Thursday, December 6, 2018

LIFT Langley

LIFT by Leone Homes is a new luxury townhouse development in the heart of the Fraser Valley region of Langley. These 41 three and four bedroom townhomes feature an ultra-modern design, with spacious and functional open floor plans, 10ft high main floor ceilings and LED lighting throughout. These smart homes are sustainability focused, with energy star appliances, electric car charging and efficient heating. All townhouses feature a beautiful rooftop deck with panoramic 360 degree views with up to 600 sqft of entertainment space, along with patios off of each kitchen. LIFT is just steps to major commuter and transit routes, shopping, restaurants, parks and walking trails.

The post LIFT Langley appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.



from Projects – Vancouver New Condos https://ift.tt/2RFZqac

LIFT Langley

LIFT by Leone Homes is a new luxury townhouse development in the heart of the Fraser Valley region of Langley. These 41 three and four bedroom townhomes feature an ultra-modern design, with spacious and functional open floor plans, 10ft high main floor ceilings and LED lighting throughout. These smart homes are sustainability focused, with energy star appliances, electric car charging and efficient heating. All townhouses feature a beautiful rooftop deck with panoramic 360 degree views with up to 600 sqft of entertainment space, along with patios off of each kitchen. LIFT is just steps to major commuter and transit routes, shopping, restaurants, parks and walking trails.

The post LIFT Langley appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.



from Projects – Vancouver New Condos https://ift.tt/2RFZqac

Hadleigh on the Park in Coquitlam

Hadleigh on the Park by Polygon is a new luxurious boutique townhouse development in the Tri-cities region of Coquitlam in Burke Mountain. The 88 four bedroom Tudor-inspired homes are designed with families in mind, located in a quiet park-side neighbourhood, minutes from the Coquitlam Town Centre. The residences, designed spaciously include a chef’s dream kitchen, multiple spa-spa-inspired ensuites, walk-in closets and an insulated double car garage have all the luxuries of a single family home, without the maintenance. Just steps from schools, parks, and amenities including a grass sports field, hiking trails, hockey and basketball courts, Hadleigh is a dream location for families.

The post Hadleigh on the Park in Coquitlam appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.



from Projects – Vancouver New Condos https://ift.tt/2G6yy1R

Hadleigh on the Park in Coquitlam

Hadleigh on the Park by Polygon is a new luxurious boutique townhouse development in the Tri-cities region of Coquitlam in Burke Mountain. The 88 four bedroom Tudor-inspired homes are designed with families in mind, located in a quiet park-side neighbourhood, minutes from the Coquitlam Town Centre. The residences, designed spaciously include a chef's dream kitchen, multiple spa-spa-inspired ensuites, walk-in closets and an insulated double car garage have all the luxuries of a single family home, without the maintenance. Just steps from schools, parks, and amenities including a grass sports field, hiking trails, hockey and basketball courts, Hadleigh is a dream location for families.

The post Hadleigh on the Park in Coquitlam appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.



from Projects – Vancouver New Condos https://ift.tt/2G6yy1R

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

MSR Snowshoes Heel Strap Hack – Tape it Closed

MSR Ski Strap Bindings
MSR Ski Strap Bindings

MSR's Ascent and Trail Series Snowshoes have a binding that closes with ski-style straps along the top and rear. The binding has four elastane straps, three that loop over the top of your winter boots and one around the heel. It's designed that way so that the straps lay flat when packed, making them easier to carry on a backpack. They're also compatible with all boot types, virtually indestructible, and easy to replace, even if you do manage to tear one of the straps.

The ski-strap style binding is used on the:

But the rear heal strap can be tricky to close when you put on the snowshoes and it does have a tendency to open at least once a day. It's not a showshopper because they are great snowshoes, but it's an annoyance. It doesn't matter if the top straps pop open, since they're easy to reset. But that rear heel strap requires twisting and stooping at a weird angle and can hurt your knees in the process.

Close the heel strap and tape the ends shut so it can't open
Close the heel strap and tape the ends shut so it can't open

There's a simple way to prevent the rear strap from coming undone and that is to tape the end to the main strap on the setting you prefer with duct tape or some other durable sticky tape (I've used super-sticky Tyvek Tape above). This limits their use to one pair of boots, but it can still be easily removed and re-taped if you want to switch to a different pair of shoes that are wider or have a different length.

Taping the rear heel strap works because you can step into the binding from above. It also ensures that the front of your boot will always be positioned the way you like it, with enough front clearance so your boot can rotate over the front crampon without hitting the frame.

