Well....I thought the story was over but....I was wrong.
We left Stewart this morning at 6:00 with Glen and Linda Johnson and arrived in Terrace at 9:30 which meant that we had a few hours to kill till our 3:30 flight. I bought a new suitcase (at Winners) that I think will be perfect for Japan next fall. It is so light that you can't even tell you're carrying anything! It was a great price too....that is until I checked in for my flight and discovered that Air Canada charges for every bag. My carry on had been free but this one is just that little bit bigger so I had to fork over another $25! My carry on was inside this new bag so on the upside...I would be travelling hands free.
Before we arrived at the airport to check in we had to get a cab from the mall where our ride had dropped us off. Save On is in the mall and their customer service desk called us a cab. Our luck continued to hold out and we managed to be at save on during their 100th anniversary celebration so while we waited for our cab their staff loaded us up with give aways and I even had time and an opportunity to have an educational conversation with their pharmacist about P3 and how they might increase their in store sales.
While I was doing that Lynda was making a new friend. Monique was also waiting for her cab but while she waited she read Lynda an entire article about Julia Roberts pending divorce from one of those horrible magazines that sit by all the checkouts. Not only did she read the article she also provided her own unedited opinion. Bottom line is that she is pretty certain that even though Julia Roberts is getting a little older she is still pretty enough to get another guy and that her ex (whomever that is) is a !#~% idiot!
When our cab finally arrived we decided to give it to Monique instead and to wait for the next one. (I seriously doubt that she had ever called one! Or else, they know her and didn't want to come and get her!!). The driver who was meant for us was none too happy about taking Monique anywhere.
In the end we got a great driver who was so impressed with the P3 I introduced him to at he was going right back to Save On to buy both a roll on and the cream. That pharmacist is going to wonder what's happening! LOL.
Once my bag (and us) were checked in at the airport we still had a couple hours to kill so Lynda and I occupied the time with a new game. We located a man who looked interesting and seemed very nice and then proceeded to "guess" at his story. Our imaginations were working overtime and our observation skills were finely honed. Unfortunately he got on the Central Mountain Air flight as in our 'story' we had him on our flight and something about happily ever after. LOL. It was a good laugh and I'm pretty sure that at least 1 of our 20+ guesses at facts about him were correct.
Our flight from Terrace to Vancouver was delayed on the ground due to heavy traffic in Vancouver but once we were in the air it was an uneventful flight. The delay inTerrace put us late into YVR which made us late for our connection to Penticton though so as soon as we touched down they had us off the plane and redirected to our next gate. Lucky for us, our gate was right next door so we walked up at exactly e same time as they were beginning to board. Whew!
Funnily enough that would not be the last delay we would experience this day. Once in the air and en route to Penticton the captain came on to announce that air traffic control had shut down air space around Penticton for at least 1/2 hour after our scheduled arrival due to the fact that the snow birds were performing there. Amidst a groan of angst fto the passengers our plane began a wide circle, a holding pattern, above and between Hope and Princeton and that is where we sat for the next 1/2 hour! Eventually the air space opened up and we were once again on our way.
We left Stewart under cloudy skies, the sun was shining inTerrace, Vancouver was spitting and grey, and Penticton was POURING with rain! WTH?! REALLY?
Oh well....tomorrow is a new day and this is definitely my final post for is blog.
L & L
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
August 4, 2015
Hard to believe our time in Stewart is already coming to a close! In spite of the weatherman's continuing negativity, we had another day of cloud only with almost none of the wet stuff. So while it's been a lot cooler than we've been used to in the Okanagan, there will be no complaints from either of us about the weather during our time here.
Viri had to get up and out the door bright and early this morning for another day of work but Mitch, Lynda and I had another lazy morning of movie watching. Not wanting to miss out on any of Stewart's stuff to see Lynda and I cut our movie viewing off at just one and hit the streets for a short walk to the local museum where we met a lovely little girl named Alisha (about 10 or 11 yrs). Alisha greeted us as we entered, was an unbelievable host, and represented the community brilliantly! She told us that he loves history NF the is why she volunteers at the museum. I decided right then and there that she'd be perfect for my grandson Corbin who is the same age and who also has a healthy appreciation for history. I'm not sure how either Corbin or Alisha would feel about my matchmaking but it sure seems obvious yo me. 😄
The museum is housed in the same building as the courthouse, service BC, the Government Agent, and the Avalanche comtrol office. Court staff come in to Stewart one day every 3 months regardless of what is on the docket. The rest of the offices are staffed more often. The museum is run by the historic society and volunteers. Overall the museum was very well done and our tour ended with a very comprehensive documentary about the town that was excellent.
After our stop at the museum it was off to the hotel for coffee and a piece of freshly baked home made pie. Yummy! Remember that Stewart is a small place? Well that fact showed up again today when the woman behind the hotel registration desk asked Lynda if she'd enjoyed her paddle around
the lake yesterday. It turns out she and her family were one of the vehicles that stopped in at the lake
while we were there and at the same time as Lynda and Mitch were taking a turn round the lake. Yep....small town!
We hurried back to the house as we knew Viri would be getting home any minute and tonight we had plans to make sopes for the four of us and 5 more of Mitch and Viri's friends. We chopped onions and tomatoes, lettuce and chicken. There is plenty of prep work but it's worth it in the end. Viri mixed up the dough and we all tried to make some of the sopes but alas....neither Lynda and I were any help at all so that part of the prep was left in Viri's capable hands. She rolled and patted and dry fried about 4 dozen of those little discs of deliciousness. But...that is only 1/2 the work they require. Once they're dry fried and still hit you have to pinch up the edges to make a sort of little tart shell. This sounds easier than it is and I can confirm that the process burns your fingers to boot! Once the stage is complete all the is left for the cook to do is to fry the 1/2 cooked 'tart shells' in oil...another hot and lengthy job. In the end...it's all worth it though and everyone enjoyed seconds and thirds and
maybe even some fourths! The sopes are topped with retried beans, chicken, lettuce, tomatoe, onion,
sour cream, feta, homemade green salsa (that was to die for) and a squeeze of fresh lime. Try to fit that mountain of delicious finger food into your mouth and not make a mess! A roll of paper towel later and all of us were well sated and full of appreciation for Viri and her hard work.
Lynda and I leave at 6:00 in the morning so this will likely be my last post to this blog. Thanks for following along with us again. Till next time,
Lynda and Lorrie
Viri had to get up and out the door bright and early this morning for another day of work but Mitch, Lynda and I had another lazy morning of movie watching. Not wanting to miss out on any of Stewart's stuff to see Lynda and I cut our movie viewing off at just one and hit the streets for a short walk to the local museum where we met a lovely little girl named Alisha (about 10 or 11 yrs). Alisha greeted us as we entered, was an unbelievable host, and represented the community brilliantly! She told us that he loves history NF the is why she volunteers at the museum. I decided right then and there that she'd be perfect for my grandson Corbin who is the same age and who also has a healthy appreciation for history. I'm not sure how either Corbin or Alisha would feel about my matchmaking but it sure seems obvious yo me. 😄
The museum is housed in the same building as the courthouse, service BC, the Government Agent, and the Avalanche comtrol office. Court staff come in to Stewart one day every 3 months regardless of what is on the docket. The rest of the offices are staffed more often. The museum is run by the historic society and volunteers. Overall the museum was very well done and our tour ended with a very comprehensive documentary about the town that was excellent.
