Pahrump, Nevada

I did the same mistake that I had done in 2015 in Arizona last night: Driving in the dark on a new road! My drive from McCarran International Airport to Pahrump was not as bad as my drive from Lost Dutchman State Park near Phoenix to Sedona. The car was worse though, in terms of power and comfort, my choice! No one else's fault! One should not drive on a major road in dark when he arrives in a new country. I know it would never happen anywhere but in Canada and the US because all the other prospective destinations of mine either have right-sided cars or driving would not be a wise idea. My plan is to go to Japan, Wales, Scotland and New Zealand, all right-sided cars. I know it looks very ambitious but that is what my plan is. I will try to go to as many as possible. in the meantime other countries in Europe, South America and Africa have either reliable public transport or I should not think of driving at all.

American Flag is hoisted in front of Pahrump Nugget a casino and hotel in the unincorporated(!) town. I have to say, and America haters please don't start a hatred war, the flag look magnificent. I don't know why but that's the feeling that you get from it 

Anyways It was the GPS who saved me again and my one hour drive to the unincorporated(!) community of Pahrump was safe. I found the hotel easily and checked in. I was not hungry. So just after a few minutes I went to the bed. It's an OK place but we'll see how it will turn out.
(Photo, Top: We waited for about 5 minutes to get to the rental center from the airport on bus. The walk from where I landed to the bus station was nearly 10 min.)

An Easy Entry!

Writing from Vancouver International Airport (in Richmond!) I just passed the US Department of Homeland Security a few minutes ago. Things obviously have changed since the last time I was to the US in 2015. They have installed a machine which checks the passport, asks you questions and take a shot of you. Then you're directed to a line which ends to different booths with the US Department of Homeland Security officers. At my turn (which didn't take more than 2 minutes!) I was waved by an Asian lady. She asked me where I was going and asked me about the food that I had declared at the machine. I told her that I had made a few sandwiches for me and that was it: Stamp! 

I then walked to the gate. A few people including me, were called to the counter for passport check. I had been told that it was a random selection and that was true. It was not only me. Caucasians, East Indians and other people of different ethnicity were also called to the counter and their passport was checked. It took only 2 minutes and now I'm waiting to be board. We would be board in 45 minutes, I guess.
(Photo: People are lined up to get on the plan in a quite busy terminal of Vancouver International Airport. This was just a few minutes before I board the plane)

Fahrenheit 11/9: I Was Expecting More from Moore!

Preface:
I found out about this movie about a month ago and wanted to catch it before it's gone. So I went to a nearby theatre and bought a ticket for auditorium 8. I went in well in advance although the seats were numbered. I sat there and after a few minutes of commercials an animation started almost at the same time that an Asian family, a father, a mother and a little boy came and sat next tome, probably Chinese. I thought to myself: What the hell is it? Why would Michael More start with an animation?! Is that like an introduction to the main movie?! This idea was strengthened particularly when the animation turned to be not a simple one. There seemed to be a message behind that. A homestay mom realizes that one of his foods comes out of the pot after being cooked and turned to a little boy! And then I thought again: Why the hell this family is here with their little boy?! Why would anyone bring a 5-year-old boy to a political Michael Moore movie?! Then the animation was ended and I thought the main movie would begin. It appeared that I was wrong because it was not a movie! It was another animation! Then I thought to myself again: Am I in the wrong theatre?! Yes! I was! I looked around. Not many people! Should I stay or should I go?! What would the others think?! Would I be able to catch the actual movie?! I then left the auditorium and realized that I was in the wrong one! Number 8 was just next to this! I went in and found my seat! Fortunately it was just beginning of the movie!
The Main discussion:
I like the topics that Michael Moore chooses to discuss in his movies. For that reason when I realized that he has a new movie out, I made sure that I am not missing that. However this one was not as attractive as what I had expected: Fahrenheit 11/9. 

The movie revolves around Donald Trump's election and his first years of presidency. It's probably not as good as what I had expected because the issues discussed in the movie are most recent and there has been so much coverage by different media for them. I'm honestly sick of all the news that we here on daily basis about trump and his administration. That's one of the reasons why I stopped watching CBC. However I understand that whatever happens in the US, will have an effect in Canada. So it's obvious that the politicians should be aware of that and react accordingly but too much coverage is not required.

