Marilyn: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network since 1996, marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, recreational, investment, and project development real estate. Ian has received several awards recognizing his exceptional community commitment locally, as well as awards for outstanding performance and achievement from both RE/MAX International and the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. You'll find true real estate professionals at ianlindsay.ca.

Rockin Rhonda & The Uptown Blues Band: Here comes Peter. Here comes Dave. Oh listen. Bringing stories, making waves. No missing. Spinning tales in the podcast cave. So much laughs and insights everywhere. Peter and Dave, they're on the mics. Alright, join the ride. It's gonna feel just right.

Peter McCully: Welcome to the Pulse Community Podcast, where we bring you the stories that matter most to mid Vancouver Island. I'm here with my co-host who thinks September's a good time to finally start that summer reading list that he made in June. It's Dave Graham.

Dave Graham: Hey, we still have a couple of weeks of summer left, and I'm not in the habit of surrendering summer without a little kicking and screaming. Not that there's anything wrong with autumn, but I digress. Allow me to introduce my co-host, a man who has learned to ignore my kicking and screaming. It's Peter McCully.

Peter McCully: Save the kicking and screaming for when you're at the grocery store, just like all the other kids. So Dave, what are you reading these days?

Dave Graham: Oh, you know, I'm reading a book I first picked up when I was in my twenties, and I'm pleased to say that I'm almost done. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance first came out in the 1970s, written by Robert Pirsig. You know, he faced 121 rejections before a publisher finally took a chance on him, and it is now considered pretty much a classic. Peter, you're used to rejection. I mean, you used to ride motorbikes, right?

Peter McCully: Yes, yes, I enjoyed riding, but those days are over. The same can't be said for Deb Grey. The former member of Parliament is known for telling it like it is and for her love of motorcycles. Deb and her husband Lewis are happily semi-retired in Qualicum Beach. They enjoy riding their matching motorcycles around Vancouver Island.

Deb Grey: The Royal Alberta Museum asked me if I would donate a bunch of stuff for an exhibit. So I said, "Sure." And the girl that came to my house to collect stuff said, "Oh, my curator is wondering if we could have your motorcycle." And I said, "No, I'm riding my motorcycle, so that won't work so well." And I said, "What if I could get you the bike that I campaigned on?" Her eyes got big and she said, "Oh, could you?" So we phoned our pal and they had just given it to some guy, and it wasn't working very well. So I phoned him, told him who I was and what I wanted, and he said, "If you give me $500 for the motorcycle, I will donate that $500 to a kids' camp." I said, "What a deal." They got it running and it's beautiful, and it sits to this day in the Deb Grey exhibit in the Royal Alberta Museum.

Dave Graham: Dan King is the founder of Spark House Coworking, the large coworking space that opened recently in downtown Parksville. This coworking space is attracting a wide variety of users.

Dan King: I think perhaps what I didn't expect were the inquiries from so many community organizations that are showing interest in using that meeting room space. I didn't realize there was such a need. The other group that has caught me off guard are counselors—people who do one-on-one counseling with a counseling practice, or maybe they work for a particular government agency or what have you for counseling. They've primarily been doing video conferencing through Zoom or what have you with clients at home, but now are seeking a day office to meet with people in person again.

Peter McCully: Sign up for the Pulse Community Podcast newsletter and you'll always know who's going to be appearing on the next program. Get the newsletter at thepulsecommunity.ca.

Dave Graham: And getting the newsletter means you'll also be among the first to learn of upcoming contest opportunities. And we congratulate Nicky Westnedge of Qualicum Beach, the winner of our "Grilled, Chill and Fill" contest. Nicky won a Paderno portable propane grill, an Igloo cooler, and a $100 Smile Card from Thrifty Foods in Parksville. Thanks to everyone who entered.

Windsor Plywood French Creek: The Pulse Community Podcast is brought to you in part by Windsor Plywood in French Creek, specializing in hard-to-source interior and exterior home finishing products, including flooring, doors and moldings, and exterior project materials such as yellow cedar. Windsor Plywood French Creek carries high-quality, responsibly sourced products and are committed to providing outstanding value and personalized one-on-one service to all of our customers: homeowners, do-it-yourselfers, renovators, builders, designers, craftsmen, and contractors. Regardless of the type or size of your project, Windsor can help you bring your vision to life from start to finish. Let Windsor Plywood in French Creek help you with your renovation, new build, or building project. Visit them online or call 752-3122.

Thrifty Foods Parksville: At Thrifty Foods, we love to help nonprofits, charities, and schools. Our Thrifty Foods Smile Card bulk program allows organizations to immediately save up to 6% on the purchase of Smile Cards in bulk, allowing you to keep more money in your organization's pockets. Ask for details at Thrifty Foods in Parksville.

