Attitude is everything!

I have been competitive my whole life. I started in house leagues as a wee lad and soon developed a need for something more substantial, eventually moving up to the provincial level, where winning the game became more of a focus. I have always had the attitude that if they are going to keep score, you should do whatever is in your power to win.

Being a sports fan with all that sport offers, I have always gravitated toward amateur versions over the Pros. Having said that, I do have the utmost respect for Vince Lombardi of the NFL's Green Bay Packers, and his approach to competitions. Quite while back, my mother ... aka THE Super Shopper ... gave me the plaque at the left as a Christmas present, and I have displayed it proudly on the desks of my life since. I completely agree with Coach Lombardi's thoughts enshrined in the quote ... when a competitor gives everything he/she has, so much so that he/she collapses from the effort, the result is often victorious in nature. IMHO, the best part of the way the quote is worded, it leaves the actual definition of victorious open for interpretation, and could mean quite different things to different people. For me, it is the 100% effort that is key, not the total on the scoreboard.

I feel that I should admit that I hate to lose! 

However, I am able to accept being beat. 

For those reading this that don't have the benefit of competition experience, the difference boils down to the effort you extend. If you can truthfully be content that you did everything within your power to perform at your highest possible level, yet you come out on the short end of the score, IMHO, you should hold your chin high as you applaud the victory of your adversary. I have a personal bias against people who choose to involve themselves in competition, and for some inexplicable reason, do not do everything they can to be their best so they have a ready-made excuse if not successful. Call me unfair, but I have ZERO time for people who choose to behave this way.

This scenario plays out in the classroom too. I struggled all my life with students who choose to be unprepared just so they can have a ready-made excuse, "Well, I didn't try. That's why I failed." The difference between winning/achieving and losing/failing is so small that accepting the risk of competing really boils down to attitude and belief.

Along those lines, educators are always looking for new knowledge and techniques to enhance student learning. One of those that presented itself to me a number of years ago was proposed by Harvard's Dr John Ratey. In his highly successful book, "SPARK", he uses sound biological proof that activity, especially the kind that results in a raise in heart rate, activates the necessary regions in the frontal cortex for enhanced learning. My principal at the time, Russ Atkinson, embraced the research and brought it to us as a staff, where many of us digested the information and fell "hook, line and sinker" for the idea. The photo at the right is the group of Simcoe County teachers ... many that were from Central ... that gave up a week of their summer to travel to Eagle Hill Academy, a private school just outside of Boston, to fully immerse ourselves in the movement and knowledge. The proof was in the pudding! As a staff, we noted that over a 3 year period, academic improvement steadily increased in the classes led by teacher's who embraced SPARK. The students were generally happier and more confident. An unexpected bonus for the administration was the dramatic decline in suspensionable behaviours. All because we got them movin' and groovin' more regularly.

So, how are the Lombardi quote and SPARK connected? 

Both ideas are born out of the idea that attitude is everything. When you enter the "fight" with a can-do attitude, carry with you confidence that the task is achievable, you will be mentally prepared to give a best effort at succeeding, and the activity of preparing will permeate ideal neural conditions for that success. By accepting the possibility of failing because you do not yet possess sufficient levels to succeed, despite giving your very best effort, you will more often than not find that little extra was the difference-maker. We all can't be Olympic Champions or Nobel Laureates, but we can ensure that we are the best versions of ourselves possible, and that will allow for an infectious positivism that will be readily apparent to those around us. 

Like good old Vince says, "... his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear ... is that moment when he has to work his heart out in a good cause and he's exhausted in the field of battle ..."

So, what are you waiting for?

What have you got to lose? 

Not as much as you think!

I could be your dream coach!

Easily one of my favourite set of items in the yearly calendar is the annual "Battle Royale" of international rugby between New Zealand, Australia South Africa, and Argentina called The Rugby Championship. At the risk of putting off many European-centered rugby enthusiasts, I prefer the Southern Hemisphere brand, watching as many of the games as I can find. In fact, I am such a massive fan these days that I have successfully convinced Joyce that a "tour" of NZ, with at least a couple of live All Blacks test matches, is on the retirement Bucket List.

Now that's dreaming BIG!

Recently, Joyce and I were out for a walk on a gorgeous autumn day, and passing a convenience store's window advertisement that the LottoMax was now 50 million, we started to discuss how we would go about dealing with a windfall that large. What would we treat ourselves to first? Whose lives would we alter with the sharing of our windfall? It was a very entertaining 20 minute discussion!

