Crazy, Busy, and Lousy fall....

[Bojangles]

Well... If you're on the PC... get a coffee and a dozen doughnuts for this one... and if you have a laptop you might as well bring this one to the toilet with you!

 

 

 

Anyways... for those of you who didn't know...

 

I'm studying my first year of Fish & Wildlife Technology at Sandford Fleming and I'm living in residence. I never really saw myself being here until a year ago where I began to look down the road more, the road leading to my future. I love the school and I love being up here in Lindsay. It's quite a change up here compared to living in Toronto (Etobicoke) for the last fourteen years. I was happy that I was used to my new life from day one in residence. No more Mom to worry about (she still wakes me up every morning for class by phone ), no more little brothers to yell at... just me on my own for the very first time. Freedom never felt this good.

 

The atmosphere and the people up here are great. I never really opened up my eyes this much when it came to the environment. I'm looking at every tree, every branch, every leaf, every bush, pretty much anything related to nature. What I love the most is that everyone here loves the great outdoors whether it's fishing, hunting, birdwatching, nature photography etc etc. I've made amazing lifelong friendships with several people and this is what keeps me going even more. I've gone back to the city several times over the last few months but the bonds I have made up here really make me want to leave the city quicker. I just miss my people back in Lindsay, it's pretty much family to me.

 

The greatest part of my experience so far is knowing how much I have matured this year alone. Being away from my family isn't that easy, but I still kept in great touch with my folks. It's funny how I enjoy helping my brother's do their homework over msn, poop-chatting with my Mom over the phone with issues, and telling my Grandpa not to go Steelheading because the water is still dramatically low everywhere now. My eyes have now opened more and to be honest I have changed the way I see people and how I communicate with them. My judgements are much wiser compared to how I judged things throughout my four years of highschool.

 

I've had crazy experiences up here such as fishing on a weekday morning (OH YA!), fishing after midnight (OH YA!), sharing tons of fishing and hunting stories with those who live in my building, tying roe at two in the morning, taking nature photography sessions, making wild game for dinner more often, etc etc. But I gotta say my craziest experience was biking from Lindsay to Toronto. Yes, biking from Lindsay to Toronto on a mountain bike.

 

The bike ride was a life changing experience for myself and three other buddies in the same building as me. It took us 17.5 hours to do it over the course of two days. We slept on the cold forest floor overnight around a fire without a blanket, sleeping bag, pillow or anything... all out on the floor like a wild man. We had a 60lb bag holding an axe, food, clothes, laptops and other equipment which we rotated between the four of us every two hours. Along with that bag we each also carried a fairly heavy school bag which had other stuff we needed. We took sideroads for a while then we took the Trans-Canada Trail for a while until we got to Kingston Rd which we took all the way down through Downtown and out into Etobicoke. We finished at East Mall and Bloor Street. The worst feeling for me was when we got out of Pickering and into Scarborough. I thought I was going to die because my legs couldn't take it anymore. If we didn't take that 20 minute pizza break I don't think I could of went further. The funny part is my Mom had no clue I was biking from Lindsay to Toronto until I got to my buds house when I called her. Yes, she flipped at me but she was glad I was ok after yelling and telling me how crazy I was... ahahaha!

 

Lindsay to Manilla to Uxbridge to Whitby to Ajax to Pickering to Scarborough to Toronto to Etobicoke... we covered it all... I got pulled over by the Cops for biking on the sidewalk for a split second to fix my chain. They let me off with a 'warning' even though I was telling the truth and I told them where I was biking from etc etc. A buddy of mine knocked down a vegetable stand umbrella with the tip of the axe coming out of the bag. The umbrella fell onto a barrel of fruits which ended up all over Danforth. My buddy didn't even feel the resistance but he learnt his lesson to not bike on the sidewalk after a drinking break. It was quite the trip going through downtown. I'll never forget almost scratching that brand new yellow Lambo... what a close call!

 

Here are some pics from our ride, Mr. Marley might have inspired the trip if you think!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I could of put up a pile of pictures but I'm sure you guys get the idea! It was a truly memorable bike ride. GOOD TIMES!

