Map of World - Click a place Brad's been

August 2012, Rafting and Golfing my way back to work

August (with a little footage from July) was all about rafting.  Oh and I guess starting work as an Engineer again for another 4 month contract helping fund my life and search for eternal summer.

For those who don't know I woke up one morning in 2005 realizing that I really didn't want to ride my motorbike in 5 deg C that day and it hit me that I only had 40 or 50 summers to go.  Forget that noise!  I decided to make it 80 to 100 summers instead by going North and South like the birds.  Since 2005 that has been the plan working back and forth between the two Hemispheres which began in Jan 2006 in Aussie.

I guess this dream of eternal summer created the life of brad and the search for my perfect place to spend most of my days.  Don't get me wrong I love coming back to Calgary for the summer and a little rafting down the Bow river and Elbow river are high on the list.

Here's some video and photos of my time on the Bow and Elbow rivers this summer with Tommy A and other people.  Thanks Tommy for always pushing us to go and for providing the raft, jackets and all the equipment.  You are a true Legend of Rafting!

Let's start with the Bow a bit bigger and faster moving, but of course this is not white water by any means.

Mike and Tom getting organized


Patrol boats to shutdown any fun.


$25 million Peace Bridge, WTF!!!











Tommy figure it was a good idea to take off his life jacket
and jump in the water for a swim. This is totally legal, but
it's kind of like slamming on your brakes when a cop is
following you.  It motivates them to find something
Sure Legal, but not recommended.
NO ticket was issued.




















Another day or two over at the smaller, very swallow Elbow river for a couple floats on a couple Saturdays later in the month.  Being more tranquil this river fills up with rafters on the hot days.

Let's go!  (Is it just me or does the house on the left look
like a set of drawers?)


Why are we up here when the river
is down there?

Um, I'll take the easy way



















Brad standing in the river waiting for Tommy and Gord to repel down a steep hill avoiding driving to the easy access side.  Uff!

Crazy steep access on this side


Well, worth it.

Relax

Possible pending goose attack

Leading the charge
The easier side to get in.
A busy day
Passing the grassy beach at Stanley Park

Past Stanley Park


Work? All play and no work just wouldn't be possible would it?  

Yes it was time for Brad to get back to work at TSE as an engineering contractor in the pipeline group under the master of laying pipe, Art H.  And yes once again I was just in time for the Company Golf tournament. Lucky or what?

Matt having at it

Probably should bend a bit more...really

I want to be like Nick

Why Johnny E forces me to drink
when I see him I have no idea.

2 shotguns in a row will not help
your golf game

Nick, Cara, Matt and 

Nice awards ceremony to a rowdy crowd.  May be if I buy
a bigger driver I'll win the longer drive.  If I keep it on the
fairway!

Nice finish to the day


July 2012 - Stampede, Slash, Joe Rogan Stand Up

In the month of July it was Stampede business as usual in Calgary with a Joe Rogan comedy show and a Slash concert near the end of the month.

Calgary Stampede.  The annual 10 day Rodeo competition that brings in over a million people through the gates and is probably the best time of year to visit Calgary.  Some of the locals may be sick of the festival and big bar set ups around town, but I always find a couple good days to enjoy the scene.  This year was the  100th year of the event which really put it all in prospective.  I even learned about the "Big Four" which were the men who started the event, Patrick BurnsGeorge LaneA. E. Cross and Archie McLean.  This was a good year with the usual fun, but still nothing has beat Stampede 2009 for me.  http://thelifeofbrad.blogspot.ca/2009/08/july-2009-calgary-stampede.html

Let's begin at Cowboys on the First Friday...that's what everyone else does.

No sound in the video which I think helps me come off a little smarter than usual, haha.  Cowboys as Billy Dog and I go up the stairs and in to the VIP area.

How did that get in?

That's a lot O Beer!

That's a lot O Shots!

Girls impatient for their bathroom decide to take over ours.  That's Stampede for ya.

Yep, Stampede has Beer Tub Girls


More consuming and bar action..

Roof top stampede party with Chad

Country Cover band of course

Bathroom attendant at Roadhouse
 capitalizing for the past 10 years



















Midweek I crashed The Three Streams party prior to going back to work with them in August as an Engineer.  Thanks to my inside connection Pedro...Que pasa?


Pedro

Nice stache!

  
After being one during stampede 2000 I have the right to
tell you this guy is referred to as a "Tub Tart Tool"
who is the lackey getting the girls beer

Can she get her tongue to the
bottom to light the glass?...ah no

what a beauty

Probably my favourite.  Just a really nice girl to chat with.