Back Porch Banjo: Hey there, Vancouver Island. Dave Haggblad here. I'm the upright bass player for Back Porch Banjo, an energetic five-piece bluegrass band with members from all around the mid-island. I came to bluegrass music later in life and to the upright bass even later than that. But my enjoyment from holding down the bottom end while singing lead and harmonies shows that sometimes the best discoveries come when you least expect them. Plus, the band thinks it's a bonus that I'm always finding bluegrass classics that are completely new to me, which keeps that sense of wonder and excitement alive in every performance. The band's upbeat banjo melodies, old-time fiddle tunes, soaring three-part harmonies, and a driving backbeat will have you toe-tapping and singing along before you know it. We play right at the crossroads of bluegrass and old-time acoustic roots—heartfelt songs about love, heartbreak, hard work, and good times. We've been playing all over the mid-island this year: the Memorial Park in Parksville, the Chemainus Bluegrass Festival, the Errington Farmer's Market, Railway Days at the Parksville Museum with our collection of bluegrass train songs, and even put on our own concert up in Courtenay. And now here's something special. Come out and see us at the Highway 19A Music Festival on Monday, September 15th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. We're playing at Fowler's Garage at 215 Lions Way in Qualicum Bay. It's gonna be a fantastic afternoon of music and community spirit. You can check out the schedule and buy reasonably priced tickets at route19a.com. Come out and listen. Come out and connect with us and let Back Porch Banjo remind you of why our island community is so special. We love playing music just as much as you'll enjoy listening. Back Porch Banjo continues that wonderful island tradition of bringing neighbors together through music. Check out our scheduled performances and availability at backporchbanjo.com.

Peter McCully: Dave, I noticed your headphones are a little tight today.

Dave Graham: Well, if you must know, I was recently honored by having my likeness rendered as a superhero. And I'll admit it's gone to my head, maybe a little. I'm afraid to ask.

Peter McCully: Okay, what's the story?

Dave Graham: Well, I did some narration for an upcoming theatrical production by the local theater group Echo Players, and they're putting on a Batman spoof and an original play coming up in December. Well, apparently I'm some kind of narrating superhero. Normally when a show is being staged, there's a display of photographs of the cast and crew. For this production, all the participants are being rendered in comic book form, and as for my image, I gotta say I like the look.

Peter McCully: Well, as long as you don't start wearing spandex, we should be okay. Actually, I got to speak to something of a superhero recently.

Dave Graham: What's this about?

Peter McCully: Now, Peter Kent would not likely agree to the reference, but he did put his life on the line many times in order to keep someone else safe. Allow me to explain. Peter was Arnold Schwarzenegger's stunt double for many years, and there were stunts that could have been fatal. Peter's now a real estate agent in Qualicum Beach, and my conversation about his time working with one of the world's most recognizable movie stars will be coming up on a future edition of the Pulse Community Podcast.

Peter McCully: Plus we'll be featuring a conversation with Denman Island author JP McLean about her new book, The Never Witch.

Dave Graham: We'll talk with Elizabeth May, who says she'll step down as leader of Canada's Green Party in 2026.

Peter McCully: And golfer Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay joins us to talk about winning the Canadian Senior Women's Championship.

Dave Graham: So Peter, when you see someone on a motorcycle, what goes through your mind?

Peter McCully: Well, two things. One, that looks like freedom. And two, if they could put training wheels on motorbikes, I might give it a try, but I'm wobbly on a bicycle.

Dave Graham: Well, come to think of it, you look a bit wobbly just kinda sitting there, but you remember trying that e-bike last summer?

Peter McCully: Well, I have no idea what you're talking about, but my doctor says the memories may come back in time. Now, I believe we were talking about the safe operation of motorcycles, and that leads us nicely to our first guest. Here's Marilyn with the intro.

Marilyn: Deb Grey was Canada's first female leader of official opposition in 1989. She won a by-election, becoming the Reform Party's first member of Parliament. She served in that position, winning four straight elections. Deb and her husband Lewis are happily semi-retired in Qualicum Beach. They enjoy riding their matching motorcycles around Vancouver Island. She continues to travel across Canada, addressing groups on leadership, balancing work and play, and relationship building.

Peter McCully: I find myself on the waterfront in Qualicum Beach today, where I'm here quite often. Actually, whenever I'm here, there seems to be a big red and black Honda motorcycle with a full interstate package on it. I look lovingly at it because, as you know, I'm a motorcyclist, and I thought perhaps I would chat with the owners. So I waited to see who would show up today to take down the "for sale" sign that's on the windshield, and it turns out it's Deb Grey.

Deb Grey: Hello. Welcome to the beach—my office.

Peter McCully: Deb Grey, who is a former member of Parliament, the first woman to be the leader of the official opposition in the House of Commons, and a member of the Order of Canada. Deb and her husband Lewis have been retired in Qualicum Beach now for a few years. Semi-retired, I guess.

Deb Grey: Semi-retired, yes. I find lots to keep myself busy and amused. I do some speaking engagements roundabout. I get on a plane every now and again, either flying out of Nanaimo or Comox, whichever is the cheapest flight, because whoever's flying me somewhere to speak, I want to get them the best deal because I'm a reformer and we believe in fiscal responsibility. But mostly I'm home here.

Peter McCully: Deb, let's talk motorcycles to start with. Tell me about this motorcycle you have for sale.

Deb Grey: My husband Lew and I have matching Honda Valkyries. They're the sport version of the 1500 Gold Wing when they were getting ready to build the 1800s. They're the sport version and they are sweet bikes. They're the same—both red and black. They're identical bikes and I'm sure people see us down here at the beachfront all the time and we ride around the island. We just love them. But I am in year 58 of riding. I'm 73 years old and Lew is coming on 77, and he has said for a long time, "Deb, we need to sell these great big, huge bikes and get smaller ones." And I said, "No, but I'm fine on mine. Why do I have to do that?" Anyway, I just think the time comes when you need to downsize. And so we have them for sale, and of course I'd love to sell them as a matching set. But what two people are gonna ride identical bikes—husband and wife team, couple of guys if they want to do that, brothers, sisters, who knows? But anyway, we're willing to sell them separately as well. But they're sweet bikes and I am very sad to see them go. We bought them 20 years ago and we've had some very happy riding all over the place. These are six-cylinder bikes, 1500cc. Yep, six cylinder. So they have plenty of snap, but I need to say I've never had a speeding ticket on it, which I find wonderful but shocking.

