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FAIR BOARD NEEDS HEROES
Princeton's annual Fall Fair may not happen this year, despite a healthy bank account and a 40-year history of success. The Fall Fair Association needs heroes to step forward to become President, Vice-President, and Directors.
Despite placing full-page advertisements in both local newspapers, and discussions with those who might "consider" filling the vacancies on the Fair Board, nobody stepped forward at the January 31 meeting. However, two new members signed on.
Councillor Jim Manion attended to conduct the election, and had some good suggestions, such as sharing the responsibilities through having a President with two Vice-Presidents. He encouraged members to keep trying rather than give up and let the Fall Fair die.
Members went on to discuss some of the problems of running the fair. Former President Jody Woodford said one of the problems is that it is no longer a "little" fair. It offers much more entertainment, and needs to offer enough to attract people and keep the bank account healthy.
There will be one more attempt to put together a Board of Directors. At this time, there are three Directors, a Secretary and a Treasurer, and two more Directors are needed as well as a President and Vice-President.
The next meeting will be held at Town Hall on February 28 at 7:00 PM. If the remaining positions on the Board are not filled, members will decide whether or not to proceed with a fair.
LOCAL WRITER 'PEDDLES' NEW BOOK
Special to the News Leader
by W. George Elliott
Have you ever considered riding a bike across Canada? Neither have I. In fact, I wasn't sure how interesting reading about such a trip would be when Coalmont resident - and accomplished author - Neil Anderson handed me a copy of his latest volume 'Partners In Grime' and requested a book review.Well, I have a confession to make. Only last year was I able to actually finishing reading a pocket book from cover to cover. That was a major accomplishment, I figured, considering I usually have more than three books on the go at any given time so adding one more to the list seemed alright - but could I finish it in a reasonable time frame and tap out a review before Neil publishes his third volume? This was my fear.
So I took 'Partners In Grime' home with me on a Friday. I started reading it that evening. Three evenings later I had finished the 252-pages and was looking for more.
I thought it may have to do with the fact that I sort of know the main characters - Neil and Sharon - but then I realized what I liked so much about the book was that it was a true account of two adventurers embarking on what was to become a life-changing experience.
The book follows the Andersons from their home in Edmonton (in July 1994) where they basically sold everything they could, stored what didn't sell and loaded up their bikes and 'escaped the rat race cycling across Canada.'
They eventually cycled over 30 countries and returned to Vancouver in August 1997. 'Partners In Grime' documents the very start of the series of adventures that also produced the 'prequel' book 'The Lead Goat Veered Off' - which details a three month cycle trip on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia.
Anderson's quirky sense of humour peppers the story in what sometimes appears to be an endless search for shelter from rain; the hunt for food; sneaking into school yards and ball fields to pitch a tent; the constant repair of flat tires and encounters with crazy drivers and road construction.
I know I'll forever pass a touring cyclist slower and wider whenever I see one in future. There are times in the book you really feel like your on the bike dealing with situations in much the same way the Andersons had to.
On the upside - and there are plenty of good parts in the story - they seem to become a people magnet and discover a lot of good still exists in people.
Anderson describes it best: ' I was thinking that something we had come to term as the kindness principle was in effect. The first time we noticed the rule was on our cycle trip across the States. Whenever we became dispirited - from rainy weather; a bike breakdown; or just from being on the road too long, far from family and friends - someone (or something) happened along to rally our spirits. It occurred repeatedly...so often that we began to wonder if a series of occurrences weren't merely coincidences at all. Perhaps a patron saint really did look after wayward travellers?'
I still chuckle at some of Neil's descriptive narratives on situations they encountered.
' It was Sunday. And on Sundays, in small prairie towns, everything was closed more tightly than a two-year-old's fist clenching a handful of Smarties.'
Other funny moments I enjoyed include a stretch of highway littered with tomatoes that led to - oddly enough - a ketchup factory, Neil's embarrassed request in French for a shower and a night spent sleeping in a washroom building - in the Ladies side - to avoid cold and wind.
The latter started to show signs of how grueling the trip must have actually been with this exchange documented in great detail:
O Apparently the journey had lost its allure. Combined with the cold weather and my cheapness about not getting motels, or even eating in restaurants, I was subjecting Sharon to an unrewarding experience that wasn't providing her with a great deal of personal satisfaction. "When I was slaving away at work," she said, "at least I was warm."
It was apparent that cycling in October in Quebec was a whole different thing than touring the same countryside in a motorhome. The tone of the book, and the balance of the trip, changed from that moment. Neil had obviously had a reality check.
I quite enjoyed the read. Neil is a funny guy and is able to translate his humour into the book. One favourite story is about a dinner cooked on a campstove that turned into a serious fire, burning eyebrows and a picnic table. Not that that would be a funny experience, but in Neil's eyes, he found some humour in it.
I wonder how different the book would have been if Sharon had written it. It still hasn't convinced me I should attempt a similar trip, but gave me a whole new respect for those I often see from our front deck cycling along the Trans-Canada Trail.
