tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217339831397709582024-03-21T05:38:17.425-07:00My Boots n MeShowcasing British ColumbiaKaren Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13056557483688663931noreply@blogger.comBlogger306125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1021733983139770958.post-35035848752387489572016-06-23T20:42:00.000-07:002016-06-23T20:42:45.385-07:00Inukshuk - Symbols of the North<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3wLvWuw4SEXIlFPEOUR1-wyEBIgALJPSwi69n0pcwdJ1eEUMFh-ek9uUqGA9AyRvWW6Do-9i04VxN2wzpFf2Aq-IT4-hKRowzd8X_2OAgVaDsEuxTtGHqNRG3q8AxHyn8FhcB21zdz6a/s1600/%25C2%25A9Karen+Cooper+-+Inukshuk+-+The+River+People.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3wLvWuw4SEXIlFPEOUR1-wyEBIgALJPSwi69n0pcwdJ1eEUMFh-ek9uUqGA9AyRvWW6Do-9i04VxN2wzpFf2Aq-IT4-hKRowzd8X_2OAgVaDsEuxTtGHqNRG3q8AxHyn8FhcB21zdz6a/s320/%25C2%25A9Karen+Cooper+-+Inukshuk+-+The+River+People.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Traditionally constructed by the</div>
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Inuit peoples of Northern Canada,</div>
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<a href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/inuksuk-inukshuk/" target="_blank">Inukshuk</a> are figures made from</div>
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piled stones or boulders.</div>
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<br /></div>
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They can be used to mark </div>
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an important event, as an aid in directional</div>
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navigation, mark food caches</div>
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or as place markers.</div>
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The oldest known Inukshuk </div>
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can be found on Canada's <a href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/baffin-island/" target="_blank">Baffin Island</a></div>
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and dates back 3,000 years. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Now used by modern man</div>
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as a symbol of "I was here"</div>
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they have taken on a unique Canadian twist.</div>
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Lining creek and river</div>
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beds, along seawalls and waterways,</div>
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they are a peaceful and gentle way of </div>
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honoring the footsteps of the traveler</div>
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that came before. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /> </div>
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<br /></div>
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</script></div>Karen Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13056557483688663931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1021733983139770958.post-13112127863137563562016-06-21T22:11:00.000-07:002016-06-21T22:11:45.272-07:00Persephone - The Logging Tug<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeyO14lJr3RybKe5wtuYDSKW53t_w3WjiNNndEHW8RXnlx8Erm7GFSTQxfELE1kgEcooKhj1VxD6MH0vqNgclgKPQhMA8-OC0ykp4PW9ooIN_6OjND3M2PDaWfn7bL02NwHP1OZkcIL3c/s1600/%25C2%25A9+Karen+Cooper+-+Persephone+Tugboat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeyO14lJr3RybKe5wtuYDSKW53t_w3WjiNNndEHW8RXnlx8Erm7GFSTQxfELE1kgEcooKhj1VxD6MH0vqNgclgKPQhMA8-OC0ykp4PW9ooIN_6OjND3M2PDaWfn7bL02NwHP1OZkcIL3c/s320/%25C2%25A9+Karen+Cooper+-+Persephone+Tugboat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anyone who lives in BC is</div>
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familiar with the forestry </div>
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industry of our province.</div>
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One of the TV shows that made this</div>
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BC lifestyle famous was</div>
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"The Beachcombers" from the 1970's.</div>
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The steel logging tug that became a</div>
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favorite on the show is called </div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persephone_(tugboat)" target="_blank">"The Persephone"</a>. Built as</div>
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the "John Henry" in 1965 she</div>
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was chartered by CBC </div>
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Television and renamed "Persephone".</div>
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<br /></div>
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The steel tugs of this era</div>
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were built tough to handle </div>
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the hard life and rough</div>
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sea conditions along</div>
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the British Columbia coast. </div>
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Considered <a href="http://mybootsnme.blogspot.ca/2010/10/boom-boats-fraser-river-bc-canada.html" target="_blank">"real" working boats</a></div>
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that were slow, strong and </div>
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seaworthy, they became part</div>
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of our BC history. They are</div>
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cherished by many who worked on</div>
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and with them and their</div>
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seaworthiness saved countless</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
lives from the fate of a sometimes</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
ill tempered ocean.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The "Persephone" still graces</div>
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her birthplace of <a href="http://www.gibsons.ca/" target="_blank">Gibsons</a></div>
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on the Sunshine Coast,</div>
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the perfect resting place</div>
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for this grand lady of the sea. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wQHrxj3rBFDw4DZXwJbmtHuLi9adCn7wifdeFYt44nh4Y8pCFvJj5kSvk-ygY2BEXwfPUnNkZCektgUQCS07UCUyckJEDt50-eDWN2Gy4QFYwmEzL8A9GBNEQbJR0Xf548x1oN3Dz8cn/s1600/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---Sea-Lions-of-British-Columbia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wQHrxj3rBFDw4DZXwJbmtHuLi9adCn7wifdeFYt44nh4Y8pCFvJj5kSvk-ygY2BEXwfPUnNkZCektgUQCS07UCUyckJEDt50-eDWN2Gy4QFYwmEzL8A9GBNEQbJR0Xf548x1oN3Dz8cn/s320/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---Sea-Lions-of-British-Columbia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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It's always a thrill to spot wild animals</div>
