Bob is an ENDLESS source of stories, as anyone who has spent time with him knows. He was always up to something, usually something interesting. Here is one “oldie but goodie” that jumped to mind as I think of him…
Picture Hector McKenzie in his Lifa long underwear, Chris Bookless in a Hawaiian skirt, Gord Wood looking very serious, Brian McWaters looking not very serious, and many others sweating it… only to find out at the end the whole thing was a set-up!! By Bob… surprise!!!
Back in the late 1980s, the BC government decided to regulate raft guides. One day a helicopter even flew in to the upper Tat put-in which is in BC, as we were getting ready to launch the day trip, to check on us! Around that time, Bob hatched the idea with me (as I was a fitness instructor): We should pretend all the guides need to pass a “fitness test” as part of the new BC requirements and make them come do it!!
Excellent idea. So, Bob and I very earnestly informed all the guides that they needed a fitness test for the BC government regulations, and that I was an authorized person to give such a test, so they needed to show up at the fitness studio on the specified date and time. Show up they did … a rather grumpy crew (except for Brian McWaters, of course – who laughed his way through it.)
First, the cardio section of the event – done as a Jane Fonda-ish type of fitness class. You can imagine, eh? They did their best at 20 minutes of “cardio” fitness class to music. All of which confirmed: fancy steps on the floor are NOT what raft guides do best! (I almost spit up laughing, and Bob was trying very hard to look like he was taking it seriously… but … seriously!!!)
Then, the (sort of semi-legit) “strength test”: how many sit-ups could you do in 60 seconds, and how many push-ups in 60 seconds?? We were happy to notice that raft guides do better at that (some much better than others) than prancing around to music. Lots of competition and grunting and sweating and serious effort for this part!! Fist pumps all around when that was done.
Finally, a “flexibility test” of very rudimentary sorts: sit on the floor and reach towards your toes and measure how far you can go. It seems this is NOT even on the radar of what most raft guides are good at, eh. 😀 No fist pumps there, just looks of consternation.
Finally, it was OVER. YAY!!! At the end…. still looking grumpy (except for Brian, who was still laughing!) but happy it was DONE… they all got a wee certificate from me… and then… a “sucker” from Bob. HA HA HA!!
Bob and I then sprinted out of the room, for personal safety reasons…. 😀😀😀
