Vaseux Bluffs Blues: Monday, August 29th!

The mind of a bigot to the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour on it, the more it contracts. -Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., poet, novelist, essayist, and physician (29 Aug 1809-1894) 

Hello Vaseux Bluffers et al! Must apologize for not sending out the snapolas sooner. No excuses but plenty of reasons! Foist and foremost, many, many thanks to Able Aarturo for organizing and leading the hike, to Terrible Tinka for wresting role of Official Photographer from me and to Bad Boy for reconnoitering so ably and well.

For my part, this is probably the last hike for me, until next spring. As some of you know, I will be undergoing surgery for a left-hip replacement on September 14th, all going well, followed by a three month recovery period. I'll be in touch, never fear, and once I'm up and around I'm looking forward to joining you for coffee after some of your outings. Until next we meet, take care of each other and I'll be thinking of you, jealously, green with envy, hiking and snow-shoeing. All the best. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Please find some of the preliminary documentation, for the lawsuit I'm bringing against Big Bad Al, for wrongful dismissal, below, if interested in joining a class-action suit!

Vaseux Bluffs, Field Report, Monday, August 29th!

Up at 6:45 am, even before the sleepy kittens, so that was a change! Into the kitchen to make my java and then start on hike preparations. Needed to make my lunch, sandwich along with a some raw carrots. Once this was ready I topped up my camel-pack, filling it with a goodly portion of ice-cubes. By the time this was done and I'd sent a few messages, the Wild Beasts were clamouring for breakfast so I fed them just after 8:00 am. Must admit that they are doing quite well with their "delayed" feedings. Just didn't want them to become habituated to an extremely early feeding time at the zoo!

Lady Dar was up shortly thereafter and I cajoled her into tying the laces of my hiking boots and shortly after I was shod, Guillermo arrived. His truck was in the garage so he was hitching a ride with me. Waving goodbye to Kitten Lady and her charges, we hopped into the car and made for HH. Spumoni was there when we pulled in so we greeted her, chatting and catching up as she had been away, at Cathedral Lakes, with Famiglia Robson. A few minutes later another lady approached us and introduced herself. Gosia had met St Kilian when both were volunteering at The Challenge this past weekend and he had mentioned the group. Welcomed her and then The Summerlandians started to arrive, in droves. Delighted to see that Tyrant Tinka, along with his daughter Pauline and her husband Benjamin, would be on the hike, and began to introduce Gosia to rest of group.

Despot Dronkers, however, would have none of this idle chit-chat and soon took charge, assigning car-pool vehicles and otherwise barking out directions/orders! Gosia rode with Guillermo and I so we had a chance to hear some of her "backstory" en route to OK Falls and then to the rendezvous/parking spot just opposite Oliver Ranch Road and 97. Once everyone had gathered their hiking kit we crossed 97, very carefully as the cars are whizzing by there at great speed, as you might imagine, Dear Reader. Then, walking the tightrope over the large cattle guard there we scrambled up the fairly steep bank by the roadside to slip under the smooth wire fence at the top. Once here, the grassy slopes ahead provide easy going.

We'd been here back in February, but instead of heading to the left, after crossing an intervening gully, Alpine Aarturo took us to the right where the grassland of the lower slopes, covered with an abundance of prickly pear, provided fairly easy going as well as offering lovely views of Blue Mountain's vineyards and Vaseux beyond. Quite quickly the grade became steeper and we clambered over increasingly rocky ledges to stop, for a few minutes, to drink in the stunning views and pose for Ansel Al, almost immediatley reasserting his status as Official Hike Photographer!

Pictures taken, we set off on a fairly steep, long climb that crested on a large, flat ridge, its west-facing cliff the perfect perch for gorgeous 180º views of the surrounding countryside: McIntyre Bluff to the south, the mottled surface of Vaseux to the west and Peach Cliff to the north, extensive intervening vineyards, a magnificent tapestry leading one's eye to it and smaller, surrounding crags. While Terrible Tinka was otherwise engaged, I managed to take a few quick, "un-officlal" group snaps and then, with Bad Boy, nimble mountain goat that he is, scouting the way, we headed down in order to cross a significant ravine running between where we were and the two higher slopes we needed to ascend before reaching the ridge which had been set for the day's goal. 

Bit of adrenaline produced, at one point, in the steep descent over a fairly demanding rock face which necessitated a bit of slip-sliding on one's bottom for those not capable or brave enough, (Read "foolhardy", Dear Reader!), to jump to lower ledges. Once this heart-thudding obstacle was negotiated, however, the rest of the way down was pleasant enough. Gosia and I were two of the last to reach the floor of the ravine and found ourselves all alone, not quite sure of which direction to take. No sight of anyone but we could hear The Deafening Dutchman's voice so this stilled our quaking hearts. After a bit, however, Gosia located a route through the quite thick growth of Trembling Aspen we encountered there and scrambling through the thicket we came out on an open, rolling, grassy slope, dotted with rocky outcroppings, Big Bad Al, leaning on his poles, waiting patiently for the slow-pokes!

