2004 - The AGM, Spring Skiing in Canmore, Canoeing Coast, "Highway to the Sun" Bike

January - The Red Lobster Annual General Meeting - Manning Park
Location of the AGM 
My Flickr site for more pictures - 

Chuck, Randy, Merc (below), Keith

We journey to our usual haunts in Manning Park for our annual general meeting and introduce Merc to the peculiarities of Lobsterdom.

Unfortunately, Bob Cuthbert couldn't make it, likewise Ken Willis. We drank toasts in their honour, and were silly in our typical way. Some of the stories we told were even true!

Spring Break 2004 - Banff and Lake Louise

Location of the ACC hostel outside of Canmore

 - Part 1 of our trip

- Part 2 of our trip

Alan, Keith, Chris

I had two weeks off for spring break so Alan Lizee, Chris Cooper, and I headed off for the ACC hut in Canmore. We hoped we would be able to do some spring skiing.

It was indeed spring. The first day saw us standing in the rain at the top of Vermillion Pass, and then standing in the rain at the start of the trail into Skoki. We later hiked up the trail to Lake Agnes to stand briefly in a blizzard.
The second day we skied part way into Skoki. It was a beautiful spring day, and the temperature was cold enough for good snow beyond the down hill area.
The last day we hiked up the trail to the top of Sulphur Mountain in Banff, where the picture to the left was taken.
I used Final Cut Exress II for the first time to create the video of the trip. I was pleased with the result. :-)

Chris Canoes the B.C. Coast
Location of Prince RupertStarting from Prince Rupert, Chris Cooper took a group of people on a canoeing adventure up the B.C. Coast. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

A very stable craft.

He had a 42 foot canoe made for this trip. He also has a 37 foot Montreal canoe which I had travelled in when I did a trip with him on Chilco Lake in 2002.

Working together

The kayaks were used as outriggers during long crossings of inlets during rough seas, and as small vessels for photography and the like. Note the two masts. 

The Musical Bumps - Whistler Mountain
Location of Singing Pass

Ken with Mt. Overlord in the distance.

Ken and I took the lift up Whistler and hiked along the musical bumps to Singing Pass and then down the trail back to our car one day. I had been experiencing knee pain while going downhill and boy did I suffer during the last couple of hours of this hike! Ken was planning a trip to Mt. Edziza and this hike confirmed that I should not go until I got my knee situation dealt with. I subsequently got a good knee brace that makes a big difference.

A Red Lobster Bike Tour.- Fernie - Pincher Creek - Waterton - St. Mary - Highway to the Sun/Logan Pass - West Glacier - Eureka - Fernie 

Part 1 of Ken's slide show of the bike ride.

Part 2 of Ken's slide show of the bike ride

Our route

Ken Willis, Chuck McCafferty, Dale MacQuarrie, John Wheatley, Dave Dixon, and myself (Keith Rajala) did a memorable six day bike tour in July covering about 560 kilometers.

Chuck - day one

Dale and Chuck had started from Balfour pulling trailers (and chuck dragging a brake pad) and the rest of us met them at Fernie. After Dale and Chuck dumped a lot of "excess" gear, we were off the next day on another Red Lobster adventure. I don't know how many other people have a group of friends they can do these kinds of things with and have a good time even in somewhat stressful circumstances, but I feel lucky that I have a group of friends like this.

There is another version of this picture, but we all have to retire first!

We left Fernie before it was even really light and had breakfast at the Dairy Queen in Sparwood as it seemed to be the only place open that early in the morning. The climb from there to the Crowsnest pass is not a big deal at all, especially compared to other passes in the Rockies. The picture above is at the summit of the Crowsnest Pass. From there, one hopes for the legendary tailwinds to blow them through the towns of Blairmore and Coleman on the way to Pincher Creek.

One the way to Waterton

We had spent the previous night at Pincher Creek and the lady at a local restaurant even opened up a bit early the next morning so we could get an early start! The cycle from Pincher Creek to Waterton consisted of a lot of rolling hills.

Morning at Waterton

Ken getting ready for the climb.

This was the start of my hardest day on this trip. The hill up to the border was very long and fairly steep. After the border, there were more hills, but some good downhill runs as well. The long downhill run on Chief Mountain International Highway led to highway 89 and finally St. Mary where we had a good meal. After that, it was a fairly short ride to the Rising Sun campground, showers, and another meal.
... there is much more to the trip, but you can watch Ken's video slideshow if you want to see more. (see above)