Dec 2019 – Sep 2021

After I got over the shock of going somewhere dark and wet and cold, I started to get a little excited for our trip.

We rented a 4-wheel drive SUV from Blue Car Rental so we could go on both regular and F roads. F roads are the more rugged roads around Iceland…basically anything that’s not in town or part of the ring road. They can get bumpy and muddy and so a 4WD is necessary. There are even more difficult roads, especially in the highlands that require a super Jeep or are closed in the winter. We arrived during a freak winter storm (of course we did), resulting in the early closure of some F roads already. At the rental car company they showed us a map of Iceland, and basically everything except the south of Iceland and west near Reykjavik were marked “no go.”

Luckily our first destination was the south coast of Iceland. We were headed to a hotel near the town of Hof. We were doing a straight shot drive down there “since the Fagradalsfjall volcano” isn’t erupting."

Well almost a straight shot. First we stopped for cinnamon buns at Braud (because apparently they had the best cinnamon buns), and then Pokin needed to stop and get her camera checked out (because apparently it’s not a trip if Pokin doesn’t break her camera at least once.)

After those detours we got driving. My bud had just arrived from a redeye and Pokin picked out a 4.5 hour drive to our first destination. Neither my bud nor I was amused but that’s where we’re booked to sleep so that’s where we had to head.

The drive was scenic - or at least I think so. Both Pokin and I dozed off while my bud drove us. “You guys are the worst passengers to road trip with, you’re both always asleep,” Nicholas tells us.

We eventually got to a hotel situated right beside a waterfall. Both my bud and I took a liking to it immediately. Modern, clean, warm. We got a view facing out to the sea.

Of course we barely got settled before Pokin decided it was time to head out.

“It’s not raining, we should head to the lagoon for sunset,” she said.

By lagoon she meant the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. “I need to scout it out for sunrise photos,” she added. *Sunrise photos. *I groan. I know the drill.

Jökulsárlón Glacier lagoon is one of many glacier lagoons in the area, but it’s by far the most popular and touristy – probably because it’s one of the most accessible lagoons, being situated right off the main highway and all. The lagoon is fed by the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, and it’s also reported to be the deepest lake in Iceland. You can see seals swimming in the lagoon. We immediately saw some seals. That was cool. And a tonne of tourists. That was less cool.

Visiting the lagoon area can be divided into four quadrants. Coming from Rekyavik, the lagoon is on the left side, and the Diamond Beach (Breiðamerkursandur) on your right. The two sides are further divided by a river, so there’s the side before you cross the river and after. Most of the icebergs float onto the east side of the river, which is probably why the cafes and tourist shops all set up on the east side.

We pulled into the parking lot and Pokin made a mad dash for the shoreline, and joined basically every other photographer tourist in Iceland that had the same idea to line up here for sunset.

My bud and I? We actually checked out the area and walked around. We had fun watching all the tour busses pull out of the parking lot as the light got dimmer.

Eventually it was nearly dark.

“Perfect,” Pokin says. We now know where to go for sunrise photos.

Oh no.

Shortly after my Costa Rica escape, they wrapped me back up in a bearrito towel to suffer in darkness. This went on for months.

“The house is still under construction, you can’t come out”, is the thoroughly lame and totally unconvincing reason my bud gives me.

Then one day I heard the sounds of a luggage roller. I’m cautiously hopeful. “We going somewhere awesome?” I ask my bud. He doesn’t tell me anything. I get stuffed in a bag. Bag > bearrito, so I let it slide. Not even one smack.

Some number of hours later we arrive to our destination. Turns out Pokin and our friend Linda had already been here for some time.

And here turned out to be….Iceland???!! I look at my bud in confusion. “Don’t you remember the last time we went to Iceland”? I ask

My bud shrugged. “Pokin wanted to photograph an erupting volcano.”

“An erupting volcano?! Isn’t that how our last flight got delayed? Is there an erupting volcano in Iceland right now?”

“Well there was…it’s actually been quiet for something like 12 days now.” says Pokin.

I look outside. It looks dark. And damp. Oh boy.

At least I’m not in a bearrito towel.

Last year was rough. We were in lockdown. I was stuck in a bear shack with way too many bunnies.

This year didn’t start off much better. Not only was I stuck indoors without travel or gaming, but I spent most of my day wrapped up in a towel bear-rito. Something about making sure I stayed clean during construction. I’m sure this was my bud’s idea of torture.

Then one day my bud said we were going to go on a trip. We were headed to a town called Las Catalinas in Costa Rica, a newly built no-car, fully walkable master plan community that looked a bit like Italy. You fly directly to Libera airport instead of San Jose, and from there it’s about an hour drive to Las Catalinas. We were going to split a house with friends. To travel again!

Our house was called Casa Crepúsculo, which was perched on the side of the mountain. We got the upper bedroom. I promptly decided to check out the bed, before deciding I’d rather sleep on a pillow kingdom.

Since we arrived at night, it wasn’t until the next day I could really check out my surroundings. I got myself a comfy seat on the balcony and took stock.

Not too bad. I could get used to this.