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in British Columbia.</div>
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The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_lion" target="_blank">Stellar sea lions</a> range throughout</div>
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the Pacific Rim and use their own</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
traditional haul out or resting sites</div>
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along the coast which can be </div>
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anything from a sandy beach to</div>
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to remote rocky islands.</div>
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These powerful and beautiful</div>
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mammals eat</div>
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a variety of fishes, octopuses</div>
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and squid. </div>
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The current wild population of</div>
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<a href="https://www.vanaqua.org/learn/aquafacts/otters-and-pinnipeds/steller-sea-lions" target="_blank">sea lions is less than 75,000</a>.</div>
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Watching them bask in the </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
warm sunshine with eyes closed in sheer bliss</div>
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reminds us of how precious</div>
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our wildlife is here</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in British Columbia.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGcMjymgWgEostj0mJpRiiRe0wHbFcdZVc2U6OxABgVSYytzoxRX5wuoAW6ZMumMFQHGQb-_nO4C2i8vYUuBoTJN0rZQyXesh4HofBDNHhZZSLftpQqXQRvDBVw8fr6vvBQwbK4ief1U8/s1600/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---Steveston%252C+BC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGcMjymgWgEostj0mJpRiiRe0wHbFcdZVc2U6OxABgVSYytzoxRX5wuoAW6ZMumMFQHGQb-_nO4C2i8vYUuBoTJN0rZQyXesh4HofBDNHhZZSLftpQqXQRvDBVw8fr6vvBQwbK4ief1U8/s320/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---Steveston%252C+BC.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steveston,_British_Columbia" target="_blank">Steveston</a> is a beautiful historic fishing village</div>
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which has long been a salmon</div>
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canning centre in British Columbia.</div>
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Steveston was the world's busiest<br />
deep water fishing port<br />
at the end of the 20th century, dotted<br />
with 15 fish canneries, hotels, saloons,<br />
and gambling dens. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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The <a href="http://www.gulfofgeorgiacannery.com/" target="_blank">Gulf of Georgia Cannery</a> is now a</div>
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preserved canning facility that can </div>
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be toured to gain a better understanding</div>
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of our Pacific Northwest fishing history.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The <a href="http://mybootsnme.blogspot.ca/2010/05/britannia-heritage-shipyard-bc-canada.html" target="_blank">Britannia Heritage Shipyard</a> is</div>
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another must see site in Steveston.</div>
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The boardwalks here reflect the voices of<br />
Japanese, Chinese, Native Indian,<br />
and European immigrants, as well<br />
as sailors from around the world.<br /> </div>
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As you slowly wander through the sights </div>
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and sounds of Steveston</div>
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you can hear<br />
the cries of seagulls, eagles,<br />
and hushed echoes of the past.<br />
Or was I only imaging the past<br />
cries of fishermen who loved the<br />
sea and make their homes along<br />
her shores?
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqidL5K_akGHTFfzlTRp-I0xCk8K0p8sxdR4J51agpbnBaA6FCw-zN4I3JGslxU3gGgurol4IMKqNKYmrfyderw70EyN2iZnpxzITaTtaapHK6RJYlg-wZq7rYAbenxNvFaE7427DBAq3Z/s1600/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---Skookumchuck-Narrows%252C-British-Columbia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqidL5K_akGHTFfzlTRp-I0xCk8K0p8sxdR4J51agpbnBaA6FCw-zN4I3JGslxU3gGgurol4IMKqNKYmrfyderw70EyN2iZnpxzITaTtaapHK6RJYlg-wZq7rYAbenxNvFaE7427DBAq3Z/s320/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---Skookumchuck-Narrows%252C-British-Columbia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One of the best places to experience the </div>
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raw power of the ocean is at </div>
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<a href="http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/skook_narrows/" target="_blank">Skookumchuck Narrows</a> on the </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.hellobc.com/vancouver-coast-mountains/popular-areas/sunshine-coast.aspx" target="_blank">Sunshine Coast</a> of British Columbia.</div>
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</div>
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Skookumchuck Narrows connects Sechelt Inlet</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and Jervis Inlet. Twice daily as the tides change</div>
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nature displays her might; the difference in water heights</div>
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results in whirlpools and rapids that can exceed</div>
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30 km/hr. </div>
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</div>
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I was lucky enough to visit Skookumchuck Narrows</div>
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on a <a href="http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/climate-change/policy-legislation-programs/adaptation/sea-level-rise/king-tides" target="_blank">King Tide</a> (or a parigean spring tide, when the moon</div>
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is closest to the earth).</div>
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The roar of the rapids was both enthralling and</div>
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mesmerizing. As the sun slowly rose over the rapids</div>
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the scene changed from moment to moment,</div>
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making photo taking a bit tricky since</div>
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the rocks can be slippery and you need to pay</div>
