Thursday...
Said my sad goodbyes to Nicholas, Michele and Rudy at 10:30 and got on the road to Port Hardy, a few hundred miles to the north. Erde sulked the whole trip, knowing her source of unlimited salmon was gone. If she knew how to fish she wouldn't think that, with the large run of salmon in progress right before her eyes, when they are open, that is.
The excellent road to Port Hardy, highway 19a and then 19, transforms into a botanical garden after a few miles. It clears the mind and soul. You don't need to listen to the music as your senses are on overload already with the scenery.
Arrived at our old stomping ground at Quatse River Camp at 4:30, right on scehdule. Found out that the hosts, Ken and Deb, lost their little terrier Jerrico a few months sgo. So many dogs died this yesr. So much grief.
This camp is in effect a temperate rain forest. Huge trees soaring as high as trees grow. Wonderful, even when jt rains, which js a lot as i now know. Bears all around, they tell me, since they are feeding on the nearby running salmon, but i hope Erde doesn't learn that.
Friday
Woke up to 360 degree chorus of birds singing to their hearts content this morning. It's like the birds in these camps are competing for a prize in my blog, their singing just gets louder and louder.
In town early for a few muffins at the Market Inn and a haircut at Chris Hunter's. I have been at Chris's once in my life, last year, and he recognized me immediately, even with my new beard, you're the guy from Washington with the big dogs and the Land Rover, he said. If you want a barber with charm, a lot of stories, and good humor, i suggest getting on Chris's calendar. And only $10.
Decided to head off to Cape Scott, despite the rain, maybe because if it. The rain heightens these experiences for me. When we got there, it was so rainy, cold and windy, I stayed in the Defender and drafted some emails. Here's one i wrote to a friend.
"Sitting in the Defender now, with Erde sleeping by my side, at Cape Scott, the end of the road on the east, 45 miles from civilization in northern Vancouver.
"The road here was quite bad, dirt, gravel, pothols, and pools of water 10 feet across. The road is narrow and the logging trucks coming in either direction have the rightbof way, but just looking at them you want them to have it. It is raining, which makes the road treacherous.
"In addition to the rain, It's cold and quite windy outside. No one is around for miles. I understand that bears and mountain lions stroll by occasionally, although they are wise to stay indoors today. Few people would ever venture out in these conditions and under these circumstances. But It does wonders to your consitution. Budhha said, solitude and tranquility make you lose your fears. He was right. There are three kinds of people: those who do these things as best they can, those who want to do it but can't for one reason or another, and those who have no desire to do this. I don't feel sorry for the second group, only the last."
It was raining when we got back to the camp so dinner was served at the camp pavilion. Erde had venison and potato kibbles, served with rice and a hefty amount of fresh salmon from Nicholas yesterday. I had a few tablespoons of her leftover white rice with a teaspoon of salmon, and a V-8 juice, but she still wanted what I had. My new technique to get her to eat is to pick up her bowl and pretend that I am eating it and then she wants what I have, so I gladly give it to her.
Tomorrow we head back down island to the Port Alberni home of a couple I met last year at Cape Scott who invited me to pitch my tent in their ecological heaven that they set up, or perhaps stay in one of their tiny cozy cabins in their backyard. From there we travel to the Pacific coast and pitch the tent for a few days on a small bluff overlooking the ocean, or perhaps stay in a yurt as we did there last year.
It's raining now and i do not want to pass up the soporific effect of the pitter patter on the tent fly. So it's time to pull out my Sutter Home cabernet sauvignon, play Arvo Part: Fur Alina on my iPad, relish in the memories today brought, and retire for the night.
Photos..
Camp site at Nahwitti on the road to Cape Scott. Someday i hope to return to camp here, it is so formidable looking.
The logging road on the way to Cape Scott. Just imagine encountering a massive logging truck coming at you. What would you do?
The final stretch to Cape Scott. The road was heaviky trafficked simply by my presence.
Erde at Cape Scott. I use to know the story behibd this long-dead tree, but i forget.
Ed and Erde, On The Road
Because of the rain, Dinner was served in the Quatse River Camp pavillion tonight. Erde had venison and potato kibbles, a cup of rice, and a huge dollop of fresh salmon, courtesy of Nicholas, Michele, and Rudy. I had a few tablespoons of Erde's leftover rice and salmon and a V-8 juice, and she still looked to get access to mine.
P.S. Sorry for any errors in this message or posting. The iPad spellcheck is not known for its attention to detail.
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