Update August 11 - Next up Lake Superior

After 85 days and 3100 km paddled, the Canadian Odyssey is now through Canada’s midway point – Thunder Bay - and onto Lake Superior. After over a month spent in the company of 6 great friends, Michael is back to being alone on the world’s biggest lake.

Trip Summary

Summer in a boat - Lake of the Woods (July 7 -15) 

From Winnipeg, Michael was joined by Bob Salmond and changed to A canoe. They put the boat in Lake of the Woods in Kenora, ON. Except for being shore bound for 2 days, it was enchanting and exciting –particularly the 13 km crossing from the last island in the Lake to the mouth of the Rainy River, the longest crossing Michael had ever done! Bob Salmond was a great partner, immersing himself in navigation and decision-making. His easy-going nature filled the time with great stories and general conviviality. Their time together ended in Rainy River with the arrival of the two Bob R’s from Vancouver. 

Paddling Upstream - Quetico and Voyageurs Park (July 15 –29) 

Michael and ‘the Bobs’ (Rieder and Rebagliati) have been paddling mates for 5 years. In 1 canoe and 1 kayak, they readily got into socio-athletic mode, which created both success and enjoyment.  They took on the beautiful but challenging ascent of 3 River systems: Manakan, Maligne, and Pickerel. Collectively that clear much of the water out of Quetico Provincial Park that flows to the Arctic ie. UPSTREAM! Without portages around several rapids, they had to get out and wade through rocks. They learned a lot, which Michael hopes will help when he goes upstream again on the French River in early September. 

“The portaging was often difficult and undeveloped but the two Bobs were always up to the challenge. I want to acknowledge that Bob Reb has a congenital problem with his feet which made the going even harder on him but he suffered stoically and never lost a beat”. 

Pit Stop #4 - Voyageurs Park to Silver Islet - (July 29 – Aug 3) 

After getting to the top of the Savanne River flowing out Lac des Milles Lacs - the height of Land Portage over the Laurentian - Michael was met by Bill Climie who helped him to his home in Silver Islet. Together with his brother Bob (an old Queen’s football teammate) and wife Leslie, they hosted him for the weekend and helped plan his next leg through Lake Superior. He greatly enjoyed his time with the Climies and once again feels fortunate to be the beneficiary of extraordinary generosity. Bill’s knowledge of Lake Superior was described as “priceless” and he joined Michael for 2 days on departure to navigate a complicated gap between Sibley and Black Peninsulas and on Lake Superior. 

Special Friendships 

In Michael’s words: “The last 5 weeks went so fast and I felt a real sense of loss as the time came to a successful end. I got used to companionship of Jan, Bob Salmond, the 2 Bob R’s and the Climies. It was a real change to take on the trip on a solo basis again. I can’t say enough about the strong spiritual bond I forged with these men over this period. I am a lucky man for that alone, nevermind their great assistance in helping me to move along my travels.” 

Barely a Soul in Sight

The stretch of territory through the Canadian Shield from the Winnipeg River though to Thunder Bay is acknowledged as being some of the best remote canoeing in the world. According to Michael, the lakes and rivers paddled were as beautiful and enchanting as any he has seen to date. As mentioned in Michael’s blog, this route was the equivalent of The Canadian Highway from 1802 to 1879.  Now desolate, the paddlers repeatedly reflected on the irony of how many people once used this system to get across Canada. On one occasion, they encountered two lovely Americans (Bob and Virginia Knapp from St Louis) who were fishing at the terminus of the historic BARIL Portage. They were incredulous to believe that Canadians were not exalting in its existence and meaning.

Random Acts of Kindness- the Canadian Way!

Upon entering Rainy River, Bob S and Michael stopped at a beach for lunch where they met a "very nice local family" who suggested they stop in to meet their sister about 6 miles upstream.

Tom and Shirley Cressey were enjoying a casua l afternoon when the 2 men showed up in their backyard in a canoe....and ended up inviting them in to spend the night and enjoy cold beer, barbequed steak and homemade rhubard pie.  "We were in heaven."

