Christmas Greetings

(This is a column originally published for Christmas in 1992. Hope you enjoy it and may you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2007-08)


The Christmas spirit touched me early this year and I'm not sure
why. Normally I don't think much about the holiday until it's almost
here but this year is different. I found myself humming Christmas
music weeks ago and I keep day dreaming about, of all things, going
for an old fashioned sleigh ride. I've never been in a horse drawn
sleigh in my life and yet there I am, at least in my imagination,
riding through the woods and over the hills toward a far off village.
I can hear the jingling sleigh bells and feel the cold on my cheeks.
It's like living in a Christmas card. This is strange behavior for
someone who tends to be a little like Scrooge at this time of year.

You see I love Christmas itself, I just don't like all the fuss
and planning and hype that goes along with it. I'm uncomfortable with
the Christmas buying frenzy that's underway now and I feel the holiday
has become much too hectic for most people. And yet, I still find
myself in this mysterious Christmassy mood.

Even the Christmas chores, as I call them, couldn't destroy the
seasonal spirit that's infected me. Putting up the outside lights is
always a miserable job. They're tangled, bulbs are missing and it
takes an hour of fiddling just to get them working. In my wisdom this
year I decided to put them up the day of our first big snow storm of
the winter. My fingers were frozen, strings of lights decided to stop
working just after I placed them at the very top of the tree. These
are the joys of Christmas. It was a frustrating afternoon but you
know once the job was done and the lights were sparkling in the trees,
that darn Christmas feeling came back again.

I probably shouldn't be feeling this way. The last few months
have been difficult and painful for a lot of people. More then ever
before, I've seen the toll this damn, never ending recession is taking
on peoples lives. Times are tough for everyone and many families are
just scraping by. Others are dealing with sickness in the family or
the death of a loved one. For many people there isn't a lot to be
happy about this holiday season.

Maybe that's why Christmas seems so special this year? Maybe
it's just the tonic we need to help us get through these difficult
times. After all, isn't the magic of Christmas partly about sharing,
and caring for others and hoping for a better future? I think it is.

Yes, I'm looking forward to the holiday this year. I guess the
spirit of Christmas has really worked it's magic on me. Who knows,
maybe those Christmas Card sleigh rides of my imagination will turn
into the real thing. I have to go. The tree still has to be
decorated and I think I hear sleigh bells.

Merry Christmas.

Allen's Wall

(This is a column originally published in November, 1992. As far as I know, the wall is still there and still a mystery.)


It's not every day you go on an archeological expedition to the ruins of an old fort. It's even rarer if that fort is in your own backyard. But that's what happened one day this past summer on the Kingston Peninsula. Allen Gorham lead an expedition of sorts to the site of an old rock wall he's known about for years.

"When we were kids we came down here to play and look for Indian arrow heads and cannon balls and stuff." Allen says laughing, "Of course we didn't find any because we didn't even know what an arrow head looked like. But I've been told all my life that this wall is part of an old French fort."

The wall or fort or whatever it is stretches for about 200 feet through the woods at Gregory Point, just below Crystal Beach. It's about four feet high and three feet thick in most places and is made of field stones and boulders. It stands about a hundred feet from the waters edge, where the river bends and flows toward Westfield and Grand Bay. It's been here for a long time and yet few know of it's existence. But that could change.

Allen Gorham invited a special guest along on this expedition to the wall. He's Dr. Chris Turnbull, the Provincial Archeologist. Chris had heard about this rock structure before but never seen it. He was getting excited as he followed Allen along the beach and then through the woods toward the site. Dr. Turnbull has done this sort of thing before. He often gets asked by people to check out something on their property or an unusual structure they know about. In fact some of the most exciting archeological sites in the maritimes have been discovered this way.

After a careful examination of the wall, Chris Turnbull admitted he's never seen anything quite like this before. "The problem is that forts usually aren't just simply long walls like this, they're small enclosed areas." he said. "And French forts in particular are usually very small structures." He believes it's of European origin because native societies generally didn't build rock walls like this but he can't understand why it would be built here.

"Archeologists of course deal in probabilities and it certainly is a rock wall, it was put together by people for some reason but as to exactly when and for what reason we'd have to undertake some digging along here to uncover some artifacts." said Dr. Turnbull. "People have been living in a disposable mode for a long time and that disposal is the stuff we use to date things."

This expedition has been a great success for Allen Gorham. He's been assured by the expert that his mystery wall is indeed authentic and historic but to find out any more is going to take some digging both in the ground and in the archives. And Dr. Chris Turnbull promises this will happen at some point but he can't give Allen a date. That' OK though. The wall's been here for many years. It and Allen can wait a little longer.

For now this stone structure is being officially called "Allen"s Wall". "I'll go for that." Allen says with a hearty laugh. "I'll finally have something named after me."

Wanderlust

(This is a column first published in November, 1992. Geoff and Margaret returned and did some work on their boat a few years after this. They again went back to Australia and left the boat at the marina. Some time ago, I can't remember exactly when, they returned again and put the Skookum back in the water. They sailed away and I don't know where they are now.)


I think we all have a little bit of wanderlust in us. It's a desire for adventure and a yearning for travel. It's a feeling of freedom, of going where you want, of living your life the way you want, not the way society expects you to live. Sometimes it takes very little for this wanderlust to surface especially in these stressful times. It was rekindled in me recently when I met Geoff Payne and Margaret Hough.

This young Australian couple sailed into Saint John Marina one sunny day in late October. Before they knew it the 40 foot yacht that had been their home for the last four years as they sailed half way around the world, was out of the water and on land. "This is our home. It's not just a boat." said a laughing Margaret, "This is all we've got. For somebody to lift it out of the water and put it on land is quite frightening really."

Over a cup of soup in the cozy cabin I shared in their adventure. Geoff told me how it started, how he decided to build this boat out of steel using his uncles plans. He built it in Kamloops, British Columbia and called it "Skookum" which means good and strong in west coast Indian language. Then he sent a telegram to Margaret in Australia saying: "Boat launched... exhausted... Geoff."

Together they began a four year sailing odyssey. The Skookum took them all along the BC coast, down to the Galapagos Islands, Easter Island, then around Cape Horn to the Falkland Islands and eventually to Antarctica. They would sail for a few weeks and then go ashore to
explore, meet the people and if possible work. "In the Falkland Islands I turned to drafting, roofing and finishing boats." said Geoff, "Margaret was a bar maid, fence painter, waitress and
agricultural laboratist."

Their lifestyle on board the boat was kept simple. "There's a lot of things you just cut loose when you do a trip like this." said Geoff. "No automobile, entertainment, rent, phones. No tv. All those things are gone. We live a simple life. Keeping the food up is all we need."

Every day is an adventure for Margaret and Geoff. They never know where the wind will take them. They could be out at sea for weeks at a time, isolated from even radio contact with the mainland. If something happened they don't expect anyone to come looking. They have to be self sufficient. They've survived wild seas and successfully maneuvered through an ocean of icebergs in the fog without radar.

t's not the life for everyone. It takes a special kind of person. "The hardest thing is getting up and going." said Geoff, "There was every temptation with a good job earning a good salary to stay on. Buy more, get involved with a house and a mortgage. That's the time you have to make the decision to go."

The wind and the waves brought Geoff and Margaret to our part of the world and here the sea bound portion of their adventure ends for a while. The Skookum is high and dry and will be cared for over the winter by the marina staff while Geoff and Margaret continue the adventure over land. They've picked up an old car and plan to drive back to B.C. where the expedition started four years ago. But they'll be back. After all their home is here. They look forward to
continuing their round the world voyage but not before experiencing the joys of sailing the St. John River.

I finished my soup and looked at the last few pictures of their travels. I had to get back to work, back to the reality of everyday life. But for a few minutes I was sharing in their adventure. It's comforting to know that in this complicated world in which we live it's still possible for two people like Geoff Payne and Margaret Hough to set sail in a small boat and go wherever the wind takes them.

That's wanderlust. That's freedom.

From Welsford to Nepal

(Here's another column from 15 years ago. I can't remember how Steve, Don and Jonathan made out on that climb. I met up with Steve Adamson last winter on an ice climbing adventure. I know the family is still involved with climbing. Enjoy this look back to Onctober, 1992.)

