OH CANADA.......

THIS POST ISN'T FINISHED... BUT I THOUGHT I'D GET IT STARTED.....

Enchanting, fascinating, beautiful, unequalled, matchless, magnificent, gorgeous, exquisite divine, radiant, spectacular, panoramic, staggering, breath-taking, picturesque, striking, grand, wondrous, extraordinary, remarkable, phenomenal, vivid, brilliant, smashing, glorious, divine, sensational, marvelous, dramatic.

Alright, So I consulted my “Synonym Finder” but I couldn’t come up with the words to describe everything I encountered over the weekend. My friend Scott from Olympia (south of Seattle) drove over Friday, picked me up around 7:00 p.m. and we drove up to Vernon Canada. Along the way I at least 100 deer, two elk, barely, saw them, on the side of the road, they both had stubby lil’ antlers. I missed a coyote, that too would have been the first LIVE one I have seen.

(this was taken just past home, in Usk, Washington.)

We arrived in Vernon just shy of 3:00 a.m. Oddly enough, Scott and I were the first ones up. The plan was to camp in Kamloops, but the forecast called for rain all weekend, and here I was all ready for a weekend of rain in my new customized rain gear. We discussed our sightseeing options, and settled on first visiting the Hot Springs.

After a short Ferry ride, Marty called out that he saw a bear on the side of the road. On my behalf, he turned the van around and we pulled up next to a little bear cub. That little guy looked up, with a yellow flower in his mouth, and darted into the woods. Here’s the photo I took of him…

He’s there, I swear… just beyond the greenery, and running fast to get away from the humans… J

The springs are not marked so Marty passed them right up. Once back on track, we headed up the side of a mountain, where another bear cub ran out into the road, then another! Before I was able to click the camera, the first was in the brush, but I did actually get a shot of the second one… Biggest problem.. where’s Mamma? We rolled up the windows, and sped on by, with no sight of her.

If it hadn’t been for the cars parked on the side of the road, you never would have known that there was a trail heading down the side of the mountain. We backed up our towels and water, then started the trek down the path. I was surprised how steep it was. Quite a ways down, I spotted the spring. 40 years or so ago, engineers poured concrete into two separate pools, one right at the opening of the spring, just big enough to fit two people. Down the slope, a cooler pool, large enough for a dozen or so, had a pipe running cooler spring water into it, so it’s a bit more comfortable.
I took off down a trail, as the guys headed into the warmth of the spring water. After being gone for a long period of time, looking for the river that raged below, I figured I best start my ascent back up, before they got the idea that I was mauled by mamma bear. I was able to get some fantastic photos though.

Back at the pool, I still wasn’t up for getting in the water, so I hung out and took pictures. They were harassing me about getting in. I jokingly told them I’d disrobe at the waterfall later, but wasn’t feeling comfortable around the people that were there.

We all wanted to go back and see a waterfall that we passed on the way, so hours after we arrived, we climbed back up the mountainside, exhausted by the heat of the water, and the climb. There were two great falls, each one spectacular in it’s own way. At the larger fall, the guys reminded me that I said I would jump in that water…. This wasn’t any hot spring, this was freezing mountain water falling. Unfortunately it doesn’t take much to provoke me, so I stripped down to my underwear, and ran on in!!! WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?????? But at least I have pictures to prove it.

After, I toweled off, and we headed for the next ferry on our way to dinner. Just standing on the rocks waiting, there were countless photos to be taken. Marty nestled in against the rocks and rested.

This ferry ride… I can’t even explain it. The views, seeing the rain fall in the distance, the snow capped mountains, it was….. everything I started this post with….

On the other side, we had a good thirty-some-odd mile drive to dinner. The town, who’s name I have forgotten, was clean and quaint. Heading into the restaurant, I realized I didn’t have my wallet…. Back at the van, it wasn’t there either… that meant it was laying by the water fall….. We jumped in the van, and hightailed it to the ferry, trying to get there by the 9 p.m. launch. Careening down the highway at 160 km per hour (over 100 miles per hour) the three of us looked for deer in the road, while Marty attentively kept his eyes on the road. We arrived just after the ferry left. So, another hours wait. Long after, we finally arrived at the falls, and found my overspray-soaked wallet, and something else, but that’s a story for another beer. Now remember, I was in Canada… If I hadn’t found my wallet with my birth certificate in it, I wouldn’t have been allowed back in the U.S.

We didn’t arrive home until 2 a.m. another long day, and late night……

Sunday came, we all slept in for much needed rest. Marty and I suited up for a ride on his motorcycle. This too was a first for me. Now, I’m gonna have to get me one o’ these. It was to be a short trip around the town, but instead, he took me up a mountain, near a ski resort so we could look down upon the town of Vernon. Once back down we toured the town, after quite some time, headed home. The shear exhilaration was incomparable to anything I’ve ever done. Putting you full trust in someone while leaning, and flying around corners……. It’s amazing.










What a Wonderful Memorial Day Weekend......

SITTIN' ON THE DOCK

This is the view from the loading dock at work. J.D. Lumber..... Ironically that taller metal building is where I was supposed to work when I first arrived.

