smalltown

Hangin in High River

2006-12-23T14:52:00.000-08:00

ALthough it's been a while, I'm happy to say that life is good. I'm spending the holidays in High River Alberta. I wish you the best this seaon.

Burton Series 13

2006-05-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

This is something that every snowboard lover should look at. For someone like me who likes creating design, this is a beautiful thing. It's amazing that deep in the Canadian Rockies I can sit back with my cup of Organic Grizzly Claw coffee and order myself a one-off original ride.

Jake Burton Carpenter, founder of Burton Snowboards has pulled off a beautiful thing by launching series 13. It lets you design your own board complete with custom color, logos and text.

Hunting Update

2006-05-01T22:32:00.000-07:00

No bears were harmed, although we saw a huge one. It was a very positive experience all around except for the bruise I got from shooting a 60lb bow.

hunting for food not rugs

2006-04-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

I've been invited to my first bear hunt.

Because I've never been on a real hunt I thought I would put down my thoughts before I go, because I know that if I am present and a bear is killed, I will be changed.

I don't belive that all hunting is good. There are things that I could/would never do.
I believe that legally hunting free roaming wild animals for food is everyone's right.
I believe that hunting with a bow is more honorable than hunting with a gun.
I believe that if you kill something you must respect it's soul.
I believe that I should promote balanced conservation.
I belive that hunting like Ted Nugent is lame. Baiting bears with syrup, marshmallows and bacon in a garbage can is not hunting. Wake up buddy.
I believe that people like this should not be able to hunt/procreate.

To be honest, I am quite torn over the fact that I am going hunting. But it's something I want to get over with.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Theory 2: The path of least resistance

2006-04-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

If you have ever read the Toa of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff you should understand this concept easily.

BC is famous for scenic winding highways. One thing that I find when driving these types of roads in BC is that it becomes neccessary to disregard painted lines altogether and drive as if you were a flowing river. If you don't, the whole experience changes into a bad motion sickness experiment.

Recently I rode shotgun during a trip over one of the most winding highways I know of, the Monashee Range in south-eastern BC. Even though we didn't see more than 3 cars during the 1.5 hour trip, the driver (whom I will never accompany on another road trip like this), did not cross a single inch of paint once. I just about puked. The only thing I could do to make myself comfortable was to chug my water as fast as I could hoping that I would have to stop and take a piss.

Next up: Car bra envy

About driving in BC

2006-04-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

A while back I wrote about the most dangerous spots to drive in BC. On the weekend I was on my way back from a little road trip and decided to explain my fundamental theories of highway driving in British Columbia.

Theory One: The slingshot
When you are stuck behind a slow driver and you see the "passing lane 2km" sign, ease up on the gas so that the person you've been tailgating gets comfortable. Give them the impression that you don't care about passing them. Leave about 5 or 6 car lengths between you and them until you see the "slower traffic stay right" sign and then hit the gas. You should build up enough speed so that when the passing lane starts you are going at least 15km/hr faster than the slowpoke and you "slingshot" past them. This avoids the situation where the slowpoke hits the gas when they encounter the wider spaces of a passing lane frustrating the hell out of everyone behind them.

Next theory: The path of least resistance

A big can of worms (or termites)

2006-03-01T09:03:00.000-08:00

As I sit here and write I can hear the squish of the snow-slush on the road as cars drive by. Although in Vancouver that sound is not uncommon throughout the winter, here in the Kootenay Rockies it can only signify one thing: Springtime is just about here.

And with springtime comes working on the house. Being first-time homeowners, this will be our very first springtime and we are getting geared up to do some major work.

When we bought our house we knew that there was some rot damage on one corner thanks to an ill-conceived backyard deck that trapped water next to the siding. The rot made a nice place for a Carpenter Ant colony and thus we are looking at jacking up that side of the house to replace a few tired support beams. For houses 50 years and older in the Kootenays, this is nothing new. For us, it's scary.

I'll keep you posted.

The devils advocate

2006-02-27T16:38:00.000-08:00

In most conversations I like playing the devil's advocate. For me it's a way to exercise my brain while coming up with equations for other people to solve (and reap the consequences). But for some people they must get pretty pissed off at always having to justify their thoughts or actions for my benefit (or so they think).