It's a long way from the 600 foot top of Bald Peak in Welsford to the 24,000 foot summit of Mount Pumori, standing next to Everest in Nepal. But right now three generations of a New Brunswick family are making the trip. Steve Adamson of Welsford is leading a climbing expedition to this Himalayan peak. Joining him on the climb are his 6 year old son Jonathan and his father Don. Fifty years may separate them but it doesn't matter for this climbing family. They left for Pumori in mid September.

It's a sunny, early summer day in Welsford. Steve, Don, Jonathan and a group of their friends are picnicking on Bald Peak and rock climbing. They use the cliff on the top of Mount Douglas to practice their climbing technique. Steve's been coming up here for years. Six year old Jonathan has been climbing since he was two and he can scramble up the rock face with little effort. He'll be accompanying his father and grand dad to base camp at 16,000 feet. That means a three week trek through the lowlands of Nepal, 10 to 15 miles a day carrying a pack. Jonathan is looking forward to it.

So is his grampa Don from Rothesay. It's his third mountaineering expedition. "My goal is to get Steve to the top even if I have to push him up there myself." Don says with a laugh. "I'll go
to base camp and see what happens after that. It would be nice to get to the top but I'm not banking on that."

Steve is hoping to reach the summit this time. It's his fourth climb and he's gathered together a team of experienced climbers. On his expedition to 26,000 foot Anapurna, Steve came face to face with the dangers of mountaineering. He was caught between a rock face and a crevice when a rock fall started rumbling down from way up the mountain. "The rock fall lasted about 15 minutes and there were boulders literally the size of houses just bouncing around me and
there was nothing I could do." said Steve. "You just hope your luck holds out. My luck ran out a little bit but it still held in the end."

On that same trip Steve was also caught in an avalanche. You learn a lot from experiences like that. "What it teaches you is things like taxes and constitutional debates are pretty insignificant when you're out in a snow storm just struggling to stay alive and where you can be snuffed out in seconds by an avalanche." Steve said thoughtfully. "It really puts everything in perspective."

Don was along with his son on that Anapurna trip and although they failed to reach the summit they did successfully climb a lesser peak together. It was a high point for both of them. Dons biggest concern about this trek is altitude sickness and the giant leeches they may encounter on their hike to base camp. "The monsoons tend to bring them out." he says, "They drop out of the trees and land on you. If we survive the leeches we've got it made." Steve says he knows a technique to avoid the leeches. "You travel in single file so the person at the end gets most of the leeches and being the expedition leader I'll be at the front of course." Steve says with a
laugh. "And being the oldest I'll be at the back." complains Don. "See how the strategy for this expedition is already forming."

All kidding aside, climbing this mountain is a quest filled with danger and adventure. Steve says he does it simply because it's fun. He can't think of a more enjoyable thing to do. And if he can reach the summit it's a bonus. "When you get to the top of a mountain you didn't conquer the mountain by any means, you were just lucky enough to be allowed to climb to it's top." Steve says, "It and nature are still in charge."

Right now the Adamson's are on the other side of the world making their way up the mountain and facing who knows what kind of conditions. But on that summer day on Bald Peak the sun was shining. There were no avalanches to worry about. Mount Pumori was far, far away. But it's snow packed summit loomed nearby, in the thoughts of three generations of the Adamson family.

A Grand Bay Fairy Tale

(This is I think my favorite column. It was written in October, 1992. When I read it today I can't remember all the issues that inspired it 15 years ago. I know Grand Bay had a new town council that seemed to get along after years of a previous council that did nothing but fight among themselves. I also know there was an issue over a town sign in both French and English but I can't remember the details. And I have no idea what the reference to a fox is all about. Either way it still reads like a fairy tale and I like it. Hope you do too)

The old man is standing on top of the hill, looking down at the Grand River and the forested valley that is his home. A tear runs down the old mans cheek. He is weeping for his town. The darkness has returned to the Bay folk.

In ancient times the Bay folk were ruled, as they still are, by the Grand Council. These wise men were elected to rule the land and keep the Bay folk safe. But this Grand Council turned out to be not so wise. They argued and fought among themselves. The needs of the Bay folk were forgotten. Eventually the Grand Council of the town of Bay in the land of New Brun became a laughing stock. The good New Brun people couldn't believe that members of the Grand Council would fight among themselves. Soon the New Brun people wanted nothing to do
with the poor Bay Folk. The laughing and humiliation continued for many years until the Day of Reckoning. On that day all the Grand Councilors of the Bay, who turned out to be not very wise, were thrown out and replaced by a new Council. The Bay folk rejoiced. Surely these new Grand Councilors, both men and women, would stop the fighting and deliver them from the darkness. They did and the darkness was lifted. Once again the birds sang in the forests, the fish returned to the Grand River and the Bay folk were happy.

The old man wipes his eyes, now full of tears as he weeps openly for his community. The fighting has returned and with it the darkness. You see the wise members of the new Grand Council decided in their wisdom to put up a big sign on the road welcoming all who come to the Bay. They wanted the sign to be written in both the languages spoken in the land of New Brun, so all would feel welcome. But a group of Bay merchants, led by Borm the town crier wanted the sign written in only one language, the one spoken by most of the Bay folk.

The Grandest of the Grand Councilors, the leader Fen disagreed with Borm and the others. Soon news of the dispute over the sign spread throughout the land. And the good people of Nouveau Brun laughed at the foolishness of it all. Once again the Bay folk were the laughing stock of the land. (And to make matters even worse, the Fox's were on the run again in the Bay and try as they might, the Grand Council couldn't control them.)

The old man wiped away his tears and headed down the hill. "Why must it always be like this?" he sighed. "Why can't we all get along?"

The old man walked home slowly, in sadness and shame.

Disability and Accessibility

(Here's another old column I found and dusted off from September 1992. The funny thing about going through these old Ramblers is once I read them I can actually remember writing them even it if was 15 years ago. I also find I feel much the same today about the things I wrote about as I did back then. This column is no exception.

It goes back to the days before amalgamation and when Grand Bay had its own police force. The names are familiar and so are the problems. I miss those regular wheelchair basketball games. They did create a needed awareness. I assume accessibility is better today than it was 15 years ago. I sure hope it is.)

I had three experiences recently that forced me to open my eyes and look at things differently. So often we go about our lives with blinders on until something happens that makes us stop and think and hopefully see. What I saw and experienced helped change my perception of what it means to be disabled.

It started with a visit to a friend at the Regional Hospital who was about to have some repair work done on his artificial knee. His old one just wore out and needed replacing. He was confident the surgery would be successful. Later that day, as I went for my usual run I thought about my friend laid up in the hospital. I felt fortunate because my knees still allowed me to jog and do whatever else I wanted. I felt sorry for my friend. But then I remembered the time he took me exploring in a cave. I was the one having trouble getting around down there, not him. He's the one always anxious to go hiking and canoeing. I realized my friend doesn't let an artificial knee get in the way of his enjoyment of life.

A few days after that hospital visit, I found myself in a wheelchair. I was a player in the 3rd Annual Wheelchair Basketball Game at Westfield school. As usual the team from Grand Bay/Westfield took a beating from the Saint John Maverick's Wheelchair Basketball Team. There were plenty of laughs as our team members awkwardly tried to play the game sitting in a wheelchair. Westfield councilor Allen Day had trouble staying in his. He kept flipping it over on himself.

Norm Adams of the Grand Bay Police couldn't quite figure out how to dribble the ball and drive the chair at the same time. As for me, I'm useless at basketball standing on two feet, let alone in a wheelchair. But we all had fun trying. And it opened my eyes again.

Peter Brooker, one of the organizers of the game, wanted to show everyone there, players and spectators, that being disabled does not mean the end of one's life. The disabled can participate in any community activity as long as the barriers are removed. "Access is a right. It's not a privilege." says Peter, "Once people and politicians realize that, then we might eventually have a barrier free society." Peter is happy to see more ramps and elevators for the disabled being installed in the Grand Bay/Westfield area. But of course, much more needs to be done.

