On another weekend excursion as we move ever closer to the reality of fall and the much-anticipated winter excursion. This time back to Jasper again for the third time already this fall. Weather reports were for rather poor weather, but it turned out to be not that bad at all, if you don't mind some clouds! Then on to Valemount to visit a friend. I thought maybe it would have developed a lot of new tourist facilities, etc, but it looks pretty much like I remembered from quite a few years ago. Then I decided to return via Highway #5 and Kamloops instead of re-tracing my route back through Jasper. I used to travel this way to the coast and to Seattle a lot when lived in Jasper. It was nice to see the road again and to look at some of the big forest fires that have ocurred there over the last decade. Thanks to my Backroads Mapooks, I decided on a sidetrip from Little Fort. I crossed the river there and followed the east bank of the North Thompson river down to Barriere. I thought there would be a bridge there, but there was the smallest ferry I have ever been on! It was more or less a deck over two pontoons, and much to my surprise, it was powered by a little wee outboard motor - and the river's current. Mine was the only vehicle on board - full capacty might have been two vehicles (!). Half way across the river, the outoard ran out of fuel, so we were stranded till the operator got a 5 gallon jug of gas and re-fueled it! The route was more rustic than expected and ran along Dunn Lake - which features a forestry campsite and a resort.
Made it into Kamloops in the early evening to the first cell coverage my Roger's phone could muster - since Jasper. Also good wi-fi in front of the Future Shop - and good Google Earth coverage to boot. Hooked up my satellite dish to catch the latest episode of 'Plucked' on CMT - which will feature my friend Lisa Hewitt in the next few weeks. It is one of those talent shows where the winner goes on to get a recording contract or a video or something.
Not bad weather here either, but fall is definitely in the air.

What can I say again? This time, the pics are from Banff National Park, just north of Lake Louise where I work. Gorgeous fall day with incredible colours. Hard to keep the camera from clicking!
I wonder what all the people without great jobs are doing today?

What can I say? It was just a beautiful fall day in Yoho National Park.

Just a couple more late photos from Ottawa. Taken Sunday morning from the 25th floor of the Crowne Plaza hotel - looking west and north across the Ottawa river into Gatineau.

On Sunday, September 24, 2006,thousands of police and peace
officers from across the country gathered on Parliament
Hill to honour colleagues who have died in the line
of duty.
In the past year, 10 police and peace officers have made
the
ultimate sacrifice in keeping communities safe. They are:


Wildlife Protection Officer Nicolas Rochette
(Québec Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife)

Wildlife Protection Officer Fernand Vachon
(Québec Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife)

Constable Valérie Gignac (Laval Police, QC)
Constable John D. Goyer (Abbotsford Police, BC)

Corporal Matthew Dinning (Canadian Military Police)

Corporal Randy Payne (Canadian Military Police)

Senior Constable John C. Atkinson
(Windsor Police, ON)

Senior Constable Donald J. Y. Doucet
(Sault Ste. Marie Police, ON)

Constable Robin L. Cameron
(Royal Canadian Mounted Police, SK)
Constable Marc J. D. Bourdages
(Royal Canadian Mounted Police, SK)

Other historical names
that were added are:

Constable Harry L. McKenney, July 17, 1946
(B.C. Provincial Police, BC)
Constable Murdock J. MacDonald, September 3, 1948
(Sydney City Police, NS)
Constable Alfred Sauvé, May 24, 1951
(Hull Police, QC)
Constable Kenneth G. Kornelson, May 17, 1965
(Royal Canadian Mounted Police)

Their names have been added to
the Memorial Honour Roll which
now includes
the names of 729 fallen officers.
The Service is a lasting tribute to the
sacrifice of those brave men and women.
"THEY ARE OUR HEROES, WE SHALL NOT
FORGET THEM".
Their names are forever etched on the glass panels
erected along the perimeter wall adjacent to the
Memorial Pavilion.
In 1998, the federal government officially
proclaimed the last Sunday of
each September as Police and Peace Officers'
National Memorial Day. This
Service gives Canadians an opportunity to express
their appreciation for the
ultimate dedication of these police and peace officers.

For a change of pace, this weekend finds me in Ottawa to attend the National Peace Officer's Memorial on Parliament Hill.
I spent the morning walking around on the hill, and having a look for a number of friends' names on the wall.
A damp day in the nation's capitol, but nice and warm, and the humidity is welcome this time of year.

On Monday I saw a nice young bull moose. Unfortunately, most of the moose I see these days are dead - victims of either the highway or the railroad. This one met his end on the Trans Canada Highway in Yoho National Park. Park Wardens are not permitted to enforce their own speed regulations any more, and the RCMP detachment in Field, BC was closed many years ago, so it is pretty much a freeway out here much of the time. This one was likely hit by a big truck, judging by the debris at the site, but they rarely stop or report the accident if they can drive away.
After hauling away the remains, so as not to offend other speeding drivers on the road, I was off to check out reports of a forest fire near Saskatchewan Crossing. Even though I was on my way to a 'fire', I was passed by many tourists intent on getting past the scenery as fast as they possibly could. Eventually, out on the highway towards Rocky Mountain House, I searched for the elusive smoke. Reports put it between five and fifty kilometers from the junction. Given the residual smoke in the area from fires burning in southern B.C. and northern Washington state, it was not an easy task. Eventually, my many years of experience paid off, and led me more or less directly to the fire location. By examining the subtle clues, I was able to figure out the most likely location of the raging (not) inferno. There was just something suspicious that I was able to detect in the way those three helicopters kept circling the same spot across the river, just outside the park boundary!
Getting there was a bit of a struggle and I had to improvise to keep from breaking the warden's rule. I opened the gate with a master key, but found the trail obstructed by not one, but three trees blocking my way. I actually had to use a 'manual' axe to remove them. There was no owner's manual or warning labels, but I had not forgotten how to start it up. Otherwise, it would have meant contravening the Rule of the 5 W's. Basically, the rule reads We Won't Walk Will We? So when I got there, I took some photos just for you guys. (and gals!)
Fire location: 51 59.61n 116 39.33w Use your Google earth, described in earlier posts. It's fun, and best of all - free.
Two of the helicopters were bucketing the fire picking up water from the Saskatchewan river; the third was used for spotting.
For more info on forest fires in Alberta - if you are really bored - check out http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/wildfires/index.html
Disclaimer: The photo with flames is NOT this fire. It is from the Alberta website.
or http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/wildfires/fpd/wi.cfm
or Parks Canada Fire links at
http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/np-pn/ecosystem/ecosystem5_E.asp#management

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