Another view of the taped heel straps
Another view of the taped heel straps.

A friend told me about this hack and it works great. I'd thought about replacing my trusty MSR Evo Ascents because I was getting so sick of that heel strap, but this taping hack had restored "our relationship." Try taping that heel strap and you'll see what I mean. This hack is a winner!

Help support this site by making your next gear purchase through one of the links above. Click a link, buy what you need, and the seller will contribute a portion of the purchase price to support SectionHiker's unsponsored gear reviews, articles, and hiking guides.

The post MSR Snowshoes Heel Strap Hack – Tape it Closed appeared first on Section Hikers Backpacking Blog.



from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog https://ift.tt/2EivtKD

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Undercast in Franconia Notch

Franconia Notch with undercast
Franconia Notch with undercast

When we crested Kinsman Ridge, the first thing we saw was Franconia Ridge floating above a billowy cloud of undercast. Also called a cloud inversion, undercast occurs when a cold layer of air is trapped in a canyon or mountain pass and topped with a layer of warm air, which combines with moisture and condensation to form a sea of clouds. It was a breathtaking sight, to see Mts Lafayette, Lincoln, Liberty and Flume poking their summits above the cloud layer, like islands in a white sea. Yeah, I live for sublime days like this in the mountains in winter.

Our goal for the day was to climb North and South Kinsman Mountains, with a side visit to Bald Peak Mountain along the way. North and South Kinsman are on the Appalachian Trail, directly opposite Franconia Ridge in Franconia Notch and provide the best viewpoint to see the ridge from a distance.

To get there, we climbed the less popular Mt Kinsman Trail which approaches the ridge from the west. It's a much nicer trail than the Lonesome Lake and Fishin' Jimmy Trails which climb the ridge from the east, but much less used because the trailhead is more remote. The Kinsman Trail is 3.7 miles long and climbs 2850 feet to the ridge. This took 11 of us, close to 4 hours to break out by snowshoe. The final 1.6 miles of trail gains about 1600′ of elevation and it was by far the toughest part of the climb, because the snow was powdery and didn't compact well under foot. For every two steps forward, you'd slide a half step back.

Snowshoeing up the Mt Kinsman Trail in deep snow.
Snowshoeing up the Mt Kinsman Trail in deep snow.

We stopped after 2.1 miles and snowshoed out to Bald Peak, a large open ledge atop a western spur of Kinsman Mountain. The mountaintop was smothered in mist, so we didn't have any views, but we had a snack break and short rest, just the same. I have to get back up there. It looks like a fabulous place to do a little star watching on a clear night.

When we got to the Kinsman Ridge Trail junction, I promptly fell into a spruce trap and struggled to get out. When snow falls on small spruce trees in the mountains, it creates a little cocoon around the trees, leaving voids under the branches instead of being densely packed. If you step on one of the branches, you can fall into the void and become trapped if your boots or snowshoes become ensnared in the tangled mess of branches inside the hole. Getting out by yourself can be quite difficult and it can turn into a life threatening situation if you're alone and can't escape without assistance. It's one of the chief reasons why hiking with other people is prudent in winter. I managed to extract myself, but was embarrassed by my plight.

From the junction, we climbed up to North Kinsman and a view ledge just below its summit. The undercast in the Notch had started to dissipate by then but was still thick and fluffy to the south. The day was waning however and we made the call to skip the final segment to the South Kinsman summit. The climb up to the ridge had been quite exhausting and we still had a long hike ahead of us to get back down.

Random Hikers at the North Kinsman view ledge
Random Hikers at the North Kinsman view ledge

I have to admit, I was pretty zonked after this hike and it took me a day rest up again. But I am having a blast snowshoeing this winter, even though it's technically still autumn. It's just three more weeks until the start of calendar winter and the prospect of more fun hikes on the horizon.

Here's a map of our route. This is a georeferenced PDF created using Caltopo. You can navigate with it using an app like Avenza (directions here) or just print it out.

North Kinsman and Bald Peak

Recommended Guidebooks and Maps:

Help support this site by making your next gear purchase through one of the links above. Click a link, buy what you need, and the seller will contribute a portion of the purchase price to support SectionHiker's unsponsored gear reviews, articles, and hiking guides.

The post Undercast in Franconia Notch appeared first on Section Hikers Backpacking Blog.



from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog https://ift.tt/2BQbgcm

IndieView with Kiesha Collier, author of A Wife’s Revenge

It’s for men and women because we all go through, or have been through relationship woes, or have experienced the truth about a friendship whether it be good, or bad.

