Cranbrook

We had a goal this day (Wednesday, June 26), and that was to get to Cranbrook and meet up with Rocke and Barbara, old friends from the early 70's and 80's, who I knew from my days in Halifax (Rocke, that is; Barbara came later). Barry had met Rocke once when they lived in Barry. Darlene and I had visited them about ten years ago. But they have been in Cranbrook for over three years now, and we have been in touch only through mail and the odd phone call. So I was excited to see them again.

The other exciting thing that was going to happen this day was that we would pass

 the thousand-kilometre mark. This was a cause for some celebration and many

 pictures(I will bore you with only one). But we were pleased. It feels like a real accomplishment for me. Interestingly, my body is less impressed, and still give me achy muscles and stiff joints.

The terrain going up the Moyie River was actually pretty flat, so we made better time than we had anticipated, and got to Cranbrook by noon. Along the way, we went by the town

 of Moyie, where we actually raced a train, and won (briefly). Then engineer leaned out his window and offered us some water, which we refused. There was also a nice moment when we came around a bend, and could see the hills and behind them the mountains, of the Rockies in all their glory. It was wonderful to suddenly spot them after all this time.

Along the way into the town of Cranbrook, we passed an RV dealer. He must have had a few hundred RV's, varying in size from the type you put in the bed of your pickup truck, to the ones that look like medium-sized Greyhound buses. Likely an inventory of over $4 million. But-and this was what was interesting to us-the only person seen on the property was a man sweeping the lot.No buyers to be seen. High gas prices perhaps have begun to have an impact, one hopes. Althou

gh we continue to be passed on the road by monster RV's, towing behind them their personal SUV's (including some Hummers). I wish I could say they were all from Alberta, since it would reinforce my prejudice. But there were many from BC as well.

But back to the story. We got into Cranbrook, went to the tourist place for some information about where the hospital was (to find Rocke), and wait for Nancy. The ladies in the information place were of course from Ontario, one of them from Niagara-on-the-Lake. They were helpful, and full of information, including the tidbit that Columbian squirrels eat balls. Now, we expect that they were talking about golf balls on the neighbouring golf course, but Barry and I were anxious at first.

Turns out Nancy was held up in Creston, so we went to have some lunch and put in some time before we went to meet Rocke. When we did meet him, he offered to drive us and the bikes up to his place out of town. We said we would ride our bikes (silly us). It was seven kilometres all uphill, and pretty tough going, but we go there. Barbara told us about her afternoon with her class of Grade 4-5's who were there for an end-of-year day. (They apparently right away divided themselves into gangs and plotted ways to get the other gang; kind of frightening.) And Rocke and I reminisced and talked about medicine and such things.

Their property is amazing. The picture is from the back of the house, looking over to the mountains. They have five acres, and hope that there will not be a lot of development between them and Cranbrook (I can see why). We enjoyed an amazing meal, including a salad picked that afternoon from their garden, and a mixed grill. With wine and conversation, we bent to bed happy and full.