That same week I experienced another eye opener in the form of an obituary notice in the newspaper. The headlines read Hollywood actor Anthony Perkins dies of AIDS. Anthony Perkins, if you don't know became famous by playing the murderous Norman Bates in Alfred
Hitchcock's film Psycho. Normally I would have just glanced at the article and turned the page. But something caught my attention and held it. Perkins released a statement just before his death. This is what he said: "There are many who believe that this disease is God's vengeance but I believe it was sent to teach people how to love and understand and have compassion for each other. I have learned more about love, selflessness and human understanding from the people I have met in this great adventure in the world of AIDS than I ever did in the cut-throat, competitive world in which I spent my life."

Surely living with a disease like AIDS has to be one of the most disabling experiences one could have. And yet Anthony Perkins faced it with courage. He didn't let the disease rob him of his humanity and he actually grew as a person by the experience.

My eyes have opened a little. I still have a lot to learn.

Remembering Horse Farming Days

(Here's another Retro-Rambler from September of 1992. Bill Lennan was organizing his third Horse Farming Days event on his farm at Carters Point. He did it for a number of years back in the 90's to introduce people to horse farming and raise some money for the IWK Hospital. They were always enjoyable events, something you could bring the entire family to. I miss them.)



Dot stares at me with her big brown eyes as I rub her nose. Jim snorts to get my attention because he wants his nose rubbed too. Jim and Dot are horses, big muscular work horses, a mixture of Belgium and Percheon. They're the kind of draft horses farmers depended on to get
the work done in days gone by. On the last weekend of September you'll have a chance to see Jim and Dot and over ten other teams of work horses at the 3rd Annual River Valley Horse Farming Days.

"We got some potatoes to dig and plowing to do, oats to thrash and some more to cut." says Bill Lennan with a big grin. He's the organizer of this weekend long demonstration of the way farming with horses used to be. The event takes place on his farm at Carters Point on the Kingston Peninsula. Last year over 300 people showed up to watch the teams plow up four acres of field on a hill overlooking the St. John River. They came from all over southern New Brunswick and even Nova Scotia.

This year in addition to the plowing Bill's going to dig potatoes with some old horse drawn potato diggers. The thrashing machines will be back and the old "Make and Break" engines used to power them. There'll be an old fashioned binder there to cut and wrap the grain. Bill also hopes to have a blacksmith working on site and have a demonstration of an old cider press. "I'd like to get some entertainment, some music this year. Maybe get some square dancers in if I can get a floor built in time. They'd kinda trip on the grass wouldn't they?" Bill asks with a smile. The only thing he knows for sure is the horses will be there. Draft horse owners from all over the area come because it's one of the few opportunities they have to work their animals and show people what horses can do. It's a celebration of simpler times, the way farming was done in the days before tractors.

"The first tractor came to this settlement of Carters Point in 1939 so up until then it was all done by horse. Even in the 40's dad plowed a lot with his horses. The haying was all done with the horses for a long time after that. The first tractor we got here on this place was in 1953." says Bill.

He doesn't work the family farm anymore. But Bill still has his horses Dot and Jim and he still enjoys hitching them up to the plow. He can't explain why he loves it so much or why he goes to all the trouble of holding this event every year. "It is ridiculous when you think about it." says Bill. "Work myself pretty well to death getting ready, worry and fret and you always forget something. But you look forward to it. Each year when it's over you start making plans for the next year."

The 3rd Annual River Valley Horse Farming Days is on Saturday and Sunday from about 10 am to 5 pm both days. Admission is free and there's a canteen and washroom facilities on the site. Bill's farm is just 3.5 miles above the Westfield Ferry, past Crystal Beach. He'll have a sign on the highway pointing out his farm. Just follow the road past the house and down to the river. Jim and Dot will be waiting for you.

Ya Hoo's on the Road

(Here's another column from the summer of 1992. My sense is that careless driving isn't as big a problem now as it was back then, especially among young people. But then again, the New Brunswick RCMP recently released statistics on the number of traffic deaths in the province and how most fatalities are the result of people not wearing seat belts or the improper use of t seat belts. This problem is more serious among young people despite all the warnings about seatbelt use. So either way this column is just as relevant today as it was 15 years ago.)


The wife of TV's Mr. Dressup didn't know it was coming. The car drove right up on the sidewalk where she was walking in downtown Toronto, pinned her against a store front and killed her. The same thing happened to a pro football player in the United States recently. He was working at home in the garden when a truck ran him down and killed him in his front yard. And then there was that terrible school bus accident that killed a young girl in Chatham while her mother watched from the house. Freak accidents? Yes, but they're happening more and more and one begins to wonder how safe we are anywhere, especially as pedestrians.

There are few sidewalks in Grand Bay or Westfield. That means if we're going to walk or jog or ride our bikes we have to do most of it on the road. Every time our kids go out the door they're sharing road space with the cars and trucks. It's a workable situation if everyone, drivers and walkers, follow the rules, but that doesn't happen all the time.

I'm a runner and I often jog through the streets of Grand Bay. One of the greatest threats to pedestrian safety I see are these creatures I choose to call the "Ya Hoo's". They're usually in their teens or twenties and are normally nice enough creatures, until they get behind the wheel of a car. Then something happens to them, usually on a Friday or Saturday evening. For some reason they feel compelled to drive fast and carelessly around the streets of our neighbourhood. The "Ya Hoo's" squeal tires and kick up clouds of dust as they wheel at breakneck speeds through our quiet residential streets. On a recent Saturday night jog I witnessed one speeding car load of "Ya Hoos" barely negotiate the curve at the bottom of Woolastook Drive. On another occasion a car load of drunken "Ya Hoo's", in a hurry to get to the party, passed me on a curve just as we got off the Westfield ferry at Hardings Point.

I understand the urge of the "Ya Hoo" to want to drive fast. I think it has something to do with hormones at that age. But whatever the cause, driving fast and recklessly on the same streets where people are walking and jogging and kids are playing is bad business. Someone is going to get hurt or killed if the "Ya Hoos" continue to play their deadly game.

If you're a motorist (Ya Hoo's included) there are a few simple things you can do to help keep our residential streets safe. Slow down. Drive the speed limit or below. Those could be your kids playing on the street. And when you pass by a pedestrian give them as wide a berth as possible. I think some drivers make a game of trying to drive as close to pedestrians as possible without knocking them down.

Pedestrians have responsibilities too. Chief Arnold Landers of the Grand Bay Police says there are important rules to be followed, like walking in single file on the left hand shoulder of the road, facing the oncoming traffic. Groups of walkers, (especially kids) should remember to keep to the side of the road. Drivers find it annoying negotiating their way through a group of kids walking five abreast who refuse to get out of the way. If you're out walking after dark wear something light and preferably reflective so the cars can see you. And if you're a cyclist, make sure you follow the rules of the road and wear a helmet.

It is possible to keep our streets safe. But we all have to do our part.

Historical Westfield

(Here's another column from the summer of 1992. It's about a summer project collecting the history of Westfield back in the days when there was a separate Village called Westfield. I don't know if Susanne ever got that book together. I do know that history is being made this weekend in Grand Bay-Westfield with the opening of the new River Centre at Brundage Point. Hope you plan to take in the activities.)


Susanne Sutton, like other university students, is doing some traveling this summer. But her traveling is taking her back in time. She's riding on the memories of others, back to the early days of her community. Susanne is the official historical researcher for the Village of Westfield. This is the first time the village has ever hired anyone to research it's rich heritage. And it's turned out to be a great summer job for Susanne.

"It's a very humbling experience because I've been living here for 20 years and I thought I knew quite a bit about the village but I don't know anything." says Susanne. "What I know is a drop in the bucket.

It's that desire to know more and that natural curiosity that makes her perfect for this job. Susanne has always been interested in history and heritage. In high school she wrote a short history of the village as part of an exchange program. This summer she's building on that early interest with her job as historical researcher. Susanne is busy meeting residents and recording their personal stories and memories on audio tape. She's also collecting old photographs and
other objects of historical significance. Right now all her time is consumed by just gathering this material. She'd like to compile it into a written report or book but doesn't think she'll have the time this summer.

"I feel like it's my baby now." Susanne says with a smile, hoping that a way will be found for her to finish what she started this summer.