Going back to the film, it felt that Moore thought obligated to make a movie about Trump or in general what has been going on in the US in the past 15 years of so because he also pokes Obama and calls him the person who made the country ready for Trump to emerge. He, Moore, though, I think, felt tired. He has used the same techniques that has been using since Fahrenheit9/11. 

He talks to people, he goes to places to make arrest(!), he talks on megaphones, he does his quick edits of the scenes, he shows claims of people's wrongdoings (such as fraud, sexual misconduct, etc.) while a scene of them is being showed and in general the way he presents his ideas has not been changed. If you compared him to other film makers, you wouldn't see any creativity in the way he opens an issue and discusses that. He opens up with how Bush, who was behind Gore, eventually won presidency in 2000, in Fahrenheit 9/11 then uses the exact same opening in the new movie. 

Anyway this would not a movie, like his previous ones, that I would watch over and over and it's not that I'm a fan of Trump's. The movie is just not that strong. You won't see anything new in it but a few fact that you automatically know that they must be there to make that incident, for example, happen. I won't buy the DVD but if you want to see that once, perhaps you should. The only past of the movie that I like is the section that shows Obama's trip to Flint, Michigan, Moore's birthplace, to address the water problem that people had back in 2014 and still is going on. Obama is basically destroyed for the way he reacted to that crisis and that's a good proof that he's nothing but the same lair and big companies puppet as other presidents of the US. 

Discussion over Obama, Trump's and the general situation in the US requires several books. It cannot be discussed in a short weblog post. If you're not aware of what's been going on in the US since Trump took over, you perhaps want to see the movie. Otherwise it does not have anything new. It's just a compact version of news for the past year and so since Trump was elected president. I would give 2 out of 5 to this movie.

(Photo: A symbolic gesture by Moore in the movie. He's hosing the governor Snyder's house with Flint's water! This kind of scene has been seen in other movies of Moore. I wonder if there actually is a charge in the US for someone who hoses someone else's property!) 

B. C. Training Trip (2)

I woke up early on day 2 and the last day of my trip for training to B. C. Got ready and went down. Checked out and got into the cab and got ourselves to the company. Today's training was just a bit better. There was this guy who taught us a few features of the software we use on daily basis but the problem was that he went too fast. Other people from other departments came as well and provided us with information which I doubt any of us would use soon! The lunch was again horrible! It contained Pasta of different type but all made of White Flour which I don't eat at all. There was some Caesar Salad as well. I ate some of those, ignoring the stupid Croutons(!) I had to resort to the provided desert. It was not bad and I guess the amount of sugar I consumed was equal to what I normally eat in 3 weeks! We left the company at around 14:45. There was nothing special on the way back except the fact that our plane was a bit late. I was hungry as I had not have much for breakfast and lunch and wanted to have something. There's a sort of luxury bistro in Vancouver International Airport called Vino Volo which serves Pizza as well. I checked to see if they have Whole Grain Crust Pizza but the girl over there, very politely, said that they didn't serve that and excused herself. I eventually went to  Carl's Jr. for a Hamburger, something I normally don't eat outside. I asked the girl to serve me a 1/3 Lb. without Cheese and Sauce. It was only 3 bites and cost the company(!) nearly $9, I think but I had not much choices around me. The trip back to Alberta was not as pleasant. The plane was packed but I was at an isle seat and was not so bad. I used my American Express Air Miles card 3 times during the trip and I think I collected a good number of miles. I'll see when the statement is received. Alan, the co-worker whom flew with me thought I had an RBC WestJet Visa Card because my card has an airplane pictured on it as the sign of Air Mile. When I told him that one should have at least $80,000 annual income and that was not what he had thought, he really didn't like it!

(Photo: This in fact was taken on the way to British Columbia. It's hard to say what river that is but I was not very far from the airport)

B. C. Training Trip (1)

This company that I've been working for since last Oct. sent me to a training trip and now I'm writing from a hotel in British Columbia (posted late). It's a very nice place that we're staying and the weather is nice as well. I checked the weather forecast before leaving Alberta and had lots of rain in it. Therefore I didn't plan for anything and even didn't bring my camera. Besides I'm so tired that barely can sit at the desk.

