Harrison Hot Springs Resort

I am here again with Laura and Madigan.  I love Harrison hot springs.  I’ve been coming some 40 years. One of the best times was when I rented a cabin in the resort for my parents.   Laura and I have been coming by car, truck and motorcycle.  We’ve stayed in a half dozen of the hotels.  We loved the Bungalow cabins and see they’ve been torn down. I liked the Harrison Beach Hotel for the underground parking for m y Harley electroglide when Laura would ride on the back all over the province with me.  Gilbert my previous cockapoo came along.  He’d ride with me on the motorcycle and Mazda Miata but Laura then was relegated to my truck.  In the Miata the dogs sit on her so for a winter drive to SAN Diego I bought the Mini Cooper  to accommodate both girl and dog.    Today I have the Mini Cooper for Laura and Madigan. 

Without a dog we enjoyed dinners in the Copper Room. Before that i can remember coming for dinner and dancing in there. Since the dogs came , we’ve dined now at most of the restaurants in town that have a balcony where we can sit with a dog.  Mostly though at the Harrison Hotspring I order our meals at the Lakeside Cafe. I had their fish and chips last night. Delicious Madigan loved his burger paddy and Laura the Chicken wrap.  We topped it off with vanilla ice cream because Madigan likes a spoonful of that too.  Life revolves around the dog.  

Laura and I have now had two walk's along the lake.  It’s so beautiful. Such incredible views of lake and snow capped mountains. Blue sky and sunshine this afternoon. I was up at 8 30 and walked Madigan around the lake in a light rain  before ‘taking the waters’.  I’ve been in the adult pool twice and once in the indoor hot hot pool.  

Laura and I just returned from walking down the lake to where the hot springs are bubbling up and steaming. The water for the hotel and the public pool are taken from that point.

We’ve also come with the truck and camper and stayed at the Glencoe RV park and used the public hot spring pool .

I put a hold payment on a Thor Hurricane bus yesterday so next we will probably be bringing  that to Glencoe or another of the RV parks. There’s the provincial campground up the lake. I’ve camped along the lake and even hunted mostly grouse with my quad. There’s some wilderness hotspring up in the mountains I’ve climbed up  when. I was younger. 

Now I just love the Harrison Hot Springs resort  pool.  So meditative.  Such a gloriously beautiful place.

On the way back from my last luxurious experience I picked up cappuccino’s from the coffee shop. We get breakfast croissants there sometimes  but the cafe’s in the town make egg and bacon sandwich I bought us those this morning on my way back from the walk with Madigan. 

I love it here.  Laura loves it here.  Madigan loves it here too.  

Last night we watched a Gerald Butler movie before a peaceful sleep.  Now that we’re back from another walk time to get back down to the hot springs we can see from our window in the main building. 

God is good all of the time Thank you Jesus.   

Harrison Hot Springs Resort

I am here again with Laura and Madigan.  I love Harrison hot springs.  I’ve been coming some 40 years. One of the best times was when I rented a cabin in the resort for my parents.   Laura and I have been coming by car, truck and motorcycle.  We’ve stayed in a half dozen of the hotels.  We loved the Bungalow cabins and see they’ve been torn down. I liked the Harrison Beach Hotel for the underground parking for m y Harley electroglide when Laura would ride on the back all over the province with me.  Gilbert my previous cockapoo came along.  He’d ride with me on the motorcycle and Mazda Miata but Laura then was relegated to my truck.  In the Miata the dogs sit on her so for a winter drive to SAN Diego I bought the Mini Cooper  to accommodate both girl and dog.    Today I have the Mini Cooper for Laura and Madigan. 

Without a dog we enjoyed dinners in the Copper Room. Before that i can remember coming for dinner and dancing in there. Since the dogs came , we’ve dined now at most of the restaurants in town that have a balcony where we can sit with a dog.  Mostly though at the Harrison Hotspring I order our meals at the Lakeside Cafe. I had their fish and chips last night. Delicious Madigan loved his burger paddy and Laura the Chicken wrap.  We topped it off with vanilla ice cream because Madigan likes a spoonful of that too.  Life revolves around the dog.  

Laura and I have now had two walk's along the lake.  It’s so beautiful. Such incredible views of lake and snow capped mountains. Blue sky and sunshine this afternoon. I was up at 8 30 and walked Madigan around the lake in a light rain  before ‘taking the waters’.  I’ve been in the adult pool twice and once in the indoor hot hot pool.  

Laura and I just returned from walking down the lake to where the hot springs are bubbling up and steaming. The water for the hotel and the public pool are taken from that point.

We’ve also come with the truck and camper and stayed at the Glencoe RV park and used the public hot spring pool .

I put a hold payment on a Thor Hurricane bus yesterday so next we will probably be bringing  that to Glencoe or another of the RV parks. There’s the provincial campground up the lake. I’ve camped along the lake and even hunted mostly grouse with my quad. There’s some wilderness hotspring up in the mountains I’ve climbed up  when. I was younger. 

Now I just love the Harrison Hot Springs resort  pool.  So meditative.  Such a gloriously beautiful place.

