Hobbies and Interests

Hiking

Since I grew up in Vancouver, I was always around nature and trails. I just find nature interesting – the ways rivers and streams are made, how cliffs are formed and the types of plants that grow in different areas. It’s very challenging to replicate, and always different.

Around Greater Vancouver, I must have been to every trail at least once. This is one of the things that drew me to Nova Scotia. There may not be as much elevation here, but there is a lot more accessible coastline than in Vancouver.

Cars

Since I was about seven or eight, I’ve always been interested in cars. Growing up, my best friend’s dad drove a 1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (in Guard red) and that’s probably what started my fascination with German cars. The James Bond movies from the mid to late 90’s, is what interested me in BMWs.

I always found the amount of thought and engineering that went into German cars to be absolutely amazing. For example, the 530i has automatically adjustable seatbelt heights (where the seatbelt meets the B pillar). It’s completely unnecessary, but neat.

I’ve found that the more you drive a car, read about it, and actually work on it, the more you really appreciate it and appreciate the thought that went into designing it. On that note, I’ve driven both the 530i and the X5 from coast to coast, and gone on road trips to San Francisco, Montreal, Quebec City, and have even driven though Times Square in Manhattan. I also have done all the maintenance and repairs on both cars myself.

Over the years, this has meant replacing the majority of the cooling systems, full brake jobs, most of the suspension components, and various electrical modules.

Travelling & Roadtrips

A friend once said that growing up, his family went on a lot of mildly interesting trips. I asked what that meant, and he said that his dad’s idea of a good time was driving on a road he’s never been before. Apparently that led to many not-so-interesting destinations…

I do claim to plan more than that, but I do like the idea of an adventure. I’m a big fan of road trips because it combines my love of cars with seeing new places. It also allows for much greater flexibility – with no definitive plane ticket dates, I can stay in a new place for as little or as much as I’d like, and see everything along the way.

Miscellaneous Projects & Tinkering

Aside from my other projects, I’ll occasionally take up something new especially if it seems like a challenge or involves new skills. Over the years, this has been all sorts of woodworking, sewing, upholstery, cooking, and even this website. The question “How hard can it be?” always comes to mind. My current project is my backyard which was wooded, but will have a stream, 8′ x 12′ pond, pond deck, and fire pit area.