Through a small gap in the trees and down a dirt slope, worn down almost to a small staircase, is Shane Knight害羞草研究所檚 campsite in Surrey害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淪anctuary害羞草研究所� tent city.

He害羞草研究所檚 one of several people that have moved into the area, which is down King George hill in a forested area near Bridgeview.

Like others in the camp, he害羞草研究所檚 set it up with a makeshift tent and bed, along with his few belongings.

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But what stands out is something Knight, 38, has been building over the past two months.

Painted red and black is a workout machine, with weights and pulleys for Knight to keep up his fitness regime. He害羞草研究所檚 gone so far to put together a makeshift barbell.

Knight estimates that he could do more than 30 different workouts with the machine.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been doing this eight hours a day; salvaging, building or shaping or something for two months,害羞草研究所� he told the Now-Leader as he sanded down the handle for the pulley system.

害羞草研究所淒oing it with no shop and no car and with no money, all posed major difficulties.害羞草研究所�

Knight said he salvaged all the materials for free, going through throwaway piles at construction sites.

害羞草研究所淚t gives more meaning to trees giving their lives too because then their limbs get to go to making more really cool stuff than just in a landfill.害羞草研究所�

He said he also spent about 30 hours collecting bottles and taking them to the depot for cash to by the ropes, screws and other hardware to put the machine together.

It wasn害羞草研究所檛 an easy build though, Knight said.

Because the machine is on wheels, he can easily transport it. Knight joked that he could start pushing it around and giving workout lessons to people in the area.

However, depending on where Knight would be sleeping for the night, he wouldn害羞草研究所檛 always be able to bring it with him. Some nights, he said, he害羞草研究所檇 have to leave it behind buildings. Come morning, pieces of his do-it-yourself workout machine would be stolen and he害羞草研究所檇 be back to square one.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not very easily rattled, I害羞草研究所檓 from the streets,害羞草研究所� said Knight, who grew up in East Vancouver, but moved to Surrey when he was about 27 years old.

害羞草研究所漈here害羞草研究所檚 not much that害羞草研究所檚 going to scare me or bother me or rattle me, but the building of this thing was for sure, by far, the hardest thing I ever did in my life,害羞草研究所� said Knight, adding that despite hurting his hand, he kept working through the pain.

This current machine, Knight said, is the third one he害羞草研究所檚 built. The idea to make his own workout equipment came after he害羞草研究所檇 previously owned three of the most popular home workout machines, but all of them broke or wore down under the pressure of his workouts.

害羞草研究所淥ver the course of six months I ruined the pieces of lifetime warranty, celebrity-endorsed equipment 害羞草研究所� the most three popular things you could buy. I broke all of them.害羞草研究所�

Knight said there wasn害羞草研究所檛 any other equipment that he could buy that he wouldn害羞草研究所檛 ruin again.

害羞草研究所淪o I had to make something that I couldn害羞草研究所檛 break 害羞草研究所� and this, I can害羞草研究所檛 break,害羞草研究所� said Knight, adding that he害羞草研究所檚 crashed it 害羞草研究所渂rutally,害羞草研究所� but it was barely dented.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 nothing you could do to it. You could be the strongest guy in the world and you wouldn害羞草研究所檛 snap this thing in half.害羞草研究所�

For a while, Knight said he lived in Alberta, but after going through anxiety and depression, he chose to move back home with his mom and brother. He said after a week, his mom sent his brother to live on the street and Knight was told to go with his brother to watch over him as he would use drugs.

Asked if he spent time living on the Strip on 135A Street, Knight said, 害羞草研究所淧retty much; I guess you could say I was.害羞草研究所�

But now the 38-year-old is looking to the future.

害羞草研究所淚 want to compete in men害羞草研究所檚 over-40 national body-building championships in B.C. because in 14 months I害羞草研究所檓 going to be 40,害羞草研究所� said Knight, adding that he feels he has a good shot of competing with the other men.

lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
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