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.