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very close attention to where your eyes are focused.</div>
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<br /></div>
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One of British Columbia's natural wonders!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7k-5oe8MqLjyde7C0OhepcnJYNmV1IYxW06N3KWUZAAd22ZefFmuYgGmzgl0hyphenhyphenKJrgRCZhnZ0jBx-fjXygAi1EYU63f2EyD0uFkJwUBV5GTwRdLmZlngWPArwfsmKhXzDAqXq52ZJxfO/s1600/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---Whistler%252C-BC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7k-5oe8MqLjyde7C0OhepcnJYNmV1IYxW06N3KWUZAAd22ZefFmuYgGmzgl0hyphenhyphenKJrgRCZhnZ0jBx-fjXygAi1EYU63f2EyD0uFkJwUBV5GTwRdLmZlngWPArwfsmKhXzDAqXq52ZJxfO/s320/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---Whistler%252C-BC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
North of Vancouver lies the </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
beautiful resort town of <a href="http://www.whistler.com/" target="_blank">Whistler</a>.</div>
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British Columbia has amazingly</div>
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bold and beautiful scenery. </div>
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By far Whistler has its fair share</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in both the bold and beautiful departments.</div>
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Home to skiers in the winter,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
mountain bikers and hikers in the</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
spring and summer seasons,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Whistler and its adjacent mountain resort</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Blackcomb has something to offer everyone.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrf59CtBFYk4gtOi6NmKvR8n8P3x5lP7tLCBIfmFTaNQPavX_0HhrS2TnhMJtSckqZXLlWGX4xXFDtlgE6u07aMfLDT7o3JmO7JdWGig0MLOCrm9Cq-0gtryR2zPCAIiWnPJCgvThJUyi/s1600/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---A-Secret-Garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrf59CtBFYk4gtOi6NmKvR8n8P3x5lP7tLCBIfmFTaNQPavX_0HhrS2TnhMJtSckqZXLlWGX4xXFDtlgE6u07aMfLDT7o3JmO7JdWGig0MLOCrm9Cq-0gtryR2zPCAIiWnPJCgvThJUyi/s320/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---A-Secret-Garden.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
British Columbia is a land of enchantment</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and mystery.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Her secret gardens are everywhere, hidden</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
from the maddening pace; </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
an oasis for mind and soul.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Blooming flowers, bees buzzing</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and a quite bench for meditation </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
or just being.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Finding your own secluded garden</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
can be a sheer delight, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
secret moments shared</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
with Mother Nature. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgayvt_vjX4DKZZ9wOkhUxGTSpHD4IED_VihC5f3CGwK4m7fywxCLfpvKTmweAH9sMg6SrAr0Jsqt6pvHbseFoZIJyBePgHlbsXuet9HKQ0QigDl-u8q7eMT-bWDrXx-OyJSez67seUkH7j/s1600/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---Springtime-in-the-Forest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgayvt_vjX4DKZZ9wOkhUxGTSpHD4IED_VihC5f3CGwK4m7fywxCLfpvKTmweAH9sMg6SrAr0Jsqt6pvHbseFoZIJyBePgHlbsXuet9HKQ0QigDl-u8q7eMT-bWDrXx-OyJSez67seUkH7j/s320/%25C2%25A9-Karen-Cooper---Springtime-in-the-Forest.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Another spring has arrived in British Columbia.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm constantly enchanted wandering amongst </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mother Nature's green explosion.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There are so many hues and shades that</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
it really defies the imagination. Just</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
when you think you've seen all</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
of them she comes up</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
with another.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The calming and healing effects of</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
merely being close to nature cannot </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
be overstated or taken for granted.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Go into the new spring forest </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and come back feeling renewed</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and overjoyed at merely being. </div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwBcl5jKsSOQ0c9pNGKj808J8ERVnRpS4qgZBG6upAp0z30bNzb_3TYhC2OhvYjc6GAKwo-WPgB-DYD17_Q5tjeHfiCHhbFodt30jXtOIOtj80Hei5zn3V8Jedk29TPdSlC1aTQz2F8pV/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwBcl5jKsSOQ0c9pNGKj808J8ERVnRpS4qgZBG6upAp0z30bNzb_3TYhC2OhvYjc6GAKwo-WPgB-DYD17_Q5tjeHfiCHhbFodt30jXtOIOtj80Hei5zn3V8Jedk29TPdSlC1aTQz2F8pV/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Spring.jpg" height="320" width="304" /></a></div>
I don't really have a "favorite" time of year.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Every season has it's own beauty and enchantment.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Seeing the first robins in spring is</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
always a thrill, though, and a</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
sign of new life and new</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
beginnings always<br />
lifts your spirits.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Even the robins seem excited</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
about the blue skies </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and newly budding trees.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAzYKMGH5yr86j_Cu0c2S3isdQ2NJwK-0l1rkjF8wQIDdp6GSBoxo2MWx4m-ydQhRk-OhpMruMrtJb1WapHI1z4IOgb52H60FK8wBzyHZPbM3S4qmV_NSx-HcFFjsVztF-p6qVSYrQkAr/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Marquart+Lake,+Merritt+BC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAzYKMGH5yr86j_Cu0c2S3isdQ2NJwK-0l1rkjF8wQIDdp6GSBoxo2MWx4m-ydQhRk-OhpMruMrtJb1WapHI1z4IOgb52H60FK8wBzyHZPbM3S4qmV_NSx-HcFFjsVztF-p6qVSYrQkAr/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Marquart+Lake,+Merritt+BC.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I have dreamed of going to the great northern reaches</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
of British Columbia for years. My visions</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
of vast open wild spaces have</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