Up Next - Lake Superior

Michael is solo again and facing new challenges. Lake Superior is the biggest lake in the world and experiences Ocean-size swells, currents, boat traffic and high winds. He plans to take it on with fervour but with a conservative view to risk.  He has already shown his willingness to spend time on shore when conditions become dangerous. In the words of Bob Salmond, “I noticed that, although he has incredible vision and a desire for adventure, he is no fool. He doesn’t take any unnecessary chances and is very good at handling the canoe” He will do his best to stay close to shore and will look for safety in the (relatively) high volume of traffic on the Lake in the summer. He has asked that we pray for his continued good judgement and fortune.  

Media Update

Michael appeared on CBC in Winnipeg, stay tuned while we await the footage! 

Fundraising Update

To date, we have raised $14,000, towards a goal of $50,000.  Thank you to all who have donated! We rely on your support and are touched by every contribution.

How to Donate:

1) Secure on-line donations: click here. **All on-line donations receive tax receipts.

2) Send a cheque, payable to:

Tides Canada - Strachan Hartley Foundation

468 Arbutus Ave, Duncan, BC, Canada, V9L 5X6

**Donations made by cash or cheque of $50 or more receive tax receipts

Social Media
As before, Michael continues to update his daily progress on the SHLF website
This includes daily check-ins via his SPOT tracker, photos and media updates, and links to social media (Facebook and Twitter) which are being updated daily. 

CANADIAN ODYSSEY UPDATE

After 48 days (43 active paddling), the Canadian Odyssey is now in its 4^th Province! Resuming from Kenora, ON, on July 8 after the 3^rd pit stop and over 1600 km paddled.  Spirits are exceptionally high as it is now headed into the Canadian Shield in the summer months - the “best part of the trip”.

Manitoba – Adapting to the unexpected.

After the unexpected arrival of Jan Madsen in The Pas, MB, the duo felt renewed, rejuvenated and ready to take on Manitoba. Unfortunately, however, the journey from The Pas through the end of the Saskatchewan River and Cedar Lake toward the North Basin of Lake Winnipeg was marred by terrible weather, including relentless storms and the threat of tornadoes. They lost two days to ‘never ending wind and rain’ before reaching the ‘big one’ Lake Winnipeg.

Given the imminent arrival of Michael’s next paddling partner Bob Salmond in Winnipeg on July 7, they simply did not have time to paddle both the North and South basin of Lake Winnipeg and were forced to choose one or the other. They chose South and shuttled themselves down to Hecla Provincial Park. Both the weather and geography took a turn for the better. They paddled the entire South Basin into the Winnipeg River and across the Ontario border into Kenora before Jan said goodbye and Michael met with Bob Salmond in Winnipeg.

The difference a friend makes

“For many, many, many reasons it was great.”

1)   First and foremost he is a good friend. His company is great regardless of the environment; nonetheless after a month of solitude. It was nice to talk to someone other than wildlife.

2)   There is safety in numbers (those of us following on SPOT can attest to the relief!).

3)   He is a great kayaker. They paddled through challenging territory – Lake Cedar was much more difficult than anticipated including having to navigate complicated lake crossings that were open to changing waters and winds. Jan was an enormous help with navigation and all things technical.

4)   Leadership and moral support. Michael, exhausted from 1.5 months in a kayak asked Jan to push him. He took the trip by the reigns, reminded Michael each day to go for the ‘wow’ factor – “this is a trip of a lifetime – go big or go home!” and provided an enormous spiritual boost.

Michael, the Hartley family and all of SHLF are sincerely grateful to Jan Madsen for his amazing gift!

Up next

July 8, Michael and new partner Bob Salmond put a canoe into Lake of the Woods in Kenora Ontario. The canoe is a significant – and hugely welcome- change from the kayak.  After 43 days of paddling up to 12 hour days, Michael is looking forward to changing muscle groups and to paddling with a partner.  A canoe further allows for increased storage and ‘much easier toilet conditions’.  This week’s Michaelism – “the title to my book will be “Don’t Pee in the Boat, Eh”.

Bob(s) Rieder and Rebagliati will pick up Michael’s kayak in Kenora on their way to meet him in Fort Frances, ON in one week’s time. They will continue through Voyageurs and Quetico Provincial Parks toward Thunder Bay where Michael will meet his next partner Bill Climie.