The flight was OK except for the fact that the wrong gate was indicated on the boarding pass and had I not paid attention to the electronic board, there would have been a good chance that I miss the flight.

The plane was only half full, mainly, I think because of the day. I had nobody in my row and was very comfortable. At the airport a van cab pick us up and dropped us at the hotel. I had not had anything but a few Dates since lunch. So it was a little disturbing. I got a jar of Peanuts from the nearby Shopper's Drug Mart and had a few.

Sleeping was a problem because I'm used to the comfort of my mattress and pillow. There it was the shallow and puffy pillow and not firm mattress. So I didn't sleep very well. There was a little noise there as well. The railroad is just next to the hotel. I guess I slept for only a few hours and that was interrupted off and on and then I had a wild sexy dream which felt very real! I remember I was somewhere that Black people were having an orgy, F*cking each other passionately! I was with this tall Black girl who at one time went to the bathroom and took a big load! I don't know what that means but I do remember it was an Asian toilet, the ones that you have to squat! Then she came out and we were kissing passionately and then the damn telephone rang and woke me up! The telephone's story is now a different one! I called a cab driver to get me to the airport and he didn't answer. Then I called a company and got myself there on time. Then he called back. I din't want to be rude, especially after the cab drive who took me to the airport told me: Taxi business is dead! It's just waiting to be buried! I thought I should keep him around and use him when I need but he was acting like a fool that really he is! He called me at 06:30 in there which is 07:30 in Calgary! I didn't respond of course but it spoiled my dream although my alarm would have gone off in 5 min. anyways!

We got into a cab and went to the office for training without any freaking breakfast! I only had a chance to make myself a cup of coffee in the room and then had a piece of cheap(!) cake in the office over there. The majority of the time was waste except for just a little bit in the afternoon. The guy who was doing the presentation didn't even know how to use the damn laptop! He then used another device without even being able to show everyone the things he was doing with it! The topics he was trying to explain was unknown to me and he didn't even start properly. I asked him to define what the term meant and what the purpose of that process was. He barely was able to do that. Then there was another guy who was supposed to take over and just didn't come! So they took us to the floor and asked us to do silly things!

Lunch was served around noon and was something sub-par which probably had been made days, even weeks before being served! It was supposed to be Taco. The Guacamole was just bland and the Chicken and Beef looked old. The Beans were old as well. You would sense the second you sank your teeth in one! The Rice was even worse! I was hungry though. I ignored the damn Rice and Taco and filled myself with the rest plus some Onions, Bell Peppers and similar saute stuff. At the end I attacked the dessert tray and stuffed myself with all the bad sugary stuff!

The time in the afternoon was only good for one new process that I learnt and I'm hoping that I can use it in the coming weeks at work, if I don't forget it. Then we headed back to the hotel. I was so tired but the guys were planning to drink and eat. I went to bed at 20:00 hours!

(Photo: Fraser River and Patullo Bridge in the sunset from the window of my hotel. The actual scene is much more beautiful than this. I was only able to catch this much due to lack of a good camera)

A Racially Motivated Incident in McDonald's

Everyone knows this but I'm indicating it here that McDonald's is the cheapest chain restaurant in the entire globe and for that its locations are, most of the time, filled with homeless, drug addicts, prostitutes, criminals and all sorts of unpleasant people, at the best cheapskates! I, though, go to McDonald's only for it's Coffee because theirs is the best and I truly despise Tim Horton's, especially now that it is owned by a Brazilian company! 

With that in mind when I and The Mumbling Guy get together, most of the times, we meet in a McDonald's. So we were in a location a few weeks ago and I went to the counter, as usual, to order something as he's a f**king cheap bastard! There was a young, lanky, Caucasian boy who served a few customers while I was standing there like an idiot, looking at the freaking board to see if my lucky(!) number shows up!

