The Squamidian Report – Oct. 4 / 08
Issue #332
Including:
A Note From Barb & Russ
From The Shores Of Lake Huron
The Ontarion
Hi All,
The wife and I, plus our Harley riding neighbours up the street took off work last Friday so we could have a nice long weekend of riding. Our destination was the Oyster Run, a bike rally that is held in Anacortes, a small city on Fidalgo Island in Puget Sound, Washington State.
We headed out about mid morning and rode down to Abbotsford where it took about an hour or so to get across the border. That was a bit of a drag because it was very hot and sunny and we would have to push the bikes forward as the line of traffic inched its way along. The wives took off on foot and went shopping. They made it back just in time to climb back aboard before it was our turn at a customs booth. Had a surprise when the border guard asked Sue if she was really Ryan. Turned out I had grabbed Ryan’s passport instead of hers when I pulled them out of our safety deposit box. However, she had sufficient identification on her to get through.
Took a leisurely back road ride on down to Mt Vernon and reached our motel by early evening. Good thing we had booked months ahead. We were 20 miles from Anacortes and yet every motel was full… of bikers. We went out for dinner, then spent the rest of the evening chatting with some of the other bikers and each other.
We spent the Saturday touring the area. Rode over to Anacortes to check out the town and then worked our way down Fidalgo Island and then crossed onto Whidbey Island via the high bride over Deception Pass. The tide was coming in making the water rush through the narrow pass like a fast river.
At the bottom end of Whidbey we caught a ferry back over to the mainland, north of Seattle. We are used to BC ferry rates being ridiculously high so the grand sum of $3.50 for our bike and us was a pleasant surprise. We then worked our way back up to Mt Vernon and our motel. The girls walked over to a plaza to do some shopping and we rode to the near by Harley dealer to check out the bikes.
Sunday morning found us headed back over to Anacortes so we could get parked before the town got too full of bikes. We were there by 9 and already the town was filling up. Several blocks of the main drag were full down both sides as well as down the middle of the street. We parked on a grocery store parking lot. They had cordoned off half the lot for bikes. All of the side streets that ran off the main street had tents and booths and displays. We worked our way along, checking out anything that interested us. The whole time we were there, a steady stream of bike continued to pour into town, often 3 or 4 abreast. The rumble from thousands of engines was a constant and loud backdrop. By noon you had to shoulder your way along the sidewalks and the parked bikes filled the whole main street and most of the other streets within sight. We had seen and experienced everything we had wanted and so decided to get out of town while we still could.
The ride out was clear sailing on our side of the highway but the inbound side was clogged with bikes for miles. Every side road and highway held a constant stream of riders. We rode for over half an hour at highway speed before we finally ran clear of the column of bikes headed in.
And hour or so later we were at the Peace Arch border crossing and this time it only took a few minutes to get through. We stopped for gas and a coffee a short distance up the highway and then headed for home. A great weekend, a great ride, and great weather the whole time.
Pics can be seen at: http://www.thedougsite.net/HD-rides/Ride04.htm
doug
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OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW----and life goes on.
After years of being invaded by mice, ants, earwigs, rabbits, skunks, and even foxes, Bobbie and I decided not to put any more money into trying to keep our old cottage livable. After all, it needed a new roof (again), the floors were sagging in some places, and rising in others (protruding tree stumps), the walls were cracking and water-stained from roof leaks of yesteryear.
We thought of doing one last major overhaul-------putting in a full poured concrete foundation under the "H" shaped building, and shoring up the floors. So, we asked two different contractors to give us estimates --------each had the same response after looking over the huge undertaking--------DON`T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT ! The cost would be exorbitant, and we’d still have a 60 year old cottage with cracked walls and needing a new roof !
Our closest son (geographically speaking), said, "Stop pouring money into that old cottage.... you’re better off tearing it down and putting up a new one". Which is exactly what we did !.
