Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 17:05:55 -0700 From: Charlie Ford Subject: Oh Canada! Part 2 I left Al Cheak campgraound and started my trip back down to Tobin and Christa's. When I reached the end of the campground road I looked over and saw two hitch-hikers standing with their thumb out. I looked over at them and they looked at me. One of them gestureed to me asking if I was heading south. I made a quick snap decision and since I had been blessed with meeting the Copely's and Rob and Doug Hozier, I decided hey lets give these guys a ride and share the karma. I opened the sliding door and let them jump in. I have my front passenger seat turned around so I can have a larger living space so one of them rode backwards and the other sat in the bench seat in the back. Talk about a motley couple of guys. They smelled as if they hadn't had a bath in a 17 1/2 months and immediately the funk rushed through the Mothership filling my nostrils and her bowels with a stinch that only time without water could create. I asked them to roll down the windows and they said that might be a good idea. I think they smelled themselves. My Ma used to say that when you could smell yourself, everybody else has been smelling you for hours. They ask how far I was going. I explained that I was just easing along. Another lesson of the road. Before you tell a hitch-hiker how far you are going, give yourself time to ascertain what kind of folks they are. I told them I was just cruising for the day, but that I woulds be heading down to Squamish and turning east from there, which were my original intentions. We all got into some really good conversation about where they were from and where I was from. They of course thought it was cool that I was taking a turning 40 journey in my bus. I asked them what they did and they told me that they were both in college but were taking the semester off to live off the land somewhere north of Whistler. I asked them where they hailed from and both of them said Quebec. One of the guys had dreadlocks and actually he seemed the smartest, but at the same time he smelled the worse. Putting the smell aside we drove along and spoke of the important things of life. The right to be whoever you want to be, the right to live wherever you want, and being a person that makes a difference in others lives. These guys may have smelled bad but they had one heck of a philosophy of life. I was very impressed. We eased into Squamish and I pulled into a convenience store. They said they wanted to do some shopping and they would be getting off here. We exchanged goodbyes and left one another there. I pulled out of the parking lot and the Mothership immediately started missi spark. I stopped again and checked it out. Something was definitely misfiring. I checked it out really good and figured she just had aplug fouling out. it had been a while since I had changed them, or even more accurate, had them changed so I went on my way. Missing a fire here and there but holding good speed. I stopped several more times on my way back to Vancouver to check the temp and let here rest. On one rest stop I met my first Canadian Mounty. This canadian Police officer was I think the nicest cop I have ever met. He was the one that actually spoke first, coming up toi my bus and saying "Georgia Eh, you're a long way from home eh!". I said yeah, and couldn't help wondering when he was going to frisk me down and check my license. That old American citizen paranoia struck in. But that never happened and he and I had a fine conversation over things like crime and Canada vs. American policing. he was a fine gentlman. After about an hour I went on my way. I made it to Vancouver around 3:00 pm. I went back into the underground garage and started reading my Bentley Manual. I was dead set on doing the service work on my bus. Later that evening I found myself so frustrated I was about to cry. Me and mechanics manuals just don't Gee and Ha. I couldn't get things right. When it comes to setting exact tolerances I am not good at all. I can take a part out of something fine but tuning it when it is out, that is just not my forte'. If I can see someone do it, then usually I can do it. No I am not retarded, I just don't learn the way others do. I have made my successes by staying on top of things and being creative in the development of programs. Plus I know structure and observation, that helps me get through most of what I do. At any rate, I had to ask Tobin to come down and help me get it right. I hated to do it, and was quite embarrassed by the whole thing, but he helped me get The Mothership running again. Thanks to Tobin, I was back on the road. Still embarrassed by the fact that I couldn't do a simple tune-up myself. I have learned more since that night. The next morning I got out of bed around 10:00 and headed out of Vancouver for Seattle. I said my goodbyes to Christa then dropped by Tobin's office to pick up the Manual that shows you how to build engine armour for the bus. He was in a meeting so I wasn't able to say goodbye in person. I think I may have cried, these guys are both so great, so I was rather glad to not have to suffer through yet another goodbye. (I think I am making myself sound really wimpy here). It looks as if I will be in Seattle for the summer. I plan on leaving here in the fall and continuing the journey. I would like to visit Canada again soon. Tobin has siad that I will have a place to crash, so that being the case, it may be soon. Vancouver is a city of lovers, everywhere you look you see couples. Some are gay couples, old couples, young couples, hetero couples, bi-racial couples but all are sharing each other and the good feelings that being with someone you care for brings. It was probably the most peaceful city I have been in. The folks are just dang friendly, and they make you feel very welcome. The streets are clean, and so is the air. If you have the chance, visit there. It will be worth your while. Thanks for tolerating my ramblings. Charlie Ford '71 Westy Alice IV '74 Super Unnamed