I, unfortunately, lost my cool and asked him why he had served other customers whom their orders had been placed after mine. He, very calmly of course, made a stupid excuse and I had to calm down but didn't and threw the newspaper I had, away and said something else! 

This triggered a few Caucasian oldies including a potbellied pig(!) in smudged cloths who was standing right behind me and said something sh*t. I told him to stay out of this and cursed at him as well but I don't remember what I said but remember that I made fun of his physique and appearance! 

Two other guys came to assist him and turned it to a racial issue! One of them told the counter guy to remove me from the restaurant and the other bastard, when I returned to the table and sat in front of The Mumbling Guy said that he would call the police and would have my car towed! 

Surprisingly and it really is a surprise because I have called police several times, the police arrived in a few minutes only! How I found out was that I saw a lady officer going to the counter and then the same young fella, the tall guy, strolled around the restaurant while had an eye at our table. I asked the freaking a**sole if he was looking for me because I was sure that the lady officer had asked him where I was. The bastard liar said no! Then the officer came to our appearance and I knew she had known where I was but asked her if she was looking for me!

She said that she had received a complain about me being mean to the counter people! I told her what had happen and she said that she had to ask us to leave! 

We left the table and when we walked out of the restaurant I told her I knew what had happened. I said that we were two friends who meet once in a while in a place in between our residences and I added that people nowadays simply don't like someone because he looks like certain people who has harmed others! She said nothing and her silence was a sign of confirmation for me! We then crossed the street and sat outside a Starbucks(!) for a few more minutes. 

The Mumbling Guy was OK until we decided to go back to our cars. He thought that the cars would not be there as the guy had claimed something stupid! He, though, suggested to meet somewhere else next time we meet. I didn't want to argue and agreed but deep down I really didn't like the way those a**hole, old-timer, rubes treated us. There's no doubt in my mind that the guys simply intervened because we were not Caucasian and the thing is I didn't say anything bad or rude, until the potbellied cursed at me. 

Almost the same thing happened few weeks after that when this time I and The Chef were coming back from a hike. The guy knowingly or unknowingly served someone who had ordered after me. The Chef asked me why I did not oppose. I told him I would let him know why I did not later and told him the story on the way back home. He was surprised!
(Photo: This young couple stepped in a McDonald's a few weeks ago where I was having a coffee and working on my V-Work. The guy was not able to control himself and would pass out like this. The girl was so young and so beautiful but she had problems too. She was shaking and had difficulty bending her knees to sit. This of course is not from the day we had that issue and is not the same location either. Just to show the type of people who frequent McDonald's at times)

(The Childish) Hike to Chester Lake (and Beyond!)

I and The Chef continued our hikes, hopefully not for the last time in 2018 because he's going back to work this Mon. I decided to take the trail which we denied access to, two weeks ago due to Bear activity in the area: Chester Lake. 

We saw this Fox at the side of Highway #40 looking for something and stopped for a shot

We met at 05:30 in a usual rendezvous point and headed west to Highway #1 as usual. However this time our trip was different. After a short stop in the last McDonald's for breakfast we found the highway extremely foggy with a very limited visibility. I had rented a Ford Fusion and although it's a very good car, I was making sure that nothing happens to it and would not cause me any extra cost rather than just the rent and gasoline. I had to slow down to 60 Km/h for majority of the road until we reached Highway #40 where the fog almost was gone. We reached the trail-head with no difficulty after that. However we started the hike at almost 08:15! It means that the distance which is normally driven in maximum 2 hours took nearly 3 hours to us! Considering the time we stopped for breakfast and photography on the road, we still spent 45 more minutes than usual! 

Mountains in the area have interesting shapes and figures. This one looks like cut Rust Beef with sprinkles of maybe cheese on the top! 

We were the first vehicle at the parking and the weather was cloudy and a little bit cold. The Chef started with his gloves on and it seemed the 0 ℃ was not very pleasant to him. The trail is well-worn and in fact it's a very easy hike for kids under 8 and people with sever physical disability but my aim was to see how close I could get to The Fortress. In fact is you're on a wheelchair or using crutches to walk, you would easily make it to the lake. It's just the fact that it would tale longer to you. The trail is nice and the colours of Fall make it nicer. I'm sure it would be nice in Summer and Winter as well. There was no one on the trail until we reach the lake and that took us barely 01:20 hours. We then took the lest trail and went to the other side which is filled with boulders. 

