who's idea was this anyway?

The eye of the storm......... just a REALLY REALLY big eye!

2009-09-05T08:31:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm back home and slightly more calm. So, the story breaks down like this-

Back in Winnipeg i went to speak with the Immigration Office (lots of fun and games locating the office, but there will be lots to complain about in this post so i don't want to peak too soon!). While speaking with them i was told that extending a visitor permit was no problem at all. I could just go online and do it all there. The girl also mentioned that it could take a few months before they got back to me with a "yes" or "no" response, but that the reply would be posted to an address that i had to provide (I don't think too many tourists have a postal address, otherwise they wouldn't be tourists..... they'd be residents!!). So i left happy in the knowledge that the trip was safe- all i had to do was try and contact someone and ask if i could have the letter sent to them. I also decided to leave it for a few weeks to ensure that i could stay in the country whether they said yes or no. This could work as they take so long to process an application, by the time they reply i would have been back in the UK nursing a killer hangover from the celebration drinking session for finishing the trek. The whole time they're processing i would have been legally in the country on what's called "implied visitor status". So with one month to go i went online and found that nothing could be done online other than to download the forms that i have to then post 30 days before my current permit expiry........ problem! By this time i was walking round Lake Superior and the vast majority of internet access was lacking in the printer department. I tried to call immigration to explain my situation and hopefully work something out, but before i got to talk to a human, the vastly expensive phone call chewed through my $20 phone card and laughed at me. So i kept going in the hope that the next place i came to would have a printer, and when i eventually found one it was attatched to the worlds oldest computer that couldn't download the forms for the website..... what are the odds? With no way of contacting immigration via email, and not being able to afford the phone call i was left with no choice but to take a bus from Wawa (the official end of the walk) down to Sault Sainte Marie where i hoped to talk to a human at the border to the US. I got into town with only a few days to spare on my permit, but hopefull that it could in fact still be sorted online as the woman had told me back in Winnipeg. I'm not what you'd call a "techy" so i was confident that i'd just been an idiot and missed something, and would be told that everything would be fine. Unfortunatly, this was not the case. I went into the office at the border where i was told there wasn't an immigration officer around for the next 4 hours........ remember, this is at a border- you know, that place that ONLY deals with immigration type situations.... how the F**K do you justify not having an immigration officer at a border crossing??? But anyway, i left with my friend who'd come out to walk with me from Wawa to Sault Sainte Marie........ yea, i know. We went to the duty free to see if we could sneakily buy a cheap bottle of something and then left when told we needed a license plate and passport stamp- worth a try though! Walking out of the duty free we were nearly tackled to the ground by some angry officers who thought we'd just walked across the border bridge. We were marched inside where i explained what had happened and pointed out the officer i had just spoken to. They checked our ID then told Sonja (Zee German) that she was ok to go, but told me i had to wait in the office until an immigration officer arrived. She was, to her credit, an hour early, but i think this had pulled her away from a very important date with a cake which made her act like Mega-bitch from hell! She was obviously unhappy about having to do her job so i was as polite as possible to try and defuse her temper, but this just made her angrier for some reason....... God made a MAJOR mistake by giving women periods! The end result of this meeting was another meeting with another officer that i had to make within 2 days, but even then she told me that this other officer would be able to extend my trip if she thought i was telling the truth. However, she also put an arrest warrent in the system that would come into effect on the 4th if i didn't leave or get things sorted. So i made the appointment as soon as i could and went in to speak with a much friendlier woman who told me that i could still send off the forms even though it wasn't 30 days in advance. All i had to do was keep the reciept of postage and payment and this would give me "implied visitor status". Another option was to cross the border and come back, but for this to work i needed $2000 and proof of that amount, along with letters from Canadian chairites saying that what i was doing was on the level. This was a problem as i didn't have time to get any of this, and without it she said there was a 95% chance they wouldn't let me into the US along with another 95% chance they wouldn't let me back into Canada- this information ruled out a border crossing as an option! So i went to the internet cafe that day to download the forms and print them off where i found an additional problem- one of the forms i had to send couldn't be downloaded. It had to be ordered and sent by post to an address and would take 2 weeks to do this. i'm puzzled as to why you're not able to just download it with everything else, as well as being puzzled as to why it had to be sent from Alberta? wouldn't it be easier if all immigration offices had the abilty to print one off and give it to you in person.... just as another option? So i tried to call back but they all went home at 3pm- strikes me as bloody lazy! This left me with 1 day left in the country legally before an arrest warrent was issued..... and this was a problem. Couldn't cross the border, couldn't talk to anyone to ask for any more assistance, didn't have time to get forms mailed, and if i was going to leave i had to book a bus to Toronto which would put me in the airport the day i had to leave so i also didn't have the option of waiting a few more hours to make a choice- i got on the last available bus after spending the day checking emails in the hope that someone had pulled through and enabled me to stay- but they all said the same thing- "we can't do anything with another country's immigration policy", which is fair enough really. The flight was booked by my mum as i didn't have a credit card to book online, and when i got to the airport i had a few hours before i could check in. After check in i went through security with no problem and went straight to my gate as i didnt' have any money to spend in the bar. I was sat there until my flight was almost ready to board, then i realised....... "HANG THE F**K ON!!!! THERE WAS NO BLOODY PASSPORT CONTROL!!!!!" After EVERYTHING there was ZERO check on my entry stamp, and no exit stamp! Now this is tragic as it means the only reason i was stopped in my tracks was because i was honest and tried to do everything by the letter of the law. Had i just kept my head down i'm certain that no arrest warrent would be issued and therefor i would have been able to finish and leave from Toronto without a check on my passport, thus finishing the walk with no problems. It's also a shame because i really did have some great times on the trip. I had more than my fair share of tough days too, but Canadians are awsome (most of them anyway), and the scenery is breathtaking throughout the country. But because of all this my lasting memory of Canada is that it's run by total idiots and as a result, i'm never going back. In the airport though, I had to laugh as i was flying out with Air India who obviously don't trust Canadian customs as they run their own security check before letting you on the flight- the whole 9 yards too, actual searching of hand luggage rather than scanning it along with an extra metal detector search on every passenger and member of crew. They've realised that customs can't be trusted!!

