GanWong - General
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It’s a very tippy boat
Well, the Gorge race was rather flat this year, but it was a pretty fun trip.
I've always enjoyed camping out, and not showering for days on end.
We went hiking up Mt. St. Helens while we were down there, and it was a decent hike. Gorgeous views once you get to the top. Well worth it. Took my paddle and life jacket up to the top - this is what happens when you start the evening betting somebody 5 US dollars and a pitcher of Coors Light. It just goes downhill from there.
The biggest news is my progression in flatwater kayaks! I've gone up several levels of tippiness, and I'm paddling in a fairly tippy kayak now - a Kirton something something. I've gone from the Tieken to the Laser, to the Delphine, and now to whatever Kirton one we have at the club. Ah, fun times. It does remind me that I really should learn to tread water.
0 comments Friday 03 Aug 2007 | Gan | GanWong - General, SlantyNet - General
It’s racing season
Just a quick little update before I find myself sinking deeper and deeper into racing season.
I did the Howe Sound (Gibsons) Iron last weekend, finishing it in 2 hours 39 minutes. Being the big geeks that we are, here's the GPS data, and some pictures. I'm in the Mixed RD crew, seat 4. The pictures were taken at the finish line, so we're a little bit tired.
For me, this race was powered mostly by HydroBoom, a fancy sports drink. It's a bit more 'nutritious' than Gatorade - the primary reason being that Gatorade's primary ingredient is sugar/sucrose/fructose, which tend to break down too quickly. The fancy stuff has maltodextrin which is easier to digest, etc. I won't bore you with the details, suffice to say that you're not going to go into a sugar crash 10 minutes after drinking HydroBoom. A kind of a good thing too, since my lunch plans got screwed up at Molly's Reach. I wanted to go there because it was prominently featured in my childhood memories of watching the Beachcombers, but let me give you a bit of warning - the service is slow, really really slow. We waited an hour for our food, and ended up leaving because it still wasn't ready.
This Saturday, the FCRCC crew is headed down to the Gorge race - It's supposed to be quite windy and bumpy, so I'm taking my life jacket with me. I'm making a commitment to learn to tread water and get more comfortable in the water after this race. A fear of the water and paddling don't go too well together... it always seems to surprise people when I tell them I'm not comfortable in the water.
I did the Howe Sound (Gibsons) Iron last weekend, finishing it in 2 hours 39 minutes. Being the big geeks that we are, here's the GPS data, and some pictures. I'm in the Mixed RD crew, seat 4. The pictures were taken at the finish line, so we're a little bit tired.
For me, this race was powered mostly by HydroBoom, a fancy sports drink. It's a bit more 'nutritious' than Gatorade - the primary reason being that Gatorade's primary ingredient is sugar/sucrose/fructose, which tend to break down too quickly. The fancy stuff has maltodextrin which is easier to digest, etc. I won't bore you with the details, suffice to say that you're not going to go into a sugar crash 10 minutes after drinking HydroBoom. A kind of a good thing too, since my lunch plans got screwed up at Molly's Reach. I wanted to go there because it was prominently featured in my childhood memories of watching the Beachcombers, but let me give you a bit of warning - the service is slow, really really slow. We waited an hour for our food, and ended up leaving because it still wasn't ready.
This Saturday, the FCRCC crew is headed down to the Gorge race - It's supposed to be quite windy and bumpy, so I'm taking my life jacket with me. I'm making a commitment to learn to tread water and get more comfortable in the water after this race. A fear of the water and paddling don't go too well together... it always seems to surprise people when I tell them I'm not comfortable in the water.
0 comments Thursday 12 Jul 2007 | Gan | GanWong - General, SlantyNet - General
This probably isn’t a good idea
I'm off to Vancouver Island to do a 17K outrigger race. A bit nervous since it's open water, and it's longer distance than any other race we've ever done.
The scary part is the weather forecast - words like gale and storm are never good when you're on a tiny boat:
Environment Canada Weather Forecast
Marine Forecast issued for Haro strait.
Issued: 10:30 AM PDT Friday 8 June 2007 for the period ending 10:30 AM Saturday with an outlook for the following 24 hours.