According to Michael – “this next phase will be the best of the trip. Summer conditions on the Canadian Shield with great company. Jan’s company gave me a huge boost, I feel well rested and excited about what is next.”

New Grandpa

In other news, Michael welcomed his first grandchild since the last stop. Daughter Aimee-Noel and husband Mpho welcomed baby girl Khaya Noxolo Chloe Mbiyozo on June 27.  Wife Mary Ann is with the new parents at their home in South Africa.

The family and Foundation also celebrated the life of Strachan Hartley on the 5 year anniversary of his passing on July 5, also Michael and Mary Ann’s 38^th wedding anniversary.  As always, it is a difficult day for the family and serves as a reminder of how fast time goes and how we should make a point of cherishing every day.

Fundraising Update

To date, we have now raised just over $12,000 towards a goal of $50,000. Thank you to all who have donated!

Once again, we reiterate that 100% of all donations go to the youth we support through sports and education programs and we rely on your support and are deeply touched by each and every contribution. 

How to Donate:

1) Secure on-line donations: click here. **100% of all on-line donations receive tax receipts.

2) Send a cheque, payable to:
Tides Canada - Strachan Hartley Foundation
468 Arbutus Ave, Duncan, BC
V9L 5X6 
**Donations made by cash or cheque of $50 or more receive tax receipts.

Social Media

As before, Michael continues to update his daily progress on the SHLF website
This includes daily check-ins via his SPOT tracker, photos and media updates, and links to social media (Facebook and Twitter) which are being updated daily.

Thanks to all for their support! 

CANADIAN ODYSSEY UPDATE

One month later, the Canadian Odyssey has covered 1250km and is headed to one of the ‘big’ ones - Lake Winnipeg. Michael arrived at his 2nd pit-stop in The Pas, Manitoba on Father’s Day to a wonderful surprise.  

The Surprise of a Lifetime

Sunday afternoon, Michael arrived in The Pas, MB. Exhausted, wet and 20 pounds lighter, he started the long process of un-packing and dragging his kayak onto the shore when he heard “Hey Hartley, you need any help?”

Jan Madsen, Michael’s long-time kayaking friend from Vancouver had driven 30 hours to surprise him. 

“I’m here to keep you honest. You wanted to do Lake Winnipeg. Let’s get it done.”

Overcome by emotion, Michael broke into tears. 

After flipping his kayak on Day 1, Michael was reluctantly forced to accept he would have to skip Lake Winnipeg, one of Canada’s biggest and most storied waterways. It is particularly risky and subject to severe weather patterns at this time of year; just not safe to do alone. Additionally, a solo kayak severely limits the amount of provisions you can pack (the key reason he has lost 20 pounds in 1 month).

While being able to complete this key part of the Canadian Odyssey is a big thrill for Michael, it pales in comparison to how touched he is by this incredible gesture from a true friend. Under any circumstances, having someone travel this distance to help you complete your lifelong goal is overwhelming. Receiving this gift after spending the better part of a month soaked with rain, undernourished, exhausted and alone is impossible to articulate. 

We admit our bias, but feel this is an indication not only Michael’s relentlessly humble and genuine character but of the lengths people will go simply to do good. 

Thank you Jan for this amazing gift that truly Makes a Difference!

Trip to Date

Since his fantastic rest stop in Prince Albert, the trip has been plagued by bad weather and lonely days. The weather in Northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba in June is predictably poor and appears to be in a holding pattern. He hasn’t seen the sun in 10 days and has been facing a strong wind from the East. Additionally, the river is small, winding, muddy and largely desolate. In his words - “It feels like Kane’s land out there.” It has been a tough stretch.  

Furthermore, due to storage limits in the kayak, his diet has been restricted to 1500 calories per day worth of freeze-dried food, supplements and energy bars. This while burning an estimated 5000 per day and he has lost 20 pounds in 1 month!

Up Next

June 19, Michael and Jan set out on the last 80 km of the Saskatchewan River toward Cedar Lake and Lake Winnipeg.

