The higher up you go, the more mistakes you are allowed. Right at the
top, if you make enough of them, it's considered to be your style. -Fred
Astaire, dancer, actor, singer, musician, and choreographer (10 May
1899-1987)
Dear Patrick & Corinne, Congratulations on your 40th Anniversary! A Wonderful Achievement as You Travel Down the Road of Live Together! Thinking of You Always and Enjoy that Special Day! Love Jean & John
Just to reiterate we will meet at the dog park at 9 a.m. to ride south along the channel. Pam will meet us at the new bridge and we will then ride to the west side of Skaha Lake and south on the KVR as far as we are comfortable. Some of us may go wine tasting later: maybe all of us. See you tomorrow. Colleen
Hi Patricio! remember I was telling you about my daughter and her involvement with Yukonstruct in Whitehorse? this is an article about my son in law:
thanks for a great hike this morning, see you on the bike tomorrow, Hanneke
Hi Hell-Bent: Enjoyed the picture and article about Chris immensely. Quite a lad! Quite a wonderful community project! Thanks for letting me know about one of the simply amazing, creative activities that one might otherwise not even imagine exist, (not necessarily in this case), but often almost under one's nose!
Guillermo might join me on the ride this morning as he's jealous that I'm cycling with all of Colonel Klink's Babes! See you shortly. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hello Mount Conkers! A quick note to thank Triple Scoop Spumoni for such a well-timed and orchestrated outing. Lovely to see the rivals, (Colonel Klink and Autarch Al), behave so cordially, if hypocritically, towards one another. Thanks as well to Major Chuckerini for managing field operations. A great, good gathering of like-minded souls. Highly abbreviated Field Report below, if in desperate need of a guaranteed soporific! Fondestos and Cheers, to one and all, Patrizzio!
Field Report: Mount Conkle:
Monday morn I learned, after reading my email that Pushy Pam had deserted me, preferring to drive herself, so I was forced to make my way to distant Summerlandia, all by my lonesome, to rendezvous with gang at the IGA parking lot. Cool wind was blowing when I left my car to greet those who were already gathered so I made sure to hug all of the curvaceous babes as closely as was acceptable, absorbing their fiery heat to dispel the chill in my bones and on my bare-clad knees! Met newcomer Nele, a close friend of Tanya's, who, sadly, had to return to Germany, unexpectedly, as a result of her Father's untimely death.
At any rate, after everyone had made the rounds, König Krannitz , (somewhat cowed by the unexpected appearance of recently deposed Autocrat Al), decreed where to rendezvous, dispatching the hoi polloi to their assigned vehicles. I was fortunate enough to hitch a ride with The Blonde Bombshell, along with Josinta, Spumoni and Pearly Whites, commandeering the front seat, as is his selfish wont, without the slightest regard for anyone elses' needs or comfort! Sardined in the back seat we endured considerable discomfort as BB set a blistering pace, putting Hell-Bent Hanneke to shame, as we careened around round-abouts and warp sped down straightaways until we arrived at Fenwick Raod, a day before we set out!
Prying ourselves out of the back seat the three of us kissed the ground, just happy to be alive, before putting on our camel packs, knapsacks and head gear. Quite a large group, about 20 or so but Juggernaut, The Lovely Louisa, Gallagher Lake, Down-and-Dirty, Dave and Jumpin' Jack Flash decided to stick with Troglodyte Tinka, in a show of solidarity with him against Pushy Pam The Usurper. The rest of us didn't possess the moral fibre to risk her wrath so we bid our stalwart companions adieu and set of to conquer Mount Conklin. Although I'd been on a hike to this particular mountain last summer, (In fact it was during the height of the terrible wildfires around Rock Creek when the heavy smoke kept but four of us from hiking with Damn the Torpedoes Tinka!), I had never approached it from this direction before.
One starts out at the so-called Fenwick Trailhead, part of the Trans Canada Trail system, on a road leading to a number of ranches or a farms. Quite quickly we were blundering creatively across hillsides of sage, horses grazing in a pasture nearbye. Relatively easy climb, crossing a barbed wire fence, many of its posts anchored by large stones wired to the uprights, to follow a narrow trail upwards and into the pines above. Day was gorgeous and not as windy as it had been when we left Summerland. A couple of fairly taxing climbs, up reasonably steep hillsides, showing far fewer Balsam-root flowers than on our earlier hikes, we stopped, a number of times, for a few moments, to allow people to fill their lungs, if they needed to do so, while enjoying splendid views of Giant's Head below and Okanagan Lake beyond.