But first of all, someone had to take the old cottage down. A carpenter friend of ours (we call him a "friend" because he’s been doing repairs for us for so long) knew of a Mennonite Group who dismantle old buildings for free and recover any reusable material for their own use. The man was contacted, not by phone, because these Mennonites believe phones are somehow "sinful", but in person by our carpenter friend, Will. He drove to Lucknow, picked up the man in charge of the Group, and drove him to our cottage where we met ELMER BRUBACHER for the first time. He is a big, strong, gentle man, about 65, 250 LBS of muscle, with large warm, but labour-hardened hands, the size of a shovel! And when I reached out to shake his hand, mine felt like a soft baby’s hand, completely smothered in his. By the way, he lost a nineteen-year-old daughter just last week, and we sent our condolences.
Elmer very carefully looked over the entire interior of the cottage room by room, then the attic (crawl space), then the exterior------walking slowly around and looking under with his flashlight. Then he came back in and wanted a better look under the newest addition to the cottage, the 16 by 28 foot living room. This room had to have a trap-door built into the floor to access the main water shut-off valve, so Elmer had to lift the sofa off the trap-door, open it up so he could have a look under the living room floor. He could see there was some good floor-joists he could salvage.
After the thorough inspection we talked about the history of the construction of our cottage, and here it is: -
Back in 1946, my Brother, Howard (Deceased) was working as a carpenter building homes and I was an electrician, doing house wiring. We decided to go into business for ourselves building cabins. We were able to use a lot owned by the Forlers, who among other things, owned a lot directly across old Highway #8, from their grocery store in the Village of Centreville (now defunct). Being a very central location, we decided to build our Model home on this site, and sell custom-made cabins and get rich!
Howard was a very good carpenter and even better at drinking Loganberry wine, and in no time we had the cabin finished. It was very compact, with built-in bed, kitchenette, a bar with all the trim, and of course, expertly wired with all the fixtures installed.
During construction, Doug Forler came over to watch the progress, and to share in the Loganberry, which was always available. One time, as cruel joke, Doug poured Light Oak wood-stain into Howard’s wine bottle. Howard was the fist to take an unsuspecting guzzle and the first to spew it out!!! This left a bad taste in his mouth as far as Doug’s visits thereafter were concerned.
When the cabin was finished, we decided to advertise in the Kitchener-Waterloo Record, "Custom-built cabins for sale. $1000 cash and carry." We quickly dropped our price when we got no replies
The cabin stood lonely and vacant for a few years--------we hadn’t sold a one! We were now forced to offer our Model for sale at a rock-bottom cost only price of $500, only one woman was interested, and she wanted us to deliver it to her site for that price. We didn’t. Meanwhile, Forlers had sold their lot, and we were being forced to move our cabin somewhere else.
By this time I was 22 years old, met the girl I was destined to marry (Barbara or "Bobbie"), who owned property at Point Clark, Lake Huron--------she had the property, I had the cabin (after buying Howard’s share) Bobbie and I, we had a plan. We would load it upon a flatbed truck, (after all, it was designed to be portable, and was only 12 feet by 16 feet) and haul it to Point Clark.
The truck was owned by a friend named FORWELL, a fledgling company someday becoming FORWELL SAND & GRAVEL, a large company located in north Waterloo, who’s deep gravel pits became a popular local swimming hole. On the day the cabin was to be moved, I couldn’t attend, as I was working at B. F. GOODRICH RUBBER on King Street, West in Kitchener, doing "frequency Conversion” (from 25 to 60 cycle) with CANADIAN COMSTALK LTD. I saw the "Convoy" going west on King St.-----including my brother, Wayne, who had an old Model A Ford, my mother Emma and my girlfriend, Bobbie. The convoy eventually had Police and Hydro and Bell Telephone crews accompanying it. They made their way along country roads (avoiding highway traffic), with workmen riding on the roof of the building lifting or dropping low-hung telephone and power lines as they went. Police went on ahead to measure the width and height of bridges, making sure the 16 foot wide cabin would clear. (The height was also a concern with old iron bridges). And in one case it was impossible to clear, so a long detour was necessary.