The Andersons moved to Coalmont in 1998 and as Neil explains, "Our plan was to buy a property where we could store our possessions between world travels. Turned out, we liked it so much, we never left!"
It's a fun book from front to back. For more information on how you can purchase your copy of "Partners In Grime" by Neil Anderson of Coalmont, visit his website at www.cyclelogicpress.com. The book is also available at Pharmasave or by calling 1-866-825-1837.
BCPP MEMORIES - PART TWO
by Jim McCulloch
Bill Hare had a very large Alsatian dog named 'Wolf.' Before Bill got this dog he had been beaten badly and lost all his nerve. He would cringe at a loud noise and react to any threat by lying down and whimpering, nevertheless he was a very friendly dog. Quite often he would follow me when I was making my rounds at the back of the commercial buildings. One morning, about 2 or 3 AM I was cut off by three miners with whom I had problems previously and who had said they would 'get me'.This was a dangerous situation from my point of view, as the three started closing in on me they suddenly stopped, said they were sorry to have stopped me on my rounds and left. As I was pondering this, Wolf came up beside me from where he had stood just to my rear. The three obviously were not aware of his timid nature and thought he was a trained police dog. Anytime Wolf was with me after that I made sure he had a hamburger to eat (we became very good friends).
Cpl. Neff was told that one of the supposedly young toughs was carrying a gun. The Corporal and I picked him up off the street, with his permission, and drove to the area we used to use for target practice. This was behind Ewart's Hardware explosives magazine, just off the Allenby Road. We used the tailing dump as a backstop for our shots. We put up a target and suddenly drew our revolvers and emptied 12 shots into the center of the bullseye. We then reloaded and mentioned to the 'tough' that if we ever thought anyone was carrying a weapon they would get the same treatment as the target. That was the last we heard of the budding gun fighter being armed.
In 1950 the Provincial police were disbanded and the RCMP took over the Provincial Policing. Most of us switched over to this force.
With the opening of the Hope-Princeton highway the detachment was augmented with Cst. Charles Atchinson joining as a highway patrol member with a new highway patrol vehicle. About this time our cars had radios installed which allowed us to keep in touch with the detachment and also with the headquarters in Penticton.
These radios left a lot to be desired and at night we used to get 'skips' which would give us stations a long way away. One night I was calling Penticton "Car 4 to Penticton," before Penticton could answer a very deep southern drawl came on "Where at is that Penticton place?" I answered, "In British Columbia," the reply came back "where all is that place?"
Before I could answer another southern drawl cut in "Don't tell him, he's too dumb to know no how." To this day I still do not know where or to whom I was talking!
Cst. Bill Benton who had the Keremeos Detachment was posted to another detachment and Cst. Bill Hare took over that detachment. Cst. William (Bill) MacKenzie took his place as the third man on the detachment. While we were responsible for Allenby, which was the treatment plant for the Granby Mine at Copper Mountain, Copper Mountain had a one man detachment run by Cst. James (Jimmy) Morrison who prior to coming to the BCPP and later the RCMP had been with the Vancouver City Police for a few years.
Cst. Jimmy Morrison received a call one night that there was a man in one of the bunkhouses who was threatening to commit suicide. When Cst. Morrison arrived the man was sitting on the stairs with a .22 rifle in his hands with the muzzle against his forehead and his finger on the trigger. He stated he would shoot himself if anyone came close.
Jimmy told him that he couldn't do that as the rifle needed to be fixed before it would fire. He asked to see if he could fix it, the would be suicide said that Jimmy would keep it. Upon being assured the rifle would be returned he gave it to Jimmy, who then bent the barrel of the rifle into a 'U' and gave it back saying, "I told you I would return it." He then took
the man into protective custody and he was placed under medical supervision.
During this period there were four cafes in Princeton, one in the Princeton Hotel under Chinese management, another similar cafe, The Traveler's Cafe and the Princeton Bus Depot and Cafe which was managed by Nora Anderson and her husband.
Whenever possible one of us would be at the bus depot when the two night buses arrived for a rest stop. Several times we were able to assist the drivers with intoxicated or unruly passengers.
The hospital was served by Dr. Phillips who was the surgeon, Dr. Hicks, both of Princeton and Dr. Markowski and his wife Dr. Murphy who had an office in Hedley.
On the main street T.A. 'Rosy' Lesard owned a well run Billiard and Pool Hall, his wife was an avid fisherman who tied her own flies and originated the 'Princeton Special' which had some local success. Rosy wrote the sporting column for the local paper, mainly hunting and fishing but followed the Curling closely during the winter.
Ed Cook owned a grocery store in a very old building next door to the Tulameen Hotel. The building would stem from late 1800s to early 1900s. This burnt down and a new store was built in the same area, close to the Tulameen bridge.
During this period I was also involved with the Air Cadets mainly discipline and foot drill. This was counterbalanced by June leading a Cub Scout Pack which she loved doing.
