Tuesday is a walk day. I waited at the parking place while Stephanie and Galen collected clients dogs from around town for their one hour off leash run through the woods. Badger and Kodi were thrilled to participate, though at one point Kodi got knocked over by a much larger dog and spent several minutes ensuring that no one had ANY fun. He's slowed down a little from what he used to be, not as quick to get out of the way anymore.
It's a shame so few of the hike pictures turned out. But as I've mentioned before the woods in BC are dark places, and there simply was not enough light to catch the movements of the nine or more dogs we had running through the trees.
Kodi and Reggie
Galen informing us that he believes the mosquitoes will attack from behind.
The rest of the week was pretty low key. It rained on and off for the entire trip and we spent lots of time at the acreage watching the dogs run in the yard.
Zoey, Stephanie and Galen's foster dog.
My Favorite shot
Watch Zoey
Kodi thinks that is inappropriate
Poor Leela
Sometimes the weather was so bad we had to stay indoors. That is when cabin fever would set in, and incidents like this one occurred.
Hard to keep a straight face when the photographer can't stop laughing. There is only one place on Kodi, where the hair grows long enough to make such a disguise possible.
Friday, July 1, as you saw in the previous post, we dressed festively, played in the yard, and then got pizza and went to see the fireworks at Heritage Park. I left my camera behind. Some things are better remembered than captured.
But the morning I left, July 2, I made sure we got one last shot.
I was torn about posting some of these pictures. I usually try to only post the best, the most in focus, the most well composed. You'll find that is not the case here though. Sure there are some great shots that I am really proud of, things I'll be getting printed and framed, but there are also some fuzzy shots.
Not everything in this world happens in perfect focus. Some of the best moments are a little fuzzy. The dogs were no exception, and I'd be missing out on sharing some of their true personalities if I only posted the 'perfect' shots.
Relaxing in the yard on Sunday. Badger has recovered from his near drowning incident (who'da thunk it? He sinks!) and gets to know his new friends while Kodi, the senior of the group, enjoys some Galen time on the deck.
This is Duke. He's a Rottie x Shepherd mix. Stephanie brought him to the trainer's program and let's just say he was a bit of an upstart. On the first day of classes he pulled her across the gravel parking lot on her face. Huge difference these days! Duke is a well mannered dog with impeccable training. The work she has done with him has truly inspired me.
That's Leela. She's a husky mix, also belonging to Stephanie. She's just finished chasing her tail and looks a little dizzy.
Look, they match! Clearly they must be twins.
Galen and his Emmy. She was a star during our training program. He's lucky she's so tolerant, would do anything for him.
The only reason Kodi isn't inside sulking on the couch.
On Monday we went for a walk through town with Stephanie while she worked with a client's dog, Maggie.
This is Kodi being an obnoxious distraction while Maggie is working.
We left on Friday June, 24th. It was payday (a week early actually. Thanks, Boss) but I didn't want to drive the distance the wrong way back to town from work, so I had to find a bank along the way. Fortunately for us there is an RBC across the street from this giant ass truck in Sparwood, BC.
So I went to the bank then took the boys to pee on the truck. I didn't actually let them pee on the truck. But about 8 years ago Kodi did manage to do it while I wasn't paying attention. There was no repeat of the situation for Badger though. Both dogs were acting a little nervy, and despite having their leashes tied together I didn't feel safe (and neither did they) getting far enough away to get the whole truck in the picture with them. So a tire will have to do.
We hit snow in the Kootney Pass. The pond up there still had some pretty solid ice on it and it was snowing pretty heavily when I hopped out real quick to take the picture. On the way back by on July 2 the ice was melting and it was sunny up there, but the snow was still several feet deep in the shade.
I tried not to stop too often on the way, I needed to get to Christina Lake before dark so I could set my tent up (in the rain of course) without too much trouble. With my gas light blinking at me and one more big pass to go, I decided to fuel at the Shell station in Castlegar. Why are you mentioning this, Monika? No one cares where you got gas.
WELL!
I am mentioning it, because the young lady who worked at the Castlegar Shell station was the NICEST gas station attendant I have ever met in my entire existence! And you know what we talked about? Rainbows! It was a highlight for me, ok?