After our stop at the museum it was off to the hotel for coffee and a piece of freshly baked home made pie. Yummy! Remember that Stewart is a small place? Well that fact showed up again today when the woman behind the hotel registration desk asked Lynda if she'd enjoyed her paddle around
the lake yesterday. It turns out she and her family were one of the vehicles that stopped in at the lake
while we were there and at the same time as Lynda and Mitch were taking a turn round the lake. Yep....small town!
We hurried back to the house as we knew Viri would be getting home any minute and tonight we had plans to make sopes for the four of us and 5 more of Mitch and Viri's friends. We chopped onions and tomatoes, lettuce and chicken. There is plenty of prep work but it's worth it in the end. Viri mixed up the dough and we all tried to make some of the sopes but alas....neither Lynda and I were any help at all so that part of the prep was left in Viri's capable hands. She rolled and patted and dry fried about 4 dozen of those little discs of deliciousness. But...that is only 1/2 the work they require. Once they're dry fried and still hit you have to pinch up the edges to make a sort of little tart shell. This sounds easier than it is and I can confirm that the process burns your fingers to boot! Once the stage is complete all the is left for the cook to do is to fry the 1/2 cooked 'tart shells' in oil...another hot and lengthy job. In the end...it's all worth it though and everyone enjoyed seconds and thirds and
maybe even some fourths! The sopes are topped with retried beans, chicken, lettuce, tomatoe, onion,
sour cream, feta, homemade green salsa (that was to die for) and a squeeze of fresh lime. Try to fit that mountain of delicious finger food into your mouth and not make a mess! A roll of paper towel later and all of us were well sated and full of appreciation for Viri and her hard work.
Lynda and I leave at 6:00 in the morning so this will likely be my last post to this blog. Thanks for following along with us again. Till next time,
Lynda and Lorrie
August 3, 2015
Morning tea and what sounded at first like a huge clap of thunder was how we started the day today. It didn't take more than a few seconds to realize that no clap of thunder could last that long! It was a slide! A massive chunk of the mountain coming down toward the town! The rumbling just kept on and on. We all ran outside to see if any of it was visible but the cloud was too low on the mountain so we had to let our hearing paint the picture for us. Fortunately there was no damage or injuries, although a house on the corner of town ended up with a slightly smaller yard at the end of it all!
With the mountains so close and all around us it is easy to imagine what it must be like to live here year round. Rock slides are common and avalanches during the winter months even more so. Experiencing the slide up close and personal was another first for both Lynda and I so once again....the list of 'extras' we are checking off during this trip continues to grow.
After the slide, Lynda and I took Jota (Mitch and Viri's dog who has transitioned from the streets of Mexico to northern BC with no ill effects) for a walk past some of the historic sites and into the downtown where we had a great breakfast at a really great place called Toastworks. The restaurant is filled to overflowing with a huge collection of antiques. Not only were there literally hundreds of items...they were all in excellent condition! There were toasters and coffee makers, heaters and earthenware, a paper bag dispenser that holds bags of all sizes, and even one of those belted machines that women used to use to shake/vibrate off their butt fat! Honestly you have to see it to appreciate the place. It was like a museum and a restaurant all in one. It was a great stop and the food was excellent too!
The place was packed so we had lots of time to appreciate some of the displays while we were waiting for a table. When a table finally came available it turned out to be large enough for five seats
and since the group waiting behind us was a group of three...it seemed only right to ask them to join
us - which they did.
Our new friends, Bill, Alexandria, and Torey were visiting from Prince Rupert for a
couple of days. Bill and Torey are civil engineers and Alex (Bill's wife) is part of a marketing team for a large bio medical company whose work is mainly in developing nations as their focus is Tuberculosis. Chatting over breakfast gave us an opportunity to learn some new things, share some information, and do a little promotion for Really Good F Words once again. It's really a treat for me to see how receptive people are to talking about my book. Their first comment is always that they love the title - whew!
After a long and leisurely morning strolling around town (no rain again today!) and hanging around the restaurant we headed back to Mitch and Viri's at exactly the same time as Mitch was taking some chicken out of a rotisserie he had them roasting in. The house smelled amazing and even though it
hadn't been long since breakfast...there was no way either of us could turn down a drumstick-they
were delish!
People here know how to take advantage of good weather and so we were off again. This time we were headed for a nearby lake that locals refer to as Bear Lake due to the large number of bear who call it home. We had the bear spray just in case but...none came round during our time there so all was good. Mitch had brought his canoe along so he and Lynda paddled around in the sunshine. It was a gorgeous little lake and a really popular spot with locals. While we were there at least 6 other vehicles either left or arrived. Everyone knows everyone here and we were reminded of that when one of the vehicles that arrived was driven by GE woman who had served Lynda and I breakfast at Toastworks this morning. She recognized us too so it was further evidence of just how small the town is. I'm sure living in a place where everyone knows your business must wear a little thin but for the little I've seen it is also really nice that everyone knows one another and takes the time to say hi and chat. It feels a little like a step back in time to a simpler lifestyle.
We knew it was time to call it a day when the first few drops of rain began to fall. It had been another fantastic day and we had enjoyed the good weather so much in this beautiful little place that feels a lot like a mountaintop lake even though it is at sea level. It's nestled right into nature with mountains running up right from its shores so it gives the illusion of being high in the mountains.
Shandy (Viri's friend) and I caught a ride back into town with Neil and his daughter (another resident) while Mitch, Viri and Lynda came back in Mitch's truck. Having a truck is great but a challenge when there are just three seats and four or, as was the case today, five people.
Tonight was movie and pizza night and we were all ready to snuggle down on the couch after our day of fresh air and adventure.
Till tomorrow,
L & L
With the mountains so close and all around us it is easy to imagine what it must be like to live here year round. Rock slides are common and avalanches during the winter months even more so. Experiencing the slide up close and personal was another first for both Lynda and I so once again....the list of 'extras' we are checking off during this trip continues to grow.
After the slide, Lynda and I took Jota (Mitch and Viri's dog who has transitioned from the streets of Mexico to northern BC with no ill effects) for a walk past some of the historic sites and into the downtown where we had a great breakfast at a really great place called Toastworks. The restaurant is filled to overflowing with a huge collection of antiques. Not only were there literally hundreds of items...they were all in excellent condition! There were toasters and coffee makers, heaters and earthenware, a paper bag dispenser that holds bags of all sizes, and even one of those belted machines that women used to use to shake/vibrate off their butt fat! Honestly you have to see it to appreciate the place. It was like a museum and a restaurant all in one. It was a great stop and the food was excellent too!
The place was packed so we had lots of time to appreciate some of the displays while we were waiting for a table. When a table finally came available it turned out to be large enough for five seats
and since the group waiting behind us was a group of three...it seemed only right to ask them to join
us - which they did.