As for the trip, obviously those who donated did so in the knowledge that i would finish the trek. So i'm thinking of finishing in the UK- north to south should work out to be the distance i was unable to cover in Canada. This, unfortunatly can't happen for some time as the extra cost of flying on short notice along with accomodation costs while i ws dealing with customs put me into the red BIG TIME! so i shall be working that off and then plans can start to form with regards to the UK leg- i'm gutted that it couldn't be done in one hit, but this seems to be the only option. I hope you understand.

Thanks for reading..... it's been emotional!

Email me at sammyt12000@hotmail.com with any questions.

BA***RDS!

2009-09-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

well, i'm not sure whether to laugh, cry, lash out at random people who smile at me, or to spend the next few days at the bottom of a bottle...... or a combination of all of them, but the trip is over. Since the last post it's been a constant battle with various people who work for the Canadian government (mainly immigration) to try and get my visitor permit extended. However, i lost. The hardest fight in the trip ended up having nothing to do with the hard work of carrying a small country in a backpack. It also had nothing to do with getting people interested in something they couldn't pronounce, nevermind spell! It ended up being a battle to try and get information from people who seemed to be more interested in searching youtube for funny clips than actually doing their jobs. At the moment i'm still WAY too mad to write anything constructive, and there is no chance of clean language so i'm going to go- any questions feel free to email. But, having said that, if you email me with suggestions of how i could have made this work i will kill you....... and i really mean that- i will hunt you down and split your head open with a spoon and eat anything i find inside! Can you tell i'm not happy with the whole situation or am i hiding it well?

2009-08-12T08:38:00.000-07:00

Well, i asked for good weather and that's what i got.... the only slight problem is that it arrived at the same time as a stomach bug so not as great as i'd hoped, but i'm not complaining- sun is sun and i'll take it when i can get it! As a result of the stomach bug though i'm falling behind which is a bit annoying but it can't last too much longer. I now have to meet Zee German in Wawa instead of Sault Sainte Marie which will actually work out better for everyone i think...... well, i hope anyway! As for the journey into Schrieber- WOW! this is some of the most amazing scenery i've ever had the chance to walk through. Granted, the last day or 2 into town i was looking at the ground and feeling very sorry for myself for the most part, but other than that i'm in paradise! I'm also told that there is a slight problem with how i've set up my fundraising website for the Canadian Cancer Society- i'm trying to fix it now but it's not letting me in, but i'm working on it and will have it up and running as soon as i can. But a BIG BIG thankyou to those of you who've donated so far- the last couple of days have been great what with radio and newspaper articles etc etc along with Richard the cyclist who's been telling my story to those ahead of me, and as a result 2 very nice young women pulled over and gave me lots of love bites........ i would explain, but i think your imagination will do this story more justice! But things are definatly starting to look up on a more constant basis now and as a result, i'm smiling even when i'm cream crackered! (that's "tired" for all the Canadians reading this). The next week to 10 days will be a nice speed too as i now can't make my intended destination so by the time i get to Sault Sainte Marie i should be bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to run for at least 1000 miles (please PLEASE PLEASE DON'T hold me to that!). Anyways, must dash as i still have a lot of things to get done today- take it easy!

some good news at last!