Kiesha Collier – 4 December 2018

The Back Flap

Some of us are blessed with best friends that we absolutely love. For women some of our best girlfriends are more like our sisters. For men their best friends are like true brothers. There is nothing we wouldn’t do for our best friends, but could you imagine having to pay for your best friends mistake?

Sable Ferguson loves her husband Alex and the billion dollar empire they have built together. She knew she was less than attractive, but her money, her handsome husband made her look gorgeous to where women envied her all around.

Sable’s fairy-tale life suddenly comes to an end when she walks in on her husband making love to a beautiful woman. Not just any woman, but Kalikow Porter, a woman from his past. On that day she lost her self esteem, her joy, her will to live. Sable thought long and hard on why she should end her life when she didn’t do anything wrong. Her husband was the cheater. Her husband was the one that broke her heart. Her husband is the one that will pay for what he has done.

About the book

What is the book about?

A Wife’s Revenge is about a wife who decides the best revenge for her husband and his mistress is to set them up and give them HIV/AIDS.

When did you start writing the book?  

I started writing this book September 2016.

How long did it take you to write it?

It took about six months to actually write the book, but about a year and a half for it to be finished.

Where did you get the idea from?

I was watching television one day when a news segment came on and it was about this guy who had slept with multiple women and never disclosed his health information. It really bothered me to where I was asking myself questions like did he know the women prior, did they break his heart in the past and it was payback, or did they bully him in school like I needed a reason why. That’s when the idea came to me to create a selfish character that only thinks of their selves and what makes them happy and how they have no regard for human kind. Much like I felt about the man.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Yes having to write a few of the characters personality. I hated to create such cold-hearted people.

What came easily?

The message that I was trying to bring forward, it just flowed naturally.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

No they are totally fictitious. Two of my characters I wouldn’t want to know them in the real world, lol. However, one of them I would love to be friends with she’s sweet, to the point, and keeps you laughing!

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I wouldn’t say they influenced me but I love their writing style, and their books are good! Kimberla Lawson Roby, Mary (Honey B) Morrison and Bettye Griffin.

Do you have a target reader?

It’s for men and women because we all go through, or have been through relationship woes, or have experienced the truth about a friendship whether it be good, or bad. I feel men and women can relate to the characters.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I really don’t have a writing process. I just write whenever an idea comes to me, or whenever that feeling hits me.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

No I don’t outline when an idea comes I start writing but not everything I write turns to a book. Sometimes it just doesn’t flow well.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I edit as I go and when I’m finished. I would write a few chapters and then go back and read them. I probably would add something to it and also delete an entire paragraph.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I didn’t hire a professional editor but I had family members and friends reading the book for mistakes and editing. I did however hire a professional to format the book and to be clear of misspelled words, and grammatical errors.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I do sometimes when I’m in a certain area in the book like if the character is experiencing heartbreak or a breakup. I find that listening to soft music helps bring out the moment that the character is experiencing, but a lot of times I have to shut the music off because when I’m writing I’m in a zone. Just like when I’m listening to music, I’m in a zone enjoying the music!

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Actually, I didn’t send to any agents. I sent to a publishing company that accepts submissions from Authors without an Agent. The Executive Editor loved my book (her words) but she passed because she didn’t like the idea of HIV/AIDS being used as a revenge method (her words again) I was devastated, but I knew the story still needed to be heard. I was happy I got her attention out of the piles and piles of submissions she receives daily.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

After the rejection I decided to self-publish. It took a few months for me to make this decision.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

My book cover was done professionally and I love it. My designer did an amazing job that I was very pleased with!

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

Every day I’m researching different ways to market and advertise my book. I’m trying different avenues. I also use the old school way as well lol!

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

The advice I always give myself is “no one can buy your book Kiesha if they don’t know it exists” Even though it’s hard work and it gets frustrating at times because we don’t have big name publishers backing us up, but it’s rewarding and fun, because everything we do we do it for our baby and that is our book(s)

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town called Madison, Georgia.

Where do you live now?

I now live in Atlanta, Georgia.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I love to write books that entertain the readers, but my books will always have a message with it that will help someone for the better.

What are you working on now?

Two other novels and I have a finished stage play that I really hope to bring to the stage soon!

End of Interview:

For more from Kiesha, like her Facebook page.

Get your copy of A Wife’s Revenge from Amazon US or Amazon UK.



from The IndieView https://ift.tt/2KTTTdE