Besides great company, Jan brings many years of kayaking experience and expertise as well as much needed storage space. The two will pack their kayaks solid with provisions knowing that there is a real possibility they could end up ‘beached’ for days due to weather.  Furthermore, Lake Winnipeg is highly isolated without access to roads until they reach Hecla Provincial Park 2/3 of the way down. They will be very much ‘on their own’ out there.

In his words "The next 12% of the trip is the hardest. But we are doing our best to make good and knowledgeable decisions. The risks are fatigue and isolation but the company and change of scenery are welcomed! I have been thinking of this part of the trip for years and am excited to take it on." 

We look to hear from them when they arrive in Winnipeg in early July. From there, Michael will be joined byBob Salmond to cross into Ontario and immediately thereafter ‘the Bobs’ (Rieder and Rebagliati) into Voyageurs and Quetico Park.

A few ‘Michaelisms’: Cannonballs are not an Olympic sport!

• Due to the muddy conditions along the Saskatchewan River, getting in and out of the boat is challenging. So far Michael has lost 2 sandals to ‘quicksand’ and is therefore walking around towns (including meeting the police chief in Prince Albert) with mismatched shoes.
• Loneliness has set in after close to a month alone. Starved for company, Michael admits to have taken up conversation with the birds. He even pretends they are family members and friends.
• The river has many beavers, who make a lot of noise during the nights. Presumably, they are slapping their tails against the water surface. Michael has been accusing them of ‘cannonballing’ and got so frustrated one night that he yelled ‘Cannonballs are not an Olympic sport’ out of his tent.  


Media Update:




See Michael’s emotional interview with Global TV - http://bit.ly/L005ia 

Prince Albert Daily Herald -http://bit.ly/KxcQ4j
PA Now - http://bit.ly/Dy8Jo
La Presse -  http://bit.ly/L60GKG



Fundraising Update:

To date, we have now raised almost just over $10,000, towards a goal of $50,000.  Thank you to all who have donated! We will reiterate that 100% of donations go to the youth we support through sports and education programs.  


Donations are critical to ensuring these important programs continue to thrive. We rely on your support and are deeply touched by each and every contribution. No donation is too small!



How to Donate:

1) Secure on-line donations: click here. **100% of all on-line donations receive tax receipts.

2) Send a cheque, payable to:Tides Canada - Strachan Hartley Foundation468 Arbutus Ave, Duncan, BCV9L 5X6 **Donations made by cash or cheque of $50 or more receive tax receipts. 


Social MediaAs before, Michael continues to update his daily progress on the SHLF website
This includes daily check-ins via his SPOT tracker, photos and media updates, and links to social media (Facebook and Twitter) which are being updated daily.


Thanks to all for their support! 

Prince Albert Update (posted 2 weeks late)

CANADIAN ODYSSEY UPDATE

After a 're-start' following a flip on Day 1, 17 days non-stop and roughly 800 km, Michael arrived at his first pit-stop in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on Monday June 4. Tired but happy, Michael spent 2 days re-stocking supplies, meeting press, planning the next steps and rejuvenating. 

Trip to Date

Following a scary incident on Day 1 that involved flipping in the icy waters outside of Rocky Mountain House, the 2nd attempt to date has been (thankfully) uneventful, though not the most appealing waterway in the country. The river is a big muddy trench with heavy sediment and many sand bars and very few people or towns around.

In his words, "Now I understand why you don’t hear about paddling the North Saskatchewan. For the sake of scenery, I am very much looking forward to the more pristine, cleaner water of the Canadian shield”.

The highlight of the trip to date was getting to be on the water with daughter Blythe. They were met in Edmonton by a trio of wonderful friends Danny Ferguson, Paul Lorieau and James McDonald who showed up at the river and helped them set sail. She was with him for 3 days and it was amazing to be in her company while he got the apprehension out of his system. Of course, as anybody who knows her would expect, she was a natural and immediately showed uncanny strength and ability. It was hard to let her go and spend the next 2 weeks alone; with the exception of a surprise visit from Danny Ferguson who tracked him on his GPS and drove 3 hours before dawn to surprise him before he crossed into Saskatchewan!

