lounging

This has been an slow, easy weekend with small things to do about the apartment like cleaning and laundry. The latter is something I'm doing right now. I am also getting things together to sell a stamp collection. Part of it is packed away in one of the many boxes I have stacked along one wall in the livingroom but I'll find it. I've found other things though that I've been looking for some time, such as the block for kitchen knives, which I found in a box with drapes that had been packed away from a move years ago. How it got there would be anyone's guess since I've used the block when I already out here. Such is life!

Speaking of taking it easy, I thought you might all appreciate these photos and its just how I sleep, too: on my back and in the nude! Anyway, I digress. After the laundry is done I'm off to Vancouver for the afternoon to check out English Bay Beach plus do some grocery shopping (has to be done too!). Enjoy the sights and sounds around you and, most of all, have a great Sunday!!! - V.

Swedish model - Calle Eriksson

Calle Eriksson is a 27 year old Swedish model currently living in New York City, U.S.A. He's 6 ft 2 inches tall, weighs 186 pounds, has medium length brown hair, blue eyes and as you can see, tanned skin. This model is nicely muscled and very easy to look at! You can learn more about him by going to Model Mayhem [ http://www.modelmayhem.com/902673/ ]. Check him out! Meantime, enjoy these motivating pics!!! My favourites are the first two but they're all great but you be the judge of that! - V.

hot Bernardo and Renato

I found this photo on the net recently. You may remember Renato Ferreira from a previous post but here he is with Bernardo Velasco for you to compare! - V.

sexy abs

While on the theme of hot, sexy abs, here is photo using light to show off that rack of muscles. Love the muscles and the work that goes into getting them and keeping them as well!!! - V.

hot abs

I love the look of hot, tight abs, don't you? So, here's another pic to motivate and inspire you to improve that physique of yours, if you haven't started as yet! Have a great day!!! - V.

Philip Fusco - another hot pic

Philip Fusco is one of my favourite models. He's also a friend on Facebook! Well, I found this photos recently and love the dark background, not to mention how the light shows off his well-developed muscles to great advantage. What else can I say?!?! Enjoy! - V.

Hollyburn Peak - part I

Well, the weather was overcast on Saturday, so I put off hiking up to the summit of Hollyburn Mountain until Sunday which turned out to be an excellent idea. The weather was bright, warm and sunny, just perfect for a hike. I started up from the trailhead on Millstream Road at 2 pm and finally made it to the top nearing 7 pm. It was quite the hike and I have 413 photos to show for the effort. These are just a few taken at the peak with a grand view of the Coast Mountains, Georgia Strait and Vancouver Island. There's no better place to take in the view than this bench just made for the purpose.

And even at 1325 meters, it didn't take long to have the local chipmunk (Least Chipmunk I believe) to show up and check me out for handouts. I'll have more photos later once I've edited the best ones of those I did take. I am currently using the last photo as my wallpaper on my laptop. Meantime, enjoy these pics!!! - V.

hot dude

I found a photo of this really hot guy recently. Love the pecs and abs. We'll just have to use our imagination about what's under the clothing. Check out gussip.com for more. - V.

pineapples

I bought a whole pineapple (Ananas comosus) back in May, kept the crown, trimmed it, let the base dry over night before setting the crown in a glass of water. The pineapple crown quickly grew a healthy root system and now has a well established crown of new leaves.

Here are some photos of the cutting that I prepared. Around the base of the leaves are the buds that would become the new roots, I'll post photos of the crown once I have it potted up. There have been two previous attempts to get a pineapple plant to flower but I do hope to succeed this time round as the conditions are much better for a successful conclusion. More to come!

Sunday, I am off for the hike up Hollyburn Mountain as the weather will be much better. I spent the afternoon shopping and then doing the laundry, so all that is behind me. Expect some great pics from the top of the mountain! - V.

mountain hiking

I had hoped to be out hiking up Hollyburn Mountain to its summit at 1325 meters but its overcast today, so that will have to wait until tomorrow. That being the case, I'll get my smartcard recharged, so I can get some laundry done later this afternoon or this evening, and then get some groceries. The fridge is a bit baren right now! Meantime, have a great weekend and I'll have more to post after my hike!!! - V.

Vancouver Pride - August 2, 2009

Vancouver's pride parade was on Sunday starting at 12 noon (August 2nd), and despite the fact that I was still recovering from the hike up Hollyburn Mountain the previous day, I was able to make it in to the city to see most of the parade. I missed the first hour but I was able to take a few photos of the event for those that were not able to see it first-hand. I'll let the pics speak for themselves. Enjoy!!! - V.

Hollyburn Mountain trails

Saturday afternoon (August 1st) I decided to tackle a few trails on Hollyburn Mountain, this after a couple of years delay due to health reasons. The weather was hot, very hot, and in after thought would have been better tackled in September when temperatures would be a little cooler but I'm glad I did the hike. I took quite a number of photos and what you see here is just a selection, starting with the photo above showing Eyremount Drive in West Vancouver. Burnaby Mountain is far off in the distance. The photo below gives us a view of the Lions Gate Bridge far below the British Properties subdivision.

The trail I finally began on was the Millstream Trail. This is the bottom of Millstream Road above with the start of the trail behind me. Below is a map of some of the trails in the region at the start of the Millstream Trail.

From the Millstream Trail I continued on up the mountain using the Baden Powell Trail, pictured above. There was a clearing just below the Skyline Trail (see below). This photo looks east. Soon after taking photos at just below the Skyline Trail, I quickly took off my t-shirt. It was far too hot otherwise. Wearing shorts would have been better but I was stuck with the jeans I was wearing along with the backpack with other things I needed such as my camera equipment, water and other supplies. I quickly ran out of water, so I'll have to bring along more of it next time plus a light snack for energy. The small chocolate bar I brought along was starting to melt, so it had to be consumed quickly before becoming a sticky mess!

Trail markers are found often, so there is no need of getting lost. The Baden Powell Trail continues up the mountain as shown below.

The Baden Powell Trail follows along the east side of Lawson Creek as you assend the mountain (see the photo of Lawson Creek above).

There is a little unnamed lake (I would call it a pond!) before you arrive at the Blue Gentian Lake Trail (see above). The water is filled with waterlilies, as you see below.

Blue Gentian Lake at just about the 800 meter level is larger but still looks like a pond to me. Its certainly a peaceful place to have a picnic before descending down the mountain using the Brothers Creek Trail as an example.

Just follow the trail markers and its all quite easy. The climb up and the descent down gives the heart a good workout, too!

Here are some photos of Brothers Creek. I love the power of the water so much that I plan to come again later in the year such as the autumn and winter. The spring run-off must be something to watch as well.

A few waterfalls can be seen, and if not, you certainly can hear them! A section of the creek is shown below looking upstream. There is all sorts of plantlife to be found, such as the tree fungi in the last photo. The return to Millstream Road I used the Crossover Trail from Brothers Creek Trail to join up with the Baden Powell Trail where I descended down the mountain to where I had started at Millstream Road at an altitude of 366 meters approximately. After the hike up and down, I walked back to the bus stop to wait for my ride back to Park Royal Mall in West Vancouver. I hope you've enjoyed this little journey on Hollyburn Mountain and perhaps, if you live locally, you might consider seeing the trails first-hand. - V.