Early in our marriage, Joyce was inflicted with a steady stream of basketball related feeds since my passion was definitely focused on hoops. When I made the transition to secondary and started to help Ron Andrews with the Sr Boy's Rugby Team, I quickly found that there was something about the game that resonated with me. Although I remained actively involved with basketball, I found my focus was slowly morphing into a new passion.

Fast forward to 2020 and I can confidently state that my passion for basketball is taken a serious blow, with NCAA/CIS being my go-to hoops fix. I can certainly appreciate the NBA's incredible athleticism and skill, but the revolving door that are team rosters these days makes being a life-long Lakers fan anti-climatic. Yes, I am well aware that they won the bastardized version that 2020 offered, but that was with a host of "new" Lakers, all signed in the past 2-3 years. Gone are the days when I rabidly devoured what the Lakers offered as the roster stayed relatively unchanged for a series of years, and fans were rewarded for their passion with consistency ... and regular championships. Case in point, look what happened in Toronto! The Raptors could have arguably challenged for a 2nd straight title if they were successful in keeping the team together.

It has not escaped my understanding that my "switching of gears" between hoops and rugby is logical since the latter gave birth to American Football, the sport that occupied much of my formative years. I would enjoy an energetic debate with anyone interested about its off-the-chart athleticism, augmented by a raw physicality, and topped with a sauce of relentless action. One of the main tenets of play in rugby is the concept of "advantage" allowing the referee to let play continue despite a rule violation or infraction, ensuring that the non-offending team be afforded the chance to use the situation to score without being awarded a penalty. 

Fun Factoid: The term Fan is a shortened form of the original term used to describe a person that passionately supported a particular team, club or organization ... FANATIC. 

I can whole-heartedly admit that I am an All Blacks FANATIC! Regardless of the sport, those that choose to follow it are given a smorgasbord of styles to choose from when it comes to attacking, defending, or sequencing styles of play. This allows people who endear themselves to any particular trait to passionately support teams that exemplify that trait, regardless of geography. That's how a little ol' "cornpoke" like me fell for the All Blacks way of doing business ... and it didn't hurt one little bit that their way of doing business has been Uber successful over the years that I have been avidly following professional rugby. Had I been raised in a different time, I may have fallen hard for England, Australia or South Africa ... likely not South Africa, though, since I can respect their incredible abilities but I'm not at all a fan of the way they do their business.

One thing I will say about South Africa is how badly I feel for their players following the decision to decline the invitation to participate in the 2020 Rugby Championships due to the ramifications that Covid-19 has presented to their country. With such a long lasting and heated rivalries, the absence of South Africa will be felt by Australia and New Zealand alike. 

What are you passionate about? It doesn't have to be a sport. Whatever it is, if you find yourself with a new opportunity to explore that passion and you're struggling with Dreams that are big enough, feel free to reach out.

I am really good at BIG Dreams!
Maybe I can help?

One eye on the past ...

 I was recently doing a favour for a former BNC colleague, covering his absence as a supply, and part of the duties involved proctoring study hall. Lost in my thoughts about how things have morphed into an alteration of what I had known for so many years, the cobwebbed corners of my memories settled on the highlights of my years spent in elementary school like Maple Grove and Portage View. In that portion of my educational development, I still embraced the notion that Primary (grades 1-3) was where I wanted to be, but I had already come to terms with where I wanted to focus my coaching energies ... with teenagers. I regularly acknowledge that I have been blessed over my career, both inside and outside the classroom, with my greatest feelings of belonging centered in the toils of athletics. My passions for coaching was due largely to the tremendous positives I enjoyed being on the other side of the clipboard as a player ... a desire to "pay it forward". My years at MGPS and PVPS gifted me with opportunities to help a host of great young people realize their own growth and development through competition. Sharing some profound successes didn't hurt our recollections, either, as the trophies and banners piled up.

Secondary School education these days looks and feels quite a bit different from what you and I might remember from our own experiences, not the least of which is the absence of extracurriculars. That realization hit home as I sat in the vacant space of the study hall in the off chance that some students might find value in a safe place for their studies after classes were done. For my entire career, students had hurriedly rushed to the change room to prepare for the activities of that day, be it practice or competition. A deep sense of melancholy cascaded through my soul as it occurred to me that the joys, elation and satisfaction of those times are lost to today's students.

My meandering thoughts soon settled on the vivid images of those initial teams from what seems so long ago, as I recalled the faces of those that I knew had gone on to become Vikings, with MGPS and PVPS being feeder schools of Barrie North. A quick search of my laptop revealed that I didn't have many images to assist with the recollections, likely more of a statement of where we were with technology than anything else since so many of us carry a quality camera in our pocket or purse wherever we go these days. The search did reveal proof of two highlights from those years.

