Two Legs and a Heartbeat.

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Hello my loyal readers,

So after a 17k bike ride last Saturday, I was bound again on Sunday…only this time it was for a 12k walk. The sky had a hue of overcast but it was warm, perfect conditions actually, so I suited up, gave the bike a rest and headed out on foot. Again, I was blindly setting out to wherever my instincts lead me and as usual it wasn’t long before I had my phone out taking pictures.
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You know, there’s something about a good walk, breathing in the fresh air with nothing but your own thoughts to keep you company. Just like the bike, walking was a huge part of my youth, we didn’t have a vehicle so if I needed to get anywhere I would have to get there using two legs and a heartbeat. Probably has a lot to do with how I am today, I would choose walking somewhere 9 chances out 10 if I could. Living in the city I kind of “have to” take the vehicle to get to certain places, but if its walk-able, I’m doing it.
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At the foot of the hill I started to see civilization again, there wasn’t a lot of traffic, only Sunday drivers really and the odd dog walker. By the way, this hill was the same hill that I had to be careful with on Saturday, and trust me, it was a lot easier walking down that thing then biking it. Oh, I like to take a moment for this guy too, who looks like he was “shrewed” right from the start.
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Sorry, the pun was right there….k….moving on. I paid my respects and made my way off down the trail which was nicely tucked away, relaxing, it was beautiful. I could hear the nearby river as it kept me company with its constant free-flowing, I decided to take out the headphones and take it all in, best playlist ever.
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I could smell the harbor long before I could see it, the tinge of salty water reminded me of my days growing up. The gulls were squawking, flying low-level as they scoured the shore for anything that resembled food. Random fishing boats steamed through the harbor bidding adieu to the city, their engines putter-patter rhythmic, (insert homesickness here). It was a serene moment, picturesque as the city was once again settling down for cozy Sunday evening.
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A little further down was my point of interest, probably should mention where I was planning to go, it was Fort Amherst. I went there by bike not long ago, promised myself I’d return but this time for a stroll. The views were unreal, bouts of nostalgia hit me as I eyeballed each little houses one by one, tucked away along the hillside full of character.
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I also had to somehow pulled myself from the backdrop below, crazy how all this stuff is free, just got to get outside and discovery it for yourself.
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Behold, in all its glory the lighthouse, finally I had made it. The walk that I had pictured that day on the bike proved to be quite the aesthetically pleasing amble, only at that very moment, looking our at the beautiful open ocean before me, I realized….now I have to walk back…lol.
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Thanks for tagging along for my brisk Sunday walk, hope you enjoyed the pictures and you’re all welcomed back again for another glimpse of Earth to Ash.

Happy trails!!!!

Bike Rider Rides Again

DSC_0047.JPGBike rider rides again, the air was fresh, I had a few hours before sunset and I was completely under-dressed, brrr it was cold at first. No excuses, I’ve neglected my bike for far too long lately, I couldn’t take it anymore, I  was going no matter what.  My sights were set on downtown, I felt like it was far enough for a good ride and close enough to pull the plug at any point. My first obstacle was going down this huge hill, I was not a fan, seeing loose gravel and the fact that I love my skin, I had to be extra careful.  Alright, made it down the hill intact, off I go…first stop.

DSC_0036.JPGThere were people everywhere, Saturday night meant everybody was slowly congregating to their local watering hole for a fun night out, there was so much energy, loads of activity.

DSC_0041.JPGThe pic above is of a portion of a street by the name of George Street, this street holds the record for the most bars per capita in Canada.  Spent many a night a patron of this multitudinous strip of firewater and ale, this street has loads of character, good times.

DSC_0040.JPGI all too soon realized that not only was I getting a good workout in, my trek was also proving to be a mental detox, I took a extra second to take a look at things, it replenishes the soul, I was glad I embraced my impulses.

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I’ve said this all before but I will say it again, we need to slow things down and take it all in, don’t let life pass you by, get out there and reward yourself with the beauty of what’s around you. Scour the neighborhood and you’ll be surprise what you find.

DSC_0045.JPGI continued on, weaving from sidewalk to sidewalk, thinking about my next move.  There was a destination that I had in mind, it was just right there, Signal Hill. Really Ash? What stood before me was a long and winding slope that would take everything I had left to bike my way to my own personal Everest(exaggeration but still). Fact is, I’ve actually never ridden up there before, I didn’t know what to expect, but I had come too far to turn around now…..gulp.

