The Squamidian Report – July 12 / 14
 
Issue #633

Including:
Beth & Jamie
The Ontarion

Hi All,

Motorcycle road trips have been a bit few and far between over the last year or so, so, I snuck away last Thursday for a couple of days of riding with a friend of mine who lives in the Kootenay's. We've done this before, we both have a 4.5 hour ride to where we meet up in 'the meddle', in Princeton, a small town on Highway 3 east of the Allison Pas. For me its a ride out through Lower Mainland traffic that does not ease up until well past Abbotsford. From then on to Hope is usually a good ride although there can be a lot of commercial vehicles, but everything is usually traveling pretty fast. The Fraser Valley narrows as you approach Hope, with the steep sides of the mountains closing in. Hope is where the Fraser River leaves its canyon and slows as it spreads out across its flood plain and the valley, out to the sea. At Hope you have 3 choices, the old Highway #1 up through the canyon, the 'Coq' which goes up and over to Merritt and on to Kamloops, and #3 over the Alison Pass to Princeton and the Ocanogan area. Obviously I took #3 because I was headed for Princeton.

I got there about half an hour before my friend did. We fueled up and headed north up the old 5a, a very windy, scenic old highway, to Merritt where we spent the night. It was a bit on the cold side when we headed out on the Friday morning but the riding was great. We stayed on the old 5a highway as it wound its way north through the Douglas ranch, the biggest ranch in Canada if memory serves. Its an incredible ride and if you haven't done it, do it. This took us into Kamloops where we jumped onto the TC and headed west to Savona, a tiny village just past the end of Kamloops Lake. Our maps showed a 'highway' that headed south to Logan Lake, that appeared to go up and over the dry hills. We missed it on the first try and had to turn around and try again. Where it left the main highway it looked more like a narrow paved farm lane. It turned out to be a very enjoyable, relaxed ride. Narrow, as it wound its way along with very tight curves and about a dozen and a half cattle guards, those spaced metal gratings they use to keep cattle from wandering away. We felt like we had gone back about a hundred years. Eventually we came out at 97c and rode into Logan Lake for fuel and a bite to eat. From here we headed back out onto 97c toward Ashcroft. That took up past an incredibly huge open pit copper mine before dropping way, way down into the little town where it sits on the bank of the Thompson River. From there its a short fast toot up to Cache Creek where we had lunch and then parted way, each heading home.

From Cache Creek on to my place is a ride I've covered many times so theres no need to go into much detail. You catch the northern termination of 99 and basically head south. That takes you through some incredible scenery including Marble Canyon and along the rim of the Fraser River Canyon, with the river a kilometer or more below. At Lillooet you cross the river and climb up onto the Duffy. You probably know the way from there, you drop down into Pemberton and run on down through Whistler to Squamish. Its just that easy. What isn't so easy this time of the year is the tourist traffic including those miserable R/V things that can't stay in their own lane, but aside from that kind of stuff, a great ride. Something that added a different flavor to the ride is the fact that BC just raised the speed limits on many of its highways.

This whole country went through a rather stupid vendetta back in the '70s during that supposed fuel crises that was fabricated in order to raise prices. It lowered the speed limits, most highways were posted at 60mph (back in the good old Imperial measurement days) and were dropped to 50mph. So, under our current system, thats basically 100kph down to 80kph. What had been the equivalent of 80k dropped to 60k, and so on. It only took the States a decade to realize how dumb that was. It didn't save fuel, it cost more fuel because vehicles could no longer run at a speed that was efficient, so, they raised their speed limits back up. Not so here, we plodded along at painfully slow speeds for 50 years. Now, under pressure from the voters for quite a while, the BC government finally decided to do the right thing and restore the old limits. And its great! Most of the TransCanada through the Lower Mainland had been posted at the ridiculous speed of 80k. It is now at 90, 100, and 110k depending on location. Even parts of #3 over Alison Pas has been upped to 100.