Based on accolades, the penultimate memory was going undefeated at the Boy's Basketball Simcoe County Champions in '93-'94, after my Portage View Panthers narrowly beat Prince of Wales (including Bryan Taylor, Derek Cool, Taylor Armstrong, to name a few) in the area finals, in a mildly controversial final. As I scan the photo at the left, I confess that age has stolen the names of some of the strapping lads enshrined in it. Some of them resurfaced in later years as they transitioned to Central, many becoming key figures in the successes of those years, but others were sent to North and I haven't seen them in almost 30 years. It's a sad reality that, in my particular case, I have great recall of faces and achievements, but I often need help with names. I'll likely catch flack for any omissions or errors, but here goes:
Back Row: Chad Hickson, Aaron Pilgrim, Matt Koster, Joe Santoro, Craig Ball, Darcy King, Yours Truly
Front Row: Ryan Griffith, Rob Boyle, Jon Miller, Adam McNamara, Joe Breedon, Darren Bryan

Social Media being what it is, I have maintained contact with a few of the boys, but there are some that I have not communicated with for quite some time. The ones that I have traded life's events with are now in or around 40 years old and are deeply in the throws of parenthood. They were all pretty awesome kids ... a couple got under my skin as a teacher but that was minor ... so I hope that life has been all they can handle. Regardless of what life has thrown at them, they can always relish that fateful Saturday in Eastview's gym when they hoisted that championship trophy.

I started my teaching career at Maple Grove. In that first year, I coached a boat load of teams but the basketball team has become a special memory. It would turn out that the players would eventually become integral to the success of Barrie North's success in the mid to late 90's, when BNC won a string of GB titles and a few trips to OFSAA. With players like Ian Bryan, Seretse + Seneca Aaron, Todd Pain, Jeff Fisher, to name a few, the MGPS Grizzlies were well represented. It pains me greatly that, for some unknown reason, I do not have any photos from that team. I am connected with a few of the lads on Social Media so maybe this post will prompt someone to share what they have.

When I was "traded" to Portage View, thanks to the roller coaster life of a young teacher, I had no idea that I would eventually return to Maple Grove in the late 90's. Upon my return, I "inherited" all of the same teams I coached that first year as more seasoned teachers stepped aside to allow me the opportunity for more growth. A talented group of athletic students was bolstered when Nick Burns, an Uber talented young man from Midhurst, arrived on the school's doorstep for his grade 8 year. If you look at the photo above on the right, you should immediately recognize that I was blessed with two "early maturers" ... Nick has the dark hair; Sean is the redhead. Nick would turn out to be the missing ingredient for success and were it not for the incredibly talented group at Codrington (Dan Eves, John Michael Irving, Ben LeRoux, to name a few), a second Simcoe County Championship might have been captured. After a narrow 3 point loss (at least I think it was) to Codrington in the semifinals, this group brought home MGPS's first County banner. Again, my memory is lacking, and I am in contact with far fewer of these lads, so hopefully no one will take offense if I can't recall their names. To those I am in contact with, feel free to share.
Back Row: Jordan Sills, Craig Morris, Kevin Boyko, Nick Burns, Sean Eatch, Matt Clarke, Corey Laxtall, Yours Truly ... Front Row: Kyle Turner, Stephen Parsons, Ryan McArthur, Mike Elsey, Ryan Green, Simon Lauder

If you read this post and you know some of these fellows, can you point them my way? Coach Porter on FB or @coachsteveporter on Instagram. It would be nice to see how they are all getting on.

Rekindling the flame

I'd really like you all to think of me as a Saint!
But that wouldn't really be truthful, now, would it?

I could be like my dear brother Rob and insist that, "I'm a delight!" But that's not always true either. MOST of the time I exude delightfulness but I think my lovely bride can confirm that I do succumb to moments that are best termed as "delightless", especially when you factor in my new compulsion of cycling and the many hours I spend in the company of me, myself and I.

This pandemic business has, for a rule follower like me, been long periods of just Joyce and I enjoying each other's company and conversation, punctuated with visits with people that we chose for our bubble like her mother Pearl, my other Andrea, and our daughter Maddi + fiancee Chris. We occasionally get a short visit from our son Keaton, but with him living in Guelph, those are rare. We dutifully stick to the magic total of 10 or less for the bubble.

Recently, with apologies to #fordnation, I decided that there was a need to expand the bubble to include my 3 brothers. We used to visit quite often, but recent years have seen that happen less than any of us would like. That is partly because we used to go to our childhood home to help our mother with the upkeep of such a stately manor (giggle) but also because we have allowed ourselves to become pretty busy with lives filled with loved ones, children, businesses, jobs, and a host of other pursuits. Lastly, the notion that we should have a pandemic bubble is burst pretty quickly when our families number well into the mid 20's if we all show up at the same place.

