I had a topic for this column in mind but that all changed when I went for a run on a warm summer evening in July. It's funny how that happens sometimes. I knew what I wanted to write about but on that run I saw some things that reminded of other things and by the time I got back I started putting together a completely different piece.
It was actually the third evening in a row that I was out running and when I passed by the fields at River Valley Middle School they were packed with people as they had been the previous nights. What must have been about a hundred kids were on the field for soccer practice. Parents were either helping out or sitting on the sidelines watching. There was a lone runner using the track. The ball field next door was equally as busy with a girl's team playing and a men's softball team waiting for their turn. Cars were parked everywhere. Some had music playing. People were gathering in small groups and talking. It was a hive of activity and great to see. This is what an active community should look like.
As I continued on to the trail, I got thinking again about the track and how great an addition it is. Just a few days earlier Grand Bay-Westfield had been the site of another successful Canada Day Run with all the proceeds again going to support the new track. The event was different this year. The half marathon was replaced by a 10 Mile Race and the 10 km run was dropped. The feedback from all the participants was very positive but the number of runners was down this year by a little more than a hundred. The event went off without a hitch and everyone said it was well organized and a lot of fun, thanks in large part to the many sponsors, supporters and volunteers including the RCMP and the River Valley Community Centre. The organizers are looking at some changes for next year including a possible return of the popular 10 km event.
I'm on the Run committee and I know there was one big disappointment we all expressed. Again this year as in past years, the event seems to have been overlooked as a major Canada Day activity in town. It was never mentioned in a write up of Grand Bay-Westfield Canada Day events in the Saint John paper. And just before my run that evening I picked up a flyer from the town that had arrived in the mail that day thanking all the Canada Day volunteers, participants and sponsors who made possible a wonderful day of activities at Brundage Point but there wasn't a single mention of the Canada Day Run. It was signed by the Mayor and all of council. I know the town supports the event because it is a regular sponsor. This annual run has been raising money for charity and bringing a lot of people into the community every Canada Day for the last 7 years. Maybe if it was included in the promotion of events our numbers wouldn't have dipped this year. All the members of the committee are hoping we'll be included next year.
As I continued my run I got thinking about Brundage Point and the great facility it is. Just that morning I had been to the other new River Centre in our region in Hampton. It too is an attractive building, a little bigger than ours I think and just as important an asset to their community. They have meeting facilities and a boat launch site, much the same as we do but they have one attraction that we don't. Rafe Hooper and his local outfitting company 'Osprey Adventures' is operating in the lower level of the centre. He offers canoe and kayak rentals as well as guided tours of the Kennebecasis and Hampton Marsh. Rafe tells me he's been pretty busy since he opened about a month ago. I know the Kennebecasis River in Hampton is more suited for that kind of operation. The river is calm, protected and not prone to the tides, waves and current that we experience in Westfield. They also don't have a cable ferry to contend with when they launch their kayaks. But I think it would be a terrific addition to Brundage Point if somehow down the road we could figure out a way to offer a similar outfitting service here.
I went for a kayak paddle myself just a few days before my run that evening. The weather was perfect and I've never seen the River Centre or the river in general so busy with traffic. Boats were everywhere and people were busy in almost every cottage and camp along the shore. I was disappointed however to discover a new chain gate across the road to Westfield Wharf and the beach. I don't know why it was there and locked on one of the busiest days of the summer. For years kayakers like myself have been able to drive right to the waters edge to unload our boats and then park the car out of the way beyond the gate. It was easy for a number of kayakers to unload at the same time and launch from a sandy beach in protected water. Now it's a lot more difficult to do. I had to pull up to the locked gate, unload my kayak and carry it by myself through a narrow gap in the gate and all the way down to he water. With two people it might be OK, but if you're on your own it means a lot more work, if you're able to do it at all. The only other alternative is to put in at the boat launch on the other side of the ferry. But it's meant for power boats on trailers and it's all concrete, pavement and rocks, not the kind of surface that is kind to a wooden kayak like I have. If the locked chain across the gate remains, I'll have no choice but to launch by the government garage on the Nerepis River. I'm sure many other kayakers will do the same. I spoke to the town manager about the situation and was told the chain is there to prevent people from launching boats on the old ramp because it isn't safe anymore. The town wants everyone to use the new boat launch on the other side of the ferry. I can understand that. I was thanked for my call and told they would look at the situation. I hope something can be done because blocking off access to the water doesn't make any sense when you're trying to attract more people to the river centre.