On the way back from my last luxurious experience I picked up cappuccino’s from the coffee shop. We get breakfast croissants there sometimes  but the cafe’s in the town make egg and bacon sandwich I bought us those this morning on my way back from the walk with Madigan. 

I love it here.  Laura loves it here.  Madigan loves it here too.  

Last night we watched a Gerald Butler movie before a peaceful sleep.  Now that we’re back from another walk time to get back down to the hot springs we can see from our window in the main building. 

God is good all of the time Thank you Jesus.   

Harrison Hot Springs Resort - Leaving day

So sad to be leaving.  I paid the bill.  I was picking up coffee at Margarets Cafe after letting Madigan have his morning pee outside.  I’m in a daze.

 I was dreaming of myself wearing the navy pea jacket I had in my 20’s long before I even thought of being an offshore sailing captain. I was in a basement at a party with my professor friend going through old LP records.  The collection was so important when I was younger.  Laura and I’d watched a John Denver folk song performance on PBS last night.  He’d sung his song Leaving on a Jet Plane made famous by Peter Paul and Mary.  It was a wistful dream.  My professor friend had been concerned when I said , I didn’t care any more.  I’d discussed he lack of justice the night before.  I’ve been reading ‘silk roads’ a review of the civilizations and empires that rose and fell.  The culmination in the people of Ghengis Kahn devoted to cruelty and war after the success of Roman, then Persians , then Muslims.  So much of safety of Europe simply followed the reasoning there were easy richer pickings to the east and south.

I reflect on being a doctor and interested in survivalism and travel, a writer, and explorer. I’ve taken little pleasure in ‘winning’ yet today I’m sad looking back at the losses I experienceed with women who betrayed me and yet in their own eyes ‘won’.  I escaped before being devoured.  The last thing I was ever focussed on was accumulating wealth and power.  Other than the choices of partnerships I made solid decisions and yet I was always devoted to knowing God and the spiritual path.  I can’t have both neccssarily. I also was struck yesterday reading of another who wears the cloak of spirituality but had a priviliedged life of security and wealth.  I guess the dream triggered my sense of aging and time of life, Returning today to work and bills and my procrastination.  It’s been a joy and pleasure to be here.  I love being pain free in the pools’.  I’ve enjoyed the long walks by the lake with Madigan.  

A picture of Gilbert young reminded me of the decade we shared and all the fun in the woods, travelling and here..  Now Madigan is so much a part of life.  He loves Laura and she constantly slips him little treats.  

I’ve paid for the room on my Visa.  I paid it off last week and now will pay it off when I get paid in a couple of weeks.  When I get home I have to collect the bank material for taxes and later this week drop off my box to set in motion that process.  We’re hoping the camper will be ready soon.  The next break will be a weekend in the woods with the camper.  I expect Princeton or back here to the Glencoe campground.   The Desiree is to get off the grid but wifi and services keep us on the grid.  I’ll have the Starlink for future trips but not for weekends.  

Thank you God for this weekend. Thank you for Madigan and Laura. Help me in my work.  Watch over and protect and care for our families . Guide me in your way and help me with my healing

Thank you

Writer

I am a writer.  I write my thoughts on page.  I scribe. I translate experience to idea to language.  I am a scholar, years of education.  I took courses for years at universities acquiring multiple degrees in humanities and science. I’ve been a student of the human condition. Poetry was my first interest. Later journal, essay, prose and eventually a book.  I was driven by curiosity.  I even studied calligraphy and book binding.  I wanted to be a play wright.  My heroes and heroines were writers and authors.  I read from an early age, naked without a book and a journal.  I still have a novel to complete.  Three books on the go All in various stages of completion. 

I like the story.  This is a selection of history, one’s own and that of others, crafted in a way to create great interest and enthusiasm.  It’s another world.  A fantasy world. A sharing of my mind with another’s. A gift. 

I imagine my life was a journey, an adventure.  I could suit my writer in comfortable durables shoes, thick corduroys, a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches. He once smoke a pipe with various types of tobacco. Now he settles for coffee. He especially like Ethiopian Sidona which he buys as green beans he then roasts himself and grinds to be prepared in a drip expresso machine.  He prays and meditates.  He imagines he’s in someone else’s story and tries each day to reach the creator. At least he makes a space for communication.  

Over the many years he’s imagined this relationship in many ways.  He’s thought himself a caterpillar awakening as a butterfly.  In his dreams he would fly but mobs would chase him and eventually he’d come down to the ground exhausted.  At other times he’d feel his soul exploring the night entering the rooms of friends learning and changing their environment in ways that were not known.  There was always a gossamer thread that connected him with his own body and he could follow it back There were visions too.  The earliest one was of shining people of love and light soothing with words like ‘do not be afraid.’  I even saw my clear capsule flying through space amidst stars headed for a different planet than this. I was knocked off course colliding with an asteroid and coming here.  

I’ve never felt of the world and known that I was of the spirit. But this world was so primitive with such paranoia.  Men ruled with money, weapons and war.  I learned these skills, the ground skills but I longed for return to the world of light. I’d find those place I felt truly at home in my dreams.  