Peter McCully: The right place at the right time.

Deb Grey: Yeah, that's right. But if you're a biker, you are really careful. It makes you a good defensive driver. So we're pretty careful. And the fact that I say I've been riding 58 years tells you something. A, I'm a good defensive rider, but B, I've been blessed.

Peter McCully: Yeah. What drew you to motorcycles at such a young age? I think you probably were 15 or 16, were you?

Deb Grey: Well, I got my first bike when I was 16, but I have three older sisters and one of them had a fellow coming around in high school with a greasy old Harley, and he thought she was pretty sweet, so he thought if he got the kid sister lobbying on his behalf, that would be good for him. So he said, "Hey kid, you want to go for a ride on the back of my bike?" So I went with him. I was 13, she was 16, and I just fell in love with it. I didn't like the smell or the sound or the feel of the bike, but the wind in my hair—I just thought, "I'm hooked." And I didn't smoke. I didn't drink as a kid in the sixties, but this has been my only addiction in my life and it's been sweet for decades.

Peter McCully: Where would you be touring with Lew when you're on the bike? Mostly Western Canada?

Deb Grey: Yeah, mostly Western Canada. We lived in Alberta, of course, for years. I grew up in Vancouver, so back to the ocean, which makes me happy. We did buy a bike in Ottawa, rode it home, so that was fun. And when people say where they're from, I said, "Try me. If it's on pavement, I've probably been there."

Peter McCully: So what's your most memorable motorcycle trip as you look back on all those miles?

Deb Grey: So many. Probably the one riding home from Ottawa. We bought it from a pal back there and we came on the bike, but I had an old Ford Explorer down there too, and we brought them both home and swapped off on the way, which was nice because you weren't riding the bike the whole time. So that was really memorable. We had lots of fun on that trip too, but other ones that were memorable: Lew has a brother down close to Sedona in Arizona, and so when it was 42 below in Edmonton, we hauled our rig with the bikes down to Arizona and just dumped the whole rig on his front yard, which was gravel, and then hopped on the bikes and away we went. So that was very fun. We did south Padre Island, down in southern Texas and Corpus Christi, and we've just had some great runs all around. We went down to below San Antonio, Texas. We went to visit friends in LA, and so that was an adventure too. And I say to people, "What's scarier than a motorcycle on LA freeways? Two motorcycles on LA freeways, trying to keep in touch with each other and just be able to weave and dance together." They were just great trips. We were up in Sedona, that beautiful Red Rock country. We rode our bikes through, I think it's called Oak Creek Canyon. It was cold. We were in Jerome, if anyone's been down in that country, west of Phoenix, up on the cliff up there. It used to be the capital, I think, of Arizona, way back—a mining town—and we rode up there. The weather was warm enough, but there were three or four feet of snow on the side of the highway as we were going up. So it felt chilly enough. But the things that you see on motorcycles, because you're so aware and watching so much, are just fantastic in terms of rides in Canada. Boy, top three: the Banff-Jasper Highway, Highway 93 along the Columbia Icefield there. Just absolutely fantastic. That's a gorgeous ride. And in a car it's pretty, but you have this thing over top of you, but when you're riding on a motorcycle, it is just freewheeling. And then you can see the Columbia Icefield over there and all the mountain peaks are just gorgeous. And then you come down the Rocky Mountain Trench, beautiful from Lake Louise over to Radium Hot Springs and down. And then another favorite ride is Highway 3 along the bottom through the Kootenays. That's just gorgeous motorcycle riding. It's absolutely beautiful. But when I'm riding that road, I'm singing away at the top of my lungs because no one can hear you. And so when I'm riding that, I always sing that song: "I was walking that ribbon of highway," you know? And if you pulled that ribbon out, it's just way, way longer. So those are beauty rides. It just seems that wherever you are, even on the prairies, you think, "Oh, it's flat. There's one curve between Edmonton and Moose Jaw or whatever." But you can smell the trees, you can smell the crops during harvest. It's beautiful. Listening to the red-winged blackbirds and seeing the bull rushes and watching them as they ripen—just absolutely fantastic. Any place is a good place to ride.

Peter McCully: What's the most remote or unexpected place your motorcycle has taken you at this point?