2009-08-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

Well, where to start?
The weather still hasn't improved all that much. All the way from Ignace to Thunder Bay (where i am now) was pretty much rain, rain, a little more rain, and then some REALLY HEAVY rain, followed by just a drop more rain to make sure i was completely drenched.

On a much brighter note though, Thunder Bay has provided me with a new family- sorry mum, but you're fired! ......wait, that would mean that i wouldn't have a grandmother who's very ill and therefor wouldn't need to be putting myself through this torture, so maybe i'll keep my old family to justify this trip...... yea, let's go with that. On my way into town i was offered a ride by a woman by the name of Maureen. I explained why i was unable to accept the lift and thought nothing much of it as i carried on towards the end of a very long week. A few hours later she found me again and kindly donated some money and conversation towards the cause. During the conversation a potential place to stay emerged as she said she would check with her friend Lise to see whether it would be ok for me to crash there while i was in the area. When she found me for the third time she brought the much needed good news that Lise had kindly agreed and gave me directions to her place. That night we all went out to dinner where i was introduced to Heather, a friend of theirs, who was keen to hear about what i was doing.
Since then, this comunity of friends have been working round the clock to get me radio interviews, newspaper articles, and get me connected with the Canadian Cancer Society who have provided me with a sponsorship site that's in Canadian dollars!! YAY!!!!! I've also got a link with a local Cancer centre here in Thunder Bay if anyone reading this would like another option, so- If you want to donate to the Thunder Bay centre (whos area extends east to White River) then please go to www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca and specify that it's "in celebration of Sam Thomas' walk", that way i can keep track of the total.
Or, if you would like to give to the Canadian Cancer Society then please go to www.cancer.ca and donate to the event "not just a hike".

I'm heading off now to go round lake superior where, at some point, i'll be picking up some new tent poles!! WOOHOO!!! here's hoping the weather picks up as that's the only bad thing going right now!

2009-07-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm in Dryden after the worst week of the trip so far for distance and weather. I was meant to be here a couple of days ago but the temperature dropped from 30ish on my last day off to about 6 for the week, then jumped back up to 25 yesterday giving me just enough time to dry my kit before it rained again today. I don't mind the weather, or the constant hunger and thirst i seem to suffer from. I don't even mind that my feet are oozing a freaky yellow substance allong with blood from wounds that don't have time to heal. But i am starting to get pissed off by the fact that the fundraising total has only shifted by a couple of hundred since i left the UK. I think i'm going to introduce a new rule- anyone using the phraise "oh i wish i could have done that when i was your age" will be nipple crippled until the produce a $50 note a specify which charity they want it to go to. If this comes into effect i will hit my target by next week easily!
I am honestly starting to think this trip is a waist of time though. Whenever i talk to people about what i'm doing i get the feeling that they just ask the questions they ask because it sounds like the right thing to say, and not because they actually care. Also, as soon as i mention the words "i'm walking across Canada" the focus instantly shifts from the why onto the what. These people will never understand exactly what a trip like this requires and haven't a hope in hell of understanding the motivation behind it, no matter what i say. Words don't really explain fully what it was like on those days in BC when i woke up to find my boots had frozen in -21 degrees, and having to scrape off a half inch layer of ice from the outside of my tent by hand before i could pack away. Or those days on the prairies when it was +30 and i only had a half litre of water left to last the 15 miles to the next water source. Or even, the days like the last 5 i've had in the pissing rain in the middle of nowhere walking on bleeding feet. But like i said, I don't mind about any of that as i put myself in this possition. But i put myslef here for a reason, and that reason is currently in Scotland under constant watch to make sure she doesn't have another fall that could prove fatal, or choke on her food because she's losing the ability to swallow..... and you know what- they wont understand that either.
My motivation for this post, however, is neither to offend readers nor to make my circumstances seem unique. It is mearly a cry for donations, nothing more. This whole trip depends on the generosity of complete strangers- something to which i never paid much attention until recently. So please, go to www.justgiving.com/samthomas2 and give whatever you can, and then force others to do the same!!