Synopsis:
A ridge of high pressure along the coast will weaken and move inland tonight. A low will deepen to 985 millibars and move northeastward to lie just southwest of cape St James Sunday Morning. The associated front will approach from the southwest tonight crossing the bc coast late Saturday.
Over north coast waters winds will rise to strong easterlies tonight and to gale force Saturday morning as the front nears.
Over central coast waters light winds today will rise to strong to gale force southeast tonight with the approach of the front.
Winds will rise to storm force Saturday morning near the front Then veer to strong to gale southerly in its wake.
Over south coast waters light to moderate variable winds will prevail with locally strong westerlies forecast in Juan de Fuca strait in the late afternoon and evening hours. Moderate southeasterlies will develop overnight and rise to strong to gale force Saturday morning as the front nears.
Marine Forecast issued for Haro strait.
Issued: 10:30 AM PDT Friday 8 June 2007 for the period ending 10:30 AM Saturday with an outlook for the following 24 hours.
Synopsis:
A ridge of high pressure along the coast will weaken and move inland tonight. A low will deepen to 985 millibars and move northeastward to lie just southwest of cape St James Sunday Morning. The associated front will approach from the southwest tonight crossing the bc coast late Saturday.
Over north coast waters winds will rise to strong easterlies tonight and to gale force Saturday morning as the front nears.
Over central coast waters light winds today will rise to strong to gale force southeast tonight with the approach of the front.
Winds will rise to storm force Saturday morning near the front Then veer to strong to gale southerly in its wake.
Over south coast waters light to moderate variable winds will prevail with locally strong westerlies forecast in Juan de Fuca strait in the late afternoon and evening hours. Moderate southeasterlies will develop overnight and rise to strong to gale force Saturday morning as the front nears.
0 comments Friday 08 Jun 2007 | Gan | GanWong - General, SlantyNet - General
Worms
I have worms. It's part of the City of Vancouver's worm composting program. They're helping me eat at home more often, otherwise the poor little buggers would starve to death.
Anyways, I went out and committed a crime for them today. I stole sand from a sandbox in a playground to make sure they have something gritty with their food. I'm such a good person.
0 comments Wednesday 16 May 2007 | Gan | GanWong - General, SlantyNet - General
Pork au vin
I'm a big fan of substitution in recipes. I do it because I don't have the necessary ingredients, but it usually works out. Today's dish was supposed to be coq au vin. I may have missed the actual recipe, as I forgot what herb/spices were supposed to go into it. I remembered the main ones, such as chicken, bacon and wine. Didn't have the chicken, so I substituted pork. Which is what we have here... pork and pork. Yummy! I love bacon. Double pork plus good.
0 comments Thursday 19 Apr 2007 | Gan | GanWong - General, SlantyNet - General
Salt Lake City
I just saw another asian face in the Salt Lake City airport! Living in Vancouver with its high asian population makes you forget how much of a minority you really are.
0 comments Friday 06 Apr 2007 | Gan | GanWong - General, SlantyNet - General
Vancouver
It is 5AM and I have been awake for 23 hours. I expect to be in Boston at 5PM... Not another 12 hours but close. At times like this I am reminded of how far the West Coast is from the rest of the country. With any luck I should be able to get some sleep on the flight there. Otherwise I am going to crash pretty soon. I need my beauty sleep.
0 comments Friday 06 Apr 2007 | Gan | GanWong - General, SlantyNet - General
there’s only one speed setting
Duelling Hearts 2006 - 34.11
Duelling Hearts 2007 - 33.51
April 1st 5K Time trial - 30:42 - I'm getting faster! Thanks to all my coaches for poking me with paddles, and pointing out all my paddling problems.
The last month has been a blur of paddling and running. I even took a swimming lesson, but I'm still a bit traumatized from it, so I'm trying to build up my courage to try it again.
I still have road rash on my leg from falling during a pub run (5 pubs, an unspecified number of pitchers and shooters, 8K, one unlit trail = increased risk of falling).
I'm headed off to Boston on Friday! Hopefully I'll have some more meaningful pictures, instead of my usual useless waste of time pictures.
0 comments Tuesday 03 Apr 2007 | Gan | GanWong - General, SlantyNet - General