I have written about Dave, Rob and Mike in previous posts, and if you need to refresh your memory, you can click https://coachpsperspective.blogspot.com/2019/12/he-aint-heavy-hes-my-brother.html. With the edict that we watch who we spend time with, it's been the better part of 4 months since we actually spent some time catching up, so I decided to take the initiative and arrange a get together, just the four of us. One of the better "watering holes" in the city is Doc Malone's, just down Bradford Street from the site where Barrie Central used to sit, and the site of many a Friday "Mayor's Meetings" when I still taught there. Doc's rep as one of the better places in the city for quality chicken wings weighted heavily in the decision and all 3 brothers quickly replying to the group text that they would attend. I am very pleased to tell you all that we had a great visit, put a dent in Doc's Jameson stocks, satisfied our yearning for grease and giggled quite a lot. 

The night was declared a tremendous success ...
by me ...
without an audience to argue ...
and I was the one who organized, so go figure!

I'm really not sure why we let such a lengthy time pass before doing this. Many families have made heroic efforts to stay connected through this pandemic, and while I applaud their efforts, that is not to say that I am disappointed with ours. 

Quite the contrary, actually.

While I have written at length how retirement is treating me, my brothers are really, really busy:
Dave owns an Apple warranty business that is very busy as the world holds tightly to on-line life, and even has found time to venture into the world of YouTube with his prop design/manufacture business.
Rob is a supervisor at DeCast Concrete, and has only recently become an "empty-nester" with his young lads finding a place of their own.
Mike works in the freight forwarding business driving a 5-ton for OMS, winning the "I work the most award" for our family with his 60 hour weeks. 

I would like to publicly state how thankful and appreciative I am that they heard the sense of longing in my messages and cleared their schedules to be there. I would be remiss if I didn't also thank our wives for being agreeable about 4 lunks sharing adult beverages on a beautiful autumn late afternoon PLUS trusting we would each be responsible in our actions. I would like it known that I rode my bicycle to Malone's and back with helmet, lights and caution on high alert with no incident.

My brothers are very, very important to me! As my brother Dave pointed out last night, and our mother wears like a badge of honour, we four are all very different people. I see that as a tremendous blessing rather than a family tragedy, and I genuinely enjoy spending time with them. 

I am extremely blessed have been raised by two outstanding parents with such wonderful brothers,
to have married my best friend,
been gifted two amazing children,
to have loved my career choice,
and now have the health to enjoy this incredible retirement thing.

I'll say it again, to echo my cousin Tim Burtch, LIFE IS GOOD!
And I still think I'm more saint than devil.

The pen is mightier than the sword!

If you've read any of my posts on this Blog, you're acutely aware of why I chose to venture down this trail. Should this be your first visit, I should tell you that this was a cathartic exploration of who I see myself to be, following a lengthy career in education and coaching. Once the "ball was rolling", I found the writing to be extremely satisfying, especially during this pandemic.

I've had a lot to say ... plenty of opinions.

When I reached the magic #100 post, I was pretty gosh-darned proud of myself, and I wanted to make the mark beside something that I've had on my Bucket List for quite some time. I recently checked that box when I picked up my "memoir" from The Publishing House, a book printer here in Barrie. I put the word memoir in quotes because I don't think my book really fits wonderfully into the actual definition, but I really couldn't come up with an alternate term for a collection of Blog posts that the printing service would readily recognize. TPH was awesome, economical (considering it was a single print), accessible, and looking at the finished product, a quality choice. 

When I was a younger version of myself, I fancied a number of different paths as life's ambitions, but the notion that I could venture into the field of authoring was NOT even a passing daydream. The inclusion of publishing a book in my personal Bucket List came much, much later when I was inspired by my teaching colleague Dan DeSouza's Blog (http://teach1coach1.blogspot.com/) to record the memorable events of that career, as the saying goes, for the sake of posterity. I quickly surmised that writing was something that really connected with some previously undiscovered part of my soul. While I had not previously felt sufficiently competent in any particular area to author a book, a casual conversation I had with my former BNC colleague, Kevin Simms, gave birth to the notion of eventually binding those thoughts into a book. The rest, as they say, is history.