There was always this space I could go to where the spirit of classrooms and school existed.  We had treasure hunts and play grounds all without the meanness of this world.  I was split between what I came to be learned were called heaven and hell. I was in some kind of purgatory.  Waiting.  Marking time.

The writer was aware in this world and the next., that parallel universe inside or beside.  The writer met others akin to themselves.  They called themselves artist and scholars. I was a doctor yet I was a patient as well, injured in the class in ways I could not even fathom.

It was even possible I’d written this story and forgotten what it meant.  I imagine myself as an unfinished character in an unfinished story in a box in a basement or an addict.  Time is ticking 

The writer has studied all the various ideas of existence and reality.  There are philosophies and religions.  The favourite game it seems in this universe of sorts is the acquisition of as many toys, machines and property to fool oneself into thinking they have some kind of importance or self importance.  These people are called leaders or dictators.  A lot of folk follow them but it does’t matter. In the story of stories here all end in a number of chapters the most of which are thought a hundred but it’s all conjecture. Each day is a sentence and that word is used for prison and communication.

 

The writer is an observer.  

There’s desire and pain and joy.  The modern games are based on these kinds of experience with the aim to maximize pleasure and money.  Money is an abstract coin of the domain.  Yet the Buddha a great teacher said so clearly , desire is the root of all suffereing.  Further other’s have said “money can’t buy happiness’.  The best research of the good life indeed says money can only add at most 8 years to the base existence while playing with death can certainly reduce the chapters in a book.  No one knows in fact if their novel is to be a novelette or a tomb.  So many believe its a series.  The term ‘multigeneraltional’ is all the fashion just as ‘denial of death’ keeps folk from screaming and running and naked amok in the streets.

Deceit is very popular here as well..  

The writer notices that this space seems to be used by what have indiscriminately called the old and young and people from countless centuries and worlds. The best description given for this place was ‘asylumm’.  There is the individual and the collective.  Various groupings are closest to each other.  The tightest are most afraid or most in love.  Psychologists and warriors studies these attachements.

The writer wrote that theere was love and fear, strange and known, peace and war.  The games people play are more and more the same with greater degrees of complexity.  Chase ad fetch are favourites. Love and sex. Friend and unfriend,  Truth and deceit.  Betrayal is popular.  Without camouflage and weapons , if only of cupidity and the possibility of being food at least for another no one would seem to survive.

The writer has survived. That alone seems a miracle.  The illusion of control is so stark the writer once wrote that he was a comic strip without only the voice over in his control.  Myth and fiction and belief have all been involved in understanding the ideas of fate and free will.  No praise . No blame. No regrets is a key phrase in understanding like time, today yesterday and tomorrow. 

The genetics of behaviour are as profound as the ‘nesting’ behaviour or fort building behaviour others call real  estate.  The individual is born alone and may well die alone but never so alone.

The writer is bemused.  They hold themselves aloof and reflect and observe while the gods of India told the boy of myth that the play goes on whether they are in it or not.  The intellectual experiences less emotion.  Without desire one can be a saint.  Asetism can lead to that.  But it can also lead to psychopathy.  Objectification of the world of others who my be kin rather than objects in a game.  How do we play us and then,  Doess it matter.  Conscience is that feeling that this is ‘right’. It may be innate or the product of experience,  

I am anxious.  The writer is perplexed.  The promise of life and love are the only individual externals but who made the promise and where are they now, The shining folk The ones who say ‘be not afraid’ and bring comfort with their presence.  

Thank you

Sunday, Cogburn Wilderness Camp, Lake Harrison

Another night of unusual dreams. I do believe the clutter and chaos of the city get worked out and refiled when I’m in wilderness.  The roots of the trees and the forest itself surround us.  Sky and lake are the fabric of this housing. 

I woke with strange men in suits fighting each other and leaving me alone.  They’d somehow concluded I was valuable.  I didn’t know what their argument was.  Some boardroom somewhere. I’d just been sailing in my dream.

Here I’ve had a wonderful sleep.  Last night I ran the furnace before sleep, reading in the galley. I’d barbecued magnificent steaks and shared them with Madigan. He’s still such a puppy so enthusiastic this morning. The sky is over cast. The forecast is rain. I’ve slept in till 8. Now I’m having a coffee. 

I’ve been packing and stowing. A lot of work for a day of hunting, I have a grouse and memories.  Madigan is much more a bird dog than he was last week.

 I don’t hunt the morning I leave anymore. I’ve had 2 evening hunts and one morning hunt. Madigan killed his first grouse so is officially a bird dog. I’ve had two swims in the lakes. The celery has been magnificent. It’s been a truly wonderful wilderness break. Lots of quadding and lots of grouse that got away.

I have a list of repairs, I really must get the blind replaced. It was great till it suddenly died one day.  I thought I don’t need the ATV canopy since there’s nowhere to stow the poles. I’ll just get a slicker for hunting in the rain.  I really have too much gear for this little space. It’s like the boat that way.  If I was doing more than these long weekend hunts and camping I’d have to streamline it for quick set up and stow.  It’s definitely a pretty skookum deal.