Our new friends, Bill, Alexandria, and Torey were visiting from Prince Rupert for a
couple of days. Bill and Torey are civil engineers and Alex (Bill's wife) is part of a marketing team for a large bio medical company whose work is mainly in developing nations as their focus is Tuberculosis. Chatting over breakfast gave us an opportunity to learn some new things, share some information, and do a little promotion for Really Good F Words once again. It's really a treat for me to see how receptive people are to talking about my book. Their first comment is always that they love the title - whew!
After a long and leisurely morning strolling around town (no rain again today!) and hanging around the restaurant we headed back to Mitch and Viri's at exactly the same time as Mitch was taking some chicken out of a rotisserie he had them roasting in. The house smelled amazing and even though it
hadn't been long since breakfast...there was no way either of us could turn down a drumstick-they
were delish!
People here know how to take advantage of good weather and so we were off again. This time we were headed for a nearby lake that locals refer to as Bear Lake due to the large number of bear who call it home. We had the bear spray just in case but...none came round during our time there so all was good. Mitch had brought his canoe along so he and Lynda paddled around in the sunshine. It was a gorgeous little lake and a really popular spot with locals. While we were there at least 6 other vehicles either left or arrived. Everyone knows everyone here and we were reminded of that when one of the vehicles that arrived was driven by GE woman who had served Lynda and I breakfast at Toastworks this morning. She recognized us too so it was further evidence of just how small the town is. I'm sure living in a place where everyone knows your business must wear a little thin but for the little I've seen it is also really nice that everyone knows one another and takes the time to say hi and chat. It feels a little like a step back in time to a simpler lifestyle.
We knew it was time to call it a day when the first few drops of rain began to fall. It had been another fantastic day and we had enjoyed the good weather so much in this beautiful little place that feels a lot like a mountaintop lake even though it is at sea level. It's nestled right into nature with mountains running up right from its shores so it gives the illusion of being high in the mountains.
Shandy (Viri's friend) and I caught a ride back into town with Neil and his daughter (another resident) while Mitch, Viri and Lynda came back in Mitch's truck. Having a truck is great but a challenge when there are just three seats and four or, as was the case today, five people.
Tonight was movie and pizza night and we were all ready to snuggle down on the couch after our day of fresh air and adventure.
Till tomorrow,
L & L
Sunday, August 2, 2015
August 2, 2015
I've decided that the weatherman here doesn't have a clue what to predict! Even though he's said rain rain and more rain, we had another day of hardly any of the wet stuff.
It was a slow start to the morning with a bowl of oatmeal a la Lynda to send the couch surfing bikers on their way. From there it was a short shuffle to the couches where Mitch, Viri, Lynda and I spent the next couple of hours glued to another movie. It was unusual but very good. It is called All Is Lost starring Robert Redford and in the whole movie there are fewer than 100 words and Redford is the only character! The only thing I will tell you about the movie is that it involves a shipwreck.
Given the nature of the movie, I was more than a little uncomfortable with the fact that Mitch and Lynda went straight from their spots on the couches to a little rubber boat in the ocean where they set a couple of crab traps with the hope that they'll be full by dinner tomorrow. Fortunately they arrived home none the worse for wear about an hour later.
While they were out setting the traps, Viri and I had decided that tonight would be the night to get Hyderized. So...within minutes of their return we were off and running again. Lynda, Viri, and I walked from the house to downtown where we got onto the boardwalk that crosses the marshland to meet up with the highway near the port and on the way to Alaska. By the time we arrived at the other end of the boardwalk, Mitch had driven there with Viri's bike in the back of the truck. She hauled her bike out of the pick up as Lynda and I climbed into the cab with Mitch and set off for the border just a couple of kilometres away.
I think I mentioned it previously but just in case...you're gonna hear it again....there is no customs crossing to get into the US...only the one coming back into Canada so all four of us were settled into
our seats at the Glacier Hotel in Hyder. The Glacier Hotel is where getting Hyderized was created and made famous.
The interior walls of the hotel are covered with money! In fact, there are more than $95,000 in bills covering the walls! Because all the walls are completely covered, they've even begun building 'cupboards' that are flat to the original walls so there are new walls to cover. Most of those are filled already too! It really is amazing! Not quite as awesome as the glacier or the Bears but pretty darn impressive!
After a dinner of fresh halibut Lynda and I made our way to the bar where we completed the feat of hyderization. The bottle they pour into your oversized shot glass (looked like 1 1/2 oz to me) is covered with a paper bag and the instructions are that you're not to smell or taste...just shoot the whole thing in a single shot. Once you've done that you're congratulated on your accomplishment and told that what you just had was Alaskan Everclear which is rated at 150 proof. I can attest to the
fact that it is powerful stuff. In fact my throat still feels a bit raw as I type this!
Bottom line is that we survived the task and are now 3 for 3 on my to do list. Bears, glacier, and Hyderized are all behind us and there have been bonus adventures as well. Two more full days before we head back to Terrace to catch our flight on he 5th...who knows what adventures will materialize for us in that much time?!
Till next time,
L & L
It was a slow start to the morning with a bowl of oatmeal a la Lynda to send the couch surfing bikers on their way. From there it was a short shuffle to the couches where Mitch, Viri, Lynda and I spent the next couple of hours glued to another movie. It was unusual but very good. It is called All Is Lost starring Robert Redford and in the whole movie there are fewer than 100 words and Redford is the only character! The only thing I will tell you about the movie is that it involves a shipwreck.
Given the nature of the movie, I was more than a little uncomfortable with the fact that Mitch and Lynda went straight from their spots on the couches to a little rubber boat in the ocean where they set a couple of crab traps with the hope that they'll be full by dinner tomorrow. Fortunately they arrived home none the worse for wear about an hour later.
While they were out setting the traps, Viri and I had decided that tonight would be the night to get Hyderized. So...within minutes of their return we were off and running again. Lynda, Viri, and I walked from the house to downtown where we got onto the boardwalk that crosses the marshland to meet up with the highway near the port and on the way to Alaska. By the time we arrived at the other end of the boardwalk, Mitch had driven there with Viri's bike in the back of the truck. She hauled her bike out of the pick up as Lynda and I climbed into the cab with Mitch and set off for the border just a couple of kilometres away.
I think I mentioned it previously but just in case...you're gonna hear it again....there is no customs crossing to get into the US...only the one coming back into Canada so all four of us were settled into
our seats at the Glacier Hotel in Hyder. The Glacier Hotel is where getting Hyderized was created and made famous.
The interior walls of the hotel are covered with money! In fact, there are more than $95,000 in bills covering the walls! Because all the walls are completely covered, they've even begun building 'cupboards' that are flat to the original walls so there are new walls to cover. Most of those are filled already too! It really is amazing! Not quite as awesome as the glacier or the Bears but pretty darn impressive!
After a dinner of fresh halibut Lynda and I made our way to the bar where we completed the feat of hyderization. The bottle they pour into your oversized shot glass (looked like 1 1/2 oz to me) is covered with a paper bag and the instructions are that you're not to smell or taste...just shoot the whole thing in a single shot. Once you've done that you're congratulated on your accomplishment and told that what you just had was Alaskan Everclear which is rated at 150 proof. I can attest to the
fact that it is powerful stuff. In fact my throat still feels a bit raw as I type this!