Susanne knows about the official, recorded history of the village. Indians inhabited the area first followed by French traders and then the Loyalists arrived. The very first Loyalist settler was Henry Nase of New York. Others soon followed like John Coffin who was a General in the British army and a member of the Legislative Assembly. The Parish of Westfield was established in 1786.

But it's the personal history that Susanne enjoys the most. There are few written records so Susanne depends on the stories and memories of residents, passed on by word of mouth. By far the biggest story in the villages past is the great fire of 1921. Everything in Westfield is dated pre or post fire. It covered a huge area from Ononette to way up the Nerepis. A few people have their own memories of the fire but many others know of it only through their own family stories. Some people even have mementos, like the woman who cherishes a side board that was saved from the flames by being thrown in a marsh.

Susanne has also collected a lot of information about the Maple Inn. This place has special memories for many people in Westfield. It was an old fashioned Inn overlooking the Nerepis. Isabel Norman owned and operated it and she had guests who stayed every summer as well as
boarders. The Maple Inn closed in the late 1950's. In her research, Susanne has come to know the people involved. She has many old photographs of the place and the people. History has come alive for her.

Some of the best stories Susanne hears she can't use. "People say if you turn off the tape recorder I'll tell you a real good one." Susanne says laughing. "I love those stories but I'm not including them because people have asked me not to."

This summer job has taken over Susanne Sutton's life. She lives here so she's immersed in it all the time. Susanne looks at her village differently now. She sees old buildings and knows something about their past. She can see things that others can't because she's aware of what used to be. "The more you find out," she concludes, "The more you realize there is to find out."

Little Boys, Summer and Frogs

(Here's another retro-column from the summer of 1992. My son Brendan mentioned here was a little boy then and is now an adult. Where has the time gone?)


Little boys, summer and frogs go together. If there's a pond, there are usually frogs in it and boys on the bank trying to catch them. I have an eight year old named Brendan who is frog crazy. It started early in the summer when Brendan discovered a tadpole gold mine in the ditch running the length of the field at River Valley Junior High School. Tadpoles of course turn into frogs and then little boys turn into froggers.

One of Brendan's early frogging expeditions was a walk through a bog on the Kingston Peninsula with members of the Saint John Naturalist's Club. While everyone else was searching for bog plants, Brendan kept an alert eye out for frogs and he caught two. Don McAlpine, a Grand Bay resident and a zoologist at the New Brunswick Museum was on the hike that day and gave Brendan some helpful pointers on the care and handling of frogs. Don knows all about them. He's the eastern Canadian co-ordinator of the International Declining Amphibians Task Force. This group is concerned about the dropping populations of frogs worldwide. In some places they've become extinct. Don patiently explained to Brendan how to carefully hold a frog, how they need clean water and most important of all, how the bog is their home and the place they should stay. Brendan let his frogs go and came home happy for the experience.

A few days after the bog walk Brendan visited a small pond up the hill from our house in Grand Bay. He found plenty of frogs there. They were dead, lying on their backs in the mud with holes in their bodies. Some had been mangled and squashed. Brendan and his friends did manage to catch five live frogs that day although they appeared to be injured too. The kids brought them home and put them in a wading pool in the back yard. Unfortunately, a few hours later, four of the frogs were dead, either from the sun or from their injuries. Brendan and his friends felt bad.

When the kids returned the one remaining live frog to the pond they discovered why the frogs were dying. Two neighbourhood boys, nine or ten years old and armed with a pellet rifle, were at the pond shooting frogs indiscriminately. They wounded some and killed others. They must have been at it for a long time judging by the carnage on the shore and the number of injured frogs.

"It's hard to believe how in this day and age, with so much talk about environmental issues and preserving wildlife, that kids would do such a thing." Don McAlpine says sadly. "It underlines how much more needs to be done."

This was a senseless slaughter of wildlife. But I think Brendan and his friends learned something from it. Brendan says he won't bring frogs home anymore because he doesn't want them to die. He'll still catch them but he won't take them away from the pond. He'll look at them and then release them. And if he does, chances are other boys in other summers will also have frogs to catch and enjoy.

Naturalist's Club Celebrate Anniversary

(This column was first published in the River Valley News in the summer of 1992. I remember spending that Saturday with the club as if it were yesterday. It's hard to believe it was 15 years ago. The Saint John Naturalist's Club is now 45 years old and still going strong and as far as I know, always looking for new members.)

The weather forecast called for showers. Instead the sun shone, bright and hot. Even the mosquitoes stayed away. Ok, some mosquitoes. Mother nature herself seemed to know something special was happening on the Kingston Peninsula that last weekend of June. And it was special. Mother natures soul mates, members of the Saint John Naturalist's Club were having a 30th anniversary party. And they couldn't have picked a better place to celebrate nature.

The tents started going up Thursday at the home of Allen and Janet Gorham on Pancake Hill, just below Crystal Beach. By Saturday there were tents everywhere. It looked like a mini Woodstock Festival. Close to 70 members of the Naturalist's Club made the trek to the Gorham's that weekend. Some came from as far away as Sussex. Others just canoed across the river from their home in Westfield. It was a powerful gathering of like minded people, according to Linda Caron, the president of the club and a resident of Grand Bay. "We all needed to spend some time together as a group." says Linda, "And for more then just the hour we spend at our regular meetings."

Janet Gorham, the former president of the club, invited the group to her home for this 30th anniversary party. She wanted this to be a special celebration. The Saint John Naturalist's Club was started back in 1962 by David Christie. On Saturday night he was the guest of honour at an anniversary supper consisting of among other things, beans. But not just any pork and beans. This old fashioned treat cooked all night in a big iron bean pot, buried on the beach in the embers of Friday nights fire. After the bean feast, awards were handed out and all members enjoyed a slice of anniversary cake decorated with yellow lady slippers, the new symbol for the club. Mitzi Withers of Bayswater designed a club pin depicting the yellow lady slipper in honour of Tom Page, a recently deceased member. The new pins arrived just in time for the anniversary weekend.

It wasn't all eating and meeting. The naturalists got out and explored nature too. Saturday morning saw the group hike to a bog on the peninsula. They call it Allen Gorham's bog. He's been coming here for 44 years and he says it hasn't changed a bit. Birder Jim Wilson led a group of bird watchers through the bog. Botanist Molly Smith did the same with a group of plant lovers. The kids loved finding the insect eating pitcher plants and the round leaf sundews. Frank and Mitzi Withers had a knack for finding last years cranberries and forcing everyone to taste the bitter things. Jocelyn Steeves, the bird house lady of Westfield, kept an eye out for bog birds and Don McAlpine of Grand Bay kept an eye on his kids. One of them disappeared in a sink hole and got soaked up to her arm pits. Even experienced bog hopper Molly Smith had to be rescued from one soggy spot that wanted her boots. Everyone survived the adventure and learned a lot.

There was still time in the day for a swim in the river, a paddle in the canoe and more hiking. Or if you preferred, a little snooze in the tent. Saturday night after supper the party ended with a bonfire on the beach. These naturalists may know about nature but most know very little about music. Anyone listening to their campfire sing song could attest to that. Maybe it was the "Campfire songs of Newfoundland" song sheets they were using? But everyone had a good time. The 30th anniversary party ended with a bang. It was a huge success.

"It's nice hanging around with these people." says president Linda Caron, "There's a lot of energy in this group. You learn a lot." And what better place for a group like the Saint John Naturalist's Club to gather then here in the River Valley, a place of incredible natural beauty. Happy 30th Anniversary.

The Early Days of Recycling

(Before there was a Crane Mountain Landfill... before the recycling bins we have now... there was a movement in the River Valley to get on the recycling bandwagon. This column from the summer of 92 describes those first green attempts.)


On most clotheslines around here at this time of year you'll find clothing hanging out to dry. Not on ours. Oh sure there'll be the odd shirt or pair of socks drip drying out there in the fresh Grand Bay air. But the clothes are never alone on our line. Most days they share space with about a zillion plastic bags, clothes pegged and flapping in the breeze. We take all the plastic bags from milk and bread and everything else that comes wrapped in them, wash the bags, hang them on the line to dry and then re-use or recycle them.

