Paradise Valley (Squamish area, British Columbia)

I decided to have a ride today so I inflated the front tire and hit the road. Just ride around a little and then got to the gravel road that once got closed to it when I was goin' to landfill. It's called Paradise Valley. It was an easy ride at the beginning, wide road, quite. Then it got narrower and narrower and then sloped up. I got somewhere that it was so rocky and I had to climb up with my bike on shoulder. I went up and up and seemed there's no end. There were no one around but I saw a few SUVs parked so it proved that people come up here to enjoy the beautiful nature. That's the only vehicle could be driven here.
The interesting thing is I saw many properties on my way and the road was so scenic with the river at my left and the railroad at top right. I didn't have my camera on me but that was a good experience and will take it in the second ride.
Anyhow after minutes of climbing up, I faced slope down and there was a beautiful lake and few people around, some fishing. I talked with a local guy who indicated that he had been there for more than 25 years. He was fishing and he said that he didn't see as many as fish as he used to. He showed me the way and said that it would take about 15 minutes to come down the lake and then should be double that time goin' up to the highway specially because I have to carry my bike.
Then I continued on the bike and in a minute there was a two-way. I said Hi to a few big Canadian guys and asked them the way. The told me that I should have taken the road ahead because that's not too much of up hill but I preferred to take the road they were coming from because sounded closer to me.
I put the bicycle on my shoulder and started going up and up. After a few minutes that I reached up and there was a very beautiful scene. You could see all the valley covered with trees and snow caped mountains and I continued after that. I went and went with my bike on my shoulder all the time and I was scared that might not be able to make it on time and get lost in jungle. So I decided to go back all the way to the lake and take the same road. As soon as I turned back, I saw a motorcyclist coming up. I asked him, or better to say yelled at him to ask the way to the highway but he didn't hear me because of the bike's noise or pretended that he didn't. Then I decided to just take the same road he took and that finally got me to the highway. That was very beautiful as well and all through the jungle.
As soon as I hit the road and after probably not more than half a mile, I hit something and shit! I heard the air going out! I climbed down and start walking. I had no idea how far I am from Squamish and was going to walk the bike all the way home. I didn't try hitchhiking because I though people wouldn't take me. Everyone was goin' home after a day of fun in Whistler and were driving really fast in Highway 99. Beside why would they pick up a guy with dark hair? But I was wrong! In a moment I turned my neck back and an small two-door SUV with two passenger pulled over! As I said before these people, Canadians, they are mostly unbelievable people: Kind, friendly, helpful, etc. Don, who later told me is a high school teacher, with his French friend (from France not Quebec), picked me up! We first stayed in a Starbucks, joined a few other guys, their friends and they took me all the way home. So the nice ride in a nice sunny day, after two days of pouring didn`t end in disaster. Don showed his interest in travelling to Iran and climbing one of the mountains in north, the Alborz and I said I would take him. He has a plan for Christmas of `09 but who knows May be we go together.
Anyhow that was a good ride and as I said I would repeat it, well-equipped and then once will go all the way to Whistler.

(Photo: This amazing portrait is taken by the French guy, Pascal, right after they pushed me in the car and gave me the bike's frame!)

Superman or What?

I always thought that I'm a very strong man, both spiritually and physically. That's why I call me The Tough Guy. But believe it or not A. J. is the man whom should be honored with that title. I don't think I've ever seen someone like him:Patient, very patient actually, hard working, jack of all trades, handy man and what else does he need to be? Once he kept all us till 10:00 PM and that was a Sat. night. I can't keep up with him although he's much older than me, almost 13 years, I think. In the other hand he works like a horse to feed his big family and of course pose in the community. But I easily can tell that he's under constant mental pressure. I have seen two beautiful behaviour performed by him. He had a very nice fight with a cabinet maker who postponed his orders. He asked another trade, a blind maker to act as a customer while we get to the workshop from the back door. As soon as he got to the shop form front we, I, A. J., his young son and his former partner an stinky Punjabi showed up at the back door and knocked at the door. I didn't see what exactly happened with my own eyes because I stayed back. I didn't want any fight or trouble at the moment. But what they later said happened is he opened the door and got taken aback and told them he had a customer and A. J. called his trade's name. The man was trapped!
They got in but I didn't. I knew we can't enter some one's property without permission and then slided in. The cabinet maker asked A. J. to leave. A. J. was hoping mad and started yelling and gesturing. That was really funny specially because he uses that stupid line constantly: ... you know?
Anyhow A. J. said he wouldn't go anywhere until the RCMP arrives! I was about to burst in to laughter! Obviously the man was guilty, otherwise he would call the cops and they would be there shortly to kicked us all out or arrest us. But he didn't. The game was over after a half an hour negotiation and we left.
The other time we had a comedy, was just yesterday. We had our concrete guys for the crawl space and 3 remaining retaining walls and something wrong had been done by one stupid piece of crap Iranian electrician! We started to fix the problem ourselves and in the meantime our framer asked me to find him chamfer strips. I went to the woods and found two because I was sure that enough had been delivered and didn't want to go and buy more. When I got back to the wall, A. J., in his rain jacket and pants, which made him look ridiculous yelled: Where are you? I need your help! It was pouring all the night before and that time and although I didn't get mad, I yelled back: No! I need your help! I went to find these pieces for the framer. He pulled the electric hose, he was grasping and cursed the framer in Persian while he was about to fall in mud! He was about to cry! We comforted him and asked him to calm down.
So that's how he works everyday starting at about 7 and finishing late. Sometimes no lunch and most of the time doesn't see his kids.