2009-07-13T07:31:00.000-07:00

Well, i know i haven't written anything in a while but i'm now in Ontario!!! Manitoba was great though, i've now got my visa sorted! I haven't yet got a new pair of boots but as i limped into Kenora yesterday on bleeding feet i think it might be time to splash out a bit. I'm a little behind now but i think that might have something to do with the whole limping thing, that and being given the run-around by immigration in Winnipeg. When i eventually found the office they were really very helpful, but all the numbers i called, and government officials i asked before hand didn't have a clue. never mind, the important thing is that i got it done...... and then drank some beer to relax. I also had to deal with my bank blocking my card AGAIN!!! but of course i was told "it is for your safety Mr Thomas"...... really? because i can't buy food and last time i checked that was pretty F***ING important!!!

Ontario is sweeeeeeeeet! i'm in Kenora which is a bit posh and i do feel a tad out of place, but i think i'm getting now what i missed out on by being in the rockies in winter- the scenery is awsome and i saw my first bear!!! 5 yards from my tent first thing in the morning...... and i'm now down to just 2 pairs of underwear. He was cool though..... quite cute but i wasn't going to play with him!!

Anyways, i need to shoot off and buy some boots, some water purifier, some food, and some gas or the next few days will prove quite tricky!

Turrah!

3 down and 5 to go!

2009-06-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Manitoba!!!!! It's been a pretty rough week with the heat but i've finally crossed into Manitoba! These past few days have been long and hard, plus i got the news that my mate Andy has broken several bones and now can't come out to join me at the start of next month. I'm pretty gutted as it would have been good to have had a drinking buddy for a few days but i've found a German replacement who's coming out at the end of August so it's not all bad news.

Saskatchewan started to become a lot more fun these past 100 miles or so, so i'm kind of sad to leave...... but on the other hand, once i've cleared Manitoba i'm pretty much home free. Winnipeg marks the half way point on this trip and is also where i can sort out the only problems i have left so i'm really looking forward to crossing into Ontario without any issues playing on my mind....... and with a fresh pair of boots and a visa that will last as long as i need it to- fingers crossed!! I'm planning on a day off when i get into the next little town so i may have to splash out on a couple of beers to celebrate being almost half way (any excuse!).

2009-06-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a strange week since leaving Moose Jaw. It started with a couple of really slow days in the heat. I was finding it pretty hard with a full pack when a cyclist pulled up next to me flying a Union Jack on the back of his bike and stopped for a chat. Craig Jones was a lad from Nottingham out for a pleasure trip from coast to coast over a 5/6 month stretch. And, fortunately for me, as it was a holiday for him he has been able to slow his pace down and walk with me for the last few days. The both of us had been finding it a bit lonely out on the praries on our own so the company has been good for both of us........ if only the weather could have been as kind to us- the coldest weather Saskatchewan has seen at this time of year for over a century!!!! And to be honest, it's not really that it's that cold- it's been typical British grey clouds everywhere with a strong combination of cross and head winds with a load of sharp cold rain thrown in for good measure. But the quick change from the 30 degrees to this has messed everyone up. My boots are also having a really hard time keeping the weather out, the holes have exposed the sponge layer of thermal insulation that holds the water long enough for my socks to absorb it all, then the holes let in the cold wind to make life the little more difficult. And as a result of all this, i now have trench foot- NICE!
After 3 days of shite weather we came into Indian Head to have a rest day and stock up on food. We both decided that we'd earned the right to sit in a cafe for an hour and sip on a hot chocolate just to try and feel like humans again, which turned out to be the best decision we'd made. we got chatting with Alison who works in the cafe and made us VERY VERY nice hot chocolates and had moved here with her husband Richard 18 months ago from Northern Ireland. After we gave her out sob story about camping in the rain i think she took pity on us and offered to put us up for the night. She even fed us and let us wash our clothes, and was just generally fantastic to us. This morning, after she'd filled us with bacon, sausages, and eggs (SOOOOOOOOO GOOD) she took us into town to meet Dixie and pretty much told her that she was going to look after us tonight! I did feel bad at first but she seemed perfectly happy about the situation so i figured when in Rome! I'm So happy we stopped in town here as everyone we've met has been so amazingly helpful and kind to us that it's a shame we've got to leave tomorrow (everyone with the exception of the tourist info people but hey).
But Manitoba is calling and i'd better get stocked up for the journey so i'm off! take it easy