I can recall quite vividly the first time the thought of entering the field of education crossed my mind. I was in Gr 10 at Barrie Central, and influenced by the many incredible experiences I was sharing with the teachers and coaches there, I felt a strong affinity to the calling. As the high school experience unfolded, I found a few other possibilities that sparked interest, thanks largely to experiences presented through my heavy involvement with sport. I always admired my father's chosen path of medicine, and I thought perhaps following in his foot steps could be a choice. In a related line of thought, I also entertained thoughts of Physiotherapy as a choice. Being brutally honest, I was never lured by potentially lucrative nature of business or entrepreneurship, and although Police and Firefighting Services seemed interesting, I can admit that they were never considered.

I've written in previous posts how I ended up choosing Queen's University as my post secondary institution ... if you missed that one, it really boils down to a case of indoctrination as I was immersed in my father's alumni escapades in my formative years https://coachpsperspective.blogspot.com/2019/09/its-been-13-years.html ... but I may not have mentioned that my mother had a short but brilliant educational career before deciding to sacrifice all that is teaching for raising 4 active and exuberant boys. Being an active fellow, it made perfect sense to me to study Physical Education in university ... although it's now given the much fancier moniker of Kinesiology ... and while I have no regrets choosing that direction, I did quickly become aware that dreams of Medicine or Physiotherapy were, for me at least, unachievable considering the other pursuits I included in my university experience ... Ahem ... Football and Alfies (Queen's grads will understand). As I transition into a new phase and, more importantly, no longer have to trade time for money, putting thoughts together into little stories is the bauble that catches this Magpie's eye.

The process of self-publishing was FAR MORE COMPLICATED than I thought it would be. That is not to say that it was fraught with turmoil, but the host of new learning, at times, was frustrating. My Blog is produced using the on-line platform of Blogger, so copying the 100 posts into Word was the first order of business, but researching the formatting for publishing proved to be a daunting task, compounded by the search for a printer service that was both Canadian and affordable. I discovered that publishing a book has a vast amount of flexibility that includes decisions surrounding size, paper stock, cover choices and printing inks. In the end, TPH proved most helpful and I would highly recommend their services if you have a similar epiphany.

I have ZERO regrets, when I use retirement's gift of time, as I take stock in the life I chose. I truly believe that it was the perfect choice as both a calling and career, but the transition into post-career life has provided pause, bringing with it a host of other pursuits that arouse interest, the most obvious being writing. 

I am very proud and satisfied with my book. You won't be finding it for sale ... it suits a personal purpose ... but that in no way tarnishes the shine of the task. I have lived through the meteoric rise of technology and its numerous revisions ... Betamax, anyone? Floppy disks, perhaps? ... and I was acutely aware that on-line Blogs could easily go the way of the Dodo. Books don't get a V2.0. Once my book was printed, it will stay that way as long as I keep it out of harm's way by fire or water. The hours I have invested in taking stock of my memories will be enshrined within the cover for a very long time.

This post is part of the second 100 so I'll be starting the sequel pretty soon since.

Where's my mask?

I'd like to begin this post by saying that my wife and I are 100% for the wearing of a mask as part of the 3 W's edict surrounding this pandemic Wear a mask, 

Watch your distance, 

Wash your hands. 

It is, at the very least, the simplest way for us all to help mitigate the impact of this novel coronavirus. As the graphic at the left states, my mask protects others, those in their bubble, and those in my local area. 

I added #4 as a expression of compassion for my yet-to-be-retired former colleagues as they navigate the Minister of Education's poorly conceived back to school plan. Without getting on the proverbial soapbox, for #fordnation to trumpet guidelines for the general public while at the same time, impose a different set of guidelines for the Education System, screams of their true-blue Conservative morals as they place the welfare of their business buddies over the welfare of their future constituents. I had numerous conversations with soon to be voters, and I can confidently report that they are not impressed and have vowed to remember the PC effort when they are granted the right to vote in the next couple of years.

When I retired last January, I had plans of supplementing my retirement income by supplying occasionally. I retired as early as the system allowed because, in part, I felt I needed to make space for those talented youngsters who were entering the system. When the pandemic hit, and the plan to return to face-to-face teaching was announced, Joyce and I felt strongly that we should wait for a month to see how the process proceeded. I was cognizant of taking work that could be filled by my younger counterparts on the master supply list, but I soon learned that many absences went unfilled each day, resulting in emergency on-calls for my former colleagues. With that in mind, I tossed my hat into the fray once October hit, and I was immediately conscripted by my former principal (and childhood friend) Greg Brucker to fill in with a G11 fitness class for 3 days. 

It's good to be lucky!