We do the same with glass jars, aluminium cans, cardboard and old newspapers, except we don't hang them on the clothesline. We recycle in this house and that's good according to all the experts. The Fundy Solid Waste Action Team urges us all to follow the three R's of waste reduction, Reduce, Re-use and Recycle.

Being environmentally responsible isn't the easiest thing to do in the River Valley. We can take plastic bags to the Co-op or Sobeys for recycling but cans, glass and news print have to go into the city. We drop the stuff off regularly at Saint John Recycling on Rothesay Avenue. Storing it all in the house until there's enough for a drop off and then making the trek into town is sometimes inconvenient. But that's about to change.

Recycling is coming to us. Brand new recycling containers are standing near Pauls Restaurant. They're called bells. One is for aluminum cans and the other for white glass. There's also a specially designed container just for newspaper. We have the Kiwanis Club of Western Kings to thank for this. Vaughan Morris is the chairperson of the Kiwanis Recycling Committee. He came to the conclusion this would be a good project for the Kiwanis after noticing his wife loading the car with glass and paper for a trip to the city. The business community and the Chamber of Commerce soon became involved with a pledge of financial support for the project. They're going to try it for a year but Vaughan is confident it will continue.

"We've watched these environmental problems happen and we've let them happen." Vaughan says. Eventually he'd also like to go into the schools with programs to educate younger people about recycling. "We have to do things to help our community that will have a bearing 25 years from now." says Vaughan.

The official opening of our local recycling depot is on Saturday, May 23/92. It's being held in conjunction with "Green Up Day". That's appropriate because both contribute to making the River Valley a cleaner and greener place to live. Now that recycling is easier to do let's hope more of us around here start doing it. And who knows, one day there may be more plastic bags hanging on clothes lines than socks.

The Bird House Lady of Westfield

(This weeks Retro-Rambler column was first published in the River Valley News on June 25/1992. That was 15 years ago. I don't know if Jocelyn still makes her bird houses or not.)

Jocelyn Steeves is sitting on the front porch of her Westfield home enjoying the morning sun. From here she can see all the way up the Long Reach. In between sips of orange juice, Jocelyn is making entries in her bird diary. She keeps records of bird sightings for the naturalist club. It's quiet this morning, except for the occasional car passing by and the birds. They're everywhere. Blue jays, rose breasted grosbeaks, sparrows, all taking turns at the feeder and all chirping loudly.

Jocelyn is known as "The Bird House Lady of Westfield". She has sixteen purple martin and tree swallow houses scattered around her property as well as numerous feeders. When Jocelyn moved to Westfield eleven years ago there were no birds around here. That changed when she started building the houses and feeders. It's a hobby she's had since she was a kid. Jocelyn makes them all from scratch in her shop above the garage. She sells them at craft sales and from her home and people are buying. Her biggest bird house is an apartment block for purple martins. It weights about fifty pounds and has up to sixteen separate compartments for the birds to live in.

"A lot of people are surprised that a woman is making these bird houses," Jocelyn says, "They expect to see an older, retired gentleman doing the hobby." Many of her customers come back year after year to pick up something new and to ask questions. Lately she's even had requests for bat houses. "Maybe that's the next thing I'll get into," she says with a laugh.

As a bird watcher and naturalist, Jocelyn is troubled by two things. There are no purple martins this summer. She lost them all during a cold, rainy spring two years ago and they haven't returned. Last summer she heard three of them but there hasn't been a peep from the purple martins so far this year. Her houses have been home to generations of the birds. Now they sit empty and silent. She doesn't know where the purple martins have gone and she misses them. Jocelyne's other problem is her cat. One of her four felines likes catching birds. She's attaching a bell around the cats neck to warn the birds but if that doesn't work she'll have to tie the cat up. It ust won't due for a bird lover like Jocelyn to have a cat that loves birds too. But for completely different reasons.

On the brighter side, Jocelyn is pleased to see more birds then normal at her feeders. Usually by now the numbers are down but not this summer. And nine pairs of tree swallows have made Jocelyn's yard their home. They've moved into her bird houses to live and to raise their young. And for Jocelyn Steeves, the bird house lady of Westfield, that's what it's all about.

The First Rambler – Hiking to the top of Bald Peak

(This is the first post in what I like to call the Retro-Rambler series. Over the last 15 years I've written over 350 columns for the River Valley News. I'll be weeding through them and posting some of these old columns on a regular basis. Think of it as a trip down memory lane. You may be surprised by how little has really changed over the years. We're beginning with the very first column written for the paper. Hope you enjoy the new format for this blog. Please leave your comments and be sure to check out the new column and podcasts at doingstuffoutdoors.com)


When you first stand on the summit of Bald Peak, the combined force of the wind and the spectacular view literally takes your breath away. The Nerepis Valley stretches out to your left. Off in the distance you can see Grand Bay and a few white dots that are actually houses in Brandy Point. In front of you sweeps an endless carpet of trees, broken occasionally by a lake or bog or man made microwavetower and behind you, the even higher summit of Mount Champlain rises. This looks and feels like big mountain country and it's right here in
the River Valley.

A hike to the top of Bald Peak in Welsford is always an adventure for our family. We've been making the trek every fall since we moved to Grand Bay. I first heard about the trail from Dave Goss. He told me about a hike that starts behind the Welsford school and leads all
the way to the top of what is actually Mount Douglas. A huge rock caps the summit and that's why it's called Bald Peak. He also said it was a perfect lookout to view the fall foliage. Boy was he right. This walk has become an autumn tradition for us and for many others as we
soon discovered.

In all the years we've made the climb, we've only ever seen one other person on the trail. But the mountain was crowded this sunny Thanksgiving Sunday. Before we had parked the van we spotted another family getting out of their car. They were friends from the city and
this was their first attempt at the summit so we hiked together. We met others on the trail. Percy and Pat Perrin of Grand Bay were on their way down. We met and passed Grand Bay town councillor Michael Murphy and his family. Mike had his young daughter perched on his
shoulders. The peak was even busier as climbers leisurely soaked up the view. Five students from the Community College in St. Andrews were rock climbing on the fifty foot cliff that crowns the summit. John and Susan Sheehan of Grand Bay were there with their kids and a
relative who used to live in South America. She commented the mountains in Peru are higher but the River valley is just as pretty.

When we arrived at the peak we found Dave Jones lounging in the"Devils Chair". He's the Saint John police officer who patrols Rockwood Park on horseback. He used to live in Welsford and remembers coming up here as a child. This is where his father told him the
story of the "devils chair". It's actually a large boulder on the summit with a natural hollow in it for sitting. Smaller rocks nearby are the "Devils Foot stool" and a few feet away, indentations in the rock or "the devils foot prints" are clearly visible.

The hike up Bald Peak can be done by anyone of any age at any time of the year. I've made the climb in the snow on Boxing Day and in the spring. (I once took all the kids attending my sons birthday party.) In the new book, "A Hiking Guide to New Brunswick" by Marriane and H. A. Eiselt, the 2.5 km (1.6 mile) return trail is described as being of moderate difficulty with a return hiking time of an hour and a quarter. The clearly marked trail rises 650 feet to the summit. It starts behind Welsford school and to the right of the schoolyard. A short dirt road to the left will lead you to the base. You'll know you're there when you see a collection of old rusted vehicles. Don't worry, this unsightly junk will soon be forgotten once you start on
the climb. The trail is sheltered from the wind so at this time of year you probably won't need a lot of extra clothing for the hike but you'll need a warm jacket for the top. Normally running shoes are fine for your feet although if it's been raining rubber boots are a good idea. We usually take a back pack along full of apples, chocolate bars and other treats for the summit. A camera and binoculars are a must.

The fall foliage may be past its prime but there are still plenty of good reasons to make the trek. The climb is exhilarating. It's good exercise. It's something the whole family can do together
and it doesn't cost a thing. The view from the top is spectacular and makes it all worthwhile. Just one climb up Bald Peak and it will probably become a fall tradition for your family too.

Last Rambler

Summer is here officially and it's the season that marks the end of certain things. The end of school for another year. The end of work for a while and the beginning of summer vacation. This summer I'm also marking the end of two things that have been important to me for many years.