haunted me most of my life.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I am lucky enough to be able</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to travel this beautiful province of</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
British Columbia and in September 2013 my</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
dream was about to become reality.<br />
<br />
First stop along the way<br />
was south-central BC and the Nicola Valley.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Experiencing the immensity of </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the grasslands near Merritt is awe inspiring.<br />
And it's quiet here. I mean .... really, really quiet.<br />
<br />
You can hear the wind rustling the<br />
grass in huge swaths that sweep across<br />
the hillsides and valleys.The occasional rock or<br />
tree breaks the rhythm of nature, heat waves<br />
undulate and caress the blue skies.<br />
<br />
I stayed overnight at Marquart Lake.<br />
The skies slowly dissolve into an inky black,<br />
the soft nighttime calls of an owl resting<br />
in a nearby tree remain within my heart.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDwrGQr5Od_BijINyouxY5jZ4JUJ60GOqw25Xwc1wAupzTMYaRnlMwmMX45xdzJMKfhgKbZQLd6LxCclv85Z8E33pLb5VUo6Egpr00AikyPeJFKMllXizErhUcL4NeoHUa1LgCRayVG03/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Kitimat+Sitka+Spruce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDwrGQr5Od_BijINyouxY5jZ4JUJ60GOqw25Xwc1wAupzTMYaRnlMwmMX45xdzJMKfhgKbZQLd6LxCclv85Z8E33pLb5VUo6Egpr00AikyPeJFKMllXizErhUcL4NeoHUa1LgCRayVG03/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Kitimat+Sitka+Spruce.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I can't get enough of the old growth trees in </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
British Columbia.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Standing at the foot of this gigantic 500 yr old </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sitka Spruce tree in Kitimat, BC</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
was totally awe inspiring.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This tree is the oldest known living organism</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in the Kitimat Valley.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was registered at the largest living</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
sitka spruce tree in BC in 1983.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It measures 50.3 meters (165 feet -- really!) tall</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and 3.4 meters in diameter.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You have to imagine what this tree has seen</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and been through in it's lifetime.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The age of quiet and solitude, explorers to</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
British Columbia, storms and unbearable </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
weather changes, then dodging the cut of chainsaws</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and logging. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The feel of the bark under you fingers is rough and</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
textured, weather worn and vibrant.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Full of life and living.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I can only imagine what the next </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
500 years will bring her. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotbupT1cT93B1LdyMKIKARG02XTc5tDQmucBWddFTrxkmZ0YrNs-26Fo7Ufpno95eV0jvWxhBmhjznM3eDhwc8pvYiodG_XLqksbGflJYjivl1Ooya7WwO0Iy2IuV_E4aAB4mYg-gffRY/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Stuart+Lake+Pictographs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotbupT1cT93B1LdyMKIKARG02XTc5tDQmucBWddFTrxkmZ0YrNs-26Fo7Ufpno95eV0jvWxhBmhjznM3eDhwc8pvYiodG_XLqksbGflJYjivl1Ooya7WwO0Iy2IuV_E4aAB4mYg-gffRY/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Stuart+Lake+Pictographs.jpg" height="264" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
On the eastern side of <a href="http://mybootsnme.blogspot.ca/2013/05/best-places-to-see-in-bc-stuart-lake.html" target="_blank">Stuart Lake </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in British Columbia, Canada</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
are some pretty amazing pictographs.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I was lucky enough to have an idea where to</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
look for them from some very nice</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
people from the Murray Ridge</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Nordic Ski Club.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Situated on a rock face of the cliffs overlooking</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Stuart Lake, you can well</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
understand how this location</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
must have had some significance</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the people from our past.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Not only is it beautiful and serene</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but must have been rich in wildlife</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and fish from Stuart Lake.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Another British Columbia moment</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that I treasure. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbQx-Gdu0DALAW7CqjoC3BhF-Cf-914tf1VV5WIR1YNcGFKcLq5VmFPYjehtDbhKuY5V5LltZ0JLrVNGUg2wfvEjwpCQY5PITKXNurm_rirUAJDsPO1kq59HocrhlWE_PZ7-_gQ8oAS8w/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Stuart+Lake,+BC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbQx-Gdu0DALAW7CqjoC3BhF-Cf-914tf1VV5WIR1YNcGFKcLq5VmFPYjehtDbhKuY5V5LltZ0JLrVNGUg2wfvEjwpCQY5PITKXNurm_rirUAJDsPO1kq59HocrhlWE_PZ7-_gQ8oAS8w/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Stuart+Lake,+BC.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Stuart Lake is one of the prettiest lakes I have </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
visited in BC. Both the</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mybootsnme.blogspot.ca/2013/05/best-places-to-see-in-bc-fort-st-james.html" target="_blank">Fort St. James National Historic Site</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and the town of Fort St. James</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
are situated on the lake near the outlet of Stuart River.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Stuart Lake is 66 kms long and 10 km wide.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In the winter months the cross country skiing</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
track is put in on the lake by the<a href="http://murrayridge.com/" target="_blank"> Murray Ridge</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Nordic Ski Club. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You can ski for miles on the lake with the sun</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
