Stuart R. Crawford

Hello from Harlan, Iowa…

Our great weekend around the Go Giver is finally here and what a first day we had here in the heartland of the United States.  Friends from all over North America are here to celebrate life and each others fellowship.  Plus an added bonus of learning a few things about life and the right of passage that perhaps some of us had even yesterday.

The day started with a quick run around Harlan.  Boy, I gotta do something in the morning to keep the body burning calories.  The food is awesome at Arlin’s farm and plentiful so need to run in the morning and keep up with my push ups and sit ups as well.  I have been averaging about 30 minutes of running tied in with 75 push ups and 75 sit ups during the run, however eating lots of food as well.

Yesterday was filled with activities that included a great GPS tour around Western Iowa.  We had a chance to see some of the sites and historical areas of Western Iowa.  Towns like Elk Horn and Kirkman were on the tour that saw us navigate to 11 locations throughout the state.  It was great to see some of the natural beauty of this area.  It reminds me a lot of the Wainwright area of Alberta.  Rolling hills, agriculture and lots of gravel roads.

I also had the chance to fire a 12 Gauge and 20 Gauge shotgun yesterday.  Got the bruises in my right shoulder to prove it.  In all my military years firing 7.62mm and C7’s, shotguns never came across my plate.  It was a different experience firing that firearm.  My boys also had the opportunity to fire the shotguns in Brad’s skeet range.

Everyone is having such a great time here in Harlan.

After the sun went down, we took a bunch of us out Snipe Hunting.  This is a right of passage that many young adults in the Midwest experience around the age of my two boys.  In the darkness we all made it out to the soy bean side of Arlin’s farm and patiently waited for the snipes to come out.  Armed with our sticks and plastic bags we waited.  No snipes showed their faces that night.  Actually, this is just a prank that many young kids go through and my kids were taken by it as well.  It is all good fun and actually I didn’t mind the walk into the fields after dark.

It is so peaceful out here and a nice break from the rat race of Calgary.   Yesterday was a day that I left the Blackberry in the hotel room and you know something, I survived a day without it.  The business world continues on and it was a wonderful time to connect with family and friends.  Many of which are in the IT world and run businesses like mine at IT Matters.  Plus my brothers from HTG3 are here in force.  Brad, Pat and myself are representing HTG3 this weekend.

I shot this video yesterday so if you are not here, you can still enjoy what is happening here at the farm.

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