Deb Grey: Oh my, lots of places. One that comes to mind in terms of remote or far away: I've been involved in Ride for Dad. Preston Manning and I had him on my motorcycle and he's just terrified. He rides a horse, but I think I still have his fingermarks in my back from him clinging on. We started Ride for Dad when Gary Gentes was beginning it years ago in Ottawa, so we went to some furniture shop, so that was very fun. But I've been involved with Ride for Dad since then. And so in 2019, the year before COVID, they brought me up to the Yukon for the Ride for Dad up there. So I flew to Whitehorse. And then a lovely old gentleman had an 1800 Gold Wing and said to me, "Would this bike be okay for you, my lady?" It was so sweet. And I said, "That'd be just fine." So I overnighted in Whitehorse and then we took off—about 160, 180 riders, I think—took off from Whitehorse to Dawson City in a one-day ride. I think it's less than 600K, but we had lots of stops along the way. Most of them turned around and went back. But I think 60 of us went on up to Dawson City for the night, and that was just a fabulous ride. And you think, "Here I am riding along with a group of guys," and it was just absolutely beautiful in Dawson City. It was right before solstice, so it was great. We went to Diamond Tooth Gertie's gambling hall, and so that was very fun. And I'm not a drinker, so I had some ginger ale and I came out, and it was just like this: it was ten to one in the morning and it was broad daylight. So I phoned Lew in my excitement to say, "Oh, I'm here." Of course he was asleep. And I said, "Sweetheart, you wouldn't like the ride up here," because he's not a biker. He said, "Deb's the biker. I just ride along." I said, "It would just be so fun to have you here." And he said, "I'm glad you're having a good time at one in the morning. Goodbye." So anyway, that was a very fun ride. Then we went back the next day, so that is remote but gorgeous.

Peter McCully: I've been on a few of those fundraising rides myself and the feeling of camaraderie, and at the same time enjoying the motorcycle and doing something for a good cause—it just can't be beat. It's like a trifecta.

Deb Grey: It is. I mean, it's win-win all the way around. I've done Ride for Sight for quite a while and Cystic Fibrosis runs, and then the Deb Grey Ride of Hope for Haiti. We raised some money for orphanage kids in Haiti, so we did that a few years. And that was very fun too. And of course I've participated in toy runs just forever. And I remember when I was in office, oh my goodness, I would get calls on the Monday morning after the weekend ride, and of course I'd be on the front page of the Edmonton Sun or whatever with all this, and there would be Hell's Angels guys there. And somebody would phone me and say, "What are you doing riding with those people?" And I said, "I disagree with what they do 100%, but if you're a kid that doesn't have anything, and you get a toy and they're giving and donating toys just the way I am out of our own money, I'm not gonna complain about it because it's for the kids." And I never got much more pushback than that. And I can understand you don't want to ally yourself with a lot of these, but there were all kinds of people, and probably the Hell's Angels said, "What are you doing riding with that politician anyway? Give them a bad name." So...

Peter McCully: Living in Qualicum Beach and riding around Vancouver Island, what are some of your favorite, lesser-known routes or hidden gems on the island that most would miss, but a few bikers know? Where do you like to go?

Deb Grey: So many places, but I love it when we're down here on the beach because bikers always talk to other bikers, and so we'd see somebody with Alberta plates or Ontario or Arizona or whatever, and I'd say, "Do you have some rides lined up?" "No," because you always ask a local, and they said, "Tell us where to ride." So we just did the Gold River run and that road is in good shape this year. Few little cracks on it, but the blessing is on a bike you can weave around them, so you're not banging into stuff. So the Gold River Road, which is an hour and a quarter from Campbell River, just a spectacular run. And this is the way I put it to these people: it's like the Tofino road, but there's no traffic on it, and so that's nice. Of course, Tofino is gorgeous now that the repairs are done. And then another one: they've paved the active logging road from Lake Cowichan down to Port Renfrew. And that is just a sweet ride. It's beautiful and it just winds through from Mesachie Lake where the turnoff is. It's about, I think, 64K only to Port Renfrew, and it takes pretty well an hour. There are at least 15 single-lane bridges and you just don't know if there's gonna be a logging truck at the other end of it. And sometimes it's a 90-degree angle, so you can't rip down there too quickly. But we've tried to do that road every summer and it's just beautiful. And it's amazing when somebody has looked at a map and this RV—can of Cruise America RV rentals—they've looked at the road and thought, "Oh, that looks pretty." And so when we're meeting somebody, you look at someone driving those, it is just sheer terror on their face because they thought, "How did I get onto this road?" But on a bike, you're safe because you can get around them. Of course. Those are a few of our very favorite roads on the island. They're beautiful.

Peter McCully: Who do you think is the most interesting person you've met in your years of motorcycling that you met through motorcycles?

Deb Grey: Probably Rick Mercer on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. We had a couple of dates together, one on the motorcycle. You can YouTube it—it was pouring rain. The Honda Shop gave me a beautiful Honda Gold Wing to ride and I took Rick Mercer around. He also was terrified on the back of the bike, but we just had a ton of fun. It was just great. So in terms of interesting people, he's great fun and we had a scream. And they phone you just ahead of when this is going to happen because of the motorcycle. He gave me a little bit more advanced warning, but I always say if they're tagging you for Air Farce or This Hour Has 22 Minutes, you're way safer to say yes than no, because if you say no, you don't know what they're gonna say about you. So we've had a ton of fun together, so that was great.

Peter McCully: Yeah, Rick Mercer certainly was good at interviewing politicians, and he had his run of the House of Commons for quite a while.

Deb Grey: He just could get anywhere, anytime, any place. And the guards loved him, of course, and Air Farce—all of those guys—they would just arrive on Parliament Hill. You have to get checked in, of course, and sponsored, and they're safe. They're crazy, but they're safe. So any MP—and I as well—sometimes gave the pass to get them onto the hill. So they were lots of fun, but they could pretty well have the run of the place.

