After enduring unemployment (its really been rough) since mid August, I'm more than ready to push off to Seoul, South Korea next week. Its a city of roughly 12 million people, in likely 3 quarters of the area within Calgary's city limits. With rock nearby and plenty of maek-jju and boshingtang to keep my tail wagging, I'm looking forward to a feast of experience. After all, how much different can it be from crashing at Mom's place in Airdrie Alberta?

....And I don't want it, the things you're offering me, symbolized bar code, quick i.d., oh yeah....

Northern Tier, Atikokan, Ontario

A fairly typical campsite along the water's edge in NW Ontario, where I have led wilderness canoe expeditions for parts of 2 summers. My lonely tent was absolutely rocked by a thunderstorm late that night. Who would have thought?















Showing the American scouts how its done up here in Canada. They promptly taught me a few tricks of their own.















Did someone check to see how deep this water is?















Part of the network of water joined by a pathways of mud, rock and biting insects, known to some as portage trails. Say it like the French do, otherwise it comes out sounding very much like "porridge". These were the highways upon which we travelled.




















On many evenings the calm waters would become perfect mirrors of the dazzling skies above.

Gleams that world untravell'd
Whose margin fades
Forever and forever when I move.
(from Alfred Lord Tennyson's Ullyses)

Kootenay River, British Columbia

There must be something of significant interest to the right, out of frame. Perhaps an eagle, maybe sheer fluvial cut banks extending 50 metres over the waters edge. Probably nothing. I can't remember. Anyways this is me, at 25, scouting the river for the trips anticipated in the weeks ahead.