Finally reaching Point Clark, they dropped the cabin off the truck at the side of the road at the foot of a short, steep hill on the west end of Bobbies property. Sometime later, armed with block-and-tackle, hydraulic jacks, chains and power saw (all courtesy Cdn. Comstalk), I alone pulled the cabin up the hill. After clearing some not so small trees, and using larger ones as anchors, I jacked it up and set it on cement blocks, where it stood for the next 57 years!
Two additions were made to the original cabin over the years: the first, a building designed to be assembled on a Hydro project and used as living quarters for workers and their families. The 16 by 28 foot building was made largely in 4 by 8 foot sections, which were then bolted together. The M. O. Sheppard Camp, north of Waterloo was being vacated after completion of a large sub-station, and the homes on the camp were to be sold at public auction. We, along with Mennonite farmers bid on these structures (which, when purchased, had to be dismantled and removed from the property within 48 hours), and we got ours for a piddleling price of $85.
So, now we had to rent a truck, and my always helpful brother, Wayne and I dismantled our unit, loaded the sections onto the truck and carted the tall load off to Point Clark. Bobbies father, Fred Dickson of K.C.I. fame, helped Bobbie and I to lay out the cement blocks, assemble the structure (TWICE; once elongated at the end of the cabin, making a rather ugly 44 foot long building which began to resemble a motel, then dismantling it again, re-configuring the cement blocks, and again reassembling the structure into a "T" shape with the cabin), which we then divided into 3 bedrooms, a utility room, and 3-piece bath.
The second edition was professionally built by "real carpenters", and was to become a 16 by 24 foot living and dining room, with both ends of glass giving an open, airy feel with good views to Lake Huron on the west and deep woods on the east. This was to be where we spent many a happy hour, winter and summer, warmed by a cozy fireplace.
THE NEXT EDITION OF THIS ADVENTURE WILL DESCRIBE ALL THE PRELIMINARIES RELEVANT TO SELECTING OUR NEW SUMMER HOME, AND EMPTYING AND MOVING OUT OF AN OLD COTTAGE WITH ITS 55 YEARS OF ACCUMULATIONS.
Hope you tune in next time.
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Greetings All
Well it's the first weekend of October and the great pumpkins are invading Port Elgin. Charlie Brown's not going to be here though. It's pumpkin fest in our town Saturday and Sunday when we have pumpkin growers from all over bring their gigantic pumpkins here to be weighed over the two days. We get many weighing over 1000 lbs. To me a pumpkin is a pumpkin whether it is 10 lbs or 1000 lbs. There are also other gigantic fruits and vegetables also such as 100 lb watermelons, over 20 foot corn stalks, sunflowers ect. To me you see one you seen them all, My Main interest is the Cinderella car show which features classic cars from all over. They line them up down both side of the main drag and down many side streets. Last year there were 1400 old cars here and this year they expect possibly another 300 above that number. It brings back the old days when these cars belonged to our parents. If we only new back then what those cars would be worth today we all might have taken better care of them. The Grey-Bruce motorcycle touring club is also putting in a show and shine but I can't be there to enter mine but maybe next year as I didn't have time to prepare for it.
It also appears that this week we will collect our salmon eggs for the hatchery this winter. I'm looking forward to raising a number of salmon again over the winter. Their life cycle is amazing from an egg to a fish in a few short months. It also makes the winter season pass along quickly.
Well I must sign off for now and I will Report on the GRRReat pumpkins weight next week.
Bye for now.
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Hello everyone!
Well, it’s October already and I can’t believe how quickly the summer went by us. It seems that the older you get, the faster time flies. I’ve had many people my age tell me that they feel the same way about the passing of their weeks. They all say the weeks are flying by like days and the months like weeks. I guess it all boils down to how you spend your time that makes it go by so quickly.