Peter McCully: We Maritimers tend to be fun. Deb, which of your bikes over the years that you've owned holds the most sentimental value for you and any particular stories attached to that particular bike?

Deb Grey: I had a beautiful '82 Honda 900 CB Custom with a dual exhaust on it, so that was a sweet bike. I bought that at the coast and had to get back. I was teaching at the time, I had it for ages, and so my uncle Art lent me his little truck and I hauled the bike home up to Alberta where I was teaching, and so I had that bike for years, sold it to a friend. And then many years later, after I "made Canadian history" and "Deb Grey, local girl makes good" kind of a deal, the Royal Alberta Museum asked me if I would donate a bunch of stuff for an exhibit. So I said, "Sure." So there's a wonderful exhibit there. And the girl that came to my house to collect stuff said, "Oh, my curator is wondering if we could have your motorcycle." And I said, "No, I'm riding my motorcycle so that won't work so well." And I had the Valkyries at the time, and I said, "What if I could get you the bike that I was riding when I made Canadian history," and of course I campaigned on. Her eyes got big and she said, "Oh, could you?" So we phoned our pal and they had just given it to some guy and it wasn't working very well. And so he and his kids were going to try and get this thing going again. So I phoned him, told him who I was and what I wanted, and he said, "If you give me $500 for the motorcycle, I will donate that $500 to a kids' camp." I said, "What a deal." So we got the bike. It went out to the Reynolds Museum just south of Edmonton. They got it running and it's beautiful, and it sits to this day in the Deb Grey exhibit in the Royal Alberta Museum. So that was a very fun, whole-cycle story on that bike.

Peter McCully: So when you say when you made history, was that because you were the first Reform MP elected to the House of Commons?

Deb Grey: Yes. I was teaching English in Dewberry, Alberta, and had a neighbor dare me to run for this brand new Reform Party. And so I thought it was the second week of September and I'm a teacher, so I was busy at that time. I said, "Oh, don't be crazy." And I didn't know if the Reform Party was a bunch of western separatist wackos. I wasn't sure, but she said, "No, Preston Manning's the leader of it." And of course the Manning name in Alberta has just so much respect. So I thought, "Oh." So I would check him out. So I went and listened to Preston speak at a rally in Edmonton, and then said, "Wow." My neighbor Liz said, "I dare you to run." Oh, those were the words. And I ended up taking a leave during that fall, and the election was November 21st in '88. And I lost—no Reformers won—but the fellow who won in my riding, John Dahmer, he died five days later with cancer. And so we were thrown into a by-election. So I won the by-election to make Canadian history as the first Reformer on the 13th of March in 1989. So it was great. My life turned upside down that night.

Peter McCully: I bet. And then you went on to become the first woman to be leader of the official opposition in the House of Commons.

Deb Grey: Yes. I got elected in '89 and then re-elected in '93. I met Lew in '91 and we got married, just as Kim Campbell was Prime Minister that summer. I always laugh and say we lasted longer than she did. We just had our 32nd wedding anniversary. So I am just blessed with a wonderful guy who says, "Deb's the biker. I ride along, but Deb's the biker," so that just shows you the measure of the man. He is just so good about it, and he doesn't care if he ever rode or ever rides again. But last summer he said to me, "Deb, if I get killed in a motorcycle crash..." You think, "Yikes." He said, "If I do, this is what I want you to write about me: 'He died doing what his wife loved.'" And I said, "Sweetheart, I hope that doesn't happen, but if it does, I will. I promise."

Peter McCully: That's a great segue for this question. What advice would you give someone who's considering getting into motorcycling later in life?

Deb Grey: Wow, that's a great question. I've been at it so long, but I do talk to people and of course when I'm roundabout and I'm known as a biker, it's not just a stunt. I didn't do this as a stunt. I was a biker way before I went to Parliament Hill. I've now been out longer than I was in. I served 15 and a half years, left in '04. So I've been out 21 years now and I'm still riding. It's interesting because people talk to me and ask advice, and I speak at women's motorcycle rallies, et cetera, et cetera. And so I would say do it if you've always had the desire—do it. But so many people think, "Oh, I could just jump on that bike and ride it." I tell anybody, especially women, that you need a bike that's small enough that both your feet are on the ground, and I recommend maybe a 250, something like that. Know that you are the boss of it, and that—just as my first little bike was a Honda 150, I think it was a 1965 little red Honda—you start small and you grow with it because then you grow in confidence. And you need to make sure that you just shoulder check, shoulder check, and then shoulder check again and watch out. You need to be a defensive driver. My eyes are just scanning from side to side all the time because of wildlife. And the worst accidents are that somebody turns left right in front of you. How many accidents have we heard about that? Just terrible. You just need to be wary of that. And you notice when you're driving a car too—if a bike's coming, you're always looking at the car behind it. We just consider ourselves invisible. And we have double headlights on our bike and I like that. But you just have to assume that nobody sees you. And so you're the one to look after yourself. And I know accidents do happen, but I would caution people to be careful. Careful. And then of course there are three-wheel trikes now, and then the three-wheel Can-Am Spyders. Those are great for people getting older. We have a Can-Am Spyder too, an older one. But it's wonderful because if you're going up and you're being nosy, let's say, or inquisitive, and say, "Oh, I wonder what's up that road?" On my bike, I just think, "Oh, if I get to the end of it and my bike's about 850 pounds, you just can't burn a U-ey." And so I get a little nervous thinking, "Ah, maybe I better not try that road." But on the Spyder, you can just go up and investigate any old road. But on the three-wheelers, you just stop and you don't even have to put your feet down. So I think a lot of people my age are graduating to the three-wheelers and that's nice because you can still be on the road. And people—bikers—still wave at you, even though you're on the Spyder, so you're not considered a nerd.

