HBlandry's Guestbook

Settling down
Just read your entry. Still stunning, still good. There is wisdom, and a good one, in settling down. For a moment. It's harder to contemplate and assimilate all the road covered while moving. But settling down shouldn't mean to get immobilized. Leave that to the monks! Even better to settle UP, to raise our chin, our glass, from those adventures behind, to look at those that lie before us. A friend once told me that to do great (whatever great means to you), you have to give you the chance to build the tools you need to do so, instead of blindly jump everywhere. There is wisdom there too. But as one of your western folks once said: "A (moment) without movement should be a welcomed anomaly, not a way of life."

Inspirant comme toujours
Bonjour ma belle Hélène, te lire est toujours aussi inspirant. Tu écris tellement bien. Je me retrouve aussi dans ce que tu écris, on a souvent l'impression d'avoir appris bien des choses pour se rendre compte qu'on répète encore les vieux plis malgré ces apprentissages. Aussi quand tu écris que de partir seule versus partir à 2, tu dois VRAIMENT planifier davantage surtout si tu veux faire accrocher l'autre à ce genre d'aventure. M'man XX

One with the wind
La phrase n'est pas vide de sens, particulièrement dans ton cas ;) Je seconde le duo Binkley; dans la vie en général, et surtout quand on est seul-e avec nous-même, on a souvent tendance à refuser de changer nos plans, de vouloir les accompagner coûte que coûte. Au début. Parce qu'on fini, plus ou moins rapidement, à comprendre que le plan, ce n'est (habituellement) pas de se rendre à la fin. Ce n'est (habituellement) pas d'accomplir tel ou tel défi. C'est plutôt de vivre le fun que ça nous apporte, d'aller chercher cette chose qui nous fait vibrer au diapason... avec nous-même. Si y'a une chose que j'ai apprise du plein air, c'est qu'il faut accepter qu'on n'est pas dans un gym en train de faire un exercice sur une machine contrôlée. On est dehors, tout nu (aussi habillé qu'on soit) et à la merci de l'environnement, le vrai. Pas celui qui fait la une des médias, mais bien celui qui est là, avec ou sans nous, et qui ne fait de cadeau à personne. Ses cadeaux sont là, disponibles et libres pour tous. Pour tous ceux et celles qui acceptent de jouer son jeu, and simply to get the hell out there. Et c'est ça qui nous embête. C'est que c'est un jeu dont les règles sont si simples, qu'on a de la difficulté à les saisir. C'est un jeu dont les paramètres changent constamment, et où non, tous n'ont pas la même chance de "réussir". C'est un long, mais si payant apprentissage, d'apprendre à accepter que la bonne route, c'est parfois celle de reculer. Pas facile, de faire la différence entre les défis qui doivent être relevés, et ceux qui doivent être acceptés comme trop grands. Mais c'est là l'OR de l'expérience. Pour reprendre tes propres mots (fils de psychologue, j'imagine, héhé): "Maybe it’s the “yukon time” that makes me savour everything more. For they understand quality; none of them will jeopardize a project for the hell of seeing it done. As much as outdoorsing time is valued, personal time and acclimatization time is respected and understood." Don't jeopardize you fun for the sake of the things written in your handbook. Follow it trough the turns and hills, even if it doesn't go as far, as high or even where you told it to go.

A mesmerizing sky
Magic clouds and song birds make the world go around. Celebrate life. Go for it.

Gueeeu
Je trouvais pas de titre, bon! C'est très intéressant l'angle sous lequel tu nous présentes la place. Comme ça, le camping est apprivoisé!? Tu pourras me donner des leçons ;0)

Just be nice
I loved reading this thoughtful blog. No matter how much passion someone has you must go to your quiet place and determine what is best for you. Each of us has different needs, we are in a different space. it sounds like you are doing a lot of contemplation.

This says it all doesn't it?
"There is a certain romance to living homeless on your bike, enjoying different places and presence for the length of time I wish to and learning new things. There is in every young adult the hunger for the unknown, the travel bug awaiting your weakest moment to bite and throw you in the ever crazier world. Stability does not come naturally to young North Americans; we have the possibility to get everything upside sown before reality catches up and we then settle down and become reasonable." I loved every word of your blog and will continue to follow your adventures.

That was such a good read. Made me think of all the wonderful people I met traveling, the ones I wish I had more time with and the others... ''Never regret leaving'' are words I definitely try to live by while traveling. Your texts are so profound and well written. They make me reflect on my personnal travel experiences and feelings. They also make me want to pack my bags and go...

Brave
Nothing more to say than: :)

Nomination
I saw it because I submitted it : ) Nominations are done through the Blog Forum: [forum_topic=30922]

Just discovered your blogs. Very philosophical writing instead of the usual list of experiences. I like it. Great adventures in the Rocky Mountains too. PS. You've been nominated for Blogger of the Week

You're amazing!
Your adventures are incredible, sis :) I could tell you over and over that I'd love to do trips like this one with you one day, but that's not the point I want to make now. It's about food and gear. First, very good decision about the sleeping bag ;) Then, there is food. It is indeed harder to deal with this in a bike trip, but as your wallet might have told you, restaurants are not the best every-meal option! I could talk to you a bit more about it directly (skype or something, once you'll have internet access), but some hints: - I preferred the option you noted; To visit a grocery store every once in a while (I want every 2 days in my last trip, but we ate well... so not the best reference for long trips ;) ). Lets say every 3 days is a good average. - If you can access water and built a fire, or use a stove, the easiest food I found was plain, but efficient et easy to carry: Oatmeal for breakfast, and rice/pasta for supper. - With those as a base, I added this here and there to make some diversity where there is none. Dried fruits and brown sugar/chocolate with the oatmeal, and cheese, spices, dried veggies (and for me, some pepperoni) with the rice. These are lightweight options that pimp up everything easily, while bringing everything one needs for long days on the trails/roads. - A small trick I used to save time and nourish laziness in the morning: While boiling my water for the rice at the supper, I made more and kept it in a Thermos-like container. This way, using a little more patience, I could prepare my oatmeal in the morning without the need to boil water again. Always nice to read you :) Indeed, I'm do "follow you"!