Bottom line is that we survived the task and are now 3 for 3 on my to do list. Bears, glacier, and Hyderized are all behind us and there have been bonus adventures as well. Two more full days before we head back to Terrace to catch our flight on he 5th...who knows what adventures will materialize for us in that much time?!
Till next time,
L & L
August 1, 2015
What a day! Kicked off the morning with a movie in our p.j.'s and then off to the landfill for a visit with Viri during her lunch hour. Viri works as a casual labourer for the town of Stewart and so her tasks vary from day to day. Today she whacked weeds around the landfill property at the same time as she monitored and managed the activity there.
Since the day is getting sunnier as it goes on....we decided to seize the opportunity and head for Hyder and beyond to see if we'd be lucky enough to view the Salmom Glacier. The glacier is in BC but you have to drive through Hyder Alaska to get there. It is really interesting, there is a border but locals,are back and forth across it so often that it must seem kind of silly. The only way in or out of Hyder is through BC so why it is US territory or even exists is beyond me.
The gravel roads we had to travel and that are on US soil were pretty rough but once we got back onto BC roads heading up the mountain...they were graded and much improved. It's a really wide road (no problem for two vehicles) and the scenery is MAGNIFICENT!!! Waterfalls everywhere, majestic mountains that are so close you can reach out and touch them, and when the toe of the glacier comes into view it actually takes your breath away it is so big. The other thing I thought about the glacier is that it made me think that it could be described as Mother Natures zen garden. You know goes sand gardens that you rake curvy lines into? Well, the surface of the glacier looks just like Mother Nature had taken a rake and put those same lines into it!
Looking out over the glacier from the top viewpoint really does invite you to sit and think about just how lucky we are and how tiny we are and how cold it is and how far from civilization we are and how everything is right with the world and how many damn mosquitos there are! LOL. As well, once you've reached that lookout, you're above the treeline so you've left the trees behind and are well
into the alpine meadows that are filled with a variety of beautiful tiny little flowers and different
vegetation than you see down in the valley far below. Also at the lookout, we met Keith (who is known as he bear man) and who lives in a little dome tent at this lookout that he has called home for the months of June, July, August, and part of September for the past 31 years! He spends the rest of the year in New Brunswick. Once a week he makes the hour long trip to Stewart for supplies. His water comes from a natural spring across the road from the lookout...he lives a very simple life with income and human interaction coming from sales of his bear DVDs and postcards.
The drive back down the mountain was just as spectacular as the drive up! We stopped several times in both directions to marvel at the views and appreciate the experience. A couple of times mountain marmots even crossed our paths...I'm pretty sure rodents seek me out no matter where I am! For those of you who know me well, you will know that is NOT a good thing!
We sure appreciated the clear skies and no rain as it was obvious the havock wet weather had caused
on the road. A fallen tree, a washed out hillside, mini slides (with much bigger ones threatening to
take out the entire roadway), gushing torrents of water barely fitting into the culverts intended for it...you get the picture I'm sure.
On our way back through Hyder en route to Stewart, we peered through the shrubs hoping to see a grizzly chowing down on the salmon in Fish Creek at the viewing platform but alas...none there so
we just continued on to the border and home for the crock pot stew that Lynda put on this morning before we left.
When we retuned to the house we could smell the stew but alas...it was a long way from being cooked through so some creative repotting for quicker cooking took Lynda's focus. My attention was diverted because at the same time Mitch and Viri's couch surfing guests arrived at the door. Mitch and Viri open their home to couch surfers often and for many years now (both here in Stewart and before in Mexico). This time is was two travellers who met somewhere on the road north of here.
Both are on motorbikes. John is from England and Gabe is from Ohio. Both were great guys and
appreciative of the warm welcome that included a bowl of Lynda's stew. After dinner Viri hopped on the back of John's bike and Lynda and I climbed back into the truck for a return trip to Hyder in search of grizzy bears looking for dinner.
On our way to the viewing centre a little black bear crossed the road in front of us and we took it for a good sign which in the end...it was. When we arrived at the viewing centre a young grizzly was fully engaged in fishing and enjoying the fruits of his labour. We watched him catch and consume 2 huge salmon before he wandered off down the creek, under the bridge, and out of our sight. In all we had over two hours of watching him from across the creek. On our way back to Stewart we tried to stop in to the Glacier Hotel to get Hyderized but alas....it was not meant to be this night. The bar was already closed.
Night here doesn't fall until well after 10:00. I'd say it is almost two hours later than in Summerland. The lineup to cross back into Canada was long and in comparison to our previous crossings this was a real change! Every other time we've been the only vehicle in sight so to have to wait at all seemed strange. As well, Mitch's truck has a very loud squeal so you can hear it coming from a km away (I'm not exaggerating!). Lynda had been very bought full and had turned the vehicle off every chance she had during our wait at the border. She'd wait for 4-5 cars to go rough and then move up, turn it off again and repeat. By the time it was our turn at the border the guard inside the building nodded to us as she laughed and said "I knew it was you two long before I could see you!" You know you've arrived when the border guards know who you are. LOL.
It was a short drive back to the house where we settled in for a visit around the kitchen table to round
off this very full and fantastic day. Heh...look at that ...Really Good F Words are finding their way into my blog too! Speaking of which , if you haven't yet heard and if you'd like to support me in my latest undertaking...my book, Really Good F Words is now available on Amazon. It officially launches on Nov 1st but all pre- sales before that date will be added into the total sold that first hour of the launch. Amazon determines their best seller list based on an hour of sales so...when you have a launch there is that one opportunity to capitalize of the technology and get on the best seller list, which is a VERY good thing! So, if you're of a mind to check it out go to Amazon.ca
Till tomorrow,
L & L
Since the day is getting sunnier as it goes on....we decided to seize the opportunity and head for Hyder and beyond to see if we'd be lucky enough to view the Salmom Glacier. The glacier is in BC but you have to drive through Hyder Alaska to get there. It is really interesting, there is a border but locals,are back and forth across it so often that it must seem kind of silly. The only way in or out of Hyder is through BC so why it is US territory or even exists is beyond me.
The gravel roads we had to travel and that are on US soil were pretty rough but once we got back onto BC roads heading up the mountain...they were graded and much improved. It's a really wide road (no problem for two vehicles) and the scenery is MAGNIFICENT!!! Waterfalls everywhere, majestic mountains that are so close you can reach out and touch them, and when the toe of the glacier comes into view it actually takes your breath away it is so big. The other thing I thought about the glacier is that it made me think that it could be described as Mother Natures zen garden. You know goes sand gardens that you rake curvy lines into? Well, the surface of the glacier looks just like Mother Nature had taken a rake and put those same lines into it!
Looking out over the glacier from the top viewpoint really does invite you to sit and think about just how lucky we are and how tiny we are and how cold it is and how far from civilization we are and how everything is right with the world and how many damn mosquitos there are! LOL. As well, once you've reached that lookout, you're above the treeline so you've left the trees behind and are well
into the alpine meadows that are filled with a variety of beautiful tiny little flowers and different
vegetation than you see down in the valley far below. Also at the lookout, we met Keith (who is known as he bear man) and who lives in a little dome tent at this lookout that he has called home for the months of June, July, August, and part of September for the past 31 years! He spends the rest of the year in New Brunswick. Once a week he makes the hour long trip to Stewart for supplies. His water comes from a natural spring across the road from the lookout...he lives a very simple life with income and human interaction coming from sales of his bear DVDs and postcards.