Prairie Hospitality:
Upon arrival in Prince Albert ‘friends of friends of friends' Dwight and Pat Bergstrom - welcomed him into their home, gave him a warm shower, home-cooking, friendly faces and introduced him to a host of new friends.  A group of TEN distant cousins, also descendants of the McKenzie clan, led by Sharie Argue, drove all the way from Regina to meet him for the first time ever. He was toured through the city by Gord Thompson who invited him to a breakfast club and to meet the Chief of Police who has recently launched a city-wide initiative to improve local youth programmes through sports. These friends become a lifeline after 2 weeks alone and in the elements.

In his words “Everybody here has been so open and welcoming and outgoing. It has been marvellous for my soul. A real breath of fresh air.”

Media Update:

As prophesized by Michael himself, as the trip has begun to materialize, the press ha ve begun to take him seriously! He was greeted in Saskatchewan newspapers, CTV news and Global TV.

Prince Albert Daily Herald (front cover!) –  http://bit.ly/KxcQ4j
PA NOW – http://bit.ly/LDy8Jo
La Presse - http://bit.ly/L60GKG

Up Next:

June 7, Michael was joined by new friend Ron Horn, owner of local outfitter Fresh Air Experience to take on the toughest part of the North Saskatchewan River from Prince Albert until it merges into the Saskatchewan River.  His next projected target is La Pas, Manitoba in 8 days, which will take him through 4 different waterways including a portage around the EB Campbell Dam.

Fundraising Update:

"I think a lot of people are saying, 'Well let's see if this guy is actually going to do this," Hartley said. "I think once people see that actually, this is going to happen, they'll get behind it." (Prince Albert Herald, June 6). 

To date, we have raised almost $8,000 through this effort for SHLF, towards a goal of $50,000.  Thank you to all who have donated! While the cause is close to Michael for obvious reasons, it is important to reiterate that 100% of donations go to the youth we support through sports and education programs.

This week, we received a letter from Ron Bergeron of the Vancouver School District saying:

"The support SHLF provides has ensured that Streetfront staff are able to continue to do what they do so well and that is working from some very vulnerable students. And yes their results are amazing not only in the marathon program but also in their academic achievement and attendance at school."

Donations are critical to ensuring this programme, and others like it, continue to thrive. 

We have seen Kilimanjaro Climbs, marathons and even 5km walks raise large sums of money for great causes, our hope is that a trip all the way across Canada by an old man in a boat can achieve the same. To do so, we rely on everyone's support and are truly humbled and grateful to each and everyone who shows it. 

How to Donate:

1) Secure on-line donations: click here. **100% of all on-line donations receive tax receipts.

2) Send a cheque, payable to:
Tides Canada - Strachan Hartley Foundation
468 Arbutus Ave, Duncan, BC
V9L 5X6 
**Donations made by cash or cheque of $50 or more receive tax receipts. 

Social Media

As before, Michael continues to update his daily progress on the SHLF website
This includes daily check-ins via his SPOT tracker, photos and media updates, and links to social media (Facebook and Twitter) which are being updated daily.

Thanks to all for their support on this huge effort and we will continue to be in touch!

Life Is Like That

"Beggars can't be choosers"or so the old expression goes. I trust this blog goes through but the internet connection is sporadic at best where I am located in Calgary.

Life is full of firsts and last Sunday was the first time I filpped a kayak or canoe -except practising wet exits and re-entry. The effort it took to "steer wrestle" (because I am in Calgary just down the road from the Stampede Grounds) my swamped kayak to shore is sobering and reinforces the need to constantly check assumptions and emphasize safety. Unfortunately I don't have a buddy at this point and checking my own assumptions "apparently" lacks objectivity.

What to do now? While I admit I was a silly bugger trying to carry cart wheels, tent, sitting pad, thermorest, and two 10 L dry bags full of electronic gear and personal affects on the cowling in a river rated as intermediate, after a few days of post trauma reflections I believe I have to remount the "bicycle" after the crash and try it again. As we know, that is what it takes to learn to ride a bike and it is also inevitable one will crash a bike over time.