As I continued my run that evening I witnessed an event that I knew I had to write about. It was one of the most ridiculous, dangerous and careless things I've seen in a long time. An ATV with two people on it was tearing along at high speed on the railway tracks. That's right.... on the tracks. From my vantage point it looked like the tires were right on the rails, if that's possible. Either way they were going fast. With helmets on and the engine noise, I suspect it would have been difficult or impossible to hear a train coming. And at that speed they could have easily slid off the rail or hit it and tumble down the embankment. From what I witnessed I think these two idiots are lucky to be alive. Kings County has already experienced five fatalities this summer in motor vehicle accidents. We don't want anymore.
Yes I did get worked up about a few things on this run but overall the positive outweighed the negative. I came home feeling pretty good about the community and especially good about this wonderful summer weather. And I'm ready for many more evening runs. Next time it's the column I didn't write this time.... about beating the high price of gas and taking the bus.
Showing posts with label St. John River. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. John River. Show all posts
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Spring Things
It seems like winter is finally loosening its grip. I'll even admit it's been long this year. You probably know if you read this column that I'm one of those rare people who actually enjoy the winter. It's been a fabulous season for skiing and I 
can't seem to stop. The snow still lingers and calls out to us addicted types. It was warm and sunny yesterday afternoon as I raked the lawn but earlier that morning I had been to Poley Mountain with another snow loving buddy and we skied the now closed slopes. It's a great work out walking up that hill carrying our skis. I know some of you are shaking your head and wondering about our sanity. The weekend before we were in the Chic Choc Mountains of Gaspe for some late season telemark turns and we found ourselves skiing on mountain tops through about 12 cm of fresh snow. Even closer to home, Crabbe Mountain near Fredericton has so much snow it plans to stay open until the beginning of May, if weather and willing skiers permit. That's the thing, at this time of year people aren't very interested in skiing any more. They want to move on to summery things. I do too. I want to get out kayaking and hiking but it's tough when the snow is still there tantalising us. Even when I'm raking the lawn I have to look at two small piles of snow still clinging to life in the shadiest part of the yard. So it's hard saying goodbye to a stubborn winter that's been a lot of fun but I know it's time to turn the page and move into another season.
But the remnants of winter still have a way of haunting us. People living near the water are especially concerned what the spring may bring. There is so much snow s
till on the ground up north that folks living in low lying areas beside the St. John river are worried about a high freshet this year. For good reason too. All that snow melt has to go somewhere. Here in Grand Bay-Westfield the Riverside Park area seems to get hit the hardest. It's been about three years now since the area was last flooded by high water. People are most concerned about a quick melt accompanied by heavy rain. So far nights have remained cold, easing the flow of water into the river. Everyone including the provincial EMO is hoping that continues. Nevertheless people in Riverside Park are moving things to higher ground and preparing for the worst. We'll all be watching the water levels over the next few weeks.
Something else people are watching is the progress of the new running track at River Valley Middle School. Construction has started again and the track looks like it's getting close to completion. Even in its unfinished and rough condition the track looks to be smoother than some of the roads around town. The winter has taken a toll on the pavement. Some particularly bad stretches of Woolastook Drive have so many pot holes and heaves that I don't even drive along there anymore if I can avoid it. I need to replace the struts in the car so you can imagine the kind of ride I'm getting through town. When you drive into Saint John through the business section of Grand Bay-Westfield that entire right hand lane is a mine-field from the Irving to the Sobey's entrance. I go to work for the early, early shift these days so fortunately when I drive through that area there is no traffic on the road and I can veer over into the other lane. But I've seen drivers do that to avoid the bumps when the road is busy. Not a good idea.
Bad roads lead us to the municipal election on May 12th, another sign of s
pring this year. There is a full slate of quality candidates running for mayor and council. Our job now is to choose. It's our duty too because unless we do our homework and pick who we feel are the best candidates for the job, we really have no right to complain about the job they're doing after the fact. So go to the candidates meeting, ask questions and most important of all, vote on the 12th.