The drive back down the mountain was just as spectacular as the drive up! We stopped several times in both directions to marvel at the views and appreciate the experience. A couple of times mountain marmots even crossed our paths...I'm pretty sure rodents seek me out no matter where I am! For those of you who know me well, you will know that is NOT a good thing!
We sure appreciated the clear skies and no rain as it was obvious the havock wet weather had caused
on the road. A fallen tree, a washed out hillside, mini slides (with much bigger ones threatening to
take out the entire roadway), gushing torrents of water barely fitting into the culverts intended for it...you get the picture I'm sure.
On our way back through Hyder en route to Stewart, we peered through the shrubs hoping to see a grizzly chowing down on the salmon in Fish Creek at the viewing platform but alas...none there so
we just continued on to the border and home for the crock pot stew that Lynda put on this morning before we left.
When we retuned to the house we could smell the stew but alas...it was a long way from being cooked through so some creative repotting for quicker cooking took Lynda's focus. My attention was diverted because at the same time Mitch and Viri's couch surfing guests arrived at the door. Mitch and Viri open their home to couch surfers often and for many years now (both here in Stewart and before in Mexico). This time is was two travellers who met somewhere on the road north of here.
Both are on motorbikes. John is from England and Gabe is from Ohio. Both were great guys and
appreciative of the warm welcome that included a bowl of Lynda's stew. After dinner Viri hopped on the back of John's bike and Lynda and I climbed back into the truck for a return trip to Hyder in search of grizzy bears looking for dinner.
On our way to the viewing centre a little black bear crossed the road in front of us and we took it for a good sign which in the end...it was. When we arrived at the viewing centre a young grizzly was fully engaged in fishing and enjoying the fruits of his labour. We watched him catch and consume 2 huge salmon before he wandered off down the creek, under the bridge, and out of our sight. In all we had over two hours of watching him from across the creek. On our way back to Stewart we tried to stop in to the Glacier Hotel to get Hyderized but alas....it was not meant to be this night. The bar was already closed.
Night here doesn't fall until well after 10:00. I'd say it is almost two hours later than in Summerland. The lineup to cross back into Canada was long and in comparison to our previous crossings this was a real change! Every other time we've been the only vehicle in sight so to have to wait at all seemed strange. As well, Mitch's truck has a very loud squeal so you can hear it coming from a km away (I'm not exaggerating!). Lynda had been very bought full and had turned the vehicle off every chance she had during our wait at the border. She'd wait for 4-5 cars to go rough and then move up, turn it off again and repeat. By the time it was our turn at the border the guard inside the building nodded to us as she laughed and said "I knew it was you two long before I could see you!" You know you've arrived when the border guards know who you are. LOL.
It was a short drive back to the house where we settled in for a visit around the kitchen table to round
off this very full and fantastic day. Heh...look at that ...Really Good F Words are finding their way into my blog too! Speaking of which , if you haven't yet heard and if you'd like to support me in my latest undertaking...my book, Really Good F Words is now available on Amazon. It officially launches on Nov 1st but all pre- sales before that date will be added into the total sold that first hour of the launch. Amazon determines their best seller list based on an hour of sales so...when you have a launch there is that one opportunity to capitalize of the technology and get on the best seller list, which is a VERY good thing! So, if you're of a mind to check it out go to Amazon.ca
Till tomorrow,
L & L
Friday, July 31, 2015
July 31, 2015
Lynda and I were still high fiving one another all day today as we continued to giggle about our good fortune with yesterday's helicopter adventures. That memory will resonate with both of us for years to come! Thanks again to Mitch, Viri, and Lars for making it happen.
This morning we woke to what could be described as torrential downpour and nothing changed on the weather front until 6:00 tonight. Since they've had pretty much nothing but rain here for the past few weeks, we couldn't let a little bad weather stop us from exploring so Lynda and I were up and out this morning to check out the town. Our first stop was the bakery where the sticky cinnamon buns are the size of a small city! One of those and a cup of coffee (with sugar and coffee mate just like the good old days) sure hit the spot and we decided that before we leave here we will have to come back for a hot dog or a smokie. They have the old fashioned rotisserie thingy that heats the wieners under a bulb. You know the kind that take at least an hour and that seem to make the best hot dogs. Since its a bakery...they have nice fresh buns and of course all the fixings so....you can see why we are thinking a hot dog might be in order.
Speaking of food, Stewart might be small but it is not lacking for tasty grub. Last night we had dinner at The Dash which is just a simple food truck that has been attached to a large structure that is covered by clear plastic walls and a roof. Remember where we are....having a roof and walls is important when there are more rainy days than sunny ones in the open season. They make fresh bread (and buns) daily and the meals we all had were outstanding! Pulled pork sandwiches dripping with BBQ goodness, mountainous double patty bacon burgers, cheesy pulled pork pizza (also on a fresh homemade crust), and handcut fries done to crispy perfection...Yep....it was one of those meals you'd return for.
Exploring the townsite of Stewart didn't take long and since there was time and the sunshine was still liquid, I decided to do a little P3 promotion since no one here carries that product. I began at the
Quickie Mart (one of the two grocery stores in town-there are no drugstores). It wasn't the Quickie Mart where I met the owners, Godie and Eva Appenzeller. I commented that I had gone to high school with a girl named Regula Appenzeller in Mission and that is when Eva got an odd look on her face and the world got a whole lot smaller! It turns out that Regula is Godie's sister and she now lives in Vernon...just two hours from where I am. Yep....small world! In the end we had a great visit and Eva set up an account to retail P3, we placed her initial order, and it will be just a matter of days until P3 will be flying off the shelves here just as it does at its other locations.
While I was catching up on old times with Godie, Lynda had been shopping for dinner. Jeez, I'm lucky again...I just visit and magically the next thing I know there are delicious aromas of spaghetti sauce bubbling out of the kitchen back at Mitch and Viri's!
It tasted as good as it smelled and as we finished the dishes after dinner the skies began to clear, the rain slowed to a stop and the sun began to shine. We've already learned that you can't afford to waste a minute of dry skies in this part of the world so we were out the door and off to Hyder Alaska in search of bear.
Just a couple miles down the road we crossed into Hyder. There is no US customs going into Hyder...just the Canadian customs coming back into Stewart. If I thought Stewart is small, Hyder is TINY! Not sure what the population is but if Stewart is 450 then I'm guessing Hyder might be 45! Really the only thing to do in Hyder is to visit the interpretive centre/bear viewing area along the Fish Creek where the salmon are now spawning. We only saw one lone black bear but we did see a lot of tourists from all over the world. I spoke to people from Texas, from Oregon, from Germany, and from Canada...oh just a minute...that was us that we're from Canada! LOL... Seriously, there were quite a number of tourists. I really did talk to all those people, and the license plates on the approximately 20 vehicles in the parking lots were from all over. We purchased 3 day passes so will
go back a couple mor times while we are here. Today there was just too much rain so the river was
swollen and overflowing to the degree that no fish were visible and soooo....the grizzly bears just don't bother coming round. They're described as being a bit lazy so they'll wait till the water is clear, the fish are visible, and the fishing is easy.
