My wife and I have been coming to St. John’s from Vancouver every summer for the past twelve years. She grew up in St. John’s and moved to Vancouver in the late sixties. We just celebrated our fiftieth anniversary here. I love coming to Newfoundland and look forward to being here every year. Can’t wait to get here, don’t want to leave…until winter approaches! I cycle up Shea Heights for exercise and got in sixty-one rides to the top of the hill during our three month stay this past summer. I was grinding my way up the hill one morning and passed a work crew repairing the metal barrier on one of the corners. Continuing up the hill I started wondering if they ever had off-cuts of the timbers that the metal barrier is bolted to; they would be ideal to place under our car to keep the wheels off the ground over the winter. On the way down I stopped and spoke to the chap with the slow/stop sign and explained what I was looking for. He said, “Ask Richard, he’s our crew boss and see what he says.” I continued to the bend and asked for Richard. He was in the process of placing one of the timbers. I explained what I was looking for, that I was a visitor each summer, loved it here and wondered if he ever had any off-cuts to prop up my car; “How many do you want?” he asked. One, maybe two if possible. He said to come back tomorrow and he’d see what he could do. The next day, I’m schlepping up the hill on my bike. I get to the bend in the road, their work is finished, Richard and his crew are gone…and piled beside the barrier are four blocks of wood! On one of the blocks a message is left for me, “Hope you had a good trip.” Richard, you and your crew made my day! This is what endears me to Newfoundland and Newfoundlanders and is why every summer we come from away.   Trevor Black Vancouver, BC