shining on the pristine landscape,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the air crisp and clean,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and views of the distant hills and mountains</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
as a backdrop. Stunning to say the least.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I can't wait to see Stuart Lake in the summertime.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35mR8wH42WciArGVNgauaip3-zfW42eM0Kot1e6bPBlge4dh6lSorjJW9fxW4ubBuQkEyMwFRobyrUeFytnjFqGA-QRnXoksAldBe4OEbekdFOPnlstrC6rvORwOWUr0LxWjKFLZzxMvh/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Nisga%27a+Lava+Fields,+BC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35mR8wH42WciArGVNgauaip3-zfW42eM0Kot1e6bPBlge4dh6lSorjJW9fxW4ubBuQkEyMwFRobyrUeFytnjFqGA-QRnXoksAldBe4OEbekdFOPnlstrC6rvORwOWUr0LxWjKFLZzxMvh/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Nisga'a+Lava+Fields,+BC.jpg" height="320" width="188" /></a></div>
<br />
British Columbia has some of the most</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
diverse landscapes on earth.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The <a href="http://www.britishcolumbia.com/parks/?id=540" target="_blank">Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
is located in the Nass Valley region in</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
northwestern BC.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Because the Nisga'a do not have a written history,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the volcanic explosion is estimated to have occured</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
between 1750 and 1775.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This park is quite impressive, both in size (18,000 sq kms)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and in the sheer beauty of destruction. </div>
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The lava flow changed the coures of the </div>
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Nass and Tseax Rivers, </div>
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dammed a stream to make what is now Lava Lake,</div>
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and killed approximately 2,000 people.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Today the park contains waterfalls, lakes, pools</div>
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and some very impressive lava features</div>
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including lava tubes, <a href="http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/images/pglossary/treemold.php" target="_blank">tree molds</a>, cinder cones and caves.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Definitely a place to put on your Must Visit</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
List in British Columbia. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNI0WPNJiAF70sZ8mJlOIB2l0fvde5OpkwX5eXEDXSG8A_zvOX5ZOmU54em9wuSm7npF8HLFibEII-8lA4AaupokiralHqUfFwTv6RitKUHLcwUOcVSAW38LY17T4xTrhTrlTppb64_cg/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Fort+St.+James,+BC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNI0WPNJiAF70sZ8mJlOIB2l0fvde5OpkwX5eXEDXSG8A_zvOX5ZOmU54em9wuSm7npF8HLFibEII-8lA4AaupokiralHqUfFwTv6RitKUHLcwUOcVSAW38LY17T4xTrhTrlTppb64_cg/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Fort+St.+James,+BC.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
One of the most fascinating places</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I have visited recently in British Columbia</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
is the <a href="http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/bc/stjames/index.aspx" target="_blank">Fort St. James National Historic Site.</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The fort was founded in 1806 by Simon Fraser,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the intrepid explorer, for the Northwest Company</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
which was later to become </div>
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The Hudson's Bay Company.</div>
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Fort St. James has the largest</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
display of <a href="http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/bc/stjames/natcul.aspx" target="_blank">original wooden buildings</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in Canada.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Though the tours of the site</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
are not operating in the winter months,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the site itself is beyond beautiful.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Situated on the shores of Stuart Lake,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
you can only imagine what the original settlers</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
must have thought of this paradise.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Though life would have been difficult</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in this remote area, the scenery and wild life</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
would have well made up for it.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I spent several hours wandering</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the pathways of these beautiful </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
old buildings on a sunny winter day.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Visions of bygone days danced in</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
front of me along the pathways,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
doorways and windows</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
warped with time and memories.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMshvjk8uZgaMp0blwQNVHNkKPTZpE8_Gc_9zR0o4SKJaJJnwyIprjN7T90SkvbAMOYVILRavQdZ5FdFYzn-YYME-fKcNSYDSf3uiVa5qXBIlhXr0acrA2qhpIxlYEDhOfKJmo2QUJouFN/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Dawson+Creek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMshvjk8uZgaMp0blwQNVHNkKPTZpE8_Gc_9zR0o4SKJaJJnwyIprjN7T90SkvbAMOYVILRavQdZ5FdFYzn-YYME-fKcNSYDSf3uiVa5qXBIlhXr0acrA2qhpIxlYEDhOfKJmo2QUJouFN/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Dawson+Creek.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
One of the best places to explore in BC</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawson_Creek" target="_blank">Dawson Creek</a>, Mile 0</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
of the Alaska Highway.</div>
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Named in honor after Dr. George Mercer Dawson, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Dawson Creek is also</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
