Port Alberni Hunting

Gilbert and I got home from work. I had to drop off my laundry on the boat and gather a bag of clean clothes and tech stuff from there. Then it was loading the guns and ammo from the gun locker and getting the truck chains and hunting clothes from the regular storage.  I had to leave the gas cans because you can't carry them on the ferry without some special dispensation from the pope.
I'm always rushing.  I made it to the ferry at 6:45 but hadn't reserved because I didn't know when I'd get out of the office.  That was a mistake. I didn't get on till the 9 pm.  I love the white spot burger combos on the ferry. The french fries with gravy are so delicious.  Gilbert hung out in the truck while I was upstairs in the restaurant. I brought him back some cheese and read Kindle books on my iPhone.  Windy wavy night on Georgia Straight.  Glad someone else was driving the boat.
Travellodge was terrific, dog friendly, and right there when you get off  the ferry.  Wonderful people and wonderful room.  Gilbert woke me at  6  am.  He wanted to get hunting. That hadn't been my plan. I figured I was doing good getting to the island and would use the morning to find logging trails.  It's been too long since I hunted the south part of the island. I almost headed to the north island but in the morning I figured I didn't want to have a two or three hour drive back to the ferry on Sunday.
I had breakfast with a Native elder. Delightful gent of 74.  Told me he was showing his nephews and nieces around. Had been teaching Indian kids how to hunt and got to telling me about seeing a Sasquatch.  Great breakfast companion.  We wished each other well and I was on my way.
I wanted a GPS since I was alone. I had my satellite phone but no gps.  I also had to stop at the bank. On the way I saw the Still and Husquavara dealer.  I remembered Tom and I with the road blocked up in Princeton.
"You should have a chain saw with you." Tom said.
"I have a chain saw. I just forgot to bring it."
"Is that the home hardware chain saw?"
"Yes."
"You gave that to me, years ago."
"Oh yea, I did."
I found a hatchet and Tom chopped away till we could clear the log.
I now have another chainsaw, a Husquavara 240.  It's the all round good chain saw for a guy who rarely will use one.  When I lived in the country I used my chain saw all the time, but hunting and camping and such I've only used it once or twice a year. That's why I gave Tom my old one. Now I've got a new one. It's the ultimate christmas gift type chain saw for a city guy.  It doesn't have the huge saw that looks like some kind of phallic statement.  I'm not going to be a faller. But this would work well with zombies.  Can never have enough tools ready.  (Loved Brad Pitt in Z Wars.)  Maybe it was Jason in the Halloween clips I saw too.
Still I'm better prepared and safer to be in the backwoods on my own.  GPS, Sat Phone, armed to the teeth, great F350 truck, honda 250 motorcycle, chain saw, amazing dog. I just forgot my thermos.  I got some Jamaican ginger ale. At Canadian Tire, a sharp young guy helped me choose the Magellan explorist 610 GPS from all of choices. It came with batteries, had a world map and special Canadian map.  I could see logging roads around Nanaimo when I started it up in the store.
Port Alberni is close to Nanaimo. It was only an hour and I was on a logging road by 11.  I didn't see anything but I've been driving around drinking coffee listening to audio books and looking. I should get out and walk more. I should be out and sitting too. Gilbert and I did some short walks.  He does a million miles to my every step, circles and figure eights.
I had lunch at the Blue Cafe in Port Alberni, great steak and eggs.  Now I'm at the dog friendly Hospitality Inn. They've got a restaurant and I'm going to order a meal right now to eat while I watch tv. Last night I was enjoying NCIS.  On my boat I have netflix but when I'm on planes or hotel rooms I get all these latest movies. I'm having a great time.  Gilbert is too.
I'm growing a bit tired of hunting without getting game.  It's been a slog these last two years.  Hard work and disappointing but then success follows the discipline.  Partridge have been great.  I just keep thinking of how much I enjoy venison stew in winter.
I like Port Alberni.  If I wasn't hunting I'd be out enjoying this terrific little town. I was here for scuba diving in the spring and have always liked it. My first time here was when I came to hike the West Coast Trail.  I spent a week  with two beautiful girls in bikinis, hiking the West Coast trail.  We tented and  carried everything on our backs in backpacks.   I carried a deer on my back through swamps for a mile or two once in the backwoods northeast of here too.  I'm a little lazier these days. Time for tv and a Harvest Restaurant meal. I drove around a lot and hiked some today. Tomorrow we'll hike and sit some more.
Friends in Phillipines talking about the devastation of the storm. My friend Ann in Nepal avoiding tigers and watching goat sacrifices.  I"m off to Malaysia for a conference in the next weeks. I've had a blessed life with travel and Gilbert.  I enjoyed the Writer's conference in Surrey.  Seeing George and Archie was a treat.  Life is good.  Now I just need to get on with focussing on finding a deer. A part of me just wants to watch tv or read a novel.