I found this interesting rock with a shellfish fossilized in it on my way up past the lake

The Chef chose not to continue after that and complained about the cold and his ailing left knee (I should probably post about that) but I took the obvious trail and went up the cliffs where I could see The Fortress but I was in no position to make it to the summit. It was probably at least another 02:30 to the summit from there and the whether was changing constantly. The fog first came down and covered the trail and then disappeared again. I then climbed down and joined The Chef to go back to the car. I had not had a good sleep the night before due to the cold and also the night prior to that and as I've mentioned before, both the factor of having a silly, stupid job and getting coward and lazy were involved to hold me back from going to The Fortress, not to mention the constant naggings of The Chef! But it's good that I brought him because I share the cost of rental and gasoline with him and also he always have silly stories to make me laugh. 

I finally was able to take a good shot of a Pika. This cute and lovely mammal lives between the rock and is difficult to spot due to its ability to camouflage. You need to listen to its scream(!) and then spot it. This is as close as I could get to him with my 7-300 mm lens. I didn't want to scare it off

It's unfortunate that he might not be able to join me for any hike until next year that he will again have his vacations but I will try to take him if any long weekend hike will be available any time.

(Photo: The Fortress from above Chester Lake. This probably would be more than 02:30 hours to the summit from here) 

A Good Attempt to Mt. Whymper

I talked to The Chef last Thu. and I realized that he will have the whole week off to himself, which is this week. This meant that we could go for a hike on Sun. Therefore I searched a little bit and I decided to go somewhere new. I selected Mt. Whymper in Kootenay National Park. I was hoping that after the disappointing trip we had to Kananaskis last week, we would be able to have a good hike in that area. This mountain is across Stanley Mountain, where I had this silly hike a little more than two years ago, to Stanley Glacier.

After nearly half an hour, or even loner, walking in the forest and bushwhacking my helmet was about to be full of needle leaves as you can see here 

I and The Chef got together to discuss the detail of the hike and have a meal on Sat. afternoon. We bought a couple of Pizza and a small bowl of Chicken from Pizza Hut. I was hungry but he had had something and played with the food and drank two cans of his favorite Beer. I finished my Pizza and 2 or 3 slices of his and he was a little intoxicated. We then split then and I went and got the vehicle. I then set the clock for 04:30 and went to bed as we were supposed to meet at 05:00, next morning.
I woke up at around 04:05 and got my gear and headed to rendezvous point. The Chef arrived there early as well, to my surprise and after parking his vehicle, we headed to a McDonald's because he said he wanted to get breakfast. I was not very hungry due to the fact that I had lots of Pizza the night before but I got a Sausage and Egg Bagel Sandwich and a medium cup of Coffee. I customized the sandwich to make it lighter but The Chef ordered two sandwiches and a 3-3 medium Coffee!

This is the gully that you have to go up to get yourself to the last stage and dangerous part of the hike. The gully is now eroded a lot and would not be easy to go up from. you would need to go as far right as you can and even there the rocks are not stable

With that in the tank we headed west and got ourselves to the designated parking lot.

The information about this hike is available in the web but I'm going to provide some, as well as the story of our hike. We pulled into the parking lot of Stanley Glacier at nearly 08:00 started to prepare for the hike. We were the second car in the parking but the other guys and every other car which parked there later, aimed for the stupid, childish hike of Stanley Glacier. We started at almost 08:10 and instead of finding the trail, we crossed Highway # 93 and cut into the dense forest! To save you some time and possibly injury, you need to go north on the highway for about 5 to 7 minutes only and then you will see the trail-head which is specified with a big rock and a broken(!) sign on the top of it. This, I realized on my way back.