known as the capital of the Peace River District.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The <a href="http://www.hellobc.com/british-columbia/blog/march-2009/surveyor-statue.aspx" target="_blank">16 foot tall iron statue</a> of a surveyor was</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
created by <a href="http://www.karlmattson.ca/biography_CV.html" target="_blank">Karl Mattson</a> from scap metal</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
he found on nearby farms.</div>
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True in dress and equipment to surveryors</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
from the 1942 era, this surveyor </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
points north along the route of </div>
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the Alaska Highway.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The pioneer spirit of the North</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
is alive and well here in northwestern BC.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_IFUUexsWEobKEM2CkimCYW3NxTdcoovx6hNsDXYDRZvq9PVpDvhyphenhyphenBokXKCEWSC7yJcp6D298kvn_P5C7mVXokfue33-S2CU4hpi-5o4zESrvVX2TMXvImM0GrKMc9md58-OkF-aOVl4/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Vancouver+in+the+Sunshine+May+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_IFUUexsWEobKEM2CkimCYW3NxTdcoovx6hNsDXYDRZvq9PVpDvhyphenhyphenBokXKCEWSC7yJcp6D298kvn_P5C7mVXokfue33-S2CU4hpi-5o4zESrvVX2TMXvImM0GrKMc9md58-OkF-aOVl4/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Vancouver+in+the+Sunshine+May+2013.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
You just can't beat British Columbia</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in the sunshine. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Clear skies and temperatures in the mid <a href="http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/canada/british-columbia/vancouver" target="_blank">20's C</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
today.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Doing any activity outside is a pure joy,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
from sight seeing the local mountains,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
taking a nature walk, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
or sitting in the shade enjoying </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the back yard garden.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Whatever you choose to do in </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
British Columbia, this</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
weather can bring you pure joy</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and some pretty impressive vistas.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWNaoQQehfaiucKQyFR70w34Gbmx8_5HCC0meVn3sGqjtFB22fTV62nv5tAggKPc03g8Dv0C2P3GgRZ70iDg9lDfBXALTwCpbdU-4SF9X_5pHkB3aE7TSmq5E4NoB6ID45yDmtfQIwqJz/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Milky+Way.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWNaoQQehfaiucKQyFR70w34Gbmx8_5HCC0meVn3sGqjtFB22fTV62nv5tAggKPc03g8Dv0C2P3GgRZ70iDg9lDfBXALTwCpbdU-4SF9X_5pHkB3aE7TSmq5E4NoB6ID45yDmtfQIwqJz/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Milky+Way.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
British Columbia offers us some pretty spectacular</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
dark nights to view the <a href="http://www.inquinamentoluminoso.it/worldatlas/pages/fig1.htm" target="_blank">Milky Way.</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The crisp clear winter skies are great for </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
amazing star gazing, it's almost unimaginalble</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
how many stars are really out there.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Always best to have some back up when</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
trying to photograph the winter night skies,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
lots of patience, hot chocolate and boot warmers come to mind.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This particular shot was done near</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Tumbler Ridge, BC at -19C.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A lot of hopping around to keep warm was</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
done for this one, plus a promise</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to an upgrade in the winter mittens department.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
To gaze in awe at the night skies is well </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
worth the effort here or anywhere </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the skies allow your mind to wander</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to infinity and back. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhme4yzXdCuMi7axMlYg_oKVTpwu5T69G4bWUSKLYQgmtywL4aOd_gW_fUdJS5cmLhWJke2y_MAXUhyphenhyphenX6zkJ1sJntw7NPFhSEBzBd0UAkbJ1_60ESGYpjTD_wt54NPp27oTfTwHTh1sU0FH/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Towhee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhme4yzXdCuMi7axMlYg_oKVTpwu5T69G4bWUSKLYQgmtywL4aOd_gW_fUdJS5cmLhWJke2y_MAXUhyphenhyphenX6zkJ1sJntw7NPFhSEBzBd0UAkbJ1_60ESGYpjTD_wt54NPp27oTfTwHTh1sU0FH/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Towhee.jpg" height="320" width="283" /></a></div>
<br />
The most striking thing about the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_Towhee" target="_blank"> Spotted Towhee</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
are their red eyes.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They like to live in scattered shrubs </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and thickets which abound here in British Columbia.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I get to spend a lot of time in nature</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and these birds are always a joy to be around.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Though Towhee's are considered resident birds in British Columbia, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
their distinctive call heralds the beginning of</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
spring for me, of new life around us </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and life yet to come.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I wait anxiously for the their first brood</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to make their appearance.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqZYtxiW-JKilXY9Q8J8rUBokpg7DzJfDNbCRuYUlWk2FOTdpUyPemxvJxR1I8cstVEyVJAAQjg_x5v00-KmD4CBJNQaRrSSiK5KgPj1TG1_JU7EoECtWMIdnQ_aEaEB1_AOdIfE86bIR/s1600/Karen+Cooper+--+Kiskatinaw+Bridge+Alaska+Highway+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Karen Cooper - Kiskatinaw Bridge" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqZYtxiW-JKilXY9Q8J8rUBokpg7DzJfDNbCRuYUlWk2FOTdpUyPemxvJxR1I8cstVEyVJAAQjg_x5v00-KmD4CBJNQaRrSSiK5KgPj1TG1_JU7EoECtWMIdnQ_aEaEB1_AOdIfE86bIR/s1600/Karen+Cooper+--+Kiskatinaw+Bridge+Alaska+Highway+1.jpg" title="Karen Cooper - Kiskatinaw Bridge" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kiskatinaw Bridge, Alaska Highway, British Columbia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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The Kiskatinaw Bridge is located before the Mile 21 marker </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