On the flipside of this, I get very under-confident of my ideas when confronted with a d.a. specialist. This all started when I was turning 16 and buying my first car. My Dad is the kind of person that says "There will always be another deal". I figured that meant "Don't buy this car". As it turns out, it did. But at some point you have to dive in and make a choice. Yes, there will always be another car, but this one will do for me.

My wife and I have decided to buy a dog. On the way to Montana her Dad said "What would you have done with the dog if you had it this weekend". I know what he meant, but should have have concern over his comment considering I'm planning on having children with his eldest daughter in the next few years and he doesn't seem to think we can handle a dog?

Oh well.

7 weeks and counting

2006-02-27T16:23:00.000-08:00

There are only 7 weeks to go in the NHL regular season.

Because of the "new look NHL" it is really hard to forecast what the final standings will look like. At the beginning of the season I was happy that the Canucks didn't do much as far as trading players because the chemistry that they have as a team would help them succeeed towards the latter end of the season. This, in my opinion, is their time to shine.

The Sedin Twins are happy with their shiny gold medals for winning Men's hockey, but a couple of their Vancouver teammates are nursing a few injuries thanks to the XX'th Winter Olympic Games.

The velvet rope in the sky

2006-02-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

I went to Montana for the weekend. It was for a memorial service but it felt more like a party. That side of my wife's family (it was her uncle who passed away) are evangelical Christians and they are all heavily into playing music.

They like to sing. And they like to sing about god. I, on the other hand, am not religious but I dig music.

I was amazed by the talent they have. It's the kind of talent that makes you sit and think "What the hell have I been doing all these years?." Some of the kids are like 6 and they already have more talent than I'll ever have.

I just get a little freaked out when they get on the mike and preach. Like the guy who said "the only way you are ever going to see Frank again is if you are a christian". I'm not a christian so does that mean I'm going to be stuck behing the velvet rope trying to pass a $20 to the doorman at Franks party in the sky? I mean, I understand people have different beliefs and all but don't tell me I'm not invited.

Another thing is the beer. I walked in to a something-mart buy some pre-memorial beers for the family and ended up buying Kokanee Import. I'm still jaded over the softwood lumber dispute so I don't like buying american.

Overall I had an awesome trip, I loved northern Montana and the drive through the southern Kootenays. This part of the world is what I love.

The Gong Show

2006-02-20T16:04:00.000-08:00

So I finally hit the wall.

I had a feeling it would come, the day I realized writing my blog wasn't going to be as easy as the first few weeks of writing. And here it is. My goal is to write at least once a week, but looking back on my previous post I am nowhere near that.

There is a lot to say but I'm not sure how to say it. I feel like I'm contantly holding down the [delete] key as I vetoe my posts like a bad act on The Gong Show of late.

If you have any tips out there I'd love to hear them.

One small step

2006-01-31T15:17:00.000-08:00

After switching from a local cable ISP to a more reliable ADSL one, I was told I needed to relocate a telephone jack in order for my new setup to work properly.

Being a little hammer-shy I thought this was something that needed to be taken care of by a pro. But after finding out most people do it themselves I googled "Installing a phone jack" and voila. I managed to complete a fairly easy DIY task without much skill. Now I know how Ty Pennigton feels.

2 Things I hate

2006-01-31T15:12:00.000-08:00

1. Bringing my vehicles in to get serviced.

2. Dealing with anonymous IT people over the phone.

These two things get my defenses up like a cat in a 1950's vertigo experiment.

If I could afford it...

2006-01-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

73m Ice Breaker luxury motor yacht

Purchase Price: $38 million US
1 week rental: $300,000 US

My sincere compliments go out to Swiss Owners Rene and Brigitte Herzog for converting this Class 1 certified Ice Breaker into a luxury vessel. Well done.

This boat is by far my favorite "if I ever become excessively wealthy" item to date. The Giant is a modified class 1 Ice Breaker capable of getting you away from it all while at the same time pampering you with lavishness. It goes where no other luxury yacht will dare venture.

Being Canadian I love the colors and the fact that it's loaded with goodies for fishing including 2 forty-foot ocean sport fishing boats among other things.

I would love to rock up to Cannes in this thing.

Back in the big city

2006-01-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

On Saturday my wife and I headed out for a trip to the coast. The primary reason for going was to be the guests of honour at a post-wedding reception for the family and friends that weren't invited to our mini-wedding in the Kootenays. We had a lot of things to do as well including clothes shopping, getting the car in for a service and the all encompasing Costco visit. Living in a small town means that you have to drive for hours to get these things done.