(Photo: the sewer system of the houses, which is called Drain Tail, is being completed in this photo. The upper pipe is for the downpipes and the lower one for the surface water. The whole system was then inspected by the district inspector and he only said one thing: as there's no basement and the houses' elevation is higher than the road and ditch, there's no need for all this, not even Damp Proofing, the dark part seen in the wall! That's how a good manager works! The Mr. Superman!)

The Future is not Friendly

I talked to Alphose, my friend on the phone last Sun. He's doing OK in MA. but was complaining about the uncertainty of future specially because of the job insecurity. He said that in a seminar he had been told that employees should be watching stock markets and as soon as a shaking business move is seen, they should prepare themselves for a lay off and termination. He's conservative.
I have been fucking around all these years. Most of the money I used to make has been gone to grocery stores and restaurants and the rest to rent, monthly payments, movies, DVDs and all other stuff. I never seriously thought of future because I always thought that I would get my dream job and I'd be fine and that has never happened. Then I got the job which I thought gives me a good opportunity to pay off my debts and save a few thousand bucks but that didn't last and I lost almost everything. I have this job now, a very challenging and demanding one. The one that takes at least 10 hours a day from me but seems that I haven't learnt enough. As soon as I started it I planned for buying a Hammer! I contacted a dealer by e-mail and after a couple of phone calls I notified him that I would buy one in early 08, probably Feb. and that's a car which could be anything from 55 to 80 K depends on the model, H2 or H3!
I should be more concerned about buying a house or apartment so it could be a base or a source of income for me. If I'm successful in this job, I'll move out to another province in 3 to 5 years and that house or apartment could be should or rented out. It's better than spending so much money on a car and the insurance while at the same time I should resolve my solitude problem once and forever and get married in 2 years. So there are lots of things to do and I don't have much time for that. The things that I have never thought of seriously.

Stawamus Cheif

I climbed up a big rock in Squamish called Chief Stawamus. What a beauty! I didn't climbed it technically, obviously. I just hiked it. But that was challenging too, specially if you have an old pair of runners on. I went to Wal-Mart in the morning to buy an extra roll of film, and what a good idea, and the girl over there told me that I would be OK with them but I was not! I slipped a few times and tripped a few more but didn't get hurt. I went all the way to the third peak and Puff! that took a lot out of me because I haven't done much of exercise in last month and also have not had a hike in last 6 years! Basically the muscles you use in different sports are different and if you're a good runner, there's no guarantee that you're a climber or anything else as well.
Anyway that was a beautiful hike and I took a different way on my way back and paid a visit to Shannon Falls. When I was back to Squamish to see Jasmine, she was surprised that I made it to the third peak. I asked her what she would do next week and she said that she would have a hike to somewhere and would e-mail me to see if we can go together when I asked.
Then we had a stupid conversation over soccer which didn't turn good and also she said that she didn't like Spider-Man 3 when I asked if she liked to come with me to Vancouver to see that. So nothing went well with her but I don't give up. I'll go to see her this Tue. which is the first day she works. I also didn't expect her today when I dropped by to ask a question before my hike but she was there and she said she was so tired because she had partied all the night before. I don't think she has a bf but she enjoys her time. It's not easy to have her I think mostly because she's moody, I think. We'll see.