This has thrown a bit of a loop into traveling. We'd always thought of various destinations as being a given amount of time away rather than so many kilometers, such as, rather than thinking of Cache Creek as being just under 300 kilometers away, its 4.5 hours away. Well, thats all changed. Everything is now closer. CC is only 4 hours away, Princeton is only 4 hours away in stead of 5 and so on. Whats even better is the fact that my motorcycle loves the restored speeds. It can now run at the right RPM and be in the right gear. It now gets better milage, the milage it should get and has always gotten when riding in the States. Unfortunately, the Sea to Sky highway has not been changed, yet. It is supposed to be fazed in sometime this summer. That will be a good thing.
*
Now here's something pretty cool, we often go out in the morning for a coffee. Our destination is usually the Golden Arches because their coffee is good, and inexpensive. We go through the drive through and then sit and watch the world go by. The girls who work the drive through have gotten to know us because we stand out, Willow sits in the front passenger seat and 'The Wife' and Kyra sit in the back. Kyra always has a big smile and a wave for them, and they have a smile and wave for her. Anyway, one of the girls who works there also works at a local grocery store and recognized Kyra one day when we were in getting a few groceries. Kyra recognized here and did her little 'happy dance'. So, the next time we went through the drive through, the girls at McDonalds had a little gift for Kyra. She's a popular little kid.
doug
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Beth and Jamie

Our big day, July 5th, 2014
 
First of all, thank you everyone who came to celebrate our special day. It was wonderful from start to end, and we couldn't have asked for better weather. The day began with much running about, as all weddings do. Fortunately we had lots of loved ones on hand to help get us organized. The outdoor ceremony began a wee bit late, due to some heavy traffic on the 401. From my waiting place I could hear everyone cheer as Jamie's mother Mal arrived. My sister Jackie accompanied a slightly nervous flower girl down the aisle. I followed them while my grandfather and his barbershop septet sang 'Let me Call you Sweetheart'.  I met my handsome groom by the arbor we constructed. The minister Elaine welcomed everyone warmly. Despite some technical difficulties with the microphone she did a lovely service.  She spoke of the rich tapestry formed by the joining together of families.  The barbershoppers sang again as we signed the register. My sister and Jamie's brother  Colin stood up with us as witnesses.  After the ceremony we held a receiving line. Ewan made an excellent emcee.  We had games and activities to entertain young and old. Rhubarb mojitos and punch were served, and the kegs and wine began to flow. Cameron and his friend were bartenders.  The Foggy Hogtown Boys entertained us with their fabulous bluegrass music.  After the first set my bellydance friends and I did two dances for Jamie. Dinner followed, then more music and activities. My mom made a delicious cake...which all but disappeared in a matter of moments! Later we had a bonfire and s'mores.  We all stayed up rather late. Even Vivienne made it until 11:30.  The next morning Jamie's cousin Kelly led the boys in a vigorous cleanup, all while blowing bubbles and drinking beer. It was an amazing day and I am so proud to be Jamie's wife. Once all the paperwork is taken care of I will be Beth Wilson.
 
Here are the photos my friend Laurene took. While you won't know everyone, I'm sure there are some faces you will recognize.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/p5ica47rpevp1t9/AABu7A9lt32_kJ6qSzJ3LD-ea
 
For those of you who asked, or who may be interested, here are the readings we had at our wedding.
 
My son Nick read A Family is a Family by Robert Munsch.
 
I have a stepmother
And also a father
And keeping track
Is sometimes a bother
Cause there’s a half brother
Who isn’t my father
And also a mother
Who isn’t my brother
And also a father
Whose step but not quite
So its really quite hard
To keep it all right.
And did I mention
That I have a sister?
In all of the bother
I just may have missed her.
This naming of names
Is really a fright
and it may keep me up
for half of the night.
But this family’s my family
And I don’t have to fake it
Cause a family is a family
No matter how you make it.

