Not that I really enjoy basking in the mud, but being I’m always up for a challenge and am open to trying out new adventures, I signed up for a team building adventure race known today as the Mud Run Ride (formerly the Mud n’Bud, and before that Muddy Buddy Canada). The new owners, Double Deuce Events are a fun group of guys that do all sorts of events. And let me tell you, this was crazy FUN.
When I arrived at Inter River Park in North Vancouver early on Saturday morning, still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes I received a text message from my teammate, Shawn saying she’d be there at 9:20 a.m. The race was due to start at 10 a.m. and we were using Shawn’s bike. Since I had never done the race before I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. All I knew was we shared a bike. One of us runs while the other bikes, you switch a couple times and there’s some mystery challenges in between. Oh, and you have to wear the bike helmet at all times while on the bike. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
This is now the fourth week of my Vancouver then and now photo series thanks to the resources available at the City of Vancouver Archives. To celebrate what’s left of summer in the city alongside the launch of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, the theme this week is beaches.
For the past 11 years, on the first Tuesday of every month, something really neat has been taking place at the Vancouver Rowing Club in Stanley Park. Just Singin’ Round is a monthly singer/songwriter showcase put on by the Synergy Foundation. They have professionals, amateurs, first-timers, and family bands who call come together and the best part is that each month, a local non-profit is supported.
Yesterday every cause they have supported this year benefited from the fundraising and I was a guest of the Developmental Disabilities Association (who was the cause of choice in June). For just $25 you can come to the Rowing Club, have a nice meal (including salad, dinner, dessert) and be entertained by the showcase.
You can find information about purchasing tickets or reserving a table for next month’s performance online, and they have been known to sell out very quickly.
For the second time this year, I am organizing a Twestival event in Vancouver.
Twestival is a global fundraising event that is organized through Twitter, using the service to gather volunteers, get community input, invite participants, and publicize the event. Twestival will be like a meetup, where you can show up, have some food, win some prizes, and enjoy some entertainment. 100% of ticket sales go directly to the cause of choice.
Grab your camera, tell people where you’re going, and ask them to join you. That’s pretty much the concept behind a photowalk. Over the last few years I’ve met up with some incredible photographers (professional and amateur) who carry anything from $5,000+ cameras/lenses to Polaroids, pocket cameras, and camera phones. If you enjoy taking photos it’s well worth it to be on the lookout for photowalks in Vancouver.
John Biehler on Flickr
Photowalks usually start out at a specific location and the group will then wander around a loose course to take photos until they arrive at their destination or loop back to the starting point.
John Biehler, PhotoCamp organizer and veteran photowalker who recently participated in the Worldwide Photowalk event in Vancouver says there’s much more to it than taking photos. “I like photowalks because it gives photoraphers a chance to experiment, share their gear and techniques as well as meet new people.”
Some photowalks may only be with your and your friends, while others can gather a large crowd of people, walking around and taking photos of whatever they come across. “The best part though is seeing the end results afterward,” Biehler told me. “Twenty people shooting the same alley always results in a huge variety of awesome pics.”
As there is no central location to find out about a photowalk in town just yet, your best bet it to be on the lookout on Twitter and Facebook. Flickr is also a great resource as there are already several established photowalking groups for the Vancouver area, such as Vandigicam.
For the second time this year, I am organizing a 