along the old Alaska Highway</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
in British Columbia.</div>
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The Kiskatinaw Bridge was the first curved wooden bridge</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
built in Canada </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
and is still in use today.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Built in 1942-43 it stands</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
30 meters (100) feet above the <span class="arial_12blkB"><span class="arial_12bold">Kiskatinaw River, </span></span></div>
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<span class="arial_12blkB"><span class="arial_12bold">a tributary of the Peace River.</span></span></div>
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<span class="arial_12blkB"><span class="arial_12bold">It curves 9 degrees along its length and is 162.5 meters (534 feet) long.</span></span></div>
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<span class="arial_12blkB"><span class="arial_12bold">Quite the view from the bridge deck, the river meanders</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="arial_12blkB"><span class="arial_12bold">its way gently through the rolling hills</span></span></div>
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<span class="arial_12blkB"><span class="arial_12bold">below bringing to mind wandering dinosaurs</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="arial_12blkB"><span class="arial_12bold">in ages past. </span></span></div>
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<span class="arial_12blkB"><span class="arial_12bold"><br /></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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</script></div>Karen Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13056557483688663931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1021733983139770958.post-21185420610246436382013-04-09T21:56:00.000-07:002013-04-20T12:42:14.932-07:00Best Places to See in BC - Gitwangak Battle Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDp5UuaBDqaQ_Uqwq5mCYrOBSemioqXi-zK42MJDmZpXtWrUa3f-mtF_lWwfMJsu6T3n7QFAvgP47gleSP-JZ7Tk0JR724c6r-5c9aVnCACFD1TVp7x0lP2vI-c3x_ks9pEXsP6GAsDyJ/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Gitwangak+Battle+Hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDp5UuaBDqaQ_Uqwq5mCYrOBSemioqXi-zK42MJDmZpXtWrUa3f-mtF_lWwfMJsu6T3n7QFAvgP47gleSP-JZ7Tk0JR724c6r-5c9aVnCACFD1TVp7x0lP2vI-c3x_ks9pEXsP6GAsDyJ/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Gitwangak+Battle+Hill.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Gitwangak Battle Hill </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
National Historic Site of Canada</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(formerly known as <a href="http://www.sfu.ca/brc/virtual_village/tsimshian/gitxsan/gitwangak.html" target="_blank">Kitwanga Fort</a>) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Gitwangak+Battle+Hill++National+Historic+Site+of+Canada&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF-8&ei=Du1kUem6HarIigKDyIHIAg&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAg" target="_blank">is located</a> in northwestern </div>
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British Columbia along highway</div>
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37 - the Stewart-Cassier highway.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Built in the 1700's by the</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Gitwangak First Nations people </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the hill was used as a<a href="http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/bc/gitwangak/natcul.aspx" target="_blank"> fortified</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/bc/gitwangak/natcul.aspx" target="_blank">location</a> for homes and</div>
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a site to launch raids against </div>
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the Nass River and coastal peoples.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
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The indigenous trading routes of British Columiba</div>
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included the Grease Trails, named after</div>
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the small fish called eulachon</div>
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which run in the Nass and Skeena Rivers.</div>
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The fish were boiled to extract their oil and</div>
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were traded with other Native groups</div>
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that did not have spawning rivers in their</div>
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territories. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWphoD3gcaRVzMH6j7HlhJNnANrr6XlWOajHq4_46oKeJIKkykzeUnodq3XjN3rJM-KwgkP2CmvHsSbBqmOd0SJtjZt0S8TkmXt_c2ve1v6S5tesfYJD1cuNrO4haCDFm0hdzNQHIrjB0E/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Mile+0+Alaska+Highway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWphoD3gcaRVzMH6j7HlhJNnANrr6XlWOajHq4_46oKeJIKkykzeUnodq3XjN3rJM-KwgkP2CmvHsSbBqmOd0SJtjZt0S8TkmXt_c2ve1v6S5tesfYJD1cuNrO4haCDFm0hdzNQHIrjB0E/s320/Karen+Cooper+-+Mile+0+Alaska+Highway.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mile "0" of the <a href="http://www.milepost.com/highway_info/alaska_highway" target="_blank">Alaska Highway</a> begins</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in Dawson Creek, BC.</div>
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Construction started on the highway during World War II</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to connect Alaska to the United States through Canada.</div>
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Completed in 1942, it stretched 2,700 km. </div>
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Due to reconstruction and repair today the highway is actually</div>
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2,232 km and ends in Delta Junction, Alaska.</div>
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The first 987 km (613 miles) </div>
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are constructed through British Columbia. </div>
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<br /></div>
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You can still find historic mile postings along the highway</div>
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and the Canadian metric system has warranted the change to</div>
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signposts being in kilometers. Most residents along the highway</div>
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refer to their location as "mile x along the highway".</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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The history of the Alaska Highway is one of heroism and </div>