2009-06-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I've come to the conclusion over these past 2 weeks that mozzies, strong winds, and barking dogs are 3 things that this world could happily do without. I realise that wind is a pretty important part of the worlds ecosystem but come on, doesn't it just drive you mental?! And forcing dog owners to remove their pets vocal chords might see the number of blind people rapidly decrease, but this is still an idea that shouldn't be dismissed without serious thought. And mozzies! Can anyone tell me what they do that is useful? i mean appart from spreading disease and being bloody anoying, as far as i can tell, they do sod all- get rid of 'em!
That's really all i've learnt since being in Saskatchewan. I'm in Moose Jaw at the moment getting ready to leave in the morning. I'm currently staying in a house with 12 other people who are on this youth program thing- it's pretty cool. The main guy, Shawn, stopped by a couple of days ago to offer me a ride, and after i told him what i was doing he gave me his address and said i could crash here while i resupply on food. The guys are all really cool and i've had a laugh watching random shows and talking about random stuff....... to be honest, they could all be friggin' mental and i wouldn't care- company is BRILLIANT!!! We watched a film called Blindness last night- just a heads up for you- if you ever get the chance to watch it, DON'T!!!! Although i have to say watching blind kids trip over things was very funny!!!.............i'm going to hell aren't i. I guess i've picked on blind people a bit in this post, but hey, they can't get offended by something i write so what the hell.

I'm going to get to Regina in a couple of days and will try to meet up with a guy i met on the road who's offered to put me up for a night and take me kayaking which will be cool- a break from the norm like. But other than that there's not really much to say about Saskatchewan- the picture on the sign for the province was a bunch of wheat that resembled a nuclear mushroom cloud, and looking around, it may aswell as there's naff all here! But i'm still going strong. My boots aren't going to last much longer as you can feel my feet through the soles but i reckon i can make them last another 500 miles with the use of duck tape and other random bits of crap. Everything else is pretty much same as- i'm sick to death of the praries, sick to death of the diet i'm on, and getting my arse kicked on a regular basis by the heat- but i'm still smiling!

Just as a quick shout out- A BIG BIG BIG THANKYOU to everyone who's helped me out with the latest (and hopefully the last) financial scare!! I wouldn't be smiling without you guys!!

A night of entertainment.......... i think?

2009-05-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

Well, my intentions today were to sign in and tell you all about a great night i had last night with a group from BATUS. However, due to the fact that i remember sod all from last night i can only tell you bits and pieces based on fact, the rest will be guess work based on previous sessions i've been involved in.

The night started with a ride in a minibus (this in itself was nice enough for me- no walking!!!) down to a steak house in Med Hat called.......... um.......... well, we'll call it "The Steak House". Are group was 30 strong, and made up mainly of staff and families from BATUS. Myself and a couple of soldiers started on wonderous things called "beer towers"- a 6 pint jug of beer with an ice chamber down the middle to keep it cold....... like it was going to last that long?! I had a 20oz new york steak which made me incredibly happy for as long as it lasted- which was about 3.8 minutes. After that i had to rely on booze and good company to keep me happy, neither of which was in short suply!

Now, after this great start to the evening, things took a turn for the worse when some prat suggested pints of gin and tonic...... can't imagine who could have had such a bad idea, honest! Now normally i would have been very sensible and politly declined such an offer and stuck to drinking orange juice or something equally responsible. However, the reason we were all gathered in a steak house was to celebrate Jenny Packham's last night in town before her posting to Cyprus, so i couldn't say no- it would have been very rude! After the G+T's the kareoke started....... oh dear! then the shots started flying around left right and centre- why oh why did someone think that mixing tequila with jack daniels and something else was a good plan? Then it got silly, and i found myself wondering, when 2 people were fighting over who was going to pay for me, how did i manage to spend $130 at the bar? Still, it was a top night and well worth every penny. And aparently, it ended with the standard declaration of love for someone i'd only met that night. But, that last bit of info is 3rd hand, so i'm debating on whether i should disregard it as bollocks- it never happened! Or, stick to my guns and try to save face by pretending that i was sober as a judge and that i really do love you Carly! As i'm leaving in the morning i don't really think it matters though.

The rest of my short time in Ralston has been just as great. I've been staying with Clare and Jim, who i was put in contact with by Jo from Radio Oxford. It's amazing to me that people i'd never met before could be so hospitable- Clare, for example. Pretty much the first thing she said to me was "i'll just finish up here (refering to her radio show on BFBS) and we'll head back and have a shower". My initial thought was "bloody hell this is a friendly town!!!". It turned out that she has 2 bathrooms and this was to be the major factor in us being able to shower at the same time- and due to the fact that Jim was home, and as it happens, was quite a big chap dressed in DPM's, i concluded that seperate showers was the best outcome.