You reach a flat area after you go up the gully and you can have a rest there. The view is nice but that's where the actual challenge starts. I didn't go pass this point for the reasons I've explained

We bushwhacked for probably half an hour or so and it was difficult! We had to go over fallen trees, fight the steep terrain and protect our body from sharp edges and branches! The Chef kept saying " Find the Trail! " until we finally got out of the mess. From there a gap was built between me and him and since I had predicted that I advised him to use my two-way radio which I had received earlier as a sort of gift and had never used it before. It came handy because The Chef kept falling behind and I had to check on him and give him directions. This was going on until I thought I should wait for him on a set of cliffs. When he arrived I saw that he was socked in his own sweat and was panting heavily! He said that he was done and he could not continue anymore! I knew that would happen but I advised him to take a break and then start after 10 minutes. I also told him to remove the extra layers. I started going up again and kept checking on him through the radio but I realized that our distance was getting bigger! At one point when he was aiming for a tall burnt tree (which you might see it during your hike as it stands out) he, I think, lost the direction and went to the wrong way! He is awful at route finding even when he drives in the city but this hike is very straightforward! All my attempts to get him back on the track failed and the nightmare of him being lost in the woods and I go after him made me to direct him back to the parking lot! In the meantime the damn radio was really low on battery and kept turning off on its own!

Highway # 93 south from the trail at the elevation I reached. This mountain I'm not sure which one it is but could be Vermillion Peak

Now I'm thinking of what was going on, I wonder if he pretended to not being able to find the way up just to go back to the parking lot! I told him that he had eaten too much and he had put too much on as well and that is what I had expected. Now with him going back, I headed toward the cliff area of the mountain and it got colder, windy and a few drops of rain were felt on my skin. I was able to find the damn trial but I also realized that I have to go up a very steep gully, full of loose rock! I reached a sort of flat area after the struggling in that gully and then I realized that it would be much harder to continue. The information I had printed was not in order, the weather was cold, cloudy and windy, I didn't know of the situation of The Chef, it was becoming late and more importantly I felt intimidated by the rocks and the trail situation. I think know that I was too dependent on the printed information. In a situation like that a good hiker just has to observe the available options and wisely select one. But again I think being alone on the mountain in that situation, made me to decide to descend! I think I still had, at least, half an hour of good scramble and climb combined with route finding. 

I headed down and this time I took the trail on my way back to the parking. I reached the parking lot at about 13:30. It was a good 05:30 hour hike/scramble. The parking lot was packed and some even had parked on the highway's shoulder. The Chef was eating his second sandwich(!) and a bottle of Coke and seemed fine. Mt. Whimper is not considered an easy hike and I perhaps should have considered that before heading out but I don't regret it. Had it been a nice and sunny day, I'm sure now, that I would have been able to go higher or even reach the summit. Would I try this mountain again? Possibly. September is not a very good time for hiking difficult mountains unless you're well-prepared and equipped as well as in a group. Not recommended for solo hiking.
(Photo, top: Mt. Whymper from after, probably, one hour on the trail)

9/11 after 17 Years

There are so many problems around the world now that no one goes back 17 years ago to review what happened in the US, particularly in New York City. It's a very controversial topic and for that I'm going to skip. 

However I do remember that I was in the old country and, as I probably have written this before, I called my aunt to see how my cousin was doing. Many say the world has changed right after that day. I leave to people to do their research and conclude. 

(Photo: World Trade Centre towers shortly after the incident from Brooklyn deck)

Eating Like a Freaking Pig

One of the insults that Canadians, or perhaps I can say Westerners in general, use frequently is an insult involving Pigs! At the same time they are amongst the biggest eaters of different parts of a Pig! Pork Chop, Bacon (on different sandwiches), Honey Ham and Pig Roast are only a few of a long list of dishes that Pig is the main ingredients. I don't know if Southeast Asians and East Asians have the same type, or different types of insults or not but some of them eat Pig even more than Westerners and that's because Pig eats everything and doesn't have to be fed properly. Basically is much cheaper than Cow or Sheep to maintain, I would say. So what is that Westerners use when they get angry, at times? 

You filthy pig! You eat like a freaking Pig? and stuff quite similar to these with a different wording!