We decided to break the trip up by driving to Kelowna, shopping a little, and then flying to Vancouver from there. The car would be fixed in K-town by the time we flew back and we could finish our shopping then.

Everything worked out fine except the car. When we got back to the dealership our car wasn't ready because they tripped the immobilizer when the battery was being tested. It sat for most of the weekend while they tried to figure out what to do. As well, we realized that our Kenwood Stereo had gone into some sort of security mode which required a code to return to proper working order. Having bought this car used I had no idea what the code was, and to get it fixed we have to (apparently) remove the entire deck and send it to Vancouver for servicing. Awesome.

2006-01-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was all about fishing.

On Saturday I went out with a few friends of mine on a large 24ft boat complete with heated cabin, oven, barbeque, sirius sattelite radio, subwoofers, plenty of beverages and our more-than-capable Captain "B". The day way filled with lots of jovial banter, lighhearted conversations and a few smallish fish.

Sunday was quite a day as well. A friend and I went out in my boat, a 15ft welded aluminum custom made river boat. We went to the other end of the lake this time and spend the day testing out a new batch of lures that I just got. Our fishing style is more about randomly experimenting than calculated consistency. We managed to pull in an average day's catch, but due to the above-normal temperatures that southern BC has been experiencing lately the fishing has been less than formidable. My boat doesn't have a top so when we go out we are exposed to all of Winter's wrath. It's a completly different experience than fishing on the big boat, but when the sun comes out, like yesterday, and the wind is calm, it's a nice place to spend a day.

When great minds and talent collide

2006-01-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

The Kootenay region of British Columbia is by far one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Kootenay Mountain Culture magazine is the best way to see what it is all about if you can't see it for yourself. It's a free magazine with high calibre content printed on high-end paper. What more do you want?

The guy at the dump: update

2006-01-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

One of my first posts was about the guy at the dump.

I haven't seen him in a while, mainly because I haven't been frequenting the local landfill. But yesterday I went by to drop off our Christmas tree and some other junk and there he was sitting in his chair smiling as usual. As I drove up to the shack I had that tense feeling that you get when you realize you forgot something -- my camera.

I'm having a little inner conflict about taking this guys picture. What will he think?

People dropping by

2006-01-10T10:23:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago my wife and I booked an overnight trip to Nelson, B.C. to go skiing. We left last Saturday afternoon and after a long drive we got to our hotel. After settling into a nice hotel-sized-glass of our favorite wine, the phone rang - it was my dad on the other line.
"Where the hell are you"
"In Nelson"
"Why aren't you at home"
"We came to go skiing, why?"
"AJ (one of my best friends) is at your house"
"What"
"AJ drove up from Vancouver to suprise you. He's with a girl and their looking for you"
"????????????"
So there we were. Sitting in a hotel room in Nelson sipping wine and my friend is at my house far away wondering why we aren't there.

Like any good friend would do, we packed up, corked the wine, and got back on the road. Thanks to the wonderful staff at the Hume Heritage Hotel and their unbelievable service we didn't get stuck with a bill for the room rental. We made it home by 8:45pm and took to the pub for some bevvies with our friends. It turned out to be much better than wine and skiing.

8 months later

2006-01-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

It's been about 8 months since we moved into smalltown, and I am starting to really feel welcome at this point.

We like it, and we plan to stay for a long time.

Me and Ebay don't mix

2006-01-04T23:22:00.000-08:00

Last week I finally decided to buy a handheld GPS.

I figured, after finding the model I wanted, that I'd take a peek on Ebay and see what was around. I originally wanted a Garmin eTrex Venture but later decided on a eTrex Legend.

And so the story goes.

So I bid on one, from Canada, and worked the obvious strategy: wait until the last minute and snipe a good deal. I was going to use some sniping software like esnipe.com but chickened out. Because the auction ended at 4:09am my-time I set my clock for 4:05am so I could wake up, bid, and go back to bed dreaming of all the gpsing I'm going to do.

I woke up at 4:11. The auction was over.

There were no last minute bidders. The price was way less than it was worth. I blew it.

After moping around for a few hours I ended up buying one online from GPS Central in Calgary.

Vulcanized rubber on ice

2006-01-04T22:44:00.000-08:00

Although I'm not yet 30 years old I play hockey in a league called Oldtimers. The season is pretty much half over and the hockey is quite good now that everyone has found their game shape (although some shapes a much rounder than others).