My time here is almost up. I'm leaving in the morning and heading towards Medicine Hat. And it's just occured to me that up until now i've had somewhere to be- here. And although i hadn't thought about it before, it's actually gone a very long way towards keeping me going. Now though, i don't- i haven't even planned my route properly for the next stage so i can see the next few weeks being a major comedown- especially after such a top night out. Oh well, shit happens hey!

The RCMP.......... helpful!

2009-05-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

Well, Brocket- nice place in the middle of an Indian Reserve. not much to look at, and you kind of get the feeling that you're being watched the whole time you're walking through. I'd been warned earlier that day to either stop before i got to the reserve, or make sure i didn't stop until i'd made it to the other side...... i opted to push through and make the other side. I didn't quite make it, although i thought i'd found a place by the side of the road that was low enough that i could sleep pretty much out of sight. Right around midnight the cops turned up. The officer was kind enough- he told me that it wasn't safe for me to be there, and that he would take me back into Pincher creek for the night- that's 11 miles back the way i came- SON-OF-A-*****!
In the car he was saying that i shouldn't really be camping on the side of the highway anywhere, to which me response was "well, where the hell can i camp then?" I can't just jump a fence and camp on someones land, and there's nowhere that isn't owned by someone. It got me thinking why it was this difficult to walk somewhere. He explained that nobody relly walks anywhere as everyone drives. Are we becoming slaves to technology to this extent? What if you don't want a car? How can a country this friggin' big be so diffucult to get accross? someone puts lines on a map and says "you can't go here"- fine, i'll go round then.......nope, someone else has put lines on a map and you can't go there either......... or there........ or there- what the F**K!? Now, i've got to try and figure out a new route that keeps me clear of the cops and gets me from A to B quickly. This is the first thing out of all that's happened, that's pissed me off! and i mean, REALLY pissed me off- i'm going to get some beer to make myslef feel better- bye!

2009-05-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Well i'm finally in Alberta!!! YAY! The rockies are still in view, but as of May 1st, at around 2pm i've been in state number 2. On May 2nd i officially left the mountains and hit the flats. What i didn't realise though, is that i'm now in the windiest part of north america, and as my tent is already falling appart i don't think it will last much longer. On the plus side though, the sun is out pretty much all day- however this has meant that i'm now getting really lonely at night. When it was cold i didn't give a rats ass- i just wanted to get into my sleeping bag and pass out before it got too cold. now though, i'm staying up for 3-4 hours after i get into camp..... with no conversation, and no booze (although that will change VERY soon!! whiskey, or rum.....or BOTH!).
The time alone has got me thinking about life though- like why the cricket is possibly the dumbest thing on the planet- it can jump, and it can kind of fly i guess, surely though, years of evolution would have given it the ability to land properly? it's a major disadvantage for something that can launch itself that high and far!!

I suppose i will have plenty of time to work out why evolution forgot this idiot of an insect

2009-04-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

Well, today is a sad day. Having made it through to Fernie from Creston in good time (about a day early) without any problems........... well, i say that but- my tent is now held together with duck tape, my boots are well and truely buggered, and my MP3 player is almost dead, but hey- i'm still in one piece! So, having made it here without too many problems i stopped at a place called The Powder Mountain Lodge for a couple of days rest. Here, i've had the best time with some great people- Frank, the owner, has been great. He kept me topped up with rum, beer, and a new one for me- Yukon Jack. Kerri, the assistant manager, kept me topped up with food, and let me kick her ass at pool for that all important male ego boost we all require from time to time. And everyone else here has been great to talk to and hang out with it's a shame i have to leave in less than an hour- which is why today is a sad day for me.

On a brighter note, within 2 days of leaving here i will have covered my first Canadian state- BC!!! And a few days after that i will have cleared the Rocky Mountains and be making lots of ground in not much time on the praries!

So, although this is a short post as there really isn't much i can fill you in on, i've come to the conclusion that Fernie a kick-ass town with kick-ass people and i could quite easily come back here and stay for a long long time further down the line.

I'm sure there's something i've forgotten, but it's early and my head doesn't work very well in the a.m, so i'll put whatever it is i've missed in the next post.

Have fun!