From the bear viewing area we stopped at the end of the Hyder pier. What a view! Mist and low cloud hanging out over the tidal flats, sunshine kissing the tops of the snow capped mountains, blue skies peeking through white fluffy clouds...it was nature posing for a picture in her best finery. We snapped a few shots knowing full well that the pictures would never do justice to the natural beauty we were experiencing in that moment. The camera would never be able to pick up the crispness of the air, the call of the birds overhead, the smell of the seawater, the dancing of the sunlight as it flickered through the moving misty clouds...yes...truly a magical land we live in!
Crossing back into Canada was just like any other border crossing (only a whole lot smaller and less busy) so her we are back at the house. It is currently 10:10 and it is still light enough out for me to think that it might be only about 8:00 at home! Amazing the difference a little latitude can make!
Till tomorrow friends....who knows what adventures will present themselves to us then.
Lynda and Lorrie
This morning we woke to what could be described as torrential downpour and nothing changed on the weather front until 6:00 tonight. Since they've had pretty much nothing but rain here for the past few weeks, we couldn't let a little bad weather stop us from exploring so Lynda and I were up and out this morning to check out the town. Our first stop was the bakery where the sticky cinnamon buns are the size of a small city! One of those and a cup of coffee (with sugar and coffee mate just like the good old days) sure hit the spot and we decided that before we leave here we will have to come back for a hot dog or a smokie. They have the old fashioned rotisserie thingy that heats the wieners under a bulb. You know the kind that take at least an hour and that seem to make the best hot dogs. Since its a bakery...they have nice fresh buns and of course all the fixings so....you can see why we are thinking a hot dog might be in order.
Speaking of food, Stewart might be small but it is not lacking for tasty grub. Last night we had dinner at The Dash which is just a simple food truck that has been attached to a large structure that is covered by clear plastic walls and a roof. Remember where we are....having a roof and walls is important when there are more rainy days than sunny ones in the open season. They make fresh bread (and buns) daily and the meals we all had were outstanding! Pulled pork sandwiches dripping with BBQ goodness, mountainous double patty bacon burgers, cheesy pulled pork pizza (also on a fresh homemade crust), and handcut fries done to crispy perfection...Yep....it was one of those meals you'd return for.
Exploring the townsite of Stewart didn't take long and since there was time and the sunshine was still liquid, I decided to do a little P3 promotion since no one here carries that product. I began at the
Quickie Mart (one of the two grocery stores in town-there are no drugstores). It wasn't the Quickie Mart where I met the owners, Godie and Eva Appenzeller. I commented that I had gone to high school with a girl named Regula Appenzeller in Mission and that is when Eva got an odd look on her face and the world got a whole lot smaller! It turns out that Regula is Godie's sister and she now lives in Vernon...just two hours from where I am. Yep....small world! In the end we had a great visit and Eva set up an account to retail P3, we placed her initial order, and it will be just a matter of days until P3 will be flying off the shelves here just as it does at its other locations.
While I was catching up on old times with Godie, Lynda had been shopping for dinner. Jeez, I'm lucky again...I just visit and magically the next thing I know there are delicious aromas of spaghetti sauce bubbling out of the kitchen back at Mitch and Viri's!
It tasted as good as it smelled and as we finished the dishes after dinner the skies began to clear, the rain slowed to a stop and the sun began to shine. We've already learned that you can't afford to waste a minute of dry skies in this part of the world so we were out the door and off to Hyder Alaska in search of bear.
Just a couple miles down the road we crossed into Hyder. There is no US customs going into Hyder...just the Canadian customs coming back into Stewart. If I thought Stewart is small, Hyder is TINY! Not sure what the population is but if Stewart is 450 then I'm guessing Hyder might be 45! Really the only thing to do in Hyder is to visit the interpretive centre/bear viewing area along the Fish Creek where the salmon are now spawning. We only saw one lone black bear but we did see a lot of tourists from all over the world. I spoke to people from Texas, from Oregon, from Germany, and from Canada...oh just a minute...that was us that we're from Canada! LOL... Seriously, there were quite a number of tourists. I really did talk to all those people, and the license plates on the approximately 20 vehicles in the parking lots were from all over. We purchased 3 day passes so will
go back a couple mor times while we are here. Today there was just too much rain so the river was
swollen and overflowing to the degree that no fish were visible and soooo....the grizzly bears just don't bother coming round. They're described as being a bit lazy so they'll wait till the water is clear, the fish are visible, and the fishing is easy.
From the bear viewing area we stopped at the end of the Hyder pier. What a view! Mist and low cloud hanging out over the tidal flats, sunshine kissing the tops of the snow capped mountains, blue skies peeking through white fluffy clouds...it was nature posing for a picture in her best finery. We snapped a few shots knowing full well that the pictures would never do justice to the natural beauty we were experiencing in that moment. The camera would never be able to pick up the crispness of the air, the call of the birds overhead, the smell of the seawater, the dancing of the sunlight as it flickered through the moving misty clouds...yes...truly a magical land we live in!
Crossing back into Canada was just like any other border crossing (only a whole lot smaller and less busy) so her we are back at the house. It is currently 10:10 and it is still light enough out for me to think that it might be only about 8:00 at home! Amazing the difference a little latitude can make!
Till tomorrow friends....who knows what adventures will present themselves to us then.
Lynda and Lorrie
July 30, 2015
Truth be told...I wasn't going to blog this little adventure but once it was underway...I knew I'd never forgive myself if I didn't take the time to make some notes,about this crazy adventure!
A couple months ago Lynda and I decided that a trip to visit her son Mitch and his partner, Viri, in Stewart was in order. The value added piece to this visit would be that we'd be just a few minutes from the eclectic little Alaskan community of Hyder where one of the attractions is a grizzly bear viewing platform. We figured....wth.....we marvelled at the African wildlife in January....so surely we were due for a little visit with some of Canada's big game too.
Within minutes of our decision to make the trip, we had airline tickets from Penticton to Terrace purchased and a rental car booked so we'd be able to make the rest of the trip north. stewart is about 4 hours north of Terrace and we were looking forward to seeing the beautiful scenery this part of BC has to offer.
I'd lived in this region of the province for 7 years before (1 yr in Prince Rupert and 6 yrs in Smithers) but had never made the drive north of Highway 16. So many times I'd passed the turn at Kitwanga (junction of hwy 16 and 37) and said....."one of these days".... Well, it was time for that day to arrive!
Before I dive right into the events of today....I should tell you that on the evening of the 29th, Mitch called to tell us to cancel our rental car because as it turned out he would be coming into Terrace to drop someone else off and so he'd be able to drive us back to Stewart with him. We balked at this late change in plans for just a minute but realized that he was right...there was no need for us to spend the money on a rental car when he has a car sitting there that we can use for our stay in Stewart and he would be coming into Terrace anyway. I made the call, cancelled the rental car and we hatched a new
plan to get into Terrace town from the airport as Mitch wouldn't be arriving till about 12:30, two
hours after our plane was scheduled to land.