It’s the middle of the pandemic. Nobody is going anywhere. Suddenly Nicholas gets a message from his friend Mark’s fiancee. They are getting married. They want to be very careful with Covid, so they aren’t inviting anybody, but Nicholas convinces them that it would be okay if he drives up directly, quarantines for a few days and has a small bachelor party for Mark and attends the wedding.

At first I was suspicious, a bachelor party? During the pandemic? But then I remembered, Mark is one of Nicholas’s old gaming friends, and they will party like the bunch of nerds they are. What did they do? Soda, junk food and video games. I can get behind parties like this.

Since we were up here already, we took the time to visit my bud’s mom. Outdoors. Masks on of course.

Then it was a road trip back home. We took the time to stop by Mono lake and grabbed some photos.

Peep and I finally come to an understanding.

“Look, I’m busy.  You should annoy someone else,”  I tell him.

“Peep,” says Peep.  *Ulgh.  *He disappears.   Well at least he did that.

Annnnnd I haven’t seen him in months.  Life is great.

Then COVID-19 happened.  We go into quarantine.  No more travel.  Indefinitely.  Also Pokin’s sister and husband move in with us.

To stay sane, my bud and I, and the rest of the family go on nightly walks, where we’ve been noticing a LOT of baby bunnies trying to survive out in the wild.

*Not my problem!  *I think, as we continue our walks.

Then came Pokin’s birthday.

“We got you a surprise,” Pokin’s sister says to her.  “We’d been seeing so many bunnies on our walks, we thought about pets!  And so we got you something!  “Close your eyes and hold out your hand.”

Pokin closes her eyes.  I close my eyes.  A wave of trepidation comes over me.

We open our eyes.  OMG there is bunny on her hand.

“We thought you’d like him!  Surprise!” PoOn said.

They got her a bunny.  Another bunny.

We’re under quarantine right now!  Don’t they know that?!  Who knows where this bunny has been!!  He’s not even wearing a mask!

I take this bunny out for a talk.  I put on my mask.  Gotta stay safe after all.

“Look pal, we follow social distancing rules around here.  In other words, stay far away from me.”

The new bunny stares at me.

In silence.

I stare back.

Oh boy.

It gets worse.

PEEP!  ARGH!

This quarantine is really testing me.  I’m surrounded by a bunnies.  They’ve grown in quantity.  And size.

And I’m locked down in this house.  Somebody help me.

Maybe it’s time to think about my hibearnating options.

My visit to Easter Island had me inspired.

I told Nicholas there needed to be a statue of me.  Ideally multiple.  He didn’t say much but eventually a statue was made.

Well we still had the materials from casting that first statue.

And what better use of our time during quarantine than to make more statues…of me?

So that’s what we did.

My likeness poured and ready to cure

The reveal

The production

Now to figure out where to put all of these!

We don’t get to travel much any more these days, so on the way back from skiing we detoured to Bryce Canyon.

It was surprisingly crowded for the winter.  Just our luck it was some sort of winter festival.   Well still, we’re here now and a bear wants to explore.  We made a quick stop to the Visitors Centre and were pointed to the Queen’s Garden Trail.

The trail’s nice.  And it was a great day out.

I saw people hiking in flip flops.  They are crazy.  I opted to be carried.  As usual.

When you are well prepared, no hill is too steep to climb.

Suckers.

Now that Pokin’s joined YPO, she’s making an effort to meet the members more. “The Couples retreat is one of the best ways to get to know the members,” Val (the chapter manager) told Pokin. So she signed up to go on the retreat, which happened to be at a place called Powder Mountain.

Last year this time, we went skiing at Snowbird which was pretty great, so I was excited. The place is called Powder Mountain because normally there is a lot of powder. Ski time! Hot cocoa time!

Except due to some freak weather phenomenon they actually had no new snow and everything was pretty icy…I guess we’ll just have to come back again next year to get proper skiing in.

Still, I do remember my bud taking advantage of the snow and going skiing. It was a work day, and while he was skiing the servers at work crashed. His employees messaged him saying “help, the servers are down”. He took out his phone at the top of the mountain, connected to the systems remotely, fixed the problem and then took this photo to show where he was and continued skiing. That’s productivity 101 right there.

Here we are, Christmas again.

I put on my Santa outfit and the generosity started.  Not everyone can be a cool spirit bear like myself, so animal hats were probably the next best thing.

I got myself a little something too.  That disgusting bag Nicholas insists on carrying me around in was getting a little worn down so I upgraded his flash sack.  Let it be known the flash sack gift is in no way an endorsement of the sack as the preferred means by which I wish to be transported.

I also got a new outfit!  Nick’s mom and Anna sewed me a new hoodie!  It’s about time!  Now I can be extra stealthy in really clean white snow!

It’s the Rocket League World Championships - Day 3!

I’ve got my gear and my supplies.  Ready to go to cheer on my favourite teams!

This bear is rooting for NRG!

Here we are outside the venue, Palacio Vistalegre.  Fun fact - this used to be a bullring!  It was about a 40 minute walk from our hotel.  

Settling into our seats.  We weren’t on the floor but were the first row in the stadium seating.

ANNNND my team WON!!  GO NRG!  Go jstn., Go GarrettG, Go Turbopolsa!

See, I AM a lucky bear!