Rolling Back & Looking Forward

If this year taught me anything, it’s that I don’t believe in slowing down. I just believe in strategically placed pauses between adventures, preferably near snacks or live music.

I’ve already written full posts about some of the trips I took this year, but as the calendar starts eyeing the exit, it felt right to pull them together into one place. Think of this as the recap episode. The plot twists already aired; this is just the montage with better lighting.

First up was Nickelback and Vancouver Island, lovingly documented in “No Shaft No Doubt, All In Balls Out.” A title that tells you everything you need to know, honestly. It was island air, loud guitars, and the quiet joy of committing to a Nickelback trip with my whole chest. I had a blast, and I would do it again, and I kind of have to, I never got a shaft from my Buddy, Jaxson

Then came Vancouver and AC/DC, aka “High Voltage and Vinyl.” This one pulled double duty as a birthday trip, which meant big sound, big energy, and zero chance of a quiet night. AC/DC reminded me why live music hits differently, especially when paired with a birthday excuse and a city that knows how to host a good time.

The pace shifted with the KVR bike trip, captured in “Yurts, Firefighters & A Bucket.” Equal parts fresh air, unexpected moments, and stories that sound made up until you realize they aren’t. It was one of those trips where the trail does the talking, and you just keep moving forward, literally and figuratively.

Group shot, while biking the Kettle Valley Rail Trail

And then there was Coldwater Ranch, short, sweet, and summed up perfectly in “Quickie: The Ranch.” No overplanning, no rush. Just a reminder that sometimes the best trips aren’t about distance or duration, they’re about familiarity, comfort, and letting your shoulders drop a few inches.

c a m p f i r e s o n g song, and if you dont think we can sing it faster, than you’re wrong. But it’ll help if you just sing along. Evening Campfire at Coldwater Ranch Lodge

Taken together, these trips scratched very different itches, but they all point to the same truth: movement matters. Loud or quiet, long or short, planned or spontaneous. If it gets you out of your routine and into yourself a little more, it counts.

Looking forward, 2026 is already shaping up nicely. By “nicely,” I mean my calendar is beginning to resemble a concert flyer that fell into a pool.

On the local front, I’ve got Alan Doyle, Goo Goo Dolls, Three Days Grace, and Weird Al lined up. A perfectly unhinged mix of heartfelt, nostalgic, aggressive, and accordion-driven nonsense. Musical balance at its finest. Also, just added to the list is The Offspring, who are coming to Kelowna in a few weeks. I just received The Offspring tickets as a Christmas gift from my Mom and Dad; they really know how to butter me up, and consider me buttered.

April brings another birthday trip to Vancouver, because traditions matter and so does seeing Journey on my actual birthday. Five nights in Vancouver, a band that has soundtracked decades of my life, and another reminder that aging is fine as long as the playlist slaps.

July will also mark Lord Hindley’s 12th Annual Pool Party, date still to be confirmed. Twelve years of floating, laughing, coordinating logistics, and pretending this isn’t basically a full-time event planning job.

In September, I’m doing a quick burn-and-turn weekend to Vancouver for the Foo Fighters. In, out, ears ringing, soul happy. Efficiency.

There are also a few things floating in the hopeful category.

Raffi is coming to Kelowna in June, and yes, I want to go. Pure nostalgia. Banana Phone energy. I just need to figure out how to attend without looking like a rogue adult who took a wrong turn. Open to suggestions.

And of course, Agur Lake is always calling. I’d love to head out there again to chill, unplug, and do absolutely nothing on purpose. The same goes for Coldwater Ranch, hopefully with my friend Michelle this time. Honestly, if she joined for both, that would just be smart scheduling.

Looking back, this year was full of motion in all its forms. Loud concerts, quiet places, long trails, short escapes. Looking ahead, it’s more of the same, which feels exactly right.

That’s the heart of Roll with the Punches. You keep moving. You adapt. You laugh when plans wobble, celebrate when they land, and keep saying yes to the things that make life feel bigger.

Here’s to the trips that were, the plans that are, and the ones still penciled in the margins. I’m not done rolling yet.

If you haven't read any of the posts mentioned above, I recommend that you do. I had a blast on all 4 trips and loved writing about each; they are definitely worth the read…Go ahead, I'll wait till you do, and if you don't, well, poo on you!

No Shaft, No Doubt; All In, Balls Out