Now back to the events of today.....
Our flight from Penticton departed at 5:50 a.m. on July 30th which meant a very early morning was in order. In true Lorrie fashion, I didn't finish getting packed and ready to go until almost midnight and then was so excited about the trip that sleep eluded me until 3:00 a.m. So....it was a very short night when my alarm rang at 3:45 and I must admit that I wasn't very cheerful as I climbed out of bed this morning!
We were on the road by 4:30 and arrived at the airport in good time so the day was off to a great start! In fact, the day was looking so good that before we even got inside the airport we were presented with an opportunity to do a good deed. There was a man in the parking lot who didn't have the
correct change for the parking meter so I was able to give him a loonie so he could get his ticket. I
love it when I get a chance to pay it forward!
After a minor delay for random security checks we were on our way. Flight from Penticton to Vancouver was pretty full but very pleasant and we were touching down just 42 minutes after taking off!
There was enough time for breakfast at Timmy's and then we were off again to our next gate. Flight from Vanvouver to Terrace was even fuller than the last one had been but again....the time ( almost 2
hours) passed pretty quickly. My guess is that one of the reasons it passed so quickly was that the sleep that had eluded me he night before had finally materialized and so I slept for part of this leg of the journey. I was awake long enough to enjoy the magnificent views along this flight path. Each time I've taken this flight I'm reminded of how overwhelmingly gorgeous and majestic BC is! Today was no exception. The sun was shining and the skies were blue. It was a gorgeous day and a fantastic
trip!
We touched down in Terrace right on schedule and as per our plan of the night before...called a cab to take us into the town where we'd wait for Mitch at a restaurant called the Elephant Ear. Prices in the north are a little higher than we are used to but no complaints as the food was good and the place had a great vibe with plenty of character.
Right next door to the restaurant was a shoe store where April (the salesperson) provided a warm welcome and great service while I found three....yes....three pair of shoes! Remember this morning when I got to pay it forward with the guy in the parking lot at the airport? Well.....April got to pay it forward to me when she gave me an extra 20% off all my purchases as there was going to be a special sale on Saturday in conjunction with a community festival. She knew that we were headed out of town and so decided that she would make Saturday happen today for me so I could have the special
price on my shoes. Thanks April!
At the same time as I finished up with April, Mitch and his friend Lars arrived in Lars' truck to pick us up. Lars had to stop back at the airport to change vehicles before we could make the journey to Stewart so it was back to the airport for us.
Within minutes of our arrival at the airport, it became clear to both Lynda and I that our new 'vehicle' would not only handle some off-road travel....it would handle some above-road travel too! Yes.....our ride to Stewart was a brand new, maiden voyage, limo sized helicopter! Didn't take us long to agree to this shift in plans and within seconds we were ensconced in new leather seats with plenty of room to stretch out and ready for take-off.
Before you get too excited for us though...I have to tell you that often on a choppers maiden voyage
there are little kinks that show up. Well, this maiden voyage was no exception and so we were deplaned while the engineers replaced a faulty part. The weather was still amazing so we enjoyed our wait on the tarmack. Remember where we are though....this region of the province is notorious for its weather and today the sunny skies turned to cloud and fog as the rain began to fall. Still our spirits weren't dampened though because we were still confident that it was just a matter of time till we were back inside and underway.
To cut to the end of this part of our story I will tell you that the replacement part was also faulty and our chopper was grounded. But don't despair friends.....remember we are the luckiest people I know and....Lars is a helicopter pilot after all....and everyone needs to get back to Stewart so.....we just got another helicopter. This one was smaller but still had plenty of room and I loved the fact that the side windows kind of bubbled out so you could easily see the ground below.
The mist and the rain and the fog all added to the mystical quality of the trip we were on. This was no quick 15 or 20 minutes in a tourist chopper....this would be well over an hour flying low in the valleys, almost touching the treetops, and then soaring high above the fog and clouds that blanketed the fiords and lakes. We could clearly see the village of New Aiyansh and the lava beds that surround that area. We were headed due north from Terrace and the scenery was magnificent....breathtaking in fact! The greens were greener than green and the mist enveloped our machine like a blanket when we came into a cloud or some fog. Fog is not good for helicopters but Lars managed the weather like the pro he is.
I neglected to tell you that there is one more little catch to this story.....on the way down from Stewart this morning, Lars had dropped off two groups of geologists on the side of a mountain. His intention was to return to pick them up later in the afternoon. That plan was altered with the lengthy delay of the repairs to the new chopper he would be returning with and now that the weather had changed...he wasn't even certain he'd be able to land and retrieve them!
A quick decision was reached when we saw a tiny break in the weather. Lars would drop the three of us, Mitch, Lynda and I somewhere down low so he'd be able to get back to us later. He would then take a run at the mountain the geologists were stranded on and attempt to get them out during this little window of opportunity.
Within minutes we were landing on a tiny sandbar in the middle of a little River that fed out into a bay from the ocean. The three of us climbed out and just like in the movies crouched down right by the chopper as it took off straight up into the air. Mitch had retrieved our suitcases from the back which meant that our stay in this untouched location would be much more comfortable. You see....while Lynda and Mitch were appropriately attired, I was still in a sleeveless top and flip flops! Temps were dropping and the rain was falling so more clothes were in order! I had everything that I needed in my case and in a flash was layered up and shod. Lynda and I had even brought umbrellas so we were able to keep ourselves and our cases dry! I have to tell you....this was the most amazing adventure! Here we were in the middle of a river on a tiny sand bar in the middle of nowhere and loving the adventure of it. Had a grizzly decided to come for a visit right then we may not have loved it that much but....there were no bears there this day and so it will forever be a great memory for all of us. Lynda and I built a little inukshuk that will likely stand his ground till the high waters next spring and about an hour later we heard the return of our chopper. Once again we crouched down small and once again Lars touched down right beside us....and I do mean right beside us. Seriously, the chopper was just a foot or two from where we were! We reloaded our gear and climbed back in for the rest of the flight to Stewart.
Lars had been able to get to the stranded geologists, return them to Stewart, and rescue us as well. While I think he's a bit of a hero...for him it's all just another days work. What a life!
So here we sit in Mitch and Viri's home in Stewart reflecting back on this amazing day. Who'd have thought that this is how our adventure would have begun?! Yep....feeling pretty darn lucky and grateful once again.
Till tomorrow,
Lynda and Lorrie
A couple months ago Lynda and I decided that a trip to visit her son Mitch and his partner, Viri, in Stewart was in order. The value added piece to this visit would be that we'd be just a few minutes from the eclectic little Alaskan community of Hyder where one of the attractions is a grizzly bear viewing platform. We figured....wth.....we marvelled at the African wildlife in January....so surely we were due for a little visit with some of Canada's big game too.
Within minutes of our decision to make the trip, we had airline tickets from Penticton to Terrace purchased and a rental car booked so we'd be able to make the rest of the trip north. stewart is about 4 hours north of Terrace and we were looking forward to seeing the beautiful scenery this part of BC has to offer.