Last Friday I went to the old YM-YWCA on Hazen Avenue for the last time. As you know the Y is moving to a new temporary location in Prince Edward Square Mall. The old building that was put up the same year I was born in 1954, has a date with the wreckers ball. It's coming down to make way for a new Justice Complex to be built on the site.

I've been a member of the Y for most of the last 15 years. I would visit the facility almost every weekday to go for a run or work out on the equipment or just enjoy a relaxing sauna in the steam room. And every time I'd go, I'd meet friends there. Going to the Y was the break in the day that I always looked forward to. I'll still go to the Y and I'm sure the new facility will be nice but I'll still miss the old place.

For about as long as I've been going to the YM-YWCA, I've been writing this column. I can't remember when it started but it has to be close to 15 years ago. It feels like it anyway. This column is going to be the last River Valley Rambler. It doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing a regular column in the River Valley News. I'm just making a change.

If you've checked the blog recently at rivervalleyrambler.com you will have noticed another name and links to another site called Doing Stuff Outdoors. It's the home of another project I've started that includes a regular audio podcast and soon I hope, an on-line video program about outdoor adventure and recreation. It's a place to find audio and video adventures for outdoor enthusiasts. And I'd like to expand the site to include more written content and photographs. I realize I can't do everything and managing that project along with writing regular columns and other content for the River Valley Rambler blog is just becoming too difficult.

So starting with the next edition of the paper I'm changing the name of the column from River Valley Rambler to Doing Stuff Outdoors. It's not really a stretch since most of the things I've written about here over the years have had something to do with the outdoors. This allows me to better focus my energies in an area that I'm really interested in and I hope you are too. In addition to this column about outdoor activities in this area, I'll also be posting other outdoor related content from all over the world on the site at doingstuffoutdoors.com. This is in addition to the podcast that I hope you'll listen to and subscribe to in iTunes and other podcast directories.

And as for the River Valley Rambler... well it isn't disappearing altogether. The site on the internet will still be there. I like to think of it now as the retro-rambler. Over the years I've written over 360 rambler columns, almost one for every day of the year. I'm going to go through these past columns and post some of what I think to be the more interesting ones and give you another chance to read them. Maybe I'll put all 361 of them on-line. They'll be updated on a regular basis. So be sure to check out the site at rivervalleyrambler.com.

So this is the end of some things and a new beginning for others. I've enjoyed being the River Valley Rambler for these many years and I look forward to continuing and building on that tradition by writing about outdoors people, places, adventures, fitness, gear and many, many other topics.

Doing Stuff Outdoors-09 Podcast

In this edition of DSO, the adventure podcast for outdoor enthusiasts we’re going to meet a man who combines his love of art with his passion for the outdoors. Cory Trepanier is a painter who throughout his career has expressed his artistic vision by painting some aspect of the outdoors. Often he brings his whole family with him on these excursions into the wilderness. His latest project is a three year expedition into the Canadian north. It’s called ‘Into the Arctic: An Artists Journey to the North’. He’s also produced a television documentary about his family adventure that includes spectacular scenery, frightening storms and encounters with grizzly bears. Cory Trepanier is our feature interview today on
Doing Stuff Outdoors.

Lorne Blagdon returns with another edition of Trail Magic, his ongoing series about life hiking the Appalachian Trail. This week he talks about how bad thru-hikers smell after days and weeks on the trail. He comments on the pain of blisters and how some stores along the trail try to gouge hikers. But when the going gets tough is when the real trail magic happens.

Next week we have a special tenth anniversary show on DSO. For program number ten we’re going whitewater kayaking in the world famous Reversing Falls in Saint John, New Brunswick. It’s the second annual Reverse Freestyle Kayak and BoaterX competition bringing together the best freestyle kayakers from the Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario and Maine. We’ll take in the action and meet some of the paddlers. Be sure to join us on the next edition of Doing Stuff Outdoors.

Doing Stuff Outdoors-08 Podcast

Today on Doing Stuff Outdoors, the adventure podcast for outdoor enthusiasts, we meet a man who's experienced adventure close up. Ray Zahab is a Canadian adventure racer, ultra-marathoner, rock climber, coach and motivational speaker. In 2006 Ray along with two others embarked on an epic 111 day, 7000 km run across the Sahara Desert. It's an amazing story and Ray Zahab will share it with us on this podcast.

On All Things Outdoors we'll tell you about a new highway being built to the base camp of Mount Everest, we'll talk a little about hiking sandals and we'll tell you about the 'Patch', a special place in the mountains where snow lingers late into the summer.

We also have interesting correspondence from listeners in Australia and the UK. If you want to contact DSO with your comments, story suggestions or just to say hi, you can reach us at doingstuffoutdoors@yahoo.ca

Doing Stuff Outdoors-07 Podcast

On this weeks show we'll take you for a kayak paddle on the mighty St. John River in New Brunswick, Canada. For part of its run this river forms the border between Maine and New Brunswick before it empties into the Bay of Fundy, home of the highest tides in the world. Gary introduces us to his home-made sea kayak and his favorite river.

Also this week running guru Alex Coffin is back with some advice for people who want to make the switch from walking to running. He'll have some tips on how to make the transition without injury.

On 'All Things Outdoors', the new name of our news package we'll look at one possible impact of global warming.

And we'll share an email with a listener from Australia who's getting ready for the ski season down under.

Featured Podsafe Music this week is from Brian Turner.

Next time on Doing Stuff Outdoors we will have a feature interview with a man who ran across the Sahara Desert.

Send along your comments and suggestions to doingstuffoutdoors@yahoo.ca

Rivers and Runs

It was hot and humid in Saint John today and I expected the same when I headed home to GBW. Instead the wind picked up and the temperature started dropping. The clouds rolled in and by the time I got in the house I started closing windows. I don't know what gives with the weather anymore but I'll take the heat anytime I can get it. Had it been as nice as it was this afternoon I likely would have taken the kayak to Westfield Beach for an evening paddle. You can do things like come home from work and paddle for an hour when you live in a place like this. I know people in Toronto who would love to be able to do that.

So no fun on the river tonight but the old St. John is looking good. I was at the ferry landing a couple of days ago and the new development is looking good too. The building is up although not yet finished. The parking lot is paved and the landscaping is underway. The new river centre is supposed to open some time in July. I'm still not sure exactly what will be in there initially. I know the town's tourist information centre is vacating the caboose and moving into the new river centre or trailhead building or whatever it's officially being called. I hear eventually there will be some food services in there. And a kayak/canoe rental operation is also supposed to be somewhere on site. Whatever it houses it'll be a welcome addition to the community.

If you're coming on July 1st for the Canada Day Half Marathon you can check out the new development as you run by the ferry landing. The run this year promises to be bigger and better than ever. Organizers are hoping for 500 entries. As usual the run begins and ends at the River Valley Community Centre. In addition to the half marathon, 10k and 5k there will be a special nordic walking category in the 10 k event. Nordic walking is walking with the help of poles. It's the newest fitness craze because it also gives your arms and upper body a good workout. And of course the 5 and 10 k events are also open to walkers so you don't have to be a runner to participate. The race begins at 9:00 am with the awards ceremony scheduled for 11:30. All the money raised this year goes to support the building of a running track at River Valley Middle School.

So it doesn't get any better than celebrating Canada Day with a run by the river in Grand Bay-Westfield and then going for a paddle or a swim in the river. My Toronto friends are jealous.

Doing Stuff Outdoors-06 Podcast

In this weeks show we go to Scotland for a feature interview with Cameron McNeish. He’s a wilderness hiker, backpacker, author and broadcaster. With 16 books to his credit and appearances on many outdoor radio and television programs for the BBC, Cameron is one of the UK’s best known mountain walkers and commentators. In this edition of ‘Doing Stuff Outdoors’ Cameron talks about his life in the Scottish Highlands, his love of wild places, his work as an environmentalist, his many adventures in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California and his joy of being able to walk in the footsteps of his role model, John Muir. Check out his website and podcast at The Wilderness World of Cameron McNeish.

Also on the program Lorne Blagdon shares some more Trail Magic with us. This time he takes us to Springer Mountain in Georgia for the start of his through-hike on the Appalachian Trail. He’ll tell us how to survive encounters with poison ivy, heavy rain and big bears.

