i é i i ' MARGARET SPEIRS" B4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 20, 2005 _truck. : It’s close to closing time “when: we pull into- ; SKEENA ANGLER . : _ROB. BROWN | Not dark yet s it my. imagination or are. the lights getting dimmer?” says Karen, looking up to examine the fixtures on the ceiling of the camper. . “I don’t think so. I just’put in a brand new. . battery ~ a hundred and forty bucks after taxes.” - We clean up and drive slowly through the camp- ground — slowly because the gravel road looks and | _, feels as if it’s recently withstood heavy shelling. The contract for the maintenance of the park has . been awarded to an outfit in Massett Village, Bob ~ Crookes told me.: 7 -The ‘contractors ran out of money before they could hire a grader. A SNAFU typical of those that attend privatization. - Minutes later we are on the highway, enjoying’ ‘the speed and the smooth ride. The clouds are high ‘and broken with sun shining through the cracks. ' __ We pass the cluttered and confused intersection. : at Port Clements and over the dark tide Swollen wa- 7 ters of Kumdis.’ * Then drive on toward the north end of the north _ island.on the preferred route, detouring for'a quick - tour through the melancholy shambles of Massett. -_ “What on earth is that?” Karen asks as we pass “the enigmatic structure a few miles past Massett.. “The Elephant Cage,” I say, repeating what Peter. Buck told me, “‘part of the DEW line, the Delayed Early Warning system; part of NORAD.” This brings me to the end of all I know — and want to know — about the site. : We. have to stop for pavers. just past the bridge 7 ‘crossing the Sangan Rivers > 4 There’s ‘a homey cabin nestled i in the dark green | - woods. “I think that’s Susan Musgrave’s place,” I say to pass time.and hasten the wait. “Maybe we should “go knock on the door and say hello.” “Yeah, we could ask her what she was think- ing when she wrote The Charcoal Burners,” Karen says. . a _ “Not good?” , “T. didn’t like it. It’s about a woman who’s tor- tured, sexually abused, then murdered by these people called the charcoal burners,” Karen answers. “T still have it at home somewhere, if you want to read it.” I decide I don’t need any more light reading. The flag lady waves us on. We stop at the Hyellen for lunch, turn on the lights and watch the light die. , Damn.. ‘A -hassle on holidays seems so much more upsetting than one ‘that occurs ona working day. We decide that there's nothing to do but drive to" Queen Charlotte City and find a mechanic. The first one we see when we arrive is Pierre’s. Pierre is too busy doing paper work to even have a look see. “Maybe tomorrow,” he growls. I feel sorry for his help, a young lad with a base- ball hat and coveralls who looks up from under the hood of a truck as we talk. “Forget Pierre,” | say as I climb back into the Queen Charlotte Island Tire. They’re even busier than the sourpuss up the road, but at least they're sympathetic and kind enough to offer some sugges- tions as well as the assurance that they’ll jump on the job if I can return the next day. ‘There’s a part shop up the road. I violate what I am sure must be one of the cardinal rules of tinker- ing, one that states when you are trying to deter- mine why a system has failed you should start by testing the cheapest part and proceed from there to. ‘arrive ata diagnosis. ~ = I buy a new battery, leaving the old/new one on charge. . Karen switches the fridge to electricity. ‘We drive back to Misty Meadows where we dine and read under bright lights, glancing upward from .