I'd lived in this region of the province for 7 years before (1 yr in Prince Rupert and 6 yrs in Smithers) but had never made the drive north of Highway 16. So many times I'd passed the turn at Kitwanga (junction of hwy 16 and 37) and said....."one of these days".... Well, it was time for that day to arrive!
Before I dive right into the events of today....I should tell you that on the evening of the 29th, Mitch called to tell us to cancel our rental car because as it turned out he would be coming into Terrace to drop someone else off and so he'd be able to drive us back to Stewart with him. We balked at this late change in plans for just a minute but realized that he was right...there was no need for us to spend the money on a rental car when he has a car sitting there that we can use for our stay in Stewart and he would be coming into Terrace anyway. I made the call, cancelled the rental car and we hatched a new
plan to get into Terrace town from the airport as Mitch wouldn't be arriving till about 12:30, two
hours after our plane was scheduled to land.
Now back to the events of today.....
Our flight from Penticton departed at 5:50 a.m. on July 30th which meant a very early morning was in order. In true Lorrie fashion, I didn't finish getting packed and ready to go until almost midnight and then was so excited about the trip that sleep eluded me until 3:00 a.m. So....it was a very short night when my alarm rang at 3:45 and I must admit that I wasn't very cheerful as I climbed out of bed this morning!
We were on the road by 4:30 and arrived at the airport in good time so the day was off to a great start! In fact, the day was looking so good that before we even got inside the airport we were presented with an opportunity to do a good deed. There was a man in the parking lot who didn't have the
correct change for the parking meter so I was able to give him a loonie so he could get his ticket. I
love it when I get a chance to pay it forward!
After a minor delay for random security checks we were on our way. Flight from Penticton to Vancouver was pretty full but very pleasant and we were touching down just 42 minutes after taking off!
There was enough time for breakfast at Timmy's and then we were off again to our next gate. Flight from Vanvouver to Terrace was even fuller than the last one had been but again....the time ( almost 2
hours) passed pretty quickly. My guess is that one of the reasons it passed so quickly was that the sleep that had eluded me he night before had finally materialized and so I slept for part of this leg of the journey. I was awake long enough to enjoy the magnificent views along this flight path. Each time I've taken this flight I'm reminded of how overwhelmingly gorgeous and majestic BC is! Today was no exception. The sun was shining and the skies were blue. It was a gorgeous day and a fantastic
trip!
We touched down in Terrace right on schedule and as per our plan of the night before...called a cab to take us into the town where we'd wait for Mitch at a restaurant called the Elephant Ear. Prices in the north are a little higher than we are used to but no complaints as the food was good and the place had a great vibe with plenty of character.
Right next door to the restaurant was a shoe store where April (the salesperson) provided a warm welcome and great service while I found three....yes....three pair of shoes! Remember this morning when I got to pay it forward with the guy in the parking lot at the airport? Well.....April got to pay it forward to me when she gave me an extra 20% off all my purchases as there was going to be a special sale on Saturday in conjunction with a community festival. She knew that we were headed out of town and so decided that she would make Saturday happen today for me so I could have the special
price on my shoes. Thanks April!
At the same time as I finished up with April, Mitch and his friend Lars arrived in Lars' truck to pick us up. Lars had to stop back at the airport to change vehicles before we could make the journey to Stewart so it was back to the airport for us.
Within minutes of our arrival at the airport, it became clear to both Lynda and I that our new 'vehicle' would not only handle some off-road travel....it would handle some above-road travel too! Yes.....our ride to Stewart was a brand new, maiden voyage, limo sized helicopter! Didn't take us long to agree to this shift in plans and within seconds we were ensconced in new leather seats with plenty of room to stretch out and ready for take-off.
Before you get too excited for us though...I have to tell you that often on a choppers maiden voyage
there are little kinks that show up. Well, this maiden voyage was no exception and so we were deplaned while the engineers replaced a faulty part. The weather was still amazing so we enjoyed our wait on the tarmack. Remember where we are though....this region of the province is notorious for its weather and today the sunny skies turned to cloud and fog as the rain began to fall. Still our spirits weren't dampened though because we were still confident that it was just a matter of time till we were back inside and underway.
To cut to the end of this part of our story I will tell you that the replacement part was also faulty and our chopper was grounded. But don't despair friends.....remember we are the luckiest people I know and....Lars is a helicopter pilot after all....and everyone needs to get back to Stewart so.....we just got another helicopter. This one was smaller but still had plenty of room and I loved the fact that the side windows kind of bubbled out so you could easily see the ground below.
The mist and the rain and the fog all added to the mystical quality of the trip we were on. This was no quick 15 or 20 minutes in a tourist chopper....this would be well over an hour flying low in the valleys, almost touching the treetops, and then soaring high above the fog and clouds that blanketed the fiords and lakes. We could clearly see the village of New Aiyansh and the lava beds that surround that area. We were headed due north from Terrace and the scenery was magnificent....breathtaking in fact! The greens were greener than green and the mist enveloped our machine like a blanket when we came into a cloud or some fog. Fog is not good for helicopters but Lars managed the weather like the pro he is.
I neglected to tell you that there is one more little catch to this story.....on the way down from Stewart this morning, Lars had dropped off two groups of geologists on the side of a mountain. His intention was to return to pick them up later in the afternoon. That plan was altered with the lengthy delay of the repairs to the new chopper he would be returning with and now that the weather had changed...he wasn't even certain he'd be able to land and retrieve them!
A quick decision was reached when we saw a tiny break in the weather. Lars would drop the three of us, Mitch, Lynda and I somewhere down low so he'd be able to get back to us later. He would then take a run at the mountain the geologists were stranded on and attempt to get them out during this little window of opportunity.
Within minutes we were landing on a tiny sandbar in the middle of a little River that fed out into a bay from the ocean. The three of us climbed out and just like in the movies crouched down right by the chopper as it took off straight up into the air. Mitch had retrieved our suitcases from the back which meant that our stay in this untouched location would be much more comfortable. You see....while Lynda and Mitch were appropriately attired, I was still in a sleeveless top and flip flops! Temps were dropping and the rain was falling so more clothes were in order! I had everything that I needed in my case and in a flash was layered up and shod. Lynda and I had even brought umbrellas so we were able to keep ourselves and our cases dry! I have to tell you....this was the most amazing adventure! Here we were in the middle of a river on a tiny sand bar in the middle of nowhere and loving the adventure of it. Had a grizzly decided to come for a visit right then we may not have loved it that much but....there were no bears there this day and so it will forever be a great memory for all of us. Lynda and I built a little inukshuk that will likely stand his ground till the high waters next spring and about an hour later we heard the return of our chopper. Once again we crouched down small and once again Lars touched down right beside us....and I do mean right beside us. Seriously, the chopper was just a foot or two from where we were! We reloaded our gear and climbed back in for the rest of the flight to Stewart.
Lars had been able to get to the stranded geologists, return them to Stewart, and rescue us as well. While I think he's a bit of a hero...for him it's all just another days work. What a life!
So here we sit in Mitch and Viri's home in Stewart reflecting back on this amazing day. Who'd have thought that this is how our adventure would have begun?! Yep....feeling pretty darn lucky and grateful once again.
Till tomorrow,
Lynda and Lorrie
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