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The Never Ending Plane Ride

I left Yellowknife at 7:30 am MDT on Tuesday August 2, 2005 and arrived in London at 9:00am EDT Wednesday August 3. Throughout the trip I entertained myself with thoughts of all the exotic places I could have flown to in the same amount of time.
I really shouldn't complain too much since I was not on the plane that crashed (thankfully no one was hurt). I did however spend 4 hours on the plane with no AC on the tarmak at Hamilton Airport. I wanted to get off the plane because I figured that I could con someone into comign to get me in Hamilton but they would not allow it. Eventually we were all put on city buses and sent to Pearson where we were let off at the front of the terminal... no one to point us in the right direction so it was pretty much a free for all. After getting a 14 year old girl who was travelling by herself in touch with someone who could help her find her aunt I set off to figure out what to do with myself. I tried to get on a robert q airbus but without any luck. I then went to the Air Canada desk to try to get a refund, only to find out that it would have to go to Winnipeg and I probably wouldn't get that much money back. I was lucky enough to have the lady rebook my flight for the next morning and get my boarding pass without having to wait in the endlessly long lines to use the "rebooking phones". I then hopped in a taxi and headed for my apartment in the hopes that someone would be there to let me in. Much to my delight I was welcomed by Anna, Mel and Mocha and the bison I had in my carry on was still frozen. I owe much gratitude to Melanie who got up at an ungodly hour to drive me back to the airport where I was very excited to not have to wait in line to get my boarding pass. My flight didn't exist on the departures board or the gate sign but it did exist. We boarded and were set to go on time for our 7am departure until the flight attendant fainted and we had to wait for an hour on the plane for a new attendant to arrive. Got to the airport in London, but my luggage didn't. Called my bro, he came and got me and I made it to my 9:30 doctors appointment. My luggage arrived the next day.

After the Wildcat things really got wild...

After the wildcat we headed off to the Range- the sketckiest local water hole. We had to go so that we could say that we had been there. We left the granola types and folk music and arrived in a bar with live country music and an interior that was in drastic need of an update. I was introduced to a Ridlean who is going back for her 10 year reunion in October. How random is that? I learned a very valuable lesson about the appropriateness of pigtails and my S is for Single t-shirt.  

The tables had fuzzy table clothes... I think that they were made of terry cloth 

This is my facial expression immediately after the man in the background grabbed my arm and asked me if I was 18- pretty sure he was trying to ascertain whether or not I was legal 

This is the drink bought for me by another dirty old man. I tried to decline but he insisted. I ended up giving it to someone else at the table. 

Brad is teaching me how to two step... there was a live band which was pretty good (despite the sketchy atmosphere) 

Allison and I are kickin' it in da YK. 

One Last night at the WildCat

The flutist was awesome!
Jennifer took me to the wildcat for dinner and we were joined by Allison, Bonnie and Heather. It was as always a good time. We also ran into Yose. David bailed on us and stayed home to sleep. 

Jen and I... just chillin' after the excellent dinner that Jen bought for me. We had pan fried white fish and rhubarb- berry crumble of course! 

Bonnie, Allison and Heather 

This is the scary face I would use to scare away the bears. If you see a bear you are suppose to stand still (not run away) and if the bear decides to attack you are suppose to make a scary face and fight back... I think the bear would take one look at me and run the other way! 

Look- I'm in the Yellowknifer (the local paper) because I volunteered at Folk on the Rocks. Look for Jennifer and Allison to! 

Good-bye Coffee Break

On our second last day of work there was a good-bye coffee break held for Kali and I. There was lots of food and lots of friendly faces to wish Kali and I headed off to Grenada and Ontario respectively.

Maria gives Kali and I are farewell cards 

The food, and the co-workers 

Its me... 

Save a horse (Ride a Cowboy)

Save a horse (ride a cowboy) is a favourite at the clubs here. So much so that Jen, David and I had a bet as to when they would play the song and how many times it would be played on Saturday night. It was played before 11:00pm and again at about 1:15am. I am not much for country music, but its a catchy song and I think I could live with it if it wasn't so overplayed. I am also a bit confused as to why it is so popular here (as soon as it starts playing the shit kickers come out, the dance floor fills, and people start kickin' their heals up)- this is Yellowknife not Calgary. There are very few horses. There are no cowboys, believe me I've been looking for one to take for a spin.
Due to technical difficulties/ my technical inabilities I am unable to post the song as of yet. Below you will find the lyrics.

"Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)"- Big and Rick

[Intro]
DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DE-DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DAA-DAAAAA
DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DE-DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DAA-DAA-DAA-DAA-DAAAA!

Well, I walk into the room
Passing out hundred dollar bills
And it kills and it thrills like the horns on my Silverado grill
And I buy the bar a double round of crown
And everybody's getting down
An' this town ain't never gonna be the same.

