Graduating Class of '07

Things are better late than never right?? Here are the long awaited graduation photos. I do apologise for the delay. I was hoping to wait and get some of the photos from another camera before posting but that was not going to happen anytime soon so I had to go ahead and post these anyway. You'll notice that Lucas is no where to be found and that is because he was our lovely photographer for the day so thank you to Lucas for that. Overall, the day was wonderful. It was so nice to have all the people I love so much there with me. I could not have asked for anything more than that. Thank you so much to everyone for their support and all the lovely gifts of course. I could not have done it without you.

Graduation 2007

Graduation Party

Lundbom Lake

Lucas and I went on our first camping trip of the year with some good friends this last weekend. It was such a beautiful campsite! Neil has been going there for quite a while and introduced it to us. It's an old cattle range and fishing lake. The site in a forestry site and is really quiet around this time of year. The weather was just a little cold and windy but it was well worth it. Here are the photos, just a sample of the 118 pics that I took :)

Lucas and I in the beautiful sunlight

Jenn mastering her marshmallow making

Jenn and Neil

Me with my watermelon lolipop

Beer sprinkler

Firewooding ;)

Jon being crazy and swimming in the cold lake

Jenn and Jill

The beautiful sunset

Jenn and Neil

Lucas playing the drums on John's guitar

John and Breanne

Lucas sleeping on the way home

Cycling Community

First off, I would like to apologise for not writing in so very long. What I'm writing about today I am very excited about. I have recently joined a new community in Vancouver, the cycling community. Beginning this past Friday, I have started riding my bike to work (Victoria & 41st to Granville & Hastings). My first morning I was so nervous. I had done a trial run on Wednesday night but this did not seem to calm my nerves. While I have grown accustomed to riding in traffic, lowermainland city traffic and Downtown Vancouver traffic are two completely different things. The majority of my ride is on really great designated bike lanes down some of the most beautiful streets in Vancouver. Along my ride I see great old houses and ride down roads lined with beautiful old trees. Following this I ride along a seaside path that runs along the inlet (down around Science World). It is after the seaside path that I must enter Downtown traffic to get to work. It is here that I will point out how lucky we are in Vancouver to have such a bike conscious city. There are bike lanes on many of the major roads downtown making it easier for us to get to our Downtown destinations. And while many cars are not happy that we are there, they take the necessary precautions to make sure they and we stay safe (most of the time!).

So, my first day riding into the city during rush hour was quite the experience. I learned many many things. Did you know that there is such a thing as, bike traffic. Several times I found myself stuck behind a slow cylcist or jammed at a street light with several more cyclists. I was passed by some faster riders and when I gained the courage, I passed some riders myself. I also learned some very good routes NOT to take on my way to work. Do not get onto Expo Blvd before Nelson as there is construction and trucks do not care one bit whether you have to ride in their lane or not! Pedestrians think that they can walk out in front of you because you are not a car. This is very very frustrating. I have also learned that coming home will always be harder than going to work and not only because the entire way home is up hill; it is more hot, more humid, there is more traffic and more people who care more about getting home than where you may be on the road. Despite some of these things, I feel really safe riding to work. I honestly would rather be on my bike than on the road in a car.

Above everything else I am so pleased that I am now riding to work. It truly is an amazing feeling in the morning arriving to work on a bike knowing that I contributed just a little bit to the environment, saved a lot of money, and did something healthy for my body. All of this acheived in a short hour before work. And then I get to do it all over again after work! I am most definately a proud new member of the cycling community in Vancouver.