The first day, I reported to BNC with a good attitude, a mask, and smile. I suppressed my nervousness borne out of leading a 4 hour charge with a group of 16-17 year olds, and dove head-first into it. Much to my pleasure, the day was a rousing success! This particular class had been inflicted with numerous supply and on-call teachers so structure was a glorious afterthought, despite the best efforts of everyone that tried. Since I had taught numerous fitness classes at the former Barrie Central, I felt up to the task and most of the day was spent "putting out small fires" as I chided the less enthusiastic into action. Truth be told, the single negative on the day was the pandemic stuff like 5 hours of mask wearing, constant sanitizing, and constant vigilance on student social distancing. 

Day two turned out to be a marked improvement in the first two hour block, prompting a classroom effort at some theory, with the intention of subtly infusing some structure because I was aware that a concerted effort was being made to find a Long Term Occasional (LTO) replacement. I was thrilled to see the lights come on in their eyes as the students embraced the information. I have to be honest, the mask thing was certainly a downer as the constant reminders and my own discomfort kicked up, but the students were conscientious and accommodating.

The final day ... my retired week's Friday ... I was gifted the pleasure of meeting the young man that was hired to steer the ship as LTO. He was enthusiastic, came across as knowledgeable, possessed good people skills, and many of the students immediately gravitated towards him. BONUS! We spent the morning together as I attempted to offer both advice and answers, and I think that he felt much less anxious as we said our goodbyes and good lucks at lunch. The remainder of the day was the positive climax to the experience as we finalized the theory we started two days ago ... it seemed much longer though ... and finished the day laughing and giggling as we braved the cool, rain-sprinkled field for some touch rugby and soccer. 

FANTASTIC!

In an attempt at being brutally honest, yet not looking to "throw anyone under the bus", I will tell you that the experience in no way, shape or form, resembled the restrictions that I heard #fordnation espouse on the news cast. The students were frickin' awesome, but with 24 bodies in a fitness room, social distancing was impossible. Masks were worn but you can't blame the students for requiring a short maskless break every now and again, even given that they sequestered themselves while doing it. Hand sanitizer was used as they entered and spray sanitizer after using equipment, and nothing that had anything to do with the classroom was an issue, but the proverbial gloves came off when the lunch and study hall periods occurred as the students hurriedly rushed out the doors to enjoy the maskless outdoors with their buddies from other classes. In all honesty, I can't blame them for any of that, and each student that exited had parental permission to choose leaving school as an option, but Lecce's proclamation that they would be in cohorts and segregated was stuff of dreams.

Armed with the knowledge that so many of the absences at North go unfilled each day, I will be returning in a supply function to, in a small way, do my part to help. It was a pleasure to be back at the helm of the "Good Ship" as the students and I navigated the uncharted waters of learning. They couldn't see my enormous smile underneath my mask, but the multitudes of "fist bumps" and thanks from the line of exiting students on Thursday "charged the batteries" enough for the Holiday Weekend.

And I am absolutely THANKFUL for that!

Fall's colourful canvas

For those who may read this that have not experienced a Canadian fall with its incredibly coloured vistas, my opinion that Canada is Numero Uno will likely leave you feeling miffed, but I make no apologies. Even the best exposed or edited photo pales in comparison to beholding nature's colours live and in person. The temperate forests of Canada (and to be honest, all places son earth of similar latitudes) explode each fall as deciduous trees succumb to the constant struggle of producing and maintaining chlorophyl stores in its leaves, exposing a wide a variety of yellow, orange, and red hues that create vistas the literally take your breath away. Living in Barrie not only provides ready opportunities for colour watching but is also an easy launch pad to nearby communities a scant few km away.

For the science geeks who need to get their nerd on, the biology of the fall colours is not as complicated as you might think. Leaves are filled with molecules called pigments and when they reflect light, they are visible to our eyes depending on the wavelength of that reflected light. In the summer, the most abundant pigment is chlorophyll and it reflects green light. Chlorophyll is important for plants to make food using sunlight's energy to change CO2 and H2O into C6H12O6 (sugar), feeding the tree's needs for growth during the warmer months. During spring and summer when there is plenty of sunlight, plants expend a lot energy making or maintaining chlorophyll. In autumn when the weather turns cold, some plants stop making or maintaining chlorophyll choosing to break down chlorophyll into smaller molecules and move it out of their leaves before the leaves fall, saving the plants energy because they can reabsorb the molecules that make up chlorophyll. If the weather were to turn warm and sunny enough to grow again, the plants can use those smaller molecules to remake the chlorophyll, eliminating the need to make chlorophyll from scratch, saving a HUGE amount of energy.

As chlorophyll is broken down, other pigments start to show their colours, which is why leaves turn colour in colder seasons like fall. Some of these other pigments are called carotenoids, primarily seen as yellow and orange. Still others are called anthocyanins and are only made in the fall because they are used to protect leaves from being eaten or getting sun burnt. These pigments cause red, pink, or purples, and it's the combinations of carotenoids and anthocyanins is what creates the huge array of colours.