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determination. I visited the </div>
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There is a fascintaing</div>
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display of old photographs taken from the road building era at the</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://dcartgallery.ca/" target="_blank">Dawson Creek Art Gallery.</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Alaska Highway should be on everyone's</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"must visit while in BC" list.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuvVTrMBh80DSai3ju14jx0KkLgLj9w1Dbo7fYFYEdC9PIKMRBN-K1mthEfC4vh2pzGyNM1NM0KSvDKayVu6Pm1zPnoY_U9ZnQ_LAQzufDK-okkT8_C7vlai9ee2l-7MUpN_aDnjyNjAc/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Tumbler+Ridge,+BC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuvVTrMBh80DSai3ju14jx0KkLgLj9w1Dbo7fYFYEdC9PIKMRBN-K1mthEfC4vh2pzGyNM1NM0KSvDKayVu6Pm1zPnoY_U9ZnQ_LAQzufDK-okkT8_C7vlai9ee2l-7MUpN_aDnjyNjAc/s320/Karen+Cooper+-+Tumbler+Ridge,+BC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One of the most interesting places to visit in British Columbia</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
is Tumbler Ridge.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Today Tumbler Ridge is best known for its coal mining</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
endeavors,however, it also has a rich history of dinosaurs</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and ancient peoples.</div>
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</div>
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The largest concentration of accessible dinosaur footprints </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in British Columbia is here at Cabin Pool.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In 2003 the <a href="http://www.prprc.com/" target="_blank">Peace Region Palaeontology </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.prprc.com/" target="_blank">Research Centre</a> was established to further </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
study the areas rich finds of various</div>
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dinosaur bones in beds and some of the</div>
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oldest dinosaur bones in Canada.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
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Unfortunately the day I was there the Dinosaur</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Museum was inexplicably closed, but I did</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
get to see some pretty amazing dinosaur prints</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
on display in front of the building.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As you drive through this area you can well imagine the</div>
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dinosaurs slowly wandering through the softly rolling hills</div>
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and plateaus leaving traces of their lives behind as they made their</div>
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way to water to drink. I did look up at the skies a few times</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to see if I could spot anything large and unexplained</div>
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flying overhead. Perhaps it was only my imagination,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but this area feels like it reaches into the past right </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
before you eyes. Centuries are perhaps a few</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
mere days past.</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeZ4-sfi44JFIDhcIanc39iU3aLAoyom9N8WyMnqu4U0ezFx2P0-NWCt0MXfoEAD7SOvY0j2XW8BBR5Y0W1liugTJeIxsG-akGnAlBkf68MWDLRL3XITHpzxFcHs9gtM5S-F8BNLfE25l/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+The+Peace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeZ4-sfi44JFIDhcIanc39iU3aLAoyom9N8WyMnqu4U0ezFx2P0-NWCt0MXfoEAD7SOvY0j2XW8BBR5Y0W1liugTJeIxsG-akGnAlBkf68MWDLRL3XITHpzxFcHs9gtM5S-F8BNLfE25l/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+The+Peace.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The rolling hills of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_River_Regional_District" target="_blank">Peace River District</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in British Columbia, Canada are</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
magical in both their beauty and history.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The headwaters of the Peace River</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
today start at the WAC Bennett Dam on</div>
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the eastern arm of Williston Lake.</div>
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The Peace River was historically used </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
as a travel route for the First Nations people</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and then by the fur traders of British Columbia.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
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Today, the Peace River is the heart of a diverse ecosystem</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that supports many threatened and endangered species. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5ILcSwWHI4VgR3hCuA-kHcW0kzZVGors3S3sZDAXbyB1gq_E-wf3in3ugUcuiRvVR5BWFWGsXLcrXsliRRypLW8VE_vVB2k9s9mhAsTU6rnQsztNoI3WQEF5DflA31UbJi9W2oktA_cu/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Country.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5ILcSwWHI4VgR3hCuA-kHcW0kzZVGors3S3sZDAXbyB1gq_E-wf3in3ugUcuiRvVR5BWFWGsXLcrXsliRRypLW8VE_vVB2k9s9mhAsTU6rnQsztNoI3WQEF5DflA31UbJi9W2oktA_cu/s1600/Karen+Cooper+-+Country.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I've always found peace and contentment</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in the country. Life seems to slow down</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and become somehow normal in</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the enveloping quietness.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There is always a scene to capture here, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
always time to stop and listen</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to the creak of frost slowly </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
settling into the timeless weathered fences</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
along rural lanes.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Far off cries of chattering blue jays</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
echo haunting memories </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
of summer days long past.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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