Also outdoor news about the sale of two major ski areas in Maine, Sunday River and Sugarloaf USA. And we’ll tell you how you can be a part of the show. We want to hear your stories of adventure in the great outdoors. Tell us about that mountain you climbed, that beautiful trail you hiked, your last kayak trip or the crazy thing that happened to you when you went for a walk in the park. Just email us and tell us how to get in touch with you and we’ll give you a call. We want you to be on ‘Doing Stuff Outdoors’. It’s your show about your outdoor adventures.

Email us at doingstuffoutdoors@yahoo.ca

And don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Odeo, Podcast Alley or other podcast directories.

Doing Stuff Outdoors-05 Podcast

We’re trying to get the show out a little earlier each week so it’s available by the weekend; since many of the topics we cover on Doing Stuff Outdoors are activities many people do on weekends.

So on this edition… a feature interview with Lou Dawson. He is a writer and photographer who specializes in writing about backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering, and is well known as the first man to ski down all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks. Lou is the author of Dawson’s Guides to Colorado’s Fourteener’s, several other books, and numerous magazine articles. In 2005 Lou was inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame. Lou Dawson’s popular website and blog is called www.WildSnow.com. In the interview Lou tells Gary about his early morning backcountry ski trips into the mountains and his life as a ‘total outdoorsman’.

Alex Coffin is back with another running tip. He has some suggestions for those fair weather runners who hibernate all winter and then grab the sneakers come spring.

In outdoor news we have the story of a hero on Mount Everest and good early season snowfalls in Australia.

Our music this week includes two good podsafe tunes from Citizen Six and Brain Bucket.

Next time on Doing Stuff Outdoors we’ll visit the Wilderness World of Cameron McNeish. We’ll have a feature interview with mountaineer, lecturer and author Cameron McNeish, long recognised as one of Britain’s best-known outdoor commentators.

Bears, Bugs and Bambi

Finally spring is beginning to feel like spring, maybe even a little like summer. The temperature is getting higher. We're even seeing some sunshine on occasion. The grass is growing and leaves are bursting out. Life is returning after the winter. And that means the critters are back and they want to play.

I was out for one of my regular runs a few days ago. I usually take a short cut through that little path in the woods between Woolastook Drive and the middle school. I was coming through there, head down concentrating on my footing as it was a little muddy when I looked up and saw the rear end of a white-tail a few metres away. I almost ran into two deer standing in the middle of the path. I startled them as much as they surprised me because as soon as we locked eyes, they tore off into the woods. It was just a matter of a few seconds before they completely disappeared in the foliage. It was cool going for a run in the neighbourhood and almost bumping into a deer. But I'm sure that gardeners in the area feel differently about Bambi and her buddies after they’ve devoured flowers and other plants growing in the garden.

Deer aren't the only critters on the prowl in Grand Bay-Westfield. Neighbours of mine are complaining that a bear or bears are back. They've gotten into the garbage and made a nuisance of themselves. The bears were a problem last summer in the Valley View and Morningside area and Natural Resources set a trap. This spring there have been a number of complaints from the same area and DNR is likely going to bring back the trap. The bears are only doing what comes naturally to them. And if there's garbage in containers they can get at it’s exactly what they do. I've been told that compost is also a big attraction for the creatures and given the collection schedule of both compost and garbage it means that the stuff is being stored sometimes for a long period. If it isn't kept inside a shed it can prove to be an enticing attraction for the bears. DNR suggests that getting rid of the garbage and the compost may get rid of the bear problem.

Moose are back in full force, not in the community but on the highway. My son is doing a lot of travelling between Fredericton and here and almost every time he's on highway 7 he sees a moose. Drivers beware and slow down.

When it comes to summer critters though it isn't the furry variety that gets me scratching. The black flies are here and they're hungry as usual. These pests chew through your skin until you bleed and then they lap up your blood. It sounds disgusting and it is. They'll be around for a few more weeks and they'll get worse before they get better. Long ago I vowed I wouldn't let those pests prevent me from enjoying the outdoors. But I refuse to get eaten alive. So the only solution is bug dope and it works. I hate smearing the stuff on but if you don't want to be trapped indoors it's the only solution.

Next come those other flying bloodsuckers, the mosquitoes. I never find them as irritating as black flies, maybe because we don't seem to be plagued by them as badly. But I know how uncomfortable they can make things. Again the bug dope is probably your best bet. Also wear light coloured clothing and cover up as much as possible. With mosquitoes it's best to restrict outdoor activities to the daytime and avoid early morning and dusk when the insects are most active. Also get rid of any standing water in your yard. Mosquitoes breed anywhere there is water, in old tires, wheel-barrels and old pots. Dump out all the water and do it now before they start to breed.

And last of all; remember how many spiders there were last summer? They were everywhere and they were huge. I've already seen a few this spring. They look bigger than they should be. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Doing Stuff Outdoors-04

This week on the podcast Gary talks to someone near and dear to him who has just returned from an extraordinary outdoors adventure. Rory Mittelholtz is Garys 20-year-old son. He spent the winter working and snowboarding in British Columbia at Panorama Mountain. For part of that time he was working at a heliskiing operation and got to go out on a few trips. Listen as Rory makes his father jealous by describing all that untracked powder he discovered in the mountains of BC.

We begin a new segment on Doing Stuff Outdoors about running. Alex Coffin is our guide. He is a competitive runner and marathoner, a coach and trainer. Alex owns two running stores in Saint John, New Brunswick called Alex Coffins Fitness Shop. Today Alex talks about his love of running.

Lorne Blagdon and his daughter hiked the Appalachian Trail. Every week he comes by to tell us more about the adventure in a series called Trail Magic. Today they get ready to begin the trek in Georgia and they come up with their own trail names.

In Outdoor News learn more about a new exhibit detailing the history of the National Ski Patrol. And meet a 75 year old who is one of the oldest and the first black woman to visit the North Pole.

Next week on Doing Stuff Outdoors we have a feature interview with mountaineer, writer and photographer Lou Dawson.

Podsafe Music Links

Charlie Crowe
Bob Hughes

doingstuffoutdoors@yahoo.com

Doing Stuff Outdoors-03

We begin a new series in this edition of DSO called 'Trail Magic'. In 2003 Lorne Blagdon and his daughter Naomi hiked the entire length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Lorne wrote a series of newspaper columns on their adventure and every week we'll talk about a segment of the trip beginning today with a definition of trail magic.

Gary gets frustrated with the lousy spring weather in his part of the world so he searches for summer by calling to Florida where the sailing is great. We also get a detailed account of why the May long weekend in Canada used to known for firecrackers.

Looking through the outdoor files we'll tell you about a see-through boat, grass skiing in Britain, the first woman to hike the AT and a reality TV show about the outdoors that's now a podcast.

Podsafe Music

Christopher Wright
2006 Pl@stic Soul

doingstuffoutdoors@yahoo.ca

Just When You Thought It Was Almost Summer

YUK....There's snow in the forecast tonight. Possibly 10 to 15 cm in some places. I hope not here. Sussex area is supposed to get about that much. So it's timely to pass on an email I received today from Poley Mountain. Maybe it's good I haven't put my skis away yet....

Just a quick note to update everyone on how things are going here at the hill! First - can you believe it! They are calling for snow tonight! That is why I though this would be a good day for an update ...your thoughts may stray to skiing...
I would like to thank everyone for a great season - it started out a little rough - but ended strong! We had a successful fundraiser with our "Bringing it Home" Relay - and with the support of the Waterford Valley Development Association, we raised a total of $7200.
Bill and his crew are busy marking the new trails to be cut this summer. In August they will be installing snowmaking on Phil's Folly and Snowberg, and as soon as the snow is gone in Newfoundland - they will be travelling to get our new lift!
We are working hard to get the brochure out in the summer - and season pass sales will start in September - check the website in August - we are working on having online registration for your passes!
Hope you are having a great "off season" - and we look forward to seeing you next season!