As for me, I have more yard work to do and maybe, just maybe one more ski to get in.
can't seem to stop. The snow still lingers and calls out to us addicted types. It was warm and sunny yesterday afternoon as I raked the lawn but earlier that morning I had been to Poley Mountain with another snow loving buddy and we skied the now closed slopes. It's a great work out walking up that hill carrying our skis. I know some of you are shaking your head and wondering about our sanity. The weekend before we were in the Chic Choc Mountains of Gaspe for some late season telemark turns and we found ourselves skiing on mountain tops through about 12 cm of fresh snow. Even closer to home, Crabbe Mountain near Fredericton has so much snow it plans to stay open until the beginning of May, if weather and willing skiers permit. That's the thing, at this time of year people aren't very interested in skiing any more. They want to move on to summery things. I do too. I want to get out kayaking and hiking but it's tough when the snow is still there tantalising us. Even when I'm raking the lawn I have to look at two small piles of snow still clinging to life in the shadiest part of the yard. So it's hard saying goodbye to a stubborn winter that's been a lot of fun but I know it's time to turn the page and move into another season.But the remnants of winter still have a way of haunting us. People living near the water are especially concerned what the spring may bring. There is so much snow s
till on the ground up north that folks living in low lying areas beside the St. John river are worried about a high freshet this year. For good reason too. All that snow melt has to go somewhere. Here in Grand Bay-Westfield the Riverside Park area seems to get hit the hardest. It's been about three years now since the area was last flooded by high water. People are most concerned about a quick melt accompanied by heavy rain. So far nights have remained cold, easing the flow of water into the river. Everyone including the provincial EMO is hoping that continues. Nevertheless people in Riverside Park are moving things to higher ground and preparing for the worst. We'll all be watching the water levels over the next few weeks.
Something else people are watching is the progress of the new running track at River Valley Middle School. Construction has started again and the track looks like it's getting close to completion. Even in its unfinished and rough condition the track looks to be smoother than some of the roads around town. The winter has taken a toll on the pavement. Some particularly bad stretches of Woolastook Drive have so many pot holes and heaves that I don't even drive along there anymore if I can avoid it. I need to replace the struts in the car so you can imagine the kind of ride I'm getting through town. When you drive into Saint John through the business section of Grand Bay-Westfield that entire right hand lane is a mine-field from the Irving to the Sobey's entrance. I go to work for the early, early shift these days so fortunately when I drive through that area there is no traffic on the road and I can veer over into the other lane. But I've seen drivers do that to avoid the bumps when the road is busy. Not a good idea.
Bad roads lead us to the municipal election on May 12th, another sign of s
pring this year. There is a full slate of quality candidates running for mayor and council. Our job now is to choose. It's our duty too because unless we do our homework and pick who we feel are the best candidates for the job, we really have no right to complain about the job they're doing after the fact. So go to the candidates meeting, ask questions and most important of all, vote on the 12th.As for me, I have more yard work to do and maybe, just maybe one more ski to get in.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
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.
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.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
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
Send along your comments and suggestions to doingstuffoutdoors@yahoo.ca
Sunday, April 1, 2007
River Valley Rambler - This and That
Since I started writing the blog at rivervalleyrambler.blogspot.com/ I've changed my approach to writing. Instead of compiling a longer piece on one topic I've started thinking of content in terms of shorter chunks about various ideas. So I'll try that with this column.
First of all I hope by the time you read this we're not into a federal election campaign. It seems Stephen Harper is chomping at the bit to call an election. I don't know why. Isn't he already the Prime Minister? We don't need an election and I know most Canadians don't want one. We're being electioned to death, especially here in New Brunswick. We just had a provincial election. We've had our share of by-elections recently. The last federal election wasn't long ago and the municipal elections aren’t that far off anymore. Please stop. I appreciate my right to vote but I don't want to do it every few months. I also don't want the government to spend my tax money on an election I don't want.
_______________________________________________
I seem to have misplaced my driveway, or at least a good portion of it. The torrential rains that fell after the snow and freezing rain washed away a lot of gravel. It didn't really wash it away. It just moved it into the ditch. Now the drive looks like a mini grand canyon with deep river valleys meandering down its length like snakes. Instead of thousands of years of erosion, this only took a few hours of rain to accomplish. My driveway is on a fairly steep hill and washouts like this happen every 2 or 3 years. It's usually in the spring when the driveway is clear but ice and snow remains piled up on the side and that leaves the water only one place to go.