Peter McCully: Deb, your website features the Nellie McClung quote, "Never retreat, never explain, never apologize. Just get the thing done and let them howl." Can you share a time when you lived by those words, either in a motorcycle adventure or in politics, or in both?

Deb Grey: Yeah. You just need to get at it. Whatever it is you need to get at it. And I have never been one to be hesitant. I can make major life decisions in moments. When my friend Liz said, "I dare you to run for the Reform Party," my entire life turned around—just upside down, but a complete new trajectory for my whole life. Lew and I have been careful not to have too many rules, but when we're on the road and when we were riding the bike back from Ottawa, one in the truck and one on the bike, we have had a rule forever that if you see a storm coming—it could be coming slowly or quickly—but you ride into the storm and then you stop. So one time we were riding the bike back from Ottawa when we bought it, we came on that trip. We came down through the states. And we were riding, I think we were at Grand Forks in North Dakota, and I saw a storm coming. I was on the bike and I saw it and I thought, "That looks ugly." And then there was a gas station and a little restaurant, and I wasn't even close to the storm, but I thought, "I'm pulling in here." Anyway, so Lew got out of the truck and he said, "Remember our rule that you're supposed to ride into the storm and then stop." I said, "I know, but I just thought this would be good." So we gassed up, we had food. The storm came really quickly, so I felt better about that. And then we just thought, "We better get out of here." Still looked ugly that way. And I said, "Hun, I think we should head north here," because the weather looked better north than west. And so he said, "Okay, that's good." So I'm on the bike. So I headed north and he followed me. And on the radio, in the truck, it said Highway 2 or whatever west was just covered in hail. They were trying to get the plows out because the road was absolutely impassable. He said, "That was a good move, way to go, hun." And so I was glad about that. And that was one time that we didn't follow the maxim "ride into the storm and then stop." But it was good because you just think, "I wasn't gonna explain, I wasn't doing anything. I just went with my gut and I thought, we're just gonna get this done." So we did and it turned out really well. So that was nice. So all that to say you need to be firm. But you need to be flexible and that covers life and it covers politics as well. I love my bike and nice talking to you, but I'm on a motorcycle, so I'm out of here.

Dave Graham: Thanks to Deb Grey for sharing her insights on leadership, life balance, and the freedom of the open road. Her story reminds us that sometimes the best adventures happen when we're willing to change course and try something new, but that doesn't mean I'll ever get on a skateboard.

Cokely Manor: Hi, Peter and Dave. I wanted to let you know that Arrowsmith Lodge and Cokely Manor are busy with their annual fundraiser. It's called the Grand Parade, and it happens all across Canada, celebrating seniors and the charities that support them. Many people don't know that Arrowsmith Lodge and Cokely Manor are the Oceanside area's only nonprofit care facilities. And as we gear up to walk on September 20th, our teams of walkers are gathering pledges and donations, helping us build a much-needed covered outdoor space for events and daily activities. Donating is easy. You can head online to thegrandparade.org at the Parksville location, or you can visit our website at arrowsmithlodge.ca. You can stop into the lodge too. We'd love to give you a tour. There's a big chance you know someone who's walking and a bigger chance you know someone we're walking for. Arrowsmith Lodge has been a fixture in Parksville for over 55 years, delivering person-centered care for many of our family, friends and neighbors needing assisted living and long-term care. Check out thegrandparade.org Parksville location online. It's not too late to join in the fun. We'd love your support. We'll be walking and waving our flags Saturday, September 20th on Molliet Street and around our neighborhood in support of Arrowsmith Lodge and Cokely Manor, and reminding everyone that life is grand.

Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network since 1996, marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, recreational, investment, and project development real estate. Ian has received several awards recognizing his exceptional community commitment locally, as well as awards for outstanding performance and achievement from both RE/MAX International and the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. You'll find true real estate professionals at ianlindsay.ca.

Peter McCully: The Pulse Community Podcast world includes programming for kids' stories. Actually, there's Captain Dave and his first mate, Larry the Lobster, aboard a remarkable vessel called the Mellow Submarine. Their adventures involve learning about new things each episode, including marine science, the importance of friendship, and the benefits of cooperation.

Dave Graham: The other story series follows Peter and Gracie. He's a 7-year-old boy. She's his dog, and together they encounter all sorts of experiences that offer opportunities for growth and learning. You'll find all of our stories at thepulsecommunity.ca, skookumkids.com. Also Apple, Amazon, Spotify, iHeart, and YouTube.

Peter McCully: Now, back to more grown-up stuff. Here's Marilyn.

Marilyn: Dan King is the founder of Spark House Coworking, the large coworking space that opened recently in downtown Parksville. Dan's vision extends beyond desks and wifi. He's building a community hub where freelancers, entrepreneurs, and remote workers can connect, collaborate, and thrive together.

Peter McCully: Welcome to the podcast, Dan.

Dan King: It's great to be here, Peter. Thanks so much for inviting me.

