“After nourishment, shelter, and Companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world”
— Philip Pullman
Day 1 - Granada to Benalua: Bikepacking the South of Spain
Destination: Benalua Distance: 97km, elevation gain: 2080meters, surface: 62% unpaved
We woke having to already adjust our intentions for the day. Our first day in the saddle was big, and we were unsure how long it would take to reach our next hotel. Plus we ran out of time the previous night to test ride the bikes and gear for any unseen airline damage. What we intended was an early start, giving us the most possible daylight hours for riding. But what we did was fall asleep having wrongly assumed the combination of jet lag and nervous anticipation would guarantee a restless night and inevitable early morning, so we chose not to set an alarm. That was unfortunate.
Travel Day: Bikepacking the South of Spain 2024
For seven days we would be traveling only by bike through the deserts in the south of Spain, hauling our gear more than 600km and 1.5X the elevation of Mount Everest, mostly on unpaved surfaces. Neither of us speak the language, or had done anything quite like this before. For some reason Jocelyne thought this was a great idea.
Antarctica Part 5: Let's seal this deal
Back on the National Geographic Explorer, the staff organized an iceberg pareidolia contest. Rules were simple:, take a photo of an iceberg you think looks like something, then submit it to the staff with a creative title of your choosing. The contest allowed for two categories, one permitting photo manipulation with words or simple drawings, the second must be a stand alone shot. I entered the first category, Will entered the second….
Antarctica Part 4: A Whale of a Tale
Meet PAN-1772, a well traveled whale that has been sighted off the coast of three continents since 2007 - Colombia, Panama, and now by us in Antarctica. We know this thanks to a very cool citizen science website: happywhale.com. As it turns out, a whale’s tail or fluke acts as a unique identifier just like our finger prints. Get a good photo of the fluke…
Antarctica Part 2: Many, Many Penguins
The ship finally stopped moving both vertically and horizontally, and all human life was starting to emerge from their cabin bathroom floors. We were briefed on our inaugural landing at Barrientos, which is populated by two species of penguins. The excitement aboard was palpable.
Antarctica Part 1: Ottawa to the Drake Passage
As Michael informed us, we were’t about to get off easy. They were predicting impressive six meter swells (which he explained none to reassuringly is actually about medium range for the Drake). It was going to be a rough crossing.
Physio In Your Pocket: Medial elbow pain with kettlebells
Today on Physio In Your Pocket, my Guest, Coach Dave Anderka, explains some late stage rehab/ return to sport exercises for anyone recovering from a medial elbow injury with kettlebells.
