Happy in Gold River

I LOVE MY JOB!

New Career

Air Nootka phoned last night to make it official. I start my new career next Wednesday - I am getting paid to fly a plane as a commercial float pilot.

What does Air Nootka do:

-fly loggers to and from logging camps
-mail run to remote communities - my favourite
-fly surfers to remote beaches where they camp on the beach and surf the most isolated beaches
-fly hikers to the trail head of the Nootka and Hesquiat trail then pick them up at the trail end
-scenic tours to incredible places like Yuquot (Friendly Cove)
-and more....

If you are in Gold River- drop by the Air Nootka base.

my former Neighbour

My former neighbor in Victoria started off his season with a bang - NICE WORK SQW! I am trying to make sure that I can watch SQW win worlds in Vancouver and of course I will be watching every second of the Olympic Triathlon race on CBC.

Looks like I finally have my first job as a commercial float pilot. I am very excited about the new job. It's very similar to the day that Reebok wanted to hire me as one of their pro triathletes. I have a grin from ear to ear. I start mid-May. More on the new job after my road trip this weekend.

For the past few years I have been pacing part of the Boston and New York City marathon with PowerBar. It's a great gig. I get to hang out with the great crew from PowerBar and run part of the marathon. I am teaming up with my buddy Tim Deboom for Boston. He gets 13.1 and I get 13.1. It doesn't matter which leg I get - running Boston is a huge treat. One of these days I need to do a marathon for time. To see what I can do. The itch to train seriously for something is finally coming back. It's taken almost 2 years and a ton of extra pounds of my body to want to get back in shape.

Anyway, look for Tim and I at the PowerBar booth Saturday-Sunday then out on the race course Monday.

Also, GOOD LUCK TO DESIREE at the US Women's Marathon trials Sunday in Boston!

Motivated to run!

This is the year I get back to racing - trail run races with a possible assault on the 2009 Western States 100. I am following the path of one of my idols - Paul Huddle.
Check out this blast from the past that Andrew Ernst created for me:

http://www.rubbergoose.com/videos/peter_reid/peter_reid_promo.mov

IFR and off to Camp

For the past 8 days I have been commuting (1hr 45min each way) from Squamish to Boundary Bay Airport to spend time in a Simulator learning how to fly IFR (Instrument Flight Rules). At first I hated it and wondered why a wannabe float guy like myself was learning IFR. Now, I get it! I almost addicted to it. I enjoy the SIM! What a difference a few hours can make.

I have two more sessions in the SIM then it is off to Tucson for my yearly journey to AZ. I have been going to Tucson since 1993 as either an athlete or coach.

This year we have 2 camps.

It should be fun and to see guys like Bruce (see picture) get so pumped makes it worth being away from the SIM.

More from Tucson....

PR

Back home from the Tour of California

The weather was wet and cold; but, the roads and riding partners were incredible!
I had a great time and it was nice being on the bike again. I have a few weeks off the bike then back on at the Tucson training camp. Specialized continues to spoil me.

new plane and a road trip to California

Tomorrow I begin my Simulator training in the morning then do a fun flight in a tailwheel plane - Citabria - in the afternoon.
Tuesday I am off to California to help my former sponsor, Specialized, at the Tour of California. I am still a huge cycling fan; so, watching the big boys of cycling race is going to be a blast.

I sure miss the twin

For the past week since my flight test I have been away from the twin while I study for the INRAT. I sure miss FIMC.
Some offers are slowly coming back to me after a big push to get my resume out there. Looks like I will be working on the dock or ramp loading planes for quite some time before I get the flying gig. Bring it on! It's all part of my path to landing the first flying gig.

Selkirks - Great People, Great Food and lots of snow

Got the Multi

I am now a Multi-Engine rated pilot!

Passed my flight test Monday.

Next up - IFR written.

Durrand Glacier Lodge - WOW

Just got back from an amazing trip in the Selkirks.

There was an amazing group of fit and fun people to hang out with during the daily 7 hour tours of the backcountry. We did daily 9500 plus feet summits with some epic run s down the mountains.

Slide show up soon.

Christmas in January

Tomorrow morning I receive my Christmas present from Malaika: A week of backcountry skiing with M at the Durrand Glacier Lodge at 6000 feet in the Selkirks. www.selkirkexperience.com

It should be incredible. The snow levels to date have been massive; so, there should be lots of runs in the fluffy stuff.

The week is going to be perfect for launching my base aerobic training to get ready for the Tucson training camps and Solvang Camp with my former training buddy Chucky V.

more Air Nootka photos

10 hours on a Beaver

It's Friday night and I am on a huge High! No not from any products; but, from real West Coast flying in a deHavilland Beaver.

A few weeks before Christmas I sent an e-mail to Brad Koop of Air Nootka asking if he would be interested in training me on the Beaver. He called and said - no problem. All I had to do was show up in Gold River.

I showed up last week and we were flying Monday.

I now have 10 hours of flying on the most incredible machine. This is what I want to do! I want to fly the Beaver as a commercial pilot. Working for Air Nootka would be a dream job but it's challenging flying and they generally don't let low timers like me fly for them. Landing with ocean swell, low visibility and tight docks are a standard. Ther aren't too many easy places for them to fly.

I was lucky to do some flying with Mike who is one of the younger guys at Air Nootka and was blown away with his flying. He made the machine as part of his body. I was able to do this a few times in my career as a pro triathlete on the bike. The bike felt like it was part of the body. Mike and Brad both fly this way. I have a long way to go before I can call myself a good pilot after flying with them. UNREAL! You guys are rock stars!

2007 finshed with a bang

My brother Dave and his incredible wife Petra welcomed a new Reid to the world on December 31st - Griffin Peter Reid! I am extremely proud to be Uncle Pete.