| . time to time to assure ourselves that the lights are as bright as they were when we first turned them on. Are they dimming? No. You sure? Yeah. Then we get an aural tip off. The hum on the furnace fan lowers in pitch. The " batteries are still not communicating. _I start the engine and wiggle the cable, exhaust- ing my mechanical repertoire. The lights blaze. “It’s like frogs in a frying pan,” I say. Karen looks puzzled. “If you put a frog in water ina frying pan n and heat it up gradually, it'll get accustomed to the heat- ing-and not jump out until it can’t because it’s boiled alive. I read it in some environmental journal. “If the furnace had been off we might have read unsuspectingly as the light dimmed by degrees and then, suddenly, it would have been black. It’s like a metaphor for gradually exhausting the earth’s life supports,” I enthuse. “Yeah. I get it,” says Karen patiently. TERRACE STANDARD : CALEDONIA'S SENIOR girls volleyball team poses on the beach in Hawaii during their “trip there to olay | in the Sun Surf invitational Volleyball - Tournament over Spring break. The girls enjoyed a 13th place finish and sightseeing that included snorkeling and surfing. © yal girls hula in Hawaii By MARGARET SPEIRS 7 ~ CALEDONIA GIRLS volleyball became “hula - girls for a week when they travelled to Hawaii for a tourney and sightseeing over spring break, - The 2005 Sun Surf Invitational Volleyball . Tournament beckoned about a dozen teams from Canada to join eight from Hawaii. Cal finished 13th out of 20 to their delight. “Everybody was happy with. the way they played. We were in every game,” said coach Mark Neid, adding the Hawaiian teams were phe- nomenal. In round robin play, Cal lost close ones 21-13 and 21-18 to Birchmount from Ontario. They fought hard but couldn’t quite hold out ~ against. Cardinal Leger from Ontario, dropping two matches 22-20. _ The Palama club team from Hawaii, a “very solid team’ who “did everything right”, walloped Cal 21-6 and 21-14. - Volleyball team competes and views sights in Oahu during spring break tough, like’ playing against provincial players.” belted Cal 21-9 and 21-14. ' “ Cal finished fifth in their pool, moving to a 10. team double elimination tourney. They showed up ready to play, hammering Quebec’ s Francis Quest 21-6 and 21-15. Then they destroyed Ontario’ s Seaway 21-9 in , ‘their first meeting. Their “second game topped Neid’s highlight reel. Cal was down 20- 14, but rallied back to a 22- 20 victory. “T have played a lot of volleyball and watched ‘a lot of volleyball and have never witnessed a comeback like that,” Neid said. “T was very proud of the girls coming back like’ that. “When we were down, we scored a few points and I looked at Ron Poole, the assistant coach, and said ‘maybe?’ - outdoor pool to cool down from the 28 degree Then the Lanakila 1 club team from Hawaii, who Neid described as a squad that “served very “Next thing you know it was 20-20. All the girls on the floor.and the bench were going cra- Shames wraps up this year, prepares for next By MARGARET SPEIRS : * THE BEST ski hillin the province saw the |. opening of a new snowboard park, wonky weather and close to normal-attendance to cap another year of operation. Shames Mountain’s new snowboard freestyle park, that took over Panhandler, numbered among the season’s highlights. The park included 27 different events - for snowboarders to tackle. “It's really Probably one of the best in the. province,”..said Gerry Martin, presi- dent of Shames Mountain Ski Corpora- tion. “It was really impressive.” The Nancy Greene program and the Shames Mt. Ski Club counted as other season highlights. Shames swished into gear with a great - Christmas season before running into tough weather to start this year, Martin said. The first three months ‘of 2005 noted ‘an “awesome” quality of snow. despite January’s rain that may have slowed ski ~ visits. Martin said a final count hadn't been — tabulated but he speculated. the ski hill welcomed close to similar numbers of skiers and snowboarders as last year. Considering the province’s ski hills suffered from a lack of snow, Shames tri- umphed with quality snow, although per-.. this year, maybe a little bit up or down.” Tuns.. _Sports Menu CONTRIBUTED PHOTO. | zy.” “The girls: didn’ t quit, play after play they kept . going. “Tt was a huge win, very overwhelming, Eas- ily the highlight of the year.’ . Cal followed with two close games against Brantyouth from Ontario that ended in the eastern, Canadians’ favour 21-18. After the game the girls took advantage of the Celsius heat. “It was pretty sticky,” Neid said, adding he didn’t believe the heat played a factor. “They went down to play competitively and they did and had a holiday.” The team then enjoyed a sightseeing tour of the island, ‘including surfing and snorkeling. - “It was a farewell tour for our Grade 12s and another step ahead for the Grade 11s who will play next year,” he said. “Without the support of the girls’ parents this trip would not have taken place.” haps less than usual. " Over nine metres fell mid-mountain and about 10 to 12 metres at the peak, Martin said. Financially, Shames will be ‘close to last year’s totals. ; “We're going to be in the same ball- ; park,” he said. “We struggle every year to ‘break even. “We're probably pretty close: to that Next season is already in mind. Over the summer, Shames staff plan to clear some treed areas to create new “It's always nice to have something new,” Martin said. A) A new double black diamond run will be carved out for 600 metres between Hangover and Galloway with glades on . cach sides. A second run will form part of Deliv- erance off of Southpaw, stretching 220 metres along the mountain. Despite persistent rumours to the con- i April 23 Pacific North Coasters triathlon club splashes into aswim clinic at 10:30 a.m. at the Terrace Aquatic Centre. Contact Crystal at 635-4632 for more details. M April23__ Totem Saddle Club rides into its new season with its first- ever Team Cattle Sorting event at 3 p.m. at the Thornhill ' Community Grounds. A warm-up goes on Friday evening. - Call James Muller at 635-5100 for more info. & April 23 ' Terrace Peaks Gymnastics Club bounds into their new season with an invitational competition at the Ed Fairless © Memorial Gym from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. | April 24 Totem Saddle.Club hosts a Gymkhana, Percentage Day and Clear Rounds starting at 10 a.m. at the Thornhill Com- munity Grounds. Registration for all events starts at 9 a.m. at the show office. Admission is free. Score Board trary, Martin promises Shames will open next year. Rec Division.- season end stats “You get that kind of talk.and people GP |W} L|T{PTS| GF | GA.| PIM are ‘reluctant to make an [season pass] Chapter One Aeros 33 | 30] 2 investment, but we’re there for the long , 7 | 61 | 280 | 63 | 166 haul,” he said. ‘| |Blue Ridge Graphics | 30 | 15/10) 4) 34 | 148 | 109 | 188 Neyens Blasting Caps | 31 |.12| 12] 7] 31-| 117 | 129 | 176 Braid Insurance — 33 | 9 | 22] 3] 21. | 123 | 180 | 120 6| 10 | 77 | 208 | 152 All Seasons 82.} 2 | 24 ' ing the exciting, fast-paced sport for more Ultimate runs again | that takes a walk on the wild side from time . to time with all sorts of wacky twists to how the game can be played. The first pull (releasing the disc at the be- ‘ginning of a game) of the season is scheduled to take place May 9th at the fields immedi- ately east of Caledonia Senior Secondary School. Games are played each Monday and Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. with in- - creased play dates as the season progresses. LOCAL ultimate players are getting pumped up for another season of disc throwing and good times. . . The Terrace Ultimate Club has been play- than six years and are currently inviting new players to give it a try. “It’s a fun co-ed exhilarating new sport,” says club spokesman Richard Klein. - “We would encourage all people to come out and give it a try. We will teach and coach those who would like to try a new sport.” _ Ultimate is a team sport played on a field. It encompasses running, catching, throwing and it’s a great social sport, Klein adds. Ultimate is widely known for its focus on fair play and self-refereeing. And its a sport mate to newcomers. Anyone looking for more information can contact Richard Klein at 635-6636. Rec Division- top 10s scorers Player . Team |G A | Tot. Scott Mulder Chap. One |29]55]| 84 Garrett Kerr Chap. One 132/50] 82 Troy Farkvam Chap. One | 42/28] 70 Mitch Shinde Neyens. |33/27| 60 Craig Konst Chap. One [301/28] 58 Lawrence Stella Blue Ridge |24}25| 49 The first couple weeks of the season are . . : dedicated to getting back into the swing of Rich Clair Chap. One 20 28| 48 things and teaching the finer points of ulti | Mike Hayworth |Chap. One | 8/38] 46 Garth Muller Blue Ridge |10}33] 43 Wade Larson {Blue Ridge |15}26| 41 AA AON . Re Oe ee DON tal ENERO te ae TREN A Rg te Fg ete Set Pa hy Fa ees