This week marks the start of outdoor projects that point towards getting ready for winter. We’ve had a great summer for Carole’s gardens and the pond out back. Adam and I built the roof over the patio and it’s been wonderful to be able to sit under it in a rainstorm and still enjoy the fresh air. We’ve added a new BBQ to the outdoor equipment and I’m really enjoying being back at outdoor cooking. We intend to leave the BBQ outside all winter and continue to use it. Should make for an interesting time if I can manage to keep it out from under all of this coming winter’s snowdrifts! LOL! Let’s keep our fingers crossed that we won’t have to heavy a winter this year.
Speaking of which, I’ve got to get my butt in gear and change the oil on the snow blower so I am ready for the first snowfall. You won’t believe this but I found a small pile of snow encrusted in a patty about 6”in diameter and 2” thick on the lawn at the outlet of the eves trough down spout this morning. I think it’s still melting slowly in the shade out there. Our temperature this morning was only +2c so I guess we must have had below freezing temps over night. It’s on its way folks!!! Anyway, as I’m about to prepare the snow blower for the up coming season others are looking forward to taking delivery of their newly ordered blowers. A good friend of mine just ordered himself a new Toro blower and after listening to my accounts of blowing the snow right across the street with my Toro, he’s really excited about the upcoming winter storms with his new one. I hope his new machine works as well as mine does! I’m sure it will, the Toro has a reputation for long distance snow throwing and a non-clogging auger design that is the best in the business. At any rate, I’ll soon hear from him if he’s not satisfied with his new machine. I suggested the Toro to him and as a friend he did some more investigating and then took my advice along with the well seasoned Toro dealer’s advice and took the plunge into Toro ownership. I know he’ll be happy with it for sure!
Along with servicing the blower, I have to winterize all my other motorized outdoor equipment and start the process of stowing it all in the shed as well as the garage. I have to winterize the pond as well and have decided to cover the pond this winter with a large plastic tarp. We used to have a cover on the swimming pool in our other house and it was always crystal clear in the spring. I’m hoping the pond will be that way next spring as well. I usually just leave it open and then drain it in the spring to clean it up before summer. I’ve decided that it’s an easier process to just pull the cover off the top and hook up the pump. Cleaning the pond is one heck of a yucky job and I’d rather avoid it if possible. With the larger “pool type” pump this year the pond has been absolutely trouble free. The huge sand filter has really done the job for us as far as keeping the water clean. I wish I’d have put in this system back when we first built the pond. Oh well, no sense crying over spilled pond water. The problem is solved and we’re very happy with the system now. I’m not sure how soon the cold weather will set in but to avoid doing all the outdoor cleanup and storage in my heavy winter clothes, I’m going to get at the winterizing next week and have it done early this year. Something tells me there’s going to be an early winter!
I’m hoping for a few more weeks of good weather so we can ride our motorcycles a few more times. I have a request from a company in Rhode Island USA from which I bought my saddlebags and other accessories for my new motorcycle. They want me to send them photographs of my bike with the new side cases on so they can use the pictures in their 2009 accessories catalogue. They also have a connection with a writer of motorcycle articles for several bike magazines that wants to do an article on my Kawasaki Versys and have it published in one or more of these magazines. The person from “Twisted Throttle” accessories who contacted me wants the pics before the end of October so I’ve got to get the pics done sometime this coming week. Adam has offered to take the pictures of the bike for me with his pro camera equipment so they look professionally done. I’m really looking forward to seeing my bike in both publications ie: the catalogue and one of the Motorcycle Magazines. It’s a thrill just to think of something like this happening to me or at least to something I own. Should be a cool keepsake if all goes well and they use the pictures we send to them. I’ll be sure to let you know if it comes to fruition!
That’s about all for now folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report.
Bye for now… Greg.
PS: Something To Think About>
October 14th is voting day. Don’t forget to do so!
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Have a good one..
the doug
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