Peter McCully: We're used to seeing you on YouTube telling folks about the Parksville-Qualicum Beach area, so this seems to be a complete 180 on your part. When did you first start thinking about Parksville-Qualicum Beach needing a coworking space? And if you'll forgive a pun, what sparked the idea?

Dan King: A lot of YouTube videos showing our community and the islands, and that actually accumulated into two seasons of a television show called Vancouver Island Explored with Western Canadian broadcaster. I've mentioned that because I actually see a lot of connections between that project and this new coworking space, in that they both are bringing people together around shared interests. Obviously the first is about people who are interested in the island and Parksville-Qualicum Beach specifically, and they're coming around their screens and sharing in that. And in the case of Spark House, it's freelancers, entrepreneurs, remote workers, and they're coming together in a central shared space to both get work done more efficiently, but also to connect in community together that they might not otherwise have. So I do see some connections between the two, actually.

Peter McCully: The name Spark House is intriguing. Where did that come from and what do you hope it represents for your members?

Dan King: When I was thinking about what to call this new gathering space, there were a number of names that were written down in my notebook, but the idea of this being a place, as you said, where people can connect and collaborate and kind of spark something more than they could do on their own, that really resonated with me. The big idea and the big kind of summarizing word for me was "house," and Spark House was the name that won the day. The connection and collaboration in a place of community—to use a lot of C words there—is what I hope it represents to both people who are casual users, but also our regular members as well.

Peter McCully: A number of years ago I visited a smaller tech-focused coworking space in Qualicum Beach before COVID. Did that influence your vision for Spark House?

Dan King: You're right. There was a small coworking space for a time in Qualicum that was tech-focused in their old historic Qualicum Beach train station. And I actually, like yourself, did pop in there when it was open. I'm not sure how much it influenced the vision of Spark House other than supporting this idea that people really do want third space—the space outside their home, maybe aside from like a local coffee shop—to gather, do the work they need to get done alongside other people who have the same goals as they have. That's what Spark House is all about, but it's about more than that as well. So there was some inspiration, I suppose you could say, that was taken from that.

Peter McCully: You're telling us that Spark House is more than just a place to get work done—that it's about community. Can you paint us a picture of what that community will look like on a typical Tuesday afternoon, for instance?

Dan King: Tuesday's tough. We're not allowed to have any community whatsoever on Tuesdays. I'm kidding. What we're really interested in creating is a space where you can put your head down, you can get your work done when you want to, but when you come up for air, take a break, you've got the chance to find something that doesn't exist if you're just at home or sitting in the coffee shop. And that's the community piece. For example, earlier this week we had members who had private office spaces in the building, and we had a few other people who were using the day drop-in desks and doing some video conferencing and these kinds of things. And at 11:30, I had just gone around a little bit earlier and said, "Look, at 11:30 we're gonna take a scheduled break. We're gonna come together in the kitchen and we're gonna spend about 20 minutes just meeting with each other." And that's exactly what we did. And it was amazing to watch this just organic conversation and community start to happen where just people were talking about, "Here's my history, here's where I'm from, here's the business I have, here are my interests." And everybody started connecting and it seemed really refreshed when they went back after that 20 minutes—just simply of connecting—went back to their work. And I was like, "Yeah, that's what we're looking for." And some days it might be over shared food that we've organized, or my wife has talked about wanting to host Kombucha Fridays and enjoy that, maybe social nights, what have you. But the whole point is that, yeah, you can focus on work, but there's more than that. And it's also about growing community. So that's what it's been looking like and I think that's what we're hoping it will continue to look like.

Peter McCully: The Parksville-Qualicum Beach area has a unique mix of retirees, tourism, increasingly remote workers. So how will Spark House serve that very diverse community?

Dan King: There are a lot of different segments of people in our area. Spark House will first off serve people who are interested. I had a conversation with somebody the other day and they said, "You know, I work from home. I'm quite happy sitting by myself at the kitchen table. I'm not sure how Spark House helps me," and I mean, that's fair, but for people who are looking for something more than just isolation to get their work done, it does answer those needs and those questions. And so whether it's private offices, whether it's drop-in desks on a daily or a monthly basis, whether you're an occasional user, a regular user, if you're looking for that, this is gonna serve that need. But there's also a meeting room that we've got both for in-house use, but also for the general public to make use of, and I'm finding from community groups and others who are inquiring, I think it's gonna serve a real large niche of people who are looking for that, again, that third space that they can't find anywhere else to gather in that case, whether it's stratas or what have you. And so I think that's gonna help out. For people who are visiting our area, because we have a lot of tourists as you mentioned, there are gonna be people who need more than just the business center at the resort or their motel or wherever they're staying. We're here for them.

Peter McCully: The online booking system you have is a key feature, I know. In our world today, online and convenience factors rate right up there. They have to be convenient, and it sounds like that online feature will do it for you.

Dan King: Convenience is king for many, and our hope is to make this whole experience of accessing the space as frictionless as possible. And so with booking and payments being online, we try to make it as simple and straightforward as possible. We're there to assist you if you have questions, but ideally we've tried to remove the person that you've gotta interact with and track down from the equation and just make it just seamless and frictionless. And so actually starting next month as well, we're gonna have remote access. So when you book a space or you get your plan that you want or what have you, the program actually sends you a token for your phone that you can just walk up to the door and hit a mag lock, almost like a FOB system, but within your phone, and you've got access to the space. The wifi sees you're there, lets you in, and you're off and you're running. So the public access time's nine to five, Monday to Friday, but for some member plans, actually the access is 24/7. And so that ability to just be able to come and go but have the security of the locked doors is a real convenience.