“I love the adventurer camper,” a pretty woman said in the parking lot as we were both unloading our shopping carts,”.  My husband and I bought one a couple of years back and did 6 weeks travelling through Tombstone and Custer’s Last Stand.  I came home and said , “ why do we have a house.  I so enjoyed living in the camper. “

“I motorcycles that area a few years ago. Loved Custer’s last stand. I hope to take my Adventurer there next time.” I said.

“I loved Custer’s last stand, I loved everything. We had such a good time. I love our camper. Enjoy your weekend, 

“You too!”

I really look forward to travelling with this camper in the states visiting historical sites and galleries.  I’d not be taking a trailer only having the Vespa on the front. 

There was wood here for a campfires but I only like campfires when its warm ironically.id rather read inside with the furnace on and candles. I can sit outside around a campfire outside when it’s warmer not that I didn’t appreciate camper fires winter camping in igloos in the subarctic. I do see campfires in my future too. I’ve not played guitar much and campfires are great places for guitar,

I’ve a restless dog, He’s hoping we’re going hunting on the ATV but I”m just packing up,  I’ve got the slow ride out on the hard logging road.  It’s a challenge watching for potholes and going slow.  

It’s been a great weekend. So much wilderness eye candy. Great scents of the outdoors.  Madigan is in heaven.  We have to go back to the city and work. Time to return to the city . We’ll been back in the camper in a few more weeks.

  

Cogburn Wilderness Camp< Harrison Lake

It’s truly lovely here. I have the Adventurer Camper on my Ford F-350. The ride up Harrison East was daunting after I hit a pot hole last trip doing damage to the camper corner and breaking the actual bar that holds the camper down on the truck bed  The bar fell off on the road through Rosedale. I stopped and a couple of young girl stopped and offered to drive their car back to where they saw it fall off and picked it up for me,

“It was just a mile back, I saw it come off,” said another young fellow who stopped.  I’d had to wait till a safe place to pull over and  put on the flashers. Before heading up Harrison East I attached a tie down cord.  It was better than nothing. I was pulling the trailer and ATV.  Nice people,  Reassuring young people stopping and offering help.

The Cogburn Camp owner said they officially closed the week before but could take me as it was clear I wasn’t there to party. 

“We brought in a damage deposit and that stopped the loud partying set coming here.  My wife and I like the folk who like it here for the quiet and beauty.” He was a pleasant fellow. A bit like Hawkeye from MASH.  Tall, lean, blue jeans, clear eyes. 

“I thought I’d like to go for swim if it’s not too cold,” I said.

“There’s a dock with a chair on it and the beach stretches forever around the way,” He suggested a spot close to the beach.

I took the spot right away. There were only a few RV’s and I loved the isolation,

I set up the camper and unloaded the ATV. It was 6 pm when I headed back up to the logging road.  I didn’t see any deer but I saw 4 separate grouse. The first two flew up way ahead of me. I shot at the next two and was sure I hit one but it flew away into the forest.  Madigan was excited by all this action. I concluded I was using 7 1/2 shot. Good for grouse when you can walk up closer but I switched out my pocket for number 5. If I’d had #5 or #6 I’m sure I would have brought that one down. The ATV scares them when I’m further away.  It was already dusk after the last one got away. I headed back down..  I’d made it here and set up and actually got in a bit of the evening hunt,

I unloaded the guns and stripped off the hunting clothes. My jeans with a belt load of knives and ammo weigh a ton. Good to lighten up.  Next in my bathing suit wearing teva’s I walked along to the beach then waded way out in the cold water. The sky was beautiful.  The Big Dipper and Cassopeaa.  Mountain all around. The lake beautiful. I’d accommodated to the cold when I finally dove in and swam a bit, enjoying floating  on my back looking up at the endless sky of galaxies 

I’d left Madigan in the camper and he was really glad when I returned.   I boiled up some smokies. I had cole slaw and potato salad from the deli, fresh white buns.  A delicious meal. Madigan liked half a Smokey. He prefers steak.

I couldn’t put down Tanis Laidlaw’s, Tuesday Child, a mystery thriller, only able to fall asleep when I finished it after midnight.  Worried about the power and batteries I didn’t put on the heater but didn’t need it. It was warm.  I got up once to look outside. I just love the air and the lake and the mountains all around, the stars and nearly full moon. Awe inspiring,

I didn’t get a before drawn start. I made expresso and filled a thermos.  I had left the Honda 420 Rancher pretty well loaded. It was 730 when I headed out It was a blue sky day, I loved the early morning calm, the ATV chugging up the mountain trail. No grouse but great slash. I parked the quad, taking only my Ruger 30:06 stalking  up the trail off the logging road.  I could imagine bucks and bear but despite slowly walking uphill for an hour stopping and scoping nothing appeared. 