DSC_0046.JPGWell, the juice was worth the squeeze, no doubt, when half way to the top and I am blessed with the view pictured above. It was beautiful, could have stayed there all night but the end was nigh, I could taste it, no wait, that was a fly.

DSC_0049 (1).JPGVictory I tells ya, ah, sweet victory, I made it to the top, look at me now mom! Lol, no but really, it really paid off pushing myself at the the very end. It was a tough run but behold some of the views that awaited me, doesn’t this made it all worth it, and it was all free.

Oh, I even had the opportunity to meet this guy, there were a bunch of people around so I didn’t catch his name but he was quite photogenic.

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It was great way to spend a Saturday evening and I hope you like the pictures, figured I’d share them so you can enjoy things through my eyes.

Until the next Bike Rider adventure….lol, maybe I should get a cape!!….I should.

Weathered

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A haloed nimbus, like a surge, it comes on without forecast.
Emotions raw, cold, the flashes like lightning.
Still I have neither a hand to squeeze, nor an ear to my voice.
Nothings protected but my foolish promise to you.
Those furtive actions lie forever buried in the sands of time,
like your lifeless soul that erodes with the winds of change.

“They See Me Writing, They Hatin”

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Hello all,

Awhile ago, I ran into a friend of mine, a close friend actually. I’m not sure where we were but we did the typical stop-n’-talk and it was great catching up. Well, it was ahhh, great until I mentioned I had a blog. I sometimes mention in conversation that I write, usually with close friends, family, and people I feel would be interested in hearing about it. Anyway, there we were, back and forth chatting when all of the sudden there was a segway right to my blog. As soon as the words had left my lips, this friend (I now use that loosely) kind of almost laughed out loud. I was immediately disheartened, there were a few retorts on the tip of my tongue but I took the high road and gestured to go on my way, but really….

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It’s true, I was pretty put off by it, I was upset. I thought of this person as a real good friend, a supporter I had assumed, I guess I was wrong. That said, I wasn’t going to let that negative reaction deter me from writing and the more I thought if it, the more it just made me proud to be doing something that I love to do and something that I’ve been told makes a difference and that’s all that matters. I write for myself, well actually, now I also write for you my readers, so diss my writing…

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Cue my point…

Don’t you ever let anyone or anything get in the way of doing what you love to do. No matter what it is, sports, music, dancing, anything that you feel is something you were born to do. It’s in your blood, it’s a part of you, a part of what makes you so unique, so never let go of it. Shame on those who try to get in our way because you know what? It only makes us stronger, more disciplined, and more determined to prove all the haters wrong. Remember, for every hater there are a hundred supporters that will high-five you all the way. Brush all that off and keep moving forward, you work hard and you deserve all the praise in the world for giving it your 110% all day, everyday.

So I leave you with this, never hold back, never ever quit, and always be the best you, you can possibly be!

I Will Remember You

Pop Smart

Hey all,

Just wanted to post something a little close to the chest today, it’s another birthday of my Grandfather whose passed on and a few years ago I put together this little video in his memory.  I did so for my family, to give them something they could enjoy, sure, there were probably a lot of tears shed when they viewed it but I thought sometimes we can all use a good cry to get those feelings out.  As you may interpret from some of my poems, I have lost a few people that are near and dear to my heart. It has not been an easy journey moving on without them, but I feel that expressing myself through writing has helped me with my process of healing so I decided to share.

It’s not easy losing someone, it’s something that we at most times are never prepared for.  It’s not until you go through it yourself that we finally understand that our time on this planet is very short and we must utilize every second we can to show our family and friends how much they truly mean to us.  Nobody is perfect and we all have areas of our life that we can maybe improve on and our relationships are no different, especially family, relatives are forever bound by blood but it’s true that sometimes we forget what matters in our hectic lives because somewhere along the line we lost our way.

I am guilty of the above, I have relationships that have deteriorated, gone astray that keep me up at night, another part of life I guess. I think about it all the time and I feel sometimes like it was something that I did, sometimes I pass the blame on to the other, none of those examples are 100% true, forget about the blame and just make it better.

Days like today I put my life in perspective and realize that there are those that have gone before me that I wish every day that they could come back, even for just a moment. But I have to realize as well that there are people that I love that are right next to me or only a phone call away, so what’s stopping me?

Give your kids a hug, kiss your spouse, call your mom and have a beer with the buddy because today we have while tomorrow, who knows?

Miss ya Pops