Be my guest and fill in this blank:
On a recent hike into the Lindeman lake area near Chilliwack lake, a fellow researcher and I found more signs of cedar bark removal/stripping/modifying (not referring to native practices). We also took a look at some odd tree structure that may or may not be natural.
Examples of cedar strips pulled from cedar tree. Strips are appox. 6 foot in length and half to one inch wide.
Small Cedar tree shows signs of bark stripping
Fellow researcher checks out 'structure' we stumbled across on our way up this dense valley side
below - detail of trunk after stripping action with horizontal grain/pattern details recognizable
billions for bailout but can't afford healthcare?
some flavors are too bitter to describe
Area - Lindeman Lake area, BC
Cedar Tree with bark 'stripped' off; not to be confused with bear scratch on trunk. No diagonal slash/pulling marks visible at all. Dense and steep terrain on steep valley side.
Four images of tree and immediate surroundings.
- shot at frikkin' high ISO for light and without tripod; not tack sharp.
shot of area in image.
Ground conditions (bone dry, dense needle and wood debris cover) did not allow for print search or I'm not experienced enough to discern subtle sign in those conditions.
The bark is stripped down to approx. just over a meter from the base of the tree and extends upward to and estimate of 2-3 meters above that.
After taking these images, I moved upslope towards the green. Not far from the pictured tree I noticed an odd smell. Nothing strong or overpowering but something 'off'. I was alone and not about to go looking (even though I wanted to) in case it was a bear kill/cache.
I am going to go back there again, find the tree, compare condition to what I saw on first visit, check for 'smell' and if smell it again detected, then a further careful look-see might be warranted ...
Well, the tent doesn't leak ... ok, so it didn't rain, hehe. This view around camp was pretty groovy though. Went for a hike and almost got lost within 150m from camp what with all the similar green/browns, trees and ferns and interesting stuff on the ground AND shooting images at 800 ISO (oops; forgot to reset after being ready to shoot dark things during the night, you know, the things that might brush up against the tent and/or make their way around the camp site. I think the little gunmetal gray mouse that scooted around the picnic table spent some time scooting around the tent.
I can see the mountains from here. 'They' can probably see the city from there too. They are elusive it is said, are next to invisible out there and it is told and sometimes they are spotted for a brief moment of awe inspiring reality mixed with puzzled incredulity and fear. And yet some of us want to see a sasquatch (big foot) out there.
I'm one of those who want to see one (or more). I believe I want to see one, but when I think over the numerous accounts I've read over the years, sometimes I wonder if I really want to see something, a creature that looms so large in the native tales of our aboriginal cultures, a creature almost human, yet animal to us.
This last weekend I gave in to an urge I had to head into an area around here that has been marked by historic accounts of encounters with these 'big' humanoids; I personally think that they are closer to us than the ape. Of course I have no scholarly proofs or any other real evidence to make that case, other than my impression after reading everything I can about this subject.
My drive last weekend was intended to be a slow cruise along the country roads closer to the mountains, in the hopes of seeing something cross a road or a per chance glimpse of 'something'. Ok, so I didn't see anything; didn't see what I was hoping to see, but that drive, my intent shifted something in my thinking about the sasquatch.
While I believe nothing, I feel that there is something out there that we've not yet discovered. All those footprints that are found out there certainly point to a mysterious creature. And I want to see one, would welcome the feelings that come along with meeting/seeing something so out of the ordinary wildlife lexicon we all grow up with. Sure, it would probably scare the crap out of me and I might have to deal with a new reality once I see one, yet I am open to the experience. I approach with wonder, awe and humble terror as it were. We are talking about something that is at least as tall as my 6.1" frame and possibly twice as tall as I am. How does one deal with the first encounter/view when actively aware of and observant of my surroundings when out there.
The thing that excites me about this creature is the fact that there are stories about encounters/noises in areas I've hiked in and spent time in. Wow, how cool is that? Just a few weeks ago I hiked to a small lake I know of and was telling my daughter about the possibility of sasquatch living in the area. She adamantly states that this creature does not exist, hehe. Well, the week after that hike, I read accounts of rock clacking and wood knocking on/near the trail we'd been on.
Things like that make living interesting and a bit thrilling too when you consider the possibilities. Whether or not I run screaming like a girlie, piss/shit my pants in terror or stay put and enjoy the experience, I don't know yet however I am open to the possibility. And I want to get an image of this elusive cryptoid. I find it exciting. Not so exciting was the realization that it was darker than hell out there when I stopped the car along one long lonely stretch of forested road. Was the twisted off sapling a sign? What was that snapping/cracking sound I heard. Have I read too much? Am I reading my reading into the experience? I am aware of being influenced by reading however am also aware of my ability to separate all that from the moment, I hope.
All of the above said, my vehicular search drives are limited to where my smart car will take me; so far I'm not disappointed with the places I've been able to get to but will the specimen fit into the car so I can show/prove Sasquatch's existance. Momma squatch would probably not let me drive off with curious junior even if I can coax it into the car, hehe.
It's time to spend time in the woods, camping and hanging out. They are curious creatures I've read, so I intend to just be there should a creature decide to check me out. I'm sure I'm as interesting to them as they might be to my.
I don't know, yet but I want to know.
I also want to know where I can find a copy of 'Harry and the Hendersons' - a family movie (1986) about a sasquatch encounter. Why is it not out on DVD/video?
Fuck, I sometimes hate driving. It sucks, and is not that enjoyable anymore. Not in a city anyway. Not for me. Well, sometimes its entertaining, sometimes thrilling for all the wrong reasons and sometimes I don't notice how I've driven from here/there to there/here; I think you know what I'm talking about, if you drive a car. Around here. These days.
