Shawn's Top 5

Login

BIG 105 Poll

Are you watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs?

Twitter

big105: RT @happifull: Excited for tonight! Bring on the laughs from @deathbyfoui & @marekay & the cast of @BullSkitComedy PLUS great tunes by @MidwestMindset

big105: I'm excited the May long weekend signals the return of The Market at Red Deer Saturday mornings. Which is your... http://t.co/lOzxODFK

big105: Chatting with @BrentButt right meow!

Shawn's Top 5

Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Twitter @mcclearyradio

Summer

Monday, 19 September 2011 20:58

5. Road Trip

A mid-summer retreat to Waterton Lakes. We stayed at a delightful bed and breakfast just north of the park - Waterton River Suites - I recommend staying there if you get the chance. Our trip led us into Montana and Glacier National Park on the day they opened Logan Pass for the season. It was the middle of July and there was still a good ten feet of snow on the side of the road - crazy. All in all, a nice relaxing trip that was by no means long enough.

4.Storm Watching

One of the things I love about summer in Central Alberta is the weather. We had some really active storms this year - some of the longest rolls of thunder I've heard, wicked light shows, and tornadoes. There is nothing better than a great storm - this summer did not disappoint.

3. Northern Lights

My first real experience with Aurora Borealis. I just happened to step outside while the northern lights were dancing over Red Deer - such a cool thing to see. The next night we brought out our daughter's telescope - there were no northern lights but we did observe Jupiter and it's four largest moons ... cool on another level.

2. Marriage

I got married this summer - finally convinced her that putting up with me forever was a GOOD idea. Low key affair - just close family who were ALL together for the first time ... for my number one of the summer.

1.Baby

August is now known as "The Month of Cake" in my house. My birthday, my wife's birthday, our anniversary and the birth of our first daughter ... together. I have two wonderful step daughters who have taught me a lot about being a parent - everything except the feeling one experiences when they meet a child of their very own. Now, I've got it all. These initiations into fatherhood are by far the greatest thing I've done with my life. Three daughters ... hmmm ... has anyone seen my shotgun?

Top 5 things to do in Alberta this summer

Sunday, 10 July 2011 18:20

"What did you do this summer?" I'll always give a variety of answers, but at the top of the list you'll always find "road trip." And so, I offer no events to attend, no activities geared toward keeping the kids occupied, only 5 road trip destinations. Enjoy.

5. Writing on Stone Provincial Park

So named because there is writing on stone - Blackfoot carvings in the rock face (though you will find some graffiti as well.) Fantastic hiking and photo opportunities on the "Hoodoo Trail" and a neat place to camp on the Milk River. In summer you may run across a rattlesnake as well. Rich bit of Alberta history and an interpretive centre to help you sort it out.

4. Miette Hot Springs

A winding road through the mountains between Hinton and Jasper takes you to Miette, the hottest springs in the Rockies. There are four pools: a large warm pool, a hot pool (40 degrees Celsius) and two cold plunges. This is the perfect summer destination to plan for when the weather promises to be cold and raining.

3. Canoe Ride on Lake Louise

This one is best done early in the day to get the full benefit of the sunshine. It may seem a little pricey, but 30 minutes IS enough time to get to the back of the lake and back and the view and serenity is worth the money. If on the water is not your thing, check the view from the top of the gondola ride.

2. Waterton Lakes National Park

There are a great many tourists who filter through Alberta in the summer. So where does an Albertan go to appreciate the majesty of our national parks, without being overwhelmed by out of towners? Waterton is tucked away in the south-western corner along the Montana border. Fantastic hiking, canoeing, photo opportunities, fewer tourists and more economical than Banff or Jasper are just a few of the lures of this area. Waterton shut down in the off season and usually sees first snow in early November - that’s a great time to visit too, when it’s almost like a ghost town.

1. Columbia Ice Field Tour
If you've never travelled highway 93 between Lake Louise and Jasper, you may not know this place exists. It becomes one of those stories you tell people who have misconceptions about Canada's climate - the time you went hiking on a glacier. There's a paid tour that takes you out quite a distance, or a free self guided hike on the tongue. Either way, it’s windy and quite cool - take closed toe shoes and a light jacket. While you’ll get some nice shots, no picture does the view justice.

Top 5 to follow on Twitter

Sunday, 12 June 2011 14:28

I use twitter for information and entertainment. The following are 5 of my primary sources for entertainment on twitter.

@alyankovic - A true talent and just really funny ... a quirky funny.

@ConanOBrien - Not always a regular tweeter, but every one is quality.

@tinybuddha - A little inspiration when the world comes crashing down around you.

@GBelous - Always an interesting, hilarious or ridiculous link to follow. (He's a personality on our sister station 106.7 The Drive)

@oldmansearch - The bio says it all: My dad is 81 years old. I'm teaching him how to use the internet. I told him twitter was how to search things on Google. These tweets are what he's searching.

Top 5 Websites

Thursday, 12 May 2011 00:07

5. THE IDEA SWAP - This is a website for when you honestly have nothing better to do. Enter your idea then click the "swap" button to see other people's ideas. Some are pretty good, some not so, though it is fairly interesting to take a look at what other people think ... like people watching, but with ideas.

4. TED - Technology, Entertainment, Design. The big idea is to spread ideas. They get interesting people to talk about topics ranging from technology, art, science, global issues and on and on. A lot of interesting stuff here if you have 20 minutes to kill. Warning: you may learn something.

3. THE SIMPSONS ARCHIVE - We are all some kind of "nerd." I'm a "Simpsons" nerd from way back. Friends and family always question how I know so much about the show including extended passages of dialogue ... the answer is snpp.com. The destination for anyone who loves or has ever loved The Simpsons enough to want to get the lines to their favorite joke right. One can waste days on this site ...

2. 8TRACKS - This site is pretty cool if you love music. Remember mix tapes? Now they're on the internet. Pick at least 8 songs, throw them into a play list, and give your tape to the world ... or listen to other mix tapes. Play lists are tagged so you can pick your flavor, but you never really know where the music will go next - a great way to get exposed to some different music

1. STUMBLEUPON - This is the greatest website I've ever been to - hands down. At the outset, you pick the topics you like then "stumble your interests." You are taken on a tour of webpages related to the topics you've picked and influenced by the pages you "like." It's easy to spend hours "stumbling." Some of the websites on this list, I've found through stumbleupon ... happy stumbling.

Top 5 Best Things About Spring

Monday, 11 April 2011 12:26

5. Clean Car

In winter, it is damn near impossible to keep a clean vehicle. Usually temperatures are so frigid, even a quick wash will result in frozen doors. On those rare occasions when things settle near of above zero, the roads get so sloppy, my car is a mess again by the time I get it home. Spring means my car stays cleaner longer - and I can shake out the 12 pounds of gravel stuck in the floor mats.

4. Bare feet

When the snow finally melts and the grass begins to grow, the shoes, socks an/or sandals come off. There is a certain, indescribable feeling of connectedness to the earth when you walk on it barefoot.

3. Light

Extended daylight hours - one of my favorite things about living at this latitude. The three (or so) months of summer we get around here are superb, and longer days in spring hold the promise of those

l o n g s u m m e r d a y s.

2. Birds

People feed 'em, cats chase 'em, but the songs of springtime warm my heart. To be able to wake to birds singing outside my window instead of an alarm is something I will never tire of.

1. Smells

The scent of spring lifts the spirit after the bone-chilling grind of winter. The smell of the evergreens warming up in the early spring sun leads to the aroma of fresh cut grass dancing on a gentle breeze. Notice how many air freshening type products have fragrances inspired by spring.

More Articles...