With that in mind I was at work yesterday that the Guy Boy came and I must have insist here that I have nothing against homosexual people but this one is a real moron.  Here is the proof of it: He eats like a freaking Pig! He basically eats whatever is in front of him(!) and at the same time looks like the Africans (and again I have nothing against Africans) who have fled famine and drought! Here is his today's lunch menu:

1) Chili. 1 Medium Bowl. 

2- Soda (Coke). 1 Can

3- Banana. One.

4- Sweetened Yogurt. 1 Small Cup.

5- Reese Peanut Butter Cups. 1 Bar (Contains three cups)

I have never seen such a disgusting animal in my whole life. Even at time that I lived in that disgusting prison-like camp in northern Alberta, those nasty Pigs over there, were not as filthy and repulsive as this one! Also when I consider the fella comrades in CFLRS, they were not as bad as this one I guess. Those were mostly poor kids who were eating some of the foods for the first time in their lives! 

Going back to this nasty animal, his pants always are hanging off his ass and his belly is hanging down in front of him! For that reason he never is able to tuck his shirt in! I have tried to avoid him at lunch time but we only have a limited space and I have nowhere else to go! Besides, why would I disturb myself for a disgusting inconsiderate Pig! I work hard (at times!) and need my break! I'm just going to ignore the fat, disgusting, filthy Pig!
Pig is also a beloved animal here. In fact people like animal here more than any culture while at the same time they kill more than anywhere else with their stupid hunting! Some even keep a Pig as a pet.
(Photo: I just randomly selected this photo because it shows, contrary to the public belief, that pigs eat well!)

Disappointment at Spary Valley Provincial Park

We were both very excited and passionate for hiking this past long weekend since we had not been to a good hike for a long time. I had studied the available hikes and chose The Fortress in Spray Valley Provincial Park. My assumption was that even if The Chef did not follow me to the summit, at least there would be a good hike for him up until Chester Lake and a bit after that because the route to the summit of The Fortress is mostly an easy hike until Chester Lake and then at the end, near the summit becomes hard and steep. 

So we rented a car and met in Downtown early morning. The Chef is always punctual but this time he was late and that was a surprise to me. Eventually when I called him he said that he was in front of Calgary Tower, some 5 minutes away from our rendezvous point! He added that he was confused and not able to find his way to the were we usually meet! I didn't argue with him but suspected him being under the influence of Alcohol, something he never does when it comes to hiking. When I got there I realized he was sober but the problem was with the road closures all around Downtown area which we later found out it was due to Gay Pride Parade, the event that they now have given it a new name to include other weiredos! it contains a truckload of different alphabets next to each other! This somehow worked in favour of us but I'm not going to start a disappointing story with a disappointing introduction! I leave it for later.  

We saw this beautiful bird at the side of the road when we were leaving Smith-Dorrien Trail

We took Highway # 1 and then turned south on Highway # 40 and then to west on 742 and finally Smith-Dorrien Trail but as soon as we hit the trail and headed north, I saw a big electronic board, warning us of something: Bear in the area! I had seen signs similar to that many time but not that big! I always have ignored them. Bears are part of Kananaskis Country. What do you want me to do about them? All I can do is be careful and I am as much as I can. I even bought a Bear Spray, although it must be expired now! 

So we drove further up until we reached Chester Lake parking lot. The real surprise was there: The entrance to the area had been taped with yellow ribbons and a sign on the ground warned of Bears! 

Our surprises were changed to disappointment and we continued on the trail on north to get ourselves to home. When we get back on Highway # 1, shortly after Canmore, I received a telephone call from the rental company indicating that the Downtown area was closed and we would not be able to return the car at the designated time! That was a good news and we used that and went to Okotoks to do some shopping at Chinook Honey Company which I will probably have a separate post for that later. Then we headed back to Calgary and before that hit Highway 22x West and went to Red Deer Lake Meats as we wanted to get some fresh meat but we got surprised and then disappointed again by seeing that the place was closed!

We didn't have any choice but going back home. So it was another hiking opportunity before the winter comes and we blew it by not checking the trail report before choosing our hike! 

(Photo, top: This is Mount. Sparrowhawk if I'm not mistaken. The early snow can be seen on it. I did this amazing hike 4 years ago and enjoyed it very much)