to confirm this unholy possibility that yes you can do your motorcycle test on a Can Am Spyder Roadster. The official word from Can-Am is... "No, you cannot use a Can Am Spyder Roadster to pass your 6A license." Not yet anyways! Apparently the powers that be behind the Spyder Roadster has already changed policy in Quebec in 2010 to allow for anyone with a motor-vehicle licence (i.e. Class 5) to use one. All you have to do is take a seven hour training course with a Quebec Recognized Drivers School.

A True Fekking Langer....

The Idiot Garbage Man...

It's days like this that reminds me of the importance of being earnest. 

When you find yourself struggling to juggle life's little curve balls and you inevitably get walloped in the face by what can only be described as a true langer! 

Graduation Bollywood Style!

Mrs. Vathilakis & My Son

As students' protests against tuition increases have reached their climax in Montreal, other students have been feverishly preparing for their final weeks of... kindergarten. My oldest son has finished his first year of 'real' school, so to speak and to celebrate it the powers that be decided to have the children put on a show and of course a small graduation ceremony. We live in a multi-ethnic neighborhood where the average home consists of either Greek, Indian or African families. Our local school, Sinclair Laird, is a hub of activity as it caters to all three ethnicities and then some such as ourselves, a Heinz 57 of sorts as both our boys were born in Europe but also hold Canadian citizenship. The school has been wonderful for our son's development and I particularly have enjoyed the stance it has taken against such issues such as bullying, academic excellence and unification. This was a two day event whereby the students of all grades performed various plays, songs, and yes, Bollywood dances (a personal favorite of mine...). The next day was specifically for the kindergarten graduation ceremony.

Is it Just Me or Did My Gas Cap Fly Off?

Ruptanu
& His 1976 H-D Shovelhead

Here is a little tale of Bangladeshi and his 1976 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead. I met Ruptanu on craigslist of all places. He had placed an ad in hopes of attracting someone kind enough to help him out with a predicament he found himself in. You see, here in La Belle Province motorcyclist on learner permits cannot ride unaccompanied. They literally have to have a full licensed rider riding along side of them with their own motorcycle. It makes little sense of course, it's not like I would be able to prevent any learner from a catastrophic collision. To be honest, even if we were talking about driving a car here I would be just as inclined to jump out of the car, regardless of speed, in order to avoid any collision. So I am essentially useless other than of course than to satisfy the government powers that be. Fortunately for Ruptanu, I answered his ad and not some sex offender looking to rob him of both his innocence and his motorcycle!

DesTination: Venise, Quebec!

DesTination: Venise

With a forty percent chance of showers I must confess I was weary about our ride being cancelled this morning. By 07:30am it began to rain heavily despite blue skies and white clouds above! Regardless, whether the official ride was cancelled or not, I was determined to go out anyways and enjoy what I suspected would be a sunny, dry day in the end. Fortunately, our fearless leader, Steve, rose to the occasion and felt the same way. Our destination was Venise, Quebec which is literally just a stone's throw away from the U.S.A. border. Armed with a Kriega waterproof bag, a rain kit and of course in lieu of recent arguments with my beloved Serenity, my tools including my volt meter and jump cables. It's not a grudge, it's just a lesson well learned!

Who's There?: Beakster on Affordable GPS Set-Ups!

Beakster &
His Lovely Bonnie

Hailing from Scotland I met Beakster via the Dragon Riders Riding Group. He is a marvel with all things motorcycles and recently came to my aid when my own bike decided to give me the silent treatment! In just a short time he has taken a somewhat neglected Triumph Bonneville and has transformed her in just a matter of weeks into like new condition. With his permission I am posting a step by step instruction on how to add affordable GPS set-ups to your own motorcycles. Without further ado here is the official word by the Iron Kilt himself:

She's Just Not That Into Me!?!?

Oy Vay!

Admittedly I am at the point of no return with my bike who's name I think I need to change from Serenity to something more appropriate...perhaps 'Lil Bitch' will suffice nicely?! I am beginning to feel like she is just plain not that in to me! Maybe it's because I moved things along too quickly with us. Maybe I should have taken things more slowly, gotten to know her better and vice versa. It just felt so right when we found ourselves, hand in grip, so to speak, that well, the excitement and thrill of being with such a purty lady after so many years left me feeling not unlike a school boy at his secondary school dance?! Everytime I get one thing fixed something else happens and now I am beginning to feel resentful and rejected by my baby despite the fact that this is obviously a ridiculous emotion to feel towards a motorcycle.