Madigan who loves the ATV loved this mountain hike.  A couple of hours of exercise and I turned around , glad to get back to the Honda and coffee. Madigan had water.  We shared a granola bar . Madigan jumped up on his seat ready for more road hunting.

On the way out I met a fellow in a 4x4 SUV. I was surprised he’d crossed the two cuts in the road, in his vehicle. They were veritable ravines. I’d wondered about doing it with the ATV, standing as I code up the steep sides.  We talked.  He was young and exploring. I’d just seen a grouse but it had skedaddled away.  AFter he left I saw another grouse. This one stayed down when I hit it despite it being a long shot and he was about to run.  

Madigan is two point tied behind me. He’s doing a veritable CARRIE swivelling round and round. Like  a kid in the back seat he’s keeps going side to side.  It’s then a challenge to untangle his leashes. I actually did this time before the bird died.  When I ran up to the bird still flapping he ran right by it then came back. That was an ‘aha’ moment. He pounced on the live squeaky toy and killed it.  That was it, He was now just too excited, I rescued my dinner and gutted the bird putting it in a green bag.  Meanwhile Madigan did circles and jumped on and off the ATV.

Excitement, Bird dog heaven. He’s learning,  

Back at the camp I went for another swim taking soap and conditioner,  I’d spent the afternoon reading a western  Rovky Mountain Saint, young mountain man Tate and his pet wolf,,, Lobo,  I’ve had the generator going charging everything up.  Even my satellite phone had died for lack of power mid call to Laura letting her know where i am. 

It’s really beautiful here, Like summer I love the beach and lake. Time to get ready for the evening hunt. I thawed out some steaks for later. The lantern is charged and I’ve potatos to boil.  

Madigan has been sitting at the picnic table while I’ve been here reading and writing.  He’s be so exited when I start loading the ATV.  

Saturday Hunt, Success and Failure, God is Good all of the time

At 130 am I awoke in the camper, chilly, with alarms beeping.  I got out of bed.  I found that there was no electricity except enough to power the propane sensor alarm. I went out side and turned off the propane. It didn’t stop the alarm.  I cut the wires.  I can’t stand alarms when I’m trying to think. 

I plugged in the truck cable and ran the truck. Electricity ran to the outside lights of the camper but didn’t do anything to the interior. I flicked the fuses. I pressed the electricity reset. Nothing. I couldn’t look it up on utube because I didn’t have wifi or cell beyond one cell line which allowed me to text the dealer and let him know my situation and ask for advice, knowing I’d get an answer in the morning at earliest

I was delighted to have the manual bar to ratchet down the happy jacks. I”d worried about that as there was no power for them. Having tested I could lower them I was relieved.

It wasn’ that cold. A chill wind but just sweater weather. I used the toilet but without a water pump I had to use a Nestle bottled water to flush.  I climbed back into bed. I was cozy with the comforter and Hudson Bay blanket.  I slept till 730.  I thought of coffee and Macdonald’s breakfast.  I could have gone for a morning hunt but decided I just wanted to get back to civilization.  I’d forgotten to bring my generator and thought I could buy one. I could buy new batteries. I could even drop off the camper and go home.  

I manually lowered the happy jacks.  I unloaded the gear from the Honda 420 Rancher ATV.  I loaded the ATV onto the trailer.  I tied everything down. It was comforting to load the dog into the truck and start her up.  I love my truck.  I drove off with the Argentinian 20 gauge over under and the Ruger stainless steel 30:06 rife. I road hunted back to the high way. It was something.

When I put the rifles in to the camper to drive onto the freeway I found that there was a dim light happening from the overhead and the refridgerator was showing numbers. I’d later realize I’d have to turn the propane on again. I did and fridge was working .In Hope I tried to buy a little generator.  Say 500 or a 1000, something small I could stow in the camper.  All they had were 2000 or more, no different than what I had and had left at home by accident.  I almost bought batteries but decided to wait. It looked like everything was working fine. I’d bought some fuses and a crimper at Lordco along with more flashlight batteries.  I still didn’t have water so I pulled out every fuse and checked it.  The water pump worked.  Don’t know what I did but it all worked now. 

I decided to head to Harrison Lake.  That was in number 2 zone so bucks and grouse were open.  I don’t get much holiday and needed a break so figured I’d continue on.  Mistake.

Somewhere between Lordco and camp I hit a bump and the whole camper smashed down. I didn’t know what it was .  But there was significant damage to the back corner either front the jack catching, it was up higher than the truck under carriage or just from the smashing up and down. The back stay had come off so it wasn’t held down,  

I camped by the river. A nice spot. Unloaded the ATV and packed it for camping.  Madigan was in his glory, jumping up on the seat and waiting there till I was ready to go, guns and packs and spare gas all loaded. Because I had this fear the day before that someone would break into my camper I bfought my laptop iPad and iPhone along with ny passport and vaccine I’d in the bag with me. I tied it onto the back of the ATV.

Sadly the place I ‘d wanted to hunt which I’d hunted in spring was closed. They had a gate up and sign, active logging.  So I drove onto the other logging road. It went right up the mountain and huge ravines were cut to stop flooding. I saw 4 grouse. 2 and 2 more and they all flew up into the trees and from there further.  Madigan liked all the action.

