Travel

Apollonius of Tyana is a 1st century philosopher and orator. Apollonius’s biographer, a man named Philostratus, places Apollonius’s life from 3 BCE to 97 CE. Many scholars compare Apollonius to Jesus in that they both were “Messiah figures”.

Much of what is known about Apollonius comes from Philostratus’s biography of him written in the 3rd century, called Life of Apollonius of Tyana. Philostratus used as sources a few scattered writings that may or may not be written by Apollonius himself, and a diary written by Apollonius’s companius Damis. According to Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Apollonius apparently wandered the nations of Asia Minor, preaching and performing miracles. He defied the emperor Domitius, and was then executed. Like Paul was to the New Testament, much of what can be believed about these Apollonius depends on how much modern scholars can trust Philostratus.

Apollonius’ Story, According to Philostratus

If Philostratus can be taken seriously, Apollonius was a well-traveled man. Apollonius of Tyana stayed mainly in Greece and Asia Minor, bu talso traveled to Italy, Spain, North Africa, Mesopatamia, India, and Ethiopia. During his travels, he reportedly taugh philosophy and performed miracles.

 

The Emperor Nero (of Rome) had reportedly banned all philosophers from the capital city of Rome, and this ban remained after his death. In defiance, Philostratus sometimes went to Rome and spoke there to those who would listen. Later, in his later years, he was apprehended by Roman authorities and at his court trial under Emperor Titus Flavius Domitianus (or just Domitius), he was sentenced to death. Apollonius was accused of conspiring against the emperor, performing human sacrifice, and prophecying a plague. Philostratus also suggests that Apollonius ascended to heaven after his death.

The miracles were healings, prophecies, the ability to see events as they happen far away, and his heavenly ascension.

What Apollonius Believed About God

Apollonius’s god was very similar to deism, in that he believed that god couldn’t, or wouldn’t, be persuaded by prayers or sacrifices and has no wish to be worshipped by humans. Where Apollonius breaks rank with conventional deism is his belief that god can be reached through a spiritual procedure involving ‘nous’ (or intellect), because god himself is pure ‘nous’, and ‘nous’ is the greatest of man’s abilities.

In contrast, deism is the belief that a god had to have created the world, but is in no way interested in human affairs.

Allegations of Jesus of Nazareth Being Apollonius

Any attempt to misconstrue Jesus as mimicking Apollonius’s miracles, or the Gospel stories as somehow borrowing from Apollonius’s life, must deal with the fact that most of what is written about him was written well after the Gospels were made. While the earliest Gospel, which is Mark, was written sometime around the year 70 CE; Philostratus’s Life of Apollonius of Tyana was finished sometime around 220 CE.

The only similarities that can be drawn conclusively about both the New Testament and the writings of Philostratus is that the truth of their content is questionable. In the case of the New Testament, the Gospels were written anonymously (the names Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were added much later) decades after Jesus; and Paul, the founder of the religion, wasn’t even in Jerusalem when the story of Jesus even took place. Paul was writing of a vision.

In contrast, Philostratus’s sources were a series of letters from Apollonius, of which scholars doubt their authenticity.Another of Philostratus’s sources was a diary from a companion of Apollonius named Damis. But, there are a few scholars who think the diary was an invention of Philostratus, or that it was a real book forged by someone else.This latter diary of Damis is probably the most valuable source of information for Philostratus. So, his writings depend greatly on whether this diary is authentic.

Cycling is an engaging sport and with its increasing popularity more people want to know what all those French terms mean. Here are a few to drop into that intense cycling conversation.

Autobus or Grupetto

A large group of riders at the back of the race in the mountains. Generally it’s made up of the sprinters who can suffer on climbs or domestiques who’ve ‘buried’ themselves setting tempo for the team leader at the head of the peloton.

Coureur Fr.

 

Racing cyclist.

Espoirs Fr.

The category of riders in the under-23 age division. There are world championships for male espoirs but not women riders. The next world championships are in Geelong, Australia over five days from 29 September 2010. There will be world championship time trial and road stage events for under-23 male riders. Winners in world championship events wear the rainbow jersey, white with rainbow stripes around the chest. The holder of a rainbow jersey is entitled and expected to wear the rainbow bands on the cuffs and neck of their team jersey for the rest of their racing careers.

Flamme Rouge Fr.

Red Flame. A red banner hanging over the road to signal the final kilometre of a stage in a road race. The flag is especially important on sprint stages where the sprinters will time their final attack for the last few hundred metres of the race. The ‘flamme rouge’ is followed by hundred metre markers so the sprinters and other riders know how far away the finish is.

Grand Boucle Fr.

Big loop. A colloquial term for le Tour de France which travels through the French countryside from a starting point that may nor may not be within France to Paris over 21 days.

Grimpeur Fr.

Climber. Climbers are the riders with the capacity to conquer the high mountain passes on a race stage. Being a good climber is essential to being in contention for the general classification (GC) on stage races such as the grand tours.

Lanterne Rouge Fr.

Red light or ‘red tail light’. The last rider in the peloton in the general classification.

Meilleur Grimpeur Fr.

The best climber. Climbers compete for the maillot a pois, known as the polka dot jersey in a points competition. The points are awarded for individual climbs within a stage of a road race. The most points overall in a grand tour takes the maillot a pois for the race.

Moto

A moto is a motorbike carrying a driver and cameraman on a road stage. The television footage of road stage races comes from the motorbike cameramen, helicopters and some fixed cameras along the route. The motorbikes have to contend with the riders, team support cars, the neutral cars and referee cars to get their pictures. The cameraman also has a still camera. It’s a very demanding job. Sometimes the pictures are unavailable because of local conditions such as heavy rain for fog as happened on the 2010 Tour of California. On grand tours the moto are numbered. Moto One is always at the head of the race covering the leaders.