[Chorus:]
Cause I saddle up my horse
and I ride into the city
I make a lot of noise
Cause the girls
They are so pretty
Riding up and down Broadway
on my old stud Leroy
And the girls say
Save a horse, ride a cowboy.
Everybody says
Save a horse, Ride a cowboy

Well I don't give a dang about nothing
I'm singing and Bling-Blinging
While the girls are drinking
Long necks down!
And I wouldn't trade ol' Leroy
or my Chevrolet for your Escalade
Or your freak parade
I'm the only John Wayne left in this town

And I saddle up my horse
and I ride into the city
I make a lot of noise
Cause the girls
They are so pretty
Riding up and down Broadway
on my old stud Leroy
And the girls say
Save a horse, ride a cowboy.
Everybody says
Save a horse, Ride a cowboy

[Spoken:]
I'm a thourough-bred
that's what she said
in the back of my truck bed
As I was gettin' buzzed on suds
Out on some back country road.
We where flying high
Fine as wine, having ourselves a big and rich time
And I was going, just about as far as she'd let me go.
But her evaluation
of my cowboy reputation
Had me begging for salvation
all night long
So I took her out giggin frogs
Introduced her to my old bird dog
And sang her every Wilie Nelson song I could think of

And we made love
And I saddled up my horse
and I ride into the city
I make a lot of noise
Cause the girls
They are so pretty
Riding up and down Broadway
on my old stud Leroy
And the girls say
Save a horse, ride a cowboy.
Everybody says
Save a horse, Ride a cowboy

What? What?
Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy
Everybody says
Save a Horse Ride a cowboy.

Shake, Shake, Shake...Shake Shake Shake... Shake your Booty

On Saturday Jennifer, David and I met up at Javaroma at 9:30 (after I got home from paddling, biked to jen's house, ate pizza, biked home, showered and got dressed) for coffee to get our caffeine level up. We then proceeded on to the White Fox and were the first patrons to enter the bar when we arrived shortly after 10:00. David will point out that arriving so early is not cool but Jen and I didn't want to wait in line and were not too concerned about looking cool. We had a couple of drinks and then Jen and I were the first people out on the dance floor making all the girls jealous and all the guys want us (ok, this might not be exactly the truth but its my story and I can tell it like I want). We then made David join us. Despite not hearing any Latin music (even though we asked for it)- the night went well, lots of dancing, hips gyrating and all around good times. I will admit when it came to dancing to the early '90s mix I was no match for David and Jen.
We met up with Kali and her crew who were there celebrating Kali's last weekend in YK before she heads off to med school in Grenada. Lots more dancing persisted.
Allison, Heather and some others arrived near closing and persisted to drop ice cudes on us from the second floor- they were not dressed for dancing and could not keep up with Jen, David and I though.

SIDEBAR: David is my new friend who my friend Mark introduced me to via email. David is also a friend of Mark's and Mark figured that his two friends who happened both to be in YK at the same time should get together.

Paddling with the Anderson's

So, as per usual I was out paddling on Saturday. Allison's parents were up visiting her and Heather so a group of us went out for the afternoon. Once again we paddled Great Slave Lake from Back Bay to the Yellowknife River Day Use Area (which is at the mouth of the Yellowknife River). The paddle took approximately 1.5 hours on the way out and 2 hours on the way back (there was a decent head wind on our return trip). The temperture was predicted to reach 17C, unfortunately it was more like 12C all day. However, with my wetsuit I was plenty warm while paddling. Plus, I stayed pretty dry throughout the trip. There were lots of birds to be seen, including a stunning bald eagle who sat pristinely atop a tree while we photographed it (I will have to post pics later because, Jen got the best one's with her camera). We also saw lots of terns, a family of ducks, a couple of loons and some boring old seagulls. To learn more about the local bird life check out Great Slave Lake: A Bird's Eye View.
Even with the wind, the trip is suitable for beginners.

Despite overcast skies and frigid temperatures we braved the elements and paddled the afternoon away  

Our picnic lunch (please note from the cars in the background that you can get to the YK Day use area by water or by road. 

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson sporting the bug hat. I believe I will purchase one to don quickly as I approach a portage. 

Bug jackets not only protect you from bugs but also provide endless hours of entertainment 

This is a good look to protect yourself from insects but is also successful in attracting fine male homo sapian specimens native to the Yellowknife area . 

Jen at the stern, Bonnie in the bow. 

We may live in Yellowknife, close to the wilderness and wild animals and we may have been in the middle of the lake but Jennifer still got reception on her cell. 

I was very happy in my skinny touring boat. I had not used a touring boat (coming with storage- the black rectangle in the front) or a boat this skinny previously. One of my fav. lake boats. 

Getting Wild at the Wildcat (again).

Jennifer and I went to the Wildcat last Friday where we were joined by Allison, Heather, their parents and a couple of Heather's friends. Jen and I arrived a bit early to try to get a table (things get a bit squishy as the night progresses) and experienced a very RUDE girl who wanted the table we were sitting at. In Toronto you are prepared for rude people but in YK I was caught so off guard that I didn't know how to react. So, Jen and I moved tables and joined a very cute teenage brother sister duo who were having dinner together (my brother should take note of this)- the sister came to support her brother who wanted to play at the jam session. The four of us bound together to have strength in numbers and secure a better table- only to have another rude person weasle her way in. Despite the over abundance of rude craky people (which are rare in Yellowknife, and even rarer in the granola filled Wildcat atmosphere) we had a good night chilling.
Of other note- they ran out of vanilla ice cream so I had to have my rhubarb-berry crumble with strawberry instead.

The owner and head of the jam givin'er 

The evening ended with the equivalent of a bedroom dance party. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of seeing me dance around my bedroom/ house in my study clothes or underwear with my roommates you will not fully appreciate the joy being able to sing out loud to 'Shout' and 'Hot Hot Hot' while dancing around the Wildcat. Alyssa and Vanessa you were sadly missed. The three of us together would have cause quite the stir. 

As the night progressed things started getting more and more out of control