I didn't beat the dark, unfortunately, and it was raining good and hard in Christina Lake when I arrived. But the camp ground attendant was awesome, and it's on my list to stop there again someday and actually enjoy the lake, which I didn't see, because it was dark.
I arrived in Mission on Saturday and there are actually no pictures from that day. In fact, the giant truck, and the pond at the top of the Kootney pass were nearly it for touristy type photos. I only snapped three on Sunday, when I had to find my own entertainment while my friends were busy or sleeping off a night shift.
These are the three.
This is a road.
This is my car on that road.
This is a creek running under the road. I highlighted the Sasquatch in the upper left there for you.
Psych. There is no Sasquatch. That's a sun spot.
Actually, the story behind that is rather simple. I was trying to find access to Stave Lake via what looked like a road on my map. This road started out ok, and then it gradually became less and less of a road. By the time I'd passed the 3rd tow truck hauling more rugged looking vehicles than mine (my vehicle is a rugged thing disguised as a suburbanite's car) out I decided it was not enough of a road for my tastes anymore, especially since I didn't have a phone with me and I didn't really know where I was and I had to pee really bad. It's apparently a place where people go offroading in Mission, and there were several ATVs and dirt bikes. So I turned around and pulled over by this creek, took a picture, and got kind of creeped out about the woods (which I had to enter to take care of my other problem), the dozens of 'missing' posters and the empty car parked by mine with no paths anywhere near. Why are trees so big and intimidating in BC?
I was later informed by my friends about this incident when I told them where I'd tried to go. Doors open, engine running, radio and wipers on... body not recovered for over a year. And all only 200 meters from his campsite. A quick search for the area on google matches the missing posters tacked to the trees. Lots of young men disappear off the road to Stave Lake. One site suggested as many as 22 and I found 3 names since 2007, all with the same story, cars found, people not. Had I known this before I would not have run into the woods behind my car to answer nature's call! That kind of stuff just scares me, woods like that, just so easy to disappear in.
I can't say I'm entirely surprised though, given what I witnessed the young men doing, for example the fellow standing on the bumper of the jeep hanging on to the roof rack with his pants around his ankles... to be fair I should suppose there were likely some young women involved as well.
Either way though, the vast number of missing posters, and the stories like those of John Kahler always make me feel both sad and uneasy. I have to admit, the uneasiness often out does the sad too. I've got the willies just thinking about it now.
To cheer us up, here is a video of some guy stuck in a big puddle. He is standing on his driver's seat because he doesn't wish to get wet. (I did not get this far on the road and this video was taken in the winter, not by me)
One commenter describes Stave Lake as "a shithole where retards gather annually to destroy their vehicles while intoxicated"
I managed to not go missing though. And here ends the touristy pictures from my trip. The rest were all of dogs or friends, but mostly of dogs. To be honest, I didn't do anything particularly touristy. We hung out at the house, watched the dogs play in the yard, it rained most of the week so we went browsing shops in town, and ate lots of food, and watched lots of tv, and fell asleep on the couch more often than any of us might care to admit. Napping and talking and making the same trip in to town 5 times a day for different reasons. And I laughed. I laughed so hard my stomach ached. It has been a very very long time since I have laughed like that. It was the most laid back, mellow, carefree vacation I have ever had.
I wasn't sure where to start with my vacation pictures. Logic would dictate that I start at the beginning.
I decided I better start at the end instead!
July 1 was my last day in Mission, I'd have to pack up and leave the next morning.
I'll start with the last, because it has a bit of an expiry date. As is it I'm already 3 days late posting it! Maybe I should save it for next year...
Naw
Happy Canada Day!
In the back row we have Zoey (wire hair German pointer), Emmy (bluetick coonhound), Leela (husky mix), and Duke (German shepherd x rottweiler) Of course down in the front the grumpy face is Kodi and the goofball who can't sit still is Badger.
After formal pictures came party time. Even Kodi got involved, though only for a short time. Then he returned to sulking on the deck.
Arguing over the Canada frisbee. They broke it and we had to take it away.
Badger! How did you get to be so cute?
Notice he runs extra fast so that it doesn't touch the ground. Good boy.