(Photo: First or probably the second pick of the big rock. It got three and i took it from the third while I was where I thought is the end and had about 15 to 20 min. to go! But not upward. I have to see Jasmine)

Papillon

I rented Papillon a few months ago and watched the uncensored version after may be more than 23 years! I don't know. I remember that I caught it with a cousin of mine whom I used to hang out with until the university years and then I bought the book and read it several times.
I never knew that I feel I'm a character in Papillon's true story, one day, If not Dega, then the Papillon. He, I believe, fought all his life long for what he wanted: Freedom. And I guess he gained it after years of struggle. He settled down, had a family and even the movie maker interviewed and consulted him.
But the difference between me and him is I probably don't know what the fuck I want in my life yet! What I wanted a few years ago was immigration, fought for it and gained it. Then the real struggle started right after that: Getting a good career, what I really deserve. And that never fucking happened, not even now after more than 5 years. I'm getting older and older and seems not much time is left. Haven't got married although had many opportunities. I just refused them all. Or got refused by some.!Every each of them in a way. And still don't know what's gonna happen a month from now. If I'm lucky enough, I'll keep this job for a 3 to 5 years period and then go to another province. Going back to school is another option. I was just thinking of journalism. That should be really interesting especially because that helps with my English. That would be awesome, if I could get a job in a newspaper. But I still have that CF opportunity in hands.
In a nutshell I don't know what the hell I'm gonna do! But I do know that marriage, a good marriage solves part of the problem, if not all. But that just rose a problem itself: How do I make a good marriage happen?! Anybody knows?

(Photo: Papillon [Steve McQueen] shakes hand with Dega [Dustin Hoffman] in a scene of movie Papillon)

No TV!

I couldn't get the TV going when I tried it the other day. All I need is CBC and a local channel or two, for example, CTV or CityTV but it didn't work as I said. So I can't watch The National and Hockey Night in Canada while the Stanley Cup Finals just started yesterday.
Vancouver is one of the 16 teams of the playoff this year and that's all because of their goalie but I'm not following them. I'm still an Albertan! Edmonton, one of the two teams that did the playoff last year is not among the 16 teams! Neither the champion, Colorado! But Calgary made it as the last team of the west, the eighth! Even lower than Minnesota which usually loses to the Flames.
Today they played the first game of the first round against Detroit and lost 1-4. I couldn't watch it. I was not able even if I was still in Calgary unless I would go to a bar. May be I should get a cable. It sucks!

(Photo: This image shows Phaneuf, the tough guy of Calgary, is being taken by referee to prevent him form fighting with the old goaltender of the Red Wings, Hasek in today's game)

Souvlaki

It has been a long time that I haven't posted anything. It's mostly because I'm very busy and when I finish the work there's only time for ... well ... nothing! Second of all this new computer, the laptop, prevents me form typing too much.
But I decided to write something out of too many thing that I've faced so far in this part of Canada. Today A. J. came over and I was stripping out and he asked me to get a blower as he wanted to clean one of the sun decks. Today was aloso the concrete day for Zenith Road project. So I also rented a vibrator and returned home. We cleaned the roofs and the sun deck a little bit and then he said: Let's go and see what those guys are doing. We had a lunch today and when we reached there the concrete machine, the mixer and the pump was already there.
I really don't know what would happen if we weren't there. I only know that everything had been screwed up. We were a big help to the former-framer guy. He only had two person and that crew was not obviously enough for the job. I had to do the vibrator for two or more wall and that was really hard. You have to really fast and follow the one who pours. Otherwise you get a stone and there's nothing that you can do. The wall will be spongy!
Anyhow Mike, the former-framer guy was behind the schedule and he and his guy had to do few measurement and cutting while we were doing the walls! I suddenly found out that we had ran out of anchors while we were almost done! I ran to Rona, The Home Depot, an indipendent distributor and even Canadian Tire but couldn't find it. The last mixer were gone when I got there and Mike and A. J. were arguing.
We got to downtown and A. J. took me to a Greek restaurant. I didn't expect something good in a small town like Squamish but the food was really good. We both had lamb Souvlaki which is almos same as our Persian Kabab but the sides are different. It's served with Greek Salad, rice, grilled potato and a kind of dip which is similar to Persian yogurt-cucamber dip but the taste is different. There were also small fresh baked breads. A. J. had a little shot of Whiesky but I prefered not to drink. Then we finished off with tasty desert, Baghlava and one kind of pastry which was really good but I don't recall the name.
I'm writing while A. J. is asleep downstairs! I had a shower and when I got out I saw him lying down on the floor, covered with a blanket, using his overcoat as a pillow. I should go to sleep too. Will write all about the interesting things I face here, later.