 I rode right up to the top and has the most spectacular view of Harrison lake.  On the way down I saw another grouse and this one I bagged.  Madigan is not ‘with it’ regarding grouse. I had to unleash him from his tangled two point tie downs.  So the bird had stopped flopping around .  I said ‘where is it’….‘git it’….and he didn’t know what I was talking about. I showed him the bird and he stepped on it before looking down and getting really excited,  We’d come across a couple more grouse that ran into the ditch but he wasn’t leaving the road except to follow me. I did but having had to untie Madigan and get the gun, that one was long gone.  

I used the spare gas before heading down. No deer . No bear.  But lots of fun.  Back at the camp I filled the tank and the spare tank and we headed out again, north.

I came across a logging trail which led into lots of bush …I drove through Wisteria/lilac  bushes and vines. I  got down into a river bed in dense woods and bush looking for a place to turn around. I finally did. Night coming on and worried I’d get lost.  Thankfully I found my way back to the road.  I hea ed off full speed on this wide open logging road, almost a gravel highway. The ATV did 60 km /hour on the flat.  I checked one short trail and then saw the river. Magnificent. I was heading up another short trail when I realized my bag with my laptops and passports was gone. It had fallen off. It was dusk already.  I retraced my steps at high speed and thank you Jesus! Hallelujah!, I found it in the deep bush muck I’d struggled through.  The handle on the bag must have  caught on something and pulled the bag out from under bungee cords.  Thank you Jesus!

I was ecstatic. It’s like those nights when I don’t get game but God helps me find my way home. Here was a find better than that. I just thought of all the trouble and cost I’d have losing my computer and passport and vaccine passport.  I was trying to keep it safe taking it with me. Like those times I hide things for safe keeping then can’t find them when I return.  I really felt God was taking care of me. 

It was dusk. I saw more grouse but they were running full blast ,  I had 2 grouse now though. I ‘d found my way out of the deep bush.  I had found back in and found my lap top and passport. Against that was a damaged camper I hope insurance will cover some of.

Along the ride back a guy shouted . I thought I was trailing something or  something was wrong.  Turns out this guy camping with friends are camped on the side of the road. He says, “I just wanted to ask if you had any cocaine. But with a dog I guess you don’t.  We came to party and ran out of stuff.’  I don’t know what having a dog has to do with cocaine but he had the idea that guys with dogs didn’t do cocaine. He had a girlfriend and buddies. 

“No don’t have any cocaine,”. I carried on on the ATV. I prefer natural highs. 

When I got back to the camper, once again, No electricity.

I’m sitting here in the relative warmth. It is warmer down by the lake than it was up at Coquahalla Summit.  It’s really quite balmy. I’m glad I found the candles.  I’d also charged up this iPad off the battery pack.  

The refridgerator is cold. There’s still ice in the freezer. I took out the bread , some drinks and the left over 2 smokies. I put the grouse in the freezer. The latest one’s  not even cleaned .The English weren’t big on cleaning right away. I’ll let it unthaw later.  

I’d thought to do the morning hunt but think I’ll probably do as I am doing mostly these years,  using the last day to pack up and travel,. I’m not far from Chilliwack.  I’m good at packing up. I’m not bothered by anything like I was once, I just go about tasks and solve the problems as they arise.  I don’t catastrophize or even focus on the negatives. It’s just a challenge. I feel when things go wrong like I ‘m back alone on the boat and have to fix it so I can go onl. The camper had been pretty reliable with some little glyches  but this is a major day with damage to.

The grouse are probably $1-2000 each.   What an adventure!.  This weekend seems like weeks of a holiday.  Getting to the tops of mountains on an ATV and seeing the magnificent views is incredible. All the quadding it high concentration and high risk up in the cliffs.  It’s all chiropractic in motion. Looking for deer, scoping hills, enjoying Madigan’s company.  Seeing the joy he takes in everything.  So much excitement.  From Thursday night to Saturday night it was a rush with one event after another and so much action. 

I’m looking forward to getting back to the ‘norm’ of work. I don’t hunt again till October and by then Far Out RV should have fixed the camper electricity.  I’ll have to take it in to Frazerway. They make them so will do a good repair.   I’d not been off the grid without my generator this year. We’ve been staying in sites with electricity.  I think the actually batteries may need replacing or the in-house charger generator or the truck cable connector is faulty too.  

I’ll not forget my generator any time soon.  

 

Seriously Hunting

I am actually up at 6 am. Dawn is 7:30 am. I stayed up till 11 reading.  The coffee is brewing.  I’ve only got to walk a mile up hill.  The logging road side is across the main a couple of hundred yards from my camper.  I took pictures of the half moon last night with my SiOnyx Night vision camera.  Yesterday I saw a yellow hued bird the size of a robin with yellow streaks on his head. I must look him up when I get home.  

