[A/S] TWIMC - BC; Kaslo!

["Sandy Noyes" <boojum@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

We all carry a photo in our heads of "the place."  You know the place
that I am talking about.  That place that we all think is just about
the most gorgeous place on the face of the earth.  It is a place that
most of us never really find a place like this.  But for me, Kalso is
awfully close if not "the place."  

It is on the western shore of a hundred mile long lake which is deep
and narrow, like a fiord or loch.  The mountains on either side rise to
great granite and snow peaks with trees up much of their steep sides. 
There are a few communities along the sides and the countryside
alongside the roads, all that I have seen so far, is very beautiful. 
There are many hiking trails in the area but that is tempered with the
news that there are also many bear in the area.  Black bears and
Grizzlies with some Silvertips, too.  Bear scat is very black and this
time of year has a lot of berry seeds in it.  Soon it will have apple
seeds in it as the apples ripen.  I am not going to do any field
research on bear scat.  The bears can outrun me.  The big joke around
here is to always hike with someone who cannot run as fast as you can. 
Ha, ha.  :o)

The mountain road that carried me from one lake to this lake is also
the route that the Kootenay miners followed.  The largest silver mine
in North America is up there on that mountain and I inched past the
abandoned village that once serviced the mines. 

The town of Kalso itself was where the mined galena, a combination of
silver, zinc and lead, was collected prior to being shipped out on
paddle wheel steamers.  There is one of these steamers in town which is
a restoration project.  There was a narrow gauge railroad which brought
the ore down from the mountain and its remains are still visible in the
woods.

Kaslo itself was reachable by boat only until the early 1960's.  It has
since become an artist/hippy/retiree/regular folks/tourist area since
then.  Some of BC's best marijuana is grown around here on the
hillsides.  I have gotten this from the locals and the ex-RCMP owner of
the campground.  It is a big part of the economy as in Humboldt,
California.  Kaslo has a summer jazz festival.  It has some other
events, also, to attract and entertain folks with money.  Another local
joke is that "BC" means "Bring Cash."  Downtown Kaslo is kind of the
community you would expect that would appeal to the cross section it
attracts. There is a well stocked IGA market with imported items if all
types, good fresh produce and even tofu.  They carry good french bread
which is a number one indicator of a "good place."  Good coffee is
another indicator.  There are coffee shops here.  And this is not even
California!  There is also an excellent butcher/delicatessen with its
own sausage and nicely cut quality meats, domestic and game, and local
fish, smoked, frozen, and fresh.  They also have a nice selection of
imported goodies you expect in a delicatessen.  I was able to find some
Hungarian paprika, but only the hot.  They had no sweet paprika; oh,
well. 

There is the usual collection of touristy boutiques of clothes,
geegaws, flappdoodles and gimcracks.  Well, not town is perfect and the
local folks have to make a living, too.  The fishing is supposed to be
good and the local park owner where I am staying has photos of all the
fish of over 10 pounds taken by his guests.  Rainbow trout and Dolly
Vardens, now known as "bull" trout.  Some campers here say the fishing
is OK but it isn't really good until October.  I guess those folks
heading out on a daily basis are easily pleased.  

I had a lovely dinner last night with the folks I met in Mexico. 
Dinner and conversation.  Pasta primavera and tiramissou for dessert. 
Such a life.  Ginger ale Canada Dry 2000 was a perfect accompaniment to
the meal with cranberry tea for the dessert.  Tasted much better than
it sounds.  Today I am getting a tour of a salmon spawning creek to see
the salmon going at it to make sure that future tables will be graced
by their delicious, firm pink flesh.   For the tech heads on the list I
will be trying my first ethernet connection at the local library.  I
have been told by a knowledgeable friend that the libraries which offer
rationed time on their computers also offer unlimited time on your own
computer if you have the gear needed to hook up to their ethernet hub. 
Oh boy.  Ethernet speeds are fast!  Such great news.  No more long
distance calls at 10› a minute in North America!  Yippee!

Folks, if you get a chance to check out BC don't miss it.  Just don't
tell anyone else.   ;o)


L8R


PS - I checked the wall of photos of 10+ pound fish caught here. 
Better than 120 last year.  Some better than 20 pounds.  This years is
not as good with only some 10 or so.  But, the season is supposed to
get good in October so who knows.  BTW 20+ pounds of trout is a big
fish.