One of the numerous awesome advantages about retirement is time. Joyce and I have used that gift to commune with nature, recharging our connections with Mother Earth, hiking through a wide variety of trails offered within a short drive of Barrie. In my opinion, when we choose to roam through life in urban settings, it is far too easy to forget that Mother Nature is a short distance away, yet immersing yourself in it creates the truest sense of awe when beholding the beauty of the landscapes visited. My colleagues who taught geography and geology are no stranger to the natural phenomenons that have created the seemingly endless variety of formations, but Joyce and I spend a sizeable amount of our hiking conversations appreciating the mind-blowing beauty we encounter. We recently encountered the tree at the right on a hike in Torrance Barrens, just west of Gravenhurst. If you've never ventured to that area, find the time to do so ... you won't be disappointed!

The old saying, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" rings loud and true, the latest subject being the wise assortment of fungi busily doing their part in the succession of a temperate forest life cycle. While I'm no botanist, I can certainly marvel at the diversity of the fungi we spy, with so many shapes and colours eking out an existence in the strangest of places. Thanks to a youth spent in Algonquin Forest, canoe tripping my summers away, I learned early on that not all fungi are edible and it takes a keenly educated eye to understand which can be suitable for my kitchen. Not to be outdone, we have encountered a sizeable population of mushroom foragers on our many hikes, each laden with an overfilled basket from the spoils of the hunt. They are braver than I, that is for sure. The photo at the left is just and smattering of the many we took throughout the summer's trails. 

I have heard it said that Canada's landscapes include all of nature's formations within her borders. From the temperate rainforests and awe inspiring Rocky Mountains of BC + AB, to the wide expanses of the prairies in SK + MN, to the geologic wonders of ON and QB's Canadian Shield, to the wetlands of the NB + NS, to the island uniqueness of NF + PEI, to the stark tundra of IQ + NWT + YK, Canada offers nature enthusiasts all they can handle. Since we live here, it's ludicrous that we don't get out of our subdivisions and experience them first hand. 

Further to that point, what have you got to lose?
A little less doom and gloom from the news?
A little less Social Media pandemic fear mongering?
A little less couch potato-ness? 

No pressure ... just some friendly advice from an old fart.

Biking is my new social circle

I am sure by this point that most of you know that I have become a MAMIL ... a Middle Aged Man In Lycra ... having embraced the #bikelife. With the total hypocrisy of that statement acknowledged, especially considering statements I have espoused in earlier posts, I have shifted my socialization events from things that involve sitting and imbibing to things that involve riding and pedalling. These days, nothing says buddies like a 50, 60, 70 or 80 km rip in the beauty of Simcoe County on my trusty two-wheeled stallion. While the bulk of my riding has been decidedly solo, the chance to enjoy exercise, conversation and camaraderie is incredibly satisfying. Where I was once intimidated to ride with my friends who have been at this game for far longer than I, that has quickly faded, although I still have a way to go before I am able to match their pedalling prowess. Having said that, I admit that I am proud of the goals that I have set, trained for, and achieved throughout this whole crazy scenario.

Likely the single biggest influence responsible for my segue into the cycling world would be former BNC colleague Kevin Simms. He is not just IN the #bikelife, he IS the #bikelife and my go-to source answer to any cycling training questions I might have. He is also an internationally known cycling coach, and in the top three in Canada for his age in both road racing and mountain biking. Going for a ride with Simmer is an immensely satisfying and enjoyable experience ... for me at least. Being the consummate cyclist that he is, Simmer dials it back a few notches when he rides with me, but you wouldn't know it. Using his own favourite phrase, he is a SUPER GOOD friend.

My primary bike buddy is my wife Joyce. While she doesn't do the km's that I do, we use our times together to get out and about as a part of a healthy lifestyle, and truth be told, we enjoy spending some time seeing the sights of our incredibly beautiful county of Simcoe. 

One of our "Bike Dates" was from Thornbury to Meaford along the Georgian Trail, a lovely 30 km round trip with a stop at Meaford's Fred Raper Park, at the waterfront down near the harbour. Riding along the trail, our noses detected a telltale sweet smell as we rode through some of the area's gorgeous apple orchards. At the end of the return trip, we stopped in at Thornbury's famous cidery to pick up some of their most delicious Blood Orange cider, then proceeded to Thornbury's waterfront Memorial Park to enjoy our picnic lunch and a wade in Georgian Bay. 

