The Squamidian Report – May 17 / 14
Issue #625
Including:
The Ontarion
Hi All,
Its a hard life but someones got to do it. And its a busy life too, but
again, someone must shoulder the burden, buckle down and do it. So, I
guess that someone is me and I'm doing my best to fulfill my duties.
For starter, while 'The Wife' was down in Maple Ridge on Monday, I went
up the Sea to Sky Gondola and hiked around. Then, on Tuesday, we both
went up for a hike and then had lunch on the deck. After that, I rode
in to Horseshoe Bay on the bike to hook up with my riding friends. We
then all rode back to Squamish for dinner. On Wednesday, a couple of my
riding friends came up to Squamish where we hooked up and rode to
Lillooet for lunch. Thats a 400k round trip from here over some of the
most scenic and challenging paved roads anywhere. It was a great ride.
We left Squamish at about 9am and stopped in Pemberton at about 10:30
for fuel and coffee. Its a 100k ride over the Duffy itself and you
always want a full tank before heading over that alpine highway. There
is always the chance of getting about 3/4s of the way over and finding
the road blocked due to an avalanche or slide or who knows what,
forcing you to turn back. Anyway, as expected, it was quite hot in
Pemberton but as we climbed onto the Duffy we climbed into the high
country where there is still snow between the trees along the roadway.
The road itself is in great shape. It had just been swept so the
asphalt was clean. You would not want to run off the asphalt as
what little shoulder there is was still very sandy, not good on two
wheels. It heated up quickly as we dropped down into Lillooet where we
had a nice lunch before heading back.
The ride back was the same enjoyable experience except that we were
going the other way and therefore the scenery was totally different.
Thats what makes it so nice, you only see half the view at a time. The
ride back is always just as nice because you can see the stuff that was
behind you when going the other way. By the time we got back through
Pemberton and into Whistler the afternoon traffic was building a bit
but it wasn't too bad to it was an easy ride down to Squamish.
Then on Thursday morning after walking the dog, we headed back up the
Gondola and did a nice hour hike, visiting several very scenic lookouts
along the way and chatting with several others who were there to enjoy
the experience. We headed home for lunch this time and were home when
Kyra and Lauren pulled in. Kyra will be spending the next week with us
again. We all decided to head back to the Gondola. Lauren wanted to go
up and wanted to purchase a pass, and we had already started the
paperwork for Kyra's pass. Security is very tight and all visitors must
have and carry a pass, be it a long-term pass like ours, or a simple
day pass. They scan you in before you can ride up, and scan you out as
you board to ride back down. Anyway, Kyra is free because she is under
6-yr old but still needs a pass, and now she proudly has her very own
with her picture on it, just like we do. She was quite thrilled with
the gondola rides, both up and down, and loved the suspension bridge. I
don't think she can fully understand the view or the location but the
whole thing was fun and exciting and she's ready to do it again, which
will happen many times going forward.
Then there was Friday. Thats the day I always ride down to Horseshoe
Bay at noon to hang out with some of my riding friends, the retired
ones. So of course, thats what I did. This is the beginning of the
first long weekend of the summer season so traffic is starting to get a
bit heavy and large herds of wallowing Winnebagos are wandering up and
down and all over the highway. Aside from that, the ride down and back
is world class. Try it some time if you haven't already done so. Later
in the day, like about 4:30, I hooked up with one of my riding friends
who had got off work (the poor soul, imagine having to work) and ridden
up to the Gondola to go up for her first time. I tagged along to show
her around. Very big of me, don't you think? So, I spent a nice hour up
there and rode back home again. Thats about it for this week.
Ah yes, the busy life of a grumpy old retired guy living in the Coastal
Mountains of BC. Its definitely a burden but some one has to do it.
doug
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THE ONTARION REPRORT
Hello everyone!
It’s hard to believe but our grass was brown just a week or so ago and
with one fertilization a week ago last Wednesday and two mowings of the
lawn it’s now due for a third cutting and it’s green as a golf course
in June! Guess I’ll have my hands full this summer if this damp and
sunny combo keeps up! Of course I have to blame it all on Carole for
twisting my arm till I fertilized last week. If only she’d let me leave
the grass brown for just one spring, maybe it wouldn’t be as green and
plush as shag carpet in the ‘70’s! LOL! Of course it’s always rewarding
to have a real nice plush lawn to compliment the look of one’s house
but it makes for a busy outdoor maintenance program for the summer! Oh
well, I’d much rather have it this way than the way the guy next door
has it with his disgusting weed patch that drags not only his place
down but the homes on either side of his as well. Too bad the “property
standards” inspectors don’t take a tour past his mess every summer!
He’s definitely the type that should live in a condo! Many times a
winter I get sick of looking at his neglect and I take a couple of
passes down his sidewalk with the snow blower. I’ll be damned if I’m
going to start mowing his lawn for him as well! He owns a Midas Muffler
shop or two in Mississauga so I’m sure he could afford to have a yard
maintenance crew look after his property for him! It’s hard to believe
that some people don’t give a shit what their yards or homes look like.
You’d think they’d realize that their neglect only serves to devalue
one of their largest life investments. I keep hoping this guy will
decide to sell out and move to Mississauga so he’d be closer to his
place of business. Oh well, maybe he’s planning on selling everything
soon and moving back to India! One can only hope! With my luck, he’s
more than likely planning on spending his money to move his whole
family over here to live next door to me so they can all work for him
in his next muffler shop! Sheesh!
Last week, Carole and I were up in Waterloo doing some shopping and we
stopped into Brady’s Meat Shop on Albert St. We like to pick up some
grass fed ground beef once in a while thinking we’re doing ourselves a
health favour by eating natural burgers rather than a bun full of
chemicals! While in the store, I noticed that they were selling Summer
Sausage made with Ontario grass fed Bison meat. They don’t always carry
Bison but once in a while they have it when we’re in for a few items.
Luckily for me they had the special Summer Sausage this time. So, after
having a sample slice, we decided to buy a nice whole sausage. It’s
butchered and produced by a farmer in the Alma area I believe so it’s
relatively local. Well, after letting it hang in the pantry for a week
in it’s cotton bag, I decided the other night to try a slice or two
while watching evening TV. I got out our sharpest big butcher knife and
took a whack at cutting the bottom chunk off the sausage. I darn near
broke my wrist trying to slice off the first piece! After sharpening
the knife and trying again I finally managed to slice off the bottom
inch! I then was able to slice off a very thin slice as well. That was
enough for me! I figured I’d stop at that point and rest up for a day
till I had the energy to cut a couple more slices and maybe it would
soften a bit now that the inside was exposed. Well, I was wrong, the
next day it was just as hard as the first time. I had to get Carole out
into the kitchen with her butchering technique to show me how it’s
done. She re-sharpened the big knife and with dexterity managed to
slice off several nice thin slices for Adam and I to enjoy. After that
moment, the light went on! Every time I want a few slices from now on,
I’ll just have to sweet talk my culinary expert into picking up the big
knife for me. I don’t think she’s any better at slicing the hard
sausage than I am it’s just that the Bison Sausage is shit scared of a
woman wielding a big knife! So it gives in to her demands! LOL!
I don’t blame the Bison, I wouldn’t let a woman wielding a big knife anywhere near my sausage either!
That’s all for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll forward to talking to all of you again next week in The Ontarion Report!
Bye for now … Greg
PS: Something To Think About>
I wondered why the ball was getting bigger. Then it hit me!
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Have a good one..
the doug
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