Peter McCully: It sounds like even Dave Graham could use that.

Dan King: Ah, perhaps we'll have to beta test it with him.

Peter McCully: Let's talk about the practical stuff. If Dave and I want to use some of that space to talk to folks like yourself, for instance, do you have wifi, printing services? I know you mentioned meeting rooms and offices. What did you prioritize when you were designing all these amenities and what's available?

Dan King: I have had so many experiences—and good experiences, I will admit—but so many experiences where I've gone into a local coffee shop or I've been abroad in another city or community, and hit a local coffee shop, and I've felt the guilt of sitting for two and two and a half, three hours trying to get my work done, nursing a little cup of tea—that worker's guilt in a coffee shop—and also fighting with bad internet services, bad wifi. That when we came together to say, "Okay, what do we want to offer as practical services in Spark House?" That was what informed it. And 3G fiber wifi, that if you're in a private office, you have your own closed network access to that. If you're in larger day drop-in or in the meeting rooms, you're sharing that. And so that's there for you. Printing services, we have some limited in-house printing. We've also got partners in the community where we've got a print service partner that you can just go to their online portal, you upload what you need printed, you jump to the front of the queue, you get a bit of a discount from if you just walked into their physical building, and it's done within just a couple of hours. So there's printing service solutions. And as you mentioned, meeting rooms and what we call flex offices—little offices that are open that you can go into, close the door and have phone calls, so you're not disturbing people in the larger drop-in area when you're on the phone. You can have video conferences in there, Zoom meetings, if you have one or two clients or people you need to meet with, you can hive off into there and have that little meeting quickly. So those are some of the priorities that when we thought about the space and making it usable for the working individual who was used to being at home and having some privacy, but they also want that shared space now for community, what were the essentials? And those were some of them. And then just a little fun things like complimentary coffee and tea in the kitchen area, those kinds of things, just to have people access.

Peter McCully: It's still early days, Dan, but what have you learned about the folks who have come through the front door? Who's showing up that you didn't expect?

Dan King: It's funny, we've had a real mix of people so far, some who have called Parksville-Qualicum area home for many years. I had somebody I met who was in the place this last week. They literally moved to the Parksville-Qualicum area on Sunday, like last week, and they're in the space. We've also already seen a variety of ages through the doors. I've met people who are clearly introverts and people who are clearly extroverts, people who have never used coworking spaces, people who have been regulars at coworking spaces in other communities. I think perhaps what I didn't expect, as I mentioned before, are the inquiries from so many community organizations that are showing interest in using that meeting room space, and I didn't realize there was such a need. The other group that has caught me off guard are counselors. People who do one-on-one counseling with a counseling practice, or maybe they work for a particular government agency or what have you for counseling. They've primarily been doing video conferencing through Zoom or what have you with clients at home, but now are seeking a day office to meet with people in person again. In fact, we've had to pivot some of our model to accommodate those requests for a day office for that very reason.

Peter McCully: Yeah, interesting. Five years from now, Dan, when someone asks about the impact that Spark House had on Parksville's business community or the creative community, what do you hope they'll say?

Dan King: I feel like if people say that we helped them move forward professionally in a more holistic way in terms of their work-life balance, I would be very happy with that. We've had more than one couple—husband, wife, partners—come in and say, "We both work from home. There is gonna be low-key murder happening soon if we don't find a solution. We just need a third space." My hope is that, yeah, that work-life balance would be enhanced through Spark House. I'd like to hope that professional networking through our attempts to facilitate community would have led to some really interesting collaborations and that people would find a greater success than they would've been able to achieve on their own because of Spark House.

Peter McCully: Thanks for your time today, Dan, and best of luck. And send one of those tokens to Dave Graham and we'll see if he can get in the front door.

Dan King: Here you go. We gotta get him in there and sort it out for sure. Thanks, Peter.

Dave Graham: Thanks to Dan King for being part of the Pulse community and for bringing people together through Spark House Coworking. What a great concept. You know, we do better when we connect. That works in business and art and sports as well as podcasting. We count on and appreciate your connecting with us. Do offer feedback. If you have a comment on anything you hear or you have a story idea for us to look into or anything else to add, do let us know.

Peter McCully: You can literally voice your message or type your words. Look for the contact links on our homepage, thepulsecommunity.ca. But if you have anything critical, please direct your comments to my email address, peter@thepulsecommunity.ca.

Dave Graham: Wait, Peter, are you saying I can't handle criticism?

Peter McCully: Well, Dave, you're a sensitive guy and that's okay.

Dave Graham: Now you know that kind of hurts.

Peter McCully: And I rest my case. Shall we go see what Mabel has in the cafeteria?

Dave Graham: I think all I need is some comfort chocolate, and I'll be fine. Mabel makes a mean brownie. Oh, well, you know, I'm starting to feel a little better already.

Rockin Rhonda & The Uptown Blues Band: Here comes Peter, here comes Dave, oh listen. Bringing stories, making waves. No missing. Spinning tales in the podcast cave. So to speak. Laughs and insights everywhere. What a treat. Peer and Dave. They're on the mics all right. Join the ride. It's gonna feel just right.