TUGs

practice

I have found that it takes conscious effort and practice to continue the state of relax that I insist on maintaining. Last night I came straight home from work knowing I was going to take my boat out. The weather has been beautiful with no wind and the lake like glass. 

 

the trail less traveled

Today’s dog walk took the trail less traveled. I have lived out here for close to 8 years and had never explored this path past the beginning. Time has always felt pressing – too many things to do so I wouldn’t continue the walk. Today I realized that I have nothing but time. Relax. Peace.

Geo-Caching & Getting Out

 

Over the weekend I discovered geo-caching.  It turns out I have been participating in it on a small and personal scale over the last few years.  Three or four times I have set up local treasure hunts for my good friend that lives down the road. 

Some were created using personalized crossword puzzles, one used compass, while another used clue to find clue... Each was as fun to make as they were to follow along during the search.  

For some reason it tweaked with me that geo-caching would be a fun thing to check out, especially when visiting Vancouver in mid-May.  I searched the term on-line and discovered an amazing site called www.geocaching.com .  It is very well organized, comprehensive and didn't take long to have me hooked.

SO this new inspiration combined with an old itch to climb a hill that I pass twice daily got me out this afternoon.  I used my gps and to hide a 'test' treasure up and back on the hill.  The plan is to see if I can find it again... practice. 

It was a nice spring day with an easy view because the leaves aren't yet out on the trees. This image is looking south with the Mayo Road (North Klondike Highway) below.

 
Since the mosquitoes are only just starting to fly about, it was easy to break to take time to look closely at what we were walking through, over and around. 

It seems to me that lichens are the coral of our boreal forest.

Chicken Celebration in Red Deer, Alberta

Over the first weekend in September I took time out and went to Red Deer, Alberta.  My brother, his wife, and my good friend live there. 







 If you haven't already guessed there was a chicken exhibition! Birds of every feather and age - some for sale, some for show.
Wow.

Trip to Dawson City, Yukon

I absolutely cannot believe that my last post was in July!?!  It did seem like a while and I knew things were over due but holy smokes.

SO, a couple of weeks ago I took a trip to Dawson...

And then of course, what goes up must come down.  The next day I returned back to Whitehorse...

CPY - Canadian Pacific DC-3 - Weather Vane

This past Monday, July 6th, CPY was taken down from her stand in front of the Whitehorse Airport, which is now officially called Eric Nielsen International Airport.  The parking lot for passengers is being expanded and so CPY is on the move. 

Our CPY was the last DC-3 to be flying through Yukon skies.  It is now a gigantic weather vane that adjusts her position with the slightest breath of air.

A comrade on the board of our Yukon Transportation Museum told me that it was originally posted to this home on the same time that a wanna-be assassin tried to take the life of then U.S. President Ronald Regan in 1981.  "Hm" I thought to myself after being given this little bit of trivia. Remembering that attempt on Ronald Regan's life wasn't so interesting to me but the year was.  I have a hard time believing that the plane has been gracing us with her assistance on this pedestal since 1981?!

Two cranes, a welder, and a hot torch amongst a few folk all worked to bring her and the two swallow's nests with babes, gently down to earth.  It was very exciting to watch.  Even in her after-life she is as graceful as ever.

Members of the YTM Board are taking this opportunity to give CPY a wash and small structural tune-up.  During her weather vane exististence she has somehow managed to acquire a few little holes in the rear wing flaps.  Although these apparatus look to be made of silver metal, they actually are constructed of very light but durable fabric.  It is our thought that perhaps a raven or two were doing a wing inspection of their own at some point.

Our CPY is scheduled to be back up in her new location in front of the Yukon Transportation Museum within the coming week. 

Yukon River Quest - 2009

This is River Quest Week - 2009.  It is a very intense week for volunteers and organizers and racers alike.  Here are some pictures taken at Registration on Tuesday, race start on Wednesday and Thursday at the Check Point in Carmacks.

I have recently started uploading some of my images onto Picasa on-line.  If you click on the image below it will open up a series of photos that summarize the race from registration to Carmacks.

Unfortunately this year I could not go to the finish line in Dawson City.  The full race results can be viewed at www.yukonriverquest.com .  I heard today that Texas won, finishing just a few minutes ahead of Dene.

River Quest 2009

Green

As I walked tonight out in the woods I composed my visions into words back into my mind

Oh green t'is the world out back

The one I walk into and lose myself

In the wilds so close to town

Where the lupins take up their June crusade

Replacing the crocus carpet that fill in space amongst

The creeping spruce, willow, and pines

And dandilions mark gravel sized rock tables

That give room for bright sunshine and buckets of rain

Water runs steady in the creek making it's way

Through the mosses, fallen trees, and straight dark stands

Passing gently under the paths through culverts

And meanders eagerly around corners as it makes way

Down the silent grade towards the highway and river beyond

Yukon Quest

The night of February 14th I had the pleasure of volunteering for the Yukon Quest.  I drove out to Braeburn, an hour or so north of Whitehorse, at around 9:30 p.m.  After making a quick stop at my cabin along the way, I arrived at the check-point just before 11:00. 

The sky was crystal clear with the stars twinkling bright.  It was minus 31 celcius with not a breath of wind. 

When I arrived the first few teams had already arrived.  Actually the first team was in at around 9:00 p.m. when I had figured they would begin arriving about two hours later.  The trip from Whitehorse was fast since the trails was packed and cold. 

Although I volunteered for the Quest two years ago in Dawson City, this was a different experience. This time I was kept very active outside.  I helped check teams in as they crossed the check point finish line, helped guide the dogs to their resting spot, gathering the prearranged food into a sled and taking it promptly to the respective musher, and best of all, updating the standings board in the Lodge and calling the same results to Fairbanks for the web update.  I was kept busy and warm and involved.  It was a great experience.

The pictures here were all taken near the end of my shift at 10:30 a.m. just as the sun was coming up. Anything that my camera would have taken throughout the night would have been disruptive to the teams with a blinding flash, and I wouldn't have captured anything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Montreal

A few weeks ago I spent time in Montreal.  The juxtapositions of old and new, English and French were striking to me.