911

2009-04-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

It was about 6:45 am, and i was still in my sleeping bag fighting the fact that i would eventually have to get up- normally i'm out of bed and packed away by 7, but the weather the night before had been terrible and my tent was covered with a thick layer of ice which i REALLY didn't want to touch with bare hands.
It was around this time that i heard what i thought was an avalanche accross the other side of the road- i kicked the side of the tent until enough ice had fallen off to allow me to see through the small window- i saw no sign of any avalanche...... instead i saw to car headlights which didn't look quite right. After i'd rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and looked again i realised that this particular car was on it's side. That was a big enough kick up the arse to get me out of bed a dressed in seconds! by the time i emerged from the tent another car had stopped to help, but they couldn't get to the woman trapped inside the truck. As there was no cell coverage i put in a 911 allert using my satellite tracker and climed up on top of the vehicle to try and reach the woman inside. I eventually got in through the back side door and started pulling out a bunch of stuff (chairs, tv- i guess she was moving) to allow her to get out through the back window, which she did on her own. At that point John from the ministary of transportation avalanche patrol arrived and set up flares along the road to warn other drivers. The woman, who was pretty badly shaken but had no other injuries, sat in another car while we waited for the paramedics to check her over. Within 20 minutes of the call going out there were 2 fire trucks, and an ambulance on the scene- good to know that if it had been me, that my SAT unit works!! Once everything was being delt with by pros i decided i'd be better placed somewhere else and went to have breakfast and continue my day about an hour or so later than normal. It's taken 2 days, but i'm now in Creston- almost out of BC!!! i figure about one week from here to Fernie, then 3 days from there into Alberta. I've only got one more big pass to make on the BC/Ablerta boder which is Crowsnest pass then it's pretty much down hill to the praries!!!

I would have put some photos on here today but my camera has died, so i will make an effort to find a plug adaptor and put some pics up next time! i've got some good'ns!

I think that's all the news so far- until next time, take it easy, and if it's easy- take it twice!!!

2009-04-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

Ola!

I trust this finds everyone in as good a mood as i'm in! These past few days have seen a vast improvement in the weather as well as an increase in speed on my part. Since i last wrote, I made it through to Midway with ease, and from there to Greenwood where i discovered i was clean out of cash- BUGGER!!! However, i was lucky enough to find out while trying to check into a motel owned by a couple named Mike and Michelle Walker- possibly the coolest people i've met so far! They were awsome- they let me use their phone and internet to contact my bank, my folks- just about anyone i could to try and get things sorted. They even put my up for a night for free and made me pizza for dinner, and a bacon + egg sarny for breakfast! Once i'd arranged for some cash to see me through for a month or so, i paid for another night to give myself time to re-suply on food and head out at first light. That night they dropped a bombshell................... now, considering i'd been on the road for about a month, i was tired, i was really worried about what was going to happen for the rest of the trip as i'd run out of cash half way through the first state, and generally not happy.......... Mike had GUINNESS!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my god i've never been so happy in my whole life as i was when i took my first sip of the black stuff that night- perfect! I've now sorted my cash problem by selling just about everything i own back home........ tears almost fell when the subject of selling the pool table came up but hey, s**t happens.
After leaving Greenwood i made good progress, it didn't take long until i was passing Christina lake and approaching Bonanza pass (access to Paulson summit), Bonanza pass wasn't the highest or steepest pass i've hit so far, but it was the hardest! The weather changed in a spilt second from being quite pleasant (maybe 3/4 degrees and sunny) to windy, pissing it down with rain which eventually turned in heavy HEAVY snow. On my last leg to Paulson bridge a car pulled over to offer me a lift- i would have been tempted has his first words not been "hey man, you wanna toke?" as he passed over a joint. His name was Grant and he was as high as i've ever seen anybody! he was speaking in some language (may have been english, but i can't be ceratin) and all i could understand was that he suggested i didn't pass the bridge that night- i suspect that this is becasue he was concinced that it was guarded by an evil troll............. i wasn't taking much he said seriously! "yes Grant, you are spot on my friend- the king is indeed, still the king!..... sorry, tell me again how is it that you have a licence?!" what a f**king nutter!

That night on Paulson summit was the coldest i've been so far- easily dropped below -20. From there i just wanted to get to a lower altitude as soon as i could. So Castlegar didn't take to long to reach. Castlegar to salmo passed without incident. From Salmo though things have been pretty interesting. I'd stayed in Salmo for a day to stock up on food- the weather was perfect, i had a wash, and left in a good mood. After about 10 miles i was stopped by an officer from the RCMP- officer Long. Nice enough bloke, just wanted to ask why i wasn't hitching etc etc. We had a chat for a few minutes and i was back on my way. I stopped short of my target that night because the weather was coming in fast- i was maybe 6-7 miles from Kootenay summit (1774meters) when i dropped my pack and set up camp at the side of the highway- I've been camping by the road side for ease of access for emergency services should something happen..... a practice that would pay off the next morning. ................