Doing Stuff Outdoors-02 Podcast

Welcome to episode 2 of Doing Stuff Outdoors, a magazine show featuring adventures for outdoor enthusiasts. In this edition we take you along for the first kayak trip of the season. We paddle along the Nerepis River in New Brunswick. It’s a tributary of the mighty St. John River that empties into the Bay of Fundy. We encounter high water, wildlife and a motorized nuisance.

We’ll also check out two big mountains where the snow lingers and the lifts are still operating. Mark Nelson of the Outdoors Pro blog fills us in on spring conditions at Mount Bachelor, Oregon. And ski photographer Paul Morrison explains all the late season delights at Whistler-Blackcomb in British Columbia.

Also on the show outdoor news, music and more.

Links:

Outdoors Pro
Denis Kitchen
Whistler-Blackcomb

Slippery Sand

Now a few words about sand. Not what you find at the beach but the kind that lingers in layers on our roads every spring. It may just be me but I think there’s more of it after this winter than other years. I know the town is in the process of sweeping it up. Some of it should be gone by now but until it's all been swept you should be aware of the problems it can cause.

It’s can make walking difficult at the side of the road. And it certainly isn’t easy pushing a stroller though the piles of sand. But it can also be dangerous, especially if you’re riding a bicycle. I’ve heard of one accident this spring where a cyclist tumbled off his bike on a curve and ended up in hospital. It was most likely a result of loosing control in the sand. So until it’s all cleaned up, ride with caution. By the way, car tires can also slide on sand.

I’d like to know what they do with all that sand leftover from the winter and if it can be used again next year. I’m going to try and find out the answer.

Garage Sale Season

I’ve said it many times before but I’m not a shopper. Going to the store is usually something I don’t enjoy. The same is true when that store is other people’s lawns and garages. We’re into the flea market season now. You can’t go very far on a Saturday morning without seeing parked cars along the road and crowds of people heading up a driveway to pick through stuff.

Last Saturday morning my wife and I took our granddaughter out for a walk in the stroller. We hadn’t gone far before we hit our first garage sale. I can’t say I was dragged in because I agreed to it but before I knew it I found myself along with everyone else picking through other peoples junk. I don’t mean to say there wasn’t anything good to be found there but to me it is junk. I have a basement full of crap I’d love to get rid of and probably a lot of it would be scooped up at a garage sale. That’s my biggest problem with lawn sales. I’ve got enough of my own junk and I don’t feel like adding to it with other peoples.

Now I know you can find some gems at these sales. And I like getting a bargain just like anybody else. And I realize a lot of people love these yard sales and plan their Saturday mornings around them. Just so long as I don’t have to go. But I know they’re very popular so here’s what I’ll do. If you have a yard sale coming up in Grand Bay-Westfield or the River Valley area send me an email with the details at midwoodmedia@gmail.com and I’ll post a weekly garage sale update on the blog at rivervalleyrambler.com.

By the way I was in need of a handsaw and I found three of them at that yard sale. I got them all for three bucks and that’s a deal.

Harbour Bridge Holdup

I guess I've been spoiled because I rarely have to deal with traffic congestion during my daily commute between Grand Bay-Westfield and Saint John. My travel times are usually before or after rush hour. The other day I left for home around 4:30. What a mistake.

Harbour Bridge is down to a single lane in both directions. It took me about 25 minutes just to get over to the west side. My impatience was part of the problem. Once I discovered the Chesley Street ramp to the bridge was closed, I decided to try the Reversing Falls Bridge. Another mistake. It was bumper to bumper. It took almost ten minutes just to get to Green Lee Shoes where in an impulsive act of frustration I turned off, drove up to Douglas Ave. and back to the closest open ramp to the Harbour Bridge. What followed was more bumper to bumper waiting. Like I said, it took a good 20 or 25 minutes to get out of Saint John. I don't think I ever experienced that before and I wasn't prepared for it. For me it's usually a non-stop commute both ways.

Work on the Harbour Bridge is continuing all summer. I guess I'll have to learn to be more patient and not to leave work early.

Fun at the Fundraiser

I found myself crowded together on a recent Saturday night with close to 200 other people from Grand Bay-Westfield in a little pub on the west side. It was a fundraiser for the running track at River Valley Middle School. It was crowded. You had to be patient waiting for a drink. The auction went on a little too long. But the food was good and everyone I spoke to had a great time. And a nice chunk of money was raised for a worthy community project.

But more than that, this event brought people together in a way that hasn’t happened since the last of those community dances at the arena. A number of people said how much fun it was and how it reminded them of those dances. I can’t remember when the last one was. I know there weren’t enough people attending to make it worthwhile. Those big dances were essentially fundraisers for the River Valley Community Centre. When people showed up, like they did to the early dances, they were huge successes and a lot of fun. We don’t have many opportunities to come together as a community in a social environment like that. I think most people at the track fundraiser came away thinking it might be time to give a dance at the arena another try. I know I’d go.

Doing Stuff Outdoors Podcast -01

Give a listen to the first episode of Doing Stuff Outdoors, an audio and video podcast for the outdoor enthusiast. In this first episode you'll be introduced to the concept of the program. You'll hear some outdoor news and go along for the last ski of the season. Hope you enjoy it.

River Valley Running Track Meeting & Fundraiser

Just a reminder about an important meeting coming up for anyone interested in finding out more about the planned running-walking track at River Valley Middle School. On Tuesday, May 1st the River Valley Track Association is holding a public information meeting about the project. The 400 metre track is to be built around the existing soccer field. The Tuesday meeting will go from 7:00 to 8:00 pm at the River Valley Middle School Theatre.

And then on Saturday May 5th, there's a community fundraiser for the new track. It's a Steak & Stein Fun Night being sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and it takes place at Buccaneer's Pub on Main St. West. Tickets are $15.00 each and that gets you a steak supper and a drink. There are door prizes, auctions and music for dancing. It should be a great time for a good cause. There are still some tickets available and you can pick them up from any member of the Knights of Columbus or by calling Keith at 738-8185.

Beware the Spot Check

It's amazing how easy it is to break the law and not realize it. My son just returned from British Columbia where he spent the winter. Actually he was in BC for most of last year with the exception of a few months last fall. So he's back and he's driving home from a visit in Fredericton in a car that still has BC license plates on it. Two of his buddies are in the car with him and they get pulled over at an RCMP spot-check in Oromocto.

It turns out when they check the records, my sons car is no longer legally registered. He hasn't registered the car in New Brunswick yet but he and I both thought the BC registration is still valid. Apparently British Columbia has public auto insurance and it's tied to the vehicle registration. When he got home his BC insurance was about to expire so he insured the car here. So he has proper insurance but because it wasn't BC insurance his registration is no longer valid.

After being told this by the RCMP officer my son called me and I spoke to the officer. He explained the situation and said because the car wasn't legally registered he'd have to take it off the road. And that's what happened. The car was towed and the plates were taken off and thrown on the back seat of the police car. My son said there were a pile of license plates that had been taken from unregistered vehicles stopped during the spot check.

I just want to say that the RCMP officer was polite and helpful and just doing his job. He explained to both of us exactly what had to be done to register the car and get it back on the road. This is where the story takes an interesting turn.

The next day my son takes my car and drives up to Oromocto to do what he has to do to register his car. And wouldn't you know it he gets stopped by the same cop at the same spot check. A few minutes later I get a phone call from the same said officer who says to me 'You aren't going to believe this but your registration is expired too". Not just that. My insurance card was also out of date. By this time I'm sure the cop was thinking... "What is wrong with this family?"

Here's what happened. The registration had expired about five days before this. We got the card in the mail weeks ago but completely forgot about it. In the same way the new insurance card arrived but again I didn't put it in the car. The officer could have nailed me big time but he didn't. He said he didn't want to do it again so he gave me the chance to register the car by phone right away. I didn't know I could do this. I called Service New Brunswick on a toll free line, gave them my license plate number and insurance information and paid by credit card. I called up that kind RCMP officer with a confirmation number so he knew the registration went through and I was off the hook for a pretty hefty fine. I owe a big thank you to that unnamed and understanding cop.

So the moral of the story is ... don't file away or ignore all those letters you get from the Motor Vehicle Branch or your insurance company. Oh yea... and don't forget about your vehicle inspection sticker either. It was set to expire too but fortunately I had the inspection done just a day before the spot check.