OOPS.... FORGOT THIS ONE.

I'm going camping in Canada Memorial Day Weekend, with a forcast for rain, I thought I would buy me some rain gear. Should stay dry now. I have quite a collection of Safety clothes now, the ones that are sent back, or have a graphic that we can't sell are cheap.... So I couldn't resist getting this..... I know, I'm wierd.

Safetyline

WHERE DO I WORK NOW?

THIS IS SAFETYLINE

( WWW.SAFETYLINE.COM )

THE OFFICE, MY DESK IS BACK THERE BEHIND CYNDI'S ON THE LEFT.

GRACE RUNS THE PRODUCTION FLOOR.

EVA IS HEADING BACK TO CALIFORNIA NEXT WEEK, SHE CAME UP FROM OUR OLD PLANT IN CALIFORNIA TO TRAIN SOMEONE IN THE SHIPPING DEPT.

YES, SHE'S THAT SHORT, I'M ON MY KNEES, WE HARRASS EACH OTHER ALL DAY LONG.

EVA AND DONNIE, THE NEW SHIPPING DEPT. MANAGER.

THE PRODUCTION FLOOR

THIS IS WHAT I GET TO LOOK AT ALL DAY... :)

MEET KITTY.

At Last!!! Pictures

My friend Adrienne and I at the Lilac Parade.... Her daughter is sitting on my left.

I tried to upload this photo Monday, but was not able to. This is Adriennes dog 'Cheech' he's an adorable lil' guy. I love it when he curls up in my lap and falls asleep. If I had only known when this picture was taken in the wee hours of Sunday morning, that this was the last time I'd see him.... Yesterday, (Wednesday) he was mauled by a Pit Bull that a neighbor was dog-sitting. When the PB was finaly chased away, Cheech was taking his last breath. Rest in Peace lil guy, what a terrible way to go.

Adrienne's new kitten's

Me, in my friend Linda barn, what a view from there!

" It's a Jammer's kinda night" Wednesdays at Jammers are always interesting.... I call it the resident shit-hole.... (sorry mom) .... It's a mess. I go with my boss and coworker, and their husbands. We're the only ones, other than Lori the bartender (below in middle, next to some woman that felt the need to be in the picture) that have all of our teeth....

I'M NOT KIDDING!

A COYOTE

Thought I'd Stop In and Say Hello

I figure by now, people have given up on me and this Blog, but I haven't had internet service access, and still don't have it at home. I've been living on four acres 6 miles north of downtown Newport, following the river home, the scenery leaves me in awe, every single day. I'm still in my Airstream, without water or electricity. I finally bought a generator, for when I feel like watching a movie, or need to charge up the battery. So, no, I am not going completely without lites, The battery keeps lights running for days on end if necessary.

It was below freeing when I first moved up there, and I have never bothered to see if the propane heaters work So a good Wool Pendleton blanket warmed me through the long cold nights.

Spring finally decided to arrive a couple of weeks ago. In St.Louis, I was used to seeing flowers in March, yet here, I didn't see any until mid April. The trees didn't blossom until two weeks ago, and until last week, nights still plumetted in to the 30's and 40's.

There's plenty of work to be done on the property, so when I'm not enjoying an almost daily bonfire, I'm busy cutting down dead trees, or the seemingly hundreds that are already on the ground. But late at night, when the moon is even just half, it's so bright, I need not carry a flashlight to walk around. The stars sparkle by the millions, there, and feels as though I'm closer to the sky than I've ever been before.

I started a new job several months ago. It's a simple job with a smaller owner run company, but for the first time in a while, I look forward to getting up and heading to work. I'm in the sales office of a High Visibility Safety Apparel manufacturer, located 5 miles out of Newport, in Priest River Idaho. ( www.safetyline.com ). Best translated as selling reflective vests and jackets that you may see on a highway construction worker. I've been learning everything there is to do here, beyond the office, and I joke around that I will be indespensable to them, knowing how to do it all. The pay is not that great, but considerably good for Idaho standards. The return of having a job that I love, weighs out the income rate.

I've been biking and hiking, and exploring, as always. But lately I've been reading like mad. I can't wait to finish one book, and jump to the next. I just finished Dean Koontz' VELOCITY. It was pretty darn good. There's a paragraph I found that I liked, and thought I'd share.

" There are days of doubt, more often lonely nights, when even the devout wonder if they are heirs to a greater kingdom than this earth and if they will know mercy-or if instead they are only animals like any other, whith no inheritance exept the wind and the dark. "

Several weeks ago I left my car unlocked, and my grandfathers fishing poles, my cooler, chairs, camera, and several other things were stolen... Not happy, but what can ya do? But luckily my camera was insured (thanks Matt) and it is being replaced with a newer model, and better memory card... So, thanks to whomever stole the camera, you did me some good. Although there were some 400 pictures that I did not get downloaded, that I will never recover.

Not much really left to speak of for now. I only have a few pictures to share, but they didn't want to download, I'll try again later.

Until next time.....