 

Other then that... the fishing this fall has been quite lousy with the lack of water. The begginning of the year was a Coho-fest and I couldn't keep them off my line. I took up night fishing for Walleye and Crappie abit locally and I did beach my first Musky of the year on the third day of school. It was a decent thirty or so incher I didn't get a picture of. I haven't been fishing as much as I wanted though because I have no car and the dudes that drive and fish are very picky about the weather and times... I guess they aren't so 'hardcore'. Since the levels have been staying low the Steelheading hasn't been so great either. I haven't been taking my camera alot nor have I been going out often so I couldn't get too too many photo's after the Salmon were gone for good... I'm really waiting for a good blowout right now so I can get back to fishin'. Until then I think I'll take up knitting...

 

Here are some pics mixed up:

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favourite shot above with the two pansize Walleye for midnight snack in the Pizza Pizza with the Pizza Pizza guy behind us. Classic!

 

 

 

My buddy above still fished with a dislocated shoulder from playing Rugby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We always prayed to the "Fish Hook Tree God" above...

 

 

It's been an amazing ride so far and we're almost into the Christmas break already... what a flash! The parties are good and the beer is good... here is our beer wall before it was taken down... We had a total of 1600+ cans of whatever beer comes to your head. I can't even count how many cans were not even added to this collection... We used our money to buy beer again... There are two layers of beer cans... so take what you see and multiply by two...

 

 

The ladies? Well it gets alittle awkward when your guy to girl ratio in school is 10:1... but ya... the ladies are good...

 

I could of put up tons of photo's but I'm alittle too tired to do that now...

 

 

I'm ready to take on any challenges life has to offer now. This is just the begginning of a new chapter for me. Thanks to those who have been sending PM's and emails, I really appreciate it. The end of the semester is near and it's been quite busy for me lately with the studies. I'm really pumped for my second year of Fish & Wildlife Technology because of electrofishing and the other cool stuff we do... It's a three year program and I plan to do Natural Resource/Wildlife Law Enforcement for my fourth year... should be interesting. Who knows... after that I might end up at Trent for Biology or something... I still have alot of time ahead of me... but that'll all fly by fast, because it sure is flying by right now!

 

 

Let the goodtimes roll!

 

 

Yikes! I still haven't gone to bed? Good morning and good night folks!

 

 

Thanks for reading if you did...

 

 

 

 

 

Bojan Zivkovic

 

Edited November 20, 2007 by Bojangles

[motv8tr]

That's a heck fo a report there Bojangles. Glad you're enjoying school and your independance, it sure is an eye opener. That was one heck of a ride you guys took...you're Crazy Thanks for sharing with us.

 

Maureen

[steve_paul]

Great report - looks like the bike trip will be one you remember forever.

 

Nice Beer wall too

[fatherof3]

wow,great report full of memories and good luck in the future.

[solopaddler]

Nice read, but take it easy on the beer, LOL!

[mattyk]

thanks for the nice read.

[ccmtcanada]

Hey there Bojan! Great to hear from you again!! Thanks for the update on how you are doing...I remember my first year of university...I felt the same, but my mother said I had changed quite a bit. At least you are aware of it...LOL.

 

It seems you've found what you want to do with your life and I commend you for your mature approach to it. That bike ride was crazy...I may have been able to do it about 20 years ago, but now I'd kill myself...

 

Take care...keep us updated and best of luck to you!

[aniceguy]

Nice report Jangles but honestly get a hair cut dude LOL those mauve bandana's wont fit right

[Landlocked]

Sanjaya...that you?? (from American Idol?)

[irishfield]

Ahhhh..the wall of empties ! To be that age again...and scrambling to find someone with a truck.... because the parents just surprised you and are only 30 minutes away after visting some friend you never knew they had!

[DANIMAL]

Great report, I really liked reading the part about your bike ride. Sounds like you had a good trip. It reminds me of my trip from kitchener to london on a BMX a few summers ago.

[fishing]

Very cool report. Glad that you like all you are doing.

 

"Good morning and good night folks! " Or Good afternoon!

[LebowSKI]

I'm going to be starting the same program come September.....you're getting me really excited, I must admit!

[kemper]

epic!

 

Ill be starting my first year of university next september, either at western or waterloo (im thinking western, as its a 4 minute walk from residence to the thames...)