And then there was the Wild Horse which is only a bar during stampede where your cowboy soul goes to die.  Have enough drinks and you can have a good time, but really it is terrible to see all these out of town bartenders and tubbers taking advantage at every chance!

This sign says it all.  I refused to buy from this girl.

CK was upset too

Even worse this girl short changed
us.  I told her and she corrected it.
When we walked away I told guys
in line and they said she had been
doing it all day!

Joined by the infamous Algernon

CK, Alge, BC

Fake tattoo artists, yes.  

Alright, I'll have another

I love this! As I was strolling by I felt I should ride this
photographer's coat tails and steal his composition

It's still fun at Wild Horse I guess

Oh, let's not forget the Stampede Grounds which is the main festival area (and I don't believe I have shown this before on the blog so take a look).

First on top of Scotchman's Hill with Tom A. watching the Chuck Wagon races.

Good view of the Hockey arena
"Saddledome"


At the grounds with Mr. CK.  It's not all about the beer drinking and two stepping...

Quick video of "Drop of Doom"

Reminds me of "Nam" or the time
we toured the Predator set in Mexico


Climbing the spinning ladder, impossible!

spot of rain thinned the crowds


Shooting the three plastic cans.  I think you need to change guns.


But let's be honest it is a lot about the beer drinking and the two stepping eventually as CK and I found ourselves at Nashville North in the heart of the Stampede Grounds.  Recommend!

Big line, that goes fast.  Unlike the other bars in town
cover charge is included in park entrance

Looks pretty dangerous

Drinking team for the night
Cool girls from Ontario


















Sweet Two Stepping!

Awesome young two steppers


A taste of Nashville North


Don't forget the firworks!  Check out my link on Youtube to see a 10 minute firework display I recorded one of the 10 nights of Stampede.  They ran 3 displays of fireworks in 3 corners of the city so everyone could see it from anywhere in Calgary.  http://youtu.be/6HOb64FGJxA

Love this shot location which I found while working on
a film called "Scar".  Tell me if you find this movie!

After the dust settled from Stampede the month slowed quite a bit as you would expect.  However, using the power of Kijiji.ca (like ebay or trademe) I found myself getting cheap last minute tickets to a couple of cool shows that I would likely not pay full price for.

UFC was in town in July which meant that Joe Rogan the famous announcer for the Mixed Martial Arts venue had also booked himself to do a little Stand Up Comedy at the Jack Singer the night before.  A funny guy for sure who is well known on Youtube for going after hecklers which was no exception at his Calgary show.  This video someone I know captured ;-) has over 9000 hits on youtube to date.  Check it out.

Joe Rogan Ejects Hecklers (about 10 at once) Calgary 2012
Rogan and the crowd




The second and final outing in the month was to see the world famous Slash in concert.  Who's Slash, if you don't know you are likely born before 1965 and / or you never heard of Guns N Roses.  He was the lead guitarist for G N R in the late 80s and early 90s before they broke up.  Slash is still considered one of the best guitarist of all time and continues to play with multiple singers when he isn't headlining his own projects.

Sweet Side story: I hooked up a $200 ticket from Kijiji for $50.  My buddies, Chad, Dave and Ajax were already going so I met them before at a bar and then we walked up to the concert together.  Unfortunately on the way in the guy who was meeting me with his ticket texted that he sold it for more to someone at the door.  Bastard!

Since my friends were connected with VIP tickets because they know Slash they told me to follow them in and the plan was to work something out.  Looking back it seemed childish, but when Dave said, "Brad, don't you have to pee?" as they stood in line to get their tickets passed security I took off and walked in to the show as Slash's band had just begun.

Note: I happily would have bought the kijiji ticket, but when that opportunity slipped away I went as far forward as I could until my path was holted.  The road block finally came when the show was over and the boys went back stage with their passes.  Unfortunately they did not get to meet Slash this time nor did anyone with Back Stage passes as he took off straight away (disappointing for all who paid a pile of money).

Truly a great show and I recommend picking up one of his new albums.  2010 Album of the Year, I believe.

NOT Recommended: An artist that wants to perform in Calgary, Don't go to the Jubilee!  They do not even allow water inside!!!  A Thirsty 2+ hours for sure.

The Man!

Myles and Slash

The other Man!  Yeah right!

Ripping it up



Awesome show!

The crucial Back Stage Pass





































Bootlegged version of Communication Breakdown by Slash's Band featuring Myles Kennedy shot by someone I know ;-P ...http://youtu.be/Ixn33gKydhg



Other Stuff


It ain't easy getting cowboyed up!
Can carnage at Nashville North


Wave rider for your basement?
Legs like that need to be on the blog