First stop on a holiday down to Yellowstone and the Tetons was Head-Smashed-In.
This was my first time visiting this World Heritage Site though it is less than 2hrs from home.
For over 5000yrs tribes ran bison over a cliff here, one of the oldest, largest and best preserved buffalo jump’s known.
Fascinating and well run — despite what Dana and other friends have to say.
» next travelogue post on this trip – Climbing Crowsnest Mountain
Ron & Kate invited me up to their comp. luxury suite at the Legends hotel resort in Whistler, BC. They also invited blues legend Colin James to play for me … and a few hundred other invited guests.
Rockin’ Ronnie was feeding barbecue to the great unwashed — including a whole hog. (Thanks for introducing me to hog jowl, Rockin’.)
The entire event was sponsored by Navan, Cognac in celebration of inebriation and Ron’s cookbooks.
I drove out with my brother Rob to visit our parents in Parksville on Vancouver Island.
Mom and Dad are mid-70s, doing great and enjoying the new scenery on the Liquid Sunshine Coast. They recently relocated from the Kootenays in central BC.
Rob set up the “guest room” in the garage.
We made several trips to the dump.
Rob and Yvonne booked 3 days at a lovely resort called Pacific Shores. The highlight is a huge salt water fish tank.
Parksville is still a quaint, undeveloped seaside town of barbershops and thrift stores. Starbucks opened recently but it’s empty. Pensioners don’t cotton to yuppie over-priced coffee chains.
Rob & Yvonne will eventually move out to the coast too. Rob’s doing about C$8000 of renovations to the house this summer, squeezed between fishing & golf days.
Alexander, a neighbour, has the most fantastic rose garden.
This is the hub of a new “Waterfront Walkway” – a shoreline boardwalk.
John Fair’s holiday ranch property. A relaxing getaway in the Alberta foothills is available for rental. (link from the photos page)
UPDATE – John has made some major improvements for 2006!
To see all annotated photos, jump to the permanent webpage in Rick’s photo archive. 
5000 people from around the world needed to camp on an island, building a sustainable eco-community.
In a surprise, controversial win over Japan, my former homeland is over the moon.
All Black fans should start planning now to travel to New Zealand for 2011. I hope to see you there! The All Blacks are the most successful rugby side of all time — but they have only won the World Cup once.
Rugby World Cup web.com – The Unofficial World cup website
NEWS: My old hometown Christchurch will host the Super 14 final next weekend. I guarantee the Crusaders will win — but don’t tell the Wellington Hurricanes I said so.
.flickr-photo { border: solid 0px #000000; }
.flickr-yourcomment { }
.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 0px; }
.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }
Warren has been testing his new Pentax Optio W10. Click one of the links to see more photos in Flickr.
He has another set with the same camera: Swimming With Manatees.
I just uploaded my collected highlight travel photos which have migrated through various locations over the years.
In Flickr I can easily add and edit. Others can easily find and comment.
It’s a bit of an experiment. So far, I like it.
Live your dream. … ditch the nine to five, say ciao to the rat race.
They call it a “gap” year in the UK.
Greg and Lori Chartier took off with two teenage boys through New Zealand and Australia. And loved it.
I thought the book would be filled with dream travel itineraries. The Lonely Planet Planet Earth that I have long been anticipating.
Actually, most of it deals with practicalities: house, pets, finances, vehicle, job. Where to kennel the kids.
Have you heard of the Marathon des Sables?
Racing 142 miles over seven days in the Sahara. 120F heat. Wind storms. Carrying all your own gear & food. One guy got lost for over a week last year.
Rick McCharles 