Creating special moments

Two things happened recently that moved me. Comedian George Carlin passed away — and love him or hate him, he had one of my favorite quotes ever: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.” It’s hard to argue with that one.

The other “thing” was a visit from a four-year-old boy, Keller, and wow, he found two or three moments that took his breath away in the first 15 minutes of his stay at our place — looking for fish in our creek, finding a fresh strawberry and checking out a baby quail.

How did we (or most of us) lose that youthful exuberance? As a kid, I remember that just being off for the summer holidays put me into adventure mode. Now so many of us get our “adventure fix” by watching reality TV. This summer our adult outdoor programs have the potential to “take your breath away.” We have three treks to my favorite place in the world. Every time I hike the Cathedral Lakes Provincial Park I have a TYBA experience. Our treks begin with the four-wheel drive Unimog (Troop Carrier) for one hour, nine miles straight up to Quiniscoe Lake at alpine level.

From there you can enjoy the beginner trek, visit at least four lakes and have one of your best memories of the summer. This trek is for all fitness levels and is six or seven hours so you have plenty of time to stop and smell the roses (or the lupines anyway).

The Cathedral Rim Hike is one for the “bucket list” — I just saw the move with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman and the things you will see on this hike will possibly be one of the highlights of your entire life. Quite a promise, eh? Go to and have a look. We are even offering a Yoga Rim Trek with Teresa Maurer of Re:Flexions Studio and a Family Rim Trip too. This could just be the best “100ish” bucks you spend this summer.

I’d also like to suggest a couple of other TYBA choices. Introduction to Rock Climbing with the accomplished climbing instructor Russ Turner at the Skaha Bluffs is a guaranteed memory maker. There is no climbing with choice No. 2, just the opposite. Join Lynn for a cycle ride from Chute Lake to Penticton on a two per cent decent on the KVR Railway Trail past the Rock Ovens, two tunnels and too many beautiful views to count.

Getting back to the being a kid “thing” — I think we need to recapture that feeling more than ever. I challenge you to find a buddy and at the minimum plan something that makes you feel like a kid again. At the extreme, go for one of those George “Carlinesque” moments that take your breath away — and if you luck out with a TYBA moment please let me know.

Have a memorable summer — it’ll be over before you know it.