So I got out the wheel-barrel and shovel and went to retrieve what I could of my driveway from the ditch and snow bank at the bottom. Some of the deeper holes I filled one shovel full at a time. After I raked and smoothed things out it still looked like Niagara Falls had come down the driveway but at least it was patched up enough to allow us to drive up and down without fear of losing an axle.
This just didn't happen to me. The torrential rains took out a lot of driveways and ditches in town. It also flooded many basements. When you live on the side of a hill like many people in Grand Bay-Westfield do, running water is always going to be a concern.
___________________________________________
Finally and still with the theme of running water, I read a terrific article about the St. John River in the latest edition of Canadian Geographic Magazine. It's about a lazy su
mmer paddle in a canoe through the islands upriver of Fredericton. UNB professor Mark Anthony Jarman writes the story. Brian Atkinson took the beautiful photographs featured in the piece. It details the experience of paddling that part of the river along with an historical context. That's what you'd expect and it's the kind of writing tourism departments like to see because it's good for business. But what I really like about the piece are the extra, not so positive elements that Jarman has added. He writes, for instance, about bones and skulls of missing-persons from upriver washing up and lodging in the roots of butternut trees every year. I didn't know that. He writes of the glory days of river steamers and then adds how they collided or caught fire and how their boilers had a tendency to explode. He mentions the shooting and looting and burning and scalping that went on in the river valley in the past. Jarman doesn't dwell on the negative but he doesn't gloss over it. By adding these elements he makes the article more interesting and compelling and honest. It's great writing and having it published in a national magazine has to be good for the province.
(Find this column, past columns and other unique content of interest to the area by going online to rivervalleyrambler.blogspot.com/)
First of all I hope by the time you read this we're not into a federal election campaign. It seems Stephen Harper is chomping at the bit to call an election. I don't know why. Isn't he already the Prime Minister? We don't need an election and I know most Canadians don't want one. We're being electioned to death, especially here in New Brunswick. We just had a provincial election. We've had our share of by-elections recently. The last federal election wasn't long ago and the municipal elections aren’t that far off anymore. Please stop. I appreciate my right to vote but I don't want to do it every few months. I also don't want the government to spend my tax money on an election I don't want.
_______________________________________________
I seem to have misplaced my driveway, or at least a good portion of it. The torrential rains that fell after the snow and freezing rain washed away a lot of gravel. It didn't really wash it away. It just moved it into the ditch. Now the drive looks like a mini grand canyon with deep river valleys meandering down its length like snakes. Instead of thousands of years of erosion, this only took a few hours of rain to accomplish. My driveway is on a fairly steep hill and washouts like this happen every 2 or 3 years. It's usually in the spring when the driveway is clear but ice and snow remains piled up on the side and that leaves the water only one place to go.
So I got out the wheel-barrel and shovel and went to retrieve what I could of my driveway from the ditch and snow bank at the bottom. Some of the deeper holes I filled one shovel full at a time. After I raked and smoothed things out it still looked like Niagara Falls had come down the driveway but at least it was patched up enough to allow us to drive up and down without fear of losing an axle.
This just didn't happen to me. The torrential rains took out a lot of driveways and ditches in town. It also flooded many basements. When you live on the side of a hill like many people in Grand Bay-Westfield do, running water is always going to be a concern.
___________________________________________
Finally and still with the theme of running water, I read a terrific article about the St. John River in the latest edition of Canadian Geographic Magazine. It's about a lazy su
mmer paddle in a canoe through the islands upriver of Fredericton. UNB professor Mark Anthony Jarman writes the story. Brian Atkinson took the beautiful photographs featured in the piece. It details the experience of paddling that part of the river along with an historical context. That's what you'd expect and it's the kind of writing tourism departments like to see because it's good for business. But what I really like about the piece are the extra, not so positive elements that Jarman has added. He writes, for instance, about bones and skulls of missing-persons from upriver washing up and lodging in the roots of butternut trees every year. I didn't know that. He writes of the glory days of river steamers and then adds how they collided or caught fire and how their boilers had a tendency to explode. He mentions the shooting and looting and burning and scalping that went on in the river valley in the past. Jarman doesn't dwell on the negative but he doesn't gloss over it. By adding these elements he makes the article more interesting and compelling and honest. It's great writing and having it published in a national magazine has to be good for the province.(Find this column, past columns and other unique content of interest to the area by going online to rivervalleyrambler.blogspot.com/)
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