I am not addicted to coke (vile, nasty cola beverage that it is), I am instead addicted to pepsi (the nectar of life). Which leads to a story that is funny now, but at the time not so much.

I was hanging out with some friends in a bar in Vancouver, wherein I had a couple of beers before realizing I'd better not drink anymore since my rental car was due back in Calgary in the morning. So I had a few pepsis and killed an hour or so before I said my goodbyes and hit the road. That's when I realized that if I was going to be driving all night I was going to need some caffeine so when I filled up on gas I also grabbed two two litres of pepsi. A few hours later the both of them had been drunk and I was wide awake.

There's a toll highway in BC that cuts the journey to Alberta down by a few hours so I paid the toll and got on the highway with the realization that I was going to have to pull over at the next rest stop and evacuate my bowels. It is at this point that everyone who has ever driven that highway laughs. It is about two or three hours long, there are no rest stops, there are no gas stations, there are no towns, and there aren't even any bushes to hide behind. Nor is there really any kind of place to pull over to the side of the road.

So to recap; two beers, 4 glasses of pepsi, 4 litres of pepsi. No bathroom breaks for six or seven hours.

Finally, the highway runs through a forest and I have no choice, I have to pull over. Luckily it was about two in the morning and I hadn't seen anyone for over an hour. I stand at the side of the road, about to let loose... a sigh of intense relief when I look down into the ditch and see nothing but black. A thought occurs to me; what if a cougar is sleeping right there? What if I'm about to get a big cat really wet? The thought dries up the pipe for a moment. Eventually I let a few drops go and wait for the meow and when no meow comes I relax completely and am finally able to unleash my burden.

At which time a line of four cars come down the highway toward me. And I can't stop. So I waved instead.

Sunday, Michael and his mom Connie went to DC to see DORA LIVE. He had a blast!!

On the way home.....

I love how little kids are excited about just about anything.  Everything is like seeing the Beatles for them!  Holy Shit its Dora!  Holy Shit its Ice Cream!  Hot dogs?!?! Yes!

When and why do we become so blasie and jaded?

Great photos, Brian! He's definitely a keeper. Looks like he really enjoyed himself.

Steve wrote, "A thought occurs to me; what if a cougar is sleeping right there?"

You mean Cameron Diaz or Terri Hatcher might be sleeping right there on the side of the road? Man, you Canadian guys have it good!