Model RR Club v2.0

We have had at least 2 of Kieran's birthday at the Model RR club. We probably have had more birthday parties there if they hadn't moved. Tresa found this club long ago, because Kieran was so fascinated by trains. A few years back the Model RR Club was forced to move out of their home of many many years in the basement of an old artillery testing building in Liberty Village because condos were going up there. You know because Toronto is short on condos! Just drive along the Gardiner and the landscape has changed so much.


But we got an email of a spring show of the Model RR club after nearly 3 years. The space is 2/3 the size of the old one, but these guys have moved into the 21st century using iOS app to control their O-scale trains instead of those RF hand controllers they had. Now you can use an iPad or iPhone to play with the trains.

This place is so cool. Mostly because they are creating something with their own hands. The group of aging boomer kids meet regularly to plan extensions, remodel, and schedule the running of their trains. These guys make it like they are the RR companies actually actually scheduling freight shipments and destinations, passenger train schedules just like in real life. It's not kids play. It's BIG kids play!

They've asked me once to join when they were at the old location. Main reason was to port their C64 tech to something post Y2K. But I didn't take them up on it since I was busy with my own stuff. I didn't want to take on another project. But maybe this time around I may consider it. Kieran is really keen on the club. Walking around taking it all in. It is amazing what life a hobby can take. And how good it must feel when so many people, kids, adults and seniors alike all have the same wide eyed look in their face as they watch the Canadian (the long passenger train) roll by, with it's engine sound and horn blowing. It is so cool.

Model RR Club v2.0 Photos








 

Ride for Jack

I had signed up for the Ride for Jack, and planned to do the the 100 but offered it to Tresa since she wasn't doing the RTCC this year.   A 100km in Caledon was going to be much tougher than 100km along the pancake flat RTCC route along the lakeshore.  Also this year is much warmer than last year.

But the ride is very well organized and its cause is something well worth riding for and volunteering for.  The quota for riding is nowhere near the RTCC one. It's exactly 10x less.  Which is so doable.  The RTCC of $2500 is very stressful to raise.  Unless you start 1 year prior, and remind people all the time.  It's a big challenge for most.  And if you cannot meet it then you have to fork over the remainder of the minimum.  Which is for a great cause, but tough to swallow.

But the RTCC generates a huge amount of money.  As in $21M.  

This organization is in it's 4th year and is hoping to get $1.2M.

I did volunteer for this event.  I helped pack all the swag bags.  I didn't realize that I was working directly with Jack's dad.  I didn't know who anyone was.
This is the 4th year for this event and they continue to grow in size and money raised.  They told me that the ride itself accounts for more than 1/3 of the money raised for the year.
All the swag stuff is donated by the sponsors, so 100% of the donations goes to the charity.

If you don't know what the Ride for Jack is.  The ride is about Eric and Sandra passion for cycling and it's also a platform for raising awareness of mental health illness of our kids today.
Jack.Org came about because Eric and Sandra's son Jack suffered from mental health illness and it wasn't something that was well known or talked about.  In 2010 half way through Jack's 1st year at Queens University he took his own life.

I found out about it because of a fellow cyclist from my club.  I didn't know what it was until I looked at the site.  It's nice to have goals that contribute to a cause.  Especially a cause a great as this.

Ride for Jack - TK50

Tresa hadn't done enough riding to feel comfortable riding the 100.  And I'm glad there were 2 pitstops for the 50 because it was hot!  And the hills here might be short but they are steep and there are many of them.  50km of Hills is pretty awesome! 

Splattered Kids

These kids.
And they were asking me to come and join them.  But with no other parents wanting to join.  I sat this one out.  I did play last time.  Which was fun.

But here's a video of what goes on in a 15min round of Indoor Paintball at Sava's 12th bday party.

That's Josh always pointing the paintball gun at me (in both photos).  His brother Noah got shot 5 times in the same leg in the same game.  So he sat out the last couple of rounds.

Even watching from the window inside he was a target.

This place is huge. It's been around for 25 years.  the floor is covered in sand.  Which is now in my car too.

And no matter how hard you try, you will go home with bruises.