Push for the Cure

This weekend is 2009 Push for the Cure, and Wolf is keen. This isn't the first time he's participated in Fundraising and awareness raising, but it is his first time with the Push for the Cure. He's done runs with school, and then on his own, when he was about 12, he shaved all his long hair off, donated the money he raised to the Children's Foundation at Children's Hospital, and he also donated his hair to a wig organzation that makes wigs for kids who are undergoing chemotherapy.

So tomorrow morning, bright and early, we'll be loading the van and driving to Hope, where he will meet up with the other riders who are in for the long haul: 150 km, or 97 miles; whatever way you look at it, it is long. What began a few years back with a small group of energetic riders who pushed from east coast to west, and others who pushed from West to East, has become an annual event, where the final leg of the journey, Hope to Vancouver, is the focal local push.

At 15 years old, yes, still fifteen for a few more months, I will leave him in Hope, and collect him in Vancouver. I have come to trust and really like the group of riders and racers he here at the Coast. All the best to all of them!

Longboarding and Volcano Sliding... oh my!

We all want what’s best for our kids—that goes without saying. But for those of us who are speed and pain adverse, it is a little more difficult to wrap our heads around. Today, I am happy that my son has ‘only’ taken up longboarding. If we lived in Nicaragua, it could well be another story. You see there, parents of extreme seeking athletic type kids would be seeing their kids off for a day of fun ‘bombing’ the local volcano! The local active volcano. I am not kidding. These riders go down the 40% incline sooty ash of active craters at speeds of 50 miles an hour! There’s till lava in Cerro Negro, though it hasn’t blown in ten years, it could. So, all you worried parents out there... count your blessings, unless you have a sooty cone begging to be ridden, your speedy off-spring will have to settle for asphalt and pavement.

King of the Forest results.

Thought I'd throw in the link to the final results to King of the forest. I've already mentioned that Prince of the Forest... fella under 16, is none other than my son, Wolfgang Forest!! no kidding, that's his name and so his title is well suited.


KOTF. resultes click here:

Images are on the same site! That site being Unkle.ca... for great local event coverage!

Salt Spring Slope and Steez

Wolf's last event: Sept. 27, Salt Spring Slope and Steez.

Okay, the suit is great, and my son... well, still looks like a super hero,

or a race car, depending on which photo...



The event was great, so I am told. I stayed on the mainland, but Wolf and the riders had great weather, and from the full set of photos available on Unkle.ca. you can all see the rest of the event!

Sometimes I rant

Guilty. Yes, at times I am irrational, impulsive, and possibly even foolish. But that isn't necessarily bad. It seems I am not alone. I have been guest blogger these past few weeks at Rantingparent.com. I know that this has nothing to do with longboarding, but it has a lot to do with teens, parenting and a solid sense of humour... that is if you don't mind satire.

So, if you have like humour... as in you can laugh at yourself, and not just at others, then perhaps you would like or at least appreciate my postings at: Late-onset post-partum depression. They read in order of part 1 and then part 2...

Prince of the Forest!!!

Yesterday as Wolf left with his brother, Akask, to the King of the Forest 20 km endurance race, he picked up his novelty cheque for last year's finish as Grom of the Forest 2008. He would then hand it off to his successor, the Prince of the Forest 2009. This was also Akask's first event that he participated in as a racer. We wished them well and off they went.

At 10pm last night, they walked in. They looked beat. Happy, but beat. "Do is it okay if I put a couple of screws into the wall in my bedroom," Wolfgang asked.

"What?" I asked.

He held up his trophy board: This year's Prince is none other than our Wolfgang Forest, the Prince of the Forest, an aptly named child.

"Congratulations, son," his dad said. "We'll find a way to mount your board on the wall... but not with a couple of screws."

Wolf had finished 14th overall in over 80 riders, and was the top Grom (junior for those new to the lingo); and Akask was in around the top 20. "I wasn't prepared for that." He huffed, and smiled.

Well done boys. I said to them then and now to them here. Their next event is a three day push from Hope to Vancouver for the annual Push for the Cure, fundraiser for breast cancer, the long weekend in October.

Photos to follow!

Happiness is a new pair of Leathers

It seems it wasn't that long ago when Wolf bought his first set of leathers. They were used, but still had some life left in them. I have to say that they have saved his hide, quite literally, more than once. But their practicality was rapidly coming to a close this summer. A few skids into the hay left little for duct-tape to hold together. It was time for Wolf to upgrade.


Custom leathers. NJKs sized just for him. Not only that, they have his name emblazoned on the back with a rather cool paw print... yes, a wolf print. He looks like a super hero in his Red and black suit. Not quite a Power Ranger... cooler... hipper, faster.

This past summer we encountered a wolf... the small 'w', big teeth kind of wolf. It was also very cool, very fast, but very quiet. It was an interesting camping mate to say the least. Here are a compare and contrast of wolf/Wolf tracks.



Now, back in the city, the only Wolf tracks around here are the kind that my son leaves with his wheels on the road. Upcoming races include: King of the Forest at the Seymour Demonstration Forest, and then there is the fundraising event: Push for the Cure. More about them to come.