We played tonight and I scored my first "real" goal. "Real" as in I meant to shoot it where it went. As I went to the net I faked the goalie and let it rip in the top left corner. As I skated past the back of the net I didn't even know if it went in but I could hear the suprised cheers from all the guys that skate circles around me two nights a week.

All those years of watching Harold Snepts in the Pacific Coliseum payed off. Thanks Grandpa.

Thanks

2006-01-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

2005 was undoubtedly a big year for me. I got married, moved away from my family, quit my job, bought my first house and started writing again.

The best way I can decribe my 2005 experience is that it was similar to walking home in the dark after having way too many drinks (in a good way). You feel loose, frustrated at times, and you always manage to run into a few pot holes, ditches, and prickle bushes along the way. You push on as if nothing can bother you and things always seem to fall into place. You see things that you haven't seen before and you take paths that you have never taken. Undoubtely you make some new friends and give a few high-fives to strangers along the way. As long as you travel with integrity you have nothing to regret.

It's thanks to my friends that I have made it home.

Good luck to you in 2006.

Hiatus

2005-12-25T10:41:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a break from the box over xmas. Hope you enjoy your holidays.

~d.

Santa's got bad breath

2005-12-22T14:17:00.000-08:00

Although I don't have any kids, yet, I can appreciate how parents hope their kids like Santa Clause - especially when they go for picture with Santa at the local mall. After waiting in line for ages and having to watch other kids have fun on the lap of a cleaned-up version of Fat Bastard, it doesn't suprise me that some kids (like the ones in this website) just don't like Santa.

Quad + large snowy driveway = 10 minutes

2005-12-21T00:05:00.000-08:00

Today was the first big snowfall of the season in smalltown. I figure we got at least 3 inches in 3 hours. Not huge by Kootenay standards but enough to get the shovels out considering there was already snow on the ground and more snow is forecasted.

I've got a buddy on leave from work who has his ATV saddled up with a snowplow so when the snow started coming I got on the phone. In a few hours he was over with kid in tow, plowing the bejezzus out of our 2 lane dirt and grass driveway. Ten minutes later it was all done and I was stoked - the kind of stoked that makes me sit there and ponder how soon it will be until I get a quad.

A picture's worth a thousand meals

2005-12-20T23:57:00.000-08:00

If you are like me you will love mealme.com. It's a website devoted to documenting culinary creations in a power-to-the-people kind of way.

Although I find it really quite hard to pull out a camera just after a meal is served to you and snap a nice picture, it's quite rewarding and does command extra-special service if you are mistaken for a professional food critic.

All I want for Christmas is...

2005-12-16T21:23:00.000-08:00

...a rocket-powered sled.

Ky Michaelson, the self-proclaimed "Rocketman", dreamed up this idea after seeing a toy sled. According to his website, "This version of a radio flyer sled comes complete with custom steering handle bars, a speedometer and a JATO bottle motor mount! Holy ice melt batman! this sled is no JOKER."

As far as I can see he forgot the brakes.

The Winnipeg Penguins?

2005-12-16T11:41:00.000-08:00

Rumour has it that the Pittsburg Penguins may be moving out of steeltown, USA due to an expiring lease on their arena and lack of support from the city. The penguins have been playing in Pittsburg for around 40 years now giving me the impression that this is not something that will happen overnight.

Although I consider myself somewhat of a traditionalist when it comes to the National Hockey League (NHL) I would love to see the Penguins leave Pittsburg as long as it meant that they moved to a Canadian market like Winnipeg.

Have a look at the unofficial "official" Bring back the Jets website.

Air Mail

2005-12-14T11:09:00.000-08:00

I got a card today.

Honestly I'm not even sure what the card looks like on the front because I was so stoked to read it. The card is from a friend of mine, nicknamed the Fish, in New Zealand who I've know for about 10 years now.

The Fish and I spent a lot of time together surfing in Australia, snowboarding in New Zealand and BC, and sharing some amazing experiences together. We haven't kept in touch a lot these last few years but we both know where we're at.

It means a lot to get a hand written card from him. Not an email. Not an e-card. A card. Written down and delivered over seas and mountains and borders. Delivered by many hands and machines and schedules.

From a little house in New Zealand to a little house in Canada. It feels good.

Getting what I paid for

2005-12-13T11:42:00.000-08:00

Being our first year as homeowners we were really excited about winter because it meant we (I) could put up Chistmas lights on our new house.

