Pioneer on the Internet – Sean Gursky

The Trip
Short Version: I went camping. There was no mustard.

Long Version: I went back country camping and experienced ultimate highs and lows. I was in the bushes for nearly ninety hours and had a fantastic time with Gord and Tyler. I could stretch this post out, carefully detailing the trip, but I will leave that to Gord to do. My post will act as a Coles Notes of what transpired.

Thursday started out with a 3 hour and 45 minute drive to the trail head of the route we would take to Landslide Lake. We had built a large fire, roasted hot dogs and drank beer. This was the kind of camping I know how to do. However Friday morning would introduce me to what back country camping was really like and I had one of the most unpleasant and miserable experiences of my life. I was cold, wet, hungry and pain was starting to develop in my shoulders. Somehow, by the simple act of walking, I pulled my groin so I felt each step. If I was able to walk it I would have been on Death’s Door in minutes.

In the rain we sought refuge, set up camp, got warm and had a nap. By 5PM we had our first meal of the day, my camera still operated after the hike and I could feel my spirits lifting. I was ready to try this back country camping thing again.

The sun was out and Saturday was the highlight of the day with a 2.5 hour day hike to Landslide Lake. I broke my fishing rod in the process of snagging a whale, Ogopogo or a bear. The story changes depending on who you asked. Tyler and Gord did not fair much better with multiple line tangles and stubborn fish. We left the lake early as we could see clouds roll in over the distance and rain was not something we wanted to get caught in again.

A cup of coffee, a fire and a hot meal are wonderful things while out in the elements and each one added to the enjoyment of the trip. On Sunday we hiked the remaining 3.5 hours back to the car, our packs lighter than on Friday, we set off with our feet dry and we all had stories to tell. I began to think this was something I would do again. At the end of the trip my feet had multiple blisters, both groin muscles were sore, my left knee could not bend without pain and my back and shoulders were stiff; all of this seems par for the course.

Jean Farewell
The trip could not have been possible without my jeans. I was told to bring one pair of jeans for the trip and live in them. I lived every last minute of their life from Thursday to Sunday. They survived rain, mud, a hole caused by fire, several treatments of duct tape and hours away from the car the backside ripped, adding an oddly comfortable breeze to my stride.

The jeans were not going into the wash, they went straight into the garbage and proudly served their purpose right to the end.

Time for an update on a few things occupying my time.

The seagurs domain is still in ‘redemption period’. A few weeks ago I began the process of trying to reclaim it, but the account information did not match the domain registration so I had to provide government issued identification for Dad and myself. Since I had been waiting over a week for a response from 1and1, and the ‘redemption period’ was about to expire I decided I had enough with 1and1 and would just forget it and wait it out.

1and1 canceled my previous hosting on March 16, so I am nearing the time where I can buy the domain back. I have read that the ‘redemption period’ time varies so I have been checking GoDaddy for the purchase of my domain several times a day to no avail.

The Las Vegas U2 tickets have been purchased, and my excitement level about the show has increased dramatically. I have seen plenty of photos from Sam Boyd Stadium and it looks like such a cozy and tight arena that no seat will be a bad spot. However, my mission to get a lower level seat close to the stage was successful but there were many who were not so fortunate.

There was plenty of ticket drama surrounding this event as Ticketmaster wasn’t responsible for the fan presale. A smaller site for the venue handled everything and things like presale codes being counted as used when they weren’t, the site buckling under the pressure of presale purchases and a confusing delivery method of the tickets lead to a lot of confusion and grief.

The ticket cost was a bit much for my taste but U2 in Las Vegas sounds like a once in a lifetime experience and after seeing the sights in and around Vegas seeing U2 will be a perfect ending to a trip in Nevada. I am in the process of comparing flights and hotels. I am searching Hotwire, Travelocity, Expedia, WestJet, Air Canada, Yapta and Farecast for the best deals, trends and will hopefully have the flight booked first and then I can focus on hotels and all of the fun stuff to do while in Sin City.

It’s playoff time for the Canucks, and without getting ahead of myself, I am hoping the team can escape the first round and make a solid effort in the second. I am sure their highs and lows will be documented thoroughly here. With that said, I have decided to grow a ‘beard’ in honor of this playoff run.

I use the term ‘beard’ loosely as I have the patchiest, sorriest excuse for a beard that people may confuse me as a double in the “Don’t Be a Tosser” commercials.