A slight edit to the post from yesterday

The card explains it all. What do you guys think now?

From can collecting to moving companies, I am making dough and achieving goals.

It has been quite awhile since i’ve been able to check out and leave feedback on all the regular posts. I’m sorry!I figure now that I have a moment, I can do a summary post on all that is going on in my life, specifically the events that have kept me from accessing a computer, and posting.

Like i’ve mentioned a few times, I am on a mission. A mission to hussle hard, and make money for my wacky cycling trip to Newfoundland this summer. The mission consists of 3 objectives which are to be completed before mid June, all of the funding for these objectives will be from many sources, but not my full time job I start on May 1.                          

• - #1. Accumlate $600 for new bike parts (complete April5th)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  – #2. Accumulate $800 for Nikon  D5100 and accessories                                                                                                                                                                                                                 - #3. Accumulate $350-$500 for spending spending money on tour (plus some supplies)

I was at $300 after selling old parts in March, plus $100 for my xbox I sold a month ago. At this point, I was trying to figure out how to get the extra $200.

It only made sense to do my part in collecting cans on st.patricks day, where 100,000′s of beer consumers litter the streets with there cans and bottles which you can bring into some grocery stores and recieve a refund of 5 to 20 cents per can.

I am a pretty motivated person to say the least, and that Sunday was no exception. I had left my friends at 9 30am, with a bag full of bags, and started to collect into Monday morning. I was totally surprised at how generous, friendly, and understanding people were all day. This could have been because of the abnormally nice weather, but either way, it meant less garbage cans I had to rummage through.

I met all sorts of people, got super drunk with all the beer and whiskey that was given to me, and was quickly submerged into this canning culture. All the other collectors were super friendly, and we shared many laughs and stories. To say the least, I was homeless for the day, and I had a blast. I made $95 but was so sore and hungover late Monday, I could hardly walk. (will upload some pictures shortly)— Even months after the event, i continue to collect. It has become a habit!

 

Some of my friends suggested that I should have left the collecting to the homeless, and/or the ”canners” as I quickly learned on the hunt- and that it was unethical. I see where there coming from, but I believe that statement to be contradictory. I am helping to clean the environment and to be honest, st.patricks day provides more than enough cans for all those willing to break there back picking yhem up for 10 hours.

The other $100 was obtained from collecting more cans and bottles the following weeks(left behind in our apartment building) and I just sent the order out for the parts. I will post a pic of my new bike when I get it built next week.

Now, the next objective is to gather about  $800. I have 0$ right now. The $800 is for a Nikon d5100, and external mic (at 50%), and an SD card. So since this was such a significant amount I figured i needed a stronger source of income besides can collecting. I found a moving company, run by a young guy here in Montreal. Interestingly, the company is powered by bicylces.

 Of course, people move the bicycles and I thought I would be a great candiadate. I have done 4 jobs so far, and the next is on Saturday. Yes, i’ll say it again, we move stuff with bikes and trailers. The trailers have a cap. at 600lb and we can move a load like that up hills, down hills, and all over the island.

After loading up the trailers at the first location, we then bike our loads to the new location (usally a new apartment or house), unstrap everthing, and load it into the new place.

 I have moved loads of 500lb, usually consisting of fridges, stoves, washer and dryer, matresses, and heavy shelving units. Let me tell you, I never thought I’d work so hard in my life.. just thinking about it makes me sore.. It is fun though, and also allows me to train effectivley for long distance loaded bike tours. Oh, and you can sometimes keep the stuff people want to throw away. Like this great BBQ that was being thrown out today.

The companies website is www.myette.ca

If you want moving done on the island of Montreal, please give Julien a call and let him know Mac sent you!

That being said, I have done about $300 worth of work for the company. A painting I am working on for a friend will be sold for $250, selling old school books for about $100 and a TV at $50, and of course more cans at around $50. This will bring the funds up to about $800. And there you go, objective #2 almost complete

Sorry for the ramble, I am just getting excited!

