“It was a sleety, windy Saturday morning about three weeks ago. I was alone. I had hiked up from Cuckold’s Cove and had just broken out onto the hardtop of Signal Hill Road. I was heading downhill, and coming uphill toward me was a familiar figure. TA Loeffler isn’t hard to pick out on the hill. Bent almost double against the wind and gravity, she wears a heavy pack on her back … and behind her trail two car tires…”

This is the beginning of a write-up that CBC’s Jonathan Crowe did after we spent some time last Friday pulling tires up Signal Hill. I first met Jonathan several years ago when we co-hosted the provincial sports award gala. We both wore tuxes and had a fun evening joking that I was his “Mini Me.” We’ve seen each other a few times since then in either the CBC studio or occasionally at the hockey arena. We’re both avid hockey players.

Jonathan is working his way back to fitness after a tough year away from physical activity so he knows that’s it’s like when illness keeps you from performing your best. I appreciated our chat as we ascended the hill and our more formal interview at the top. Jonathan asked some “real” questions about the climb (both the inner climb and the outer climb) and I answered them…the interview can be seen here. Four more sleeps, one more hockey game, and one big fun send-off to go before boarding my flight…oh yeah…and finishing packing, doing my taxes, submitting my grades, and a few other details to take care of as well…best get busy…actually best get some sleep, and then get busy tomorrow checking things off the list.