Grinds 22 and 23 - Murphy's Law and Shattered Records!!

Sponsorship Shoutout!

        Though technically we've completed our Grinding we've got a bunch more to write about and lots of people to thank! Soooo we're going to post 22 and 23 and then wrap up the blog in the next few days with a look back at what we've done as well as a preview to what's in store in January. We really want to make sure everyone who's supported us gets recognized so here go some more shoutouts!!
 
        Brendan and Karin, thanks again for your support you guys are amazing. Also, have you guys thought about having another wedding? What a party! Just go for it, Karin you can wear your poofy dress and we'll generously feed both your and Brendan's Dad Scotch (from their own open bar). Karin, hope you don't mind but I'm going to share an excerpt from your Dad's father of the bride speech (picture this in a Mike Myers like Scottish accent, apologies if it's a little different I pieced it together): "When Karin was a lass and she started bringing boys around as a father I was pretty judgmental as no one was ever good enough for our girl. Then she brought this lad around who was smart, funny, well-mannered, good-looking and great all around.... then they split-up! And then we met Brendan...". Amazing. Looking forward to seeing you guys next month!

Jill, Dunc, Will, Brendan and Karin!

        Cat Fuller! Fellow KICer, KCVIer, DALer and amazing girl in general. We always love to see you and it's not enough seeing you a couple of times a year though we always make the most of it. Can't wait for another one at Christmas.

           Pam Armstrong, the pretty face of StructureCraft Builders! Thanks for your support and positive attitude all around it's nice to see someone smiling around the SCB Office! It's been great getting to know you, see you Wednesday!

          Carly Yealland! It was great to hear from you and you were one of the one's who got on to our blog through facebook and generously offered to sponsor us. We're lucky to have you as a friend and can't wait to see you again soon!

         Mike and Megan, aka Paper Bag Princess and Roberto Alomar. It's been a blast getting to know you guys over the last little while and we look forward to many more adventures ahead! 

     Golder Yellowknife office!! A few of my brother's coworkers were generous enough to donate which was a wonderful surprise. We were really impressed and overjoyed with your support. Thanks to Dawn, Joel, Hilary, Craig, Jamison, and of course Megan and Kevin. Thanks to Robin for being our Yellowknife promoter! Look forward to hanging out with you all when we're up next Easter!

        Jane, another fellow celebrator on that Golden day at the end of the Olympics and another Brad Johner diehard fan! Thanks a ton for thinking of us and helping us out!

        Mike Tranmer, thanks for the vancam.ca shoutout and the support brother, we're looking forward to some riding this winter so we hope to see you out!

       Waywell, I hope you're enjoying yourself in South America my friend, if you see my folks in Peru have a beer with them, on me. Did you say 88,242 Colombian Pesos or Mexican Pesos? I can't remember, I'll just assume it's Mexican Pesos, which is about $7200 CDN. Don't worry, you'll get a tax receipt! Safe and Happy travels brother from both of us!

Kingston Boys Treeplanting '05 - Waywell, Bryn, Noah, Dunc

         Bryn and Ryah, thanks again for the thanksgiving hospitality. We hope you framed that giant prehistoric drumstick from that "Turkey" we ate. We'll be back to visit soon, your place is far too nice to avoid. Oh, and Bryn, stop practicing that behind the tree left handed wrap around shot on your basketball net, I made that up so you can't use that one in HORSE next time I'm there. Come see us in the big city anytime.

        It was great to hear from Daryl Tremain and Stephen Bonnycastle, parents of my good buddy Will Bonncastle who I've known forever. They also coached our soccer team on the Winston Wildcats when I was quite young and it's been good getting back in touch with them. This experience has been wonderful for rekindling old friendships like this.

             Ali "SuperNintendo" Chalmers! Thanks for supporting us you've been great to us including allowing both of us to crash on your floor while trying to find a place (or just living out here!). We'll see you soon I'm sure, probably the next time the Leafs annihilate the Habs!

CANADA WINS! Clockwise from Dunc: Robin, Brad, Andrew, Nat, Anthony, Danica, Jane, Morgan, Ash, Jill and Ali!

          Danica and Steph, it was awesome hanging out with you at Arcade Fire! Thanks for helping us reach our goal and Steph, don't be afraid to bring John along, we miss him. Okay, I miss him. So let us know the next time you're in town!
       