While visiting the coast in mid November and decided to take a trip to Co$tco knowing full well they would likely have a pallet or two of white LED lights. I stocked up with about 9 boxes and on the way home decided to stop at Co$tco Kelowna to buy a few more just in case.

5 hours on the ladders and voila! My house was done. The ceremonial switch went on during the last week of November and I was pleased to say that our house looked awesome.

Then on December 9th I got the email.

It was from Co$tco and included the words "electrical malfunction" and "recall".

Considering we live a good 3 hour trip away from the nearest Co$tco, it's unlikely I'll make it there in time to get a refund and pick up some new lights (which they are almost sold out of anyways). The selection of lights in town here is both meagre and expensive.

Last night I pulled out a box of old lights that my wife and I got when we lived in a basement suite. They're old and we only have one short string of them. I guess that's what it's come to.

Merry Chri$tmas Co$tco. Bah Humbug.

Misty Mountain Hop

2005-12-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

When things were a little simpler and I was shorter in the tooth, my folks used to put me on a Greyhound bus headed to Whistler BC to visit my eclectic uncle Eric and do some skiing. Apart from snacks and ski equipment the only thing I had to keep me busy was my brothers bright yellow Sony Walkman and an old Led Zeppelin 4 cassette tape.

Thats around the time when I remember having my first "gazing out the window of a moving vehicle thinking about life" moment. Misty Mountain Hop became my first favorite song.

My uncle Eric always promised to leave a key under the wood pile, but he always forgot. I got off the bus at Whistler Creek - he lived behind the Husky station at the time - and dragged my skis over to his place. The key was never there but his neighbors always were.

17 year cycle

2005-12-08T18:49:00.000-08:00

I heard a theory once on how fads recycle every 17 years. If this were true we would soon be re-living the year 1989. To be honest it's not a bad theory, I see leg warmers and new/old t-shirts all the time.

After all that, I can't explain why I just saw a kid driving around in a Honda Civic with Green neon lights underneath it. He's either way behind on a fad or way ahead of the re-fad cycle.

I can't decide.

Parking "Metres"

2005-12-07T13:31:00.000-08:00

Something new I've learned:

In small towns, as long as you are parked within a few metres of the curb you're okay.

Bar none the Best Boots in B.C.

2005-12-06T20:24:00.000-08:00

As winter reared it's beautiful head this year my old hiking boots decided to pack it in. They had taken me and my feet to over 19 countries all up, so it was sad to see them put down for the last time.

Having not shopped for hiking boots in over a decade, yes a decade, I started asking people what they wore. The common denominator in all of this was that I needed to go to a little shop in Vernon, BC. called Red Top Grocery and Footwear. They would sort me out.

So the next time I was in Vernon I checked it out.

What a gem. This place is a little mom and pop grocery store, the kind that you probably had in your neighborhood when you were a kid, but with a twist. Half of the store is packed with boots like that old army surplus store in east Van with the gorilla out front.

Good people, good deals, top notch brand name boots, and it's been like that for years. If you are ever in Vernon BC, give this place a call, they know their boots. It's around 43rd ave and 33rd street just off Hwy 97c.

Just don't forget to pick up milk and a lotto ticket while you're at it.

A new look.

2005-12-05T22:20:00.000-08:00

There was one thing about the last template I was using that really bugged me: the orange title.

I was too lazy to alter the css style that affected that title so I gave up.

Maybe if I wasn't so lazy I could ask my code-wizard-friend William for some help.

Myth vs Fact: snow removal

2005-12-05T09:24:00.000-08:00

Myth:
When you have a huge dump of snow in town you dare not venture to places like the dump for fear of getting stuck.

Fact:
The dump is actually the first place that gets cleared because all of their equipment doubles as snow removal equipment, and if you get stuck they will pull you out for free.

Original Six*

2005-12-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

My family has been into hockey since Grandpa bought season tickets to the Vancouver Canucks in the first year of the franchise (I think it was in '71). He has since passed but we still have the tickets in the family. We love hockey.

The funny thing is that out of 3 brothers none of us ever played hockey except for the odd game of shinny on a local pond. We were into soccer.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I dug up an old back of hockey gear from the attic and decided to give it a go. With the help of a few friends, I've managed to put together a small quiver of skills that get me by. I'm usually the worst player on the ice but I'm okay with that, it's nice to be on a team.

