Saturday, May 3, 2014

Next volunteer assignment - BMO Vancouver Marathon Sunday May 4, 2014


Well my next volunteer assignment goes tomorrow - the BMO Vancouver Marathon and guess what - it's forecast to rain most of the day - I will be out on the bike from 6AM to around noon - getting soaked - while the rain gear helps you still get wet and chilled - just what I need coming off of a cold but I made a commitment to do it and I will.

Best of luck to the some 17,500 runners doing the various events.

My job will be a zone patroller - riding back and forth along the route keeping an eye out for the runners and any impediments that might crop up and then assist in getting the last of the half marathoners to the finish line.

All the needed info is here on the official website of the Marathon.

bmovancouvermarathon.com

Cheers!




Friday, May 2, 2014

One week countdown is on May 2, 2014

Next Friday around this time I will pick up the suitcase, lock the condo door and start the 20 minute walk down Hornby St to the Canada Place cruise terminal and start the process of embarking on the Star Princess for a three day cruise down to San Francisco with a 6 hour stop in Victoria and I will then meet up with my friends Cliff and Adele and do some touring of the area and take in the SF Giants/Altanta Braves baseball game.

I will stay over at the Best Western Tuscan Inn which I got by redeeming some Air Miles points.

Then the next morning I will head back to Pier 35 and embark on the Grand Princess for the four day trip back to Vancouver. There will be stops in Astoria, Oregon and Nanaimo, BC before sailing under the Lions Gate Bridge and docking at Ballantyne Pier - while not my favorite Pier it is necessitated by the fact three other ships are docked at Canada Place.

Of note on the Grand Princess I have the same cabin as I had for my 49 day South American cruise last year.



Here's the Grand Princess docked at Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

With my platinum status on Princess I will have some free Internet minutes so will try and post along the way but first there are some details to take care of.

1. Laundry - need to do one before I start to pack.
2. Packing - hope to just take a large overnight bag and my day pack.
3. US money - need to stop at an ATM and get some US $$$$.
4. Need to shore up plans with my friends in San Francisco.
5. Need to shore up plans to meet my niece and great nieces in Nanaimo.
6. Need to relax and take it easy.

Cheers!

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Vancouver Volunteer Corp assignement to the Vancouver Sun Fun run April 25, 2014


This past Sunday I did my first volunteer assignment as a member of the City of Vancouver Volunteer corps - we act as ambassador's for some of the major events held in the city. This assignment was the Vancouver Sun Fun Run and this is me with me waterproof vest at the south on ramp to the Cambie Bridge - we are in small teams of 4 or 5 - we stay together as a group and one person has a radio who liaisons with our group captain who is a member of the Vancouver Fire Department.
The day went reasonably well and the rain held off for the most part - we have one medical situation that we spotted and alerted the medics to and we got a report of a lost child who was found before we had completed getting all the details.

At the end we do a debriefing. Next assignment is expected to be Canada Day but I am already volunteering for that so will pass it up. They want us to do 2 assignments per year minimum - we likely do either Celebration of Light or Pride Parade next.

Cheers!

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

The first cruise ship of the 2014 season arrives in Vancouver


Yesterday April 28, 2014 the Carnival Miracle made a port stop here in Vancouver.


This ship will be homeporting in Seattle this season but needed to make a stop in a "foreign port" to satisfy US law.

While down at Canada Place I ventured over to the Convention Center and Jack Poole Plaza and much to my delight and many others visiting the Olympic cauldron was lit.

Yesterday was a day of remembrance to those workers killed or injured on the job and there was a special memorial ceremony at the Plaza and the good folks at Fortis - our main gas supplier - picked up the tab for it to be on.


and finally the area around Canada Place is always picuresque but right now the tulips are out making for some great photo shots - here are two of my favorites.




Cheers!