         Will and Heather, thanks for your help! Will, thanks a ton for joining us for one of our Grinds and for your very unmolasses-like pace!

         Mark! Another Edward St. boy and the man with the hardest Foosball shot I've ever seen, or should I say heard? It's great to hear from you man and hope you'll be able to join us in Kingston at some point over the holidays. We love you man.

Rememberton Pemberton?

         Dave, our great friend on the East Coast. From Pemberton to Whistler, good times and tough, we've all been through a ton. We love you brother and must see you soon, one way or another! Also, thanks for all the award-winning Hallowe'en costume ideas I've stolen from you over the years, I'll send you a funnel cake the next chance I get.

        Scott Tyldesley, thank you for being a great mentor and teacher. Thank you to you, Karen, Katie and Will for the support with our climbing!

       Miss Ashley, thank you for your support from the North as well! Best of luck with the singing and dancing, we're sure you're the star of the show!



Grind #22 - Wednesday October 27th - Murphy's Law
Grind time: 42:40 (Duncan only)

Look at the hikers, it's uncanny! No Duncan/Jill's permitted

          We arrived at the base of Grouse on Monday in a torrential downpour and it was bittersweet. We saw at the gate that there was a closure sign warning hikers of mudslides, loose footing, falling limbs and weather-induced squirrel psychosis (the tipping point). Even around the side where we typically have to sneak (as the grind closes early these days) had the sign up meaning they meant business. A roller coaster of emotions ran over us. The first emotion was relief as it was raining insanely hard and at such times the Grind path becomes a natural waterslide in some places and Duncan didn't bring his waterwings. The second emotion was concern for being unable to reach our goal of 25 Grinds in time which would put us within reaching distance of covering the money we wanted to raise for Tanzania. The third emotion was awesomeness as we knew that with these temperatures and this amount of precipitation you know what they say in Vancouver (all the time): "If it's raining in the city, it's snowing in the mountains!". We headed back to our place hoping that it would subside in time for us to make our final push by the end of the week!

The Lions back to their Snowy form

         Sure enough, Wednesday morning the sky was blue and the peaks were white and the lovely La Nina had made her first appearance of the season, hopefully with many more to follow. We arrived at the base and we quickly realized that in a mad dash out the door Jill had forgotten her shoes. Hey 24 out of 25 ain't bad! To be honest given the hours that we work Jill has been amazing through this, she often gets all our stuff together, picks me up from work with all the gear, full water bottles and two sets of clothes. With my record, I predict I would be batting about .500 right now and would have done the hike in my flipflops at least 5 times (wouldn't be the first time... ahem, Bear Mountain hike on Harrison Lake). We debated the options and despite insistence by Jill that her flipflops had "great ankle support" and "perfect traction", Jill ended up taking the Tram up. She tip-toed around the snowy peak as Duncan enjoyed a cool Grind up, for the first time not feeling like his head was stuck in a sauna wrapped in hot towels. He set a personal record that Jill was sure to shatter. We took some photos of Duncan enjoying the delicious freshly fallen snow... and then proceeding to get a wicked brainfreeze. It didn't go perfectly, but it went and it looked as though Murphy's Law was starting to kick in just as we were trying to make our final push.

Grind #21- Sunday October 21st -
Grind times: Jill (40:02 - Daaaaaaaaamn!) Duncan 43:47

         Today was another pretty miserable day though we remembered all of our stuff so we had that going for us! Duncan felt pretty wiped from his record setting day yesterday (no big deal), but Jill was itching to go (and let's be Frank, wanted to pulverize Duncan's record from the day before). So off we went at a record setting pace, though Duncan quickly realized that to keep up with the determined Jill would likely result in a pulled muscle. So, like a cheesy Hollywood movie, Duncan yelled up to Jill in a dramatic fashion as the rain poured down his face, covering his tears of pain: "Jill, I can't do it, I think I pulled something... Here... take my phone (for timing). Beat my record! I believe in you! If you never see me again know that it wasn't... your... fault, and I'll always Love you." with what he thought might be his last breath. "Okay!!" Jill replied cheerily as she took the phone and ran up the mountain.

           Okay, it wasn't quite that dramatic... Jill did go ahead as we were both curious what kind of time she could post without hot-towel sauna-head slowing her down! She killed our previous time with a tragic 40:02, though Jill rightfully blames that extra two seconds on my "poor phone handover". Hey, just another record to beat for next time.

Twilight in Vancouver from Grouse Mountain