Another "Bike Date" involved a quick drive to Wasaga Beach, followed by a wonderful 25 km ride along the Shore Line Trail there. We parked at the Rec Centre, then proceeded north all the way to the peninsula at the end of Beach One, and then followed it all the way back to the end at its furthest south, before completing the loop back at the truck. Our picnic on the beach was a only made better by the fact that it was well into September, the temperature was well into the high 20's and it was a school day. Biking and retirement really do go hand in hand. 

The pandemic and it's shut down of "normal" has prompted a number of my friends to look at cycling as a viable exercise alternative. One of those is Georgian head coach, John Daggett. I called him up to see if he wished to test the "waters" of Ramara Township via the Uthoff Trail that goes from Orillia to Coldwater, and much to my pleasure, he accepted. We decided to ferry our bikes in the Tacoma up to a parking lot north of Orillia to start our adventure from there. Off we set, chatting about the state of education (John is a Georgian Co-op Coordinator) and rugby, marvelling at the beauty before our eyes ... the landscape, not each other ... and how great it is to be able to get out and about. The ride amounted to about 30 km, which was ample for both of us, and we agreed that we should continue this well into the fall. I am retired, after all, and GC had already informed John that his service would be remote throughout the fall. 

My old BCC chum, Hardy Wind, has become my cycling guru in addition to generously sharing his mechanical knowledge and expertise. Prior to purchasing an actual road bike, I was schlepping along on my Hybrid Legacy trail bike and it was having mechanical issues like flat tires and blown spokes. Hardy helped me replace the rims and make it as good as possible ... all for free I might add because he's a that kind of a man ... but I could tell that if this cycling compulsion was going to continue, I was going to have to consider an actual road bike. Thankfully, the stars aligned and another cycling friend Steve Kelman was looking to upgrade his ride, so he was selling his "old" road bike for a great deal. It was Hardy that introduced me to the concept of the "Buddy Ride." He and I have pointed north and drove out to Coldwater for a sweet little ride from there out to the Big Chute locks and back. The road there is a great little country jaunt, filled with typical Canadian vistas courtesy of the strata of the Canadian Shield. We had to put up with some construction up near Big Chute, but that was of little consequence in comparison to watching the lock do its thing, up close and personal. After it was all ridden and done, I treated Hardy to a coffee and sweet at EM's cafe in Coldwater ... a must for those in the area ... as thanks for driving and the company. On a different ride, we pointed west out of Barrie with the goal of Creemore's Affairs Bakery via Sunnidale Rd, Angus, Glencairn, and Avening. By the time I had returned home, I had a delicious coffee, a delectable buttertart, and a very respectable 99 kms had been traversed. 

Another "Bike Buddy" is former BNC colleague, Jay Rothenburg. As a  long time cyclist but Uber eager to share the #bikelife with anyone that will join, Jay is a great friend. Hardy, being Hardy, organized a trio-ride and we jumped in his Outback, heading for the trailhead beside Georgian Downs. The Rail Trail has a parking lot there and riders can head southwest through Thornton all the way down to Beeton. Along the way, the trail takes you through 25 km's of Essa Township's stunning agricultural beauty. Going down and back was a wonderful time as we got caught up on each other's happenings. I was astutely aware that the two could have left me in their wake at a moment's notice, so I worked hard to make sure I matched their pace. It was a really good morning, made better by Hardy's generous gift of an icy Gatorade once we got back to the car, but I still had to figure out how not to sweat all over his immaculate Outback.

The goal for the summer was planted in my head by Kevin Simms, early on in the pandemic. With a gleeful glint in his eye, he gently prodded me that I should think about setting the goal of achieving the Metric Century ... a ride of 100 km. Those that have decided to read other posts in this Blog will know that I was able to achieve that goal (https://coachpsperspective.blogspot.com/2020/09/achieving-metric-century.html) thanks largely to the social circle of great friends who supported me. The "Buddy Ride" was truly the tool that allowed the achievement, and despite having to complete a few laps of Simmer's Cathedral Pines subdivision to ultimately notch the 101 kms, it was a glorious endeavour. I will have to say that attempting this feat on the Legacy would have resulted in serious harm, but the Ridley was more than up to the task. Many thanks to other "Bike Buddies" Doug Woods, Sam Loucks, Simmer, Hardy and Jay for their support.

The Fall's weather, if you believe in the Farmer's Almanac, is forecasted to be decent, so I would hope that the remaining months will be filled with more Buddy Rides before Mother Nature buries us in her yearly blanket of "fluff stuff'". 

Of course, once that cursed snow arrives, I'll have to find another compulsion to get me through the winter ... more on that later!