The Squamidian Report – July 25 / 09
Issue #374
Including:
The Ontarion
Hi All,
I would imagine that most of you have been hearing about the hot dry conditions in BC and the forest fires that have been plaguing the province. The fires that have grabbed national attention are of course the ones in the Kelowna area where thousands of people have had to evacuate and where several homes have been lost. There are other fires through out the province that are much bigger, and fires that are simply not making the news. Fires are burning on Vancouver Island including in the Victoria area. Small fires have been breaking out throughout the Lower Mainland. Most if not all are the result of human activity including careless smoking and disposal of said products. Boggles the mind, does it not?
We had a local forest fire here in Squamish that filled the valley with smoke and scared the crap out of most of us. It broke out (somehow) just north of the street we live on, about a mile up toward Mt Garibaldi in the Mashiter Creek watershed. When Ryan and I first saw it we were returning from a run into Horseshoe Bay on the bikes on Monday evening. At that point the column of smoke was rising straight up and then drifting off to the side. Luckily the winds that had been very strong most of the day had died down. There was not yet any air support flying to the scene. Ironically, as we sat at a traffic light a pickup pulled up beside us and the driver was hanging his arm out the window with a cigarette dangling from his fingers. Boggles the mind, does it not?
We pulled in to the Tim Horton lot where a fire truck was parked and I inquired as to whether or not the fire had been called in. Yes, it had but they were just then getting some ground crews into the area. By the time I got home a helicopter with a long-line water bucket was making runs from Alice Lake. Shortly after a spotter plane began circling and stayed on station for the rest of the evening. Then 3 water bombers took up a higher station and spent the evening circling but for some reason that I don’t understand never did any drop passes. As darkness settled all activity stopped. Supposedly they figured it was out.
Next morning the smoke was billowing and the fire had spread. Why they hadn’t made use of the bombers is still a mystery to me. The helicopter again attacked and by mid Tuesday morning the smoke had ceased and the fire was out. In that steep terrain it could have just as easily taken off and spread at an alarming rate. Warren’s place is just a few miles to the north on the other side of Brohm Ridge.
At day break the air was thick with smoke. The winds picked up just after the fire was put out and the valley cleared out leaving a clear, very hot dry day.
There seems to be two types of causes of these forest fires getting started. The first is lightning. Dry or mostly dry thunderstorms tend to set off dozens of fires. Water bombers put out most immediately if they are near populated areas before they become a big problem. The second is careless smokers. They cause most of the fires in or near the populated areas and their actions can’t be predicted like a thunderstorm can. They are simply stupid, mindless selfish people running loose and setting the world on fire. There is currently a ban on ALL smoking in the forests and in the city parks. But just one day after the smoking ban went into effect in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, a discarded cigarette butt started a fire near Prospect Point in the park. Notice how no one ever says, "The owner of a discarded cigarette started the fire". Boggles the mind, does it not?
Took some pictures from my deck.
http://www.thedougsite.net/F&F/Pictures/House/Forest%20Fire.htm
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On a different note, last Sunday was the annual Burn Camp Ride. That’s the motorcycle run from Deeley’s in Burnaby to the Burn Camp here near Squamish. The camp is actually out in Paradise Valley at the outdoor school but the ride is to down town where there is lots of room for parking and setting up booths and stuff. Squamish is a bit backward in many ways but one of the few things it does right is welcome bike events like this ride and the Rumble to the Rock ride in September. They cordon off a block right on the main street for the bikes and other related vehicles. Old cars tend to be involved as well. Anyway, the ride was fun, we had a police escort out onto the highway in Burnaby and then the roughly 200 or so bikes (all makes and models welcome) made the enjoyable ride up the Sound. Took a few shots, would have loved to get some of the Sound with its unreal glacial green waters but I can’t drive and take pics at the same time.
http://www.thedougsite.net/HD-rides/burncamp.htm
doug
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A note to any and all who are headed out this way for the reunion….. be prepared for hot dry weather. And I mean HOT!! The extended forecast is for clear sunny days with highs each day well into the 30’s. So lots of sun screen and leave those bulky long johns at home.
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Hello everyone!
I’d like to talk about pet peeves today. I have a
few myself but can’t possibly name the entire list. I’m sure many of them are a
personal thing and there are lots that I’ve never heard of too.
I just have to name a few that bug the heck out of
me.
The first PP that I have is that of drivers talking
on cell phones while driving their car. First off, you have to drive one handed
(granted, this is done in many situations) however, driving with one hand while
on the phone is definitely a dangerous activity. In the first place, one can’t
readily activate one’s turn indicator if they don’t have a free hand to do so.
Of course these drivers simply hold the steering wheel with one knee and then
reach for the signal arm with their one free hand if they DO decide to signal.
I’ve had many a cell phone using driver change lanes in front of me without
signaling and when I react with a toot of the horn to let them know they just
cut me off, they invariably give me the finger and utter those two obnoxious
words that make them feel they’ve just “told me” and who was I to honk at them!
This really bugs the heck out of me. Carole and I were driving in the curb lane
of Courtland Ave the other day and were about to pass the former site of
Sutherland Schultz. I noticed a woman in a Mazda 3 sitting in the driveway of
that old building and she was about to pull out into traffic. She was looking
directly at us and when we were about 30 feet from her, she pulled out in front
of us and I had to literally jam on my brakes and swerve slightly to avoid rear
ending her. When I honked my horn to let her know my disdain with her
thoughtless action she immediately raised her finger in front of her rear view
mirror and I’m sure she had some choice words to go along with the gesture. She
was a woman of approximately 40 years of age and from a quick glance she
appeared to be a clean cut person. I was actually shocked at her reaction to my
toot. If I’d had a milk shake in my hand at the time, I’d have caught up to her
and tossed it on her trunk so when she got home and had to clean off the mess,
maybe she’d realize what the ass end of her car looks like from the point of
view of someone she just cut off! Oh yah, and did I mention that she was also
yapping on her cell phone at the time of her stupid move? She’s lucky in fact
that I wasn’t someone that might make a concerted effort to catch her at the
next red light and walk up and punch her in her inconsiderate rude mouth or
worse, catch her in the sites of my 9mm handgun! You never know these days just
who you’re flipping the finger to and just how they might retaliate to your
rude gesture! When I think of it, I’d have no sympathy for anyone that gets
their reward, just of not, from the recipient of their rude gesture or words.
In fact I’ve thought many times that I’d like to walk up to someone that just
fingered me and grab that same finger and break the damned thing right there on
the spot saying “Think of how much this hurts as you spend the next 4 weeks in
a cast while it heals!” So much for the “finger” pet peeve! I have many more
but will save them for another Ontarion.
That’s it for this week!
Thanks for tuning in and I look forward to talking
to you all again next time in The Ontarion Report!
Bye for now… Greg.
PS: Something To Think About>
What is your biggest Pet Peeve?
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Have a good one..
the doug
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