 

So my dream bicycle tour is starting to become a reality

So as you may or may not know, I have been riding a single speed 70′s steel frame touring bike around Montreal for the past couple of years. The frame is an original that my dad bought from a guy he met in Hawaii in the 80′s. I had put a lot of time and effort into the bike over the years and it has gone under many changes.

It is obvious for any cyclist that my bike would not be well suited for a 2000km loaded bike tour mostly due to the fact it has 1 speed.

This meant out with the old and in with the new, sort of. These parts don’t belong to me anymore

http://imgur.com/a/YcHP0#0

On March, 1 I put these parts up on http://www.craigslist.com, but lost some hope when I hadn’t gotten any bites for 4 days.On the 6th day though, a nice lady contacted me and made a reasonable offer. I delivered them to her place this afternoon and officially in her hands now.

Although I miss my sexy rear gold rim already,  I can deal without it, and look toward building up a touring rig now.

As my good friend/cyclist Phil would say, “you can’t get emotionally attached to your parts!”

I just found an Ultegra crank set and 9 speed rear derailleur that looks decent on http://www.pinkbike.com for 150$, I might go for them.

Anyways, I would have a hard time getting from Montreal to here with the whole one speed setup!

Photo by Natalie Lucier: http://www.flickr.com/photos/natalielucier/

Check out the link below for more information on this exotic and underrated location in Newfoundland, Canada

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gros_Morne_National_Park

This is an important day for me as was Feb 9, 2012 when I bought my used Burly Nomad Trailer. I have to keep going at this pace if I want to make it out to Newfoundland efficiently and make a superb documentary at the same time.

Please follow me on the journey!

The Secret Spot

This is the North/South GO train (Passenger service) that runs from Toronto, ON all the way up to Barrie, ON. If I can remember correctly- there are about 3 trains going each way before 9am and after 5pm.

I have yet to ride on the GO train yet. But first, while i’m out here in Montreal I need to get on the AMT train which is their equivalent on the island.

Of course, I will document the whole thing so you guys can see what a child I am when it comes to trains.

Anyways, this is what I refer to as my “spot”. Although, there are many kids who used to and still probably hang out there now.I used to see the trains come screaming up from the city while I sat under the bridge with my friends usually drinking Lakeport beer.
As long as you didn’t make much noise, the neighbors would never you under there.

This picture was taken last summer when I went back to visit friends who still live in the area.

Because it is a secluded rail bridge you can bet there was ton of artwork on the walls. The artwork, which changed, almost every three days, inspired me and brought me further into this scene, as early as 14 years old (2004-2005). I started drawing in books and eventually putting it on these walls.

My friends used to smoke pot and watch me paint under the bridge. They thought it was absolutely “awesome”. Of course they did, they were absolutely “stoned”.  After I turned 18 I realized painting under bridges was not worth it, but still had passion for this underground scene, and started to document artwork made on trains or by the tracks even up until today.

The trees on our old spot have really grown in and but the quality of artwork has dropped below zero. The York Regional Police decided to do a raid on this bridge trying to limit the amount of punks and gangs hanging out under here in 2005 I think. Probably due to the noise complaints from the neighbors. It is still a nice place to hang out and clear your mind. If you time your visit right, the GO train will come flying through and it’s horns will absolutely blow your ears out! The horns get extremely amplified off the concrete, and will always have this memory with me. I have been scared shit-less many times and it never gets old.

This is the only picture of the actual GO train I can find that I took. I am not to happy about it but OK.

Can you see how my passions for beer cap collecting, beer, travel, trains and art have been integrated all along? I’d like to say this bridge really shaped who I am. I went to school close to this bridge for about 11 years, and still visit the area today.. 16 years… wow I am getting old.

Below: Another spot I have, but a bit far from home to call it a regular one. I come here to take pictures of oil tags on the rail cars. Sometimes there are a few nice graffiti pieces on them as well. I will have to share those with you when I can find them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camping in White River, ON.. of course by the tracks.

And like i said I am a kid when it comes to trains…

Oh, here are some pics from the Pacific Coast of Mexico

Yeah, we don’t really travel like tourists.. well except for the pictures.