Once we'd gained a certain ridge atop Conkle we walked as far north along it as them what know such stuff decided was appropriate and then retraced our steps, marveling at the sheer beauty of the day: the allure of the surrounding landscape, the utter quiet which enveloped us and the still air which bathed us in its warmth. Much to everyone's surprise and delight, (I must add, Dear Reader!), our Harsh Task Mistress called a halt on a gorgeous, relatively flat, outcropping, in its centre, a large fallen trunk adorned with colourful prayer flags, a memorial to Denis Brown, known to many in the group, who died in a horrible kayaking accident last year. While I had heard, from Aarturo, about his death, on one of our hikes, last summer, I did not realize, at the time of our stopping here, that this was site was so adorned as a tribute to this extraordinary individual. Nevertheless, a fitting location for such a memorial to be set, given that fact that Denis was, I understand, unrelentingly passionate about the outdoors, whether climbing mountains, (scaling Everest three times and summiting once, I discovered.), or kayaking.
Drinking in the almost 360º views spettacolare, while nibbling our snacks or devouring our lunches and sipping our tea or java, we were somewhat taken aback to see Unaccompanied Al walk into the clearing to say hello, click a few snaps and then melt back into the forest, marching to his own set of orders, not those of The Pretender Pamela! Just before he set off I asked him which way we were headed next, thinking he was joining us, and he replied, in typical Terse Tinka style: "I don't know but I know which way I'm going!" Arrivederci Al!!!
Not long after, King Pin Krannitz shattered the calm, harshly rousing us from the more than tranquil state we'd fallen into, barking out the order to break camp and we all dashed, at double time, to obey her imperious command. Shaking in our boots, we followed the ridge a short way, past a gorgeous fan of Bitterroot in full bloom at the base of a stately pine, to peer, gingerly, over the edge of a dizzying cliff before Chuckerini led us away from the abyss and we proceeded downhill, through the pine forest. Much of the way was along a well-trodden path, its roadbed littered with cones and the more Balsam-root blooms on the surrounding hillsides. A this point Federico and Guillermo wer my companions and I listened to their amiable chat as we enjoyed the easy footing and even more wonderful views of Giant's Head loyally guarding Summerland.
Not for too, too long however, as the gang ahead left the trail, crossing a hillside to begin the last long steep descent of the day. Still, the footing was sure and although one still needed to pay attention, we were soon back on level ground and while waiting for the laggards to catch up, the Blonde Bombshell did her Olga Polga burlesque immitation, stripping off her hooded sweatshirt as the day had become increasingly warmer. Not long after we gained the path running along the livestock fence and the going was literally a walk in the park as we sliced across the hillside, Giant's Head almost on top of us now.
Jack Rabbit and I were last in line by now and she ushered me ahead as she needed a Comfort Station stop. I proceeded, allowing her the privacy she sought, and quite soon afterwards she shot ahead like the speedster she is, leaving me to continue along the road, paved, at this point, by myself. Coming around a corner, I was more than surprised to spy Josinta, a tad déshabillé, having stopped to avail herself of the weeded Comfort Station there, believing Robo Robson was, in fact, the last hiker. Being Tail-End Charlie has its own advantages sometimes, Dear Reader! Dutch babes are, however, far from fussed about such things so we laughed together as we made our way to join the rest of the waiting crew. I was able to herd a few of them in front of the trailhead map for a group shot and then we bade goodbye to those leaving in other vehicles.
Offering my silent prayers to St Christopher, I hopped into the front seat before Pearly Whites could protest and The Blonde Bombshell drove at light speed back to IGA. So quick was her progress that none of us had time to be afeared of her whirlwind wheel-handling and we were soon safe and sound, back at our own turtle-slow, but better safe-than-sorry vehicles! More thanks and goodbyes to one and all for such a fantabulous outing. One of the shortest I've been on, once home, as Lady Dar immediately asked, when I walked in the door,"Why are you home so soon?" Always nice to be missed! Now I know what it feels like, Ascetic Al! Map and Stats for hike:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1161580753#.VzHye6MOVao.email
or
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1161580753#.VzEiK-D-PAs.email
Great story & snapolas! Dr. Traa Kroens
Hi Patricio! remember I was telling you about my daughter and her involvement with Yukonstruct in Whitehorse? this is an article about my son in law
http://yukonstruct.com/2016/05/09/meet-makers-chris/
thanks for a great hike this morning, see you on the bike tomorrow, Hanneke
Patrick, we love your edventures, I'm exhausted.Good thing you are young. Sandee Hi Sandee! Perhaps the latest will put you to sleep since you are so tired! Cheers, Patrizzio!Great pictures too. Sandee
Hi Corinne & Patrick, Yda is coming back from Florida this Tuesday, and on Saturday and Sunday we have the Health Food show from 10-6pm.
Any way you are here this Friday already and I can come and see you after work? I’m only a few blocks from Chloe’s and finish at about 7pm. Or I can meet you after the show. I am not sure about Yda, because she often has to do business dinners after the show...Laura Hi Laura, we have a scotch tasting on Friday night at Hycroft and won't be at Chloe's. It is a fundraising for the Writers Festival. Hope we can get together another time. Love Corinne :( Big Bummer!
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