|
 "My name is Steve Dunn. I was born and reared
on Cape Breton Island, a rocky socket on the far
east coast of Canada. I am the youngest of 7
children in an Irish Catholic family not unlike
a Roddy Doyle novel.
Growing up in such an atmosphere,
rife with sarcasm and wit, I apprenticed in humour
at a young age. Breakfasts in our house took place
with military precision to ensure that all made
it to school on time. One of the family mottos
was "first up, best dressed". I generally
slept late and was the runt of the litter to boot;
as a consequence I would arrive at school in somewhat
less fashionable clothes. Because of this, there
soon evolved within me an unparalleled sarcastic
defence mechanism, a porcupine’s quill of
sorts. A trait that is still with me today.
I was an extremely average student throughout
my academic life; however, for as long as I can
remember, I excelled in geography. This is no
coincidence, as I spent the greater part of my
youth with my nose buried in a world atlas.
"What’s
it look like in that purple country over there?"
"What’s on that little dot in the middle
of the south Atlantic Ocean?" I could never
quench my thirst for knowledge about the strange
and wonderful places in my old Rand McNally World
Atlas. When I’m not pointing out obscure
peak names in BC’s mountains, I enjoy daydreaming
about places most people have never heard of.
I still can’t walk past a map or a globe
without being tempted to stop and daydream some
more.
My formal schooling complete, it was time for
my known world to expand. With a love for the
wild mountains and coast already deep in my bones,
I found myself living 7,000 km away, in beautiful
British Columbia. It’s here that I now make
my home, and it is here that I stage my countless
mini adventures into the mountains or along the
coastline. Rock climbing and mountain biking are
my two main passions that brought me to this part
of the world and I am reminded just why that happened
every time I get out to play.
Perhaps the thing I love the most about my life
is that I am a great lover of adventure and discovery,
something that has changed little since I was
a kid. My latest discoveries have not been in
the world around me, but within myself. Tapping
into creative reservoirs and watching something
develop before me is something I am finding extremely
satisfying; as I am currently co-authoring a mountain
bike guide book. As a songwriter, guitarist, photographer
and old school conversationalist (a lost art form),
I feel most alive when I create and learn. These
are the two things in my life that I hope will
never cease."
|