In any small town, whether it be in BC or any of the other provinces or territories, winter nights mean hockey. I talked to a few people about what league to join and after a few weeks it was clear - Oltimers was calling my name.

Oldtimers is awesome. Everyone lives by the golden rule. Most of the guys slow it down when I have the puck to give me a chance to learn something. I'm not sure why they let me join but it's worked out great.

* The Original Six is the term used by fans of ice hockey to refer to the six National Hockey League teams that existed before the league's expansion in 1967. They are: Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs , Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers . Taken from en.wikipedia.org

Hightech redneck

2005-11-30T16:24:00.000-08:00

A new friend of mine and I were talking the other day about snowmobiling, or "sledding" as it's commonly called around here. Some of the guys that ride out here are a little rough around the edges, but I was suprised to hear about their new scouting tool; Google Earth.

Forget topographical maps on the hood of your truck. Hit up google earth, set your waypoints into your GPS and you're good to go. These guys have it dialled.

The techno-savvy sledder laughed at how last season he was sitting on the top of a ridge and all of a sudden he was surrounded by wealthy heli-skiers that had just been dropped off by a Bell Uh1H. He must have picked a nice spot.

Under the weather

2005-11-30T16:11:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning feeling terrible and as a result I didn't accomplish anything today. I think that I'll go for a cup of my favorite soup and watch the hockey game on the couch.

On a side note, there is a few centimetres of snow on the ground and the road crews keep driving around clearing the roads. We've got one of those "country lane" driveways that has two dirt lines with grass in the middle. It's going to be difficult to shovel snow.

Things that go bump in the night

2005-11-29T12:13:00.000-08:00

Since moving out here we've had a steady stream of friends and family spend the weekend visiting. Most of the time people crash on a sofa-bed in our livingroom. I sometimes forget how weird it is sleeping in an unfamiliar house. The creeeeks and mooooans and sudden whirrrrr of the refridgerator. I always ask if they slept well and always get the same answer. But I have a feeling our visitors have spent more than a few hours staring bug-eyed at the ceiling with the covers pulled tight. Our house is old.

I was pretty jumpy for the first few nights sleeping in our new house. That also had to do with the fact that I found bunches of garlic hung from the ceiling in our crawlspace. I figure I'll leave it there, who knows why, but it just seems like a good idea.

Same as I ever was

2005-11-29T09:57:00.000-08:00

After moving over 650 kilometers (403 Mi) from my home town I have become closer to my family that when I lived less than a few minutes drive away. My 2 older brothers used to drive within a block my house to get to work every day and yet I talk to them more now than before.

I felt this same way when I lived overseas for a year when I was 19. The difference is now I appreciate it more.

The Church kills my grass

2005-11-28T17:07:00.000-08:00

Let me explain. I live across the street from a church.

Every Sunday the churchfolk park on my lawn rather than parking on the Churchs' lawn. Probably because they don't want their church lawn to look like my lawn that they drive on every Sunday.

I mentioned my maligned feelings to my church-going friend and he said politely that he would "spread the word". It hasn't worked. To top it off, when I moved in the lawn was covered in sand giving me the idea that when they clear the snow from their parking lot they push it onto my lawn instead of theirs.

The other week I put 6 big rocks on my lawn so they would get the hint but less than 24h later a city worker told me that I had to get rid of them because they were a liability.

Am I becoming a disgruntled property owner? I just want a nice lawn, that's all.

sMOkinnn'

2005-11-27T16:29:00.000-08:00

For my wedding day in October I took the fellas out fishing while the ladies all went to the spa. It turned out to be a good idea as everyone managed to catch a fish (even my brother who's allergic to fish). On a side note I'm allergic to lactose and my brother promised for his wedding day he's gong to take me on a dairy tour.

My folks just came up for a visit and my Dad fired up the Little Chief smoker. We smoked some salmon that he brought from the coast as well as the Bull Trout* that we caught around the wedding. I must say that smoked fish is one of my favorite things to eat.

Just in time for the Christmas appetizer season.

For more info on fishing in British Columbia check out BCFishing.com

* Bull trout is commonly, and mistakenly, called Dolly Varden in my area.

Membership has it's privileges

2005-11-25T09:04:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking of joining the local Legion (or the RSL as they call in in Australia). It's not because I feel like sitting around all weekend playing bingo with "Myrtle" and "Ethel", rather I can offer my financial support by buying a membership. And the beer is cheap.