I was thinking of Gilbert and alien space ships when a grouse almost flew into my face. To avoid hitting me It veered to it’s left and landed in a tree. I had carried my Ruger 30:06 and the Argentinian 20 guage over under.  I dropped the Ruger to the ground and took aim with the 20 guage.  Kaboom. The grouse fell.  Now without Gilbert the hard part began. I searched everywhere under the tree and simply couldn’t find it in the thick brush.  It was becoming hopeless when I prayed.  I was telling Gilbert how I needed him and one last look a ways from the tree under some ferns, there was the downed grouse.  Hallelujah! Thank you God and thank you Gilbert.  

I dressed the grouse and put it in a ziplock bag I put in my pocket. Another grouse flew into the spruce but I couldn’t see where it landed in the dusk light. I continued to hike slowly up the deactivated logging road.  I finally arrived where I’d thought deer might descend into the valley. I sat and drank the can of Perrier I’d carried with me in my other pocket along with the extra shells. I’d just drunk it when a young guy and girl barrelled up the road in white GMC 1500 truck, older version.  That was it, I thought and headed back down.  They might have been hunting or just exploring but the speed they were travelling at was some kind of rush.  I had my flashlight out letting them know I was on the road when they came barreling down.  I followed them out walking simply as fast as I could. The hunt was over but I was pleased I had a grouse and had had another conversation with Gilbert.  Nearly losing the grouse made it imperative I have another puppy. One was on the way too, coming in November. A dog is simply necessary to hunting and peace of mind.

My sister in law texted me her congratulations on having another puppy coming and her commiseration with the work that will involve in the early months.  It’s worth it.

I wasn’t hungry last night. I’d a steak to barbecue but my my calabrese salami sandwiches at lunch still sustained me. I finished off the Ziggy potato and egg salad I ‘d brought then topped it off with peanut butter on bun.  After I took pictures of the night before reading in bed before sleep.  

A lovely day.  I’m supposedly hunting deer and bear here but the grouse was totally satisfactory. I remember as a kid hunting with my brother and father that we were just happy with a duck or a grouse. I never went big game hunting with my father because I was too young to go. But the success of a hunt was any bird and the joy of the hunt was the day in autumn in the country.  For me the real boon was the hiking and climbing. I’ve certainly exercised and that’s it’s reward for sure.

Thank you Jesus. Thank you God for a marvellous hunt last night.

Now I’ve actually woken before the 6 am alarm and had a debate about getting up. When the alarm went off I was awake and now I’m drinking coffee and have a thermos of coffee ready to go. I just have to dress and then actually go out the door and head one for after the other up the logging side. It’s so steep at first .

I’ve eaten my Activa yogurt and am working on the NatureValley Crunch with cup of coffee with honey and cream. All that remains is to dress. Putting on the dreaded boots, gathering the gear and heading out into the cold and dark.  Later I have to come home to the city and leave the camper winterized in storage till Christmas or spring.  The next time I’m in it I’ll have a puppy to introduce to a new adventure. Hallelujah!

Alp Adventurer 86FB Truck Camper - first journey

I’m in heaven.  Laura, Gilbert and I are in Harrison Hot Springs in my new to me 2017 Alp Adventurer 86FB Truck Camper. It is a truly skookum home away from home, the weekend cottage on wheels.  There’s snow on the ground outside but the propane and electric furnace kept us warm. We arrived last night in the dark.

Roy, our salesman at Fraserway handed us over to this bright delightful young guy who did the final walk around with Laura and I.  

“He’s really cute,” Laura said. 

I liked that he could answer all my technical questions succinctly. He’d make a good teacher. Despite having had a camper I learned some really useful ‘tricks’.  I’d asked for a ladder to be installed and loved it. Like a King I climbed to the top of my new domain and surveyed my territory. 

“The roof is made so you can walk on it.” He’d told me. “ There are no leaks but the only way to keep units that way is to check the calking and seals regularly.  Every three months it’s a good idea to go round and make sure with the travel and movement no seal has opened up. “ 

I loved the refrigerator with it’s automatic closing of electricity or propane depending on whether we were plugged in or not. 

The unit had been winterized for storage so had non toxic antifreeze in the lines. He purged these for us showing where the hose is that can be used to draw non toxic antifreeze into the system as well as which valves to turn on and off for this price. 

I liked again the accessibility of the black water and grey water outlet, the panels showing whether they were empty or full. The black water was empty but the grey water sensor said full.  He ran  off the grey water there, suggesting I watch the sensor and emptying as it hadn’t emptied as robustly as he would like. 

“Sometimes sludge in the tank.  If that’s it, you just fill the tank then stand inside and rock it a few times and purge. That usually clears the sensor or the sludge.” 

He showed me where the Happy Jack Electric Jack fuses were and how to use the manual jack if the electric failed.  On my previous camper the electric jacks had often failed so I was well versed in manual operation and thankful for this new system.  Further it came with a remote which was really an improvement allowing me to do all jacks together or one at a time.  

It even had a solar panel battery charger already installed with a panel showing the state of the new battery as well as effectiveness of the new solar panel. I had one of the earliest solar electricity systems on my offshore sailboat 25 years ago so appreciate how the technology has advanced.