Roberta read (with great enthusiasm)  A Lovely Love Story by Edward Monkton

The fierce Dinosaur was trapped inside his cage of ice. Although it was cold he was happy in there. It was, after all, his cage.
Then along came the Lovely Other Dinosaur.
The Lovely Other Dinosaur melted the Dinosaur's cage with kind words and loving thoughts.
I like this Dinosaur thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur.
Although he is fierce he is also tender and he is funny.
He is also quite clever though I will not tell him this for now.
I like this Lovely Other Dinosaur, thought the Dinosaur. She is beautiful and she is different and she smells so nice.
She is also a free spirit which is a quality I much admire in a dinosaur.
But he can be so distant and so peculiar at times, thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur.
He is also overly fond of things.
Are all Dinosaurs so overly fond of things?
But her mind skips from here to there so quickly thought the Dinosaur. She is also uncommonly keen on shopping.
Are all Lovely Other Dinosaurs so uncommonly keen on shopping?
I will forgive his peculiarity and his concern for things, thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. For they are part of what makes him a richly charactered individual.
I will forgive her skipping mind and her fondness for shopping, thought the Dinosaur. For she fills our life with beautiful thoughts and wonderful surprises. Besides, I am not unkeen on shopping either.
Now the Dinosaur and the Lovely Other Dinosaur are old.
Look at them.
Together they stand on the hill telling each other stories and feeling the warmth of the sun on their backs.
And that, my friends, is how it is with love.
Let us all be Dinosaurs and Lovely Other Dinosaurs together.
For the sun is warm.
And the world is a beautiful place

Beth
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THE ONTARION REPORT

Hello everyone!

I sure hope you are all enjoying your summer!
There seems to be lots of local activities going on in and around KW these days. There are celebrations of one sort or another in downtown Kitchener every night this week and so many more are planned throughout the summer months. Next week there is a Jazz Festival in Uptown Waterloo and it’s free! I’ve never attended this festival but we might just take a trip up to enjoy some of the acts that will be playing all week long at several venues they’ve set up at and around Waterloo City Hall and in the city square on King St.
 
We missed out on the Waterloo Air Show last weekend but the military F-16’s that were the stars of the show were passing directly overhead in the south end of Kitchener and were amazing just to see them pass by at such a low altitude. They make a guy want to sign up for military duty with just the sight of them in flight! When I was a kid, the RCAF had an aerobatic team of Sabre Jets that were called the RCAF Golden Hawks. These were the jets that had the wing tip fuel tanks that made them look really cool! They were painted Labatt’s “Gold” and were quite a sight to see. The Sabre’s were not anywhere near as maneuverable as the Tudor’s that the modern “Snowbirds” fly these days but they were none the less impressive in their formations! I remember wanting to join the RCAF and fly one of those beauties when I was about 11 years old. I had a program from the Waterloo Wellington Air Show back in the late 50’s after my mum and dad took us kids to see the event! I had that program with a picture of one of the Golden Hawks on the front for many years. I wonder whatever happened to it? I guess my mother tossed it out when I got married and moved out! Oh well, if it was that precious to me I guess I never would have lost track of it.

Air shows over the years have always fascinated me but the thrill was dampened for me back in 1989 when we went to see the Air Show at the CNE on the lake shore in Toronto. We were watching all the thrilling stunt pilots do their thing and really enjoying the show. Then came time for the Snowbirds to do their thing. Their show was going very well and seemed to be happening right in front of us when all of a sudden two of the Snowbird Tudor Jets clipped wing tips as they descended side by side as part of their act. The one pilot in the descending aircraft was unable to pull out of the dive and plummeted directly into Lake Ontario straight out in front of our viewing spot. The second pilot managed to eject from his flaming jet and land in the lake safely. Captain Shane Antaya lost his life that day and was deemed a hero when the officials finished their investigation. It was determined that if he hadn’t stayed in his aircraft and in stead ejected to save his own life, his jet would have crashed directly into a group of boats below on the lake. He apparently stayed in his jet so as to direct it away from the boats on the lake, just enough so that it missed killing several spectators that were watching the action from those boats. He gave his life so that others could live! What a hero indeed! Shane haled from Stratford Ontario and was the son of a woman who was a personal friend of the wife of Doug Cassidy. Doug was a Lieutenant on the Waterloo Fire Dept with me and took the death of Shane very hard!

The crash of the Snowbirds along with the crash of the Nimrod Jet British Submarine Hunter at the CNE in 1995 pretty much took the thrill out of air shows for me! I don’t think I’ve attended one since the 1995 show!

Anyway, people still enjoy Air Shows and I guess as morbid as they may be at times, they are still entertaining and thrilling to watch!

That’s all for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report!
Bye for now … Greg

PS: Something To Think About>
Only 5 months and 12 days till Christmas!
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Have a good one..
the doug
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