The number of veterans in BC is dwindling and most of the legions were built when being a veteran meant you were part of the population majority in some places. To keep them going, nary we have another world-war that turns us all into veterans, the next generation of honourable Canadians need to step up.

The legion in Tofino is unreal. They've hosted some of the rowdiest small-size punk and ska gigs I've ever been to.

Knock on wood

2005-11-24T17:14:00.000-08:00

As far as Winter driving goes, BC has a lot to offer. Snow, ice, freezing rain, fog, slush, sleet, drizzle. They all contribute to the anxiety that people experience on our Highways.

My top 3 worst winter driving spots in BC are:

1. Highway 40 west of Lillooet.
At one point in this drive you go around a bend that is less than 2 car lengths wide. As you hit the apex of the turn you realize that your vehicle is perched atop a ravine that decends hundreds of meters to a shallow riverbed. On the inside of your turn is vertical crumbling shale. If you do the math on this one it's scary.

2. Rogers Pass (Trans-Canada Hwy).
By far one of the most scenic spots in BC whilst going 100km/h+. The scariest part of this drive is the big rigs. These Mad Max wannabes drive this road day after day, and sooner or later lose their fear of speed and/or death. Cars are simply treated as pylons on a track for these guys. Getting passed on a high altitude summit in a blizzard by an 18-wheeler sucks.

3. Highway 6, Monashee Range
This isn't the scariest Highway, nor is it the busiest. Infact, that's the part that freaks me out. If you happen to go off the road on this highway you have a good chance of surviving due to the dense forest. But because it's not well traveled you could sit there for days - or until the herds of wild animals stroll past and treat you like a can of sardines.

If you want to check out some highway cams go to Drive BC.

Canada's best shed

2005-11-23T19:34:00.000-08:00

A soon as we bought our house we realized that downsizing from a large rental suite to a bungalow wasn't going to be easy. That when my dad came in. He is a cedar-guy who loves to build things - big things - out of cedar.

We decided to build a shed. What started out as a 6' tall by 10' long storage shed turned into a modified fortress that we could drive a snowmobile (which I don't own) or a quad (which I also don't own) right through. It's insulated and we are hooking up some industrial wiring to it just in case I decide to install a hydraulic car lift.

It's awesome. I'll post pictures later, they're on my other computer.

In the meantime check out the Canada's Best Shed Contest run by Rick Mercer at CBC.

Retiring from political campaign design

2005-11-22T11:07:00.000-08:00

The candidate I was supporting lost. 'Nuff said.

Cape Horn

2005-11-22T10:33:00.000-08:00

As I begin to venture out and about I am beginning to see a pattern in the names of geographical places around the Kootenays. There is a very real connection between this area and the Pioneers of late in that they used lots of old names. My Grandmother brought this to my attention after she noticed that an ancient ship that was once crossing the seas had the name Halcyon, which is the name of a local Hot Springs. As I was fishing the other day I realized that we were near a point called Cape Horn. There was no one around, just me and a friend. It was very cold and blustery and I began to feel a little connection between me and the pioneers of this country.

Stirring the pot

2005-11-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

Doing design work for a political campaign in a small town is the most fun I've had all week. Seriously, it's quite satisfying.

It reminds me of those Pepsi vs Coke commercials where they would feed off each others marketing.

Organic Grizzly Claw

2005-11-16T13:38:00.000-08:00

My new addiction.

Made by Kicking Horse Coffee of Invermere B.C., Organic Grizzly Claw is a dark roast that is good to go.

check it out here.

The guy at the dump

2005-11-16T11:42:00.000-08:00

Where, in your opinion, is the best place to hang out and drink coffee all day long? For most people in rural Canada it usually means Tim Hortons or Smitty's. For a guy in my town it means the local landfill.

This guy sits, along with his Village-worker friend, and watches the world go by in the tiny shack on the edge of the landfill. Day in, day out, he's always there.

Unlike most good coffee shops the dump has some key points that make me think this guy is smarter than he looks;

There is never anyone in his favorite seat.
The coffee is free.
Lots of parking.
First dibs.

Let it snow

2005-11-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

As I had my first cup of coffee this morning I heard Amy speak the words I have been waiting for all Autumn. "It's snowing".

Before I could even eat breakfast I drove down to the lumber yard with the enthusiasm only a new home owner could have and proudly asked for 2 bags of salt.