So, I finally just had to run an errand and it involved the car. I had to drive the errand.
There I am driving with the traffic, doing what I am supposed to do as an alert and attentive driver. I stop during the later yellow parts of the traffic light cycle. I take a moment to tell myself to stay in that friendly self head space - while careening/driving through downtown traffic. No big deal. Really. Zorbing metaphorically inside a sphere of nice thoughts and happy intentions ...
I'd just headed off on a fresh green behind three or four vehicles in the left lane, a large semi trailer truck unit in the right lane. My car was well across the intersection before it was safe to move right ahead of the semi truck in the right lane, which I did. There was much space ahead of my and this larger vehicle on my left (left lane) hit the right turn indicator lights briefly yet didn't follow through on his indicated turn; there was plenty of space (6 car lengths or so ...) for him to accelerate ahead of me in the right lane. When he didn't make the move I drove ahead, not willing to nearly stop so that he could make a lane change. He could easily have moved right behind me as well. Loads of room even there for his SUV.
That just thrilled him up a little some more. His vehicle sped right up to my window and I could see his lips flapping rapidly and I surmised he was communicating wildly about his missed turn. I indicated that there was lots of space by moving my riggid straight hands apart to show with a neutral face. His lips kept moving and I then did the 'yak yak' sign with my right hand of clapping together my index to small fingers against my thumb like a fast moving mouth. Could sense and see this driver heating up a bit and he kept indicating with stabbing hand gestures that I should pull over and for face to face with him; his passenger side window now rolled down to better hurl invective and challenges to my masculinity into the mix.
I stopped at a red light deliberately with enough space for him right beside my vehicle so I could get a good look at this guy. We briefly and calmly shared points of view before he again called me a coward for not wanting to take him up on his generous offer of physical (read face to face) violence and when asked, admitting he was very happy with how things were going. I drove on and again stopped at the next intersection where I listened with rapt attention this charming guy ..'that I drove a girly/fag car and that I was a pussy bitch oward and that his bitch girlfriend drove a car like mine'... to which I congratulated him and suggested that it must be nice for him, to which even more insults had to be concocted by him. It was at this point that he bizarrely conceded that his girlfriend was in fact a trany and that I was still gay if you follow the nice mans logic. I again had the opportunity and did my best to make him feel good about his 'girl friend'.
The part that became immediately entertaining was the name calling and disparaging comments this guy so urgently felt he had to get off his chest. It would have been very funny to listen to now. I was sort of waiting for his head to pop or something, you know when people just wind themselves up. I've never seen it happen but you never know.
Time for a drive into the countryside I realize...
The Need To Be Heard
(2002)
With the coming of warmer seasons the din out there on the roads of every town is getting a bit noisier.
You know the kind of noise: Roaring engines revved to the breaking point, nerve rending gearshifts as a misguided youngster pilots a crotch rocket down a quiet residential street, tortured rubber screeching as it applies itself to the asphalt on corners, straight sections of the road or in the mall, school or church parking lot, throaty sounding motorcycles gliding by or screaming by with a sound that resembles a really fast chain saw.
And then there are the guys with cars that pulsate, no, seem to be in the process of being physically distorted by the 'beat beast' impossible to be contained within. Moving speakers, actually.
You've seen and heard these cars and trucks, well actually you heard them first or first felt something odd, then you picked something akin to an ominous beat out of the cacophony that is modern day living. Then, (and this depends on what type of vehicle is used to transport these massive PA systems), you get to see the poor sod who thinks that becoming deaf is something that should be accomplished in one afternoon. "Earplugs? Are you talkin' to me?"
Well, I'm not one to gripe, and summer is the season to show off what you've got. Be it a finely honed and chiseled form, a wicked tan (or death defying sunburn), that classic older car you only bring out in the summer months, the motorcycle you just bought or restored, or dads really cool convertible he doesn't know you're driving around, your gorgeous girlfriend, or whatever.
It seems to be the season to let it all hang out, way out. And right in the thick of it are the guys who can't figure out a way to show you their music or their overkill sound systems that may well be worth more than the vehicles they use to drive them around in.
They simply can't help themselves and crank it up so loud that you must hear and feel them.
Noise pollution is what it really is.
So one of these rolling speakers comes to a stop beside you at a traffic light. You try not to look over. Part of you want's to see smoke start to pour out of the dashboard, or the speakers that make up the rest of the noise machine; or one of the wheels wiggle loose and fall off, to the beat of course.
Another part just wants the damned light to change so you can find some quiet airspace to drive through. But the bad side of self wants to compete. OK, not really on the same level, but that bad part of you wants to be heard too. This egocentric side demands to 'mete out' your music to the world within earshot of your factory stock stereo system that came with your ordinary vehicle.
Heck, I've done it before and I'll probably do it again: attempt to project some particular favorite music out through wide open car windows as I head to a job or just out on some other errand.
But is there any difference with loud music even if it's really good classical music; warbling out of overloaded cheapo stock speakers? Ahhh, no. It's still noise pollution.
The reactions to blaring classical music can be fun to watch too; well worth the noise sometimes. "Listen Bob ..., do you hear that ... music? Hey, it's Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by Nigel Kennedy, ... and ... what the #)%&Q@%, it's coming from that old rusted out beater truck over there with that redneck at the wheel!?!!"
I know that some things never change and loud car stereos are one (they seem to get louder each year). If you are the quivering owner of such a system, do yourself a favor. Protect your hearing!
Earplugs should be worn if you are going to 'crank' your tunes (you can even get some that aren't visible to the naked eye) Once your hearing is damaged, it doesn't come back. And that goes for you guys on public transit whose personal sound systems leak noise like a sieve and irritate the heck out of the rest of us.