The propane stove was nothing new to me but I did appreciate him showing me how to light the oven pilot light again. “The trick is holding it for 10 seconds once it’s lighted so it stays on.”  I’ve generally not used propane ovens because I obviously haven’t been patient with the lighting process. I can see using this oven now knowing the problem is me not the technologg.

Both Laura and I love the toilet and shower in the Adventurer.  The Jensen sound system with blue tooth, DVD and USB, indoor and outdoor speakers is going to bring us joy. I imagine a candlelight dinner with Laura and Gilbert and  Mozart playing quietly in the back ground 

The best though was loading the camper onto the back of my truck.  With my last camper I’d repeatedly banged up the truck box and camper in this process.

“This is how I do it ,” he said.  Well, his technique which can be used solo or with a spotter involved lining up the wheel wells from the ‘danger zone’ under the camper and simply going back and forth multiple times and checking the alignment on both sides. John, from Chilliwack RV Storage in Yarrow had used a similiar technique.  John is my favourite  wiseman when it comes to vehicles and campers. Now I know what he was aligning when he was giving me directions for backing up.   I had had  this weird idea that one could just back in directly. Naturally this Captain Ron ‘docking’ technique hadn’t worked so well for novice me.  Slow and easy and multiple checks is the future which will save this camper the experience of it’s predecessor.  I also won’t have to kidnap and tie up one of these guys to have with me when I want to load or unload the camper.   

The new tie downs are space age, expensive but a major time saver.  My iron extension connections under the truck had rusted but with my approval and encouragement the guys freed them up with  application of the ball preen hammer philosophy. No damage but a quick solution. 

“Here’s a new manual.” He said in parting. 

“What was his name?” I asked Laura later.   

“I don’t know.” She said. “I don’t think I ever got his name.”  

The anonymous tech assistant might well have been  the Lone Ranger having done his good deed but left us to ride off into the sunset.

Victor was waiting in Chilliwack. As his friend had bought the old camper as a wreck, Victor  been kind enough to stow the contents in his garage.  Victor’s new home and garage are the envy of all men with his Harley trike project almost complete in the centre of the garage with moose and deer racks all around the upper walls.  Definitely it’s fast becoming a major ‘men’s meeting space’. Screw women’s town and country homes, by all men’s standards, this is an award winning garage.  

“That’s a nice unit.” He said as we we handed Laura the kitchen boxes so she could load them into the cupboards over the sink. I put the old tools in the space under the outside door. Lots of clothes and books went into the back of the truck to be taken home as we were going to have be be a bit more utilitarian with this camper.  I just seem to collect clutter but then the last we’d used the other camper had been in hunting season so there was a lot of fall and winter clothing and tools for that activity. Nothing we’d need in the spring and summer.  

“Thank you, Victor.” Laura and I said sincerely as we departed.  What a great guy with a skookum garage.  Thanks to him we’d been able to get the old camper to his friend in the winter and now load this new camper with the kitchen ware, tools and barbecue for spring camping.   

We headed out with him waving to us in the mirror. “Happy Trails.” was playing in my mind. 

Last stop, Superstore for weekend groceries.  While we have less open space without the slide I really like not having a slide on a camper. Great on RV’s but slides on campers make the interior space less functional when closed.  This task of unloading groceries into the refrigerator was a trial in the old camper with the slide but a breeze with this one.  Further if we had to pull over for a nap on a trip no one would know. 

It was 6 pm and dark as we headed on to Harrison’s.  I’d decided we’d find something close where we knew our way about rather than heading out into the wilderness campsites this first weekend.  Glencoe RV campgrounds in Harrison was open.  The delightful manager welcomed us and wished us well with our new camper.  Harrison’s has several RV campgrounds, the provincial campground out of town and many wilderness campsites further north.  Here we were right across from the Harrison Hotsprings Town Pool which I certainly will be partaking of. Healing soothing waters are calling to my aging aching body.   We’ve often been to the fabulous Harrison Hot Springs resort or stayed at the Bungalow cabins or the luxurious Beach Hotel but this is the first time in a camper. With snow on the ground and ice on the roads we’re the only camper in the park.

The Happy Jacks made set up easy. I had connection to the shore power electricity on. The furnace worked with one button and the freezer was automatic. I didn’t have a slide to worry about. Laura had the bed made. Gilbert had his walk and sniff.  

We had a glorious sleep in the quiet of the sleeping town. Now it’s a new day and I’m so pleased with Fraserway RV and this new to me Adventurer Truck Camper.  We learned that these rental units are most commonly used for trips from BC to Alaska or up through the Rockies.  I imagine we’ll be taking this unit in time to places it’s been bringing joy to others as it will bring to us.  Gilbert loves it.  From the ashes of the poor old Palimino this Adventurer has arisen.  I do like roughing it with furnace heat, refrigerator, hot and cold running water, electricity and wifi. Now that I’ve had coffee and made Laura coffee I may have to walk Gilbert down to the little cafe that makes the best egg and bacon sandwiches in the world.