I was trying to carry all the gear and provisions needed to complete the variety of topography in the 5100 km across Canada in a kayak chosen to withstand the pounding of portages and the like and not for cargo space. The reality is that the need for wheels to carry around 9 dams and many portages before getting to Thunder Bay is at odds with stability on the big lakes like Winnipeg. Also, the need to carry 3 weeks of food to take on the remoteness and likelihood of "being shore bound" while waiting out storms on Lake Winnipeg (my brother in law Jim Munro was marooned for 12 days in 1970 while waiting out such a storm and had to resort to eating gull eggs), is impractical in my kayak while also carrying other gear like a spare stove and fuel.

With this context, I have decided to amend my plans as follows. I will jettison any gear which is superfluous to getting me to The Pas, Manitoba and forego Lake Winnipeg -likely for sections of Lakes Winnipegosis and Manitoba. From there I will make my way to the Winnipeg River by car. Regardless of how much of the Winnipeg River I can do (getting around 6 dams will prove to be more time consuming without wheels), I will be in Kenora July 8 to meet up with Bob Salmond to take on the Lake of the Woods, Rainy River, Fort Frances stretch as planned. Similarly,as planned Bobs Rieder and Rebagliati will be my "buddies" through to the NE end of Quetico. Consequently I can safely get to Thunder Bay.

In Thunder Bay I plan to rent a "heavy volume" kayak, sufficient storage capacity within the hatches, to allow for the provisions needed to take on the long stretches required to complete Lakes Superior and Huron. Bill Climie, an experienced Kayaker on Lake Superior, will join me for a few days of paddling and I hope to pick up "local knowledge" from him; having a buddy will be wonderful. Once at the French River on Georgian Bay, I will meet up with son Wyatt and get to North Bay. In time I will have to rent a car to get back to Thunder Bay to both return rental kayak and retrieve my own, which will be sufficient for the Ottawa and St Lawrence Rivers. In North Bay I will be joined by Don Bayne, John Gordon, and John Fee (Team Whistler) and we will canoe the Mattawa River.

This journey clearly has a mind of its own, won't be constrained by agenda, and is proving to be dynamic and fluid. I have decided to hold "my ticket to ride"because after all the definition of Odyssey is a set of wanderings and they can't all be packaged in pretty little bows. I ask you to stay tuned and pray that I learn from my mistake and am willing to objectively check my assumptions, particularly in regard to those uncertainties which will be presented to me moment by moment.

A Little Shaken But Not Beaten

Why is it "we get too soon old, and, too late smart"? On Sunday I made a very silly error in judgement which could have been very grave -I was very fortunate. While the water was fast and turbulent in the North Saskatchewan River beyond Rocky Mountain House, it was most likely doable (class 2 at the most) in a properly weighted kayak. Quite simply I had too much gear and provisions to be stowed in the kayak. So, I put the excess on the top of the cowling and secured it with ropes and cords. As any seasoned kayaker knows, this is fraught with peril because you now have more weight above the naturally designed centre of gravity of the kayak. As I needed all this gear for my trip, including cart wheels to get me around dams and the like, I "assumed" I could "brace" myself down -I have done it on more tranquil rivers. Not very bright!


I tipped and lost some gear and after 45 minutes in the water I grabbed a "snag" like it was a long lost cousin and was able to secure the kayak and scramble to shore to deal with my potential convulsions. After working to pump out my cockpit and get at my gear in the hatches, my body temperature went up. I still had SPOT call for help which arrived in the form of the Rocky Mountain House Fire Department.

I am currently reflecting on my lapse in judgement at Blythe's place in Calgary. While I want to continue, I need to rethink and likely amend my itinerary to reflect logistics, judgement, safety, and most of all the stress my "accident" had on those who are my support group through the SPOT system and other communication devices. I also need to replace key things like GPS and charts, which were lost in the river.

I will post my decisions in the next couple of days.

Full Disclosure

I was a fuck up as a kid; acting out unconsciously everywhere; intuitively understood things weren’t working; had no idea what to do about it; and sports and recreation proved my salvation.

There I said it!

Despite having all the opportunities, I did not know how to use them and drifted in my demoralized and uncomprehending bubble. My spirit ached for it knew I was better: But what to do about it?