Back in the fold, we continued on, upwards, always upwards, towards the next rock face, the slopes lightly dotted with small, scraggly pines. The going was reasonably strenuous, due to the slope, but the footing was fairly reasonable, although a few spots were strewn with fans of small, sharp boulders and like, mixed rubble, so one needed to tread carefully, often balancing on teetering rocks. Over the crest of this hill and then the last, longest, most open slope loomed. Paradoxically, being able to see the top seems to make the climb more difficult as one knows, I suppose, exactly how far one still has to climb and how much more effort is required to reach the top. 

Ski Patrol Man was the first of the party to reach a large boulder, just below the lip of the ridge, and he posed while the rest of us caught our breath. Shortly thereafter, Tyrant Tinka had us in stitches as he assumed a position, below the boulder, which gave the impression that his strength alone was keeping the giant rock from careening down into the valley below! A few minutes later we were all atop the ridge, some settled on a large fallen trunk to enjoy their lunch, a few others on the rocky outcroppings, a bit above the rest. Another simply unbelievable, wondrous spot to enjoy our tasty fare. The panoramas we enjoyed mirrored those we'd seen on the way up but from this higher altitude were even more spectacular.

The weather couldn't have been more cooperative, hardly a breath of wind and the fluffy cloud cover mitigated the sun's heat. We basked in the glorious quiet, completely at ease with each other and our serene surroundings. Would have been more than easy to drift off, so drowsy-making was the early afternoon. However, no time for naps as the return leg awaited and after this perfect respite, we packed up our lunch kit and bade farewell to our idyllic picnic spot. The downward slope provided no real difficulty and once we'd reached the bottom of the ravine below, we were back on familiar ground as we'd followed this route down on February's outing. 

Since the remaining terrain was very easily negotiable, and known, the speedsters soon left me well behind, although Pearly Whites made sure to remain near the bottom of the last rocky outcropping to help both Gosia and I across and down the almost sheer face which offered but minuscule, if any, footholds. Once his last charges were safe and on solid ground he left us, in a cloud of dust and prickly pear spikes, to make our own way back, up and down the last two or three grass-covered, low hills between where we were and where we'd started the hike, off Oliver Ranch Road. 

Pleased as punch to cross the cattle-guard and rejoin the rest of the crew as I was starting to feel a bit weary by then. Half of the party had parked a little further north so once I'd snapped a few shots of those parked near my vehicle we bade farewell to one another and set off for Penticton, honking at the others as we passed the lot they were in. Bittersweet end to the day's outing knowing, as a consequence of my coming surgery/three month recovery period and our social schedule beforehand, that this would probably be my last hike before next spring. Still, couldn't have asked for a more rewarding time so certainly simply delighted to have been part of shared companionship.

Hi, I wheeled up 2 barrows of logs - you'll find them just outside the 2nd entrance to our driveway (by the metal post displaying 1185). They're stacked on the shoulder so you can pick them up anytime. There's just enough space with the left and right shoulders to do a U turn there. Let me know if you want another 2 (or 3,4,5...) barrows of logs. It's no problem to stack them up and sending them to a good home helps us lower our overflowing inventory of fuel on the ground!! Cheers. Phil

I'd be good for bridge tomorrow night if I get a lift with Patrick and Corinne? I'd drive to your place. Phil not going. Kathy and/or Pam are you good? See you Gill

Hi Phillipo and Gilliana, et al! First and foremost, thanks so much for all your hard work and effort with respect to the barrows of wood, Phillipo! Certainly much appreciated indeed. As I mentioned, in my phone message, I'm more than happy to take all you wish to dispose of but I feel I should help with all the heavy lifting so please let's try to coordinate something!

At the moment, I'm trying to arrange collecting a large Norfolk Pine from Dorothy Tinnings. Guillermo has very kindly offered to drive to their place, with his pick-up, in order to transport it. As soon as I have managed this, (I trust over the nextday or so.), I will pop up to your place for the wood. Thanks for telling me where it is stacked. You both may well be out and about but I'll see Gilliana at bridge tomorrow evening.

With respect to car-pooling, Jack Rabbit, is Kathy Davies joining us? If so we'll probably need two cars as there will be six of us going to Summerland: Two Pams, a Naramatian, a Spiller Goil and two Pentictonites. If you want to arrange to have Pam Webster collect you where you usually park your car when we ride together, you three could just head over to Summerland. Spumoni is coming to our place so I'll drive to Jos' place. If there are only five, in total, I think we can all fit in Pamela's vehicle. Let me know what you know about numbers and we'll plan accordingly. Thanks and Cheers, Patrizzio!
  
Hi Card lovers, Somehow Tuesday plays have become unsuitable for me lately because other commitments have driven me away from the game. Again I have to take a rain check hoping I would be able to join you guys in the near future.
Thanks for the invitation. Regards Mike 

A nice day walking through some rough terrain. Jolly bunch of people. Very few flowers left: https://goo.gl/photos/gsP5kZXXVWkpyuhT9