2009-04-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, sorry it's taken a while for me to get to a computer!

So far this trip has been everything i hoped for!! The first week was pretty dull- all urban areas with the odd section through parks etc. I stayed in motels until i made it through to Hope (western edge of the Rocky Mountains). There i had to take a few days off to wait for the local store to open so i could stock up on camping supplies. From Hope i tried to head north east to Brookmere where i was going to cut south east to Princeton. However, i made it about 18km through deep snow and up some bloody big cliffs (which i almost died on- sorry mum!) before i made camp for the first night.... or so i thought. i'd ended up on the wrong side of the river earlier that day and had tried to cross back, but ended up back on the same shore with frozen feet- bad idea! As i was about to set up my tent i noticed a bench........ slightly odd thing to find in the middle of nowhere i thought? as i walked over a small ridge i saw a small group of houses that weren't on the map, so i went over to ask if they'd mind me setting up my tent near by. The landowner was a real nice guy who offered me a caravan instead of a tent for the night. That night he introduced me to another guy, and the two of them decided that me carrying on north was a bad idea- the weather was due to get worse along with the terrain. I stayed the next day trying to figure on another route and eventually decided to head along side highway 3 which runs south east from Hope to Manning park where i was put up by the local road salters. These guys where funny as hell- they filled me with vodka and gave me a bed. I was a little unsure about the guys that are supposed to keep the roads safe getting tanked up on a 40% bottle of Russia's finest but hey, they gave me vodka so i wasn't asking too many questions!
From there route 3 heads north into Princeton- a small town founded on gold, yet everything looks cheap and out of place. Nice people though.

I've since made it to Keremeos (i'm not trying to brag or anything but, about 46 miles in 2 days with a 27 kilo pack through a mountain range.........yea, that's right!) and so far, i've got blisters on the bottom of my feet which are killing me, my right knee is screwed as usual, my back is holding up ok though, but my shoulders are going to need some serious attention soon! My hope is to make it through to a place called Midway within the next 5 days- sticking close to highway 3 where i can rejoin the trans-canada trail. The weather is improving a hell of a lot!! This week is aparently going to average 15 degrees, which considering i've been waking up in a tent to -15 so far is a great impovement!

Also, although i'm very greatfull- can people please stop offering me lifts! sooner or later i'm going to cave in and say yes!! please remember that this is for charity so i can't cheat but, when you pull over and offer i am SOOOO damn tired that i'm liable to say something stupid like "yea sure-east coast please!". Thankyou all the same!!!

Set and ready to go!!

2009-03-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!

For those of you who don't know what i'm doing- I'm here in Vancouver, Canada, to walk from here to the east coast (approx. 3,500 miles as the crow flies). However, despite what you may or may not have heard, it's not because i'm mentally unstable, and has nothing to do with being dropped on my head as a small boy. It is, in fact, to raise money for a couple of charities- Cancer Research and the PSP Association (Progressive supranuclear palsy). I don't think Cancer Research needs any introduction, but chances are that most of you have never heard of PSP. The condition usually starts to affect people when the reach early 60's, and affects nerve cells that control walking, balance, vision, speach, and the ability to swallow to mention a few. My grandmother is currently suffering from PSP and, i suspect, that she may not be around by the time i get home from this trip. So, to make my being here to be worth while, your support is vital! If you can afford anything then please go to my secure sponsorship sites- www.justgiving.com/samthomas1 for cancer research and www.justgiving.com/samthomas2 for PSP. EVERYTHING you donate goes to the charity you give to, NOTHING of what you donate goes to paying for this trip, or anything else other than it's intended for. So please, take a couple of minutes out of your life and make a difference to thousands more.

Well, on a lighter note, i'm here in Vancouver and have been for a week now. I've almost got everything ready- just a few more things to buy and i'm set to leave this friday (march 13th). Obviously, the weather is crappy as of friday due to Sod's Law! The rain is due to come in friday night and stay right over my head for at least the first week.
For those who may have glanced at my other blog (which is no longer going to be updated), there have been a couple of changes to the route- nothing to drastic, just a case of staying a little further south for a couple of sections.
My last night of relative normality was yesterday........ only in a bar can you find 5 guys getting so much entertainment from stabbing beer mats with small pencils and making spinning tops- good times, but i guess you had to be there!

This blog will be updated, on average, once every 2 weeks with photos and general info on what's happening here. Please take the time to read up on my progress, you never know- you might enjoy it!!!