Sport was my lifeline. Through sport I met people I respected and watched closely so I could try to emulate what worked for them. Also, I learned that if I focused on my objectives and worked hard (which was a lesson onto itself), I too could start to have some success. And it is amazing what a taste of modest success did for my ravaged spirit. I learned that there is no quick fix but once belief in my worthiness and possibilities were identified and established, the grit to engage in the battle of life was encased deep in my soul.

I don’t have it all today, but man it, boils and all, is far better than what I once thought was possible.

True Confession: I have two conceits. One is that I believe my children were imbued with this ethic, in small part because they saw me working at it all day every day. The second is that I drive 20 year old beaters; because I can.

This trip across Canada is not about my ego. Rather, it is a celebration:  rejoicing with my spirit and the indefatigable will to just keep going it gave me. By no means is this will unique to me or even remarkable in the general context, but on my journey through life it is the ingredient that for whatever reasons was hidden and I needed to find my spirit and with it the will.

I believe there are an untold number of spirits in underprivileged children which just need a timely boost to find their voice and lay the foundation for a “can do” determination and the heart to take on life’s vicissitudes. I suggest that without such an epiphany to trigger a change in their paradigm, they…. Well, I ask you to consider the meaning of demoralized: Subjugation of the emotions, spirit and soul which can lead to nothingness and the loss of will or even desire to live. If sport and recreation helped me, surely there are many children who will lose without a similar lifeline!

I believe the Strachan Hartley Legacy Foundation helps give many children that chance. For example, as Trevor Stokes who runs Streetfront an SHLF partner said, the main thing to learn for a troubled teenager in running a marathon is that “it is just 42,000 strides made one after the other.” The graduation rate for children attending this “alternative school” who progress from no sporting involvement to running a marathon is a staggering 98%. And marathon running is only one of their options in this program. Man, I feel their pain; followed by the joy and enlightenment of breaking through their personal myopia.

These potentially dysfunctional teens (in their words) need that angel to believe in and trust so that with a kernel of an inner voice having been activated there can now be an ember to gain shape and grow and give reason to recognize and pay attention to: “Say no to drugs” campaigns, seek help for and work through learning disabilities, be open to counseling for psychological, physical and sexual abuse, get through bullying, teen age dystopia, and start to keep their own counsel; just to name a few.

As long as I am being personal, it behooves me to make note of the following which will happen during the five month’s I am going to be engaged in this journey:

1/ Daughter Aimee-Noel and husband Mpho Mbiyozo, who live in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, are expecting their first child on or around June 20. That blessed child will be Mary Ann and my first grandchild and Mary Ann will be there.

2/ Son Wyatt, who lives and works in Toronto, will be married to Vanessa Burdett in North Vancouver in mid September. I will take a quick trip home to be part of this happy event. Wyatt has also just confirmed he will join me for the Labour Day weekend in September and canoe from Killarney, Ontario on Georgian Bay to a pull out on the French River: marvelous.

3/ Daughter Blythe, who lives and works In Calgary, will be the commentator for the CTV coverage of diving events at the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London in August. Hot off the press: Blythe will join me for four days on the North Saskatchewan River from Edmonton to Elk Point. It warms my heart.

4/ Spouse, life partner and soul mate Mary Ann, apart from her time spent in South Africa, will keep the home fires burning in her inimitable style: Aimee-Noel is drawn by her mother’s heart and aura to visit in early September with her baby. I regret I will miss the 5^th anniversary of our son Strachan’s death and our 37^th wedding anniversary (both of which are on the same date and will occur while Mary Ann is in South Africa), and her birthday while I am away. I publicly want to thank her for all she has brought to our relationship, and in particular my view that she empowered me as a man and gave my life meaning when she chose me to be the father of her four babies, really. Do I need to say I love and respect her?

That’s it from me for a while: wish me good fortune. Happy trails to all until I can update through my SPOT system, my facebook page at Michael Hartley or Strachan Hartley Legacy Foundation or my twitter account at 2012CdnOdyssey. I will also post random blogs when access to a computer and internet can be had.