Oriette Fr.

Earpiece for radio communication. Riders wear radios to communicate with the team car and their team Director Sportif. There is some controversy about the use of team radio and the governing body of cycling, UCI, has expressed a wish to ban its use. To date the ban has been resisted by the pro riders. The riders’ position is safety: the radios alert them to problems on the road including crashes and mechanical problems. The UCI seems to want to limit instructions being given to the riders by their Director Sportif from the team support car.

Parcours Fr.

The race route.

Poursuivant Fr.

A chaser. When there has been a breakaway from the peloton and a new group formed at the front by one or more riders a poursuivant may in turn break away and chase the lead group. In news coverage the time gap between the poursuivant and the group or rider being chased will be shown.

Spat

When a rider has been dropped by the leading group in the peloton. Several groups can form in a peloton depending upon the road conditions and the aspirations of particular riders. Riders can break away individually or in groups, forming a separate group at the front of the peloton or bunch. If one is dropped form the leading group it is a ‘spat’.

Stagiaire Fr.

Apprentice. The title given to a rider on trial with a pro team which is allowed under the rules from September to the end of a year. A good performance during the trial period can result in a contract on the pro tour or continental tours for the following season.

Venga Sp.

‘Come on’. A common phrase used by Spanish fans to encourage the riders as they pass. It is heard a great deal over the 21 days of the Tour of Spain, la Vuelta a Espana, held in August each year. It’s also heard a great deal when le Tour de France takes the peloton through the Pyrenees which border France and Spain. The Spanish fans are often in red, the national colour of Spain.

With summer fast approaching, people will soon begin looking for vacation activities. Camping is a great summer vacation activity as it tends to be relatively low in cost with great rewards. The Queen Charlotte Islands are a great place to take the family camping. The islands are somewhat isolated, accessed only by a seven-hour ferry ride from Prince Rupert or daily commercial flights from Prince Rupert or Vancouver. As such the cost of getting there can be fairly high, but the scenery, history and residents make it incredibly worthwhile.

The Queen Charlotte Islands are made up of two large islands known as Graham Island and Moresby Island along with several smaller islands. Currently there is only major habitation on Graham Island and the northern end of Moresby Island. The southern part of Moresby Island makes up Gwaii Haanas protected area and world heritage site. Moresby Island is connected to the north island by a short ferry ride, approximately half an hour in duration. Both islands provide lots of things to see and do.

Many of the campgrounds on the Queen Charlotte Islands are somewhat rustic but do provide water and washroom facilities, and in several instances firewood for a fee. These campgrounds are for the most part able to accommodate tents, RVs, tent trailers and campers, but be sure to check each individual campground before booking to ensure they are able to accommodate your needs. Also remember to check beforehand if a chosen campsite accepts reservations or not.

There are two provincial campgrounds in Naikoon Provincial Park, along with at least eight private camping providers on Graham Island and at least one camping provider on Moresby Island. This article is going to focus on provincial campgrounds. Information on private and publicly run campgrounds can be found by looking atCamping in Private Campgrounds on the Queen Charlotte Islands .

Within the boundaries of Naikoon Provincial Park there are two provincial campsites: Agate Beach and Misty Meadows. According to The Queen Charlotte Islands’ online visitor guide, “Both Agate Beach and Misty Meadows are equipped with clean outhouses, clean water, picnic shelters with wood stoves, and bear-proof trash cans. Firewood is available for a fee.” (queencharlotteislandguide.com)

 

Agate Beach Campground; the Queen Charlotte Islands

Agate Beach is on the north end of Graham Island near Tow Hill; a short drive from Masset and Old Masset. Some of the campsites here border the beach itself while others are further away from the beach for those wishing a more sheltered spot. This is a fairly rustic campground; there are no power hookups or sani-stations for RVs, but the view and experience is fantastic. On clear days, looking out across the ocean, a southern portion of Alaska can be seen by a keen eye.

Beachcombing can last all day as long as searchers pay attention to the tide so as not to become stranded if they decide to wander far from the campsite. There are many hiking trails in the vicinity, and at low tide Tow Hill and The Blowhole are only a walk away. The camping experience at Agate Beach is unparalleled, and the sunsets visible from this campground are phenomenal on a clear day.

Do be prepared for wet weather and wind; coastal weather can be somewhat unpredictable. Agate Beach is an extremely fun campsite no matter the weather conditions, with lots to see and do. Remember to watch your step; as the name suggests, agates can sometimes be found along the beach.

Misty Meadows Campground; the Queen Charlotte Islands

Misty Meadows campground is further down the east side of Graham Island, near Tlell. This campground has more of the typical coastal feel to it, with tall ancient trees and plenty of undergrowth. This campground is set back from the beach and is more closely surrounded by trees than Agate Beach, and is therefore more sheltered from the weather.

The beach near Misty Meadows campground is windswept and fairly rocky above the tide line and has plenty of interesting driftwood to explore. There are also many trails further in from the beach to hike and explore, with the opportunity to see wildlife. Deer, squirrels, and raccoons are all possibilities anywhere on the islands, as are bears and a wide variety of birds.

While visiting the Queen Charlotte Islands remember to keep a watchful eye open. There are such a variety of possible things to see, from a tiny deer fawn, to an agate, to some amazing scenery or local art. The islands are truly a beautiful place to visit, and there are many camping opportunities for seasoned and novice campers alike.